In order to enhance reliability of a battery against bending or twisting in particular, at least one cell group comprising 4 unit cells is formed on a flexible substrate. The cell group has a rectangular shape, and is divided into the 4 unit cells by strip-shaped portions arranged along 2 diagonal lines of the rectangle.

The present invention relates to an integrated battery, more specifically, to a flexible battery in which a plurality of unit cells are arranged on a flexible substrate.
As devices including cell phones are made smaller and their performance is improved in recent years, demand is increasing for the development of batteries as power sources for such devices. For example, the research and development of a lithium ion battery with a higher energy density and the commercialization thereof are rapidly proceeding. In such battery, an electrolyte solution comprising a liquid such as organic solvent has been used as a medium for transferring ions, which is accompanied by a possibility of leakage of an electrolyte solution from a battery.
In order to solve the problem that could harm the reliability of a battery containing such electrolyte solution, studies of an all-solid battery are under way. There are proposed, for example, an all-solid battery using a solid polymer electrolyte, instead of an electrolyte solution (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-251939), and an all-solid battery using an inorganic solid electrolyte (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. Sho 60-257073 and Hei 10-247516).
With the miniaturization of such devices, studies of a thinner all-solid battery are also being carried out. In order to achieve a thin all-solid battery, a proposal is made that a positive electrode, a solid electrolyte, a negative electrode and the like are formed on a certain substrate by a thin film forming process in a vacuum such as sputtering method, ion plating method and deposition method (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,338,625 and 5,141,614).
In order to increase capacity and to achieve a high voltage, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 61-165965 discloses that a plurality of solid cells connected in series or parallel are formed on one substrate by patterning using a mask. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 8-064213 discloses that a plurality of thin cells are stacked, wherein each thin cell comprises a positive electrode active material, a solid electrolyte and a negative electrode active material. The positive electrode active material, the solid electrolyte and the negative electrode active material are interposed between facing positive and negative electrode current collectors that also may function as jackets. In the thin cell, the peripheral area of the positive electrode current collector and that of the negative electrode current collector are adhered each other by a resin frame, and the resin frame is protruded to the outside of the peripheral area. A plurality of such thin cells are stacked and the protruded portions of the resin frames are adhered to form one stacked cell.
Solid cells as described above are typically formed on a substrate. The substrate is usually made of quartz, alumina, silicon wafer, sapphire, etc. The substrates made of such materials have excellent thermal resistance, but are usually thick and rigid. In other words, they are inflexible. Because of this, if a thin device such as IC card or RFID tag comprising such solid cell is excessively bent or twisted, the cells might be broken or cracked, resulting in decreased battery characteristics or breakdown of a battery.
In order to improve the tolerance against bending, one option is to make cells with a smaller dimension, but the battery capacity will be small.
Another option is to produce a substrate using a flexible material. A substrate made of flexible material can be made thinner than conventional substrates made of quartz, alumina, silicon wafer, sapphire, etc. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve a higher volume energy density compared to the case of using the conventional substrates.
However, if one large solid cell is formed on a flexible substrate to give a battery and the battery is bent, there is a possibility that only the solid cell is damaged, due to less flexibility of the solid cell.
Given the above, in order to achieve the tolerance against repeated bending as well as repeated impact and to attain high reliability of a battery, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2000-195482 and 2001-15153 disclose a plurality of solid cells being arranged on a substrate in a lattice pattern, each of the solid cells having a rectangular shape and comprising a power-generating element in which a positive electrode active material, a solid electrolyte and a negative electrode active material are stacked to form a layered structure.
The battery as described above reduces a possibility of destruction of the solid cells in the case where the battery is bent along a line parallel to a side of the solid cell. The battery, however, still has a great possibility of destruction of the solid cells in the case where the battery is twisted or bent along a line parallel to a diagonal line of the solid cell.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a battery having sufficient capacity that can function without being damaged even if the battery is twisted.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The invention provides a peptide comprising: a core amino acid sequence, which is identical or similar to the amino acid sequence of a member of the Cecropin family in a combination with an antibiotic drug.

Antibiotics are chemical substances having the capacity, in a dilute solution, to kill or inhibit growth of microorganisms. Antibiotics that are sufficiently nontoxic to the host are used as chemotherapeutic agents to treat infectious diseases of humans, animals, and plants. The term was originally restricted to substances produced by microorganisms, but has been extended to include synthetic and semi-synthetic compounds of similar chemical activity.
Antibiotic drugs are commonly classified based on their chemical structure, mechanism of action, or spectrum of activity. Most antibiotics target bacterial functions or growth processes (Calderon C. B., et al., Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Protocols. 2007, CRC Press. Taylor & Frances group) that are not in common with eukaryotic organisms. The major families of antibiotic drugs can be classified as follows: Penicillins and Cephalosporins are antibiotic drugs that target the bacterial cell wall. Polymyxins target the bacterial cell membrane. Rifamycins, Lipiarmycins, Quinolones, and Sulfonamides interfere with essential bacterial enzymes. Macrolides, Lincosamides and Tetracyclines target protein synthesis (Finberg R. W., et al., Clin. Infect. Dis. 2004, 39 (9): 1314-20). Further categorization is based on their target specificity, and thus, narrow-spectrum antibacterial antibiotics target specific types of bacteria, whereas broad-spectrum antibiotics affect a wide range of bacteria.
Extensive and widespread use of antimicrobial drugs led to the emergence of resistant strains of microorganisms. These microorganisms are no longer susceptible to currently available antimicrobial drugs. In order to lower or prevent lethal infectious diseases and maintain public health, new antimicrobial agents are required. This forces researchers to pursue novel antibiotics, not yet resistant by bacteria.
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are part of the armament that insects have developed to fight off pathogens. Although usually cationic, the primary structures of insect AMPs vary markedly. Members of the most frequent AMP families adopt an α-helical conformation in membrane-mimetic environments (Bulet P. et al., Protein and Peptide Letters, 2005, 12, 3-11).
Insects produce antibacterial peptides, which are secreted to their hemolymph, as an innate defense against pathogenic infections (Boman, H. G. et al., Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 1987, 41, 103-126). Some insect species are capable of producing 10-15 different antibiotic peptides (Hoffman, J. A., et al., FEBS Let., 1993, 325, 663-664). Each peptide has a complete different range of antibacterial action (Bulet, P. Medicine Sciences 1999.15, 23-29).
Cecropins were first isolated from the hemolymph of Hyalophora cecropia. Cecropins are small cationic peptides consisting 29-42 amino acid residues, found in the Diptera order (genus Drosophila, Sarcophaga) and Lepidoptera order (genus Hyalophora, Manduca, Bombyx, Antheraea). It should be mentioned that a Cecropin was isolated from porcine intestine (Boman, H. G., et al. Eur. J. Biochem. 1991. 201, 23-31; Morishima, I., et al. Biochem. Physiol. 1990. 95B, 551-554; Steiner, H., et al. Nature 1981. 292, 246-248; Sun, D., et al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 1998. 249(2), 410-415; Bulet, P. et al Immunological Reviews. 2004. 198, 169-184). The known sequences for the major Cecropins show that the N-terminal parts are strongly basic while the C-terminal regions are neutral and contain long hydrophobic stretches. In all cases the Cecropins have an amidated C-terminal residue (Boman, H. G. et al., Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 1987, 41, 103-126). Cecropins secondary structure forms two amphiphatic α-helixes which are able to penetrate the bacterial membrane. This ability is followed by membrane loss of ionic gradient balance leading to bacterial death (Christensen, B. C., et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1988 83:1670-1674; Lockey, T. D., et al. Eur. J. Biochem. 1996. 236, 263-271; Marassi, F. M., et al. Biophys. J. 1999. 77, 3152-3155; Wang, W., et al. J. Biol. Chem. 1998. 273, (42) 27438-27448).
Cecropins are very similar molecules as half the amino acid substitutions are strictly conservative. Theoretical predictions and circular dichroism spectra indicate that these peptides can form nearly perfect amphipathic α-helices with charged groups on one longitudinal side and hydrophobic side residues on the opposite side. Proteins with amphipathic helices are often associated with membranes, and this secondary structure may be of importance for the membrane-disrupting activity of the Cecropins (Boman, H. G. et al., Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 1987, 41, 103-126).
The structure of different sequences of peptides of the Cecropin family shows that they represent similar types of molecules. In addition to strongly basic N-terminal region and a long hydrophobic stretch in the C-terminal half, there are other typical conserved features such as: tryptophan at position 2, the single and double lysines at positions 5, 8 and 9 and arginine at position 12. It can be concluded that there must have been strong selection pressures that have conserved certain Cecropin sequences in different types of insects throughout evolution (Boman, H. G., et al. Eur. J. Biochem. 1991. 201, 23-31).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Combination of antimicrobial peptides and antibiotic drugs for treating diseases

Abstract: The invention further provides methods of treating an infection, overcoming inherent or acquired resistance of a microorganism to an antibiotic agent or disinfecting a wound, the methods comprises administering the peptide in combination with the antibiotic drug to a subject in need thereof, wherein the peptide and the antibiotic drug are administered simultaneously or consecutively.


A suspension strut including an air spring unit and a damper unit that are aligned on a common axis is disclosed. The air spring unit includes a rolling tube having a flared terminal end that extends over a damper tube associated with the damper unit. The damper tube has a circumferential groove formed in an outer diameter of the damper tube. A retaining ring has a greater outer diameter than the outer diameter of the damper tube and is positioned in the circumferential groove. A base has an inner diameter less than the outer diameter of the retaining ring, and an outer diameter smaller than the predetermined diameter of the flared free end, and is supported on the retaining ring. A torsion element fits around the damper tube and within the flared free end.

