A filled nanoparticle includes a nanosized polymer shell encapsulating a reactive chemical. In another aspect, a filled nanoparticle includes a nanosized polymer shell encapsulating a core which includes a reactive functional group attached to a polymer. A miniemulsion polymerization process of producing filled nanoparticles includes: providing a mixture comprising monomer, initiator or catalyst to aid polymerization, reactive chemical, surfactant and water; shearing the mixture to form a miniemulsion of nanosized particles dispersed in water, the nanosized particles comprising the monomer combined with the reactive chemical; and then heating the miniemulsion to polymerize the monomer and produce filled nanoparticles comprising a nanosized polymer shell encapsulating the reactive chemical.

Different encapsulation methods are known for the production of polymer microcapsules containing active substances. The microcapsules are generally produced using one or more of the following methods: phase separation, interfacial and in situ polymerization, spray drying, spray congealing, solvent evaporation, and coating.
Although many encapsulation chemistries are available, none of the earlier methods teaches a process for producing nanosize capsules containing reactive chemicals such as catalysts, functional dyes, and reactive intermediates.

Filled nanoparticles having an alkylene carbonate core and polymeric shell


Disclosed is a magnetic recording medium cassette which comprises a cassette case of storing a magnetic recording medium which comprises;. (a) a support; and provided thereon, in sequence PA1 (b) at least one non-magnetic colored layer; and PA1 (c) at least one magnetic layer wherein the specific surface resistance of the magnetic layer is not more than 1.0.times.10.sup.10 .OMEGA./square.. A magnetic recording medium according to this invention is improved the drop-out level and the running durability and a magnetic recording medium cassette can be discriminated whether it is a pirated edition or not.

In recent years, the audio-visual age (that is so-called the AV age) has come and, accordingly, the demands for packaged visual media and the production thereof have been increased. In particular, a large quantity of blank video products and video products recorded music, motion pictures, animations and dramatic stages have been consumed every day as the commercial articles or the rental articles.
However, in the video industry where the video equipments are getting popularized, there are some people, who are not authorized by any lawful copyright owner, dub the contents of already recorded video softs in and they produce and sell a large quantity of the so-called pirated edition.
There have been strong requests in the video industry for forbidding any pirated edition to circulate. Accordingly, there are demands for technical means for forbidding the pirated editions to circulate so as to protect the benefits of the whole video industry.
The technical means for forbidding the pirated editions to circulate include, for example, a means in which a hologram (i.e., a seal) is utilized, another means in which a front cover so-called a lid covering the whole surface of a tape cassette is colored or a further means in which any dubbing is made impossible by applying a separate signal to an image signal.
In the above-given means, however, the pirated editions can not fully be forbidden, because any pirated edition producers can readily imitate. In addition, it costs more expensive and there may be some instances where the image quality of an original soft may be spoiled.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereinafter referred to as JP OPI Publication) No.62-231426/1987 discloses a technique in which a magnetic layer is separated into two layers, the upper and lower layer, and a pigment or a dye is contained in the lower layer so that the lower layer can be discriminated by the color from the upper layer. This technique claims that the coating defects or coating unevenness on the upper layer can be discriminated by the colored contents of the lower layer. It is, however, not clear whether the discrimination can be made by the color of the lower layer for the purpose of forbidding the above-mentioned pirated edition. Further, in this patent publication, there is neither any indication nor suggestion of any technical idea that the lower layer is colored with the purpose of forbidding any pirated edition.
Still further, there may be some instances where the contrast of the upper layer may be deteriorated by mixing the color of a pigment or the like contained in the lower magnetic layer with the color (which is usually in dark-brown) of the magnetic powder of the same lower magnetic layer and, in addition, the electromagnetic conversion characteristics of the lower layer may be affected by a large amount of the pigment are contained in the magnetic layer. The above-mentioned cases fall similarly under the case of a medium having a light tightness provided by containing carbon black and so forth in a single-layered magnetic layer.

Magnetic recording medium having a non-magnetic underlayer containing electrically conductive tin oxide coated pigment


A method of determining test data for use in testing a software. The method includes determining that at least part of a software structure of the software to be tested is similar to, or the same as, a software structure associated with a defect. The method also includes retrieving information regarding operational circumstances for causing the defect in the software associated with the defect. The method further includes creating, based upon the retrieved information, test data for testing the software to be tested.

