A toner comprising a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the binder resin comprises an urea modified polyester, the urea modified polyester being prepared by urea-bonding an isocyanate-modified crystalline polyester segment and an isocyanate-modified amorphous polyester using an amine crosslinking agent.

Recently, electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as printers, facsimile machines or multifunctional peripheral (MFP) improved in energy saving are required for global environmental protection, and development of MFP reduced in electric cost has been progressed.
It is essential for reducing electric cost to attain low temperature fixing in the fixing apparatus consuming large electric power. Also, airtightness of the image forming apparatus and the toner cartridge has to be improved since small sizing of the apparatus and maintaining suitability are necessary. The toner to be used in such the apparatus is desired that the toner particles are not thermally coagulated by accumulating caused by the fixing treatment. Concretely, it is essential that the toner particles are not thermally coagulated and have stable fluidity and superior heat resistive storing ability in a magnetic single-component or non-magnetic single-component toner cartridge or a double-component developer type developing unit in which a developing roll and a magnetic carrier are enclosed.
On the other hand, the electrophotographic image forming method is spread from simple use for copying documents in an office by a usual copying machine to a printer to uses out of the office. Specifically, application of the electrophotographic image forming system expands to the market of on-demand printing (POD) included in the area of light printing. On the POD market, need of printing on recording materials other than usually used image recording material such as paper in the electrophotographic system become strong.
The paper suitable for the electrophotographic image formation is generally designed to be suitable for the image forming apparatus, namely suitable for the toner used in the apparatus, where the surface resistivity of the paper is increased to increase the transferring efficiency, or a filler having small particle diameter or having low damage causing property is applied to reduce the damage on the photoreceptor. However, it is required in the field of POD that the tone can be suitable for various kinds of paper.
Concrete examples of the various kinds of paper include a cardboard to be used for a cover of booklet, an advertisement poster, a glossy paper to be used for a printed matter having high quality feeling and a coated paper to be used as a stout card on which wax or polylactic acid latex was coated. Moreover, in the field of POD, there is a case in which a coated paper is used as the printing paper and then laminate treated after printing to increase the glossiness of the whole of the printed matter.
Various problems occurs, however, on the occasion of printing using the usual toner onto the above described kinds of paper. For example, a problem such as that the toner is peeled off from the coated paper because the toner is not sufficiently permeated into the coated paper so that the fixing is insufficiently performed when the usual toner is printed and fixed on the coated paper, and that the toner is peeled off from the laminating material when the paper is subjected to the lamination treatment because sufficient contact between the toner and the laminating material cannot be obtained. Therefore, sufficiently fixed visible image is difficultly to be formed when the printing is performed onto the above-described kinds of paper by using the usual toner.
It has been known to use a graft-copolymer or a block-copolymer of crystalline polyester and amorphous polyester as a binder resin constituting the toner for attaining low temperature fixing in the fixing apparatus. It has been found that the low temperature fixing ability can be obtained by high melting ability of the crystalline polyester and by high viscoelasticity of the amorphous polyester when an image is printed using such the toner on the above-described paper such as the coated paper.
However, the binder resin formed by simply graft-copolymerizing or block-copolymerizing the crystalline polyester and the amorphous polyester results in having a usual polyester structure and is negatively charged. Therefore, there have been problems, for example, that, when such a binder resin is used in a toner, the amount of charge is unintentionally increased, or that only insufficient adhesion of the toner to the coated paper is obtained due to repulsion force of the charge when printed on a paper coated with polylactic acid. As the result, the toner tends to peel off at the interface of the coated paper and the toner with a strong impact, when the image printed on the coated paper is subjected to a laminating treatment. It can be considered as the reason of the peeling off of the toner from the polylactic acid coated paper that, not only due to the electrostatic repulsion force between the coating material and the toner, sufficient adhesion cannot be obtained when the toner does not have a high melting performance in the case of the fixing of the toner by thermally melting the binder resin, because the coating material of the coated paper is not melted to deform as a usual paper sheet so that the anchor effect cannot be obtained. In the case of the ink, suitable fixation can be obtained because the ink is permeable into the coated paper.
As above-described, the toner using the binder resin formed by simply graft-copolymerizing or block-copolymerizing the crystalline polyester and the amorphous polyester does not exhibit sufficient toner strength even though sufficient low temperature fixing ability can be obtained.
The crystalline polyester easily causes filming on triboelectricity generating parts such as the developing roller, the carrier and the image carrier when the binder resin composed of the crystalline polyester becomes exposed from the toner particle by crashing the toner particle since the crystalline polyester has malleability. When the filming is caused on the image carrier, a problem is posed that the filming resin absorbs moisture and causes irregular image such as image streaming at the starting of the image forming apparatus.
For solving the problem of filming, a technology is proposed, in which the crystalline polyester is graft-copolymerized as a branched chain with a principal chain of another resin, cf. Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example. However, the problem of filming is not sufficiently solved yet by such the technology.
Reason of that is surmised that the resin is not sufficiently grafted because the graft-copolymerization is performed by applying the dehydration reaction on the occasion of synthesizing the polyester.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereafter referred to as JP-A) No. 5-45929
Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 5-44027
Patent Document 3: JP-A No. 2006-18018

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A container including a neck and an opening, in combination with a tamper-evidencing closure including a top, a depending annular skirt and a tamper-evidencing band frangibly connected to the annular skirt. The container includes a first securing structure on the neck spaced from the opening. The tamper-evidencing band includes an inwardly turned retaining rim that extends at least partially upwardly. The retaining rim has a free edge for engagement with the locking surface as the closure is removed from the neck. The retaining rim includes a plurality of outwardly directed flutes spaced circumferentially thereon and a second securing structure located on the retaining rim between the flutes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements tamper-evidencing closures including tamper-evidencing bands such as those commonly used as bottle caps. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved detachable tamper-evidencing band design for improved mounting of the closure on a spout or neck of a container, as well as to improve the engagement of the tamper-evidencing band with the spout or neck.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,031 to Barriac discloses a tamper-indicating closure that includes an inwardly folded tamper-indicating band with intermittent pleats, around the inwardly folded portion of the band. The pleats are inwardly directed and spaced around the circumference of the band. U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,913 to Kelly discloses a similar tamper-indicating closure that also has an inwardly folded tamper-indicating band with continuous pleats around the inwardly folded portion of the band.
As discussed in the Kelly ""913 patent, the tamper-indicating band should slip over the locking bead or rim of the container neck without damaging the frangible web connecting the band to the skirt of the closure. The tamper-indicating band must be sufficiently elastic in order to avoid too great a resistance when closing the bottle, which could damage the frangible web. However, the tamper-indicating band should be sufficiently stiff in order to reliably engage the locking bead of the container neck and thereby hold the band beneath the locking bead when opening the closure, so that the tamper-indicating band will tear at the frangible web.
The Kelly ""913 patent improves the flexibility of the inwardly folded pleated portion of the band in two ways. One, a frangible web is provided between each pleat. The frangible webs between the pleats ensure high elasticity of the tamper-indicating band during closure. Alternatively, individual bridges, instead of a frangible web, are provided between the pleats. The bridges are relatively easily damaged during opening of the closure, thus improving the tamper-indicating nature of the closure.
It has been determined by the applicant herein that the inwardly-turned pleated designs of both the Barriac ""031 patent and the Kelly ""913 patent have a tendency to improperly grip the locking bead of the container neck and, thereby allow the tamper-indicating band to slip back upwardly over the locking bead upon opening of the closure, which defeats the tamper-indicating aspect of the designs. The present invention improves upon this aspect of prior art pleated tamper-indicating bands.
It is also known for the internal thread pattern of a bottle cap to include spaced gaps around the spiral thread bead for the purpose of reducing weight of the bottle cap as well as to simplify tooling production required to manufacture the bottle caps. The present invention also provides an improved spiral thread pattern and design.
Briefly described, the present invention comprises a tamper-evidencing closure for a container with a locking surface on the neck of the container, with the closure including a closure or cap with a top portion and a depending annular skirt, a tamper-evidencing band connected to the lower edge of the annular skirt by means of a frangible connection, the tamper-evidencing band including an inwardly turned retaining rim that extends at least partially upwardly relative to the container neck, the retaining rim including a free edge that is adapted to engage the locking surface of the container neck, the free edge of the retaining rim including ramp elements that provide for one-way screwing of the closure cap onto a neck having corresponding ramp elements.
One aspect of the present invention is directed to a container including a neck and an opening, in combination with a tamper-evidencing closure including a top, a depending annular skirt and a tamper-evidencing band frangibly connected to the annular skirt. The container includes a first securing structure on the neck spaced from the opening. The tamper-evidencing band includes an inwardly turned retaining rim that extends at least partially upwardly. The retaining rim has a free edge for engagement with the locking surface as the closure is removed from the neck. The retaining rim includes a plurality of outwardly directed flutes spaced circumferentially thereon and, optionally, a second securing structure located on the retaining rim between the flutes.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.