During use of such a vehicle suspension strut, a relative motion can take place between the air spring unit and the damper unit. This relative motion is generally a rotational motion that take place around the longitudinal axis of the strut assembly as an applied torque. To address this issue, some struts incorporate a torsion element that functions against the torque and repositions the assembly along the longitudinal axis.
Although the air spring unit and a damper unit of the presently available struts are satisfactory initially, it has been discovered that the torsion element become less resilient over time and repositioning the assembly along the longitudinal axis is less reliable. It is believed that this is a result of the breakdown of the torsion element itself or tearing due to vertical loads under changing operating conditions due to road conditions. This has the consequence that air leaks for the strut and the air compressor must continuously supply air to the strut which often results in overheating of the compressor motor.


Provided is a spiral finned condenser. The spiral finned condenser includes a condensing pipe and a fin. The fin is spirally wound on a surface of the condensing pipe. The condensing pipe forms a cubie structure by a plurality of turns and bends. The condenser further includes a fixing bracket which is clamped and fixed on the condensing pipe.

Generally, the condensers in prior art are water condensers, vertical mixing pipe bundle condensers, wire tube condensers and the like. These condensers are usually large in dissipation area so as to enhance the cooling effect. However, it leads to problems like larger volume and higher costs, and the application of these condensers are hence greatly limited. Once a small condenser is adopted, the dissipation performance will degrade.
A Chinese invention patent. No. 200610111866.5 provides a spiral finned condenser comprising a spiral finned pipe 15, a Vertical fixing component 30 and a horizontal fixing component 20. The spiral firmed pipe 15 is firstly bent into a serpentine shape so as to be horizontally arranged and fixed by the horizontal fixing mechanism 20, and then the second vertical bend is performed based on the serpentine shape and is arranged and fixed vertically by the vertical fixing mechanism 30. The horizontal fixing mechanism 20 comprises a fixing device 28 which comprises a semiterete portion and an ex-tension portion 26. The inner diameter of the semiterete portion is equal to the outer diameter of the spiral finned pipe 15, and the extension portion 26 extends in parallel on two sides of the semiterete portion. The invention solves the defects existing in the prior art, however, some hidden dangers are still exist in this structure. The horizontal fixing component is clamped on the spiral fin directly, which causes serious damage to the fins when clamping and fixing, thereby leading to inefficiency in condensing.


A ground cover sheet for retaining bark dust and bark chips in place in a landscaping arrangement includes a base sheet and a cover sheet. A plurality of rows of short slits are spaced along the length of the cover sheet. The cover sheet is heat welded to the base sheet in a manner to cause bows formed by the spaced slits to extend convexly upwardly. These upwardly extending bows serve to retain bark dust and bark chips in place on the ground cover sheet. The base and cover sheets are preferably formed from a flexible plastic material of a brown color to match the bark dust. The base sheet is formed from a four mils thick material and the cover sheet is formed from a six mils thick material. The upwardly extending bows on the cover sheet may be reinforced with a nylon filament material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ground cover sheets, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved ground cover sheet provided with upwardly extending bows to retain bark dust and bark chips in position. The conventional material utilized in landscaping is a polyvinyl plastic sheet material. This material is colored black and is spread on the surface of the ground to prevent weeds and grass from growing. It is then covered by brown colored bark dust and bark chips. This provides an attractive arrangement for a short period of time. Soon, however, rain and wind shift the brown bark dust, exposing patches of the shiny black polyvinyl material. This erosion occurs rapidly on sloped ground, although displacement of the bark dust due to humans and animals walking on the material on flat ground is also a problem. In order to overcome these difficulties, the present invention provides a ground cover sheet of a brown color provided with upwardly extending bows spaced in rows along the length of the sheet to retain bark dust and bark chips in position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of ground cover sheets are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a ground cover sheet is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 921,484, which issued to A. Turner on May 11, 1909. This patent discloses a ground cover sheet for use as a mulch material around strawberry plants. The ground cover sheet may be formed as an elongated sheet provided with spaced apertures for the reception of strawberry plants. A plurality of smaller apertures allow water to pass through the sheet. U.S. Pat. No. 1,584,589, which issued to C. Adams on May 11, 1926, discloses a ground cover sheet for use in protecting strawberry plants. A corrugated cover sheet is attached to a base sheet. The sheet is provided with a central slit for reception around a strawberry plant. Apertures are provided in the corrugations of the cover sheet in order to trap insects between the cover and base sheets. U.S. Pat. No. 1,721,228, which issued to G. Marden on July 16, 1929, discloses a mulch sheet having a central aperture for reception of a plant or tree stem. The device consists of a mat formed from a straw material held together by spaced rows of stitches. U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,698, which issued to R. Downey et al on Aug. 20, 1960, discloses a mulch pad for use around trees. The pad comprises a square pad of fibrous material provided with a central aperture for the reception of the trunk of a tree. The aperture is connected by a slit to a side edge of the pad to allow insertion of the tree trunk. U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,347, which issued to R. Barnes on Apr. 17, 1973, discloses an artificial grass like ground cover sheet for reception around a tree. The device is formed as a circular mat provided with a central aperture connected by a slit to a side edge for allowing insertion of a tree trunk. Once in place around a tree trunk, a staple like spike is utilized to secure the edges of the mat together.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices provides a ground cover sheet provided with rows of slits forming upwardly convex bows for retaining bark dust and bark chips in place. Further, none of the aforesaid devices is constructed from an inexpensive polyvinyl material. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of ground cover sheets, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such ground cover sheets, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.


Provided are flexible piezoelectric generators and methods of manufacturing the same. The piezoelectric generator includes a first insulation layer disposed on a first electrode, a piezoelectric structure disposed on the first insulation layer, a second insulation layer disposed on the piezoelectric structure, and a second electrode disposed on the second insulation layer.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to generators, and more particularly, to large-area flexible piezoelectric generators and methods of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, techniques for harvesting energy have received much interest and have been the focus of research. Piezoelectric generators among devices for harvesting energy may be considered as environmentally friendly energy generating devices which may transform mechanical energy generated by vibration existing in a surrounding environment or the motion of the human body into electric energy. Also, research into developing flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators by using nanosystems has been conducted according to the development of nanotechnologies. Such piezoelectric nanogenerators may be used for harvesting electric energy by using mechanical energy generated due to the mechanical motion or vibration in an external environment, such as wind, or the motion of the human body, and may be also used as a sensor for detecting external environmental changes or microscopic motion.

Piezoelectric generator and method of manufacturing the same


Apparatus and method are illustrated for accessing, extending and exiting a truck bed and having a pair of opposed end frame members (A) carried on opposed respective sides of the truck preferably on a truck having a tailgate. A transverse member(B) is substantially U-shaped and constructed of tubular frame members and carried in such a way that the legs (C) are pivotally carried between the upright frame members. A releasable fastening member (D) is provided for positioning the transverse member in upright position while stop member (E) limits downward pivotal movement of transverse member.

This invention relates to apparatus and method for use on pick up trucks and the like as original equipment or to be retrofitted for use on existing trucks for accessing and for extending the truck bed and to secure various objects, i.e., pipe, lumber, ladders, gas cans, etc., as well as for supporting the feet and lower legs of the user for comfort in sitting on a tailgate.
Many efforts have been made to solve the problem of providing convenient access to the bed of pick up trucks and the like. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are illustrative of the prior art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,435,588, 6,422,630, 6,367,858, 6,193,294, 5,658,033. The various constructions illustrated in the patents are relatively expensive and complicated. None provide a simple practical solution to the problem of accessing a tailgate and for sitting thereon as for tailgate parties in such a way as to add to the comfort and well being of the user. Furthermore, none of the prior art patents show the use of a frame like device which serves to extend the bed of the truck and provide ready access to the tailgate by the user.
Various prior art constructions involve downwardly extending framework which is inconvenient for use in accessing the tailgate base or bottom of the frame is above the ground extending across the tailgate serving as a step for accessing the truck bed as well as to effectively extend truck bed for increased capacity and usefulness.
Additional prior art includes a U-shaped tubular frame extending downwardly and slightly rearwardly providing a transverse step above the ground and foldabily carried at free ends on one side of the tailgate. These folding tailgate steps are sold under the trademark Bed-Hopper by J. C. Whitney of JC Whitney Way LaSalle, Ill. 61301.
Accordingly it is an important object of this invention to provide a pivoted frame attached to a vehicle such as a pick up truck for downward pivotal movement against a stop member positioning a step rearwardly above the ground pivotally carried by free ends of frame members at each side of the bed of the truck for accessing the bed of the pick up truck.
An important object of this invention is to provide a simplified method for accessing the bed of a pickup truck to ascend and descend while positioning the feet of a user seated on a tailgate without leaving the legs of the user in a dangling position.
An important object of this invention is to provide an extended bed pickup truck with simplified frame construction which may be lowered to a rear inclined position above the ground to provide a step for accessing the vehicle while enlarging the capacity of the bed of a pickup truck.
A method and apparatus that is inexpensive and of simple construction is operatable to provide a convenient device for accessing a pickup flat bed and for extending the bed includes a pivotal frame connected between upright end frame members on opposite sides of the tailgate. The frame is pivoted at lower ends for downward movement to a position for receiving the foot of the user for stepping onto the bed while accessing and serving as an apparatus useful for extending and accommodating contents on a flatbed. The upright end frame members serve as handles to aid the user in sitting upon a tailgate comfortably with the feet and lower legs extending rearwardly at an angle of about 60xc2x0 to the horizontal.

