A read-only memory cell array includes a first storage state memory cell and a second storage state memory cell. The first storage state memory cell includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is connected to a source line and a word line. The second transistor is connected to the first transistor and a first bit line. The second storage state memory cell includes a third transistor and a fourth transistor. The third transistor is connected to the source line and the word line. The fourth transistor is connected to the third transistor and a second bit line. A gate terminal of the fourth transistor is connected to a gate terminal of the third transistor.

As is well known, a non-volatile memory is able to continuously retain data after the supplied power is interrupted. Generally, after the non-volatile memory leaves the factory, the user may program the non-volatile memory in order to record data into the memory cells of the non-volatile memory.
According to the number of times the non-volatile memory is programmed, the non-volatile memory cells may be classified into several types, including multi-time programmable memory cells (also referred as MTP memory cells), one time programmable memory cells (also referred as OTP memory cells) and read-only memory cells (also referred as ROM memory cells).
Generally, the stored data of the MTP memory cell may be modified many times. On the contrary, the OTP memory cell may be programmed once. After the OTP memory cell is programmed, the stored data cannot be modified. After the read-only memory cells leaves the factory, all stored data have been recorded therein. The user is only able to read the stored data from the read-only memory cells, but unable to program the read-only memory cells.
Moreover, the memory cell of the non-volatile memory can be programmed to be in one of at least two storage states. For example, the memory cell in the first storage state generates a lower cell current, and the memory cell in the second storage state memory cell generates a higher cell current. While a read action is performed, a sensing circuit judges the storage state of the memory cell according to the magnitude of the cell current. Generally, the first storage state is referred as an erased state, and the second storage state memory cell is referred as a programmed state.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,190 discloses a programmable single-poly non-volatile memory. FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a memory cell of a conventional programmable single-poly non-volatile memory disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,190. FIG. 1B is a schematic top view illustrating the memory cell of the conventional programmable single-poly non-volatile memory of FIG. 1A. FIG. 10 is a schematic equivalent circuit diagram illustrating the memory cell of the conventional programmable single-poly non-volatile memory of FIG. 1A.
Please refer to FIGS. 1A˜1C. The memory cell of the conventional programmable single-poly non-volatile memory comprises two serially-connected p-type transistors. The first p-type transistor is used as a select transistor, and the second p-type transistor is used as a floating gate transistor. A select gate 24 of the first p-type transistor is connected to a select gate voltage VSG. A p-type doped source region 21 is connected to a source line voltage VSL. Moreover, a p-type doped drain region 22 may be considered as a combination of a p-type doped drain region of the first p-type transistor and a first p-type doped region of the second p-type transistor. A floating gate 26 is located at the top side of the second p-type transistor. A second p-type doped region 23 of the second p-type transistor is connected to a bit line voltage VBL. Moreover, the second p-type transistor is constructed in an N-well region NW. The N-well region NW is connected to an N-well voltage VNW.
By properly controlling the magnitudes of the select gate voltage VSG, the source line voltage VSL, the bit line voltage VBL and the N-well voltage VNW, the conventional programmable single-poly non-volatile memory may be programmed or read. When the program action is performed, hot carriers (e.g., electrons) are injected into the floating gate 26. When the read action is performed, hot carriers are not injected into the floating gate 26. Consequently, the non-volatile memory is controlled to be in a first storage state or a second storage state.
As described in FIGS. 1A˜1C, the memory cell of the non-volatile memory is only programmable or readable. However, the memory cell of the non-volatile memory is not erasable. In the memory cell of the non-volatile memory, the hot carriers are injected into the floating gate 26 according to the electrical property of the memory cell only. However, the electrical property fails cannot be utilized to remove the carriers from the floating gate. That is, for achieving the data-erasing function, the electrons stored in the floating gate 26 may be removed from the floating gate by exposing ultraviolet (UV) light to the non-volatile memory. Consequently, the memory cell of this non-volatile memory is referred as a one time programmable memory cell (i.e., the OTP memory cell).
Another programmable single-poly non-volatile memory is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,592,886. FIGS. 2A˜2D schematically illustrate a memory cell of a single-poly nonvolatile memory disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,592,886. FIG. 2A is a schematic top view illustrating the memory cell of the single-poly nonvolatile memory disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,592,886. FIG. 2B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the memory cell of FIG. 2A and taken along a first direction (a1-a2). FIG. 2C is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the memory cell of FIG. 2A and taken along a second direction (b1-b2). FIG. 2D is a schematic equivalent circuit diagram of the memory cell of FIG. 2A.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the conventional memory cell comprises two serially-connected p-type transistors. The two p-type transistors are constructed in an N-well region NW. Three p-type doped regions 31, 32 and 33 are formed in the N-well region NW. In addition, two polysilicon gates 34 and 36 are spanned over the areas between the three p-type doped regions 31, 32 and 33.
The first p-type transistor is used as a select transistor. The second p-type transistor is used as a floating gate transistor. The polysilicon gate 34 of the first p-type transistor is connected to a select gate voltage VSG. The p-type doped region 31 is a p-type doped source region and connected to a source line voltage VSL. The p-type doped region 32 is a p-type doped drain region, which may be considered as a combination of a p-type doped drain region of the first p-type transistor and a first p-type doped region of the second p-type transistor. The polysilicon gate 36 (also referred as a floating gate) is located at the top side of the second p-type transistor. The p-type doped region 33 is a second p-type doped region of the second p-type transistor and connected to a bit line voltage VBL. Moreover, the N-well region NW is connected to an N-well voltage VNW. Generally, the polysilicon gate 34 of the first p-type transistor is connected to a word line, and the select gate voltage VSG is a word line control voltage. Moreover, the p-type doped source region 31 is connected to a source line, and the source line voltage VSL is a source line control voltage.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2C, the conventional memory cell further comprises an n-type transistor or a combination of the floating gate 36 and an erase gate region 35. The n-type transistor is constructed in a P-well region PW. An n-type doped region 38 is formed in the P-well region PW. In other words, the erase gate region 35 includes the P-well region PW and the n-type doped regions 38. Moreover, the first p-type transistor, the second p-type transistor and the n-type transistor are collaboratively defined as a multi-time programmable memory cell (i.e., an MTP memory cell).
As shown in FIG. 2A, the floating gate 36 is extended to and arranged adjacent to the erase gate region 35. Consequently, the floating gate 36 may be considered as a gate of the n-type transistor, and the n-type doped region 38 may be considered as a combination of an n-type doped source region and an n-type doped drain region of the n-type transistor. The n-type doped region 38 is connected to an erase line voltage VEL. In addition, the P-well region PW is connected to a P-well voltage VPW. As shown in FIG. 2C, an isolation structure 39 is formed between the P-well region PW and the N-well region NW. For example, the isolation structure 39 is a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure.
FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C schematically illustrate the bias voltages provided to the MTP memory cell as shown in FIG. 2D when a program action, an erase action and a read action are respectively performed on the MTP memory cell.