The present invention is to prepare efficiently 2′-amino-5′-hydroxypropiophenone corresponding to the AB-ring part of camptothecin (CPT) skeleton and a tricyclic ketone corresponding to the CDE-ring part in order to provide efficiently CPT by the total synthesis, which is a starting material for irinotecan hydrochloride and various kinds of camptothecin derivatives, and to provide stably CPT and its derivatives.

Camptothecin (hereinafter described as CPT) isolated from the bark, root, fruit, leaf and the like of Camtotheca acuminata of Chinese origin is a pentacyclic alkaloid and is known to show the anti-tumor activity by inhibition of a nucleic acid synthesis. In the meantime, as to a camptothecin derivative the induction of diarrhea and the like as a side effect are reported (Gann to Kagaku Ryohou 17, p 115–120, 1990), leaving a problem to cause disorder for the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore, various kinds of derivatives have been examined to reduce the toxicity, to increase the effect, and so on.
Thus, the inventors already reported 7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino]carbonyloxycamptothecin.hydrochloride.trihydrate (hereinafter described as CPT-11), the water soluble semisynthetic derivative of CPT, as a compound which is reduce in toxicity compared to CPT, and it is at present widely used as the anti-tumor agent (general name; irinotecan hydrochloride).
Camptothecin analogs such as CPT-11 can be derived by a chemical modification of CPT obtained from natural materials.
However, owing to an extremely low amount of CPT obtained from natural materials such as Camtotheca acuminata which is the starting material, it is anticipated that according to an increased demand of CPT-11 which is a useful derivative and the like, a sufficient supply of CPT becomes difficult notwithstanding a measure for the starting material supply such as afforestation. Although the total synthesis is also examined, it is the present situation that it has not yet been into practical use.
As a process by total synthesis is known the method of Shen, W. et al. represented by the below reaction scheme via Friedländer reaction of the aminopropiophenone and the tricyclic ketone (J. Org. Chem. 1993, 58, 611–617 "Concise Total Syntheses of dl-Camptothecin and Related Anticancer Drugs.", though there are problems that the steps are tedious, the yields are not sufficient and only the racememate is synthesized.

In the meantime, although Curran, D. P. et al. carried out a total synthesis by the method using a cascade radical cyclization of the aryl isonitrile and the iodopyridone represented by the below reaction scheme (Chem. Eur. J. 1998, 4, 67–83 "A General Synthetic Approach to the (20S)-Camptothecin Family of Antitumor Agents by a Regiocontrolled Cascade Radical Cyclization of Aryl Isonitriles."), problems are pointed out in which the yield of the cyclization reaction is not sufficient and deprotection of the protective group is necessary after cyclization.

Additionally, although the above Curran, D. P. et al. synthesized 4-iodo-2-methoxy-6-trimethylsilylpyridine-3-carbaldehyde, an intermediate in the synthesis of the tricyclic ketone part of CPT analogs, according to the below scheme,
this method is highly dangerous due to the necessity to use t-BuLi easily flammable in a large amount industrially, and the reaction at −78° C. as a reaction temperature is required, making it impossible to enlarge the batch size. Further, owing to the necessity of a complicated temperature control in the total reaction system it was not an industrially practical reaction system.

Method of synthesizing camptothecin-relating compounds


To remove the traces of chlorotrifluoroethylene (F1113) which are present in a pentafluoroethane (F125), the F125 is passed through a bed of active carbon.

Pentafluoroethane (known in the trade under the designation F125) has been proposed as a substitute for chloropentafluoroethane (F115) and for chlorodifluoromethane (F22) for the applications linked with the refrigeration industries; on its own or in combination with other HFAs it is especially advantageous for replacing the refrigerant R502 (azeotropic mixture of F115 and F22) widely employed hitherto for the production of industrial cooling.
F125 can be obtained by hydrogenolysis of F115, as described in patent EP 506 525, or by liquid- or gas-phase fluorination of chlorinated or chlorofluorinated compounds. Among these processes there may be mentioned more particularly those starting from olefins like perchloroethylene with addition of a first molecule of HF and substitution of the other chlorine atoms as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,477; as indicated in patent EP 456 552 it is also possible to start with intermediate fluorination products such as 1,1,1-trifluorodichloroethane (F123) and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluorochloroethane (F124).
These processes, in particular those using elevated temperatures, give rise to olefins which are well known for their toxicity as well as for their reactivity. Even at relatively low concentrations these olefins can, for example, be oxidized in contact with air and result in acidic conversion products making the F125 unsuitable for its commercialization.
After distillation, pentafluoroethane can still contain chlorotrifluoroethylene (F1113) originating from the dechlorohydration of 1,2-dichloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethane (F123a), a normal byproduct of the fluorination of perchloroethylene, or from the dehydrofluorination of chlorotetrafluoroethanes (F124 and F124a). During prolonged storage of F125 and in the presence of traces of air which are normally dissolved in liquid F125, F1113 can be easily oxidized and, in contact with residual moisture, result in the formation of acidic products such as HCl, HF and CF.sub.3 COOH. Furthermore, besides its sensitivity to oxidation, F1113 is well known for its ability to polymerize or copolymerize in the presence of other olefins.


The invention is a method for the development of a platform that enables the efficient and simultaneous creation of multiple detection assays. The invention entails the use of any bacteriophage, modified to carry a reporter gene, to which any analyte-recognizing moiety is attached via the capsid. The modified bacteriophage is used to attach to the target analyte. This attachment is identified via bacteriophage amplification in a helper bacteria strain with subsequent production and detection of the reporter gene.

The invention relates generally to methods of detecting target analytes and, more specifically, the development of a platform that enables the efficient and simultaneous creation of multiple detection assays and the use of such assays to detect a wide variety of target analytes, including biomolecules.
All immunoassays, regardless of their format or usage, require a reliable and sensitive detection system. The most sensitive immunoassays are radioimmunoassays. However, the ELISA is the most widely used. ELISA assays rely on enzyme-catalyzed detection, and typically employ calorimetric substrates that result in color formation. The enhanced sensitivity enabled by the BALISA will greatly improve the quality of immunologically based tests. The sensitive detection afforded by the BALISA offers other advantages over existing technologies. If one chooses to trade off sensitivity for a shorter assay time period, use of ultra-sensitive detection technology enables faster measurement of analytes. Finally, ultra-sensitive detection technology enables one to further dilute difficult samples such as meat. This improved sensitivity is especially critical in the detection of biomolecules which may be present in low concentrations, such as prions or microorganisms that have a very slow generation time, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The invention entails the use of any bacteriophage, modified to carry a reporter gene, to which any analyte-recognizing moiety is attached via the capsid. The modified bacteriophage is used to attach to the target analyte. This attachment is identified via bacteriophage amplification in a helper bacteria strain with subsequent production and detection of the reporter gene. Assays according to the present invention are able to detect rapidly and with high sensitivity a large variety of biomolecules, including bacteria, viruses, toxins, bioterrorist agents such as anthrax spores, and prions.
The advantages of this system over other systems are numerous. One important advantage is sensitivity. The detection aspect of this assay is based on phage replication and enzymatic cleavage of a substrate and thus has two built-in signal amplification steps. Many bacteriophages can bind to a single target analyte. Consequently, the sensitivity of this assay is superior to other methods because as few as 100-1000 phages would be able to produce a detectable signal. In practical terms, this means that the system should be able to directly detect 10-100 particles of the target analyte, and the actual detection number is expected to be lower than that, as more than one bacteriophage will bind to a single analyte particle.
In addition, the method described here, in which multiple assays can be produced from a single bacteriophage, is advantageous and cost effective because the assays can be produced based on a standardized platform, without the need to genetically and phenotypically completely characterize new bacteriophages for every new test.
The assay combines two proven methods, reporter bacteriophage technology, and Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) into one integrated method. The integrated technology, known as the Bacteriophage Linked Immunosorbent Assay (BALISA) harnesses the signal amplification produced by bacteriophage amplification, and enzymatic cleavage of a substrate to produce a very sensitive assay, capable of rapid detection of the target biomolecule. In one specific use, the BALISA test described herein could be used to detect foodborne pathogens. Foodborne illness accounts for seventy-five million illnesses in the United States each year. In another use, the BALISA could be used to detect biological and chemical select agents, capable to be used as biological weapons. These agents include toxins, bacteria, and viruses. The BALISA can be used directly in the field, thereby allowing fast, sensitive detection of pathogenic microorganisms and toxins.

Bacteriophage linked immunosorbent assay for rapid, sensitive detection of multiple analytes


A ferrofluidic electrical power generator installed within an agitating object, such as the interior of a vehicular tire generates electrical current in an electrical winding wound about an elongated permanent magnet. The winding is surrounded by sealed container made of non-magnetic material, partially filled with magnetized ferrofluid. The permanent magnet and the magnetized ferrofluid form a magnetic circuit surrounded by the electrical winding. Rotation and horizontal velocity of the tire will agitate the magnetized ferrofluid within the sealed container causing cyclic variations in the distribution of the magnetized ferrofluid causing variation in the magnetic flux density, thus, induction in the electrical winding.

