A battery pack having an improved a coupling force between a battery cell and a connecting bar of a connecting structure. The connecting structure includes at least one battery cell, a connecting bar electrically connected to the battery cell, a welding region formed at a connecting area of the battery cell and the connecting bar, and an anisotropic conductive film formed at the outer periphery of the welding region and connecting the battery cell and the connecting bar to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to battery pack with improved a connective structure between a battery cell and a connecting bar.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a single battery cell is difficult to be directly used as a power supply for operating notebook computers, electronic devices, electric vehicles, electric scooters, or the like. Therefore, a plurality of battery cells, which are connected to each other in series or parallel, are packaged into a battery pack used as the power supply for such electric or electronic devices.
In addition, a protective circuit module for controlling charging and discharging of a battery cell and preventing various risks from being generated due to overcharge, over-discharge or over-current is assembled with the battery pack.

Connective structure between a battery cell and a connecting bar of a battery pack


A keyboard support assembly for computer keyboards which allows for multiple adjustments by the operator in order to accommodate operators of different anatomical sizes, the keyboard being fully adjustable in height, and angular tilt and providing a palm support in order to obtain a neutral forearm and wrist position thereby eliminating wrist and forearm stress and decreasing the potential for carpal tunnel syndrome.

This invention relates to an improved adjustable support platform for support of a computer keyboard and ancillary computer aids, the support being fully adjustable for individuals of varying sizes, either right handed or left handed and providing an ergonomic environment for the operator.
The advent of the personal computer in the early 1980's resulted in a total revamping and change in the office environment. Data processing and word processing could now be accomplished at much greater speeds and efficiencies. The keyboard developed for use with personal computers evolve from the technology associated with manual typewriters which required a posture suited to a slower typing rate and heavy downward stroke on the keys. Further, the manual machines and even the later generation electric typewriters provided for frequent rest periods for the operator. Fingers could rest on the keys without causing them to actuate and rests were further provided by interruptions such as carriage returns, paper changes and manual error corrections. These short rests or mini breaks allow time for recovery from any fatigue, trauma or tension in the lower arms, wrist and fingers.
With the advent of the personal computer, office place injuries in the form of carpal tunnel syndrome has more than doubled. This trauma occurs when the nerve and tissues in the carpal tunnel within the wrist are compressed by the bones and ligaments. It results in numbness, tingling and pain in the hand and fingers that migrates to the elbow and shoulders. Corrective surgery to correct this malady is required in over 50% of the cases and in many instances must be repeated a second time within eighteen (18) months
One culprit identified in the rise in carpal tunnel syndrome is the computer keyboard and its positioning vis-a-vis the posture of the operator The computer and the associated keyboard has eliminated the mini or micro breaks that the operator experienced in using manual machines or late model electric typewriters. There is no longer a carriage return. Paper changes are not required and manual error corrections are performed through further use of the keyboard. Feather-touch keys on the keyboards reduce the amount of force required to actuate the keys and mandate that the operator cannot rest their fingers on the keys. Productivity has increased dramatically as a result of the development of the personal computer. Typing speeds in the form of strokes per hour have quadrupled since all corrections and directions are now performed by keyboard functions with directions to the personal computer. However, the overall method of data entry has not significantly improved. Computer operators continue to assume a traditional typing position in which the wrists are flexed. This position is acceptable for manual typewriters where the mini breaks occur in the data entry process, but is not suitable for utilizing computer keyboards for data entry where the speed of data entry has been greatly increased.
There have been many attempts to develop a keyboard support which would combine several advantages for the keyboard operator. These developments include mounts which allow the keyboard support to be slid under the desk top, supports which allow the raising and lowering of the keyboard, and in some instances, attempts have been made to provide for the tilting of the keyboard. Examples of these developments can be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,037,054, 5,040,760, 5,031,867, 4,988,066, 4,913,390, 4,826,123, 4,776,284, 4,706,919, 4,691,888, 4,635,893 and 4,616,798.
None of the above-identified patents address the key issue with respect to the positional relationship of the keyboard in both horizontal and vertical planes to the relationship of the positioning of the operator's forearms, wrist and fingers.
Applicant's apparatus is an ergonomically-designed support for the keyboard and other related computer aids including document holders which position the operator's forearms, wrist and fingers in a neutral position with the keyboard supported in a slightly tilted, non-horizontal plane, the rear of the keyboard being lower than the front of the keyboard thereby eliminating any flexation or extension in the forearms, wrist and fingers of the operator.

Adjustable ergonomic support for computer keyboards


In one embodiment, a method includes determining in a controller of a radio receiver whether at least one blocker signal is present in a blocking spectrum surrounding a desired radio channel. If no blocker signal is present, a channel filter of a signal processing path of the radio receiver may be controlled to operate at a first bandwidth. If a first blocker signal is present, the channel filter may be controlled to operate at a second bandwidth less than the first bandwidth. If the first blocker signal and a second blocker signal are present on opposing sides of the desired radio channel, the channel filter may be controlled to operate at a third bandwidth less than the second bandwidth, when a beating signal based on the first and second blocker signals is greater than a threshold level.

Many different types of radio receivers are available. Conventionally, receivers were formed of various discrete components and implemented within a desired type of solution such as a desktop radio in the form of a clock radio, an integrated radio within a stereo receiver, a portable receiver such as a handheld receiver, or a mobile receiver such as incorporated in a car stereo.
As technology has advanced, radio receivers have begun to be implemented within semiconductor integrated circuits. In this way, much smaller radio solutions are possible to enable implementation of radios within smaller devices such as MP3 players, cellular telephones such as smart phones and so forth. In addition, semiconductor advances can provide improved audio quality by way of signal processing techniques.
One issue with regard to processing radio signals in such receivers can be the presence of so-called blocking channels, which are channels adjacent to a desired channel, and that can significantly interfere with receipt of the desired channel. Such blockers can cause interference within a radio frequency (RF) signal or a downconverted frequency to which an RF signal is converted.

Controlling filter bandwidth based on blocking signals


A sound field control device is capable of producing a sound field effect tone which has a tonal effect providing a listener with a feeling of presence and includes a sound field effect tone generation circuit for generating a sound field effect tone on the basis of sound field information supplied from a source. The sound field effect tone is sounded simultaneously with reproduction of the source signal and a reproduced sound field produced on the basis of the source signal is controlled by this sound field effect tone. In one aspect of the invention, the sound field effect tone generation circuit includes a convolution operation circuit which subjects a signal derived from left and right signals from the source signal to convolution operation with sound field data derived on the basis of the sound field information from the source signal.

This invention relates to a sound field control device capable of producing a tone having a tonal effect (hereinafter referred to as "sound field effect tone") which provides a listener with a feeling of presence as if he was listening to the music in a different sound field such as a spacious concert hall, church or stadium notwithstanding the fact that he is actually in an ordinary room or listening room. More particularly, this invention relates to a sound field control device of this type capable of automatically establishing a sound field which is most suited to a musical scene or video scene reproduced.
For realizing a feeling of presence of a different sound field such as a concert hall in an ordinary listening room or the like place, auxiliary loudspeakers are disposed around a listener in addition to ordinary main loudspeakers and sound field tones such as reverberating tones and rear tones of source signals are sounded from these auxiliary loudspeakers.
There are prior art sound field control devices which produce sound field effect tones by utilizing sound field effect tone components contained in source signals Another type of prior art sound field control device creates new sound field effect tones without depending upon sound field effect tone components contained in source signals.
As an example of the former type of prior art sound field control device, there is a device which extracts reverberation components after subjecting signals of left and right channels to subtraction between them and subjects the extracted reverberation components to processings such as reinforcement, delay and phase-shifting to produce sound field effect tones. As another example of the former type of prior art sound field control device, there is a device called a 4-channel system which transfers tones of 4 channels, i.e., front left and right tones and rear left and right tones, in a transmission system of 2 channels by encoding these tones into tones of 2 channels by the employment of a discrete system or matrix system and thereafter decoding these tones into 4-channel tones in the playback device.
As an example of the latter type of prior art sound field control device, there is a device which creates reverberation tones artificially by applying source signals to a reverberator.
In the prior art sound field control device utilizing sound field effect tone components contained in source signals, the tonal effect obtained is limited due to limited capacity of the transmission system such as a record and tape. Besides, the tonal effect is a fixed one and the listener cannot adjust the effect as he desires.
In the prior art sound field control device which creates new sound field effect tones without depending upon sound field effect tone components contained in source signals, a greater tonal effect can be obtained since sound field effect tones can be produced irrespective of reverberation components contained in source signals and, also the listener can adjust the tonal effect in various manners. In this latter device, however, the listener must adjust parameters such as room size, liveness, reverberation time and reverberation level each time he wants to obtain a feeling of presence suitable for a reproduced music scene or video scene. This involves a somewhat troublesome adjusting operation.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a sound field control device of the type creating new sound field effect tones without depending upon sound field effect tones contained in source signals which is capable of automatically setting a sound field most suited to a reproduced musical scene or video scene.