Live or operational computer systems generally have latent defects—also called bugs. Defects may result in unexpected and/or undesirable computer performance and can cause program and/or system crashes.
In terms of the impact to end system users and the effort needed to identify, isolate, fix, and/or re-release in corrected form, software having defects, the more complex and costly defects are often those involving the interaction of multiple components or, in the case of large systems, the interactions of multiple subsystems.


The present invention relates to a method of stabilizing a biological sample, having the steps of preparation of a biological sample, and of contacting the biological sample with a composition, having a substance according to the following structural formula:

It has long been known that the genetic origin and the physiological status of a cell can be determined and investigated by studying its genome, its transcriptome, its proteome and its methylome.
The term "genome" denotes the totality of the heritable nucleic acids in a sample, i.e. an organism, a tissue, a cell or a cell compartment or a biopsy, a smear, a section or the like. Generally the heritable nucleic acid is DNA.
The term "transcriptome" denotes the sum of the genes transcribed in such a sample, i.e. transcribed from DNA to RNA, at a given point of time, and thus the totality of all RNA molecules.
The term "proteome" denotes the totality of all proteins in said sample.
The term "methylome" describes the methylation profile of the genome. It comprises the totality and the pattern of the positions of methylated cytosine (mC) of healthy DNA.
Analysis of the genome, transcriptome, proteome and/or methylome is in many respects potentially superior to indirect, conventional methods, e.g. the detection of metabolic products, especially for diagnostic purposes.
In the last twenty years, biological science has developed a comprehensive range of molecular-biological tools for this. In future, therefore, we can expect even wider application of molecular-biological analyses, e.g. in medical and clinical diagnostics, in forensics, in pharmacy in the development and evaluation of medicinal products, in food analysis and in the monitoring of food production, in agriculture in the breeding of useful plants and animals, and in environmental analysis and in many areas of research.
By analyzing the transcriptome, especially the mRNA in cells, the activities of genes can be determined directly. The quantitative analysis of transcript profiles (mRNA profiles) in cells by techniques of modern molecular biology, e.g. real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR ("real-time RT PCR") or gene expression chip analyses makes it possible for example to detect incorrectly expressed genes, so that e.g. metabolic disorders, infections or any predisposition to cancer can be diagnosed.
Analysis of the genome by molecular biomethods, e.g. PCR, RFLP, AFLP or sequencing makes it possible for example to detect genetic defects or to determine the HLA type and other genetic markers. The analysis of genomic DNA and RNA is also employed for the direct detection of infectious pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria etc. Analysis of the methylome provides indications concerning the activity of particular genes; for example, certain methylation profiles allow conclusions to be drawn regarding predisposition to particular diseases.
In particular, the combination of molecular biomethods with morphological methods is very promising. For example, a tissue sample, for which a particular tumor type has been diagnosed morphologically, can be investigated further by characterization of the genome, transcriptome, proteome and/or methylome, in order to determine a tumor subtype, which in its turn makes it possible to initiate targeted therapy.
An essential precondition for the aforementioned investigations is immediate stabilization of the biological sample after removal from its natural environment, i.e. the conservation of its genomic, transcriptomic, methylomic, proteomic and morphological properties that existed at the time of sample collection.
This applies to the hereditary material DNA, and especially to the less stable RNA, which after collection of the biological sample can be broken down very rapidly by the ubiquitous RNAses. The same applies to DNA methylation profiles, which can be lost or can be falsified by environmental effects after sampling.
Furthermore, after collection of a biological sample, e.g. a section, a biopsy or the like, induction of stress genes and the like can also lead to the synthesis of new mRNA molecules, so that the transcription profile of the cells may be altered.
Stabilization of nucleic acids is necessary in particular in the medical field, because in this case nucleic acid-containing samples are often collected, which can only be investigated further after prolonged storage and transport to a laboratory. In the meantime the nucleic acids contained in the samples may change or even decompose completely. This has a massive influence on the result of subsequent tests or makes them completely impossible. Similarly unfavorable conditions occur e.g. in forensics or in sample collection under field conditions.
Stabilization of proteins is also absolutely essential for investigation of the proteome, as proteins are altered very quickly by modification, e.g. phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, and just like nucleic acids, can be degraded specifically or nonspecifically, or neosynthesis may occur after induction.
For the stabilization of nucleic acids and proteins in compact tissue samples there is yet another difficulty, compared with other biological samples. Tissues are compact, multilayered and heterogeneous with respect to composition, contents and structure. For the stabilization of nucleic acids in tissue samples, the stabilizing reagent must act not only on the surface of cells or within a cell layer, but also deep within the compact, multilayered sample material. In addition, it must be possible to address tissue types that are very varied with respect to their contents and morphology. Differences occur for example in cell structure, membrane structure, boundaries/compartmentations and contents, in particular the protein, carbohydrate or fat content.
Stabilization should then take place without the biological sample being destroyed or having to be destroyed for stabilization. Tissue samples in particular, but also cellular samples are often used for morphological investigation in addition to molecular analysis. This should still be possible after stabilization of the sample. Ideally a substance used for stabilization of the genome, transcriptome, proteome and/or methylome also contributes to the stabilization and preservation of morphological-histological integrity.
It must be possible to provide stabilization by very simple and quick handling of the sample, because on the one hand any pretreatment of the sample that is required (e.g. washing or homogenization) prevents the immediate stabilization of the gene expression profile, since during the delay caused by the pretreatment there may for example be degradation or neosynthesis of RNA. On the other hand, any pretreatment and every additional processing step make it more difficult to use the stabilizing agent. Use anywhere that biological samples can be obtained, e.g. in the operating theater, investigations in the field, in a factory producing foodstuffs, at a crime scene, and the like, is only conceivable if the necessary handling is very simple, without requiring equipment and further sample preparation.