Please refer to FIG. 3A. When the program action is performed, each of the bit line voltage VBL, the erase line voltage VEL and the P-well voltage VPW is equal to a ground voltage (0V). Moreover, each of the N-well voltage VNW and the source line voltage VSL is equal to a first positive voltage Vpp. The magnitude of the first positive voltage Vpp is in the range between +3.0V and +9.5V. Consequently, in case that the hot carriers (e.g. electrons) are transferred through a channel region corresponding to the floating gate 36, the hot carriers are injected into the floating gate 36. Meanwhile, the memory cell is in a second storage state. Whereas, in case that no hot carriers are injected into the floating gate 36, the memory cell is in a second storage state during the program action, the memory cell is in a first storage state.
Please refer to FIG. 3B. When the erase action is performed, each of the bit line voltage VBL, the source line voltage VSL, the N-well voltage VNW and the P-well voltage VPW is equal to the ground voltage (0V). Moreover, the erase line voltage VEL is equal to a second positive voltage VEE. The second positive voltage VEE is in the range between +6.5V and +18V. As shown in FIG. 3B, if the erase line voltage VEL is equal to the second positive voltage VEE, the stored carriers (e.g. electrons) are removed from the floating gate 36 and discharged out through the n-type doped region 38. Consequently, after the erased state, no carrier is stored in the floating gate 36.
Please refer to FIG. 3C. When the read action is performed, the bit line voltage VBL is equal to ground voltage (0V), the source line voltage VSL is equal to 1.8V, the N-well voltage VNW is equal to 1.8V, the erase line voltage VEL is equal to ground voltage (0V), and the P-well voltage VPW is equal to the ground voltage (0V). Depending on the situation of whether the electrons are stored in the floating gate 36, different magnitudes of the read current IR are acquired. During the read action, the storage state of the non-volatile memory cell can be realized according to the read current IR. For example, in the first storage state, the read current IR is lower than 0.1 μA. In the second storage state, the read current IR is higher than 5 μA. According to the read current of the memory cell, a sensing circuit judges the storage state of the memory cell.
Generally, during the process of manufacturing the read only memory, the storage states of all memory cells are directly defined. That is, after the read-only memory leaves the factory, the data about the corresponding storage states have been recorded in all ROM cells. The user is only able to read the storage states from the ROM cells, but unable to program the ROM cells. That is, before the read only memory is produced, the user may provide specified binary codes to the manufacturer of the read only memory. After the read-only memory is produced and sent to the user, the specified binary codes have been recorded in the ROM cells of the mask read only memory, and cannot be programmed or erased again.
A conventional read-only memory cell is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,822,286. The structure of the read-only memory cell is modified on the basis of the OPT memory cell as shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 4A is a schematic top view illustrating the structure of a conventional read-only memory cell array. FIG. 4B is a schematic equivalent circuit diagram of the read-only memory cell array as shown in FIG. 4A. The memory cell array 400 is constructed in an N-well region NW. The memory cell array 400 comprises a first storage state memory cell 411 and a second storage state memory cell 410.
The first storage state memory cell 411 comprises two serially-connected p-type transistors. The two p-type transistors are constructed in an N-well region NW. Three p-type doped regions 421, 422 and 423 are formed in the N-well region NW. In addition, two polysilicon gates 430 and 426 are spanned over the areas between the three p-type doped regions 421, 422 and 423. The polysilicon gate 430 is a select gate. The polysilicon gate 426 is a floating gate. The first p-type transistor is defined by the polysilicon gate 430 and the p-type doped regions 421 and 422 collaboratively. The second p-type transistor is defined by the polysilicon gate 426 and the p-type doped regions 422 and 423 collaboratively. The first p-type transistor is used as a select transistor. The second p-type transistor is used as a floating gate transistor.
In the first storage state memory cell 411, the polysilicon gate 430 of the first p-type transistor is connected to a word line WL, and the p-type doped region 421 is connected to a source line SL. Moreover, the p-type doped region 422 may be considered as a combination of a p-type doped drain region of the first p-type transistor and a first p-type doped region of the second p-type transistor. The floating gate 426 is located at the top side of the second p-type transistor. The second p-type doped region 423 of the second p-type transistor is connected to a bit line BL1.
In comparison with the first storage state memory cell 411, the second storage state memory cell 410 is not equipped with the floating gate. That is, the second storage state memory cell 410 comprises a single p-type transistor. The p-type transistor is constructed in the N-well region NW. Since the second storage state memory cell 410 is not equipped with the floating gate, two p-type doped regions 441 and 442 are formed after an ion implantation process. Moreover, the polysilicon gate 430 is spanned over the area between the two p-type doped regions 441 and 442. A third p-type transistor is defined by the polysilicon gate 430 and the p-type doped regions 441 and 442 collaboratively. Moreover, the p-type doped region 442 may be considered as a resistor, and the resistance of the resistor is about 50˜159 ohm/sq.
In the second storage state memory cell 410, the third p-type transistor is used as a select transistor. The polysilicon gate 430 of the third p-type transistor is connected to the word line WL. The p-type doped region 441 is connected to the source line SL. Moreover, the p-type doped region 442 is a p-type doped drain region and connected to a bit line BL2.
Please refer to the equivalent circuit as shown in FIG. 4B. The first storage state memory cell 411 comprises the first p-type transistor and the second p-type transistor. The source terminal of the first p-type transistor is connected to the source line SL. The gate terminal of the first p-type transistor is connected to the word line WL. The drain terminal of the first p-type transistor is connected to a first terminal of the second p-type transistor. A second terminal of the second p-type transistor is connected to the bit line BL1. The second storage state memory cell 410 comprises the third p-type transistor and a resistor. The source terminal of the third p-type transistor is connected to the source line SL. The gate terminal of the third p-type transistor is connected to the word line WL. The drain terminal of the third p-type transistor is connected to a first terminal of the resistor. A second terminal of the resistor is connected to the bit line BL2.
Please refer to FIG. 4B again. When a read action is performed, a select gate voltage VSG is provided to the word line WL. Consequently, the first p-type transistor and the third p-type transistor are turned on. Moreover, a bit line voltage VBL1 is provided to the bit line BL1, a bit line voltage VBL2 is provided to the bit line BL2, and a source line voltage VSL is provided to the source line SL. For example, the bit line voltage VBL1 is equal to the ground voltage (0V), the bit line voltage VBL2 is equal to the ground voltage (0V), and the source line voltage VSL is 1.8V.
When the first p-type transistor of the first storage state memory cell 411 is turned on, the second p-type transistor (i.e., the floating gate transistor) is turned off because no electrons are stored in the floating gate 426. Consequently, the first storage state memory cell 411 generates a read current Ir1 to the bit line BL1. The magnitude of the read current Ir1 is very low (e.g., nearly zero).
When the third p-type transistor of the second storage state memory cell 410 is turned on, the second storage state memory cell 410 generates a higher read current Ir2 to the bit line BL2 because the resistance of the resistor is very low.
As mentioned above, during the read action, the storage state of the read-only memory cell can be realized according to the magnitudes of the read currents flowing through the bit lines BL1 and BL2.
However, the read-only memory cell of FIG. 4B still has some drawbacks. For example, in case that the OTP memory cell as shown in FIG. 1C is programmed to the second storage state, the channel resistance of each p-type transistor is about 25 k ohm/sq and the total channel resistance of the two serially-connected p-type transistors is about 50 k ohm/sq. Consequently, the read current generated by each OTP memory cell in the second storage state is about 5˜10 μA. Whereas, the resistance of the second storage state memory cell 410 as shown in FIG. 4B is very small. During the read action, the read current Ir2 generated by the second storage state memory cell 410 is about 10˜20 μA. However, the magnitude of the read current Ir2 may exceed the specifications.
Moreover, after the first storage state memory cell 411 is produced, electrons may be retained in the floating gate 426 of the second p-type transistor (i.e., the floating gate transistor). Consequently, the second p-type transistor cannot be turned off completely. In other words, the first storage state memory cell 411 generates the higher read current Ir1 during the read action.

