A polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor of a bottom gate structure is used as a switching element and a mask having transmissive, half-transmissive and blocking areas is used so that an array substrate for a liquid crystal display device having a monolithic driving circuit can be fabricated through a six-mask process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and a method of fabricating a display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device having a driving circuit, and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Flat panel display (FPD) devices having high portability and low power consumption have been the subject of recent research and development. Among various types of FPD devices, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices are commonly used as monitors for notebook and desktop computers because of their ability to display high-resolution images, wide ranges of different colors, and moving images.
In general, the LCD device includes a color filter substrate and an array substrate separated from each other by having a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein the color filter substrate and the array substrate include a common electrode and a pixel electrode, respectively. When a voltage is supplied to the common electrode and the pixel electrode, an electric field is generated that changes the orientation of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer due to optical anisotropy within the liquid crystal layer. Consequently, light transmittance characteristics of the liquid crystal layer are modulated and images are displayed by the LCD device.
Active matrix type display devices are commonly used because of their superiority in displaying moving images. Active matrix-type display devices include pixel regions disposed in a matrix form where a thin film transistor (TFT) is formed in the pixel region as a switching element. While forming the TFT, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is selected to be deposited over a large area of substrate. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon yields higher productivity while easily fabricated on the large area of the substrate. In addition, the hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is deposited at a relatively low temperature, a glass substrate of low cost can be used. Accordingly, the hydrogenated amorphous silicon is used mainly in the TFT, which is referred to as an amorphous silicon thin film transistor (a-Si TFT).
However, because the hydrogenated amorphous silicon has a disordered atomic arrangement, weak silicon-silicon (Si—Si) bonds and dangling bonds exist in the hydrogenated amorphous silicon. These types of bonds become metastable when light or an electric field is applied to the hydrogenated amorphous silicon. As a result, this metastability makes the TFT unstable. Electrical characteristics of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon are especially degraded due to light irradiation. Furthermore, a TFT using the hydrogenated amorphous silicon is difficult to be implemented in a driving circuit due to degraded electric characteristics such as a relatively low field effect mobility and a poor reliability.
To solve these problems, a polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor (p-Si TFT) is suggested. Due to a higher field effect mobility of a p-Si TFT compared to an a-Si TFT, fabrication of a driving circuit and a switching element can be achieved simultaneously. Accordingly, the production cost is reduced and a driving circuit is simply fabricated on a substrate where a switching element is formed.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a liquid crystal display device according to the related art where a switching element and a driving circuit are formed on a single substrate. In FIG. 1, a driving area 5 and a display area 3 are defined on a single substrate 1. The display area 3 is disposed at a central portion of the substrate 1, while the driving area 5 is disposed at left and top portions of the display area 3. The driving area 5 includes a gate driving circuit 5a and a data driving circuit 5b. The display area 3 includes a plurality of gate lines 7 connected to the gate driving circuit 5a and a plurality of data lines 9 connected to the data driving circuit 5b. The gate line 7 and the data line 9 intersect each other to define a pixel region "P." A pixel electrode 10 is formed in the pixel region "P." A thin film transistor (TFT) "T" formed as a switching element is connected to the pixel electrode 10. The gate driving circuit 5a supplies a scan signal to the TFT "T" through the gate line 7 and the data driving circuit 5b supplies a data signal to the pixel electrode 10 through the data line 9.
The gate driving circuit 5a and the data driving circuit 5b are connected to an input terminal 12 to receive external signals. Accordingly, the gate driving circuit 5a and the data driving circuit 5b process the externals signals from the input terminal 12 to generate the scan signal and the data signal. To generate the scan signal and the data signal, the gate driving circuit 5a and the data driving circuit 5b include a plurality of TFTs forming complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic. For example, an inverter including negative(n)-type and positive(p)-type TFTs may be formed in the gate driving circuit 5a and the data driving circuit 5b.
FIGS. 2A to 2F are schematic cross-sectional views showing a process of fabricating a thin film transistor in a display area of a liquid crystal display device according to the related art. FIGS. 3A to 3F are schematic cross-sectional views showing a process of fabricating n-type and a p-type thin film transistors in a driving area of a liquid crystal display device according to the related art.
In FIGS. 2A and 3A, a buffer layer 25 is formed on a substrate 20 and an amorphous silicon layer is formed on the buffer layer 25. The amorphous silicon layer is crystallized to a polycrystalline silicon layer by a laser annealing method. The amorphous silicon layer may be dehydrogenated before crystallizing to a polycrystalline silicon layer. The polycrystalline silicon layer is patterned through a first mask process to form a first semiconductor layer 30 in a pixel TFT portion "I," a second semiconductor layers 35 in an n-type driving TFT portion "II" and a third semiconductor layer 40 in a p-type driving TFT portion "III."
In FIGS. 2B and 3B, a gate insulating layer 45 of silicon oxide (SiO2) is formed on the semiconductor layers 30, 35 and 40. After depositing a metallic material on the gate insulating layer 45, first, second and third gate electrodes 50, 55 and 60 are formed on the gate insulating layer 45 through a second mask process. Then, the semiconductor  layers 30, 35 and 40 are doped with low concentration n-type (n−) impurities using the gate electrodes 50, 55 and 60 as doping masks. Accordingly, a portion of the first semiconductor layer 30 directly underneath the first gate electrode 50 is not doped with n− impurities, while the other portion of the first semiconductor layer 30 is doped with n− impurities. Similarly, the second and third semiconductor layers 35 and 40 are partially doped with n− impurities. As a result, the semiconductor layers 30, 35 and 40 are divided into undoped regions 30a, 35a and 40a and n− doped regions 30b, 35b and 40b. The undoped regions 30a, 35a and 40a are used as an active region of a TFT.
In FIGS. 2C and 3C, first, second and third n+ photoresist (PR) patterns 61, 62 and 63 are formed through a third mask process. The first and second n+ PR patterns 61 and 62 cover the first and second gate electrodes 50 and 55, respectively. In addition, the first n+ PR pattern 61 covers a predetermined portion of the first semiconductor layer 30 adjacent to the first gate electrode 50 and the second n+ PR pattern 62 covers a predetermined portion of the second semiconductor layer 35 adjacent to the second gate electrode 55. The third n+ PR pattern 63 completely covers the third semiconductor layer 40 including the third gate electrode 60. Next, the first, second and third semiconductor layers 30, 35 and 40 are doped with high concentration n-type impurities (n+) using the first, second and third n+ PR patterns 61, 62 and 63 as doping masks. Accordingly, the predetermined portions of the first and second semiconductor layers 30 and 35 are not doped with n+ impurities, while the exposed portions of the first and second semiconductor layers 30 and 35 are doped with n+ impurities. In addition, the third semiconductor layer 40 is not doped with n+ impurities. As a result, the exposed portions of the first and second semiconductor layers 30 and 35 become n+ doped regions 30c and 35c, which are used as an ohmic contact regions of n-type, and the predetermined portions of the first and second semiconductor layers 30 and 35 that remain n− doped regions 30b and 35b are used as a lightly doped drain (LDD) region. Therefore, the active regions 30a and 35a, the LDD regions 30b and 35b, and the n-type ohmic contact regions 30c and 35c are defined by doping with n− impurities and n+ impurities. After doping with n+ impurities, the first, second and third n+ PR patterns 61, 62 and 63 are removed.
In FIGS. 2D and 3D, the first and second p+ PR patterns 65 and 66 are formed through a fourth mask process. The first and second p+ PR patterns 65 and 66 completely cover the first and second semiconductor layers 30 and 35, respectively. The third semiconductor layer 40 is exposed, because no p+ PR pattern is provided in the portion "III." Next, the semiconductor layers 30, 35 and 40 are doped with high concentration p-type (p+) impurities using the first and second p+ PR patterns 65 and 66 and the third gate electrode 60 as doping masks. Accordingly, the first and second semiconductor layers 30 and 35 are not doped with p+ impurities. In addition, a portion of the third semiconductor layer 40 directly underneath the third gate electrode 60 is not doped with p+ impurities, while the other portion of the third semiconductor layer 40 is doped with p+ impurities. Because the p+ impurities have a concentration higher than the n− impurities in the exposed portion of third semiconductor layer 40, the p-type impurities compensate the n-type impurities. Accordingly, the exposed portion of the third semiconductor layer 40 becomes p+ doped region 40b which is used as an ohmic contact region of p-type. Therefore, the active regions 40a and the p-type ohmic contact region 40b are defined by doping with p+ impurities. After doping with p+ impurities, the first and second p+ PR patterns 65 and 66 are removed.
In FIGS. 2E and 3E, an interlayer insulating layer 70 of an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiO2) is formed on the gate electrodes 50, 55 and 60 through a fifth mask process. The interlayer insulating layer 70 has semiconductor contact holes 73a, 73b, 75a, 75b, 77a and 77b defined through the gate insulating layer 45 to expose the ohmic contact regions 30c, 35c and 40c. First source and drain electrodes 80a and 80b, second source and drain electrodes 83a and 83b, and third source and drain electrodes 87a and 87b are formed on the interlayer insulating layer 70 through a sixth mask process. The source and drain electrodes 80a, 80b, 83a, 83b, 87a and 87b have a double layer structure formed of molybdenum (Mo) and aluminum-neodymium (AlNd), and are connected to the ohmic contact regions 30c, 35c and 40c within the semiconductor contact holes 73a, 73b, 75a, 75b, 77a and 77b.
In FIGS. 2F and 3F, a passivation layer 90 of silicon nitride (SiNx) is formed on the source and drain electrodes 80a, 80b, 83a, 83b, 87a and 87b through a seventh mask process. The passivation layer 90 may be hydrogenated and has a drain contact hole 95 exposing the first drain electrode 80b. Next, a pixel electrode 97 of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) is formed on the passivation layer 90 through an eighth mask process. The pixel electrode 97 is connected to the first drain electrode 80b within the drain contact hole 95.
As mentioned above, the array substrate for an LCD device according to the related art is fabricated through an eight-mask process. Because the related art mask process includes steps of coating PR, exposing PR, and developing PR, increase in production cost and fabrication time as well as a reduced production yield results from an increased number of masks. In addition, reliability of a thin film transistor is reduced accordingly.