A shape of a hole can be improved. The plasma etching method includes a recess forming of forming a recess having a depth smaller than a thickness of a silicon oxide film by etching the silicon oxide film by plasma; a removing process of removing a reaction product adhering to the recess by plasma generated from a fluorocarbon gas; and a penetrating process of forming a hole penetrating the silicon oxide film by etching the recess, from which the reaction product is removed, by plasma.

When forming a hole in a processing target film in an etching process using plasma, it is known that a reaction product generated from the processing target film adheres to the hole, causing the hole to be clogged. As a countermeasure to the clogging of the hole, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of adjusting an etching rate of the processing target film in the etching process by controlling a temperature of an electrostatic chuck on which a processing target object is placed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2016-225437
In the aforementioned technique of adjusting the temperature of the electrostatic chuck, however, although the clogging of the hole may be suppressed to some degree, an apparatus configuration becomes complicated. That is, in the aforementioned prior art, since the temperature of the electrostatic chuck is adjusted by controlling a flow rate of a coolant flown in a coolant path formed within a base configured to support the electrostatic chuck, the apparatus configuration applied to the control of the flow rate of the coolant becomes highly complicated.
In view of this, it may be considered to use a method of removing the reaction product adhering to the hole by plasma of a processing gas instead of performing the temperature adjustment of the electrostatic chuck. In this case, Ar/O2 is generally used as the processing gas to remove the reaction product adhering to the hole, particularly, a reaction product which contains carbon. In case of removing the reaction product adhering to the hole by using plasma of the Ar/O2, however, it is difficult to remove a reaction product which contains silicon, so that roundness of the hole may be deteriorated. Therefore, it is required to improve the shape of the hole.

Plasma etching method and plasma etching apparatus


A decanter apparatus and method of operating the same to decant liquid from adjacent the surface in a tank. The decanter apparatus includes a decanter receptacle having a top opening surrounded by a decanter rim, a decant pipe having an inlet end communicating with the decanter receptacle and a discharge end extending out the tank, and a float overlying the decanter receptacle and connected thereto for relative movement between a decanter closed position in which the float engages the decanter rim and a decanter open position in which the decanter rim is spaced below the float. The decanter receptacle when empty in the decanter closed position has sufficient positive buoyancy to buoyantly support the decanter assembly with the decanter rim above the surface of the liquid in the tank. The float has sufficient positive buoyancy to buoyantly support the decanter receptacle when the latter is in the decanter open position and filled with liquid. A decant valve outside the tank controls flow of liquid from the decanter and a priming valve outside the tank controls supply of priming liquid to the decanter receptacle. The decanter apparatus is operated through a decant cycle by operating the decant valve and priming valve.

The present invention relates to floating type decanters for removing supernate from near the top of a liquid surface. In some installations, for example in the sequencing batch reactor process of waste water treatment, it is important to prevent entrance of material into the decanter during those times when the decanter is not being operated in decant mode. More particularly, in a sequencing batch reactor process of waste water treatment, a basin reactor is operated through successive fill, react, settle and decant phases and any suspended solids that enter the decanter during the fill, react and settle phases will be subsequently discharged with the decanted effluent during the decant phase and adversely affect the quality of the effluent. Different decanter designs have been made to overcome this problem. U.S. Pat. 4,601,833 discloses providing a floating decanter and lifting the decanter entirely our of the water in the basin during the fill, react and settle phases, with a trough to cover the inlet of the decanter during lifting of the decanter out of the basin and lowering of the decanter back into the basin to prevent entrance of floating debris. U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,376 discloses a floating decanter in which a decanter receptacle is disposed below a float and a power operated actuator is mounted on the float and connected to the decanter receptacle for selectively moving the decanter receptacle from a lower position in which the decanter rim is spaced below the underside of the float to a raised position to seal the decanter rim to the underside of float. Such decanters having power operated actuators present some problem as regards servicing particularly in closed tanks, and further present problems as regards use in tanks containing a combustible liquid or explosive atmosphere.

Method and apparatus for decanting liquid


A method of preparing a metal nanorod. The method includes seeding a metal nanoparticle within the lumen of a nanotube, and growing a metal nanorod from the seeded metal nanoparticle to form a metal nanorod-nanotube composite. In some cases, the nanotube includes metal binding ligands attached to the inner surface. Growing of the metal nanorod includes incubating the seeded nanotube in a solution that includes: a metal source for the metal in the metal nanorod, the metal source including an ion of the metal; a coordinating ligand that forms a stable complex with the metal ion; a reducing agent for reducing the metal ion, and a capping agent that stabilizes atomic monomers of the metal. Compositions derived from the method are also provided.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods and compositions for nanorods.
Related Art
Metal nanorods have received widespread interest due to their unique one-dimensional structure, their consequent unusual optical, electronic and catalytic properties, and their potential use in chemical sensing, cellular imaging and therapeutics. Specifically, noble metal Au (Jana, 2001; Nikoobakht, 2003; Gole, 2004; Sau, 2004; Kou, 2007), Ag (Zhang, 2011), Pt (Krishnaswamy, 2006; Peng, 2009) and Pd (Xiong, 2007a; Xiong, 2007b; Lim, 2009; Chen, 2009) nanorods have garnered great interest, among which Au nanorods have been most extensively studied due to their plasmonic activity. Most conventional syntheses rely on solution-phase reactions, e.g., seed-mediated growth for the synthesis of Au nanorods (Jana, 2001; Nikoobakht, 2003; Gole, 2004; Sau, 2004; Kou, 2007). The yield of nanorods relative to byproducts such as spheres and the sensitivity of the reaction to various parameters (and thus the reproducibility) (Millstone, 2008) have been major concerns in many circumstances.
Templating methods have also been pursued to synthesize metal nanorods by employing porous alumina membranes and polycarbonate filtration membranes as hard templates (Kyotani, 1997; van der Zande, 1997; Cepak, 1998; Martin, 1999; van der Zande, 1999; Kyotani, 1997; van der Zande, 1997; Cepak, 1998; Martin, 1999; van der Zande, 1999). Typical limitations of such templating synthesis include the difficulty in controlling both the width and length of the products, low yield because only a monolayer of metal nanorods could be prepared in a membrane template, and the high cost associated with these templates. In general, a practically useful templating method for nanostructure synthesis should meet the following requirements: (1) the convenient availability of well-defined templates in large quantity at low cost; (2) the precise placement of seeds inside the templates; (3) a well-controlled seeded growth process; and (4) a reliable process to selectively remove the templates.

Templated synthesis of metal nanorods in silica nanotubes

The Regents of the University of California


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which a depression (1,2,3) in a surface (4) of a semiconductor substrate (5) is filled by covering it with a preplanarized filling layer (8,19,22) and a further planarization layer (9), after which the substrate (5) is brought into contact with an etchant, in which both layers (8,19,22) and (9) are etched at substantially the same rate. According to the invention, the preplanarized filling layer (8,19,22) is formed by covering the surface (4) with a layer of filling material (6) and then removing it beside the depression (1,2,3) over part of its thickness. Thus, the depression (1,2,3) is filled homogeneously in a comparatively simple manner with material of the filling layer (6).

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which a depression in a surface of a semiconductor substrate is filled by covering it with a preplanarized filling layer and a further planarization layer, after which the substrate is brought into contact with an etchant, in which the planarization layer and the preplanarized filling layer are etched at substantially the same rate.
The depression in the surface of the semiconductor substrate may be a groove etched into the substrate, but may also be a space located between conductor tracks (for example of aluminium or of polycrystalline silicon) disposed on the substrate, or it may be a window provided in an isolating layer. The etching treatment with the etchant in which the planarization layer and the preplanarized filling layer are etched at practically the same rate, can be stopped at different instants. It may be stopped, for example, at the instant at which the surface of the semiconductor substrate is reached; the depression is then filled, while no filling material is present on the surface beside the depression. Thus, for example, grooves in a silicon surface may be filled with isolating material. Alternatively, a conductor, such as, for example, aluminium, may thus be provided in grooves or in windows in an isolating layer. The etching treatment may also be stopped before the surface of the semiconductor substrate is reached; the depression is then filled, while a layer of the filling material is also present on the surface beside the depression. Thus, for example, conductor tracks may be packed in isolating material. In all these cases, a semiconductor device having a flat planarized construction is obtained.
A method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is known from IBM-TDB, Vol. 25, No. 11 B, 1983, pp. 6129-30, in which a groove in a silicon surface is filled with silicon oxide. The preplanarized filling layer is formed in this case in two processing steps. First the surface is covered with a first silicon oxide layer. Then a photoresist mask is provided at the area of the depression. Subsequently, the part of the first silicon oxide layer not covered with the photoresist mask is etched away. The silicon surface beside the groove is fully exposed. Also silicon oxide is removed from the groove, silicon also being exposed in an edge of the groove. After this etching treatment, the photoresist mask is removed and the surface is covered with a second layer of silicon oxide. Thus, the depression in the surface of the semiconductor substrate is filled with a comparatively flat preplanarized layer. Due to the second silicon oxide layer, not the whole groove, but only the edge thereof need be filled, at which during the etching treatment silicon oxide of the first layer was etched away. Since now considerably smaller spaces have to be filled, the second silicon oxide layer has comparatively flat surface.
Besides the fact that in the known method described two depositions of silicon oxide are required, this method has further the disadvantage that during the second deposition the very small spaces at the edge of the depression have to be filled. In order to avoid that cavities are formed in the layer, a deposition process has to be used with a very good step coverage or a silicon oxide layer must be provided which liquefies during a heat treatment then additionally to be carried out, any cavities present then disappearing. In the last-mentioned case, the silicon oxide must contain a comparatively large amount of additions, such as boron or phosphorus. This may be very objectionable because during the heat treatment for liquefying the silicon oxide layer this addition can diffuse into the underlying and adjacent silicon. Semiconductor zones doped in an undesired manner can then be formed in the silicon or zones already present therein can assume undesired properties.
The invention has inter alia for its object to obviate these disadvantages.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a planarized construction