United States Patents
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic power generator and in particular to an electrical power generator intended for installation within a vehicular tire. Such electrical power generator can supply electrical power to energize a pressure sensor and a high frequency radio transmitter for monitoring tire air-pressure while traveling. Incorrect low tire pressure may cause, while traveling, tire rupture and an accident. Such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,907, electromagnetic power generator, by Dennis G. Pappas et al. A change in the mechanical form of a vehicular tire, while traveling, is utilized for opening and closing a magnetic circuit thus generating electrical power. Another system for generating electrical power utilizing ferrofluid is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,409, by Charles M. Redman. Thermal energy is converted into electrical power using flow of magnetized ferrofluid through a coil. An additional system utilizing ferrofluid and a permanent magnet is described in U.S. Pat. 5,632,093 by Sharon A. Elias, where mechanical vibrations are converted into an electrical voltage.
The ferrofluidic, electrical power generators constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention consists of: an elongated, axially polarized permanent magnet; an electrical coil wound of insulated, electrically conductive wire disposed about a portion of said permanent magnet, and a double wall, cylindrical, sealed hollow hub housing made of non-magnetic material partially filled with ferrofluid. The assemblage of the permanent magnet and coil is firmly attached within said housing forming a magnetic circuit encompassed by said coil. Axial agitation of the magnetized ferrofluid will generate cyclic variations in the magnetic flux density causing induction in the electrical coil, generating electrical power.
Said electromagnetic power generator may be firmly attached to the outer steel rim of a vehicular tire. Rotation and horizontal velocity of said tire will cause agitation of the magnetized ferrofluid within the sealed housing and therefore, induction in the electrical coil.
In view of the above it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an electromagnetic power generator to power a pressure sensor and radio transmitter for the purpose of monitoring air pressure within the tire while the vehicle is in motion.
A further object is to provide such a device which may be small in size reliable, with no movable solid mechanical components. Such device generates electric power when firmly attached to an agitating object. A still further object is to provide such a device, which is simple in design and easy to manufacture. The above objects and advantages are attained with the present invention by providing five embodiments of a ferrofluidic, electrical power generator.

Ferrofluidic, electrical power generator


A connection structure or a fastening structure including a circuit which functions as a resonant circuit whose connection or fastening is confirmed by resonance of radio waves, the connection structure or a fastening structure has a connector for connecting a member to be connected or a clip for fastening a member to be fastened; a first circuit having first contacts on respective ends thereof; and a closed circuit functioning as a resonance circuit supported on the retainer or clip when in contact with the first contacts. Alternatively, the connection structure of fastening structure has a second circuit which disables a function of a resonance circuit upon contacting the first contact, and the first contacts and the second circuit are brought into contact simultaneously with connection of the connector or fastening of the clip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection structure or a fastening structure wherein, for example, in the case of connection by a connector or fastening by a clip, completion of the fastening or the connection can be confirmed.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, incomplete fastening of a clip used for fixing a component of an automobile or incomplete connection of a connector used for connecting piping of fuel or coolant may cause a serious accident or a serious defect, depending on the section to which connection or fastening is applied. Accordingly, means for confirming fastening of the fasteners or connection of connectors has been desired, along with connection tools of good workability.
For this reason, JP-A-2003-90314 discloses a clip which can be fitted in one operation, and detect any incomplete fitting in advance. When an engagement section is in contact with the outside diameter of a large-diameter section when a clip is fitted to a shaft member, a predetermined gap is formed between a fitting claw and an engagement projection.
Also, JP-A-8-210576 discloses a connector for a small-diameter pipeline wherein when a pipe is inserted to complete connection, a confirmation member is caused to slip off or fall off so that completion of the connection can be confirmed.
Meanwhile, an anti-theft device, including that disclosed in JP-A-8-185584, is known. The device intends to prevent theft by attaching a seal, a so-called LC resonance tag in which a resonance circuit including a coil and a capacitor is formed on an item of merchandise, and oscillating radio waves of a predetermined frequency from a transmitter. When the LC resonance tag is caused to resonate by the radio waves, the resonance radio waves (echo waves) are received by a receiver, thereby ascertaining the item. In the case where a thief attempts to take the article away, the anti-theft device outputs an alarm signal so as to prevent theft.
Japanese Patent No. 2,853,965 discloses a tableware identifying apparatus including: tableware on which LC resonance tags are attached, the resonance frequencies of the tableware LC resonance tags varying from one kind of tableware to another; a transmitter which sweeps by changing a transmitting frequency continuously or stepwise, and a receiver which receives radio waves transmitted from the transmitter; a memory which stores respective ID data of a plurality of kinds of LC resonance tags; and a data processor, which uses information included in the ID data of the detected LC resonance tag to display and register information. The tableware identifying apparatus specifies the kind of the LC resonance tag on the basis of reflected waves included in the received wave forms and thereby identifies the kind of the tableware.
Further, JP-A-2001-291080 discloses a technology of making a resonating function effective or ineffective by opening and closing a switch provided in parallel with a capacitor in a circuit providing the resonating function by connecting the capacitor and a coil in series with each other.
Conventionally, confirmation of fastening or connection of a clip, a pipe connector, or the like has relied on visual observation, a clicking sound at connection, or a manual check. Therefore, a fastening or connection site hidden in a shadow, or covered by a cover or the like, may fail to be observed by an operator. Even in a case where there is provided connection confirmation means for confirming connection as shown in the Patent Documents 1 and 2, it cannot be said that there is no possibility of an operator overlooking connection or fastening because of carelessness of the operator. Furthermore, because all the conventional methods require confirmation of connections by visual check, in the case where a number of fastenings or connections are included, the confirmation has been quite demanding work.
Meanwhile, as shown in Patent Documents 3 and 4, a detection apparatus utilizing an LC resonance tag has been proposed; however, utilizing such an LC resonance tag for fasteners or connecting tools has not yet been attempted.

Connection structure or fastening structure with resonant circuit


An integrated catheter stripper is mounted within a modified Y-connector that is used to seal a catheter on a guide wire. The connector is provided with a stripping port that opens into the central bore of the main body of the connector. A catheter slitter is mounted over the guide wire within the central bore of the main body for slitting the catheter as the catheter slides in the proximal direction along the guide wire within the main body. The split catheter is removed through the stripping port, which can be sealed during an angioplasty operation when the catheter is in use.. In non-integrated embodiments of the invention the catheter stripper is separate from the Y-connector and has a main body, a blade mounted in the main body, and an arrangement for aligning the catheter with the blade and for permitting mounting and separation of the blade relative to the catheter only by substantially longitudinal movement. In one embodiment, a styler is securely attached to the main body portion and extends into the proximal end of the catheter as it is pulled from the guide wire. In another embodiment, a guide tube, rather than a stylet, is secured to the main body and encircles the guide wire. The guide tube is pushed into the proximal end of the catheter (while the catheter is still on the guide wire) and a blade slits the catheter.