Liquid crystal display device having driving circuit and method of fabricating the same


A multi-item analyzer includes a first analyzing module for performing analysis items having a larger request in number arranged in the upstream side of a transporting line, and a second analyzing module for performing analysis items having a smaller request in number arranged in the downstream side. A sample sampling position for the analyzing module in the upstream side is provided on the transporting line, and a sample sampling position for the analyzing module in the downstream side is provided on a rack receiving area.

The present invention relates to a multi-item analyzer, and more particularly to a multi-item analyzer in which a plurality of analyzing modules are arranged along a transporting line of a sample rack.
As for a multi-item analyzer for analyzing many samples requested to inspect a plurality of analysis items, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.6-27745 discloses an automatic analyzer in which a plurality of analyzing units are arranged along a rack transporting unit for transporting a sample rack containing a sample. The automatic analyzer of this kind is suitable for multi-item and multi-sample processing, and when one analyzing unit is insufficient for performing processing, by providing a plurality of analyzing units many analysis items can be processed by distributing them to the plurality of analyzing units.
However, since analysis items requested for each sample are made for a choice depending on the state of a disease of a patient, there is a disadvantage in making useless measurements of unnecessary analysis items when all analysis items are evenly measured using an automatic analyzer which has a sample processing capacity per unit time. As for an automatic analyzer improving the efficiency of such a processing capacity, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.3-180763 discloses an automatic analyzer of which the efficiency of processing capacity is improved in that all analysis items are classified into groups and the analysis items are allocated to individual analyzing modules so that an integrated value of a number of analyses to be requested for each of the groups may become the same.

Multi-item analyzer having plurality of analyzing modules


A sealed cell with a film outer casing body having a flat electrode body is prevented from short circuiting damage due to impacts. The flat electrode body has first and second electrodes and a separator therebetween, which are wound into a flat shape having first and second flat side surface R portions. The first electrode is the outermost surface of the electrode body. An insulation film is provided between the outermost portion of the first electrode and a portion of the second electrode immediately inside the outermost portion, and between the portion of the second electrode and another portion of the first electrode immediately inside the portion of the second electrode.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cell using a film outer casing body for the cell case.
2) Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has been a rapid reduction in the size of mobile electronic devices such as mobile telephones and PDAs. Further reduction in thickness and weight is accordingly required of cells and batteries that serve as the driving power sources of such devices.
To meet this demand, light-weight thin cells have been developed utilizing, as the cell cases, film outer casing bodies made of a laminate film that is a lamination of resin and a metal foil such as aluminum.
The film outer casing bodies excel in thinness, flexibility, and lightness, but have the problem of easiness for deformation upon application of external force. External impacts can easily travel through the internal cell. Thus, the cells using the film outer casing bodies can be problematic in that the electrode body is easily damaged by the shock of, say, inadvertent drop, and that the damage of the electrode body often causes internal short-circuiting.

Sealed cell using film outer casing body


The expansible plug has an expander body at one end of a plug shank and an expansible sleeve which slids over the expander plug in operation. A sliding ring is often provided between the expander body and the expansible sleeve to improve the sliding properties of the expansible sleeve over the expander plug. To prevent slippage of the sliding ring off the expander plug, the sliding ring can be provided with an interlocking inner profile which engages in an outer thread or a plurality of annular steps on the outer surface of the expander body. The expansible plug can be used to attach objects to a masonry wall by inserting the expansible plug into a drilled blind hole with the expander body at the base of the hole and a fixing means which may include a threaded portion on the shank protruding from the hole.

The invention relates to an expansible plug with an expander body and, more particularly, to an expansible plug with an expander body for anchoring an object such as a piece of timber to a wall.
EP-B-0 308 594 discloses an expansible plug having a conical expander body and a metallic expansible sleeve. The expander body is drawn into the metallic expansible sleeve in operation. To promote the sliding properties of the expansible sleeve in the region of the expander body, a sliding ring is provided in front of the expander body. As the expander body enters the expansible sleeve, the material of the sliding ring spreads so that a low-friction film forms in the vicinity of the conical expander body.

fischerwerke Artur Fischer GmbH & Co. KG


A multi-tenancy adapter is configured to provide an interface between a plurality of tenants and a service provider product that is shared by those tenants. The multi-tenancy adapter in one embodiment comprises a plurality of tenant-specific mashup functions or other service composition functions associated with respective ones of the plurality of tenants. In conjunction with receipt of a service request from a given one of the plurality of tenants, the multi-tenancy adapter generates a corresponding request directed to the product, applies the particular service composition function associated with the given tenant in order to filter response information received back from the product in a manner specific to that tenant, and provides the filtered response information to the given tenant.

An increasing number of companies and other enterprises are reducing their costs by migrating portions of their information technology infrastructure to cloud service providers. For example, virtual data centers and other types of systems comprising distributed virtual infrastructure are coming into widespread use. Commercially available virtualization software such as VMware® vSphere™ may be used by cloud service providers to build a variety of different types of virtual infrastructure, including private and public cloud computing and storage systems, which may be distributed across hundreds of interconnected computers, storage devices and other physical machines.
In cloud-based information processing system arrangements of the type described above, enterprises in effect become tenants of the cloud service providers. Thus, a given tenant may share hardware or software resources or other products with other tenants. However, not all products that are sold into the cloud service provider space are configured to support such multi-tenancy.
This lack of multi-tenancy support creates difficulties for the cloud service provider, in that the provider may have to avoid usage of certain products not configured for multi-tenancy, or face an increase in its product costs by adding separate instances of such products for each tenant.
It is also problematic for the product manufacturer, in that the manufacturer may have difficulty selling products that are not configured for multi-tenancy, or may face increased development costs to adapt each of its products to support multi-tenancy. More particularly, making significant changes to the internal working of products to support multi-tenancy requires a substantial skills and resource commitment on behalf of the product manufacturer. Furthermore, making changes natively within each product poses a time-to-market challenge, delaying the ability of the product manufacturer to compete in cloud service marketplaces where multi-tenancy is an important feature.

Adapting service provider products for multi-tenancy using tenant-specific service composition functions


A Simulator of the cardio-vascular system is provided for use in open chest cardiac massage (OCCM) resuscitation technique instruction. A molded model of a heart is housed in a thoracic mannequin with synthetic skin pulled aside revealing the cardiac muscle as in a clinical situation. A system of valves and tubes modeling blood vessels connects the heart to inlet and outlet reservoirs simulating venous and arterial input and output supported by an adjustable stand. This device provides tactile feedback to the practitioner and permits variations in flow rates and pressures to simulate various cardiac conditions.