Read-only memory cell and associated memory cell array


The invention relates to HSP90 inhibiting compounds consisting of the formula:

Molecular chaperones maintain the appropriate folding and conformation of nascent polypeptides. This activity is crucial in regulating the balance between protein synthesis and degradation. When a protein is damaged, molecular chaperones may also facilitate their re-folding or, in the case of irreparably impaired proteins, their removal by the protein degradation machinery of the cell1
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) were originally defined according to their increased expression in response to diverse cellular insults such as elevated temperature as well as exposure to heavy metals and oxidative stress1. Most, but not all HSPs are molecular chaperones that are organized into families according to their molecular size or function, including HSP100, HSP90, HSP70, HSP60, HSP40 and small HSPs. The rapid induction of HSP gene expression is referred to as the heat shock response (HSR) which confers cytoprotection to repeat exposure of the initial insult which would otherwise cause lethal molecular damage2. Cytoprotection is an example of increased molecular chaperone expression associated with the functioning of normal cells within an organism. However, aberrant expression of this family of proteins can also be associated with several disease states.
A large body of evidence exists supporting the role of molecular chaperones in maintaining the cancer phenotype. In addition, increasing evidence associating molecular chaperone expression with other disease including but not limited to: neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Huntington's and prion-related disease, inflammation and inflammation related disorders such as pain, headaches, fever, arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, tendonitis, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease, and the like, and diseases dependent on angiogenesis such as, cancer, arthritis, diabetic retinopathy, age associated macular degeneration (AMD) and infectious diseases in particular fungal infections, viral diseases including but not limited to diseases caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases3,4,5,6,7.
HSP90 is an abundant molecular chaperone which constitutes 1-2% of total cellular protein. It exerts its chaperone function to ensure the correct conformation, activity, intracellular localization and proteolytic turnover of a range of proteins that are involved in cell growth, differentiation and survival3,5,8. Because of the large number of important signaling proteins with which HSP90 has been shown to associate and assist in stabilizing (these are generally called HSP90 client proteins), a rationale exists for the therapeutic use of HSP90 inhibitors for the treatment of a wide range of human diseases (as discussed above)9.
HSP90 activity is required for the stability and the function of many oncogenic client proteins, which contribute to all of the hallmark traits of malignancy, and thus, HSP90 has been widely acknowledged as an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer3,4,5,8. These client proteins include: BCR-ABL, AKT/PKB, C-RAF, CDK4, steroid hormone receptors (estrogen and androgen), surviving, c-Met, HER-2, and telomerases among others. Inhibition of HSP90 function leads to the destabilization and degradation of client proteins via the ubiquitin—proteasome pathway, resulting in the down-regulation of several signals being propagated via oncogenic signaling pathways and modulation of all aspects of the malignant phenotype3,5,8. Therefore, HSP90 inhibitors have potential to treat cancers driven by numerous diverse molecular abnormalities and their combinatorial effects could also reduce the possibility of resistance developing.
HSP90 is considered to exert its chaperone function via a cycle which utilizes the coordinated interaction of a number of co-chaperone proteins that are collectively involved in an orchestrated, mutually regulatory interplay with ATP/ADP exchange and ATP hydrolysis by the intrinsic and essential N-terminal ATPase domain. Crystallographic studies have revealed that several HSP90 inhibitors occupy the N-terminus ATP binding site10, thereby inhibiting HSP90 ATPase activity and function.
The 14-membered macrocyclic antibiotic radicicol was first demonstrated to have anti-tumor activity in vitro and shown to reverse the malignant phenotype of v-SRC transformed cells11. Subsequently, radicicol was shown using X-ray crystallography to bind to the N-terminal ATP-binding pocket of HSP90 with high affinity10, and to inhibit HSP90 ATPase activity resulting in the degradation of a number of signaling proteins12. Although radicicol inhibits tumor cell growth in vitro, it lacks activity in vivo, most likely due to its potentially reactive epoxide moiety and other adverse chemical features that cause instability and possible toxicity8,13.
The benzoquinone ansamycins are a second class of naturally occurring antibiotics which have been demonstrated to inhibit the activity of HSP90. The first example is geldanamycin which also competes with ATP for binding to the N-terminal nucleotide binding site of HSP9014. As was the case with radicicol, despite promising anti-tumor activity in vitro (and in vivo), the development of geldanamycin into a human therapeutic was stopped due to compound instability and unacceptable hepatotoxicity at therapeutic doses15.
Analogs of geldanamycin have been pursued with the objective of finding agents with an improved safety margin for clinical use, including the derivative 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG or tanespimycin)16. 17-AAG has similar cellular effects to geldanamycin, including client protein degradation, and cell cycle arrest but with improved metabolic stability and lower toxicity5,8. Preclinical studies using 17-AAG have shown this derivative to be highly potent in vitro and to exhibit anti-tumor activity at non-toxic doses in various human tumor xenograft models17,18. Based on its biological activity, 17-AAG has recently completed several phase I clinical trials with some encouraging results9,19. As a result, 17-AAG has now entered phase II monotherapy clinical trials in various tumor types, including melanoma and breast.
There are several possible factors which may reduce the clinical efficacy of 17-AAG. Preclinical studies have shown that hepatic metabolism of 17-AAG by cytochrome P450 leads to the formation of 17-amino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AG)17. Although 17-AG retains inhibitory activity, metabolism by CYP3A4 is likely to be a cause of variable pharmacokinetics. In addition, the activity of 17-AAG is enhanced by its conversion to the hydroquinone form, 17-AAGH2, by the reductase enzyme NQO1 or DT-diaphorase17,20. The polymorphic expression of both of these metabolic enzymes may pose limitations for the clinical use of 17-AAG across the population5,8,17. The efficacy of 17-AAG may be further reduced by its association with the multi-drug resistance protein MDR1 or P-glycoprotein17. Finally, 17-AAG is limited by its poor solubility, cumbersome and complex formulation and lack of oral bioavailability. Attempts to reformulate 17-AAG have resulted in clinical trials commencing with CNF1010 and a cremaphore-based formulation (KOS-953) the latter of which has shown promising results during the phase I trial in patients with relapsed-refractory myeloma. The US National Cancer Institute and Kosan Biosciences have also developed a more water soluble and potentially orally bioavailable analog of 17-AAG, 17-dimethylaminoethylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-DMAG or alvespimycin, which was evaluated in preclinical and clinical trials9. 17-AAGH2, also known as IPI-504, has also entered clinical trial as a soluble derivative of 17-AAG21.
Non-natural product HSP90 inhibitors have recently been described. One of these contains a 3,4-diarylpyrazole resorcinol scaffold. These molecules were exemplified by Compound CCT018159, and analogues CCT0129397/VER-49009 and VER-50589. Treatment of cancer cells with these HSP90 inhibitors resulted in HSP70 induction, client protein depletion, cytostasis and apoptosis22,23,24,25.
Rational drug design was used by Chiosis et al.26 to develop a novel class of HSP90 inhibitors with a purine-scaffold. The first compound to be identified from this series, PU3, bound to HSP90 with moderate affinity resulting in cellular effects which are characteristic of HSP90 inhibitors26. An important feature of PU3 is that it is more soluble than 17-AAG; however, it is also significantly less potent against cells than the ansamycins26. Subsequent efforts focused on improving the potency of PU3 and led to the identification of PU24FC127. This compound exhibited biological effects on cells within a concentration range of 2-6 μM27, and also demonstrated 10-50 times higher affinity for HSP90 from transformed cells compared to that from normal tissues27. Administration of PU24FC1 in human breast tumor xenograft models led to anti-tumor activity without significant toxicity27. A more recent study has identified 8-arylsulfanyl, 8-arylsulfoxyl and 8-arylsulfonyl adenine derivatives of the PU class which exhibit improved water solubility and approximately 50 nM potency in cellular models, together with therapeutic activity in human tumor xenograft models28.
Additional non-natural product small molecule inhibitors of HSP90 have been identified including 2-amino-quinazolin-5-one compounds (WO2006113498A2), 2-amino-7,8-dihydro-6H-pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidin-5-one compounds (WO2007041362A1) and quinazolin-oxime derivatives (WO2008142720A2) which target HSP90 for the prophylaxis or treatment of cell proliferative diseases. These molecules have reasonable potency and drug-likeness.
The preclinical proof-of-concept provide by small molecules with reasonable drug like properties coupled with the clinical proof-of-concept for the approach of inhibition of HSP90 activity achieved with 17-AAG, has generated a high level of interest in industry to develop additional HSP90 inhibitors with improved drug like properties that can provide therapeutic benefit to patients suffering from disease states related to abnormal protein folding.
The following publications are referred to in the background:    1. J. C. Young, V. R. Agashe, K. Siegers and F. U. Hartl, Pathways of chaperone-mediated protein folding in the cytosol, Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell. Biol. 5 (2004), pp. 781-791.    2. S. D. Westerheide and R. I. Morimoto, Heat shock response modulators as therapeutic tools for diseases of protein conformation, J. Biol. Chem. 280 (2005), pp. 33097-33100.    3. L. Whitesell and S. L. Lindquist, HSP90 and the chaperoning of cancer, Nat. Rev. Cancer 5 (2005), pp. 761-772.    4. S. K. Calderwood, M. A. Khaleque, D. B. Sawyer and D. R. Ciocca, Heat shock proteins in cancer: chaperones of tumorigenesis, Trends Biochem. Sci. 31 (2006), pp. 164-172.    5. M. V. Powers and P. Workman, Targeting of multiple signaling pathways by heat shock protein 90 molecular chaperone inhibitors, Endocr. Belot. Cancer 13 (Suppl. 1) (2006), pp. S125-S135.    6. A. J. Macario and Conway de Macario, Sick chaperones, cellular stress, and disease, N. Engl. J. Med. 353 (2005), pp. 1489-1501.    7. J. M. Barral, S. A. Broadley, G. Schaffar and F. U. Hartl, Roles of molecular chaperones in protein misfolding diseases, Semin. Cell Dev. Biol. 15 (2004), pp. 17-29.    8. S. Sharp and P. Workman, Inhibitors of the HSP90 molecular chaperone: current status, Adv. Cancer Res. 95 (2006), pp. 323-348.    9. S. Pacey, U. Banerji, I. Judson and P. Workman, Hsp90 inhibitors in the clinic, Handbook Exp. Pharmacol. 172 (2006), pp. 331-358.    10. S. M. Roe, C. Prodromou, R. O'Brien, J. E. Ladbury, P. W. Piper and L. H. Pearl, Structural basis for inhibition of the Hsp90 molecular chaperone by the antitumor antibiotics radicicol and geldanamycin, J. Med. Chem. 42 (1999), pp. 260-266.    11. H. J. Kwon, M. Yoshida, K. Abe, S. Horinouchi and T. Beppu, Radicicol, an agent inducing the reversal of transformed phenotypes of src-transformed fibroblasts, Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 56 (1992), pp. 538-539.    12. T. W. Schulte, S. Akinaga, T. Murakata, T. Agatsuma, S. Sugimoto, H. Nakano, Y. S. Lee, B. B. Simen, Y. Argon, S. Felts, D. O. Toft, L. M. Neckers and S. V. Sharma, Interaction of radicicol with members of the heat shock protein 90 family of molecular chaperones, Mol. Endocrinol. 13 (1999), pp. 1435-1448.    13. Clarke, P. A., Powers, M., and Workman, P. (2006) Inhibition of the molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 in cancer: consequences for the regulation of survival signaling and induction of cell death. In: Apoptosis and Cancer Therapy (Debatin, K.-M. and Fulda, S., Eds), pp. 933-959. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany    14. C. Prodromou, S. M. Roe, R. O'Brien, J. E. Ladbury, P. W. Piper and L. H. Pearl, Identification and structural characterization of the ATP/ADP-binding site in the Hsp90 molecular chaperone, Cell 90 (1997), pp. 65-75.    15. J. G. Supko, R. L. Hickman, M. R. Greyer and L. Malspeis, Preclinical pharmacologic evaluation of geldanamycin as an antitumor agent, Cancer Chemother. 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Abstract: wherein the variables are as defined herein. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions, kits and articles of manufacture comprising such compounds; methods and intermediates useful for making the compounds; and methods of using said compounds.