Apparatus and method for accessing and extending a truck bed


A novel class of antimicrobial polymeric agents, which include a plurality of amino acid residues, such as positively charged amino acid residues, and at least one hydrophobic residue linking there between. such as an omega-amino-fatty acid residue designed to exert antimicrobial activity while being stable, non-toxic and avoiding development of resistance thereto and a process of preparing same are disclosed. Further disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing same and a method of treating medical conditions associated with pathological microorganisms, a medical device, an imaging probe and a food preservative utilizing same. Further disclosed are conjugates of an amino acid residue and a hydrophobic moiety residue and a process of preparing same.

The present invention relates to novel antimicrobial agents and, more particularly, to a novel class of polymers which are designed to exert antimicrobial activity while being stable, non-toxic and avoiding development of resistance thereto. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions, medical devices and food preservatives containing such polymers and to methods of treating medical conditions associated with pathogenic microorganisms utilizing same.
Antibiotics, which are also referred to herein and in the art as antibacterial or antimicrobial agents, are natural substances of relatively small size in molecular terms, which are typically released by bacteria or fungi. These natural substances, as well as derivatives and/or modifications thereof, are used for many years as medications for treating infections caused by bacteria.
As early as 1928, Sir Alexander Fleming observed that colonies of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus could be destroyed by the mold Penicillium notatum. His observations lead Fleming to postulate the existence and principle of action of antibiotic substances. It was established that the fungus releases the substance as a mean of inhibiting other organisms in a chemical warfare of microscopic scale. This principle was later utilized for developing medicaments that kill certain types of disease-causing bacteria inside the body. In 1940's Howard Florey and Ernst Chain isolated the active ingredient penicillin and developed a powdery form of the medicine.
These advancements had transformed medical care and dramatically reduced illness and death from infectious diseases. However, over the decades, almost all the prominent infection-causing bacterial strains have developed resistance to antibiotics.
Antibiotic resistance can result in severe adverse outcomes, such as increased mortality, morbidity and medical care costs for patients suffering from common infections, once easily treatable with antibiotics (Am. J. Infect. Control 24 (1996), 380-388; Am. J. Infect. Control 27 (1999), 520-532; Acar, J. F. (1997), Clin. Infect. Dis. 24, Suppl 1, S17-S18; Cohen, M. L. (1992), Science 257, 1050-1055; Cosgrove, S. E. and Carmeli, Y. (2003), Clin. Infect. Dis. 36, 1433-1437; Holmberg, S. D. et al. (1987), Rev. Infect. Dis. 9, 1065-1078) and therefore became one of the most recognized clinical problems of today's governmental, medicinal and pharmaceutical research (U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Impacts of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, OTA-H-629, Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office (1995); House of Lords, Science and Technology 7th Report: Resistance to Antibiotics and Other Antimicrobial Agents, HL Paper 81-II, session (1997-98); and Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance, A Public Health Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance. Part 1: Domestic issues).
Due to the limitations associated with the use of classical antibiotics, extensive studies have been focused on finding novel, efficient and non-resistance inducing antimicrobial/antibacterial agents.
Within these studies, a novel class of short, naturally occurring peptides, which exert outstanding antimicrobial/antibacterial activity, was uncovered.
These peptides, which are known as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), are derived from animal sources and constitute a large and diverse family of peptides, which may serve as effective antimicrobial agents against antibiotic-resistant microorganisms (for recent reviews see, for example, Levy, O. (2000) Blood 96, 2564-2572; Mor, A. (2000) Drug Development Research 50, 440-447; Zasloff, M. (2002) New England Journal of Medicine 347, 1199-1200; Zasloff, M. (2002) Nature 415, 389-395; Zasloff, M. (2002) Lancet 360, 1116-1117). In the past 20 years, over 700 AMPs derived from various sources, from unicellular organisms to mammalians and including humans, have been identified (for recent reviews see, for example, Andreu, D. and Rivas, L. (1998) Biopolymers 47, 415-433; Boman, H. G. (2003) J. Intern. Med. 254, 197-215; Devine, D. A. and Hancock, R. E. (2002) Curr. Pharm. Des. 8, 703-714; Hancock, R. E. and Lehrer, R. (1998) Trends Biotechnol. 16, 82-88; Hancock, R. E. (2001) Lancet Infect. Dis. 1, 156-164; Hancock, R. E. and Rozek, A. (2002) FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 206, 143-149; Hoffmann, J. A. and Reichhart, J. M. (2002) Nat. Immunol. 3, 121-126; Lehrer, R. I. and Ganz, T. (1999) Curr. Opin. Immunol. 11, 23-27; Nicolas, P. and Mor, A. (1995) Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 49, 277-304; Nizet, V. and Gallo, R. L. (2002) Trends Microbiol. 10, 358-359; Shai, Y. (2002) Curr. Pharm. Des. 8, 715-725; Simmaco, M. et al. (1998) Biopolymers 47, 435-450; Tossi, A. et al. (2000) Biopolymers 55, 4-30; Tossi, A. and Sandri, L. (2002) Curr. Pharm. Des. 8, 743-761; Vizioli, J. and Salzet, M. (2002) Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 23, 494-496; Brogden, K. et al. (2003) Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 22, 465-478 and Papagianni, M. (2003) Biotechnol. Adv. 21, 465-499).
AMPs are now recognized to have an important role in the innate host defense. They display a large heterogeneity in primary and secondary structures but share common features such as amphiphatic character and net positive charge. These features appear to form the basis for their cytolytic function. Ample data indicate that AMPs cause cells death by destabilizing the ordered structure of the cell membranes, although the detailed mechanism has not been fully understood yet (for recent reviews see, for example, Epand, R. M. et al. (1995), Biopolymers 37, 319-338; Epand, R. M. and Vogel, H. J. (1999), Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1462, 11-28; Gallo, R. L. and Huttner, K. M. (1998), J. Invest Dermatol. 111, 739-743; Gennaro, R. et al. (2002), Curr. Pharm. Des. 8, 763-778; Hansen, J. N. (1994), Crit Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 34, 69-93; Huang, H. W. (1999), Novartis. Found. Symp. 225, 188-200; Hwang, P. M. and Vogel, H. J. (1998), Biochem. Cell Biol. 76, 235-246; Lehrer, R. I. et al. (1993), Annu. Rev. Immunol. 11, 105-128; Matsuzaki, K. (1999), Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1462, 1-10; Muller, F. M. et al. (1999), Mycoses 42 Suppl 2, 77-82; Nissen-Meyer, J. and Nes, I. F. (1997), Arch. Microbiol. 167, 67-77; Peschel, A. (2002), Trends Microbiol. 10, 179-186; Sahl, H. G. and Bierbaum, G. (1998), Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 52, 41-79; Shai, Y. (1995), Trends Biochem. Sci. 20, 460-464; and Yeaman, M. R. and Yount, N.Y. (2003), Pharmacol. Rev. 55, 27-55). It is assumed that disturbance in membrane structure leads to leakage of small solutes (for example K+, amino acids and ATP) rapidly depleting the proton motive force, starving cells of energy and causing cessation of certain biosynthetic processes (Sahl, H. G. and Bierbaum, G. (1998), Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 52, 41-79). This mechanism is consistent with the hypothesis that antimicrobial activity is not mediated by interaction with a chiral center and may thus significantly prevent antibiotic-resistance by circumventing many of the mechanisms known to induce resistance.
In addition to their direct well-documented cytolytic (membrane-disrupting) activity, AMPs also display a variety of interesting biological activities in various antimicrobial fields. Some AMPs were shown to activate microbicidal activity in cells of the innate immunity including leukocytes and monocyte/macrophages (Ammar, B. et al. (1998), Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 247, 870-875; Salzet, M. (2002) Trends Immunol. 23, 283-284; Scott, M. G. et al. (2000), J. Immunol. 165, 3358-3365; and Scott, M. G. et al. (2002), J. Immunol. 169, 3883-3891). Many cationic peptides are endowed with lipopolysaccharide binding activity, thus suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines and protect from the cascade of events that leads to endotoxic shock (Chapple, D. S. et al. (1998), Infect. Immun. 66, 2434-2440; Elsbach, P. and Weiss, J. (1998), Curr. Opin. Immunol. 10, 45-49; Lee, W. J. et al. (1998), Infect. Immun. 66, 1421-1426; Giacometti, A. et al. (2003), J. Chemother. 15, 129-133; Gough, M. et al. (1996), Infect. Immun. 64, 4922-4927; and Hancock, R. E. and Chapple, D. S. (1999), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 43, 1317-1323). Antimicrobial genes introduced into the genome of plants granted the plant the resistance to pathogens by expressing the peptide (Alan, A. R. et al. (2004), Plant Cell Rep. 22, 388-396; DeGray, G. et al. (2001), Plant Physiol 127, 852-862; Fritig, B., Heitz, T. and Legrand, M. (1998), Curr. Opin. Immunol. 10, 16-22; Osusky, M. et al. (2000), Nat. Biotechnol. 18, 1162-1166; Osusky, M. et al. (2004), Transgenic Res. 13, 181-190; and Powell, W. A. et al. (2000), Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 31, 163-168).
On top of the ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides that have been identified and studied during the last 20 years, thousands of de-novo designed AMPs, were developed (Tossi, A. et al. (2000), Biopolymers 55, 4-30). These de-novo designed peptides are comprised of artificially designed sequences and were produced by genetic engineering or by chemical peptide syntheses. The finding that various antimicrobial peptides, having variable lengths and sequences, are all active at similar concentrations, has suggested a general mechanism for the anti-bacterial activity thereof rather than a specific mechanism that requires preferred active structures (Shai, Y. (2002), Biopolymers 66, 236-248). Naturally occurring peptides, and de-novo peptides having artificially designed sequences, either synthesized by humans or genetically engineered to be expressed in organisms, exhibit various levels of antibacterial and antifungal activity as well as lytic activity toward mammalian cells. As a result, AMPs are attractive targets for bio-mimicry and peptidomimetic development, as reproduction of critical peptide biophysical characteristics in an unnatural, sequence-specific oligomer should presumably be sufficient to endow antibacterial efficacy, while circumventing the limitations associated with peptide pharmaceuticals (Latham, P. W. (1999), Nat. Biotechnol. 17, 755-757).
One of the challenges in designing new antimicrobial peptides relies on developing peptidomimetics that would have high specificity toward bacterial or fungal cells, and consequently, would allow better understanding of the mechanism underlying the peptide lytic specificity, i.e., discrimination between cell membranes. Structure-activity relationships (SAR) studies on AMPs typically involve the systematic modification of naturally occurring molecules or the de-novo design of model peptidomimetics predicted to form amphiphatic alpha-helices or beta-sheets, and the determination of structure and activity via various approaches (Tossi, A. et al. (2000), Biopolymers 55, 4-30), as follows:
Minimalist methods for designing de-novo peptides are based on the requirement for an amphiphatic, alpha-helical or beta-sheet structure. The types of residues used are generally limited to the basic, positively charged amino acids lysine or arginine, and one to three of the hydrophobic residues alanine, leucine, isoleucine, glycine, valine, phenylalanine, or tryptophan (Blazyk, J. et al. (2001), J. Biol. Chem. 276, 27899-27906; Epand, R. F. et al. (2003), Biopolymers 71, 2-16; Hong, J. et al. (1999), Biochemistry 38, 16963-16973; Jing, W. et al. (2003), J. Pept. Res. 61, 219-229; Ono, S. et al. (1990), Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1022, 237-244; and Stark, M. et al. (2002), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 46, 3585-3590). While these approaches may lead to the design of potent antimicrobial agents, subtleties to the sequence of AMPs that may have been selected for by evolution are not considered and their absence may lead to a loss of specificity.
Sequence template methods for designing and synthesizing amphiphatic AMPs typically consists of extracting sequence patterns after comparison of a large series of natural counterparts. The advantage of this method, as compared with conventional sequence modification methods, is that it reduces the number of peptides that need to be synthesized in order to obtain useful results, while maintaining at least some of the sequence based information. As discussed hereinabove, the latter is lost in minimalist approaches (Tiozzo, E. et al. (1998), Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 249, 202-206).