Open chest cardiac massage is an important technique in cardiac resuscitation. Although CPR external massage technique is an easier and more convenient method resuscitation, OCCM still has many advantages provided it is performed by medical professionals in a clinical setting.
OCCM facilitates greater cardiac output, 60% of normal compared to only 15-40 achieved by CPR. Also, in some animals with high (compared to humans) pitched rib cages such as canines, CPR must be performed on the animal's side lessening the effect of the compression on the heart. Thus this technique is especially appropriate for use by veterinary doctors. This technique is also practiced routinely by cardiologists who must stop and start the cardiac muscle during the course of an operation. Other types of medical specialists might use this technique during abdominal surgery. During such an operation cardiac arrest can occur accidently due to the presence of metabolites or anesthesia particles in the bloodstream that teach the heart and cause it to stop beating. In such a situation CPR would be quite inappropriate due to the exposed organs of the abdomen which could be damaged. Since the heart is easily accessed for massage from under the ribs or through an incision between two ribs, OCCM is the appropriate method for resuscitation.
Although OCCM is an invasive technique involving an incision it actually causes less internal damage than CPR which can cause fractured ribs, fractured sternum, cardiac contusion, ruptured liver, ruptured spleen, and lacerations of the vena cava and other vessels. OCCM also has the advantage of allowing the surgeon to temporarily suspend blood flow to the lower half of the body in order to increase oxygenated blood flow to the brain. This technique of resuscitation also allows for visual monitoring of the heart and is useful for patients with inelastic or barrel chests or after CPR has failed.
Presently, medical students receive little training and infrequent practice in OCCM. This is mainly due to the fact that training on humans is not legally or ethically feasible and the standard practice of using canines is both expensive and ethically undesirable as it involved inducing cardiac trauma in the animal. Because of these factors practice is minimal and extra or advanced practice is unlikely.
Although numerous devices have been created to instruct and practice CPR external heart massage such as "dummies" as in:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,811 (Reuben, Aug. 21, 1962)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,075 (Kohnke, Nov. 30, 1976)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,950 (Blumensaadt, Jan. 11, 1977)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,998 (Ramamurthy, Sep. 16, 1986)
and teaching aids not housed in mannequins such as:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,788 (Gowing, Jun. 6, 1978)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,617 (Rice, Oct. 28, 1986)
No such dummies or teaching aids are currently available to aid in the teaching of, or for practicing OCCM.


Solutions for limiting the undesirable spread of pathogens by indirect contact are provided. The solutions involve heat-sanitization of contact regions on articles or fixtures by flowing selected electromagnetic radiation energy through underlying waveguide structures substantially parallel to the contact regions.

Diseases and infections can be transmitted by indirect contact. Any contact surface, which is touched by more than one person, can be a transfer point for harmful germs spreading diseases and infections through a population. An example is the common cold. A person, who has a cold, can leave cold virus behind on a door handle he or she touches. A non-infected person, who later touches the door handle, can pick up the cold virus from the door handle and catch the same cold.
For certain high risk environments (e.g., restrooms, food service and health care facilities), public health programs recommend hand washing or hand rubbing routines for maintaining good hand hygiene to prevent or reduce propagation of communicable diseases and infections. However, time and facilities constraints present are major obstacles to maintaining good hand hygiene. Many studies of nosocomial infections show that hand washing protocols are not properly followed even by health care providers. General compliance rates of health care providers with hospital-recommended hand washing or hand rubbing protocols are low. The poor compliance rates have been attributed in part to a lack of knowledge of when and how to clean or disinfect hands, and in part to time constraints and poor access to hand washing facilities or hand rubbing products. (See e.g., Albert R. K., Condie F., NEJM 1981; 304(24):1465-6).
The time and facilities constraints that impede good hand hygiene in hospital environments are even more severe obstacles for achieving good hand hygiene in other public environments. For example, it is not practical to provide hand washing facilities at every touch screen in an airport, or at ATM or contact surface in a bank. Further, even where hand washing facilities are provided (e.g., in restrooms), hand washing can be counterproductive. A person, after washing hands, could pick up germs by turning a water faucet handle off, or touching a restroom exit door handle.
Consideration is now being given to other solutions for limiting the undesirable spread of pathogens by indirect contact. Some such solutions may avoid, for example, the time and facilities constraints that hinder solutions that rely on voluntary hand washing by individuals.


A pneumatic radial tire characterized in that at least two belt layers reinforced with cords of a high elastic modulus extending at an angle of 14.degree.-33.degree. with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire are arranged between a tread and a carcass, at least one of these belt layers being folded back at both end portions thereof toward the equator of the tire so as to wrap both end portions of any remaining belt layers, at least one reinforcing layer which is reinforced with thermally contractible organic fiber cords which extend at substantially 0.degree. with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire being inserted inside of each of the folded portions of the at least one folded belt layer, the width of the reinforcing layers being set to 10-70% of that of each of the folded portions.

This invention relates to a pneumatic radial tire having an improved high-speed durability with its weight kept reasonably small and its capability of giving a driver a good ride in the car kept excellent.
In a pneumatic radial tire, at least two belt layers are buried between a carcass and a tread so that the cords in these belt layers cross each other, for the purpose of reinforcing the tread. There are some conventional radial tires for passenger cars in which one of at least two belt layers is folded back at its both widthwise end portions toward the equator of the tire so as to prevent the separation of the belt edges when the car travels at a high speed.
However, in these days in which a higher speed travel has been demanded, a conventional radial tire having the above-described structure is no longer suitable for a ultra-high speed travel of a car unless the width of the folded portions of a belt layer is increased, or it becomes necessary to provide one or a plurality of layers of belt covers so as to extend over the whole width of the belt layers to meet the speed requirement. Indeed, such modifications improved the high-speed durability of the tire, but at the cost of increased weight of the tire and decreased comfortableness of riding in the car.

Pneumatic radial tire including at least one folded belt layer


A quick assembly structure of a faucet handle base, which is fixed in a valve assembly, the valve assembly includes a valve core, a directional connector, a locking element having a peripheral groove, a connecting portion, and a tilted guiding face. The handle mount includes: a fixing ring having a central orifice; a flexible fastening sleeve having a lower engagement portion and an upper engagement portion; the upper engagement portion having a plurality of flexible retaining paws; a coupling column having a fitting portion and a snapping insertion; the sapping insertion having plural first recesses; an operating member having a covering portion and a handle extending; and a coupling element employed to join a top end of the sapping insertion of the coupling column with the covering portion of the operating member.

A conventional faucet, such as a two handle faucet, contains a body, a decorative cover, an outlet member, two valve assemblies, and two handle mounts. The body is formed in a H shape and includes two inlet seats disposed on two sides thereof, at least one outlet connector mounted on a middle section thereof, a cold-water support and a hot-water support extending outwardly from a bottom end thereof and screwing with two screwing elements via a basin, thus fixing the body on the basin. The decorative cover is covered on the basin so that the body is hidden between the decorative cover and the basin, and the body includes two first orifices defined on the two sides thereof and a second orifice formed on a middle section thereof opposite to the two inlet seats and the outlet connector. The outlet member is joined with the outlet connector of the body and flows water therefrom. The two valve assemblies are fixed on the inlet seats of the body. The two handle mounts are disposed on and rotate the two valve assemblies, thus controlling a water supply.
A conventional quick assembly structure of the faucet handle base is disclosed in TW Utility Model No. M271998 and M472141 and contains a handle mount through which a screw is inserted to screw and contact with a valve assembly, such that the handle mount is fixed on the valve assembly. However, the handle mount has a hole defined thereon to cause poor appearance even though a plug is inserted into the hole.
In addition, in operation, a plug and the screw are unscrewed by a tool to remove the handle mount. The screw is inserted through the handle mount and the valve assembly by ways of the tool, and the plug is retained into the hole, thus causing troublesome operation by using the tool. To insert the plug into the hole smoothly, it is made of plastic material. But the handle mount is made of metal material to have inconsistent appearance. Furthermore, water will leak from the hole to rust the screw.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

Quick assembly structure of faucet handle base


The present invention relates to a microorganism capable of producing a terpene of choice. The microorganism expresses a heterologous pathway for the formation of isoprene units and, preferably, a heterologous terpene synthase. In this way, high amounts of terpene can be isolated from the medium of the microorganism.