Method for stabilising a biological sample

Abstract: in which R1 is a hydrogen residue or a methyl residue, R2 and R3 are identical or different hydrocarbon residues with a length of the carbon chain of 1-20, and R4 is an oxygen, sulfur or selenium residue (FIG. 1).


It is determined whether or not a passing cell is a cell to be measured. If yes, a signal synchronous with the passing cycle of the cell is generated by a synchronous signal generator. The synchronous signal is digitally processed by a digital signal processor. Thus, each parameter related to the number of passing cells is obtained by converting the analysis based on the time axis to the area analysis based on the frequency axis.

The present invention relates to a passing cell monitoring device operated with an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) Switching Unit in a B-ISDN (broadband ISDN).
Unlike a conventional switching unit, an ATM switching unit provides various types of services for subscribers. Since a subscriber's charge and the management of a switching unit's band depend on the types of services the switching unit provides, a supplier and a subscriber usually negotiate before determining the types of services to be provided.
According to the agreement between them, the switching unit provides the subscriber with an information switching service in a predetermined band.
If the subscriber transmits for some reasons the information of the band beyond the predetermined speed to the switching unit, the switching unit will be subject to abnormal conditions such as information confusion, etc. due to an illegal usage of the band resources of the switching unit. To prevent such abnormal situations, a regulating process referred to as a "police" is performed.
In the regulating process "police", a subscriber corresponder of the switching unit counts according to a virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier (VPI/VCI), the number of cells passing within a predetermined period, compares the result with a predetermined threshold, and controls according to the result whether or not the cell being checked can be passed. This process is controlled according to the hardware logic.
The observation data to be used in performing the "police" function include average band, maximum band, and burst retaining period data. Therefore, in the above device in which the number of cells passing within a predetermined time period is counted and the result is compared with a predetermined threshold, each parameter is calculated based on the number of cells passing within the predetermined period. At some unit time, the counting operation may not be able to keep up with the fluctuation of the number of passing cells. Therefore, it is very difficult to obtain a reliable police function in the prior art technology. That is, the number of passing cells always fluctuates. Sometimes, a lot of cells pass and then none pass. The conventional device cannot handle such a condition, and can not perform a reliable police function.