Sequence modification method includes all of the known and acceptable methods for modifying natural peptides, e.g., by removing, adding, or replacing one or more residues, truncating peptides at the N- or C-termini, or assembling chimeric peptides from segments of different natural peptides. These modifications have been extensively applied in the study of dermaseptins, cecropins, magainins, and melittins in particular (Scott, M. G. et al. (2000), J. Immunol. 165, 3358-3365; Balaban, N. et al. (2004), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 48, 2544-2550; Coote, P. J. et al. (1998), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 42, 2160-2170; Feder, R. et al. (2000), J. Biol. Chem. 275, 4230-4238; Gaidukov, L. et al. (2003), Biochemistry 42, 12866-12874; Kustanovich, I. et al. (2002), J. Biol. Chem. 277, 16941-16951; Mor, A. and Nicolas, P. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 1934-1939; Mor, A. et al. (1994), J. Biol. Chem. 269, 31635-31641; Oh, D. et al. (2000), Biochemistry 39, 11855-11864; Patrzykat, A. et al. (2002), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 46, 605-614; Piers, K. L. and Hancock, R. E. (1994) Mol. Microbiol. 12, 951-958; and Shepherd, C. M. et al. (2003), Biochemistry 370, 233-243).
The approaches described above have been applied in many studies aiming at designing novel AMPs. In these studies, the use of alpha-helix and/or beta-sheet inducing building blocks, the use of the more flexible beta-amino acid building blocks, the use of mixed D- and L-amino acid sequences and the use of facially amphiphilic arylamide polymers, have all demonstrated the importance of induced amphiphatic conformations on the biological activity of AMPs.
Antimicrobial peptides can act in synergy with classical antibiotics, probably by enabling access of antibiotics into the bacterial cell (Darveau, R. P. et al. (1991), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 35, 1153-1159; and Giacometti, A. et al. (2000), Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 38, 115-118). Other potential uses include food preservation (Brul, S. and Coote, P. (1999), Int. J. Food Microbiol. 50, 1-17; Yaron, S., Rydlo, T. et al. (2003), Peptides 24, 1815-1821; Appendini, P. and Hotchkiss, J. H. (2000), J. Food Prot. 63, 889-893; and Johnsen, L. et al. (2000), Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66, 4798-4802), imaging probes for detection of bacterial or fungal infection loci (Welling, M. M. et al. (2000), Eur. J. Nucl. Med. 27, 292-301; Knight, L. C. (2003), Q. J. Nucl. Med. 47, 279-291; and Lupetti, A. et al. (2003), Lancet Infect. Dis. 3, 223-229), antitumor activity (Baker, M. A. et al. (1993), Cancer Res. 53, 3052-3057; Jacob, L. and Zasloff, M. (1994), Ciba Found. Symp. 186, 197-216; Johnstone, S. A. et al. (2000), Anticancer Drug Des 15, 151-160; Moore, A. J. et al. (1994), Pept. Res. 7, 265-269; and Papo, N. and Shai, Y. (2003), Biochemistry 42, 9346-9354), mitogenic activity (Aarbiou, J. et al. (2002), J. Leukoc. Biol. 72, 167-174; Murphy, C. J. et al. (1993), J. Cell Physiol 155, 408-413; and Gudmundsson, G. H. and Agerberth, B. (1999), J. Immunol. Methods 232, 45-54) and lining of medical/surgical devices (Haynie, S. L. et al. (1995), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 39, 301-307).
However, while the potential of AMPs as new therapeutic agents is well recognized, the use of the presently known AMPs is limited by lack of adequate specificity, and optional systemic toxicity (House of Lords, Science and Technology 7th Report: Resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. HL Paper 81-II, session, 1997-98; and Alan, A. R. et al. (2004), Plant Cell Rep. 22, 388-396). Thus, there is a clear need for developing new antimicrobial peptides with improved specificity and toxicity profile.
Moreover, although peptides are recognized as promising therapeutic and antimicrobial agents, their use is severely limited by their in vivo and ex vivo instability and by poor pharmacokinetics. Peptides and polypeptides are easily degraded in oxidative and acidic environments and therefore typically require intravenous administration (so as to avoid, e.g., degradation in the gastrointestinal tract). Peptides are further broken down in the blood system by proteolytic enzymes and are rapidly cleared from the circulation. Moreover, peptides are typically characterized by poor absorption after oral ingestion, in particular due to their relatively high molecular mass and/or the lack of specific transport systems. Furthermore, peptides are characterized by high solubility and therefore fail to cross biological barriers such as cell membranes and the blood brain barrier, but exhibit rapid excretion through the liver and kidneys. The therapeutic effect of peptides is further limited by the high flexibility thereof, which counteracts their receptor-affinity due to the steep entropy decrease upon binding and a considerable thermodynamic energy cost. In addition, peptides are heat and humidity sensitive and therefore their maintenance requires costly care, complex and inconvenient modes of administration, and high-cost of production and maintenance. The above disadvantages impede the use of peptides and polypeptides as efficient drugs and stimulate the quest for an alternative, which oftentimes involves peptidomimetic compounds.
Peptidomimetic compounds are modified polypeptides which are designed to have a superior stability, both in vivo and ex vivo, and yet at least the same receptor affinity, as compared with their parent peptides. In order to design efficacious peptidomimetics, an utmost detailed three-dimensional understanding of the interaction with the intended target is therefore required.
One method attempting at achieving the above goal utilizes synthetic combinatorial libraries (SCLs), a known powerful tool for rapidly obtaining optimized classes of active compounds. Thus, a number of novel antimicrobial compounds ranging from short peptides to small heterocyclic molecules have been identified from SCLs (Blondelle, S. E. and Lohner, K. (2000), Biopolymers 55, 74-87).
Several families of naturally occurring modified peptides which exhibit strong antimicrobial activity, have been uncovered in many organisms. These compounds, and their effective chemical alterations, have proposed a lead towards a general solution to the challenge of creating an antimicrobial compound devoid of the disadvantages associated with natural AMPs.
Thus, for example, naturally occurring short antimicrobial peptides characterized by a lipophilic acyl chain at the N-terminus were uncovered in various microorganisms (Bassarello, C. et al. (2004), J. Nat. Prod. 67, 811-816; Peggion, C., et al. (2003), J. Pept. Sci. 9, 679-689; and Toniolo, C. et al. (2001), Cell Mol. Life Sci. 58, 1179-1188). Acylation of AMPs was hence largely used as a technique to endow AMPs with improved antimicrobial characteristics (Avrahami, D. et al. (2001), Biochemistry 40, 12591-12603; Avrahami, D. and Shai, Y. (2002), Biochemistry 41, 2254-2263; Chicharro, C. et al. (2001), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 45, 2441-2449; Chu-Kung, A. F. et al. (2004), Bioconjug. Chem. 15, 530-535; Efron, L. et al. (2002), J. Biol. Chem. 277, 24067-24072; Lockwood, N. A. et al. (2004), Biochem. J. 378, 93-103; Mak, P. et al. (2003), Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 21, 13-19; and Wakabayashi, H. et al. (1999), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 43, 1267-1269). However, some studies indicate that attaching a hydrocarbon chain to the peptide, results in only marginal increase in the affinity of the lipopeptide to the membrane (Epand, R. M. (1997), Biopolymers 43, 15-24).
One family of AMPs capable of alluding towards the main goal is the family of dermaseptins. Dermaseptins are peptides isolated from the skin of various tree frogs of the Phyllomedusa species (Brand, G. D. et al. (2002), J. Biol. Chem. 277, 49332-49340; Charpentier, S. et al. (1998), J. Biol. Chem. 273, 14690-14697; Mor, A. et al. (1991), Biochemistry 30, 8824-8830; Mor, A. et al. (1994), Biochemistry 33, 6642-6650; Mor, A. and Nicolas, P. (1994), Eur. J. Biochem. 219, 145-154; and Wechselberger, C. (1998), Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1388, 279-283). These are structurally and functionally related cationic peptides, typically having 24-34 amino acid residues. Dermaseptins were found to exert rapid cytolytic activity, from seconds to minutes, in vitro, against a variety of microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, yeast and filamentous fungi (Coote, P. J. et al. (1998), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 42, 2160-2170; Mor, A. and Nicolas, P. (1994), J. Biol. Chem. 269, 1934-1939; Mor, A. et al. (1994), J. Biol. Chem. 269, 31635-31641; Mor, A. and Nicolas, P. (1994), Eur. J. Biochem. 219, 145-154; Belaid, A. et al. (2002), J. Med. Virol. 66, 229-234; De Lucca, A. J. et al. (1998), Med. Mycol. 36, 291-298; Hernandez, C. et al. (1992), Eur. J. Cell Biol. 59, 414-424; and Mor, A. et al. (1991), J. Mycol. Med 1, 5-10) as well as relatively inaccessible pathogens such as intracellular parasites (Efron, L. et al. (2002), J. Biol. Chem. 277, 24067-24072; Dagan, A. et al. (2002), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 46, 1059-1066; Ghosh, J. K. et al. (1997), J. Biol. Chem. 272, 31609-31616; and Krugliak, M. et al. (2000), Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 44, 2442-2451).
Since dermaseptins portray the biodiversity existing in a very large group of antimicrobial peptides in terms of structural and biological properties, they serve as a general model system for understanding the function(s) of cationic antimicrobial peptides.
The 28-residue peptide dermaseptin S4 is known to bind avidly to biological membranes and to exert rapid cytolytic activity against a variety of pathogens as well as against erythrocytes (Mor, A. et al. (1994), J. Biol. Chem. 269(50): 31635-41).
In a search for an active derivative (peptidomimetic) of S4, a 28-residue derivative in which the amino acid residues at the fourth and twentieth positions were replaced by lysine residues, known as K4K20-S4, and two short derivatives of 16 and 13 residues in which the amino acid residue at the fourth position was replaced by a lysine residue, known as K4-S4(1-16) and K4-S4(1-13), respectively, were prepared and tested for the inhibitory effect thereof (Feder, R. et al. (2000), J. Biol. Chem. 275, 4230-4238). The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of these derivatives for 90% of the 66 clinical isolates tested (i.e., MIC90 for S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and E. coli), varied between 2 and 8 μg/ml for the various species, whereby the 13-mer derivative K4-S4(1-13) was found to be significantly less hemolytic when incubated with human erythrocytes, as compared with similarly active derivatives of magainin and protegrin, two confirmed antimicrobial peptide families (Fahrner, R. L. et al. (1996), Chem. Biol. 3(7): 543-50; Zasloff, M. et al. (1988), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85(3): 910-3; Yang L. et al. (2000), Biophys. J, 79 2002-2009). Additional studies further confirmed that short, lysine-enriched S4 derivatives, are promising anti-microbial agents by being characterized by reduced toxicity and by showing efficacy also after pre-exposure of the subjects thereto.
N-terminal acylation of the C-terminally truncated 13-mer S4 derivative K4-S4(1-13) also resulted in reduced hemolytic activity, whereby several derivatives, such as its aminoheptanoyl derivative, displayed potent and selective activity against the intracellular parasite, i.e., increased antiparasitic efficiency and reduced hemolysis. These studies indicate that increasing the hydrophobicity of anti-microbial peptides enhance their specificity, presumably by allowing such AMPs to act specifically on the membrane of intracellular parasites and thus support a proposed mechanism according to which the lipopeptide crosses the host cell plasma membrane and selectively disrupts the parasite membrane(s).
Overall, the data collected from in-vitro and in-vivo experiments indicated that some dermaseptin derivatives could be useful in the treatment of a variety of microbial-associated conditions including infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. These agents were found highly efficacious, and no resistance was appeared to develop upon their administration. Nevertheless, the therapeutic use of these agents is still limited by the in vivo and ex vivo instability thereof, by poor pharmacokinetics, and by other disadvantageous characteristics of peptides, as discussed hereinabove.
In conclusion, most of the presently known antimicrobial peptides and peptidomimetics are of limited utility as therapeutic agents despite their promising antimicrobial activity. The need for compounds which have AMP characteristics, and are devoid of the limitations associated with AMPs is still present, and the concept of providing chemically and metabolically-stable active compounds in order to achieve enhanced specificity and hence enhanced clinical selectivity has been widely recognized.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, novel, metabolically-stable, non-toxic and cost-effective antimicrobial agents devoid of the above limitations.

Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.


A system has an evaluation server that includes at least one database storing a plurality of cybersecurity awareness evaluations, the database connected to the server, a plurality of clients connected to the server and configured to run at least one of the cybersecurity awareness evaluations for play by users on user devices, the users performing actions in the evaluation including offensive actions and defensive actions, and an evaluation dashboard including an interface configured to display scoring results of the cybersecurity awareness evaluations as determined by the server, the scoring results including a plurality of offensive component scores for at least one of the users, a plurality of defensive component scores for at least one of the users, at least one composite offensive score for at least one of the users and at least one composite defensive score for at least one of the users, the composite offensive score being determined based on a plurality of the component offensive scores and the composite defensive score being determined based on a plurality of the component defensive scores.

Many data breaches begin by exploiting an organization's employees in order to gain access to protected systems and private information. Many such exploits take advantage of human nature to gain access. For example, a social engineering attack tries to leverage societal norms and their target's innate desire to appear helpful, friendly, or intelligent to cause the target to reveal private information. Similarly, a phishing attack may attempt to create a sense of urgency, fear, or panic in the recipient of an email that causes the target to visit the attacker's malicious website, thus leading to a breach. Or, an attacker may use information gained from social media or from a prior, unrelated breach to gain access, relying on the tendency of people to create memorable passwords and reuse the same password on multiple sites.
No matter the specific vector, the human element in breaches is well documented. Therefore, a key component of any organization's cybersecurity defense program must be to make employees aware of the multifarious threats and provide them with the tactics, techniques, and procedures to individually guard against these human-centric threats.
Security awareness is a significant and important challenge for organizations, whether commercial, academic, or government. However, while the need for increased understanding of security concepts and hygiene in the workforce has been understood and publicized for years, instilling effective security awareness in the workforce remains an important security industry problem. Therefore, effective employee cybersecurity awareness training that leads to improved decisions in handling sensitive data, social media, web hygiene, and other behaviors is amongst the most important tools an organization has to improve its defensive posture.
Currently, cybersecurity training, awareness, and enforcement programs for members of an organization's general workforce tend to use a three-part program, including classroom training, formal assessments and live training. Classroom training has been used to inform employees about threats and best-practices for defense. These can be delivered in a "live" or "self-directed" format and may be online or in-person, though most often these courses are delivered as PowerPoint presentations or pre-recorded videos. Often, organizations will do an initial training during onboarding followed up by refresher briefings (generally annual) that seek to update employees with new information and/or reinforce organizational policies.
Typically coupled with classroom training, formal assessments seek to ensure that employees can recall and recite the information provided in the classroom training. These assessments are generally provided as short, online multiple-choice tests that are graded in real-time, and employees must usually receive an organizationally-defined "passing grade" in order to receive credit for their training. Often, employees who fail to meet the scoring criteria are given an opportunity to retake the test until they pass, and failure to complete training with a passing grade generally results in disciplinary action. While most professionals agree that these assessments do not provide much or any value, they are often required to fulfill an organization's metrics-based compliance obligations.
Periodically, organizations will conduct live training/testing exercises that attempt to reinforce safe cybersecurity behaviors and/or uncover workforce security weaknesses by placing employees into controlled, semi-realistic attack situations and testing their response. This type of exercise most commonly takes the form of a simulated phishing campaign, an exercise where the organization sends phishing emails to its own employees in order to give users a realistic but safe way to improve their phishing detection skills. Users who ignore or report the email (if such reporting tools exist) effectively "pass" the training, while those users who open the payload "fail" the training and may be subject to refresher training, discipline, or more-frequent live exercises. Many third-party services exist to facilitate this and other types of live training exercises for the general workforce.
Prior products provide a suite of tools to facilitate classroom training, formal assessment, live testing, and results analysis, and to integrate with the organization's learning management systems (LMS), but they all suffer from a common set of problems. Classroom training and assessment programs, whether developed in-house or provided by third-parties specializing in such training, vary greatly across organizations and providers in terms of quality and effectiveness. These programs run the gamut from simple "compliance training" to practical steps users can take to improve their cybersecurity defensive posture. Most third-party products exist to serve companies that are either at the second (compliance) or third level (awareness) of the Security Awareness Maturity Model as developed by SANS.org.
With few exceptions, existing training products and programs use a boring, passive, and unengaging presentation format that leads to lower retention, rather than an engaging, memorable, and enjoyable format that would lead to better retention. Even the existing products that attempt to "gameify" the learning experience do so with rudimentary "game" mechanics, such as "choose your own adventure"-style stories or "Jeopardy!"-style rapid-fire knowledge checks. These attempts at gamification only provide a subtle enhancement over what is essentially rote memorization. Additionally, most existing programs include threat information and defensive techniques that are outdated, unrealistic, or irrelevant, and they do not convey practical, actionable information that members of the general workforce can use to defend themselves on a daily basis.
The effectiveness of security awareness training programs is generally measured either through formal evaluations that do not adequately predict the performance of trainees against realistic threats or through live exercises that focus too heavily on a single threat vector (usually phishing). While some products exist to address other threat vectors, these products are far less common and still fail to address the practical reality of the dynamic, evolving threat landscape in a meaningful way. Most security awareness programs rely too heavily on the "stick" (i.e., disciplinary action) to ensure compliance rather than on the "carrot" (i.e., intrinsic or extrinsic rewards) to foster cultural changes around security.
In all cases, programs and products for general workforce cybersecurity training typically result in less-than-optimal real-world results. However, because there are few or no higher-quality alternatives, these suboptimal products represent the current state-of-the-art for general workforce cybersecurity training, meaning that even the best products leave skills and knowledge gaps that can be easily exploited by attackers.
It would be advantageous if a system and method could be developed to overcome the above-described problems.