A gantry crane has a rigid open three-dimensional truss cross-beam. A lower I-beam and parallel upper X-beams are interconnected with angular gussets and angle irons forming a triangular open beam bounded by three trusses. Angular gussets on the sides are as parallel members to provide maximum strength. One end support is rigid, with upper ends of legs having plates bolted to one end plate extending between the X-beams. Outrigger legs have an upper plate bolted to a sloped plate at an extended end of the I-beam. Vertical support legs at the other end have a strengthening cross-member and upper vertical plates which are bolted to the end plate on the X-beams. The unusual cross-beam structure and the unusual rigid leg structure and rigid interconnection provide rigidity of the entire crane. The vertical support legs accommodate variations in tracks.

Gantry cranes are widely used throughout the world to move heavy equipment within warehouses and storage yards and to load and unload freight vehicles. The gantry cranes have overhead beams on which trolleys with cable winders, sheaves and hooks ride on wheels from side to side to raise, lower and laterally move loads. Carriages are usually provided at the bottoms of legs which support the beams. The carriages move the gantry cranes along a floor or on tracks to approach, lift, reposition and deposit loads as cable winders on the trolleys are activated and the carriages are moved.
Existing gantry cranes are cumbersome and are difficult to move between locations, and cranes are heavy and are difficult to transport to locations and to erect at the locations because of the great weight that is required to provide the strength of the cranes. Lightweight cranes are unsuited for lifting significant loads.
Needs exist for new and improved gantry cranes.


A method for securing two or more spectacle members together includes forming an orifice and an opening in one of the spectacle members, the opening of the spectacle frame may have an open or enclosed structure, forming an extension and a projection on the other spectacle member and engaging the extension and the projection into the orifice and the opening of the spectacle member. The extension or the projection is then melted or deformed to engage with the other spectacle member and to secure the spectacle members together. The spectacle members may be the lenses, the bridge or the temples. The spectacle members may be easily and quickly secured together without fasteners.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, and more particularly to a method for securing spectacle members, such as the legs or temples and the lenses, and/or the bridge and the lenses, together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical spectacle frames, particularly the rimless spectacle frames, comprise a pair of lenses, a bridge secured between the lenses, and a pair of legs or temples secured to the sides of the lenses respectively. The spectacle members, including the lenses and the temples and/or the bridge, are normally secured together with adhesive materials and/or fasteners, and may not be solidly secured together. In addition, it takes a long time to apply the adhesive materials onto the spectacle members and/or to securing the fasteners.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional spectacle frames.

Method for securing spectacle members together


A staining agent in tablet form for making visible dental plaque contains 85 to 95% by weight lactose; 1.5 to 2.6% by weight phloxin B; 2.5 to 3.5% by weight FDA Blue No. 1; 0.15 to 0.25% by weight magnesium stearate. The staining agent is produced by direct compression tableting and can also contain 0.3 to 0.75% by weight peppermint or eucalyptus flavoring agents.

Staining agents for making visible dental plaque are known in the form of solutions, tablets, toothpaste, and gels.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,613 A discloses a staining agent in tablet form that contains FDC Blue No. 1 and FDC Red No. 3 in order to indicate older dental plaque in dark blue and newer dental plaque in violet-red; this provides important information in regard to the advancement of dental plaque formation and in regard to the treatment thereof.
European patent 0 421 838 B1 discloses agents for indicating dental plaque formation; the agents contain conventional water-soluble dye FDC Red No. 3. A disadvantage is that FDC Red No. 3 has an unpleasant taste; moreover, in the United States its use as a component of cosmetic products has been prohibited in the year 1989 because its innocuousness has been called into question. According to European patent 0 421 838 B1, the less bitter tasting dye FDC Red No. 40 has been proposed as a substitute dye; this dye has a stronger color intensity in comparison to other dental plaque-indicating agents, for example, FDC Blue No. 1, FDC Blue No. 2, so that these dyes are less useful as dental plaque-indicating agents than FDC Red No. 40.
In Japanese application 10175835 A, a staining agent for making visible dental plaque formation in the form of a toothpaste is described that contains phloxin as a dye.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,233 A discloses phloxin B in solution for caries detection.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,252 A discloses an agent in gel form for making visible dental plaque that contains a pharmacologically harmless organic dye component that is selected from the class of FDC Red No. 3, FDC Blue No. 1, FDC Violet No. 1 and others.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,227A discloses a tooth paste containing FBC Blue No. 1 in order to make visible dental plaque. Japanese patent document 08059513 A concerns a solution that contains, inter alia, Red No. 3 and other Reds for making visible dental plaque. The same holds true for Japanese patent document 08143477 A. U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,628 A concerns a composition that contains the natural dye of sugar beets for making visible dental plaque.

Staining agent in tablet form for making visible the formation of dental plaque and method for producing such a staining agent


An apparatus for feeding both cut sheet paper and fan fold paper in a printer adapted to process both fan fold paper and cut sheet paper has a platen supported within the printer. A paper pressing member comes in contact with the platen to slidably retain the paper therebetween. A push tractor upstream of the platen feeds fan fold paper towards the platen. A control circuit controls the push tractor to feed fan fold paper in a backward direction once the printer has received an indication that cut sheet paper is to be processed. The tractor feeds the fan fold paper in a forward direction towards the platen upon completion of the feeding of cut sheet paper. The control circuit causes the push tractor to feed the paper in a reciprocating manner prior to returning the paper to an original print position at which fan fold printing may be resumed.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding cut sheet paper and fan fold paper in a printer, and in particular, to an apparatus which allows interruption of printing on fan fold paper to permit printing on cut sheet paper and then resets the fan fold paper to the proper printing position.
Printers which utilize both cut sheet paper and fan fold paper are known in the art. In conventional printers, to allow cut sheet printing during a fan fold printing operation, printing is interrupted and the fan fold paper is removed from the paper feeding path to allow cut sheet printing. The fan fold paper is then returned to its original position to begin printing of the fan fold paper.
Such forward and backward movement of the fan fold paper within the paper path causes paper sagging within the paper path which results in print displacement. This problem particularly arises in push tractor feeder printers which do not have a pull mechanism to at least partially compensate for the sagging. Additionally, printers which utilize a push tractor feeder in connection with a pull tractor feeder are complex, cumbersome and make it difficult to adjust first line printing pitch once the fan fold paper has been returned.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an apparatus for feeding both cut sheet and fan fold paper which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an apparatus capable of reducing slack in the fan fold paper feed path.