Control apparatus for an RLG dither motor includes a digital phase shifter for providing a clock signal related to the RLG position signal. A rate pulse generator for receiving an amplitude word signal generated by a processor at intervals determined by the clock signal and providing a pulse rate signal related to the amplitude word signal. The pulse rate signal is combined with the RLG position signal to provide a second pulse rate signal which is integrated to provide a triangular dither drive signal.

The present invention relates generally to ring laser gyroscopes (RLG's) more specifically to the dithering system for such gyroscopes and most specifically to the control of the dithering system.
A bothersome characteristic of ring laser gyros is "lock-in" at rotation input rates below a certain value. The principle of using dither to reduce or eliminate the effects of lock-in is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,650, to Joseph E. Killpatrick, entitled "Laser Angular Rate Sensor" and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.
Dither drive electronics have the function of dithering the RLG and controlling the amplitude of the drive signal to the dither drive motor. The control of the amplitude involves sensing, typically by means of a dither pick-off, the amplitude of the dither pick-off signal and making necessary adjustments in the drive to maintain the required pick-off signal. Various types of dither drive signals and various approaches to the control of the dither drive signal may be used. For example, pulse width modulation where most of the hardware is implemented with digital electronics and the drive signal is a pulse of varying width. Another approach would be to utilize a sinusoidal dither drive signal and analog control loops.

Triangular dither drive apparatus for a ring laser gyroscope


Nodulation regulatory genes (nodD genes) of Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains have been isolated and sequenced. Recombinant DNA molecules and vectors containing these regulatory genes are described. These genes, molecules and vectors are useful in the genetic engineering of Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium strains. A method for selective expression of structural genes in response to the application of chemical factors which induce B. japonicum nod genes which employs these genes is described.