Method and system for evaluating individual and group cyber threat awareness


A laser sensor holder apparatus for enabling a power sensor to be held in the path of a laser beam to measure the beams power comprises a base unit including a mounting frame, and translation stages to enable the movement of a sensor mounting plate to a desired position in the path of a laser beam. The apparatus is useful in measuring the power of a laser beam. Applications of the apparatus include its use in direct imaging systems whereby the previous method of manually holding a power sensor in the path of a class 4 laser and all of its inherent disadvantages may be avoided.

The invention relates to a laser sensor holder apparatus, and in particular to such an apparatus for use in conjunction with power monitoring of laser beams, and to a method of measuring the power of a laser beam.
Laser power units, for example laser power units which emit laser beams for use in lithographic plate imprinting, are frequently used in situations in which beam strengths are occasionally varied and need to be checked prior to use or in which the beam strength needs to be regularly measured and precisely calibrated. There is therefore a need for a means of regular monitoring and calibrating.
Suitable power sensors are usually employed in order to monitor the strength of the beam for each application and check that the beam has been calibrated to within acceptable limits. Calibration may involve taking multiple readings, interspersed with computer controlled adjustment of the beam strength.
In known arrangements, sensors employed to monitor and calibrate the beams are usually hand-held, requiring a user to stand in front or to one side of the laser power unit, holding the sensor in the path of the beam. There are a number of inherent disadvantages with this method of monitoring.
One disadvantage is that the user will never be able to keep the sensor in a totally stationary position and therefore, for any one sensor reading, there may be fluctuations as the sensor moves from the centre of the beam to its periphery and back again.
A second disadvantage is that after each sensor reading the user must move to a computer terminal to input data and adjust the power output of the laser up or down accordingly before returning to the beam area once more to check the actual effect of the adjustments. When the user returns to the sensor to take the next reading, he will not be able to hold the sensor in exactly the same position as in the previous reading. Even if the laser power has not been changed the new position of the sensor, coupled with the instability of the hand-held sensors position, can lead to significantly erroneous readings.
The need for the user to undergo repetition of sensor reading, moving to the computer terminal, inputting data and returning to the sensor, means valuable time is wasted. Indeed for many applications, calibration in this manner can take up to half a day to complete.
As the user must hold sensors of known arrangement in his hand, there is a high risk that the laser beam could come into contact with the skin of his hand. Some applications require the use of powerful (class 4) lasers which would cause serious bums and tissue damage if there is any beam to skin contact.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a laser power sensor holder which is designed to be coupled with a laser power sensor and secured in the path of a beam.
It is further an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a sensor holder which can be adjusted, when attached to a laser power unit, such that the sensor element of the coupled sensor is stationary and exposed to the whole cross-section of the beam and is thereby eliminating inaccurate readings caused by the sensor missing parts of the beam caused by movement of the sensor during operation.
It is another aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a sensor holder which permits the elimination of time-wasting caused by repeated movement between the sensor and a power controller of the laser.


A compound represented by the formula:

Endothelial lipase (EL) is a Triglyceride Lipase family on a par with Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) and Hepatic Lipase (HL). Studies in the knockout mouse and transgenic mouse have indicated that EL is associated with HDLc metabolism by the strong phospholipase activity, and EL is accepted as a factor which regulates plasma HDLc levels (Non-Patent Document 1).
Plasma HDLc levels have been accepted as an inverse correlate of coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. HDLc is supposed to have an anti-atherosclerotic effect through acceleration of reverse cholesterol transport accompanied with anti-oxidizing and anti-inflammatory effects. Low HDLc levels are accepted as one of the risk factors of CAD.
Therefore, an EL inhibitor serves as a therapeutic agent for CAD through its effect of increasing HDLc levels. Actually, an increase of HDLc levels and a decrease of atherosclerotic lesion area have been reported in EL-deficient atherogenic mice (Non-Patent Document 2).
These facts suggest the possibility of a selective inhibitor of EL as a therapeutic agent for dyslipideamia and atherosclerosis.
Patent Document 1, 2 and 3 disclose various compounds having an inhibitory activity on hepatic lipase and/or endothelial lipase, but oxadiazole derivative such as the present compound has not been disclosed.
Patent Document 4 discloses a compound having inhibitory activity on triglyceride lipase, lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, pancreatic lipase or endothelial lipase, but oxadiazole derivative such as the present compound has not been disclosed.
Patent Document 5 to 15 disclose various compounds having inhibitory activity on EL, but oxadiazole derivative such as the present compound has not been disclosed.
Patent Document 16 discloses an oxadiazole derivative having inhibitory activity on PDF (peptide deformylase). For example, the following compound is disclosed.

But patent document 16 does not describe any inhibitory activity on EL and the increasing activity of HDLc.

Oxadiazole derivative having endothelial lipase inhibitory activity

Abstract: A compound represented by the formula:

Abstract: or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt. Ring A is aromatic carbocycle or aromatic heterocycle, Z is —O— or —S—, R1 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, carboxy, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl or the like, R2 and R3 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy or the like, R4 is a group represented by the formula: —(CR6R7)n—R8, R6 and R7 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy or the like, n is an integer of 0 to 3, R8 is carboxy, cyano, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or the like, Rx is halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, carboxy, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl or the like, and m is an integer of 0 to 3.


A semiconductor device includes a pair of sensor units each of which includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a signal holding unit and a transfer unit, and outputs a signal held by the signal holding unit, comprising a control unit including a detector unit, wherein when one of the pair of sensor units operates in a first mode, the other operates in a second mode, the detector unit detects that the output has reached a predetermined value after the one starting a signal transfer, the one ends the signal transfer in response to the detection and determines the held signal, the control unit generates a control signal after that, and the other in the second mode accumulates generated charges and starts a signal transfer in accordance with the control signal, then ends the signal transfer and determines the held signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
One kind of semiconductor device for focus detection includes a pair of sensor units. Upon detecting that the output of one sensor unit to be used for detection has reached a predetermined value, processing of the focus detection signal of the other sensor unit to be used for signal is controlled. More specifically, each of the pair of sensor units includes photoelectric conversion units. This semiconductor device controls the accumulation operation of charges generated by the photoelectric conversion units of the sensor unit for signal in accordance with the signal corresponding to charges generated by the photoelectric conversion units of the sensor unit for detection. The charge accumulation operation is controlled by, for example, controlling the charge accumulation time or the accumulated charge amount. More specifically, when the object has a low luminance, the charge accumulation time is prolonged, or the accumulated charge amount is increased. When the object has a high luminance, the charge accumulation time is shortened, or the accumulated charge amount is decreased. This allows for control of the charge accumulation operation of the photoelectric conversion units of the sensor unit for signal.
After that, the signal corresponding to the charges accumulated in the sensor unit for signal can be output, as information for focus detection, to a calculation unit that executes a focus detection operation. Actually, each sensor unit can include about 30 to 80 photoelectric conversion units arranged in a line or in an array. Two pairs of sensor units are prepared, and focus detection is performed by a phase-difference detection method using two images formed by the sensor units.
Apart from the above-described series of focus detection operations, another focus detection operation may independently be performed using the signal corresponding to the charges generated by the sensor unit for detection as information for focus detection. This is expected to enable more accurate focus detection. However, when the control signal of the sensor unit for signal is switched, noise may mix in the signal of the sensor unit for detection. For example, crosstalk noise can mix in due to wiring capacitance coupling between signal wirings. Noise can also mix in when processing of the signal corresponding to the charges accumulated in the sensor unit for signal starts.


A universal motor has a rotor and a stator. The stator comprises a pair of symmetrical C-shaped stator cores and two windings respectively wound on the stator cores. Each stator core comprises a yoke and a pair of poles extending from opposite ends of the yoke. The windings are wound on the yokes. Each pole has a curved surface and the surfaces of the poles cooperatively form an opening. The rotor is rotatably received in the opening.