Safety, precision and speed are essential to successful medical procedures. Furthermore, the less invasive a medical procedure is, the greater are the prospects that the patient will recover quickly and without complications. For example, because of its success and relatively low level of invasiveness, the medical procedure known as angioplasty has become a widely accepted method for opening obstructions ("stenoses"). throughout the vascular system, particularly in the coronary arteries. The most common form of angioplasty practiced to date is known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).
In virtually all forms of PTCA, a dilatation catheter having an inflatable balloon at its distal end is guided into a patient's artery and maneuvered within the artery until the balloon is positioned across the narrowing stenosis responsible for inadequate blood flow to the heart. The balloon is then inflated for a brief period, usually for no more than a few minutes, in order to displace or remodel the plaque or other obstruction causing narrowing in the artery. The deflated catheter is withdrawn when the stenosis has been opened and blood is once again flowing adequately. Thus, in contrast to the serious risks and complications previously associated with open-heart surgery, PTCA can be utilized to open blocked coronary arteries using only a small vascular incision through which the dilatation catheter is inserted and operated.
In most forms of angioplasty the dilatation catheter is guided into position through the patient's arteries using a flexible guide wire of very small diameter. Typically, guide wires are formed of surgical grade stainless steel with a diameter on the order of 0.25-0.46 mm (0.010 to 0.018 inches) and an overall length of approximately 175 cm. The distal end of the guide wire, that is, the end that enters the patient and is farthest away from the physician, is typically extremely flexible and may be formed as a coil of very small diameter wire. The end may also be slightly curved in order to make it easier for the physician to maneuver the guide wire around and through bends and junctions in the artery as the arterial pathway is particularly convoluted and branched near the heart.
Once the guide wire is positioned across the target lesion, that is, the site of the stenosis, an appropriately sized dilatation catheter is slid, or "advanced" over the guide wire (hence the- common designation of this arrangement as "over-the-wire"). At this point in the procedure the dilatation balloon, which is a portion of the catheter, is deflated and has a minimal cross-sectional diameter; this in turn makes it easier to position-the balloon across the lesion before inflation. At various times throughout the procedure, radiopaque dyes are injected into the artery so that the cardiac physician, by watching a fluoroscope, can see the catheter's position in the artery, and can know when the balloon is properly in place.
One difficulty that may be associated with "over-the-wire" dilatation catheters is that unless the catheter and guide wire are positioned simultaneously the guide wire is positioned across the lesion before the catheter. In order to control the catheter the guide wire must extend outside the patient's body far enough to enable the catheter to be threaded along the wire without disturbing the positioning of the guide wire across the lesion. Similarly, if it becomes necessary to exchange or replace the dilatation catheter with a second catheter or device it is equally desirable to retain control of the guide wire access across the lesion.
The most obvious way to address these problems is to increase the length of the guide wire to ensure that a sufficiently long portion of the guide wire extends outside the patient's body. This can be accomplished in two ways. First, a guide wire extension may be "docked" or joined to the proximal end of the guide wire (the end closest to the physician) extending outside of the patient. Because the average dilatation catheter ranges from 120 cm to 160 cm in length, the guide wire extension must be of comparable length. As a result, the guide wire extension is awkward to handle and manipulate. Additionally, following positioning or exchange of the catheter the guide wire extension must be disconnected and moved out of the vascular physician's way. Further complicating matters, the junction between the proximal guide wire end and the docked extension may interfere with the smooth sliding of the catheter along the guide wire, decreasing the physician's control over the procedure.
Alternatively, an exceptionally long guide wire, on the order of 300 cm, can be used. This eliminates the problems associated with guide wire extensions and the additional docking and undocking steps. However, as with guide wire extensions the physician may need additional medical assistance just to monitor or manipulate the lengthy guide wire or may add the additional step of exchanging the long guide wire for a shortened wire following placement of the catheter.
A number of alternative dilatation catheter designs have been developed in an attempt to reduce or eliminate these problems. For example, "fixed-wire" dilatation catheters having a pre-positioned internal guide wire fixed to the catheter have-been used. These designs have proven quite maneuverable and relatively easy to position as the internal guide wire provides an additional degree of pushability and torqueability to the unitized device. However, to date such "fixed-wire" catheters have been unable to provide wire guided access to recross a lesion in the event of catheter failure or complications. Thus, even if it were possible to disconnect the catheter from the internal guide wire it would be necessary to utilize a lengthy guide wire or dock an exchange wire in order to retain guide wire access with such catheter designs.
Yet another alternative catheter design is the "monorail" variant of the over-the-wire system. Such a design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,129 (Bonzel, Aug. 9, 1988). Catheters in a monorail system have two bores or "lumens." The balloon is inflated through one lumen and another, shorter, parallel lumen is threaded over the guide wire. This design enables the short, externally accessible monorail or guide wire lumen to be threaded over the proximal end of a pre-positioned guide wire without the need for docking a guide wire extension.
Regardless of the system, however, when a catheter must be removed from a guide wire, it should be possible to do so in a well-controlled manner quickly, easily, and safely without sacrificing the safety of guide wire access to the target lesion. It should also ideally be possible for a single physician to operate or remove the catheter without the need of an assistant.
More recent "rapid exchange" catheter designs directed to the elimination of unwieldy guide wire extensions have utilized a dedicated guide wire lumen provided with an overlapping longitudinal split seam. A specially designed proximal fitting is utilized to open this seam and direct the guide wire into the lumen as the catheter is advanced. This design enables the vascular physician to remove the catheter by simply grasping the proximal fitting and pulling the catheter off of the guide wire. An obvious drawback of this design is that it adds undesirable bulk to the catheter profile as well as undesirable complexity to the proximal fitting arrangement. Additionally, the split seam makes it possible to unintentionally remove the guide wire from the catheter.
Another possible method for stripping a catheter from a guide wire is simply for the physician to cut the catheter off with a scalpel or a knife as he (or an assistant) pulls it off the guide wire. This procedure is not as simple as it may appear. First, if the guide wire is to stay in position, this procedure usually requires an assistant. Second, quick removal of the catheter using a sharp, bare blade increases the risk that the physician will cut himself.
Along the lines, U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,424 (Little, et al., Mar. 5, 1991); U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,469 (Osypka, Aug. 18, 1987); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,059 (Wolvek et al., Dec. 23, 1986) all describe devices for cutting "introducers" from catheters. An introducer is a thin, tube-like device that is used to aid insertion of the surgical apparatus-such as a guide wire, with or without a catheter, into the artery or vein of a patient. The introducer is typically much stiffer than the distal end of a guide wire.
The guide wire, one will recall, is preferably as thin as possible, and its distal end is not suitable for pushing through the patient's skin, underlying muscular tissue, etc., and through the wall of the artery. Indeed, were the distal end sharp enough to do so, it might also be sharp enough to penetrate the wall of the artery as it is advanced within the artery toward the heart. Instead, an introducer is first pushed into the artery in order to provide an internal channel through which the guide wire can be fed. The catheter, assuming the assembly was not "fixed wire," can then be threaded over the guide wire within the introducer.
The devices described in the Little, Osypka and Wolvek patents all deal with the problem of removing the introducer once the various clamps, connectors, hubs, and other attachments are mounted on or around the guide wire and catheter. Using either the Little or the Osypka device, the physician lays a generally U-shaped channel of a guiding support portion on the surface of the catheter, so that a separating, forward edge fits between the outer surface of the catheter and, the inner surface of the introducer. The physician then pushes the device along the catheter, whereby an exposed blade slits the wall of the introducer to strip it away from the guide wire and catheter. The Wolvek device operates similarly, but it is a two-piece device that must be assembled around the introducer using a hinge.
These known devices are ill-suited for use in stripping a catheter from a guide wire. First, a physician attempting to use the Little and Osypka cutters would have to use great care to hold the channel-like supporting members against the long, thin, flexible guide wire while pulling the catheter with the other hand. Second, the exposed, presumably very sharp blades of these devices are a hazard to the physician and staff, especially during angioplasty operations where speed is essential. Third, each of these cutters is separate from the rest of the catheter/guide wire assembly, and thus represents yet another device that must be sterilized and kept track of separately in the operating room. Fourth, because the typical dilatation catheter is provided with a hard plastic Y-connector, it would be necessary to make the Y-connector removable because it would interfere with cutting the device.
The principal object of the invention is therefore to provide a device that enables a physician to strip catheters, even those with a uniform wall thickness, from a guide wire so quickly, easily and safely that it is well-suited for use during angioplasty operations. Another object is to avoid the disadvantages of guide wire extensions, docking, lengthly guide wires or an exposed blade when stripping the catheter from a guide wire.

Easy-to-handle, self-guiding catheter stripper


A flash circuit of a flash device for a camera or a lens-fitted photo film unit is provided with a Zener diode connected to a tap point located at an intermediate position of a secondary coil of an oscillation transformer, to tap out voltage that is proportional to but less than charge voltage in a main capacitor. When the main capacitor is charged up to a set voltage, the Zener diode conducts a Zener current, which deactivates an oscillation transistor through a stopping transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flash circuit, and more particularly to a flash circuit which automatically stops charging a main capacitor at a set charge voltage.
2. Background Arts
When the subject brightness is so low that a proper exposure would not be provided without any artificial illumination, a flash device is often used to project light toward the subject synchronously with the shutter release. Since compact cameras and lens-fitted photo film units have an inexpensive lens system of a relative large f-number, most of them are provided with a built-in flash device. For flash photography, it is necessary to charge the main capacitor up to the set voltage prior to the shutter release. The conventional flash devices start charging in response to an actuation of a flash charge switch.
A flash circuit has recently been known, for example from JPA 7-122389, wherein once a flash charge switch is turned on the main capacitor continues to be charged even after the flash charge switch is turned off. The flash circuit stops charging while the main capacitor is at the set charge voltage. Hereinafter, this type of flash device will be referred to as an autostop flash circuit.
An example of autostop flash circuit is shown in FIG. 13, which has fundamentally the same configuration as that disclosed in JPA 7-122389, except some minor differeces. In the flash circuit of FIG. 13, when a flash charge switch 80 is turned on, an oscillation transistor 81 is activated and starts oscillating due to positive feedback of an oscillation transformer 82. The oscillation causes an increase in a primary current that flows through a primary coil 82a, i.e. a collector current that flows to the collector of the oscillation transistor 81. As a result, an electromotive force induces a current through a secondary coil 82b, and the current charges a main capacitor 84 through a rectifying diode 83.
Since the collector current flows through the oscillation transistor 81, a latching transistor 85 is turned on. Thereafter when the increment of the primary current goes down, a back electromotive force is generated in the secondary coil 82b, the current fed back from the oscillation transformer 82 to the oscillation transistor 81, i.e. base current of the oscillation transistor 81, begins to decrease. However, a voltage from a battery 86 is applied to the base of the oscillation transistor 81 through the latching transistor 85 as being in the ON state, the oscillation transistor 81 is not completely turned off. Therefore, the primary current starts flowing again, thereby the oscillation transistor 81 continues to oscillate and charge the main capacitor 84.
A Zener diode 87 with a Zener voltage of 300V is provided for starting conducting a Zener current when the main capacitor 84 is charged up to a set voltage of 300V. Accordingly, when the main capacitor 84 is charged up to the set voltage a stopping transistor 88 is turned on by a base current that is applied to the base of the stopping transistor 88 due to the Zener current. When the stopping transistor 88 is turned on, the emitter and the base of the oscillation transistor 81 are connected to each other, so that the oscillation transistor 81 is completely turned off, and thus the latching transistor 85 is turned off. In this way, the oscillation stops to stop charging the main capacitor 84.
In the above autostop flash circuit, since the charge voltage of the main capacitor is applied to the Zener diode to conduct the Zener current for activating the stopping transistor when the charge voltage reaches the set value, the Zener diode must have a high Zener voltage, e.g. 300V, in correspondence with the set charge voltage. As the Zener diode with high Zener voltage is expensive, it raises the cost of the flash circuit. In addition, the conventional autostop flash circuit requires a lot of space for mounting various elements as above which are necessary for the automatic continuation and stopping of charging.