Isoprenoids (also known as terpenoids or terpenes) are a large, diverse group of complex natural products with considerable commercial interest. Isoprenoids are today mostly extracted from plants or chemically synthesized to be used as pharmaceuticals (e.g. taxol, bisabolol, lycopene, artemisinin), animal feed supplements and food colorants (various carotenoids) or flavours and fragrances (e.g. menthol, patchoulol, nootkatone). Isoprenoids are built from isoprene units (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene), and the biological precursor for all natural isoprenoids is isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP). Isoprenoids play important roles in living cells, such as in hormonal regulation (sterols), photosynthesis (carotenoids and others), just to mention a few.
In living cells, IPP can be generated by either the mevalonate-dependent (hereinafter MEV) pathway or the mevalonate-independent or MEP pathway, which are two distinct pathways. Most organisms rely exclusively on one of the pathways for generation of isoprenoid compounds, but plants and some microorganisms have both pathways. The precursor for synthesis of IPP via the MEV pathway is acetyl-CoA, which is synthesized in the central carbon metabolism. The precursors for synthesis of IPP via the MEP pathway are the glycolytic intermediates glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (GAP) and pyruvate (PYR), which are synthesized in the central carbon metabolism. Both the mevalonate pathway and the MEP pathway produce dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) and IPP, and the reaction steps after IPP to produce geranyl diphosphate (GPP), farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) are the same in cells using either the mevalonate pathway, the MEP pathway or both. It is from these intermediates that the various isoprenoid compounds in nature are produced.
The chemical industry, which produces organic molecules by traditional chemical processes, is increasingly turning to production processes utilizing microbial cell factories. The key drivers for this development towards green chemistry are that such so-called "biotechnological processes" are more environmentally friendly, that many compounds produced by microorganisms are too complex to be obtained by organic synthesis and that the microbial cell factory represents an unlimited supply of the particular compound. Currently, isoprenoids are produced at large scale by extraction from plants or by chemical synthesis. The major drawbacks of both of these methods are low yields and high costs. A third option is to produce the desired isoprenoids by in vitro enzymatic conversion, but this approach is limited by the availability of precursors, and therefore in most cases not economically viable.
Metabolic engineering of microorganisms for isoprenoid production may lead to production of large amounts of isoprenoids from cheap carbon sources in fermentation processes, and thereby solve many of the current problems in industrial isoprenoid production (Maury et al., 2005, Adv. Biochem. Engin/Biotechnol. 100:19), whilst allowing for biotechnological exploitation of the large diversity found in the isoprenoid group of natural compounds.
A number of isoprenoid products have been produced by genetically engineered microorganisms, including limonene (Carter et al., 2003, Phytochem. 64:425), carotenoids (Kajiwara et al, 1997, Biochem. J. 324: 421), epi-cedrol (Jackson et al, 2003, Org. lett 5: 1629), taxadiene (Huang et al, 2001, Biorg. Med. Chem 9: 2237), and others. In order to enhance isoprenoid production in E. coli, the genes dxs (encoding DXP synthase), dxr (DXP reductoisomerase) and idi (IPP isomerase) have been overexpressed with good results for several of the above-mentioned isoprenoid products (reviewed in Maury et al., 2005). A further increase in amorphadiene production by E. coli has been obtained by expressing the mevalonate pathway from S. cerevisiae in an amorphadiene producing strain of E. coli (Martin et al., 2003, Nat. Biotechnol. 21:796). Some isoprenoid compounds have also been produced in yeasts, including epi-cedrol in S. cerevisiae (Jackson et al., 2003, Org. Lett. 5:1629), lycopene and beta-carotene in S. cerevisiae (Yamano et al., 1994, Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 58:1112) and Candida utilis (Miura et al., 1998, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64:1226). In several cases, isoprenoid production in yeast has been shown to be enhanced by overexpression of HMG1 (encoding HMG-COA reductase) (reviewed in Maury et al., 2005).
In spite of the background depicted above, there is still a need for further processes for producing terpenes and terpenoids and, in particular, for ways of accumulating terpenes in microorganisms with higher yields and in a less costly and time intensive manner than in the prior known methods. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a method for producing terpenes or terpenoids that fulfils this need.
It is a further objective of the present invention to solve the problem of the supply of sufficient amounts of terpene precursors in an organism so as to enhance the accumulation of terpenes in the organism.
It is a particular objective of the present invention to produce a microorganism that accumulates and/or secretes high amounts of terpenes to the surrounding medium. The production of terpenes by such a microorganism is preferably stable over time.
Still a further objective underlying the present invention is to provide a biological platform for the production of terpenes, which is capable of producing any terpene at the choice of the manufacturer. Such a single system would in principle enable the production of one specific terpene at a time, but could be easily modified to produce another terpene or a mixture of terpenes. The same system could be used, of course, to produce different terpenes independently. Moreover, such a platform could also allow the production of terpene-derived compounds which are useful for the flavour and fragrance industry. One particular example which is not limitative of the invention is the production of nootkatone from valencene.
Furthermore, the biological production platform for terpenes of the invention preferably has high production capacity and is free of endotoxins and all the problems associated with them.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a biological production platform highly capable of accumulating high levels of lipophilic compounds, even in a generally aqueous medium where such compounds, or their precursors, are not usually soluble.

Method for producing terpenes and MEP-transformed microorganisms therefore


A synthetic Class C fly ash results from a substantially homogeneous blend of about 40-60% by weight of a Class F fly ash and about 60-40% by weight of cement kiln dust (CKD). This new fly ash can replace about 25-50% by weight of portland cement in conventional formulations with coarse and fine aggregate for making general purpose concrete and particularly ready-mix concrete with comparable compressive strength and like properties.