Passing cell monitoring device operated using an ATM switching unit


A lens-fitted photo film unit provides a daylight photography mode to select no flash emission and the small stop, a daylight synchro photography mode to select normal flash emission and the small stop, and a night view synchro photography mode to select reduced flash emission and the large stop. The small stop is composed of the small stop aperture of f/16 and an ND filter of transmittance of 25% to be attached to cover the small stop aperture. The shutter speed is set at 1/64 sec. in any modes. The photo film preloaded in the lens-fitted photo film unit has ISO sensitivity 3200. The stable photographing is achieved under the wide range of brightness by the changeover of the stop, without the change of the shutter speed. In brightness of EV 9 to 11, the exposure amount becomes proper either in the daylight photography mode and in the night view synchro photography mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens-fitted photo film unit having plural photographic modes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lens-fitted photo film unit preloaded with an unexposed photo film is widely known. A lens-fitted photo film unit, in which photographic modes are selectable according to the various photography conditions in a range from bright place such as outdoors to a dark place, is known. The kind of lens-fitted photo film unit is disclosed in JP-A 2003-344914 and is commercially available as "Night&Day (product name)" from the applicant.
The above lens-fitted photo film unit can work in three different modes, a daylight photography mode which has no flash emission, a night view synchro photography mode and a daylight synchro photography mode which have flash emission. The daylight photography mode is used for photography in a bright place such as outdoors. The night view synchro photography mode is used for photography of a dark subject such as a night view or for photography of a main subject such as a person with a background such as a night view or a dark room while photographing the background at a proper density. In the daylight photography mode and the daylight synchro photography mode, a small stop and a high shutter speed are selected. In the night view synchro photography mode, a large stop and a low shutter speed are selected.
JP-A 2003-344914 discloses the lens-fitted photo film unit using a photo film of ISO sensitivity 1600. In the daylight photography mode and the daylight synchro photography mode, the shutter speed is set at 1/100 sec. and the f-number is f/14. In the night view synchro photography mode, the shutter speed is set at 1/45 sec. and the f-number is f/5.6.
When the daylight photography mode or the daylight synchro photography mode is selected, the shutter speed is set at high by reducing rotary angle of a shutter blade by a shutter speed changeover mechanism. As to the f-number, a fixed stop plate which corresponds to a large stop is disposed in a photographic lens. The shutter speed changeover mechanism is used for inserting a stop plate, on which a small stop is formed, to cover the fixed stop plate when the daylight photography mode or the daylight synchro photography mode is selected.
The lens-fitted photo film unit "Night&Day (product name)" has the same structure as the lens-fitted photo film unit disclosed in JP-A 2003-344914, except that the shutter speed is set at 1/120 sec. in the daylight photography mode or daylight synchro photography mode, and the f-number is f/6.2 in the night view synchro photography mode.
JP-A 2000-352800 discloses a lens-fitted photo film unit which is suitable for various photographic conditions from a bright place to a dark place, by changing over the shutter speed and the transmission light amount of the photographic lens. In this lens-fitted photo film unit, an ND filter is inserted in the photography optical path in cooperation with turning off of the flash switch, to reduce the exposure amount. Moreover, in a manner similar to the lens-fitted photo film unit disclosed in JP-A 2000-344914, the shutter speed is set at high by reducing rotary angle of the shutter blade.
However, there are problems in JP-A 2003-344914 and JP-A 2000-352800 that the shutter speed changeover mechanism is likely to operate at undesirable shutter speed due to unstable movement of the shutter blade. In addition, there are problems that the manufacturing cost is increased due to the increase in number of parts for changing over shutter speed, and that the size of the lens-fitted photo film unit is enlarged.
Incidentally, maximum brightness of photographing scene is generally considered to be the exposure value (EV) 16 with the photo film of ISO sensitivity 100. The photographing scene in the range of EV15 to EV16 is approximately 1% among the all photographing opportunities. It is noted that the proper EV using the photo film of ISO sensitivity 100 is obtained with substitution of the f-number "f", the shutter speed "T", and the film sensitivity "S" by the following equation:EV=log2(f2/T)−log2(S/100)For example, brightness of EV16 means proper brightness in the photography taken with the f-number, the shutter speed and the film sensitivity to meet EV16.
For example, when proper EV is set at EV10 about 1% among the all photographing opportunities in the daylight photography of the lens-fitted photo film unit, there causes overexposure beyond the latitude of the photo film, even allowing overexposure of +5 considering the latitude of the color negative film. Moreover, problems arise in that the whole image of the printed photo made from the overexposed frame becomes pinkish, and the developing cost is increased due to the prolonged printing time.
When proper EV is set at EV12 in the daylight photography of the lens-fitted photo film unit, lower limit within the latitude on the underexposure side is EV10. However, it is known that there are few users who recognize the brightness of EV10 to EV9 to be dark. Therefore, there is no problem caused from such overexposure as described above when the proper EV in the daylight photography is set at EV12. Even though the lens-fitted photo film unit is designed to have night view synchro photography mode which permits the brightness of EV10 to EV9, most of the users photograph in daylight photography mode, without shifting to the night view synchro photography mode. As a result, a proper photo print cannot be obtained.
Besides, the photography of a night view or a person with a night view background would be appropriately photographed under the proper EV values of equal to or less than EV6 with the photo film of ISO sensitivity 100. As described above, the inventors have found out that the proper EV in daylight photography is set in the vicinity of EV11, and the proper EV in night view photography is EV6.
In the lens-fitted photo film unit, in order to set the proper EV at 11 in daylight photography and at 6 in night view photography only by an aperture changeover mechanism, the combination of the shutter speed of 1/128 sec. (officially 1/120 sec.), f/2.8 in daylight photography and f/16 in night view photography, and the photo film of ISO sensitivity 1600 is considered. However, f/2.8 is not practical for the lens-fitted photo film unit which is manufactured at low cost, and constituted of one or two plastic taking lenses.
When the photo film of ISO sensitivity 3200 is used and the shutter speed is set at 1/64 sec. (officially 1/60 sec.) to overcome/deal with the camera shake, the f-number in night view photography can be f/5.6 which is practical level. However, in this case, f-number in daylight photography mode is f/32. Problems arise in that image quality is generally decreased due to diffraction of light at the stop when the f-number is more than f/22.