A flow battery includes a first liquid-porous electrode, a second liquid-porous electrode spaced apart from the first liquid-porous electrode, and an ion-exchange membrane arranged between the first liquid-porous electrode and the second liquid-porous electrode. First and second flow fields are adjacent to the respective first liquid-porous electrode and second liquid-porous electrode. Each of the flow fields includes first channels having at least partially blocked outlets and second channels having at least partially blocked inlets. The second channels are interdigitated with the first channels. The flow fields provide a configuration and method of operation for relatively thin electrodes with moderate pressure drops and forced convective flow through the liquid-porous electrodes.

This disclosure relates to flow batteries for selectively storing and discharging electric energy.
Flow batteries, also known as redox flow batteries or redox flow cells, are designed to convert electrical energy into chemical energy that can be stored and later released when there is demand. As an example, a flow battery may be used with a renewable energy system, such as a wind-powered system, to store energy that exceeds consumer demand and later release that energy when there is greater demand.
A basic flow battery includes a redox flow cell having a negative electrode and a positive electrode separated by an ion-exchange membrane. A negative electrolyte is delivered to the negative electrode and a positive electrolyte is delivered to the positive electrode to drive an electrochemically reversible redox reaction. Upon charging, the electrical energy supplied causes a chemical reduction reaction in one electrolyte and an oxidation reaction in the other electrolyte. The ion-exchange membrane prevents the electrolytes from mixing but permits selected ions to pass through to complete the redox reactions. Upon discharge, the chemical energy contained in the electrolyte is released in the reverse reactions and electrical energy can be drawn from the electrodes.

Flow battery with interdigitated flow field


In response to receiving a communication from a first process directed to a second process, a trusted entity determines if an object reference in the communication refers to an object owned by a first process which is being exported to a second process or if the communication refers to an object not owned by the first process which is being passed to the second process. The trusted entity generates a second object reference for use by the second process. Use of a naming convention identifies the reference as a reference to an object which is foreign to or owned by the processes.

A standard way to communicate between two processes A and B (running on the same machine or running on different machines) is to send a message. Often, for example, it is desirable to enable process A to send a message to process B asking process B to execute code on behalf of process A. Typically, process A must have knowledge of a port or contact point for process B in order to do this.
One way to enable process A to call process B is via a remote procedure call (RPC). A remote procedure call enables a process on one computer to cause code to be executed in another process on the same or on a different computer, without requiring explicit code to be written by a developer or programmer to perform that particular call. An RPC is initiated by the caller process (client) sending a request message to a remote system or second process (server) to execute a certain procedure using supplied arguments. A result message is returned to the caller. For example, in a remote procedure call, a function call may be made by process A, in which the name of the procedure that process B is to execute on behalf of process A and a set of parameters for the procedure, are specified. Process B executes the code and returns a message to process A. When the code in question is written using principles of object-oriented programming, RPC is sometimes referred to as remote invocation or remote method invocation.
A remote procedure call typically follows a particular protocol (another way of saying this is "it uses a particular interface") so that potentially unrelated processes can communicate. The protocol or interface define the methods and the values which the processes agree upon in order to cooperate.
The procedure of transforming the function call into a message is called marshalling. Marshalling may include gathering data from one or more applications or non-contiguous sources in computer storage, putting the data pieces into a message buffer, and organizing or converting the data into a format that is prescribed for a particular receiver or programming interface. Marshalling typically converts what the code in process A sees as a function call into a message to be sent to process B. The message typically includes the name of the function and a set of parameters, coded in a way that process B understands. Process B receives the message and has to transform the message into a call to process B's internal function. The process of converting a message into a function call is called unmarshalling. The piece of code that performs marshalling in process A is called a proxy and typically resides in the client process. The corresponding piece of code on the server side that performs unmarshalling is called a stub.
Within the context of object oriented programming, process A and process B can be viewed as objects encapsulating data and functions. Some well-known technologies that take this approach are Sun Microsystem's JAVA and Microsoft's COM and DCOM. That is, process B may be viewed as a container for one or multiple objects, whose methods are the functions invoked by process A. In object oriented systems, therefore, process A invokes a method of a particular object of process B instead of invoking a function in process B. To do this, process A must have some way of identifying the object in process B that process A wishes to invoke.
The data stored in process A which enables process A to identify the object of process B is known as a reference to the object. The reference stores information concerning how to locate the object: that is, the reference must be sufficient to identify the process and within the process to identify the object whose method is to be invoked.
One problem with such an approach is the possibility that a reference to an object will be fabricated or forged: that is, the system should guarantee that only the process intended to receive a reference receives the reference and that a reference cannot be deduced and used by a process that is not supposed to have the reference. It would be helpful if such a mechanism were available. Ideally, the mechanism should be performant and easy for a developer to program.

Self-registering objects for an IPC mechanism


An improved, low profile, surface mounted female electrical connector for mounting to a vehicle. The connector has a flat rear surface that facilitates mounting on many different vehicles in many different locations. The connector may be mounted with or without drilling holes in the tow vehicle. The connector includes easy-to-use wire connectors with LED indicator lights to verify correct electrical connections between the tow vehicle and the electrical connector.

Most trailers that are towed by vehicles are connected to the vehicle's electrical system. The vehicle's electrical system powers and operates the trailer lights (e.g., running lights, turn signals, brake lights, etc.) and often the trailer brakes. Usually the trailer has a standard "pigtail" electrical connector—typically a male plug—that inserts into a female receptacle on the vehicle. The receptacle on the vehicle may be either original equipment installed by the manufacturer, or an after-market device installed by the consumer. After the trailer has been mechanically attached to the towing vehicle, the electrical system is connected and it is checked to verify proper operation and electrical connections.
There are many standard electrical interface connections between the vehicle and the trailer, including 7 terminal sockets, 6 terminal sockets, and 4 terminal flat sockets to name a few examples. The specific type of electrical interface connector used on any give vehicle and trailer combination depends upon several factors, including the age of the towing vehicle, the age of the trailer, the electrical demands of the trailer, etc. For connectors of the receptacle type, the towing vehicle's receptacle is typically mounted by installing an additional mounting bracket, or drilling a relatively large hole into a sturdy structure such as a frame part or a bumper in a location near the hitch area that has adequate clearance behind the surface for the rearward protruding part of the receptacle and the wiring connected to it, the hole being sufficiently large to receive the female socket device, then attaching the electrical wiring to the receptacle and attaching the receptacle to the vehicle. Attaching the receptacle to the vehicle typically requires between two and four additional holes for the mounting screws.
The present invention relates to an improved female electrical receptacle system for mounting to a towing vehicle and which defines a system for electrically connecting the trailer's wiring system to that of the towing vehicle. The receptacle has a rear surface that facilitates mounting the receptacle on many different vehicles in many different possible locations. The receptacle is a surface-mount system that does not require drilling a large hole to accommodate the female socket portion of the connector. Moreover, in many cases it is not necessary to drill even a smaller hole to route wiring from the vehicle to the receptacle. The receptacle includes easy-to-use wire terminals with corresponding light emitting diode (LED) indicator lights to provide visual indication of the electrical signals from the towing vehicle and to verify correct electrical signals from the tow vehicle.

Surface mount trailer electrical connector


A streamlined air baffle for efficiently directing air flow from a fan unit to a heat sink is disclosed. The streamlined air baffle has a top cover plate and a pair of side walls. The side walls are connected to the top cover plate. The top cover plate and one end of the side walls define an inlet. A curved surface of the top cover plate defines the outlet with the opposite ends of the side walls. The cross section area of the outlet is smaller than the cross section area of the inlet.