Soil bacteria of the genus Rhizobium, a member of the family Rhizobiaceae, are capable of infecting plants and inducing a highly differentiated structure, the root nodule, within which atmospheric nitrogen is reduced to ammonia by the bacteria. The host plant is most often of the family Leguminosa. Previously, Rhizobium species were informally classified in two groups, either as "fast-growing" or "slow-growing" to reflect the relative growth rates in culture. The group of "slow-growing" rhizobia has recently been reclassified as a new genus, Bradyrhizobium (Jordan, D.C. (1982) International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 32:136). The fast-growing rhizobia include Rhizobium trifolii, R. meliloti, R. leguminosarum and R. phaseolus. These strains generally display a narrow host range. Fast-growing R. japonicum which nodulate wild soybeans, Glycine max cv. Peking and siratro, and fast-growing members of the cowpea Rhizobium display broader host range. R. japonicum strains form only ineffective nodules on commercial soybean cultivars. The fast-growing R. japonicum strains are now designated R. fredii (Scholla and Elkan (1984) Int'l. Journal Systematic Bacteriol. 34:484-486). The slow-growing Bradyrhizobium include the commercially important soybean nodulating strains Bradyrhizobium japonicum (i.e., USDA 110 and USDA 23), the symbiotically promiscuous rhizobia of the "cowpea group", including Bradyrhizobium sp. (Vigna) and Bradyrhizobium sp. Parasponia (formerly Parasponia Rhizobium) which nodulates the non-legume Parasponia, as well as a number of tropical legumes including cowpea and siratro. Within the species B. japonicum, a number of distinct serogroups represented by USDA110 and USDA123, for example, are recognized. Strains belonging to a serogroup have been found to display quantitatively different nodulation or symbiotic properties when compared to strains of other serogroups. For example, B. japonicum USDA110 are more effective for nitrogen fixation than USDA123 strains, but USDA123 strains appear to be more competitive for infection and nodule occupancy when compared to USDA110 strains.
Nodulation and development of effective symbiosis is a complex process requiring both bacterial and plant genes. Several recent reviews of the genetics of the Rhizobium-legume interaction are found in Broughton, W.J., ed. (1982) Nitrogen Fixation. Volumes 2 and 3 (Clarendon Press, Oxford); Puhler, A. ed. (1983) Molecular Genetics of the Bacteria-Plant Interaction (Springer-Verlag, Berlin); Szalay, A.A. and Leglocki, R.P., eds. (1985) Advances in Molecular Genetics of the Bacteria-Plant Interaction (Cornell University Publishers, Ithaca, New York); Long, S.R. (1984) in Plant Microbe Interactions Volume 1, Kosuge, T. and Nester, E.W. eds. (McMillan, New York) pp. 265-306; and Verma, D.P.S. and Long, S.L. (1983) International Review of Cytology (Suppl. 14), Jeon, K.W. (ed.), Academic Press, p. 211-245.
In the fast-growing species, the genes required for nodulation and nitrogen fixation are located on large Sym (symbiotic) plasmids. Although the process of recognition, infection and nodule development is complex, it appears that at least for the fast-growing rhizobia relatively few bacterial genes are directly involved and these are closely linked on the Sym plasmid. For example, a 14 kb fragment of the Rhizobium trifolii Sym plasmid is sufficient to confer clover-specific nodulation upon a Rhizobium strain cured of its Sym plasmid, as well as on an Aorobacterium strain which does not normally nodulate plants (Schofield et al., (1984) Plant Mol. Biol. 3:3-11). Nodulation and nitrogenase genes are also localized on symbiotic plasmids in R. leguminosarum (Downie et al. (1983) Mol. Gen. Genet. 190:359-365) and in R. meliloti (Kondorosi et al. (1984) Mol. Gen. Genet. 193:445-452).
Fine structure genetic mapping has been used to locate individual nodulation genes in fast-growing rhizobia. Transposon mutagenesis, most often using the transposon Tn5, has identified about 10 nodulation genes associated with non-nodulation, delayed nodulation and altered host range phenotypes (Djordjevic et al. (1985) Mol. Gen. Genet. 200:263-271; Downie et al. (1985) Mol. Gen. Genet. 198:255-262; Kondorosi et al., 1984; Innes et al. (1985) Mol Gen. Genet. 201:426-432; Kondorosi et al. (1985) Nitrogen Fixation Research Progress, Evans et al. (eds.) Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp. 73-78; Long et al. (1985) ibid., pp. 87-93; Downie et al. (1985) ibid., pp. 95-100; Rolfe et al. (1985) ibid., pp. 79-85; Schofield and Watson (1985) ibid., p. 125).
Three "common" Sym plasmid encoded nodulation genes have been identified in R. meliloti (Torok et al. (1984) Nucleic Acids Res. 12:9509-9524; Jacobs et al. (1985) J. Bacteriol. 162:469-476), R. leguminosarum (Rossen et al. 1984) Nucleic Acids Res. 12:9497-9508) and R. trifolii (Schofield and Watson (1986) Nucleic Acids Res. 14:2891-2903; Rolfe et al. (1985) Nitrogen Fixation Research Progress, Evans et al. (eds.), Martinus Nijhoff, p. 79-85; Schofield and Watson, ibid., p. 125; Schofield Ph.D. Thesis (1984) Australian National University, Canberra, Australia). These genes, designated nodA, B and C, are associated with the early stages of infection and nodulation and are functionally and structurally conserved among fast-growing rhizobia. In R. meliloti, R. leguminosarum and R. trifolii, the nodA B and C genes are organized in a similar manner and are believed to be coordinately transcribed as a single genetic operon. Bacteria having mutations in these genes fail to induce visible nodules on host legumes (nod-) and in some cases even fail to induce root hair curling (hac-) which is prerequisite for infection. The DNA region adjacent to nodA (5'- from the start of nodA) in R. meliloti was reported to be involved in early nodulation function (Torok et al., 1984). The region adjacent to the nodABC operon in fast-growing rhizobia has been shown to contain an open reading frame, designated nodD. Homologous, similarly located nodD genes have been identified and sequenced in R. meliloti (Eglehoff et al. (1985) DNA 4:241-248; Gottfert et al. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 191:411-420), R. leguminosarum (Shearman et al. (1986) EMBO J. 5:647-652; Downie et al. (1985) Mol. Gen. Genet. 198:255-262) and R. trifolii (Schofield and Watson, 1985 and 1986; Rolfe et al., 1985; Schofield, 1984). Mutations in nodD of R. meliloti are reported to be complemented by the nodD gene of R. trifolii (Fisher et al. (1985) Applied Environ. Microbiology 49:1432-1435). Comparison of the DNA sequences of nodD genes and the deduced amino acid sequences of the nodD proteins confirm the existence of significant sequence conservation of these genes among fast-growing rhizobia.
NodD mutants of the various Rhizobium strains do not, however, display the same nodulation phenotypes. NodD mutants of R. leguminosarum (Downie et al. (1985) Mol. Gen. Genet. 198:255-262) and R. trifolii (Schofield et al.
(1983) Mol. Gen. Genet. 192:459-465) are reported to display unequivocal Nod- phenotypes. In contrast, R. meliloti nodD mutants are reported to have either a "leaky" Nod- phenotype characterized as nod- only in some trials or a delayed nodulation phenotype (Jacobs et al. (1985) J. Bacteriol. 162:469-476; and Gottfert et al. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 191:411-420). In fact, two distinct nodD genes have been found in R. fredii USDA 191, mutants of which display distinct phenotypes (Appelbaum et al., European Publication No. 0211662 R. fredii nodD-rl, hereinafter designated nodD-2, mutants are delayed in soybean (Glycine max cv. Peking) nodulation and affected in exopolysaccharide synthesis, while nodD-r2, hereinafter designated nodD-1, mutants are nod- on siratro. R. fredii nodD-r2 has been renamed nodD-1 because this gene complements the nodD gene of R. trifolii that is adjacent to the nodABC operon. R. fredii nodDr-1 has been renamed nodD-2 for consistency.
It appears that R. meliloti strains also carry multiple nodD-like genes (Honna et al. (1985) in Nitrogen Fixation Research Progress, Evans et al. (eds.), Martinus Nijhoff Pub., Dordrecht, Netherlands, p. 120; Honna & Ausubel (1986) in Molecular Genetics of the Plant-Microbe Interaction, Verma et al. (eds.), Martinus Nijhoff Pub., Dordrecht, Netherlands, p. 223; Kondorosi et al. (I986) ibid., p. 217; Gottfert et al. (1986)). At least three nodD hybridizing regions have been located on the R. meliloti Sym plasmid; designated nodD-1 (adjacent to nodABC), nodD-2 and nodD-3. NodD-3 mutants appear to retain wild-type nodulation phenotype, while nodD-2 mutants display nodulation delays similar to nodD-1 mutants. Interestingly, double mutants in both nodD-1 and nodD-2 are reported to remain nod+, but display a more severe delay in nodulation. Interspecific hybridization studies using a nodD specific probe reported by Kondorosi et al. (1986) and Rodriguez-Quinones et al. (1987) Plant Mol. Biol. 8:61-75, also indicate the presence of two nodD-like genes in R. trifolii. R. phaseolii and a broad host range Rhizobium sp. MPIK3030.
In contrast to the fast-growing rhizobia, Sym plasmids have not been associated with nodulation by the Bradyrhizobium strains. The nitrogenase and nodulation genes of these organisms are believed to be encoded on the chromosome. Marvel et al. (1984) in Advances in Nitrogen Fixation Research, Veeger and Newton (ed.) Nijhoff/Junk, The Hague, Netherlands; and (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 82:5841-5845, have shown that a strain of Bradyrhizobium sp. (Parasponia) contains genes, associated with early nodulation, which can functionally complement mutations in R. meliloti gene mutants and which hybridize to the nodABC genes of R. meliloti. The presence of nodD gene(s) in this strain was not reported.
Noti et al. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:7379-7383 reported the isolation and characterization of nodulation genes from a strain of Bradyrhizobium sp. (Viona). DNA regions within a cloned segment of this strain of Bradyrhizobium were associated with nodulation functions using Tn5 mutagenesis and the cloned DNA was reported to complement nodC mutants of R. meliloti.
Russell et al. (1985) 164:1301-1308 report the isolation of DNA regions encoding nodulation functions in strains of B. japonicum. The isolated DNA region was reported to show strong homology to nod regions of R. meliloti and R. leguminosarum, and to functionally complement a nod-mutation in R. fredii. No sequence or transcript mapping of the cloned DNA was provided.
The precise biochemical role of the nod genes and their products in nodule development is unknown. Attempts to isolate nod gene mRNA and protein products from free-living Rhizobium have been unsuccessful (Kondorosi et al. 1984). Protein products of nod genes have, however, been obtained by fusion of nod genes to strong E. coli promoters (Schmidt et al. (1984) EMBO J. 3:1705-1711; John, M. et al. (1985) EMBO J. 4:2425-2430) or in an E. coli in vitro transcription/translation system (Downie et al. (1985) Mol. Gen. Genet. 198:255-262). Schmidt et al. 1984 report the expression in E. coli minicells of several polypeptides encoded in the R. meliloti common nod region. Three polypeptides of 23, 28.5 and 44 kd, respectively, were mapped to the nod gene cluster. The 44 kd protein maps to a region of DNA strongly conserved among fast-growing rhizobia. John et al., 1985 identify the 44 kd protein as the product of the nodC gene. A fourth polypeptide product of 17.5 kd is mapped to the region of the nod gene in R. meliloti. Downie et al. 1985 report the production of the presumptive nod gene products of R. leguminosarum by an in vitro translation/transcription system. Four polypeptides having molecular weights of 48, 45, 36 and 34 kd were reported to be the products of the nod genes. The 34 kd and 36 kd polypeptides are described as originating from a single gene and are reported to be the products of nodD.
The establishment of nitrogen-fixing nodules is a multistage process involving coordinated morphological changes in both bacterium and plant, so it is expected that the rhizobial nodulation genes are under precise regulatory control. It has been suggested that an exchange of signals between plant and bacterium is requisite for mutual recognition and coordination of the steps of infection and nodulation development (Nutman, P.S. (1965) in Ecology of Soil Borne Pathogens, eds. F.K. Baker and W.C. Snyder, University of California Press, Berkeley, pp. 231-247; Bauer, W.D. (1981) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. 32:407-449; and Schmidt, E.E. (1979) Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 33:355-376). For example, root exudates have been linked to control of nodulation. Exudates have been reported to both stimulate (Thornton (1929) Proc. Royal Soc. B 164:481; Valera and Alexander (I965) J. Bacteriol. 89:113-139; Peters and Alexander (1966) Soil Science 102:380-387) and inhibit (Turner (1955) Annals Botany 19:149-160; and Nutman (1953) Annals Botany 17:95-126) nodulation by rhizobia.
Reports on the regulation of the nod genes of R. meliloti (Mulligan and Long (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:6609-6613) and R. leguminosarum (Rossen et al. (1985) EMBO J. 4:3369-3373; Shearman et al. (1986) EMBO J. 647-652) and R. trifolii (Innes et al. (1985) Mol. Gen. Genet. 201:426-432) have appeared. All of these studies report that nodC is expressed at very low levels in free-living R. meliloti, but is induced in the presence of plant exudate. Shearman et al. 1986 reports that in addition, nodF of R. leguminosarum is induced in the presence of plant exudates and Innes et al. 1985 reports that several other R. trifolii nod genes including nodFE and genes of region IV are induced by legume exudate. In all studies, nodD expression is reported to be constitutive and not to be inducible by root exudates.
In R. meliloti and R. leguminosarum, nodD is reported to be necessary in addition to plant factors for expression of the nodABC genes (Downie et al. (1985) Mol. Gen. Genet. 198:255-262; Mulligan and Long, 1985; Rossen et al., 1985). More recently, Shearman et al. (1986) EMBO J. 5:647-652, have reported that nodD is also required, in addition to plant factors for induction of nodF. Similarly, in R. trifolii , the nodABC genes are unable to confer root hair curling, that is prerequisite for nodulation, in the absence of the nodD gene (Schofield, Ph.D. Thesis (1984) Australian National University, Canberra). These results indicate that the nodD gene product has a regulatory function in fast-growing rhizobia in the expression of several other nod genes. The mechanism by which nodD regulates the expression of other nod genes is not fully understood, but may involve the initial interaction of nod directly or indirectly with legume exudate factors followed by binding of an altered nodD to DNA sequences in the promoter regions of the legume exudate inducible nod genes. The role of the multiple copies of nodD genes in a single strain in the regulation of nodulation is not yet fully understood.
A highly conserved nucleotide sequence has been described in the promoter regions of several legume exudate-inducible nod genes. This sequence precedes the R. trifolii nodABC and nodFE genes and the R. meliloti nodABC genes (Schofield and Watson (1986) Nucleic Acids Research 14:2891-2904). The sequence has also been identified in the promoter region of the nodABC genes in the slow-growing Bradyrhizobium sp. (Parasponia) Scott (1986) Nucleic Acids Res. 14:2905-2919). This sequence is believed to function in the regulation of expression of nod genes by chemical factors in legume exudate (Schofield et al., Innes et al., (1985 Mol. Gen. Genet. 201:426-432), possibly as a DNA binding site for nodulation regulatory proteins.
Specific components of legume exudates that act to induce nodulation gene expression in several species of Rhizobium have recently been identified. In addition, a number of compounds related in structure to the inducer components found in exudates have also been identified as inducers of Rhizobium nodgenes.
Peters et al. (1986) Science 233:977-980 identified luteolin (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone) as the component of alfalfa exudates that induces nodABC expression in R. meliloti. Nod gene induction was assayed as .beta.-galactosidase expressed from a lacZ gene which had been fused to the nodC gene of R. meliloti. In this gene fusion, the lacZ structural gene was placed under the regulatory control of the nodABC promoter and its associated nod-box regulatory sequence. A number of chemical compounds structurally related to luteolin were also assayed for nod-gene induction in this system including several flavones, flavanones and flavanols. Of those compounds tested, only apigenin was found to induce the R. meliloti nodgene. Apigenin was found to be a much weaker inducer than luteolin.
Using similar nod-lacZ fusions in several nod genes, Redmond et al. (1986) Nature 323:632-635 reported the identification of three clover exudate components that induced expression of R. trifolii nodgenes: 4',7- dihydroxyflavone (DHF), geraldone (3'-methoxy DHF) and 4'-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavone. In related work, Rolfe et al. European Publication No. 0245931, a number of substituted flavones, flavanols and flavanones were identified as R. trifolii nod gene inducers including luteolin and naringenin. Induction activity was reported to be confined to molecules having the flavone ring structure, in particular coumestrol and the isoflavones daidzein and formononetin were not active for R. trifolii nod gene induction.
Two of the nodulation gene inducers of R. leguminosarum from pea exudate were identified as eriodictyol (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavanone) and apigenineriodict 7-0-glucoside by Firmin et al. (1986) Nature 324:90-92. Apigenin, hersperitin and naringenin, in addition to other flavones and flavanones, were also found to be active as inducers. The isoflavones daidzein, genistein and kaempferol were reported to be antagonists which strongly inhibited the activation of nod genes by inducers.
Zaat et al. (1987) J. Bacteriol. 169:198-204 characterized a R. leguminosarum nodulation gene inducer from Vicia sativa exudate as "flavonoid in nature, most likely a flavanone." Although the exudate component was not identified, naringenin, eriodictyol, apigenin and luteolin were reported to be strong nodgene inducers; 7-hydroxyflavone, a somewhat weaker inducer, and chrysin and kaempferol were weak or poor inducers. Among others, the isoflavones daidzein, genistein and prunetin were reported to be inactive.
Kosslak et al. U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No. 035,516, filed Apr. 7, 1987, now abandoned, reports the identification of chemical factors which induce B. japonicum nod gene expression. The isoflavones daidzein and genistein were identified as components of soybean exudates which induced nodgene expression. Additionally, several other isoflavones including 7-hydroxyisoflavone, 5,7-dihydroxyisoflavone, biochanin A; formononetin and prunetin, as well as the flavone apigenin, the flavonol kaempferol and coumestrol were found to induce nodgene expression. These results were unexpected in that isoflavones were found not to induce nod gene expression in Rhizobium strains and in fact isoflavones and several other of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum nod gene inducer compounds had been reported to be antagonists of nod gene induction at least in Rhizobium leguminosarum (Firmin et al., 1986). The identification of the chemical factors which induce the nodulation genes of Bradyrhizobium sp. Parasponia has not been reported.
Recently Horvath et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:841-848 reported a comparison of nodgene induction in R. meliloti and Rhizobium MPIK3030, a derivative of Rhizobium NGR234 which is a broad host range nodulating strain which nodulates siratro, among others. It is reported that the MPIK3030 nodD-1 gene induces expression of nodulation genes by interacting with plant factors from the host siratro as well as the non-host alfalfa. In contrast, R. meliloti nodD genes interact only with alfalfa exudate. R. meliloti transconjugates carrying the nodD-1 from MPIK3030 effectively nodulate siratro; however, MPIK3030 transconjugants carrying the R. meliloti nodD-1 do not nodulate alfalfa. A chimeric nodD gene having the 5' end of nodD-1 of MPIK3030 and the 3' end of R. meliloti nodD-1 was inserted into a R. meliloti nodD-1/nodD-2 mutant. The R. meliloti mutant transconjugant carrying the chimeric gene nodulated alfalfa normally. In contrast, an MPIK3030 mutant transconjugant carrying the chimeric gene did not nodulate siratro. These results indicate that nodD regulation of nodulation genes mediated by interaction with plant factors is host specific presumably by the selective interaction of nodD proteins with certain plant factors. The results also indicate that the carboxy end of the nodprotein, which is the more divergent region among the nodD proteins, is functional in the specific plant factor interaction which can result in host specificity of nodulation. Horvath et al. note that the apparent specificity of the interaction between plant factors and nodD protein may result from an enhanced affinity of certain plant factors for a nodD protein or alternatively from a decreased susceptibility of a nodD to inhibiting compounds found in exudates (Firmin et al., 1986).