Apparatus for feeding cut sheet paper and fan fold paper in a printer


A system for delivering an expandable implant into the vasculature of a patient, including an elongated core element having a proximal end accessible exterior to the patient and a distal end including at least one feature for engaging a proximal portion of the implant in a collapsed state. The system further includes an expansion limiter having an inner diameter and a length sufficient to cover the proximal portion of the implant and to retain the proximal portion in the collapsed state, and at least one elongated member having a distal end connected to the expansion limiter and a proximal end accessible exterior to the patient to enable proximal movement of the expansion limiter to release the implant.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the delivery of implants within body vessels and more particularly to mechanisms for selectively releasing stents and other expandable vascular implants.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vascular disorders and defects such as aneurysms, embolisms, and other arteriovenous malformations are especially difficult to treat when located near critical tissues or where ready access to a malformation is not available. Both difficulty factors apply especially to cranial aneurysms. Due to the sensitive brain tissue surrounding cranial blood vessels and the restricted access, it is very challenging and often risky to surgically treat defects of the cranial vasculature.
Alternative treatments include vascular occlusion devices such as stents and embolic coils deployed using delivery catheters having a distal end positioned at an occlusion or aneurysm. Several types of stent delivery systems are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0049670 by Jones et al., for example.
In a currently preferred procedure to treat a cranial aneurysm, the distal end of an embolic coil delivery catheter is inserted into non-cranial vasculature of a patient, typically through a femoral artery in the groin, and guided to a predetermined delivery site within the cranium. A number of delivery techniques for vaso-occlusive devices, including use of fluid pressure to release an embolic coil once it is properly positioned, are described for example by Diaz et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,063,100 and 6,179,857.
Often, before embolic coils are implanted, a stent-like vascular reconstruction device is first guided beneath the aneurysm using a delivery catheter. One commercially available reconstruction product is the CODMAN ENTERPRISE® Vascular Reconstruction Device and System as described, for example, in a Navigate Tough Anatomy brochure Copyright 2009 by Codman & Shurtleff, Inc., 325 Paramount Drive, Raynham, Mass. The CODMAN ENTERPRISE® device is carried by a central delivery wire and initially held in place on the delivery wire in a collapsed state by a sheath-type introducer. Typically, a delivery catheter such as a PROWLER® SELECT® Plus microcatheter, also commercially available from Codman & Shurtleff and as disclosed by Gore et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,622, for example, is first positioned intravascularly with its distal tip slightly beyond the neck of the aneurysm. The tapered distal tip of the introducer is mated with the proximal hub of the delivery catheter, and the delivery wire is then advanced through the delivery catheter.
The CODMAN ENTERPRISE® device has a highly flexible, self-expanding closed cell design with a number of radiopaque markers at each flared end of the device, similar to the stent illustrated in the published patent application by Jones et al., cited above. After the device is properly positioned and allowed to expand against the parent vessel, one or more embolic coil delivery catheters can be threaded through one of the cells of the expanded device and then into the aneurysm to place embolic coils therein.
The CODMAN ENTERPRISE® device can be partially deployed and recaptured once by carefully manipulating the delivery catheter relative to the central delivery wire to allow the distal portion of the device to expand while retaining the distal tip of the delivery catheter over the proximal portion of the device. This action continues to trap the radiopaque markers at the proximal end of the device within an indentation formed in the delivery wire. However, if the delivery catheter is withdrawn even slightly past the indentation, the CODMAN ENTERPRISE® device will become fully expanded and cannot be recaptured or repositioned by the delivery system.
A number of well-known stent delivery systems, for both self-expanding and mechanically expanding stents, are described by Ravenscroft in U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,418, for example. Partial deployment and retraction of a stent is identified as an important criterion to enable a physician to recover a stent that is not initially deployed in a proper position.
A delivery system having a weak, non-marring inner sheath and a stronger outer sheath is disclosed by Vrba et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,609. Another delivery system utilizing inner and outer sheaths is disclosed by Ruetsch in U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,650.
Alternative mechanical detachment systems for placing an endoluminal implant, while resisting kinking, are described by Hijlkema et al. in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0063573. An outer slidable sheath has an advanced position covering an implant and a retracted position which exposes the implant. In one aspect, at least one of the proximal end of a catheter tip or a stabilizer distal end forms a docking section which releasably engages a portion of the implant when the outer sheath is withdrawn proximally past the docking section. Each docking section has an engagement geometry with a flared engagement surface or a pocket with a bottleneck geometry. In another aspect, an inner tubular member with one or more flexible fingers engages the implant when the sheath is in the advanced position. Again, the outer sheath is retracted to deploy the implant.
Stent-like, generally non-deployable devices are also utilized to treat disorders arising from embolisms and atherosclerosis. An embolism is the sudden obstruction of a blood vessel by blood clots, cholesterol-containing plaques, masses of bacteria and other debris. A blood clot which obstructs a blood vessel is also referred to as a thrombus. If the embolic obstruction occurs in the brain, it can cause a sudden loss of neurological function referred to as a stroke, in particular an acute ischemic stroke.
A number of devices for treating embolic strokes and atherosclerotic deposits are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,019 by Engelson et al. Other, more recent neurological devices include the Micrus Revasc™ of Codman & Shurtleff, Inc., the Solitaire™ device of Microtherapeutics, Inc. d/b/a ev3 Neurovascular, and the Trevo™ and Merci Retreiver™ devices from Concentric Medical.
It is therefore desirable to have an improved implant delivery system which retains flexibility during insertion to treat a vascular malformation yet decouples implant release from retraction of a delivery catheter.

Distal detachment mechanisms for vascular devices


Methods, systems, and devices which result from, or facilitates, convenient processing of partial dies of a semiconductor chip in a lithography process are disclosed. Embodiments utilize an exposure through an imprint-style template which does not come in physical contact with the partial die. In one embodiment, a semiconductor process is disclosed which has at least one full die and at least one partial die. The semiconductor chip is fabricated, in part, by using an etching process which utilizes an imprint template configured to be exposed to the at least one full die when the imprint template is in contact with resist which has been dispensed onto the at least one full die. Further, at least one partial die of the semiconductor chip is configured to be exposed to the imprint template without the template contacting resist dispensed onto the at least one partial die.

In general, a wafer being processed in lithography has one or more round edges, while imprint fields on the wafer are rectangular. As a result, when processing the edge of the wafer, portions of the rectangular fields extend off of the edge of the wafer. This gives rise to many issues when attempting to maintain a clean and efficient fabrication process.
In many cases, it is possible that a field actually contains an array of usable chips that are much smaller than that field size, and such a smaller array may be processed on the edge of the wafer in order to maximize the use of the wafer area. Conversely, in some lithographic processes it may be desirable to process the edge with the goal of assuring edge conformity, and not necessarily to yield usable chips. Edge conformity may be important because many fabrication processes rely on the full wafer having patterning or material extending to the edges. When edge conformity is lacking, it can lead to problems in subsequent processes like etching, for instance, where the recipes are tuned to having a full wafer. In some cases, nonconformity may become worse with each subsequent step in the fabrication process.
Imprint-based systems, and particularly nanoimprint systems, are now being utilized in advanced lithography processes because advances in imprint-based technology have yielded resolution capabilities superior to that of projection systems. These systems generally function by dispensing resist onto a die area and physically stamping the area with an imprint template. However, problems with these systems may occur because in order to print edge die, the imprint template must extend off the edge of the wafer. This causes problems when balancing the forces applied for the physical contact due to the fact that portions of the imprint template are in contact with a semiconductor wafer, while other portions of the template extend off of the edge of the wafer and do not contact anything. Moreover, issues arises at the wafer edge when part of the template is in contact with the fluid on the wafer, and part of it is not in contact with anything. This border is a source or particles which can easily contaminate the template. As such, even after one contact, it is very likely that particulates and debris from the edge of the wafer will stick on the template, rendering the template insufficient for further use absent a cleaning process. Accordingly, current imprint-based systems do not provide the ability to process edge areas in a manner which yields sufficient edge conformity without causing significant time and resource complications.

Partial die process for uniform etch loading of imprint wafers


An image reading apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion element which has a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells including shielded cells which are optically shielded so that each shielded cell outputs only the dark signal, a dark signal data generating system for generating dark signal data for each cell of the photoelectric conversion element, the dark signal data corresponding to a ratio of an image signal output from each cell under a no-exposure condition to a first reference dark signal which is obtained based on the dark signals output from the shielded cells under the no-exposure condition, a dark signal data memory for storing the dark signal data for each cell, a dark signal component generating system for generating a dark signal component for each cell, the dark signal component corresponding to a product of the dark signal data for each cell multiplied by a second reference dark signal which is obtained based on the dark signals output from the shielded cells under the exposure condition, and a subtracter for subtracting the dark signal component from an image signal obtained for each corresponding cell under the exposure condition.

The present invention generally relates to an image reading apparatus, and more particularly to an image reading apparatus having a photoelectric conversion element in which a plurality of cells are arranged in a line.
A photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD sensor is used for an input device of a copy machine, a facsimile, an image filing apparatus or the like, which input device reads an image formed on a document. In the photoelectric conversion element, a plurality of cells are arranged in a line so that an image can be read at a resolution in a range between a value of a few dots per millimeter and a value of several tens of dots per millimeter. Electric charges integrated in respective cells of the photoelectric conversion element are shifted to an analog transmission path and then the electric charges are successively transmitted in the analog transmission path so that a main scanning is carried out in a direction of the arrangement of the cells, and the photoelectric conversion element moves in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the arrangement of the cells so that a sub scanning is carried out. Due to the main scanning and the sub scanning by the photoelectric conversion element with respect to the document, the image formed on the document can be read. An image reading apparatus having the photoelectric conversion element as described above is, for example, disclosed in Japan Patent Laid Open Publication No. 62-235872.
In the photoelectric conversion element, each cell outputs an image signal which is the sum of a photoelectric conversion signal corresponding to an exposure of the document and a dark signal corresponding to a dark current which is generated in each cell independently from the exposure thereof. Thus, to accurately obtain image signals corresponding to information formed on the document, it is necessary to correct the image signal obtained from each cell of the photoelectric conversion element so that the dark signal is removed from the image signal obtained from each cell.
Conventionally, the following apparatuses each having a function for correcting the signal obtained from each cell of the photoelectrical conversion element have been proposed.
In a first image reading apparatus, several cells positioned at an end portion of the photoelectric conversion element are optically shielded. Each of the cells optically shielded outputs only the dark signal. When the document on which an image is formed is read by the photoelectric conversion element, an average, for example, of the dark signals output from the cells optically shielded is removed from the image signal output from each of the cells arranged in an effective area for obtaining information about the document. However, in the first image reading apparatus, as the dark currents generated in the cells are different from each other, it is difficult to accurately remove the dark signal from the image signal output from each cell arranged in the effective area.
In a second image reading apparatus, a dark signal which is output from each cell under a condition where there is no exposure is stored in a memory. Then, when the document on which an image is formed is read by the photoelectric conversion element, the dark signal stored in the memory for each cell is removed from the image signal output from each corresponding cell of the photoelectric conversion element. In the second image reading apparatus, when the image formed on the document is read, at an initial time the dark signal can be accurately removed from the signal output from each cell. However, as the dark signal for each cell varies with the passage of time, it gradually becomes difficult to accurately remove the dark signal from the image signal output from each cell. In general, the dark signal for each cell greatly varies in accordance with the temperature of the photoelectric conversion element. In a CCD image sensor, for example, when the temperature of the photoelectric conversion element increases by 8.degree. C., the level of the dark signal for each cell is doubled. That is, in a case where a reading time of a few seconds is required for reading one document on which an image is formed, the dark signal for each cell varies with the passage of time while the image is being read.