Distributed network systems have been widely adopted with the emergence of the cloud for computing applications. Network systems encompass numerous connected devices including servers, switches, and other devices that exchange data. Faster and denser electronic components have been used in network devices to address the need for increased data capability and speed.
Network devices such as servers generate an enormous amount of heat due to the operation of internal electronic devices such as transceivers, controllers, processors, and memory. Overheating from the inefficient removal of such heat has the potential to shut down or impede the operation of such devices. Thus, network system devices, such as servers, are designed to rely on air flow through the interior of the system device to carry away heat generated from electronic components. Such devices often include various heat sinks that are attached to the electronic components. Heat sinks are typically composed of thermally conductive material. Heat sinks absorb the heat from the electronic components, thus transferring the heat away from the components. Airflow is often generated by a fan system that accelerates airflow through the system device and the heat sink. The generated airflow thus carries collected heat away from the heat sink and out of the device. The generated air flow is most efficiently utilized if it is largely focused toward the heat sink and not dissipated throughout the rest of the system device. Thus, a mechanism to assist in focusing air flow from a fan to a heat sink is an air baffle. An air baffle directs the air flow from the fan system toward a heat sink, and contains the air flow so it does not dissipate to other areas of the device. An air baffle is a physical enclosed structure having walls that channel airflow from the fan to the heat sink. It is desirable to maximize heat sink and air flow efficiency to minimize the power necessary to operate cooling fans in such system devices.
Thus, an air baffle is a necessary part in an electronic system device to maintain the airflow in the system device. An air baffle can help such a system device achieve high efficiency airflow that may lead to lower cooling power use, as compared to a system device without an air baffle.
However, care must be taken in designing the shape of an air baffle for an electronic system device. A badly designed air baffle may result in a large pressure drop, caused by air turbulence inside the system device. The large pressure drop may require greater cooling power to achieve the minimum air flow rate to cool the components of the system device. Thus, a well-designed air baffle will result in smooth air flow while maintaining the flow direction to minimize undesirable pressure drops.
Thus, there is a need for an air baffle that minimizes air flow turbulence via an aerodynamic shape. There is a further need for an air baffle that has a shape that maximizes air flow to minimize power for cooling. There is also a need for an air baffle that allows a secondary air flow to cool other components.

Streamlined air baffle for electronic device


Fluidic constructs, including grouped stacks of fluidic elements, that provide countersound to control sound in a noisy environment, prevent radiation of sound from vibrating surfaces, reduce sound-induced vibration of surfaces, and absorb sound that might otherwise impact on surfaces, are provided. These constructs may have a wide range of geometries for specific applications, but generally include a face plate on one side, and a back plate on the other side. Supply ports on the back plate provide a supply of fluid that flows through the construct, while undergoing acoustic modulation through fluidic amplifiers. The face plate includes input ports that sense sound waves to be controlled, and transmits this sound to influence the acoustic modulation of the supplied fluid. The construct produces an amplified output, having sound out of phase with the sound sensed by the input ports, at output ports on the face plate in a sufficient volume to substantially neutralize incoming sound waves, or reduce sound radiation from an object. Any sound produced by the construct of the invention that is substantially in phase with sound to be neutralized is dumped at a sufficient distance from the produced countersound to minimize interference.

Several techniques have been developed for noise reduction. These include, for instance, the use of passive mufflers, such as those found on the exhaust systems of automobiles. Other techniques include the use of noise-reducing enclosures around the noise-creating device and sound-absorbing materials to reduce the reverberation of sound in the environment. In addition, active techniques using the generation of "counternoise" to neutralize the noise have also been demonstrated successfully. For example, a system of electrically powered microphones for detecting noise, linked to electrically powered speakers for generating a counternoise, has been used successfully in the cabin of propeller-driven aircraft. The electrical microphone-speaker system requires a plurality of these devices distributed along the walls of the cabin, and is limited to reducing noise within a narrow bandwidth. Thus, the system is well adapted for attenuating the periodic sound pressure generated by a rotating impeller, but is not well suited for reducing the broad sound wave band generated by a jet engine or the aerodynamic boundary layer of a flying aircraft.
There exists a need for a device that is able to attenuate sound waves, across a broad frequency band, that is reliable and cost-effective. Preferably, the device should not require significant input of maintenance, and should be able to operate effectively for long periods of time without continuous monitoring. Furthermore, the device should desirably be energy efficient, either not using power, or using very little power. Moreover, the device should be space-efficient, and not bulky, so that it can be readily used in a variety of applications where space limitations are important. Finally, the device should also be light weight to allow use in weight-sensitive applications, such as aircraft cabins.

Fluidic element noise and vibration control constructs and methods


The invention relates to a pneumatic brake cylinder including a housing, a piston that can be moved in the housing and is used to transfer the pneumatic pressure to a brake, and a device for automatic adjustment in the event of wear of the brake linings, the device including a spindle, an adjusting nut, and a piston tube that can be engaged with the adjusting nut. According to the invention, a torque applied to the piston tube by the adjusting nut is introduced by the piston tube directly into elements connected to the housing in a fixed manner.

Brake cylinders of this type are used, inter alia, in rail vehicles. There, they are frequently used to actuate a brake caliper, with the aid of which brake linings are pressed onto a brake disk. Here, the piston stroke is to always be approximately equally great, independently of the wear of the brake linings. For this purpose, an adjusting device is usually provided which has a spindle which is guided in a piston tube and an adjusting nut. An axial force is exerted on the spindle by a spring, which axial force attempts to pull the spindle out of the adjusting device. Since the spindle and the adjusting nut are connected to one another via a thread which is not self-locking, a torque acts on the adjusting nut as a result of the spring force.
During the normal braking operation, the adjusting nut is blocked in such a way that only a linear movement together with the spindle in the direction of the longitudinal center axis of the brake cylinder is permitted, but not a rotational movement. A rotation of the adjusting nut may only be permitted for the adjusting operation when a certain wear of the brake linings has taken place. In order to control the rotational movement of the adjusting nut during the initiation of a braking operation, what is known as a control sleeve is used which is arranged within the piston tube such that it can be displaced on the spindle. The torque is transmitted from the control sleeve to the piston tube via integrally formed locking arms which are guided in open slots of the piston tube. During the braking operation, in contrast, the torque of the adjusting nut is transmitted directly to the piston tube.
The piston tube is connected fixedly to the piston, with the result that the torque is transmitted from the piston tube to the piston. The torque is introduced into the housing via guide pins which are attached to the piston and which correspond with appropriate guides in the housing. This force transmitting connection between the piston and the piston tube leads to a complicated and expensive component which is difficult to mount. The dismantling, mounting and the components to be replaced are relatively expensive even in the case of reconditioning of the pneumatic cylinder.
In the case of another known brake cylinder, the locking arms of the control sleeve are supported on a stop ring which is screwed into the cover of the cylinder. Here, the torque which acts on the adjusting nut is transmitted via the locking arms into the housing of the brake cylinder not only in the rest position but also during the braking operation, since the piston tube is also supported on the locking arms via the open slots. The control sleeve and the integrally formed locking arms therefore have to be of very solid and stable configuration.
In the case of two previously known brake cylinders, the adjusting device cannot be premounted as one unit on account of the locking arms which are integrally formed onto the control sleeve.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Schienenfahrzeuge Gmbh


A polymeric compound for photoresist of the invention includes at least one monomer unit represented by following Formula (I):

Resins for photoresist for use in fabricating processes of semiconductors must have the following functions. Specifically, they must adhere to substrates, be eliminated by action of an acid generated from a photosensitive acid generator with exposure and become soluble in basic developing solutions, and be resistant to dry etching. Increasing expectations are specifically placed on resins for photoresist for use in fabrication of semiconductors on the order of giga using ArF excimer laser as a light source in exposure process step. However, the ArF excimer laser has a wavelength in the far-ultraviolet region of 193 nm, and resists used must be transparent in the far-ultraviolet region. Some novel resins differing from novolak resins now used have been proposed.
Among them, polycyclic alicyclic monomers each containing a lactone skeleton will exhibit adhesion to substrates when they are polymerized, may have resistance to etching and have received attention in recent times. However, only few proposals have been made on such monomers, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No. 2000-26446 and No. 2000-159758. Accordingly, demands are made on development of novel monomers and polymers for photoresist which can exhibit more excellent functions in order to design the best resists.

Polymer for photoresist and resin compositions therefor

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; m, p and q each denote an integer of from 0 to 2; and n denotes 0 or 1, where the hydroxyl group and carbonyloxy group extending from a principle chain in the formula are independently combined with either of two carbon atoms on the far-left portion of the rings.

Abstract: By using the polymeric compound for photoresist as a base of a photoresist, the resulting photoresist exhibits well-rounded adhesion to substrates and resistance to etching.


Multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein the intake valves, the injector means and the ignition means are controlled so as to adjust the enthalpy value of the exhaust gases produced by each cylinder independently from the other cylinders.