Bradyrhizobium japonicum nodulation regulatory protein and gene


Embodiments of the present invention provide a flexible approach to construct/create instances of cloud computing environments. Specifically, under embodiments of the present invention, an image of a virtual machine instance is created from the following components: image bits; content such as the liner notes, manual, metadata, etc.; end user information (so that the image can be customized for one or more specific end users); values provided to an installer; and cloud based values (e.g., IP address, hostname, etc.). By constructing the virtual machine using this approach, dynamic aspects of the image are managed external to the static binary representation of the image. This would include artifacts such as documentation, install scripts, binary files, etc. Additionally, user supplied data can be captured dynamically and copied to customize the image at the time of instance creation. Still yet, embodiments of the present invention provides system level configuration to construct the virtual machine.

The cloud computing environment is an enhancement to the predecessor grid environment, whereby multiple grids and other computation resources may be further abstracted by a cloud layer, thus making disparate devices appear to an end-user as a single pool of seamless resources. These resources may include such things as physical or logical compute engines, servers and devices, device memory, storage devices, networks, business applications and other software, and the like.
System virtualization is an important part of cloud computing. Systems are typically codified by an image in which the aspects of the system (e.g., software, configuration, etc.) are stored in a binary format. When a change is required to the base image, a new image is created to capture the latest state. For example, if a user installed or upgraded software on an instance created by a base image, a new image needs to be created to capture the additional changes. Existing image-based approaches, however, fail to take into account several considerations when generating a new image.

Creating instances of cloud computing environments

International Business Machines Corporation


The contact rail assembly (1) for electrically driven vehicles has two essentially rigid contact rails (2, 2', 44) which are arranged in a line in the travel direction and are separated by a distance (L1). Two transition horns (6, 6', 45a, 45b) extend into the intermediate transition region, wherein one transition horn (6, 6', 45a, 45b) is attached to each of the contact rails (2, 2', 44). On one section (L2) of the transition region there are the transition horns (6, 6', 45a, 45b) that run parallel to each other separated by a distance (L3) and at an angle to the contact rail (2, 2', 44) and essentially parallel to the plane of travel of the vehicle, whereby the width of the transition horns (6, 6', 45a, 45b) is less than the width of the contact rails (2, 2', 44). With this configuration, a relatively short transition region can be created between the contact rails (2, 2', 44), and the separation (L3) of the short contact wires (21) running parallel in the transition region, which are attached to the underside of the transition horns (6, 6', 45a, 45b), is likewise relatively small. This contact rail assembly (1) makes possible a transition by one current collector of the vehicle from one contact rail (2, 2', 44) to the other, and a defined current supply is assured (FIG. 1).