This invention is concerned with the utilization of two industrial by-products; namely Class F fly ash and cement kiln dust (hereinafter CKD). When finely divided or pulverized coal is combusted at high temperatures, for example, in boilers for the steam generation of electricity, the ash consisting of the uncombustible residue plus a small amount of residual combustible matter, is made up of two fractions, a bottom ash recovered from the furnace or boiler in the form of a slag-like material and a fly ash which remains suspended in the flue gases from the combustion until separated therefrom by known separatory techniques, such as electrostatic precipitation. This fly ash is an extremely finely divided material generally in the form of spherical bead-like particles, with at least 70% by weight passing a 200 mesh sieve and has a generally glassy state, resulting from fusion or sintering during combustion. As recognized in the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) specification designation C618-85 entitled "Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan for Use as a Mineral Admixture in Portland Cement Concrete", fly ash is subdivided into two distinct classifications; namely, Class F and Class C. The definitions of these two classes are as follows:
"Class F--Fly ash normally produced from burning anthracite or bituminous coal that meets the applicable requirements for this class as given herein. This class fly ash has pozzolanic properties.
Class C--Fly Ash normally produced from lignite or subbituminous coal that meets the applicable requirements for this class as given herein. This class of fly ash, in addition to having pozzolanic properties, also has some cementitious properties. Some Class C flyashes may contain lime contents higher than 10%."
The latter reference to "pozzolanic properties" refers to the capability of certain mixtures which are not in themselves cementitious of undergoing a cementitious reaction when mixed with lime in the presence of water. Class C fly ash possesses direct cementitious properties as well as pozzolanic properties. ASTM C618-85 is also applicable to natural pozzolanic materials which are separately classified as Class N but are not pertinent here.
As the above quotation indicates, the type of coal to be combusted generally determines which class fly ash results, and the type of coal in turn is often dependent on its geographic origin. Thus, Class C fly ash frequently results from coals mined in the Midwest; whereas Class F fly ash often comes from coals mined in the Appalachian region. The ASTM specification imposes certain "chemical requirements" upon the respective fly ash classifications thereof which are set forth below for the relevant Classes F and C, including footnotes:
TABLE I-A ______________________________________ CHEMICAL REQUIREMENTS Mineral Admixture Class F C ______________________________________ Silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) plus aluminum 70.0 50.0 oxide (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) plus iron oxide (Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3), min, % Sulfur trioxide (SO.sub.3), max, % 5.0 5.0 Moisture content, max. % 3.0 3.0 Loss on ignition, max, % .sup. 6.0.sup.1 6.0 ______________________________________ .sup.1 The use of Class F pozzolan containing up to 12.0% loss on ignitio may be approved by the user of either acceptable performance records or laboratory test results that are made available.
TABLE I-B ______________________________________ SUPPLEMENTAY OPTIONAL CHEMICAL REQUIREMENT Mineral Admixture Class F C ______________________________________ Available alkalies, as Na.sub.2 O, max, %.sup.2 1.50 1.50 ______________________________________ Note: This optional requirement applies only when specifically requested. .sup.2 Applicable only when specifically required by the purchaser for mineral admixture to be used in concrete containing reactive aggregate an cement to meet a limitation on content of alkalies.
The ASTM physical requirements for both fly ash classes are virtually the same and are reproduced below exclusive of cautionary footnotes:
TABLE I-C ______________________________________ PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS Mineral Admixture Class F C ______________________________________ Fineness Amount retained when wet-sieved 34 34 on No. 325 (45 .mu.m) sieve, max % Pozzolanic activity index With portland cement, at 75 75 28 days, min. percent of control With lime, at 7 days min, 800(5500) . . . psi (kPa) Water requirement, max, 105 105 percent of control Soundness Autoclave expansion or contraction, 0.8 0.8 max % Uniformity requirements The specific gravity and fineness of individual samples shall not vary from the average established by the ten preceding tests or by all preceding tests if the number is less than ten, by more than: Specific gravity, max variation 5 5 from average, % Percent retained on No. 325 5 5 (45 .mu.m), max variation, percentage points from average ______________________________________
CKD, on the other hand, is a by-product of the production of portland cement clinkers by the high temperature furnacing of appropriate raw materials typically mixtures of limestone and clay or a low grade limestone already containing a sufficient quantity of argillaceous materials often with added quantities of lime to adjust the final composition. The resultant clinkers are pulverized by grinding to a high degree of fineness and these particles upon admixture with sufficient water undergo a cementitious reaction and produce the solid product generally referred to as concrete, which exhibits high compressive strength and is thus highly useful in the construction of a great variety of building or supporting structures. Generally, rotary furnaces are used for producing portland cement clinkers and a certain quantity of finely divided dust is produced as a by-product which is carried off in the flue gases from such furnaces. The dust content can range from about 5% of the clinkers output in so-called wet process plants up to as high as 15% in dry process plants. The suspended dust is removed by various separating techniques and remains as a by-product of the cement making operation. Part of the CKD can be returned to the furnace as recycled raw material, but it is not readily reincorporated into clinker formation and, in addition, tends to excessively elevate the alkalinity of the ultimate portland cement.
The quantities of these two by-product materials which are produced annually are enormous and are likely only to increase in the future. As petroleum oil as the fuel for the generation of electricity is reduced because of conservation efforts and unfavorable economics vs. the more readily available coal and as political considerations increasingly preclude the construction of new nuclear power electrical generating facilities, or even the operation of already completed units of this type, greater reliance will necessarily fall on coal as the fuel for generating electricity. As of 1979, the amount of CKD was estimated as accumulating at a rate of 4-12 million tons per year in the United States alone; whereas the amount of Class F fly ash that is available is estimated to be about ten times what can be readily utilized. Obviously, there is an urgent growing need to find effective ways of employing these unavoidably industrial by-products since otherwise they will collect at a staggering rate and create crucial concerns over their adverse environmental effect.
Various proposals have already been made for utilizing both fly ash and CKD. According to the text The Chemistry of Cement and Concrete by Lea, Chemical Publishing Company, Inc., 1971 edition, at page 421 et seq., fly ash, i.e., Class F type, from boilers was first reported to be potentially useful as a partial replacement for portland cement in concrete construction about 50 years ago, and its utilization for that purpose has since become increasingly widespread. It is generally accepted that the proportion of portland cement replaced by the usual fly ash should not exceed about 20% to avoid significant reduction in the compressive strength of the resultant concrete, although some more cautions jurisdictions may impose lower limits, e.g., the 15% maximum authorized by the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation (VDHT). As described by Lea at page 437, the substitution of the fly ash tends to retard the early rate of hardening of the concrete so that the concrete shows up to a 30% lower strength after seven days testing and up to 25% lower strength after 28 days of testing, but in time the strength levels equalize at replacement levels up to 20%. Increasing the substitution quantity up to 30% gives more drastic reduction in the early compression values plus an ultimate reduction of at least about 15% after one year.
The limited substitution of fly ash for portland cement in concrete formulations has other effects beyond compressive strength changes, both positive and negative. The fly ash tends to increase the workability of the cement mix and is recognized as desirably reducing the reactivity of the portland cement with so-called reactive aggregates. On the other hand, fly ash contains a minor content of uncombusted carbon which acts to absorb air entrained in the concrete. Because entrained air increases the resistance of the hardened concrete to freezing, such reduction is undesirable but can be compensated for by the inclusion as an additive of so-called air-entraining agents.
Utilization of fly ash for up to 20% of cement in concrete mixes at best consumes only a fraction of the available quantities of this material, and efforts have been made to increase its use. Dodson et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,457, while recognizing this accepted limit, proposed the substitution of larger amounts of fly ash, and preferably more, of the portland cement with certain selected natural fly ashes having a combined content of silica, alumina and ferric oxide content, less than 80% by weight, and a calcium content exceeding 10%, based on five samples of such ashes, varying from about 58-72% combined with a calcium oxide range of about 18-30%. Six other ash samples which were not suitable at the high levels of 50% or more were shown to vary in the combined oxide content from about 87-92% and in calcium oxide content from about 4 to about 8%. Evaluating these values against the ASTM C618-85, one observes that the acceptable fly ashes came under the Class C specifications, while the unacceptable ashes fell in the Class F specification. Thus, this patent in effect establishes that natural Class C fly ashes are suitable for substantially higher levels of replacement for portland cement in concrete mixes than are Class F fly ashes, and this capacity is now generally recognized, with Class C fly ashes being generally permitted up to about a 50% replacement level while maintaining the desirable physical properties of the concrete especially compressive strength.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,952, Hulbert et al while also acknowledging the generally recognized permissible limit of (Class F) fly ash replacement for portland cement of 20%, proposed replacement of at least 50% up to 80%, provided the mix contained as additives about 2% of gypsum and about 3% of calcium chloride by weight of the fly ash. The fly ash described for this purpose, however, was a natural Class C fly ash analyzing about 28% calcium oxide and a combined silica, alumina and ferric oxide content of about 63%. With up to 80% of this fly ash and the specified additives, compressive strengths comparable to straight portland cement were said to be generally achievable. In one example using 140 pounds portland cement and 560 pounds of fly ash (80-20 ratio) with conventional amounts of coarse and fine aggregate, and water and including the requisite additives, compressive strengths tested at 3180 psi for 7 days, 4200 psi for 14 days and about 5000 psi at 28 days.
Obviously, the above patents cannot contribute to a solution to the problem with Class F fly ash. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,018,617 and 4,101,332, Nicholson proposed the use of mixtures of fly ash (apparently Class F in type), cement kiln dust and aggregate for creating a stabilized base supporting surface replacing conventional gravel- or asphalt-aggregate-stabilized bases in road construction wherein the useful ranges were fly ash 6-24%, CKD 4-16% and aggregate 60-90%, with 8% CKD, 12% fly ash and 80% aggregate preferred. Compressive strength values for such measures as revealed in the examples varied rather erratically and generally exhibited only small increases in compression strength over the 7-28 day test period. Among the better results were for the preferred mixture wherein the values increased from about 1100 psi at 7 days to 1400 psi at 28 days. The addition of a small amount of calcium chloride added about a 200 psi increment to these values. On the other hand, the addition of 3% of lime stack dust recovered from a lime kiln significantly reduced the results to about 700 psi at 7 days to 900-1300 psi at 28 days. Elimination of the aggregate reduced the strength to a fraction of the values otherwise, a mixture of 12% CKD and 88% fly ash alone showing strength values of only about 190-260 psi over the 28 day test period. Similarly, the choice of a finely divided aggregate such as fill sand resulted in about the same fractional level of strength values in the range of about 140-230 psi. A combination of finely divided and coarse aggregate in approximately equal amounts reduced the compressive strength values by about 1/2 with virtually no change over the test period, giving values ranging from about 650-750 psi, except where 1% of Type 1 portland cement was included which restored the strength values to about their general level, except at the initial 7 day period where the strength values were about 800-900 psi increase at 28 days to about 1200-1600 psi. Curiously, the best strength results were attained when 11.6% fly ash was combined with 3.4% lime with the balance crushed aggregate, the CKD being omitted entirely, for which the strength values while starting at a lower level of about 850-950 at 7 days increased to about 1700 psi at 28 days.
The combination of fly ash and lime stack dust incidentally mentioned in the later patent was explored further by Nicholson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,095 which governs mixtures of about 10-14% fly ash, about 5-15% lime stack dust with the balance aggregate in the range of 71-85%. Somewhat inexpicably, the compressive results reported here for such mixtures do not reach the high level specified in the first two patents, the strength values specified being only about 1000 psi with the more general levels well below that depending on particular proportions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,316, Wills discloses the use of mixtures of kiln dust and fly ash as a replacement for ground limestome and gypsum for forming a mortar or masonry cement, using proportions of about 25-55% portland cement, about 25-65% CKD and 10-25% fly ash. When these mortar formulations were mixed with damp sand in the proportions of about one part cement mixture to 2.5-3 parts sand, compression strengths comparable to those of standard masonry cement composed of 55% cement clinkers, 40% limestone and 5% gypsum were shown for mixtures containing 50% cement, 25-40% CKD and 15-25% fly ash. Inexplicably, in one example, when the cement content was increased to 55% with 35% CKD and 10% fly ash, the compressive strengths dropped by about 30-40% at both the 7 day and 28 day ages to levels inferior to the standard material. As the cement content was decreased, with corresponding increases in the CKD, the compressive strength values dropped drastically. On the other hand, in another similar example mixtures containing 55% cement, 35% CKD and 10% ash proved superior, particularly at the 28 day age, in compressive strength mixtures containing 50% cement, 35% fly ash and 15% CKD as well as other standard masonry cements containing 50% cement, 47% limestone and 3% gypsum. Indeed, strength values dropped about 40% for the mixtures with a 5% reduction in cement and a corresponding 5% increase in the fly ash to values definitely inferior to the standard cements. Similar variations were shown under laboratory test conditions for comparable 50/35/15 mixtures dependent on the source of the fly ash while under actual construction conditions for the same mixtures, compressive strength values were reduced by about 50% for both the conventional masonry cement containing 55% portland cement and comparable mixtures within the patented concept. The fly ash was preferably Class F with Class C materials being less desirable.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,677 Wills went on to teach that in the manufacture of concrete products such as blocks or bricks, the fly ash usually employed in combination with portland cement therein could be replaced in its entirety by CKD with modest improvement in early compressive strength values for such products. Thus, at one day and two day tests, compressive strength values were shown of about 500-800 psi, but were said to increase to about 1200 psi after 28 days. The mixes disclosed here contained 0.4-0.9 parts cement, about 0.1-0.6 parts CKD and 10-12 parts aggregate combining both fine and coarse materials, such as expanded shale and natural sand in a weight ratio of 80/20. Masonry cements generally develop at least about 95% of their strength properties at 28 days age so that additional aging of the patent products would not be expected to result in any significant increase in their compressive strength values.
In a different vein, an improved highly activated fly ash is obtained by Minnick in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,115 by injecting lime together with bituminous coal into the combustion boiler to give a synthetic fly ash developing early strength as high as five times that obtained conventionally. The improved highly active fly ash can be mixed in proportions of 80-90 parts with 5-87 parts aggregate and 5-30 parts water. The injected lime combines with the sulfur dioxide released during combustion of the coal, and additional sulfur may be needed if the coal has insufficient sulfur, giving a fly ash having a considerably increased sulfate content as well as calcium oxide and magnesium contents.