A system and method for automatically linking partitions on storage media for use within a storage management system is provided to minimize wasted space on the storage media, the time and expense traditionally spent reclaiming partitions containing invalid data, and the computer processing capability required to write data to and read data from the storage media. The storage management system includes a partitioned storage tape, a host application running on a server, and an archive device. The host application is operative to track location information for each host file or data object written to the storage tape. Using the location information, the host application is able to identify one or more “free” or writable partitions that are created on the storage tape as host files expire. Moreover, when writing host files to the storage tape, the archive device is operative to automatically link the writable partitions to form logical volumes such that when reading host files from the storage tape, the archive device can automatically navigate through the logical volumes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to methods and systems of data storage management, and more particularly, to a design for automatically linking partitions on storage media.
2. Relevant Background
Modern storage media devices (e.g., magnetic storage tapes, cassettes, multi-volume cartridges) oftentimes used in large-scale storage management applications hold hundreds to thousands of gigabytes of data. To better utilize this immense data-storage capacity, multiple data objects (e.g., host files or virtual tape volumes) are "stacked" on a single storage tape, with each set of data having different invalidation (e.g., expiration) parameters. When a particular data set expires, it creates "gaps" or wasted space on the tape. Over time, the wasted space becomes so large that the tape must be reclaimed. Reclaiming involves copying the valid data remaining on the tape and moving it to a contiguous space, usually at the beginning of the tape, such that the previously wasted space becomes useful for rewriting.
Discrete tape partitioning was developed to address the time and expense required in reclaiming storage tapes. Discrete tape partitioning involves dividing a storage tape into multiple discrete partitions such that once data has expired from a particular partition, that partition may be rewritten. While discrete tape partitioning has existed for many years, it has significant drawbacks and has been unpopular with developers. For instance, in discrete partitioning, only a host (e.g., a host application running on a mainframe server) may track which partitions contain valid data as well as the locations of the data objects or host files as stored within the tape partitions. Because each partition is separate and distinct, the host application must be involved in processing at the end of each partition in order to properly direct an archive device (e.g., a tape drive) to the next applicable partition in both read and write operations. If the archive device is reading data from the tape, the host must direct the archive device to the next partition that contains data associated with the host file being read. If the archive device is writing data to the tape, the host must direct the device to the next partition that is free of valid data and, therefore, available for rewriting.

Automatically linking partitions on a tape media device


Devices, systems, and methods for positioning a vehicle frame in a plurality of rotational positions about an axis of rotation and performing at least two assembly tasks are provided. An assembly and a system that includes forward and rear toolings that engage and retain forward and rear portions of the vehicle frame, and that cooperatively rotate the vehicle frame about an axis of rotation are provided.