The invention pertains to a contact rail assembly for electrically driven vehicles. Electrically driven vehicles receive power via current collectors from contact lines under electrical voltage. Contact wires used for contact lines are defined in European Standards. To supply electrical power to current collectors, the contact lines are arranged either as hanging wire structures over the tracks or are attached to contact rails. Contact rails are usually employed when power is provided under spatially constricted conditions. Compared to contact rails, suspended wire structures require more space since the contact wire is suspended by means of suspension wires that hang at short intervals from a support cable, and the support points on the support cable are located about 30 to 180 cm higher than the contact wire. The required "construction space" is described by the concept of "system height," and the system height is equal to the vertical distance to the tracks at the support points. For financial reasons, in tunnels and overpasses, for example, in maintenance or assembly sheds, the system height must necessarily be designed to be very short. Furthermore, the contact wires and support cables are tensioned mechanically to 8-30 kN in order to allow travel speeds of the current collectors of up to 500 km/h. The tensioning devices thus required are complex structures that are difficult to set up, particularly in tunnels, since they require additional space. Another problem is that the current collector mounted on the vehicle is pressing upward with a force of 70-300 N, so that additional space is needed. For these reasons, rigid contact rails are used for travel sections with limited space relationships, such as tunnels or stretches under overpasses, since when using contact rails, no support cables are needed and the contact wire is not deflected upward, since it is attached to the contact rail. Thus, when using the contact rail, the required system height is less than for suspended support structures. Since contact rails can only be produced in limited lengths (usually, 12 m) and since they expand as a result of fluctuations in ambient temperature and as a result of heating due to current flow, they are cut into sections in tunnels, for instance, and are mechanically and electrically separated from each other. Contact rails are also cut into sections in the electrification of maintenance sheds, swing bridges and drawbridges.
The transition between two sections of contact rail causes problems. It is usual to run parallel sections of contact rail in a relatively long transition region of a length of 150 cm and more. A partial parallel run of sequential contact rails is cost intensive since, in general, more contact rails and additional support structures are needed. In addition, the transition of the current collector from one contact rail to another is not technically easy to handle. Due to the construction width of the contact rails, the parallel run of the contact wires attached to the contact rails occurs in a relatively long distance of 10 cm and more from each other, and over a length of 150 cm and more the sliding strip attached to the current collector slides along one or both contact wires alternately in an uncontrolled manner.
The result of one-side sliding of the contact wire means that the contact wires positioned at the contact rails do not exactly run at the same height, which can be attributed, for example, to inaccuracies in the manufacture or the "on-site assembly" of the contact rails. If the contact is along only one sliding contact wire, then an electrical field forms in the small air gap between the sliding contact wire that does not contact but is still under voltage, and the current collector, and the electric field increases as the size of the air gap decreases. As a result of the high field intensity in this region, arcing may occur. Arcing of any kind is undesirable, since it causes a successive burn-up or wear on the contact wire and on the current collector and produces induction-related voltage peaks that can damage the electric motor of the vehicle. If both sliding contact wires make contact, then arcing occurs due to the given inaccuracies with different contact forces, so that different, significantly fluctuating transition resistances occur at the two contact sites between contact wire and current collector, which is undesirable.
In addition to contact wires not exactly located at the same height, and the described electrotechnical problems, the contact point between contact wire and current collector can "skip" from one contact wire to the other under certain circumstances, and this produces an impulse on the current collector every time. This impulse is greater, the greater the speed of travel. Due to the relatively large spacing of the parallel-running contact wires in conventional contact rail assemblies, the impulses are applied relatively far outside the center of the sliding contact of the current collector, so that the occurring impulses cause undesirable, large torque impacts on the current collector and it is deflected accordingly. Another problem in known contact rail assemblies is that the ends of the contact rail must be curved upward in order to ensure that the end of the contact rail will not thread into the linkage of the current collector and destroy it. Bending up the relatively rigid contact rail is only possible if the bend is applied to a relatively long section, so that the mentioned long transition region will result. In addition, bending of the relatively rigid contact rail profile is only possible in a workshop, and as a rule, the 12 m long contact rail bars are connected with great effort.


An olefin, particularly alpha-olefin, polymerization catalyst composition, supported on a refractory oxide support comprises two chromium specie: (1) CrO.sub.3 or any chromium compound calcinable to CrO.sub.3 ; and (2) at least one silylchromate compound. The composition is prepared by sequentially depositing specie (1) and (2) onto the same support.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a chromium compound-containing catalyst for polymerizing olefins, particularly alpha-olefins, also known as 1-olefins, comprising at least two different chromium species and to a method of polymerizing such olefins in the presence of the catalyst of this invention. More particularly, the invention is directed to a method of producing polymers of ethylene or copolymers of ethylene and at least one C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alpha-olefin, which are useful in the fabrication of high strength films.
2. Description of Related Art
Chromium compound-containing alpha-olefin polymerization catalysts, also known as Phillips catalysts, have been extensively described in the literature. They are formed by supporting chromium or a compound of chromium, e.g., chromium trioxide, or a compound calcinable thereto, on a refractory oxide support material, for example, silica, alumina, zirconia, thoria or silica-alumina, and heating the oxide support material in a non-reducing atmosphere, preferably an oxidizing atmosphere, to produce an active polymerization catalyst. The produced catalyst is used to polymerize olefins, usually 1-olefins, in a suitable process, such as the so-called "solution form" or "particle form" process. In the "solution form" process, the monomeric olefin, which is normally ethylene or a mixture of ethylene with up to about 40 wt. % of other 1-olefins, is contacted with a suspension of the catalyst in a liquid hydrocarbon which is a solvent for the polymer at the polymerization temperature employed. In the "particle form" process, the monomer olefin is contacted with a suspension or a fluidized bed of the catalyst particles in a fluid medium under conditions such that the polymeric olefin forms as solid particles suspended in or fluidized in the fluid medium. The fluid medium can be, for example, a liquid hydrocarbon or a gas. Examples of suitable liquid hydrocarbons are isobutane and n-pentane. Examples of suitable gases are nitrogen or argon mixed with the gaseous monomer, or the undiluted gaseous monomer. Processes of this type are described in, for example, U.K. published patent specifications 790,195; 704,641; 853,414; 886,784 and 899,156. It is also known to modify such catalysts with a titanium compound, for example, to render the catalyst capable of producing polyolefins having increased melt index (i.e., lower average molecular weight) or to increase the stress crack resistance of the produced polyolefin. Catalysts of this type are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,521 to Hogan et al and U.K. published patent specifications 1,334,662 and 1,326,167.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,623 to Walker et al discloses a catalyst for polymerizing ethylene at a temperature in the range of 275.degree. to 335.degree. F. under solution form process conditions, the catalyst being one which forms on mixing (1) an oxide component selected from the group consisting of silica; mixtures of silica and alumina containing up to 25 wt. % alumina; and mixtures of chromium oxide and at least one material selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, zirconia and thoria, at least part of the chromium oxide being in the hexavalent state at the initial contacting of the monomer therewith, (2) an organo metallic component of formula R.sub.x M where R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy radicals and combinations of these radicals containing up to 12 carbon atoms, at least one R group being a hydrocarbon radical; M is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, zinc, boron, lead, lithium, zirconium, cobalt, magnesium and tin; and x is an integer equal to the valence of M, and (3) a vanadium component selected from the group consisting of vanadium chelates and vanadyl chelates. Walker et al seek to produce a catalyst that permits the use of high polymerization temperatures to obtain relatively low melt index polymers.
Downs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,302, discloses a modified alpha-olefin catalyst composition used in preparing polymers of ethylene or copolymers of ethylene and higher alpha-olefins, having high average molecular weight and a relatively broad molecular weight distribution, as evidenced by relatively high values of melt flow ratio (MFR), referred to by Downs as melt index ratio (MIR). The catalyst composition of Downs is prepared by supporting chromium oxide on a refractory oxide support material, adding at least one tetravalent titanium compound and heating to activate the product. The monomer is contacted with the active polymerization catalyst in the presence of one or more organometallic compounds, e.g., dibutylmagnesium or triethylaluminum. The amount of the organometallic compounds is 0.1-100% by weight (wt %), preferably 1 to 10 wt %. The refractory oxide support has a mean particle diameter of about 20-150 microns (.mu.).
U.K. Patent Application 2,023,153 to Eve discloses an ethylene polymerization catalyst comprising: (A) a heat activated supported chromium oxide catalyst, and (B) a catalyst modifier comprising a magnesium compound, such as a dialkyl magnesium, preferably dibutyl magnesium, and a commercially available product believed to comprise a mixture of dibutyl magnesium, dialkyl magnesium and butyl-alkyl magnesium. The polymerization process, conducted in the presence of this catalyst, produces polyethylene or ethylene and higher alpha-olefin copolymers having broad molecular weight distribution and low melt index. The quantity of the catalyst modifier is such that the atomic ratio of magnesium to chromium in the modified catalyst system is 0.01:1 to 100:1, preferably, 0.01:1 to 10:1.
Stricklen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,234, disclose a silica-supported chromium catalyst to which is added up to 5 ppm of an aluminumalkyl or dihydrocarbomagnesium compound, e.g., dibutylmagnesium, in order to reduce the induction period and increase catalyst activity. The addition of the aluminum or the magnesium compounds has only a modest effect on polymer properties.
Most of the previously-known Phillips catalyst compositions were used to produce high density, medium and low molecular weight products. It is desirable, however, to have a Phillips' catalyst composition capable of producing high molecular weight, high density olefin polymers which are used to manufacture superior strength films, considered to be premium commercial products.