The present invention relates to multi-cylinder internal combustion engines of the type including:                at least one intake valve for each cylinder to control communication between the respective intake pipe and the combustion chamber of the respective cylinder,        wherein each intake valve is controlled by actuator means to feed a determined quantity of air into said combustion chamber, said actuator means being adapted to control the respective intake valve independently from the other cylinders and according to a variable actuation method,        injector means for each cylinder adapted to inject a determined quantity of fuel into said combustion chamber,        ignition means for each cylinder adapted to initiate the combustion process within said combustion chamber; and        electronic control means to control:                    said actuator means, for adjusting the opening time and stroke of the respective intake valve,            said injector means, for adjusting the quantity of fuel injected into the combustion chamber of each cylinder,            said ignition means, to adjust the intervention time thereof.

Internal combustion engine with torque adjustable in each cylinder


A display device includes: a display panel including pixels; a signal controller that stores FRC patterns including data elements having first or second value, selects one of the FRC data patterns based on input image data having a first bit number, and converts the input image data into output image data having a second bit number based on the selected FRC data pattern; and a data driver applying to the pixels data voltages corresponding to the output image data supplied from the signal controller. The data voltages have first or second polarity, and the number of the pixels supplied with data voltages that correspond to the output image data converted based on the first value and have the first polarity is equal to the number of the pixels supplied with data voltages that correspond to the output image data converted based on the first value and have the second polarity.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of driving a liquid crystal display.
(b) Description of Related Art
A flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an organic light emitting display (OLED) includes a display panel, a plurality of drivers for driving the display panel, and a controller for controlling the drivers.
An LCD includes two panels having pixel electrodes and a common electrode and a liquid crystal (LC) layer with dielectric anisotropy, which is interposed between the two panels. The pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix, connected to switching elements such as thin film transistors (TFTs), and supplied with data voltages through the switching elements. The common electrode covers entire surface of one of the two panels and is supplied with a common voltage. The pixel electrode, the common electrode, and the LC layer form a LC capacitor in circuital view, which is a basic element of a pixel along with the switching element connected thereto.
In the LCD, the two electrodes supplied with the voltages generate electric field in the LC layer, and the transmittance of light passing through the LC layer is adjusted by controlling the strength of the electric field, thereby obtaining desired images. In order to prevent image deterioration due to the unidirectional electric field, polarity of the data voltages with respect to the common voltage is reversed every frame, every row, or every dot.
The display device receives digital input image data for red, green, and blue colors from an external graphics source. A signal controller of the display device appropriately processes the input image data and supplies the processed image data to a data driver. The data driver converts the digital image data into analog data voltages and applies the data voltages to the pixels.
The bit number of the input image data from the graphics source may not be equal to that of the image data capable of being processed in the data driver. For example, a data driver capable of processing only 6-bit data is commonly used for reducing the manufacturing cost although the bit number of the input image data is eight.
In order to convert the 8-bit image data into the 6-bit image data capable of being processed in the data driver, it is proposed that frame rate control (FRC) should be applied for use in the display device.
FRC represents high-bit data as low-bit data and their temporal and spatial arrangements. For FRC, the signal controller modifies a high-bit input data in a frame for a pixel into a low-bit data depending on the position of the pixel and the serial number of the frame. A pattern containing the modification data as function of the position of the pixel and the serial number of the frame, which is stored in a memory such as a frame memory, is called FRC pattern.
Such FRC pattern is determined so that it may not generate stripes or flickering on the display device due to the difference in the data voltages or due to the polarity of the data voltages.


In the production of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorooxethane by reaction of tetrafluoroethylene with a compound of formaldehyde generation source in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, the reaction is carried out in the presence of polyfluoroalkylcarboxylic acid or polyfluoroalkyl ester thereof, represented by the following general formula RfCOORf′ (where Rf is a polyfluoroalkyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms, and Rf′ is a hydrogen atom or a polyfluoroalkyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms), preferably CF3COOH, CF3COOCH2CF2CF3, or CF3COOCH2CF3, whereby a high reaction yield can be attained.

2,2,3,3-tetrafluorooxethane is a useful raw material compound for producing fluorine-containing rubber polymers, etc. For example, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorooxethane can readily undergo polymerization reaction in the presence of an alkali metal halide, and fluorination of the hydrogen atoms of the resulting polyfluoropolyether polymer F(CH2CF2CF2O)nCH2CF2COF by a fluorine gas can give fluorine oil such as perfluoropolyether polymers F(CF2CF2CF2O)nCF2CF2COF or F(CF2CF2CF2O)nCF2CF3. React-ion with an alkali metal halide can give a 2,2-difluoropropionic acid derivative represented by the following general formula as raw materials for producing fluorine-containing rubber polymers:XCH2CF2COF(X: Cl, Br or I)
It is known that 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorooxethane having such effective uses can be produced by reaction of tetrafluoroethylene with a compound of formaldehyde generation source in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride.                Patent Literature 1: JP-B-2-37904
It is also reported that 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorooxethane can be obtained as a by-product in the production of 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropanol CF3CF2CH2OH by reaction of tetrafluoroethylene with formaldehyde in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, but only in a small amount because it is a by-product, and thus cannot be used as raw materials in the industrial scale.                Non-Patent Literature 1: J. Org. Chem. 28, 492-4(1963)

Process for producing 2,2,3,3,-tetrafluorooxetane


In-vehicle messaging includes intercepting an incoming communication on a mobile communication device. The incoming communication is received by a messaging application on the mobile communication device. The in-vehicle messaging also includes parsing the communication, associating elements of the communication with metadata of a digital music application, and transmitting the communication, as well as instructions for handling the communication, over a communication link between the mobile communication device and a vehicle stereo system for presentation on a component of the vehicle stereo system.

Mobile communication devices, such as personal digital assistants PDAs) and smart phones, are advanced devices that offer much more functionality than the telephony features provided by their predecessors. Currently, these advanced mobile devices provide the ability to run complex applications based on a particular platform. There has been an increasing growth in demand for these devices due to their advanced computer processing capabilities and affordability.
As these devices are lightweight and portable, many users engage in communications while operating a vehicle. In addition to voice calls, popular forms of communications include instant messaging and text messaging. Instant and text messaging enable the user of the mobile communication device to compose a message in a text form via buttons on a keypad of the device that correspond to alphanumeric characters. Depending on the length of the message, composing a text-based communication requires near-constant visualization of the keypad by the user for a period of time sufficient to allow access of the messaging application on the device, identification or entry of an address to which the message will be sent, composition of the communication content, and selection of an option that directs the device to transmit the message. Thus, due to the requirement that the user visually focus on the device for a period of time, text and instant messaging are not conducive to situations that require extended visual and mental focus, such as operating a vehicle.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide ways to enable in-vehicle messaging that minimizes the distractions typically associated with mobile communications devices.


A method and system for detecting and locating at least one mobile in a standby mode using a search device located at a certain altitude above the at least one mobile. A simulation of a cellular network activates the at least one mobile within range of the simulated network. At least one parameter representative of at least one signal transmitted by the activated at least one mobile is determined.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a system and a method used to detect and/or locate one or more radiomobiles by using a search device at a certain height above the radiomobile or the radiomobiles to be located.
The invention applies more especially when searching for radiomobiles which are outside the coverage of a cellular network or at the limit of such a network.
It applies for a GSM (Global System for Mobiles) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) cellular network.
The invention can also be used to obtain the angular location of a radiomobile, such as a mobile telephone, GSM. The location is carried out for example in three dimensions to find the elevation and bearing of the person who has the mobile.
The system is especially designed to enable rescue teams to act as quickly as possible when rescuing people:                unconscious in mountain region after an air crash or sporting activity in isolated or desert regions,        under avalanche,        conscious but blocked due to bad weather conditions in a makeshift or other shelter,        unconscious in the sea after a yacht has capsized.
The purpose of the invention applies for all national operators and can easily be extended to all European and other countries.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Detection systems operating outside the network coverage are known in the prior art. These systems are portable and employ frequency detection. They are based on a principle of transmitting a broadcast channel of limited range, resulting in proximity detections.
Use of the GSM network for the zones covered by the cellular network is also known. These devices require the presence of three BTSs (Base Transmitter Station).
The system and the method according to the invention are based on a new approach and structure which use a search device comprising a cellular network simulator.

System and method to locate radiomobiles outside the coverage of a cellular network


The invention relates to a collection of signature peptides representing at least 10 proteins for use in cancer diagnosis and/or prognosis, to an artificial protein comprising signature peptides representing at least 10 proteins and to a nucleic acid construct encoding for such an artificial protein. The invention further relates to a collection of at least 10 proteins for use in cancer diagnosis and/or prognosis. Additionally, the invention relates to a method for cancer diagnosis and/or prognosis comprising the step of analyzing at least 10 proteins in a urine sample of a subject. Finally, the invention relates to an immunoassay product comprising antibodies for detecting at least 10 proteins.