Image reading apparatus having a function for correcting dark signals generated in a photoelectric conversion element


An automobile escape hammer gun includes a body, a striking hammer and a lever. The body has a front and a lower passage formed in the body at the front. The striking hammer is movably mounted in the lower passage, is spring-loaded and has a bottom tip extending out of the body and an annular lip with a bottom formed in the body. The lever mounted pivotally in the body and has an inside end abuts the bottom of the annular lip and an outside end extends out of the body. Therefore, when the lever is pivoted, the inside end of the lever moves the striking hammer into the body. The bottom tip of striking hammer will impact rapidly a window of a vehicle to break efficiently the window when the annular lip escapes from the front end of the lever.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automobile escape hammer, and more particularly to a gun-shaped automobile escape hammer having a spring-loaded striking hammer to break efficiently and quickly side windows of a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
With reference to FIG. 4, an automobile escape hammer is a potential lifesaver in a vehicle crash or car accident as it prevents people being trapped in the vehicle. The automobile escape hammer in accordance with the prior art comprises a body (60), a metal head (61) and a blade (62). The body (60) has a top (not numbered), a grip (601) and a cutter slot (602) defined near the top. The metal head (61) is attached to the body (60) near the top and has a tip (611). The blade (62) is longitudinally mounted and received in the cutter slot (602).
In a situation of a vehicle accident, a user can hold the grip (60l) and strike a side window of the vehicle perpendicular to its surface with the tip (611) using a snapping motion to break the window in order to escape from the vehicle. To cut the seatbelt, the user holds the grip (601) of the hammer, pulls the belt taut, and inserts the belt into the cutter slot (602), whereafter the user pulls the blade (62) across the cutter slot (602) to cut off the seatbelt.
However, in an emergency, to strike the window perpendicular to its surface with the tip (601) sometimes is not easy to be achieved due to the shock of the vehicle""s occupants etc. A full-strength force is required for the hammer to break the window, otherwise the hammer might not be able to break the window such that the people inside the vehicle cannot escape from the vehicle as quickly as possible. Therefore, the automobile escape hammer in accordance with the prior art is inconvenient in use.
Besides, since the seat belt is always tough to cut, the seat belt will easily crinkle or become folded in the cutter slot (602) whereby the seat belt becomes jammed in the cutter slot (602). In such a state, it is almost impossible to cut the seat belt efficiently.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an automobile hammer gun to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the invention is to provide an automobile hammer gun having a spring-loaded striking hammer to strike efficiently a window of a crashed vehicle to help people inside the vehicle to escape quickly.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


Disclosed herein is an indicator precursor composition for determining the hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate, where the composition includes a colorimetric indicator and a buffer, where the buffer may include a salt of a weak acid and a strong base, and where the indicator precursor may be a dry solid. Also disclosed is a method for determining the hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of determining hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate, and to a composition for determining hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate.
2. Background Art
Wellbore fluids, commonly referred to as "Mud" provide a number of functions when drilling a wellbore. Wellbore fluids may comprise a slurry of various components in which a solid material is dispersed in a liquid. Filtration of the wellbore fluid thus produces a wellbore fluid filtrate. To insure performance and the integrity of the system, the properties and compositions of wellbore fluids are monitored. One important property of a wellbore fluid is the hardness of the wellbore fluid filtrate, which is a measure of the concentration of divalent cations, typically calcium ions (Ca2+), magnesium ions (Mg2+), zinc ions (Zn2+), and others known to one of minimal skill in the art.
Numerous methods exist to determine the hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate. One common method includes a titration of an aliquot of the wellbore fluid filtrate using a buffer solution and a colorimetric indicator. Colorimetric indicators are supplied as solutions of the particular indicator dissolved in a buffer, with or without a solvent. Colorimetric indicator solutions useful in determining the hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate, however, are plagued with short shelf lives and less than ideal toxicity profiles, mainly due to the buffer solutions and/or solvents utilized in the solutions. These issues are exacerbated in oilfield applications, wherein the indicators may be subjected to extreme temperatures, and/or long shelf times due to the remote nature of the enterprise.
Known indicators for determining hardness in a wellbore fluid filtrate include Versenate indicator solution, which comprises calmagite [(1-Naphthalenesulfonic acid, 3-hydroxy-4-[(2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)azo] (CAS 3147-14-6)], in a solution of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), at a pH of greater than 9 provided by a NaOH/NaOAc buffer solution or a NH4OH/NH4Cl buffer solution. This solution may further include ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol as both a solvent and an antifreeze to preserve the solution.
Other indicators comprise Eriochrome Black T indicator (sodium 3-hydroxy-4-[(1-hydroxy-2-naphthyl)azo]-7-nitronaphthalene-1-sulphonate), (CAS 1787-61-7). However, aqueous solutions of Eriochrome Black T are unstable. Accordingly, Eriochrome Black T is provided in a solution commonly referred to in the art as Manver indicator solution. Manver indicator solution typically comprises about 0.1 wt % Eriochrome Black T dissolved in about 90% triethanolamine and about 10% ethanol. The triethanolamine is present to stabilize Eriochrome Black T. Triethanolamine, however may present various health and safety issues.
Accordingly, there is a need for an indicator useful in determining the hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate. The indicator preferably has a long shelf life, a suitable toxicity profile, and provides both precision and accuracy in determining the hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate.

Method and composition for determining hardness in wellbore fluid filtrate


A method to enhance efficiency of a propellant heat exchanger is described. The method includes spacing a plurality of propellant tubes of the propellant heat exchanger within defined flux bins, the flux bins defined as a function of total beam energy to be received by the propellant tubes, the propellant tube spacing resulting in each defined flux bin operable to receive a substantially equal amount of beam energy, and configuring each flux bin such that any beam energy that impinges the flux bin is directed to the propellant tube therein.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to distribution of flux from a power beam, and more specifically, to methods and systems for improving flux distribution for an optical heat exchanger.
Most modern spacecraft or aircraft rely on chemical propulsion, for example, the burning of a fuel and oxidizer to produce both energy and reaction mass. Various engine designs are used to convert this energy and reaction mass into thrust. Performance of these propulsion schemes is limited by the energy of chemical reactions and by the molecular mass of the reaction products, e.g., H2O and CO2.
Alternative approaches have been examined and, increasingly, implemented. These frequently use a non-chemical energy source, such as an external beam of electromagnetic energy, to heat the propellant. By eliminating the need for combustion, the propellant can be chosen to have low molecular mass, and therefore a higher exhaust speed for a given temperature. Since engine materials are limited by the peak temperature at which they can operate, the beamed energy approach allows higher exhaust speed (and therefore higher specific impulse) than chemical propulsion.
In the operation of a beam-powered rocket vehicle and a beam source, a key component of the system is the beam receiver. This component collects the beam and transfers its energy into the propellant as heat. The specific device for the transfer of energy into the propellant as heat within the rocket vehicle is a heat exchanger laser thruster. In this regard, a beam of electromagnetic energy (typically a laser beam) impinges on a set of tubes disposed within the heat exchanger. The tubes are typically arranged on a flat plate and are evenly spaced. Outer surfaces or walls of the each tube absorbs the electromagnetic energy as heat and transfers the heat to the propellant. Each tube then carries a fraction of the propellant that flows from a tank into the nozzle of an engine as heated propellant.

Methods and systems for flux distribution within a heat exchanger


A computer-implemented method includes, on a client system, displaying a translucent overlay over a first web page displayed in a browser. A plurality of visually distinct sections of the first web page is displayed on the translucent overlay. Each section corresponds to a plurality of hypothetical browser sizes used to view the first web page. In each respective section a percentage corresponding to one of a portion of the community of users that can see or cannot see at least the respective section is displayed.

Typically, web designers design web pages on big monitors and view their web pages with large browsers. However, most computer users have small monitors and use browsers at small sizes. As a result, portions of a web page such as content, sign up buttons and advertisements are not immediately visible on a typical user's screen. A user may scroll to view additional portions of a web page but some users will get confused and exit the web page without realizing that they are missing important features of the web page. Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have a web page composition tool.

Web page composition tool with browser page size guide


The present invention discloses a system for sharing a storage device among controllers, which includes a first controller and a second controller connected with each other, and both connected to a storage device including a plurality of logical unit numbers. The controllers detect their respective logical unit numbers and define the respective logical unit number detected by an opposite party as a virtual logical unit number. The controllers separately have a resource allocation unit for specifying the logical unit numbers to perform data accesses for the controllers and define a virtual identification for each virtual logical unit number based on an identification number thereof. If the first controller accesses data in a logical unit number detected by the second controller and requests the second controller to perform a data access of the respective virtual logical unit number thereof based on the virtual identification number, the second controller will search for a matched virtual logical unit number to perform the data access and return the access result to the first controller.