FIG. 9 shows a conventional universal motor which comprises a stator and a rotor (not shown). The stator comprises a stator core 12′ and windings 14′. The stator core 12′ comprises a square yoke with four sides and four poles 124′ each extending inwardly from a corresponding side in radial directions. The poles have a neck which joins the pole to the yoke. The windings 14′ are wound on the necks. In order to allow the rotor to have a large diameter, the necks have a small length in the radial direction. Therefore, the windings are formed by coils which have a small length but a large height. That is, the length of the wire in the turns of the coils near the outside of the coil is substantially larger than the first wound turns which results in waste of material.


A system for cooling a generator mounted in the tail-cone of an engine. The system comprises a fairing, which receives through an inlet thereof air from a bypass duct and directs the bypass air towards a cavity of the tail-cone for cooling the generator. The bypass air is then expelled through an outlet of a support strut positioned in fluid communication with the tail-cone cavity. The fairing inlet and the strut outlet are both positioned in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal plane of the engine. In this manner, circulation of the bypass air through the fairing, the tail-cone cavity, and the strut may be achieved. The bypass air directed through the fairing further enables cooling of service lines accommodated in the fairing. A lobe mixer is further used to direct the fairing and shield the latter from core exhaust.

One or more generators may be positioned in the tail-cone of an engine to provide additional electrical power during normal engine operating conditions as well as emergency situations. However, an engine tail-cone may be quite hot and, thus, in order to ensure proper operation of the generator(s), it is desirable to provide a cooling system to ensure that the temperature of the generator remains acceptable despite being subjected to high temperature flows. Still, known cooling systems usually require installation of additional components in the engine system and may therefore add to the weight and complexity of the engine, in addition to increasing aerodynamic drag.
There is therefore a need for an improved system and method for cooling a tail-cone mounted generator.

Air cooling design for tail-cone generator installation


In an autonomous vehicle system, data received from one or more autonomous vehicles (AVs) can be aggregated to generate aggregated data. From this aggregated data, a vector-field map can be generated that includes a plurality of cells. Each of the cells can include a corresponding vector. The vector field map can be analyzed to identify one or more vectors of the plurality of cells that exceed one or more predetermined threshold values. The analysis can include a magnitude analysis and/or a frequency analysis. Based on the analysis, traffic and/or road conditions can be determined, which can provide prior knowledge about the driving behavior of other vehicles. Advantageously, aspects of the disclosure improve predictive motion models and enhance navigation algorithms.

Autonomous driving vehicles may be equipped with one or more sensors that are used for navigation, trajectory planning and state estimation. Data obtained from these sensors can be used by the respective vehicle, as well as provided to one or more other vehicles and/or remote systems for further processing. The data can be communicated via a Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication system that includes the passing of information from a vehicle to any entity that may affect the vehicle, and vice versa. V2X is a vehicular communication system that incorporates other more specific types of communication, such as Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I), Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-to-Device (V2D), Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P), Vehicle-to-grid (V2G), etc. V2X can include cellular V2X (C-V2X), which includes the more specific types of communication above and can include vehicle-to-network (V2N) communications (e.g., via one or more cellular technologies). V2X is used as an example type of communication for purposes of explanation, but the disclosure is not limited in this respect.
As the technology for self-driving systems advances, so do the safety concerns. Many real-life examples ranging from L1 (driving assistance systems) to L5 (highly automated systems) of deployed and testing systems have demonstrated that driving safety cannot rely solely on probabilistic estimations nor on attentive drivers. This is why formal safety driving models aim to close the safety gap that exists today within self-driving systems. These models leverage data and other information provided by the autonomous driving vehicles (AVs).
The exemplary aspects of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawing in which an element first appears is typically indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.

System and method for acceleration-based vector field maps


An approach is provided for generating synthetic image data for machine learning. The approach, for instance, involves determining, by a processor, a set of parameters for indicating an action by one or more objects. The action is a dynamic movement of the one or more objects through a geographic space over a period of time. The approach also involves processing the set of parameters to generate synthetic image data. The synthetic image data includes a computer-generated image sequence of the one or more objects performing the action in the geographic space over the period of time. The approach further involves automatically labeling the synthetic image data with at least one label representing the action, the set of parameters, or a combination thereof. The approach further involves providing the labeled synthetic image data for training or evaluating a machine learning model to detect the action.

Over the past decades, massive increases in the scale and types of annotated data have accelerated advances in all areas of machine learning. This has enabled major advances is many areas of science and technology, as complex models of physical phenomena or user behavior, with millions or perhaps billions of parameters, can be fit to datasets of increasing size. However, when such physical phenomena or user behavior involves actions or dynamic movements (e.g., in automotive driving applications), such annotated or labeled datasets can be scarce. Accordingly, service providers face significant technical challenges obtaining labeled data to train machine learning models to detect or classify actions or dynamic movements from image data (e.g., videos or image sequences).

Method, apparatus, and system for generating synthetic image data for machine learning


This application discloses a method implemented by an electronic device to detect a signature event (e.g., a baby cry event) associated with an audio feature (e.g., baby sound). The electronic device obtains a classifier model from a remote server. The classifier model is determined according to predetermined capabilities of the electronic device and ambient sound characteristics of the electronic device, and distinguishes the audio feature from a plurality of alternative features and ambient noises. When the electronic device obtains audio data, it splits the audio data to a plurality of sound components each associated with a respective frequency or frequency band and including a series of time windows. The electronic device further extracts a feature vector from the sound components, classifies the extracted feature vector to obtain a probability value according to the classifier model, and detects the signature event based on the probability value.

Smart home devices normally have the capability of collecting real-time multimedia data (including video and/or audio data) and identifying events in the collected multimedia data. For example, some multimedia surveillance devices identify individual audio events including screams and gunshots. Another automatic health monitoring device detects cough sound as a representative acoustical symptom of abnormal health conditions for the purposes of attending to the health of the aged who live alone. Some home devices include digital audio applications to classify the acoustic events to distinct classes (e.g., music, news, sports, cartoon and movie). Regardless of the audio events or classes that are detected, existing home devices rely on predetermined audio programs to identify individual audio events independently or, at most, the audio events in the context of general background noise. These smart home devices do not differentiate multiple audio events that often occur simultaneously, nor do they adjust the predetermined audio programs according to the capabilities of the home devices and the variation of the ambient environments. It would be beneficial to have a more efficient audio event detection mechanism than the current practice.

Method and system for detecting an audio event for smart home devices


A dynamic filtering device includes a variation detector, a coefficient generator and a filter. The cut-off frequency of the filter is dynamically adjusted according to variations of an input signal. A higher signal-to-noise ratio is obtained when a finger moves in slow motion and its response time is reduced when the finger moves in fast motion, therefore improving the response time and the noise immunity of the filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a filter, particularly to a dynamic filtering device and method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to improve signal quality, a low-pass filter is usually introduced to eliminate noise when a circuit receives a time-variant signal to perform circuit measurement. In the process of digital signal processing, the low-pass filter can be implemented with a finite impulse response (FIR) filter or an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter. In general, the stability of FIR filters is better than that of IIR filters, but the noise immunity of the IIR filters is better than that of the FIR filters. With the same filtered result or performance, the hardware cost of the IIR filter is usually lower than that of the FIR filter.
However, response times of conventional filters vary with frequencies. The better the noise immunity the longer the response time will be, as shown in FIG. 1A. By contrast, when a short response time is required for a system, such as a touch panel performing position detection, the noise immunity will be sacrificed to gain the shorter response time as shown in FIG. 1B, where a touch position D (x, y) is a function of a x-coordinate and a y-coordinate. Therefore, conventional circuit designers believe that the response time needs to be traded off for the noise immunity in filter design.

Dynamic filtering device and method thereof


A method and a device are provided for deactivating a driver assistance system for autonomous transverse guidance of a vehicle, which driver assistance system has a sensor unit for detecting a contact with the rim of a steering wheel by a driver, and a control unit which detects, via the detected contact, a request by the driver to transfer from the autonomous transverse guidance into a manual transverse guidance by the driver. The pressure sensor constitutes at least one pressure sensor, which extends over at least that part of the surface of the steering wheel rim which is usually touched by the driver's hands. It does not extend over the area of the surface of the steering wheel rim which, viewed in a cross section of the steering wheel rim, describes an approximately circular-segment-shaped arc which extends over a sector angle of the order of magnitude of 90°, which arc is spaced apart as far as possible from the center point of the steering wheel.