Synthetic class C fly ash and use thereof as partial cement replacement in general purpose concrete


A system for an agricultural machine for displaying machine-specific information and inputting machine-specific commands comprising a programmable electronic control unit (1) comprises a microcontroller having an interface for connection to a bus system (2) belonging to the machine. The control unit (1) further comprises wired or wireless communication means for setting up a wireless or wired communication connection (4) to a mobile computer unit (3), such that the control unit (1) is connected for data exchange to the mobile computer unit (3). The control unit (1) is connected, on one hand, to a tractor control device (5) and other participants (6) of the bus system (2) by means of the machine's bus system (2), and on the other hand to the mobile computer unit (3). The mobile computer unit (3) is used for displaying machine-specific information and inputting machine-specific commands.

Agricultural machines, more particularly motor-driven vehicles for agriculture and forestry and associated mounted implements, often have a programmable electronic control unit for controlling various drive and device components. The control unit is connected to actuators and optionally to mounted implements by means of a network or control bus system belonging to the machine, and comprises a user interface on which control commands and controlling parameters can be input or selected. The user interface allows target values for particular parameters to be input, and has a graphic display panel on which input target values and operating parameters and functional signals of the machine that are measured by sensors can be displayed. In many cases, the display panel is also provided with a touch input function in order to make it simpler to input various parameters. In agricultural vehicles and mobile agricultural machines, use is often made of control bus systems and user interfaces according to the ISO 11783 standard, which is widely known as ISOBUS.
The user interface can form a man-machine interface to the ISOBUS in the form of a "virtual terminal" (VT). The VT generally has a display screen and operating elements. Each device connected to the ISOBUS logs into the VT and loads an object pool on the VT. By means of the object pool, information about the device in question can be consulted and adjustments can be made. The disadvantage is, however, that the VT is often low-resolution and no longer meets the current technical standard, particularly with relatively old agricultural machines. The VT is mounted on one side of the driver's cab and the position thereof cannot be changed. This has the major disadvantage that, depending on his seating position, the driver of the agricultural machine may not be able to optimally see and operate the VT, or may not be able to do so at all. The driver can use other operating elements, such as a joystick, which can generally also be positioned in various positions accessible to the driver. However, these operating elements do not have any visual display means and are merely provided for operating the agricultural machine or the mounted implements.

Display and input system for an agricultural machine


A control housing cover for an internal combustion engine includes an engine block cover portion having a plurality of apertures, an oil separator for blow-by gases integrated into the control housing cover, an engine support plate operable for securing supporting the internal combustion engine in place and wherein the oil separator is arranged neighboring the engine support plate.

DE 10 2008 021 055 A1 discloses a control housing cover for an internal combustion engine that is arranged laterally on the engine block and covers the timing chain of the internal combustion engine. A crankcase venting device is integrated in the control housing cover by means of which oil particles from the blow-by gases of the crankcase of the internal combustion engine are separated wherein the gases are supplied to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine after oil separation. The crankcase venting device comprises an oil separator that is insertable into a receptacle in the control housing cover that is located in the lateral area of the control housing cover. An oil drain line for separated oil branches off the oil separator in downward direction and a return line for the purified blow-by gases in upward direction. All components of the crankcase venting device, i.e., the oil separator as well as the oil drain line and the return line, are arranged in the lateral area of the control housing cover wherein care is to be taken that guiding of the timing chain is not impaired by the components of the crankcase venting device. For avoiding this problem, the control cover housing must have a relatively great width in order to be able to receive the crankcase venting device without impairing the timing chain.

Control housing cover for an internal combustion engine


An imaging system comprised of a source of penetrative radiation 14, an image intensifier tube 18 and a video camera 38 is provided. The intensifier tube is comprised of a input screen 22 and an output screen 24. The intensifier tube converts radiation 20 impinging on the input screen into a visible light image 36 on the output screen 24. The video camera is operatively positioned to view the output screen of the intensifier. A light sampler 50 is operatively disposed in the visible light path between the image intensifier output screen 24 and the video camera input 38. The light sampler is comprised of a mirror 52, a focusing lens 54, a beam splitter 56, an aperture 58, a light source 78, a photo receptor 60 and an optical aligner 64. The optical aligner fixes the first mirror 52, the focusing lens 54, the half-mirror 56, the aperture 58, the light source 62 and the photo receptor 60 in optical alignment such that light originating on the output screen and received by the mirror 52 is directed to focusing lens 54 and to beam splitter 56. A portion of the light striking beam splitter 56 is reflected thereby and passes through aperture 58 and strikes photo receptor 60. Light originating from the light source 62 is directed to half-mirror 56 and passes therethrough to lens 54, to mirror 52 and to the output screen 22.

The present invention relates to monitoring of x-ray exposures in imaging or inspection. It finds application in conjunction with diagnostic imaging apparatus, such as fluoroscopic imaging systems, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it should be appreciated that the invention will also find application in conjunction with other equipment where precise adjustable positioning of a radiation or visible light detection means is desirable.
Fluoroscopic imaging systems include a continuous or rapidly pulsed source of radiographic energy, such as that from an x-ray tube. The x-ray tube, when activated, propagates radiation through an object to be imaged, such as a human patient, onto a screen of fluorescent material. The object to be imaged is disposed in a gap between the x-ray source and the fluorescent screen.
X-ray radiation passing through the imaged object is attenuated according to the density of the material through which it has passed. Radiation passing through dense material, such as bone, will be attenuated more than radiation of similar energy passing through less dense materials, such as tissue. For uniformly intense radiation entering an object the radiation energy exiting the object is representative of the attenuation occurring within the object. Attenuated radiation impinging on the fluorescent screen is absorbed by fluorescent material thereon and converted into visible light image proportional to the radiation energy impinging at each point thereon. This conversion results in a two dimensional light image of the object represented by a plurality of different intensities of visible light. This light image can be visualized by the human eye or captured onto photographic film, which is generally more sensitive to light than to x-ray. The brightness of the fluorescent screen is sufficient to expose film placed in direct contact with the screen, but the light output is generally too low for direct diagnostic visualization, photographing with a camera, or viewing with a television camera. In many applications, a device is needed that will convert the x-rays into light and intensify, or increase, the brightness of the light. An image intensifier is such a device.
An image intensifier can be described as an evacuated glass bottle having a large bottom area as the input screen, and a small `cap` area as the output screen. The x-ray source side of the input screen has a fluorescent material disposed thereon for absorbing the incident x-rays and converting a portion thereof into a low level visible light image. The low level visible light is absorbed by at photo cathode layer disposed in the evacuated bottle. The absorption of light by the photo cathode layer results in the emission of low energy electrons into the evacuated bottle. An electrical energy source applies a bias voltage between the photo cathode and the output screen which accelerates the low energy electrons in the tube towards the output screen. A plurality of electrodes in the intensifier tube form an electrostatic lens which provides controlled acceleration and convergence of the electrons into a smaller image area on the output screen. The accelerated electrons, which are now at a high kinetic energy potential, converge on and strike the output screen which has a phosphor thereon. The convergence of the electrons on the output screen phosphor results in scintillations of light corresponding in intensity to the kinetic energy of the electron striking at each point on the output screen. The sum of the individual scintillations of light on the output screen results in an image on the output screen that is representative of the radiation at the input of the intensifier tube.
The input end of a viewing means, such as a video camera, is held in fixed relation to the output of the intensifier tube in order that the output image of the intensifier tube can be viewed by the camera input. The video camera is part of a closed circuit television system which provides a visual image on an image monitor that is representative of the radiation image detected at the input of the intensifier.
In fluoroscopy, the patient is exposed to a low intensity source of continuous or rapidly pulsed x-ray radiation so that the radiologist can dynamically view the operation of the internal body structure being imaged on the image monitor. In practice a balance is made between minimizing patient exposure to x-ray radiation and the need to provide sufficient radiation to produce a quality diagnostic image. Factors that influence the amount of radiation delivered to a patient in a particular imaging sequence are the path length the radiation will traverse within the patient and the attenuation of the radiation within patient structures being imaged. Preliminary selection of x-ray dose rate can be made on the basis of empirical data however, because path length and attenuation are patient dependent variables, the actual effect of x-ray dose selection is not known until the output image is viewed.
In some fluoroscopic imaging systems the x-ray source, image intensifier, video camera and related components are contained within a movable gantry structure which allows the fluoroscopic system to be dynamically positioned about the patient. Moreover, the patient couch can be moved, relative to the x-ray source and image intensifier, during imaging operations to optimize the image view. Adjustment of the gantry and/or patient couch during imaging results in a change in the image intensity change due to fluctuations in the radiation path length or different radiation attenuation characteristics in different portions of the patient. Because the viewed image is capable of dynamically changing it is desirable to provide a means to dynamically adjust the x-ray dose rate to maintain the same image quality regardless of changing conditions.
One way to assure consistent image quality is to measure the x-ray dose rate after the x-rays have passed through the object to be imaged. A way to accomplish this is to measure the intensity of the light image on the output screen of the image intensifier. Accordingly, a light sampling means is disposed to view the output screen of the image intensifier. One such sampling means is comprised of a pair of mirrors or prisms disposed on an adjustable mirror assembly, an opaque housing with a light input hole in the side thereof and a photo multiplier tube (PMT) disposed in the housing. The PMT is an externally biased vacuum tube device that produces an electrical output in response to light input on a collector array therein. The PMT is disposed in the housing such that light passing through the light input hole strikes the collector array. In operation a first support arm operatively positions one of the mirrors into the visible light path and a second support arm supports the other mirror. The support arms hold the mirrors such that they are aligned to reflect light propagating from the intensifier output screen into the light input hole wherein the PMT collector converts the incident light into an electrical signal equivalent of the light received thereby. The output of the PMT is connected to a controller which adjusts the source of radiation such that the light image on the output screen is maintained at a predetermined brightness level for diagnostic viewing.
In application, the radiation passing through the object to be imaged passes through more areas of the object in the area of interest. These other areas routinely attenuate the radiation differently than the area of interest thereby resulting in different levels of brightness on the output screen. Accordingly, it is desirable to have the sampling means sample the light from a select area of the output screen corresponding to the area of interest in the imaged object. Adjustment of the above described sampling means requires the operator to insert an x-ray mask in the radiation beam path between the radiation source and the intensifier input screen. The mask is a sheet of x-ray opaque and x-ray transmissive pattern portions which causes a known x-ray pattern to be disposed on the input screen when the x-ray source is engaged. The x-ray pattern striking the input screen results in a representative light pattern on the output screen of the intensifier tube. To adjust the sampling means such that it monitors the light from a select portion of the intensifier output screen, it is necessary to engage the x-ray source with the x-ray mask in position. With the known pattern on the output screen the position of the mirror(s) is manually adjusted until the PMT receives light from the select portion of the output screen pattern. Thereafter, the x-ray source is disengaged and the x-ray mask is removed from the beam path.
One problem with the prior art devices is that the x-ray source must be engaged in order to adjust the viewing positions of the mirror(s) to a select portion of the image intensifier output screen.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved photo detection means which utilizes inverse projection of a test pattern to adjust the optical alignment of the detection means thereby avoiding the need to engage the radiation source during alignment.