Modern server machines are capable of having multiple servers installed in them and the servers may all couple to a disk array. A disk array consists of several partitions with individual logical unit numbers (LUN) for the servers to perform data access with. The presence of the partitions is detectable to all servers so that the servers can share the data stored in the disk array. No priorities for access are set to avoid errors when the servers perform data access. Thus when any two servers try to access the same partition at the same time, the partition can not determine the priority between those servers, causing conflict in the partition and rendering accessed data invalid or lost.
To prevent the above-mentioned conflict situation while allowing accessibility to any one of the partitions in the disk array, the servers are coupled through an Ethernet network. At least one partition is assigned to a server and the server can only access its own partition(s). If a data access with a partition other than the ones assigned to the server, then a request must be made to the server that owns the partition to perform such data access. For example, when a first server tries to access data in a partition assigned to a second server, the first sever must convert accessing information (including location of the first server, IP address, path to the partition, access link and check sum) to multiple packets in the Ethernet protocol and transmit the packets to the second server. After receiving all the packets, the second server disassembles and analyzes those packets to acquire the information of the target partition and perform data access with that partition accordingly. The accessed data is then converted into multiple packets in the Ethernet protocol and transmitted back to the first server.
However, to share the data in said partition, not only does the communication between the two servers require conversions of information into packets complying with the network protocol, it also relies on the Ethernet network as the media. This type of design increases the complexity among the connections of the servers and the possibility of errors occurring during data access with non-assigned partitions. Furthermore, program developers for such a server machine must first set up the communication protocol. This introduces a higher cost, more time and effort in product development and could ultimately lead to a loss of its competitive edge on the market. Consequently, it is imperative for a server machine manufactures to have a system and method for sharing storage device among controllers that speeds up the sharing of the data in the storage device while sparing the complicated communication procedure.

System for sharing storage device among controllers and method thereof


A semiconductor device according to embodiments includes a normally-off transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first control electrode, a normally-on transistor having a third electrode electrically connected to the second electrode, a fourth electrode, and a second control electrode, a first element having a first end portion electrically connected to the first control electrode and a second end portion electrically connected to the first electrode, and the first element including a first capacitance component; and, a second element having a third end portion electrically connected to the first control electrode and the first end portion and a fourth end portion, and the second element including a second capacitance component, wherein, when a threshold voltage of the normally-off transistor is denoted by Vth, a maximum rated gate voltage of the normally-off transistor is denoted by Vg_max, a voltage of the fourth end portion is denoted by Vg_on, the first capacitance component is denoted by Ca, and the second capacitance component is denoted by Cb, Vth<(Cb/(Ca+Cb))Vg_on<Vg_max.

As a material for next-generation power semiconductor devices, a group-III nitride, for example, a GaN (gallium nitride)-based semiconductor has been expected. The GaN-based semiconductor has a large bandgap in comparison with Si (silicon). For this reason, in comparison with an Si (silicon) semiconductor device, by using a GaN-based semiconductor device, a power semiconductor device with a small size and a high breakdown voltage can be implemented. In addition, accordingly, a parasitic capacitance can be reduced, and thus, a power semiconductor device with high-speed driving can be implemented.
Generally, a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structure using a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) as carriers is applied to a GaN-based transistor. A typical HEMT is a normally-on transistor which becomes conductive even when no voltage is applied to the gate. For this reason, there is a problem in that it is difficult to implement a normally-off transistor which does not become conductive if no voltage is applied to the gate.
In such a power supply circuit for dealing with a large power of several hundred volts to one thousand volts, the normally-off operation is required in terms of emphasis on safety. Therefore, a circuit configuration for implementing the normally-off operation by connecting a normally-on GaN-based transistor and a normally-off Si transistor has been proposed.

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation


In a plasma processing apparatus for generating a plasma in a plasma generation space between a lower electrode and an upper electrode so that a processing object mounted on the lower electrode is subjected to plasma processing, a plurality of cutout portions for absorption of strain caused by thermal expansion due to rapid temperature increases in the plasma processing are formed at an equal pitch in an outer edge portion of a gas shower plate included in the upper electrode. Thus, the gas shower plate can be prevented from being damaged by occurrence of cracks in the outer edge portion of the gas shower plate or the like.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a gas shower plate for use with plasma processing apparatuses, which is included in a plasma processing apparatus for performing plasma processing to a processing object such as a wafer or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As apparatuses for performing surface treatment of processing objects such as wafers or the like, there have been known plasma processing apparatuses. A plasma processing apparatus operates to produce plasma under a reduced-pressure atmosphere to allow a surface of a processing object to be subjected to etching processing or the like by physical and chemical actions of the plasma. Plasma is generated by applying a high-frequency voltage to an upper electrode or lower electrode while the internal pressure within a sealed processing chamber of the plasma processing apparatus is reduced to a specified pressure with a plasma-generation gas (hereinafter, referred to simply as 'gas') fed thereto.
For such plasma processing, it is desirable in some cases to generate high-density plasma depending on the aim of processing. For example, in plasma etching targeted for silicon substrates such as wafers or the like, a process of uniformly spraying and feeding a relatively high-pressure gas to a surface of a silicon wafer is used with a view to improving the processing efficiency.
Known gas shower plates which are parallel-plate electrode members suited for such plasma processing include a gas shower plate formed of a gas-permeable porous plate which is a sintered body of ceramic particles (see, e.g., Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2002-231638 A, JP 2003-7682 A and JP 2003-282462 A). With the use of a gas shower plate formed as such a porous plate, it becomes possible to uniformly generate high-density plasma so that a stable plasma processing is carried out with high etching efficiency.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Gas shower plate for plasma processing apparatus


A photographic film cassette has photographic film wound on a spool and rotatably contained in a cassette shell. A leader of the photographic film is advanced outward from a passage mouth when the spool is rotated in the unwinding direction. The spool has a toothed wheel. A spring plate is provided inside the cassette shell. The spool is stopped by the spring plate from rotating. The spool is allowed to rotate when a torque of at least 50 gf.multidot.cm is applied to the spool. While a camera is loaded with the novel cassette, the spring plate is displaced to make the spool free from the toothed wheel to rotate. In another preferred embodiment, the spool is provided with a biased stopper, which is pressed with friction against the inside of the cassette shell. This friction stops the spool from freely rotating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographic film cassette wherein rotation of a spool causes a leader of photographic film to advance outward from the cassette, and more particularly to a leader-advancing photographic film cassette which has a locking spool so as to make the handling thereof easier.
2. Description of the Related
A known photographic film cassette includes a photographic filmstrip (hereinafter referred to as film) positioned so that a leader of the photographic film does not protrude from the cassette shell prior to loading the cassette in a camera. Such a cassette is easily loaded into a camera. A simple film advancing mechanism of the camera is typically used with this type of cassette, and includes a construction which rotates a spool of the cassette to unwind the photographic film, thereby causing the leader to move through a passageway for the photographic film and exit from the cassette. Such a device is disclosed in U.S Pat. Nos. 4,846,418 and 4,938,429. Such a cassette is advantageous in that it can be easily handled without the need for touching the photographic film.
The photographic film is somewhat rigid so as to recover a straight form, even after being wound in a roll. In the leader-advancing cassette, mechanical shocks or vibration during transportation etc. cause looseness to develop between the turns of its roll. Excessive loosening of the photographic film sometimes causes the leader to accidentally advance out of the cassette shell through the passage mouth, thereby causing fogging of the film due to exposure to ambient light. To prevent the photographic film from loosening, it is known to lock or stop the spool of the cassette from rotating when it is out of use. The camera suitable for a cassette thus constructed must be adapted to releasing the spool from being locked.
However, when a camera suitable for such a locking cassette is loaded with the cassette, a rotary mechanism incorporated in the camera applies a rotational force to the spool to drive it. If there is a failure to release the spool from the locked state, the locking mechanism of the spool would oppose the motion of the rotary mechanism of the camera. In such a case, the spool, the locking mechanism and the rotary mechanism of the camera may be damaged. Also, in such a case, it would be impossible for the leader-advancing cassette to cause the leader to exit from the cassette.

Photographic film cassette having a locking spool


A method for controlling a boiler includes firing a boiler, and monitoring a temperature deviation between a boiler temperature and a heating temperature profile over time. If the temperature deviation exceeds an allowable deviation, the boiler is shut off.

Boilers are commonly used in hydronic or other heating systems in residential, institutional, and commercial buildings, as well as in other applications. Typically, in a boiler system, a fuel burner produces heat that is transferred via a heat exchanger to water, which is circulated to transport the heat to end-use locations. In some cases, damage or injury may result if the boiler is fired when the water level is low, if a water valve is stuck, if a water circulation pump fails and/or if some other irregularity in operation or maintenance occurs. Some boiler systems include a low water sensing mechanism, such as a probe or float to monitor the water level in the boiler. Such a sensing mechanism generally requires additional inputs to the boiler controller, wiring to connect the sensor and controller, and in some cases, an additional hole or holes in the heat exchanger for the sensor. Some boiler systems include additional sensors to detect when a water valve might be stuck, when a water circulation pump fails and/or if some other irregularity occurs. All of this, however, can add significant complexity and cost to the system, and in some cases, may introduce additional vulnerabilities to the system.