Multiple chromium compound-containing catalyst composition and olefin polymerization therewith


A medication dispensing system is provided and includes a medicine transfer device (MTD) and a controller. The MTD transfers medicine between first and second containers. The first container initially stores medicine. The controller: determines a first predetermined amount of medicine to be dispensed from the medicine dispensing system; causes the MTD to discharge a second predetermined amount of the medicine from the first container onto the MTD, and transfer a third predetermined amount of the medicine from the MTD to the second container; subsequent to the transfer of the third predetermined amount, determine whether the second container has greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount; and if the second container has less than the first predetermined amount, cause the MTD to transfer a portion of the medicine on the MTD into the second container or discharge a portion of the medicine in the first container onto the MTD.

Improving medical adherence and compliance is an area of interest for medical practitioners and patients alike, including in pharmacy, facility and home settings. Traditional solutions, like the various types of pill boxes and smart caps, may fail to address the root causes of medical non-adherence completely and effectively.
For instance, in an attempt to improve patient compliance, some systems may include timer-like functions or smart phone applications to remind patients when to take specific medications. However, these solutions may not effectively monitor whether the right dosage has been taken. For instance, tracking each time a bottle has been opened may not account for, for instance, how many pills are taken at a time. Furthermore, pharmacists or clinicians may not properly preprogram a patient's drug routine into a solution (e.g., in the form of programming a traditional RF tag, as an example). Such can limit accessibility of solutions to a minority of the population and may prevent proper usage for many patients and caregivers. For people taking multiple medications, there is always a possibility of mixing-up pills between reminders. For instance, a physical reminder device initially set-up to remind and track pill A may not track a second pill B if misplaced in a bottle.
Pre-sorting pill devices (e.g., pill boxes) may help manage complex medicine regimens. For instance, a user may actively prepare the medications to be taken over a coming week or even a month. However, these solutions may include significant cognitive effort, and pre-sorting the medications can be both cumbersome for the user, and prone to errors in sorting the medications correctly (i.e., the user may not correctly sort out the correct medication, in the right dosage, for the right time, all the time). Other solutions may fail to effectively remind or notify the patient when to take a certain dosage of medication.
There have also been numerous attempts to develop automatic dispensing systems. However, previous medicine-dispensing devices may fail to reliably dispense medications when needed.
Therefore, a need in the field exists for a solution that can not only dispense and remind patients when to take specific medications, but also track that the correct dosages have been taken by the patient at the correct time and ensure that the right medication is taken. A need also exists for a dispensing system to successfully determine whether there has been a mistake in the dispensing process without intervention from the patient; this need exists to increase operational reliability to extremely high levels. A further need exists for a reminder system notifying patients to bring their medications along when they leave their homes. A need also exists for a solution for the above, while still remaining accessible to an average patient (i.e., having only minimal changes to the patient's lifestyle) since some solutions rely on pharmacists or clinicians to program the device, which can limit accessibility of the solution to limited populations with access to the technology.

Dispenser system and methods for medication compliance


An implantable drug infusion device includes a pump tube for holding a liquid to be pumped. A race is configured to support the pump tube. A roller assembly is configured to compress the tube against the race at one or more points along the path, and the roller assembly includes at least one roller. A drive assembly drives the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so as to move the liquid through the tube. At least two biasing members are operably connected to the roller to bias the roller against the tube, the two biasing members forming an angle.

The present invention relates to an implantable drug delivery device for infusing a therapeutic agent into an organism, and more particularly, relates to an improved peristaltic implantable pump with improved occlusion along a drug delivery pump tube.
Implantable drug infusion devices are well known in the art. These devices typically include a medication reservoir within a generally cylindrical housing. Some form of fluid flow control is also provided to control or regulate the flow of fluid medication from the reservoir to the outlet of the device for delivery of the medication to the desired location in a body, usually through a catheter. These devices are used to provide patients with a prolonged dosage or infusion of a drug or other therapeutic agent.
Active drug infusion devices feature a pump or a metering system to deliver the drug into the patients system. An example of such a drug infusion pump currently available is the Medtronic SynchroMed programmable pump. Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,692,147 (Duggan), 5,840,069 (Robinson), and 6,036,459 (Robinson), assigned to Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., disclose body-implantable electronic drug administration devices comprising a peristaltic (roller) pump for metering a measured amount of drug in response to an electronic pulse generated by control circuitry associated within the device. Each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. Such devices typically include a drug reservoir, a fill port, a peristaltic pump having a motor and a pumphead to pump out the drug from the reservoir, and a catheter port to transport the drug from the reservoir via the pump to a patient""s anatomy. The drug reservoir, fill port, peristaltic pump, and catheter port are generally held in a housing, or bulkhead. The bulkhead typically has a series of passages extending from the drug reservoir and through the peristaltic pump that lead to the catheter port, which is typically located on the side of the housing. The peristaltic pump comprises a pumphead having rollers, a race or cavity defined by the bulkhead, and a pump tube that is threaded or inserted between the rollers and the race. The peristaltic pumps use the rollers to move a drug through the pump tube from the drug reservoir to the catheter port. The drug is then pushed by the pump through a catheter connected to the catheter port, and is delivered to a targeted patient site from a distal end of the catheter.
The prior art delivery devices, however, are limiting in that the load that the rollers place on the tube can vary as the rollers move along the tube. If the load is excessive, excess energy will be consumed and the tube life will be shortened, resulting in increased replacement costs. If the load is insufficient, inadequate occlusion of the tube will result in leakage of fluid past the roller, reducing the accuracy of the pump. Variation in the load is caused by variations in the gap between the rollers and the race in which the pump tube lies, the gap variance being due to manufacturing tolerances associated with the tube, the race and the pumphead. Prior art solutions to the load variance problem include tight manufacturing tolerances, sorting and matching of components, and placing shims of appropriate thickness between the rollers and the tube, each of which increases manufacturing costs and reduces manufacturing flexibility.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an implantable drug infusion device which reduces or wholly overcomes some or all of the difficulties inherent in prior known devices. Particular objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure of the invention and detailed description of preferred embodiments.
The present invention provides an implantable drug infusion device which features a peristaltic pump having a new configuration, in which a spring biases a roller assembly against a pump tube, thereby minimizing the variation in the load that the roller assembly places on the pump tube.
In accordance with a first aspect, an implantable drug infusion device comprises a peristaltic pump, including a pump tube for holding a liquid to be pumped. A race is configured to support the tube along a path. A roller assembly is configured to compress the tube against the race at one or more points along the path, and the roller assembly includes at least one roller. A drive assembly drives the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so as to move the liquid through the tube. A biasing member is operably connected to the one roller to adjustably bias the roller against the tube.
In accordance with another aspect, an implantable drug infusion device includes a bulkhead having a race. A pump tube having an inlet and an outlet is positioned within the race, the race configured to support the tube along a path. A roller assembly is configured to compress the tube against the race at least one point along the path, and the roller assembly includes a hub and at least one roller biased against the pump tube. A drive assembly drives the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so as to move a liquid through the tube. A biasing member is operably connected to the roller to adjustably bias the at least one roller against the tube.
In accordance with yet another aspect, an implantable drug infusion device includes a bulkhead having a race, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A pump tube has an inlet and an outlet and is positioned within the race, the race configured to support the tube along a path. A motor assembly is positioned within the first chamber, a pumphead assembly is positioned within the second chamber, and the motor assembly drives the pumphead assembly. A drive assembly drives the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so the rollers compress the tube to move a liquid through the tube. A spring is operably connected to each roller assembly to bias a corresponding roller against the tube.
In accordance with another aspect, the pumphead assembly includes a roller assembly comprising at least two biasing members or springs operably connected to each roller to adjustably bias the roller against the pump tube, wherein the biasing members form an angle. This roller assembly provides biasing or spring loading to the rollers that provide occlusion to the pump tube and thus move a drug through the pump tube. In a preferred embodiment, the roller assembly comprises three rollers contained within three corresponding roller housings, each roller housing operably connected to the other two roller housings by a biasing member or spring. Thus, at each roller housing is a pair of operably connected biasing members or springs, which form an angle. This triangular arrangement of springs provides a compact design with a low spring rate at each roller. The low spring rate at each roller provides for low variations in occlusion load and for changes in roller distance from the pump shaft. This triangular spring arrangement can be characterized as a xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d bobbin roller assembly, wherein each roller housing is operably connected to an adjacent roller housing by a biasing member or spring. Further, components or parts for this bobbin roller assembly can be readily made using injection molding processing. More specifically, the parts that can be readily made using injection molding processing include an upper plate, a lower plate, and the three roller housings.
From the foregoing disclosure, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this area of technology, that the present invention provides a significant advance over the prior art. Preferred embodiments of the implantable infusion device of the present invention can significantly reduce the variation in load placed by the roller assembly on the pump tube. This will allow for less stringent manufacturing tolerances, increased manufacturing flexibility, increased tube life, and improved performance. These and additional features and advantages of the invention disclosed here will be further understood from the following detailed disclosure of preferred embodiments.