Optical alignment means utilizing inverse projection of a test pattern/target


Methods, systems, and media are shown for calculating an estimated amount of time needed to read a document. The estimate is based on historical session data. Reading sessions are identified in part by excluding sessions that include non-reading user behavior signals, such as adding text to the document, printing, or changing formatting. Reading sessions are further identified by generating session clusters based on shared attributes, and for each cluster, determining if a relationship exists between session time and the shared attribute. If a relationship exists, sessions are excluded if they don't fit the relationship.

It has been challenging to estimate how much time someone will take to read a document. People have limited amounts of time, and so knowing how long it will take helps them prioritize tasks and schedule their day. Knowing how long it takes to read a document also helps document creators tailor their content to time-sensitive audiences. For example, if research shows that readers stop paying attention after 5 minutes, document creators may edit their content accordingly to maximize viewership.
Estimated reading time may be calculated based on historical data captured as many users read many different documents. However, it is difficult to know when a document opened in an application was actually being read and not just left open while the user gets a coffee.
Estimating reading time for a document is further complicated when the document includes types of content other than text, such as images, tables, figures, etc., as each different type of content contributes differently to the estimate. It is with respect to these and other technical challenges that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Estimating document reading time based on apparent user reading activity

Abstract: Once reading sessions are identified, coefficients for a formula are generated that are applied to an unseen document to estimate reading time. Each coefficient is associated with an element type. The coefficients are derived by iteratively analyzing documents with one unknown element type and subtracting out contributions of known element types.


A method for treating a patient with cancer includes the steps of obtaining cells from a cancerous tumor in the patient. Then there is the step of performing multiple correlated measurements on each cell to obtain cell data for each cell regarding each cell's place in a genetic evolutionary pathway that had occurred in the tumor. Next there is the step of determining from the cell data a likelihood of recurrence of the cancer by minimizing false negatives. A method for treating a patient with cancer. The method includes the steps of obtaining cells from a cancerous tumor in the patient. Then there is the step of obtaining cell data for each cell regarding each cell's place in a genetic evolutionary pathway that had occurred in the tumor. Next there is the step of recognizing distinctive false negative patterns from the cell data. Then there is the step of correlating the false negative patterns to aberrations in mitogenic signaling to determine a likelihood of recurrence of the cancer in the patient. An apparatus for treating a patient with cancer.

Of the 180,000 new cases of breast cancer that are diagnosed annually in the United States, approximately 140,000 will have no clinical evidence of metastatic disease. Almost all of these patients are candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or both. Yet, 70,000-75,000 of the 100,000 patients without axillary node involvement and 12,000-15,000 of the 40,000 patients with axillary node involvement, would remain free of disease for the remainder of their lives even without adjuvant treatment. If the 90,000 patients who are actually cured with local therapy could be identified with confidence, they could be spared unnecessary treatment, and the health care system could be spared an unnecessary expenditure that can be estimated to exceed 500 million dollars annually (assumed treatment cost per patient in the range of $5,000-$10,000).
Although many statistically significant prognostic factors have been identified in breast cancer, no single factor has been found to date that can separate patients who are likely to relapse from those who are likely to remain disease-free cleanly enough for making clinical therapeutic decisions. For example, the presence of tumor cells in the bone marrow has recently been found to correlate very well (P<0.001) with subsequent recurrences that involve bone, but not with loco-regional or purely visceral recurrences (1). One might wish to combine prognostic factors empirically to achieve a better separation between patients who are likely to develop tumor recurrences from those who are not; indeed, the combination of axillary nodal status and the presence or absence of tumor cells in the marrow appears promising (1). However, the empirical approach is by its very nature haphazard and inefficient, and seems unlikely to produce results that would be universally accepted as definitive.
The premises underlying the invention herein are that progress in the application of prognostic factors in breast cancer will ultimately depend on the intelligent use of such factors in combination, that the most robust combinations of prognostic factors are likely to be those that are based on biological relationships at the molecular level.
This approach has been 1) to determine critical sequences of genetic evolutionary changes in breast cancer that are responsible for increasing tumor aggressiveness, in order to establish how far a given tumor has progressed in its genetic evolutionary sequence, 2) to determine if a given tumor has undergone the critical steps in the sequence that are necessary for cellular acquisition of the capacity to metastasize, and 3) to apply this information clinically for purposes of prognosis and adjuvant treatment planning.
The underlying principle that guided the work described herein was that the increase in tumor aggressiveness that accompanied tumor progression was the result of an accumulation of genetic abnormalities within individual cells. This was confirmed by studies in which multiple correlated measurements on each cell in each tumor sample were performed by means of multiparameter flow cytometry (FCM), by multiparameter fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) studies, and, more recently, by laser scanning cytometry (LSC). Patients have been followed prospectively to assess the biological consequences and clinical outcomes of the patterns of intracellular geno-phenotypic abnormalities that were found in the cells of their primary tumors at the time of surgery. Early studies showed that the accumulation of aneuploidy, Her-2/neu overexpression and ras overexpression in the same cells (triple positive cells) was of prognostic significance in breast cancer (2). These ongoing studies have recently been updated, and the prognostic information conveyed by the intracellular accumulation of these three abnormalities has been found to be of even greater statistical significance after up to 10 years of follow-up.
It has been found that the commonly observed pattern of aneuploidy, Her-2/neu overexpression and ras overexpression was characteristic of approximately two thirds of p53-dysfunctional, non-lobular breast cancers (chiefly infiltrating ductal tumors), whereas the characteristics of lobular tumors (representing ˜10 percent of the total), and those of the remaining one third of the p53-dysfunctional, diploid non-lobular breast cancers were quite different (3-5). Studies have also indicated that within individual tumors the development of p53 dysfunction generally occurs before the development of Her-2/neu overexpression, and that ras overexpression is a late event (4). Based on these findings, it was concluded that the majority of non-lobular breast cancers follow an evolutionary pathway in which wild type p53 function must be abrogated before sustained receptor tyrosine kinase-induced, ras-mediated mitogenic signaling can proceed unimpeded. The fact that p53 abnormalities, aneuploidy, Her-2/neu amplification/overexpression, and ras overexpression can all be found in ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS), a preinvasive and pre-metastatic stage of breast cancer, suggests that these changes herald subsequent evolutionary pathway-specific abnormalities that are more directly responsible for the acquisition of metastatic potential.
A major factor that constrained the clinical application of these findings in the past was the presence of false negative tumors (tumors that did not contain detectable proportions of triple positive cells, but recurred nevertheless). The false negative rate, which was in the range of 10 percent, had to be reduced substantially before this approach could be used to identify specific patients who are at such low risk for recurrence that adjuvant therapy can safely be withheld. In studies, the false negative tumors could be assigned to one of four groups, based on the patterns of intracellular abnormalities that they contained. An orderly strategy has been adapted for identifying combinations of molecular abnormalities within each of these groups that would distinguish patients at high risk for recurrence from those who are at low risk. This strategy is at the heart of the technique herein, since it assures that one can reduce the prognostic false negative rate progressively, until a level is reached that is acceptable for clinical application, no matter what that level might be. Then, aggressive therapy can be applied to patients at high risk for the presence of occult disease or micromatastesis. While much of the work to date has been carried out in breast cancer and lung cancer, the principles underlying this approach are applicable to all types of human solid tumors.