Urothelial bladder cancer, which arises from the epithelium of the bladder, is one of the most common malignancies of the urinary tract and the most frequently occurring cancer associated with smoking. Diagnosis of bladder cancer is usually done by cystoscopy and subsequent analysis of biopsies collected during the procedure. Although cytology from urine was previously discussed for cancer diagnosis, reliable results have not yet been achieved. In consequence, cystoscopy and biopsies are yet unavoidable to obtain unambiguous diagnostic and/or prognostic results. Both are, however, invasive procedures, which are not only particularly unpleasant for the patient, but also highly expensive. Moreover, within the first five years after surgical resection of a primary bladder tumor, patients have a high risk to relapse and therefore need to be closely monitored by periodical examinations. To do this by cystoscopy is not only expensive and elaborate, but patients may tend to neglect the necessary aftercare due to the physical and psychological stress of the procedure.
Therefore, means and methods for a fast and reliable diagnosis as well as prognosis of bladder cancer avoiding invasive interventions are needed.

COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES

BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE ACADEMY OF ATHENS

FUNDACION CENTRO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES ONCOLOGICAS CARLOS III, CNIO


The invention provides methods and reagents for identifying mammalian genes necessary for tumor cell growth as targets for developing drugs that inhibit expression of said genes and inhibit tumor cell growth thereby.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to methods and reagents for inhibiting tumor cell growth. Specifically, the invention identifies genes necessary for tumor cell growth as targets for developing drugs to inhibit such genes and thereby inhibit tumor growth. The invention provides methods for screening compounds to identify inhibitors of said genes, and methods for using said inhibitors to inhibit tumor cell growth. The invention also provides peptides encoded by genetic suppressor elements of the invention and mimetics and analogues thereof for inhibiting tumor cell growth. Also provided by the invention are normalized random fragment cDNA libraries prepared from tumor cells of one or a plurality of tumor cell types wherein the cDNA fragments can be induced by treating recipient cells with a physiologically-neutral stimulating agent.
2. Summary of the Related Art
The completion of the draft sequence of the human genome has provided the art with a partial list of known and putative human genes, the total number of which is estimated to be between 30,000 and 45,000 (Venter et al., 2001, Science 291: 1304–1351; Lander et al., 2001, Nature 409: 860–921). These genes provide many potential targets for drugs, some of which may be useful in preventing the growth of cancers. However, the development of clinically useful gene-targeting anticancer drugs could be greatly facilitated by the ability to narrow down the list of human genes to those that are involved in the primary feature of cancer, uncontrolled tumor growth. It would be especially useful to identify genes necessary for the growth of tumor cells and to determine which of the genes play a tumor-specific role and are not required for normal cell growth. These genes are particularly attractive targets for developing tumor-specific anticancer agents.
Most of the effort in tumor-specific drug targeting in the prior art has focused on oncogenes, the function of which has been associated with different forms of cancer Perkins and Stem (1997, in CANCER: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF ONCOLOGY, DeVita et al., eds., (Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven), pp. 79–102). Oncogene targets have been viewed in the art as being more "tumor-specific" than "normal" cellular enzymes that are targeted by the drugs used in present chemotherapeutic regimens. The tumor specificity of oncogenes has been suggested primarily by the existence of oncogene-associated genetic changes, such as mutations or rearrangements, specific to neoplastic cells. Although oncogenes are mutated or rearranged in some cases, in other cases they are merely expressed at elevated levels or at inappropriate stages of the cell cycle, without changes in the structure of the gene product (Perkins and Stem, 1997, Id.). Even when mutated, proteins encoded by oncogenes rarely acquire a qualitatively novel function relative to the "normal" protooncogene products. Hence, products of mutated, rearranged or overexpressed oncogenes generally perform the same biochemical functions as their normal cell counterparts, except that the functions of the activated oncogene products are abnormally regulated.
It is noteworthy that none of the "classical" oncogenes known in the art have been identified as targets for clinically useful anticancer drugs discovered by traditional mechanism-independent screening procedures. Rather the known cellular targets of chemotherapeutic drugs, such as dihydrofolate reductase (inhibited by methotrexate and other antifolates), topoisomerase II ("poisoned" by epipodophyllotoxins, anthracyclines or acridine drugs), or microtubules that form the mitotic spindle (the targets of Vinca alkaloids and taxanes) are essential for growth and proliferation of both normal and neoplastic cells. Tumor selectivity of anticancer drugs appears to be based not merely on the fact that their targets function primarily in proliferating cells, but rather on tumor-specific response to the inhibition of anticancer drug targets. For example, Scolnick and Halazonetis (2000, Nature 406 430–435) disclosed that a high fraction of tumor cell lines are deficient in a gene termed CHFR. In the presence of antimicrotubular drugs, CHFR appears to arrest the cell cycle in prophase. CHFR-deficient tumor cells, however, proceed into drug-impacted abnormal metaphase (Scolnick and Halazonetis, 2000, Id.), where they die through mitotic catastrophe or apoptosis (Torres and Horwitz, 1998, Cancer Res. 58: 3620–3626). In addition to CHFR, tumor cells are frequently deficient in various cell cycle checkpoint controls, and exploiting these deficiencies is a major direction in experimental therapeutics (O'Connor, 1997, Cancer Surv. 29: 151–182; Pihan and Doxsey, 1999, Semin. Cancer Biol. 9: 289–302). In most cases, however, the reasons that inhibition of anticancer drug targets selectively induces cell death or permanent growth arrest in tumor cells are unknown. There is therefore need in the art to identify additional molecular targets in tumor cells, inhibition of which would arrest tumor cell growth.
One method known in the art for identifying unknown genes or unknown functions of known genes is genetic suppressor element technology, developed by some of the present inventors (in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,217,889, 5,665,550, 5,753,432, 5,811,234, 5,866,328, 5,942,389, 6,043,340, 6,060,134, 6,083,745, 6,083,746, 6,197,521, 6,268,134, 6,281,011 and 6,326,488, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety). Genetic suppressor elements (GSEs) are biologically active cDNA fragments that interfere with the function of the gene from which they are derived. GSEs may encode antisense RNA molecules that inhibit gene expression or peptides corresponding to functional protein domains, which interfere with protein function as dominant inhibitors. The general strategy for the isolation of biologically active GSEs involves the preparation of an expression library containing randomly fragmented DNA of the target gene or genes. This library is then introduced into recipient cells, followed by selection for the desired phenotype and recovery of biologically active GSEs from the selected cells. By using a single cDNA as the starting material for GSE selection, one can generate specific inhibitors of the target gene and map functional domains in the target protein. By using a mixture of multiple genes or the entire genome as the starting material, GSE selection allows one to identify genes responsible for a specific cellular function, since such genes will give rise to GSEs inhibiting this function. In a variation of this approach, the vector used for library preparation contains sequences permitting regulated expression of cDNA fragments cloned therein.
This method can be used to identify genes required for tumor cell growth by subjecting the cells to negative growth selection. One example of this type of selection is known in the art as bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) suicide selection, which has long been used to select conditional-lethal mutants (Stetten et al., 1977, Exp. Cell Res. 108: 447–452) and growth-inhibitory DNA sequences (Padmanabhan et al., 1987, Mol. Cell Biol. 7: 1894–1899). The basis of BrdU suicide selection is the destruction of cells that replicate their DNA in the presence of BrdU. BrdU is a photoactive nucleotide that incorporates into DNA and causes lethal DNA crosslinking upon illumination with white light in the presence of Hoechst 33342. The only cells that survive this selection are cells that do not replicate their DNA while BrdU is present, such as cells that express growth-inhibitory genes or GSEs. One advantage of this method is very low background of surviving cells. When used with GSE libraries under the control of an inducible vector, this selection method excludes spontaneously arising BrdU-resistant mutants by the insensitivity of their phenotype to the presence or absence of the inducing agent. Another major advantage of this technique is its sensitivity for weak growth-inhibitory GSEs: even if only a small fraction of GSE-containing cells are growth-inhibited by GSE induction, such cells will survive BrdU suicide and will give rise to a recovering clone.
The applicability of this approach to the isolation of growth-inhibitory GSEs was first demonstrated by Pestov and Lau (1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91: 12549–12553). These workers used an IPTG-inducible plasmid expression vector to isolate cytostatic GSEs from a mixture of cDNA fragments from 19 murine genes associated with the G0/G1 transition. In this work, three of the genes in the mixture gave rise to growth-inhibitory GSEs (Pestov and Lau, 1994, Id.). In a subsequent study, Pestov et al. (1998, Oncogene 17: 13187–3197) used the same approach to isolate one full-length and one truncated cDNA clone with growth-inhibitory activity from a 40,000-clone library of nominally full-length mouse cDNA. However, the method disclosed in the art cannot be efficiently used for transducing a library of random fragments representing the total mRNA population from a mammalian cell such as a tumor cell because the method relies on plasmid expression vectors for library construction, and only a limited number of cells can be stably transfected by such libraries.
There remains a need in the art to discover novel genes and novel functions of known genes necessary for tumor cell growth, especially by using methods for identifying genes based on function. There is also a need in the art to identify targets for therapeutic drug treatment, particularly targets for inhibiting tumor cell growth, and to develop compounds that inhibit the identified targets and thereby inhibit tumor cell growth.

Reagents and methods for identifying gene targets for treating cancer

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