Implantable drug delivery device with peristaltic pump having a bobbin roller assembly


The present invention relates to an electron microscope which is suited for observing an electron microscope image as a TV image. It is desirable to prevent extraneous matters from dropping onto electron-beam illuminants (3, 8) for a TV camera. In order to solve this problem, the electron-beam illuminant for a TV camera is disposed between a projection lens system (1) and a fluorescent substance (6) for observing the image so that it can be inserted into and removed from the optical axis of an electron beam.

The transmission type electron microscope which enables the observation of an electron microscope image on a monitor CRT by using a TV camera fitted thereto is known (see Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Electron Microscopy Society of America, 1985; Proceedings of the XIth Congress on Electron Microscopy, Kyoto, 1986, etc.)
According to such a known transmission type electron microscope as mentioned above, a film for photographing the electron microscope image is disposed so that it can be inserted into and removed from an electron beam axis and so that it is positioned below a fluorescent screen for observing the electron microscope image. The fluorescent screen is so disposed that it can be inserted into and removed from the electron beam axis, and moreover, an electron-beam scintilator or illuminant for a TV camera, which is constructed of a fluorescent screen, is disposed below the film. When the fluorescent screen for observing the electron microscope image and the film for photographing the electron microscope image are removed from the electron beam axis, the electron microscope image is formed on the electron-beam illuminant. This projected electron microscope image is picked up by the TV camera and displayed on the monitor CRT.
As is seen from the above, the electron-beam illuminant for the TV camera is disposed below the fluorescent screen for observing the electron microscope image and the film for photographing the electron microscope image. Consequently, extraneous matters (chips, dust and the like), which happen to be produced when both the fluorescent screen and the film are inserted into and removed from the electron beam axis, drop onto the electron-beam illuminant and become a hindrance to observation of a TV image. Being located invariably in the same positions, in addition, these extraneous matters are deposited with the passage of time and thus increase steadily, and therefore said hindrance is increased with the passage of time.
Such a hindrance can be eliminated by cleaning the electron-beam illuminant for the TV camera. However, it is necessary to break the vacuum of the tube of the electron microscope for this cleaning, and accordingly much time and labor are needed therefor. Disclosure of Invention
One object of the present invention is to furnish a transmission type electron microscope which is suited for observing an electron microscope image as a TV image.
Another object of the present invention is to furnish a transmission type electron microscope which is suited for preventing the drop of extraneous matters onto the electron-beam illuminant for a TV camera.
Still another object of the present invention is to furnish a transmission type electron microscope which is suited for increasing the brightness of an image formed on the electron-beam illuminant for a TV camera.
Yet another object of the present invention is to furnish a transmission type electron microscope which is suited for reducing the damage of a sample due to electron beams.
According to the present invention, a transmission type electron microscope is furnished which is equipped with a means to generate an electron beam; a means to irradiate a sample with the electron beam; a means to form at a predetermined position an image of the electron beam which is transmitted through said sample irradiated with the aforesaid electron beam; a means disposed at the predetermined position to transform said image of said electron beam into a visible image; an electron-beam illuminant; a means to position said electron-beam illuminant selectively at a first position whereat it is exposed to the aforesaid electron beam proceeding from the aforesaid electron beam image forming means to the aforesaid visible image transformation means, and at a second position whereat it gets out of the exposure, the aforesaid electron-beam illuminant transforming an electron beam image formed thereon into a light image when said electron-beam illuminant is positioned at the aforesaid first position; a TV camera to pick up the light image; and a means to display the image picked up.


A raw sound data organizer includes a processing unit configured to extract and convert an input into a digital format, and a display unit connected to the processing unit. The processing unit is configured to convert the input into a sequence of digital data and display the sequence of digital data in a form of a multi-dimensional color representation through the display unit. A raw sound data organizing method is also provided.

Music is organized sounds. Sounds have high and low pitches and durations of various lengths. Different pitches sound together will deliver a harmonious effect. That is why music is different form noises of which the latter is unorganized sounds. A composer's work is to organize the sounds to achieve meaningful feelings to humans. Having submerged in music all the time, music composers may subconsciously share melodic patterns in their minds and exhibit similar patterns in their compositions. It is a composer's nightmare: when a composer comes up with a "he-thinks-very-great-chunk-of-sounds (a crude form of melody) and finds out that someone else had already written down and even registered a similar melody.
In reality, two songs may share the identical musical phrases. For example, the first 7 melodic notes of "Sound of Silence" composed by Paul Simon and "Sealed with a Kiss" composed by Gary Geld and performed by Jason Donovan are the same in pitches and durations. Therefore, during the music development process, especially at the final stage before publication, it is often necessary to run a checking process to avoid possible infringement of existing copyrighted musical work.
Similarly, the melodies are not exactly the same but close enough to cause a copyright infringement. To avoid this happening, a checking against already registered melodies is necessary. Checking by ear-listening is not practical.


A method of providing topology information about a network to a topology manager is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of sensors each having a sensor ID, and the method includes performing the following steps at each of the plurality of sensors: receiving a stream of packets and identifying a topology trace packet in the stream of packets, wherein the topology trace packet has a destination address and an ID of a previous sensor, including the sensor ID in the topology trace packet, sending the topology trace packet to the destination address, forming a report message so as to include the sensor ID, the previous sensor ID, sending the report to the topology manager; and, providing network addresses of adjacent nodes to the topology manager.

Communication networks are widely used today; the variety of networks includes the Internet, wide-area networks (WANs), local-area networks (LANs), telephony networks, and wireless networks. The importance of network monitoring and testing is growing as well as the requirements for related methods and equipment. The monitoring of the networks requires accurate knowledge of network topology. For example, the information about network topology enables a Network Management System (NMS) to correlate pieces of end-to-end diagnostics and monitoring information to identify failed components and performance bottlenecks. Furthermore, higher-level network management functions, such as root-cause-analysis (RCA), service-level-agreements (SLA) monitoring, and network failure impact analysis, can be done via the analysis performed on top of the monitored topology.
The technologies in network management for topology monitoring typically rely on the ability of the NMS to query every node in the network to discover network links and determine current states of the network links. For example, a network management system would discover the topology of the network by a BFS (Breadth First Search) process, i.e., iterating the process of querying a node's adjacency table that lists its neighbors and visiting its neighbors until no more new nodes (or links) can be discovered. However, this approach requires participation of all the nodes, i.e. having related protocol software installed and configured to cooperate. Conventional methods of mapping network topology also have the scalability problem.
Accordingly, there is a need to mitigate the disadvantages of existing mapping systems and methods and to provide a novel method and a system for mapping network topology. In particular, a need exists for a system and method of discovering network topology by an independent tool, and by a method transparent to the user.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for collecting topology information


A document encryption and decryption system and method for selectively encrypting and decrypting files and attachments, electronic mail, text messages, and any other items to protect or secure its contents by helping to prevent unauthorized individuals from viewing data in human-perceivable or readable form. The encryption and decryption system includes remote authentication to verify user credentials stored on a remote database hosted by a web server. The encryption system further includes remote deletion to automatically delete at least encrypted items stored on the user's computer, handheld or portable device, smartphone, tablet, and any other computer of any kind when enabled and logged onto a network. The encryption and decryption system includes selectively decrypting items by retrieving a decryption key and decrypting the item, and/or typing a decryption key if the item cannot be decrypted with the key, and/or sending an invitation to a recipient using the web server.

Some of the common problems with known encryption and decryption methods are that it is a difficult and time consuming process for a user to accomplish, which requires training, is not easily implemented, and is usually difficult, typically requiring several steps in order to encrypt a data file, e.g., 4-5 steps to navigate using the computer's mouse when attempting to set up for encryption/decryption and/or to encrypt/decrypt the file itself. Another common problem with conventional encryption applications is that the authentication data, e.g., password(s), name, address, secret answer, and the like, are stored on the user's personal computer allowing for a computer hacker or other unauthorized or malicious individual to break the protection and have access to the user's credentials. Ordinary encryption methods are inefficient in preventing such unauthorized individuals from embedding the key thereby allowing unauthorized access to the data file. In addition, it is also well known that any protection algorithm can be broken in a certain amount of time, e.g., time can vary from hours to years and thousands of years. Thus, security features like computer logins can be ineffective. Also, typical encryption only encrypts the communication and does not allow for remote deletion of encrypted files when the user's computer is lost or stolen. Attachments and an electronic (email) message are also typically not able to be bundled together for encrypting the whole message via Webmail. Typical encryption is also not available or compatible with mobile devices and does not pair encryption/decryption with a remote deletion feature. Typical encryption does not backup encrypted files on a remote server. Another common problem with typical encryption is that it does not automatically re-encrypt a data file upon a user closing out of the data file, thereby allowing its contents to be viewed by an unauthorized individual, e.g., by computer hacking remotely in a wireless communication environment. Accordingly, the need emerged for development of an affordable encryption system that is more effective, easier to use, and which provides secure user authentication and automatic remote deletion of files.