Method for prognostic factor analysis regarding cancers


The disclosed sensor includes a frame having a base and a plurality of arms integral with the base. The arms are biased to a relaxed position, which may be an extended position. A fuse is fastened between the arms to hold the arms in a non-relaxed position. When incorporated into an aircraft, for example, the disclosed sensor may be connected to a first panel, and a pin connected to a second panel may be positioned between the arms.

This disclosure relates to a cantilevered differential motion sensor which may be used with an aircraft, for example.
Certain types of sensors include an electromechanical fuse between two arms. These sensors may be in communication with mechanical linkages (e.g., aircraft panels) designed to move together. Upon malfunction of one or more of these linkages, the fuse will fracture.
One known sensor includes two separate arms biased away from one another by a separation spring. The two arms are structurally different and require unique parts. Each arm is hingeably connected to a base by a hinge pin. The arms, the base, the spring and the hinge pins are each formed separately and then assembled together.

Cantilevered differential motion sensor and associated frame


A calibration method comprises providing a mounting fixture including a tray coupled to a frame, and an alignment measurement sensor removably coupled to the tray. An angular orientation of the tray is determined using the alignment measurement sensor removably coupled to the tray in a first position. The alignment measurement sensor is then moved to a second position on the tray that is rotated from the first position, and the angular orientation of the tray is determined using the alignment measurement sensor at the second position. An axis misalignment for at least two of a pitch axis, a roll axis, or a yaw axis of the alignment measurement sensor is then calculated to determine one or more misalignment factors. The one or more misalignment factors are then applied to correct for misalignment of the alignment measurement sensor.

Boresighting is used to accurately align avionic equipment mounted on a frame of an aerial vehicle. Examples of avionic equipment that require accurate alignment include inertial reference systems, guidance systems, radars, and other sensor and weapon systems. In order to properly operate and control the avionic equipment, the equipment on the aerial vehicle is aligned with respect to a reference axis or coordinate frame.
The typical boresight alignment tool includes an angular sensor used to measure the relative difference from a datum point of the aircraft to a target point of the aircraft to be calibrated. In addition, if the aircraft is not held rigidly in place, some form of sensor is needed to correct for aircraft body movement.
A higher level of accuracy is required in aligning a boresighting device to a mounting surface to be calibrated than is possible with current mounting methods. One problem is that the boresighting device and mounting system must be calibrated to each other in a factory, and cannot be replaced in the field without losing the required accuracy. An additional problem is that a platform or surface on which any type of calibration might be made can wear with time or not have the required surface accuracy for the required calibration. A further problem occurs when local coriolis and gravitation effects are different from the location where the equipment was originally calibrated. Depending on the type of sensor used in the boresighting device, this can significantly degrade the accuracy of the device.

Field interchangable boresight mounting system and calibration method


A holder for a telephone handset, in particular for use in cars, which is to provide a hands-free function comprises a stationary holder part and a pivotable holder part which can pivot relative to the former about a holder pivot axis between an open position, in which the pivotable holder part encloses an angle with the stationary holder part, and a closed position, in which the pivotable holder part lies substantially parallel to the stationary holder part. The pivotable holder part has a connector which cooperates with a mating connector of a cordless telephone handset so as to achieve an automatic electrical connection thereof when a cordless telephone handset is inserted.

The invention relates to a holder for a telephone handset, in particular for use in automobiles for providing a hands-free function, comprising a stationary holder part and a pivotable holder part which is pivotable relative to the stationary holder part about a holder pivot axis between an open position in which the pivotable holder part encloses an angle with the stationary holder part and a closed position in which it is substantially parallel to the stationary holder part.
The invention also relates to an assembly of a holder and a telephone handset.
Such a holder is known, for example, from a German patent application laid open to public inspection ("Offenlegungsschrift") DE-40.15.091 A1. A holder is discussed in this docment which is designed for horizontal mounting, for example on the transmission tunnel of an autombile, and in which a telephone handset can be placed which is connected via a cord to other parts belonging to a mobile communication device. The holder has at a first end a retaining part which grips over the telephone handset and which supports the telephone. At the opposite end, there is a second retaining part which grips over an inserted telephone handset at least adjacent the edge. The first retaining part may be provided with a pivotable holder part.

Holder for a telephone handset, and assembly of a holder and a telephone handset


The present invention relates to a processing method for preparing pharmacologically potent ginseng product and the extract therefrom which could provide abundant amount ginsenoside Rg5 showing various pharmacological activities with applying selected range of pressure and temperature into the method and therefore the composition comprising the processed ginseng and the extract thereof can be useful as a medicament or health care food in the prevention or treatment of various diseases, especially, cancer disease.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for preparing novel processed ginseng to obtain increased amount of ginsenoside Rg5. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for preparing processed ginseng product and the extract thereof which contains increased amount of ginsenoside Rg5 by treating ginseng under specific pressure and temperature range.
2. Background Art
It has been found that ginseng enforces non-specific resistance to psychological stress and shows maintaining effect on human homeostasis together with other potent pharmacological activities, i.e., alleviation of hypertension, reinforcing activity of insulin, blood glucose lowering activity, stimulating effect on liver RNA synthesis, protein, glucose and lipid metabolism or anticancer activity.
There are many genus of Panax genus plants belonged to Araliaceae, for example, Panax ginseng distributed or cultivated in far-eastern Asia region, Panax quinquefolia in America and Canada, Panax notoginseng in China, Panax trifolia in eastern region of north America, Panax japonica in Japan, China and Nepal, Panax pseudoginseng in Nepal, Panax vietnamensis in Vietnam, Panax elegatior, Panax wangianus and Panax bipinratifidus etc.
Three types of ginseng products have been commercially available i.e., four year's old, five year's and six year's old ginseng and six year's old ginseng product cultivated on autumn has been reported to most potent among them. Particularly, the husk of un-husked ginseng contains lots of saponin, which shows potent activity.
Ginsenosidal saponins isolated from ginseng having dammarane skeleton linked to several saccharides are different from those isolated from the other plants. In particular, there have been reported that ginseng contains about 30 kinds of saponin ingredients, especially ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg, Re etc as main components. Those saponin compounds shows various pharmacological activities and potency according to their chemical structure and ginsenoside Rg5 among them has been highlighted as a medicine due to its potent immuno-potentiating activity as well as vaso dilating activity, anti-cancer activity, neuronal cell protecting activity etc recently.
At present, there have been tried to process conventional ginseng to obtain more potent efficacy or utility by way of changing the structure of ginseng saponin in the process.
Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0192678, discloses a process for preparing a processed ginseng prepared by subjecting hot temperature treatment containing high contents of ginsenoside Rg5 so as to obtaining processed ginseng having improved potency differing from original form of ginseng. However, the processing method could not provide the information on the correlation between the content change of ginsenoside Rg5 and the change of temperature and internal pressure and the method requires toxic organic solvent such as butanol.
The inventors of the present invention have intensively carried out the scientific investigation concerning new processing method to obtain safe and uniform ginseng product. As a result of the investigation, the inventors have found novel processing method for preparing pharmacologically potent ginseng product which have more increased content of ginsenoside Rg5 verified by comparing with conventional ginseng and the processed ginseng product disclosed in prior art and they have finally completed the present invention.

Method for preparing processed ginseng to obtain increased amount of ginsenoside RG5