The invention relates to a method and a device for deactivating a driver assistance system for autonomous transverse guidance of a vehicle. As the prior art, reference is made by way of example to DE 10 2006 023 287 A1, and in particular to DE 2015 101 563 A1.
The related prior art discloses many concepts for highly automated driving and the driver assistance systems responsible for them. Thus, for example, driver assistance systems are known which support the driver in the driving task, or even those which cause the vehicle to completely assume control of certain driving tasks, such as the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of a vehicle. In this case, in safety-critical situations in which the assistance function of the driver assistance systems is no longer adequate, the driver is requested by the driver assistance system to perform the vehicle guidance him/herself. This request is known as a control transfer request. In addition, if desired, the driver is able at any time to intervene in the highly automated task of the driver assistance system, so as to perform the driving task manually. Depending on the driving task which the driver assistance system performs, there are a number of different transfer approaches, thus means or actions, which the driver carries out to indicate that he/she would like to take over the driving task him/herself, and therefore to deactivate the driver assistance system which is performing the highly automated driving task at the time. Thus it is known, for example, to deactivate an ACC (Automatic Cruise Control) system, which performs the longitudinal guidance of the vehicle on highways, by the driver activating a gas- or brake pedal. In highly automated transverse guidance, transfer approaches are known that use interactions with the steering wheel, thus an activation of the steering wheel by the driver. Thus, from DE 10 2015 101 563 A1 for example, a system for automated driving is known, which is deactivated by touching and simultaneous turning of the steering wheel by the driver. To detect whether the driver is touching the steering wheel and turning the steering wheel, capacitive sensors and torque sensors are mounted in the steering wheel. In order to ensure with a high probability that a driver request to assume control from the assistance function has occurred, both sensor signals are required in order to deactivate the driver assistance system. The driver must therefore both touch as well as turn the steering wheel.
Sensors to detect whether the driver's hands are on the steering wheel and how strongly the driver is gripping the steering wheel, are known from other areas of driver assistance technology. Thus, DE 10 2006 023 287 A1 discloses a gripping force sensor for a steering wheel, which is designed as a piezoelectric pressure sensor and by means of which a physical loading state of the driver, such as the effect of fatigue or stress, can be determined.
In highly automated driving, particularly in the case of autonomous transverse guidance, the control transfer approaches are traditionally associated with interventions in the steering by the driver, in other words with an activation of the steering wheel.
A deficiency in the current transfer approaches for autonomous transverse guidance of a driver assistance system known from the prior art is that a transfer from the autonomous transverse guidance into the manual transverse guidance can be triggered by the driver involuntarily, by lightly touching or accidentally turning the steering wheel, for example by the driver's knee resting against the steering wheel. In such situations the driver is not prepared for assuming control of the transverse guidance and therefore is not immediately able to assume the transverse guidance of the vehicle. In unfavorable situations, this may lead to errors due to the inattention of the driver.
The object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a deactivation or a control transfer concept of a driver assistance system for the autonomous transverse guidance of a vehicle, which is resistant to involuntary or accidental signals of a control transfer request by the driver, for example by the driver resting a knee on the steering wheel, and at the same time is simple to implement.
A method and/or a device for deactivating a driver assistance system for autonomous transverse guidance of a vehicle is proposed, which senses a contact of the steering wheel rim by the driver by means of a pressure sensor according to the invention, detects a control transfer request of the driver and deactivates the driver assistance system.
According to the invention, the said pressure sensor extends over at least part of the surface of the steering wheel rim, which is usually touched by the driver's hands. However, in order to prevent unintentional contacts, which are often caused by knocking or resting against the knees or the legs of the driver, the region of the surface of the steering wheel rim which, viewed in a cross section of the steering wheel rim describes an approximately circular-segment-shaped arc which extends over a sector angle of the order of magnitude of 90°, said arc being spaced apart as far as possible from the center point of the steering wheel, is not covered by the pressure sensor, and/or not monitored with regard to contact.
Depending on the width or the diameter of the steering wheel tube, in other words the gripping area of the steering wheel rim, the said sector angle can vary. Thus, in the case of a broader grip area a sector angle of more than 90° is chosen, and for a narrower grip area an angle of slightly less than 90°.
This free area according to the invention in the coverage of the steering wheel rim by the pressure sensor device, at the outer areas of the steering wheel, when viewed from the steering wheel center, at which in particular the legs or knees of the driver knock or rest against during a change of seating position, prevents any involuntary engagement with the autonomous transverse guidance and thus any involuntary deactivation of the driver assistance system. This allows safety-critical situations described above, in which the driver is not prepared for assuming control of the transverse guidance of the vehicle and may be concentrating on things other than the vehicle guidance, to be avoided.
The initial situation for introducing the method according to the invention is an autonomous transverse guidance of the vehicle by the driver assistance system. In this situation the driver's hands do not touch the steering wheel. If the driver then intends to take control over the transverse guidance of the vehicle, or if the driver assistance system prompts the driver to transfer control, the driver then grips the steering wheel with his/her hands. The pressure sensor device mounted on the steering wheel then senses the contact with the steering wheel by the driver's hands.
In an advantageous embodiment, in this state a control unit is activated, due to the amount of the applied contact pressure, to determine whether a control transfer request or a control transfer attempt has been made by the driver during this contact. Depending on the driving situation, a limit value for the contact pressure initiated by the driver can be set, and the autonomous transverse guidance is deactivated by the control unit only if this limit is exceeded. At this point, or if the above limit is exceeded, the driver takes over the task of the transverse guidance of the vehicle.
The introduction of said limit value means it is possible to advantageously prevent inadvertent touches, which are exercised with only a very slight pressure by the driver, from being interpreted by the control unit as a control transfer request by the driver and the driver assistance system from being incorrectly deactivated.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the said limit value of the contact pressure of the driver, above which a deactivation of the driver assistance system for autonomous transverse guidance takes place, can be adjusted or changed according to the driving situation.
The limit value can be set depending on the vehicle speed and, for example, can be increased with increasing vehicle speed. This is because at high speeds, for example during freeway driving, it is very important that contact with the steering wheel by the driver during autonomous transverse guidance of the vehicle only deactivates the driver assistance system if the driver actually intends to assume control over the transverse guidance task. If the limit value is increased, the driver must consequently hold the steering wheel somewhat more firmly. This is to ensure that no accidental or involuntary touching of the steering wheel by the driver takes place.
In addition, it is possible to adjust or change the said limit value on the basis of specific signals, such as if the driver assistance system prompts the driver to assume control over the transverse guidance of the vehicle. Thus, if a control transfer request exists, i.e. if the driver assistance system is already awaiting a response of the driver or contact with the steering wheel by the driver, then the limit value can be adjusted to a lower setting. The signal for the control transfer request on the part of the driver assistance system is then sent directly to the control unit, which decreases the limit value of the contact pressure accordingly and waits for the contact on the part of the driver. The transfer of control thus takes place faster and more reliably.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the said limit value can be adjusted or changed depending on environmental conditions, such as weather conditions or even road conditions, such as in the case of uneven, slippery or wet roads.
The pressure sensor device is positioned according to the invention on the rim of the steering wheel in such a way that an accidental touching of the steering wheel with other parts of the body apart from the hands, such as the legs or knees, is avoided and thus any accidental deactivation of the driver assistance system for transverse guidance of the vehicle is advantageously avoided. If therefore, during the autonomous transverse guidance of the vehicle, the driver accidentally touches the steering wheel, for example with his/her knee, on the outer surface of the steering wheel described as viewed from the steering wheel center point, at which there is no pressure sensor present, no signals will consequently be sent to the control unit and the driver assistance system for transverse guidance of the vehicle will not be deactivated.
The pressure sensor preferably consists of a material which emits an electrical signal under the action of pressure and constitutes a so-called intelligent material. The intelligent material fulfils the sensing function, while the implementation of the sensing signal is delegated to external controllers and power supplies. Examples of such a material are piezoelectric, magneto-rheological, electro-rheological or dielectric materials. Advantageously, the intelligent material is mounted over a wide area under the leather outer covering of the steering wheel rim, in the form of a film or a membrane. The exact points at which the film or membrane extends over the rim of the steering wheel is not limited, apart from the above-mentioned excluded outer area. Thus, the film can be attached, for example, only to an annular area on the driver-facing side of the steering wheel rim, or can extend over the entire surface of the steering wheel rim (except for the free area according to the invention).
For example, the pressure sensor device can be implemented from a piezoelectric material in the form of a film or a thin membrane layer and be mounted under the leather cover of the steering wheel rim. The mechanical deformation and/or elastic deformation of the membrane when the steering wheel rim is touched causes electrical signals to be generated. The contact pressure can therefore be measured in a technically simple way.
In a further advantageous embodiment, a dielectric elastomer in a film-like or membrane-like form is used as the pressure sensor for measuring the contact pressure. In the event of deformation under the application of the contact pressure the thickness of the elastomer film is reduced, while the area of the film increases. This produces an electrical capacitance increase, on the basis of which the pressure can be measured.
By changing the pressure sensitivity of the materials, it is then also possible to adjust the said limit value of the contact pressure depending on the driving situation.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method and device for deactivating a driver assistance system

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A compressor rotor includes a first disk and a conical section connected to the first disk. The conical section includes at least one flow hole. A bore cavity is defined between the conical section and the first disk. The bore cavity is arranged in fluid communication with the at least one flow hole. An anti-vortex tube is disposed within the at least one flow hole of the conical section and includes at least one feature arranged in contact with a surface of the conical section to restrict movement of the anti-vortex tube out of engagement with the conical section.

Embodiments of this disclosure relate to a thermal management system used in a gas turbine engine, and in an embodiment, to an anti-vortex tube used in a compressor section of a gas turbine engine.
A gas turbine engine generally includes components for channeling air flow through the gas turbine engine along a desired flow path. Conditioning air along the flow path extracts heat from portions of the gas turbine engine to maintain desired operating temperatures. For example, thermal gradients and clearances are controlled in a compressor section of the gas turbine engine to ensure reliable performance and efficiency within the compressor section.
Anti-vortex tubes may be used to direct air within a gas turbine engine to achieve a desired temperature and pressure profile within the engine for performance purposes. An anti-vortex tube may also be used for conditioning and other purposes including scrubbing compressor disks, providing buffer air to bearing compartments, and directing conditioning airflow to portions of the gas turbine engine's turbine section.
Existing anti-vortex tubes are assemblies that commonly include multiple parts such as snap rings and retaining rings in addition to individual tubes. Parts such as snap rings and retaining rings are used to couple the tube assembly to adjoining compressor disks. Such multiple part assemblies add weight to the turbine engine and can add unwanted complexity to the assembly/disassembly processes. For example, a detail balancing of the anti-vortex tubes is done when all the components are assembled together. The balancing requires that each individual tube and tube receiving part be numbered in the event of disassembly to ensure proper balancing of thermal/mechanical stresses upon reassembly.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an anti-vortex tube that is mountable at any portion of an engine absent additional retaining components.