A polycrystalline superhard material comprises a sintered mass of superhard grains having a mean superhard grain contiguity of at least 62 percent and at most 92 percent. There is also disclosed a method of making such a polycrystalline superhard material. The method comprises providing a precursor body comprising superhard grains and interstices between the superhard grains, and introducing additive particles into the interstices to form a pre-sinter body. The pre-sinter body is submitted to a temperature and pressure at which superhard material is thermodynamically stable, sintering it and forming polycrystalline superhard material.

Cutter inserts for machine and other tools may comprise a layer of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) bonded to a cemented carbide substrate. PCD and PCBN are examples of superhard material, also called superabrasive material, which have a hardness value substantially greater than that of cemented tungsten carbide.
Components comprising PCD are used in a wide variety of tools for cutting, machining, drilling or degrading hard or abrasive materials such as rock, metal, ceramics, composites and wood-containing materials. PCD comprises a mass of substantially inter-grown diamond grains forming a skeletal mass, which defines interstices between the diamond grains. PCD material comprises at least about 80 volume % of diamond and may be made by subjecting an aggregated mass of diamond grains to an ultra-high pressure of greater than about 5 GPa and temperature of at least about 1,200 degrees centigrade in the presence of a sintering aid, also referred to as a catalyst material for diamond. Catalyst material for diamond is understood to be material that is capable of promoting direct inter-growth of diamond grains at a pressure and temperature condition at which diamond is thermodynamically more stable than graphite. Some catalyst materials for diamond may promote the conversion of diamond to graphite at ambient pressure, particularly at elevated temperatures. Examples of catalyst materials for diamond are cobalt, iron, nickel and certain alloys including any of these. PCD may be formed on a cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide substrate, which may provide a source of cobalt catalyst material for the PCD. The interstices within PCD material may be at least partly be filled with the catalyst material. A disadvantage of PCD containing certain catalyst materials for diamond as a filler material may be its reduced wear resistance at elevated temperatures.
Components comprising PCBN are used principally for machining metals. PCBN material comprises a sintered mass of cubic boron nitride (cBN) grains. The cBN content of PCBN materials may be at least about 40 volume %. When the cBN content in the PCBN is at least about 70 volume % there may be substantial direct contact among the cBN grains. When the cBN content is in the range from about 40 volume % to about 60 volume % of the compact, then the extent of direct contact among the cBN grains is limited. PCBN may be made by subjecting a mass of cBN grains together with a powdered matrix phase, to a temperature and pressure at which the cBN is thermodynamically more stable than the hexagonal form of boron nitride, hBN. PCBN is much less wear resistant that PCD, which may limit its scope of application.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,516,804 discloses a superabrasive element comprising a mass of polycrystalline diamond including ultra-dispersed diamond grain structures present in an amount greater than zero weight percent and less than about 75 weight percent of the mass of polycrystalline diamond.
PCT publication number WO2009/147629 discloses a method for making PCD having an enhanced diamond contiguity and density.
There is a need for a polycrystalline superhard material having enhanced wear resistance, as well as a method for making it.


Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for computer based healthcare information to automatically provide reminders to a patient to take prescription medications at the appropriate times on the patient's mobile device. The patient enters a medical record number (MRN) into the mobile device and this information is communicated to the patient's electronic medical record. The user device receives the prescription information for the MRN from the patient's electronic medical record. Utilizing the prescription information on the user's device, the user can view and set reminders to take the medication directly from the patient's mobile device.

Many readmissions to hospitals and clinics occur because patients are not compliant with taking prescribed medications. Patients often forget to take prescribed medicines on time. Additionally, mistakes can be made by patients or caretakers in properly administering the single or multiple medications at home at the right time.
There are medication reminder programs available for reminding patients about medication to be taken on time but all these programs require a manual set up of reminders by keying information's like medication name, dose, drug form, admiration route, frequency, start and stop date time. This can be time consuming activity and can lead to wrong input of information resulting in reminding a patient to take a wrong medication and/or at wrong time.

Mobile application for medication reminders


Apparatus is disclosed for ventilation of crankcase gases in an internal combustion engine including a conduit for connecting the crankcase to an air inlet of the engine, and an oxidation catalyst in the conduit for cleaning the crankcase gases, the conduit being connected to the air inlet at a point upstream of the compressor of the turbo unit for the internal combustion engine.

In connection with vehicles which include an internal-combustion engine, different methods are presently used for treatment of the gas that is being fed from the engine of the vehicle in connection with the combustion which takes place in the engine. Such exhaust treatment then takes place for different reasons, e.g. demands regarding the cleaning of hazardous pollutants in the exhaust gases, as well as desires for greater fuel economy and a longer engine lifetime.
In this context, it is known to use apparatus for ventilating crankcase gases from the crankcase of the engine. The crankcase gases are generated in the various combustion chambers of the engine during operation thereof, and generally contain a relatively high concentration of combustible hydrocarbons. The crankcase gases are directed from the combustion chamber, between the respective cylinder liner and piston ring at the respective engine cylinder, and then to the engine's crankcase. After that, the crankcase gases are led from the crankcase and then on to the engine's oil pan.
According to a known technique, the crankcase gases are fed from the engine's oil pan and back to a suitable point in the engine's inlet side. From there, the gas can once again be sucked into the engine's air inlet for combustion in the engine. The ventilation and return of the crankcase gases back to the inlet side of the engine can reduce the discharge of hazardous pollutants from the engine.
One problem which occurs in known systems of the above type is based upon the fact that the crankcase gases that reach the oil pan flows towards the lubricating oil present in the oil pan. This results in part of the lubricating oil being transformed into an aerosol. If this aerosol should be allowed to be recirculated to the engine's inlet, coatings can be formed on different parts on the inlet side of the engine, e.g. in the combustion chamber of the engine and on the valves.
One further problem is that the aforementioned aerosol contains substances which one would want to separate from the crankcase gases, so that they will not be recirculated to the engine inlet.
In British Patent No. 1481037, apparatus is described for ventilation of crankcase gases in an internal-combustion engine. According to this patent, the crankcase gases, which contain combustible gaseous components, are fed to the engine inlet through an oxidation catalyst. In this oxidation catalyst the combustible gaseous components are oxidized, whereby resulting carbon dioxide and water are recirculated towards the engine inlet. In order to make the oxidation catalyst rapidly reach its correct operating temperature, it is also arranged in mechanical contact with the exhaust manifold of the engine.
Diesel engines for trucks are often designed for turbo charging, whereby an increased amount of air can be compressed and fed into the engine in a well-known manner. Normally, such systems also include an intercooler, whereby the air that is being fed through the compressor can be cooled.
In the engine arrangements that comprise turbo charging and an intercooler, a problem occurs if ventilated crankcase gases are fed to a compressor in the turbo unit, to be compressed and then fed to the intercooler. In this type of apparatus, a high degree of overcharging results in the temperature in the compressor being very high, up to about 170.degree. C. This causes the oil residues in the crankcase gas that are being fed to the compressor to carbonise, which creates a coating in the compressor. This makes the blades in the compressor thicker, which leads to a reduced efficiency of the compressor. To obtain the performance of the engine corresponding to a system without recirculated crankcase gases there would then be a demand for a more efficient intercooler.
A further disadvantage in this arrangement relates to the fact that an oil film is condensed and will form a coating in the bottom of the intercooler. This leads to reduced efficiency of the intercooler. Furthermore, there is a risk that the oil film will be sucked into the engine.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for ventilation of crankcase gases in an internal-combustion engine, and particularly for an internal-combustion engine comprising a turbo unit and an intercooler.

Arrangement for ventilation of crankcase gases in an internal-combustion engine


An integrated circuit package including a substrate configured to receive one or more high-bandwidth memory (HBM) stacks on the substrate, an interposer positioned on the substrate and configured to receive a logic die on the interposer, a plurality of interposer channels formed in the interposer and connecting the logic die to the one or more HBM stacks, and a plurality of substrate traces formed in the substrate and configured to interface the plurality of interposer channels to the one or more HBM stacks.

In order to meet increasing memory bandwidth needs of current and future technologies, a high-bandwidth memory (HBM) stack provides several DRAM dies stacked upon one another within a small area. The dies of the HBM stack can be interconnected through microbumps and vias, and the stack further may be connected to a nearby logic die, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), by an interposer.
Channels may be formed in the interposer to communicatively link the HBM stack to the logic die. Because of the narrow bump pitch of the HBM stack and the high density of channels needed to connect to the HBM stack, the channels are typically formed in a silicon interposer using semiconductor fabrication techniques. Thus, the silicon interposer is positioned underneath both the logic die and the HBM stack in order for the interposer channels to provide connections at the necessary pitch and density.
Positioning both the logic die and the HBM stack on the interposer requires a large interposer to be used. The interposer will routinely occupy an area three or more times that of the logic die. However, the use of large silicon interposers adds unwanted cost to the package. Semiconductor fabrication is relatively expensive compared to printed circuit board manufacture. Additionally, the large interposer is prone to warpage, which in turn results in yield losses during assembly and manufacture.

Integrated circuit package for high bandwidth memory