The field of the present disclosure relates generally to vehicle assembly equipment and, more specifically, to a positioning jig system for use in positioning a vehicle body frame in a series of rotational positions.
The production of motor vehicles commonly includes transferring a vehicle body frame between different assembly stations using a transfer cart and positioning the vehicle body frame at each of the different assembly stations to initiate a production step, such as welding. The vehicle body frame is typically positioned within an assembly station by coupling the vehicle frame to a jig. For example, a vehicle body frame may be positioned within a welding station of a production facility by coupling the vehicle frame within a jig that positions the vehicle body frame at a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one or more welding robots. Each jig is typically designed to position a single model of vehicle body frame at a single position within the assembly station. Consequently, reconfiguring an assembly station to position a different model of vehicle body frame, or even the same model of vehicle body frame in a different position, involves replacing one jig with different jig, resulting in lost productivity and increased wear on jigs and associated jig attachment fittings.


A method for preparing a dispersion of polar lipids in an ethanol-water mixture, the polar lipids including galactolipids. An oil containing polar lipids including galactolipids is diluted using a first ethanol-water mixture having an ethanol concentration close to the critical polarity, wherein upon dilution the polar lipids form a lamellar liquid-crystalline phase, without first forming a hexagonal HII-phase. The invention also refers to an oil obtained by evaporating ethanol and water from the dispersion. The invention further refers to aqueous colloidal dispersions of polar lipids including galactolipids, to an oil containing polar lipids including galactolipids and to pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food compositions including such dispersions and/or oil.

2.1. Lipid Phase Behaviour and Aqueous Lipid Particle Dispersions
Lipids of vegetable origin consist of polar and non-polar components. The non-polar lipids are of great importance in foods, providing raw materials for fats or oils. The polar lipids are mainly used in order to achieve special functional properties, such as emulsification. The term polar lipid is used in this context based on the interaction with water; thus lipids forming aqueous phases are termed polar, whereas a lipid sample which do not form aqueous phases are termed non-polar. Polar lipids of vegetable origin are obtained at the so-called degumming step in the refining process of oil crops, such as soy bean oil. These lipids are dominated by phospholipids. Another source of polar lipids is cereals, containing a mixture of phospholipids and galactolipids. In this invention we have started from ethanol-water solutions of mixtures of galactolipids and phospholipids, with focus on ethanol extracts of oats, in which the polar lipids have been enriched by fractionation. At a certain concentration of the lipids in ethanol-water mixtures of a particular composition, a fluid was formed containing aggregates of a liquid-crystalline state which as far as we know never earlier has been reported in lipids. The molecular organization in this fluid and transformations at water dilution/ethanol evaporation is utilized in our invention.
Dispersions of the lamellar liquid-crystalline phase in an aqueous environment, which were termed liposomes, were first described in the 1960s. These particles consist of spherically concentric lipid bilayers alternating with water layers. They are formed from the lamellar liquid crystalline-phase, the L-alpha phase, by mechanical dispersion in excess of water. Thus a prerequisite is that the L-alpha phase can coexist in equilibrium with a water phase. The liposomes prepared from the L-alpha phase consist of several concentric bilayers, and are also termed multilamellar vesicles. There are also specific methods described in the literature for preparations resulting in unilamellar vesicles, which have been applied particularly in drug delivery. This invention describes a new method to prepare monodisperse aqueous dispersions of vesicles of galactolipids and phospholipids of very small size, and the use of such particles.
There is an extensive literature on manufacture and use of liposomes. The dominating lipids used are phospholipids and the most common applications involve delivery of biologically active components for pharmaceutical and food use.
Liposomes are usually formed by mechanical homogenization of the lamellar liquid-crystalline phase in excess of water, including ultrasonification and use of valve homogenizers. Commonly used reported methods in the literature involve the dry film method and the ethanol injection method. In order to obtain liposomes or vesicles of uniform size, molecular sieve methods have been used.
There are also other liquid-crystalline phases in lipid-water systems. The most important ones are beside the earlier mentioned L-alpha phase, the inverse hexagonal liquid-crystalline phase, also termed HII-phase, and cubic phases. These can also form aqueous dispersions. The introduction of the cryo-TEM method has allowed a detailed structural description of both inverse cubic and hexagonal particles in water (Langmuir 12 (1996) 4611-4613 and 13 (1997) 6964-6971. J. Gustaysson, H. Ljusberg-Wahren, M. Almgren, K. Larsson respectively). In the text below the lamellar liquid-crystalline phases is termed L-alpha phase, and the inverse hexagonal liquid-crystalline phase is termed HII-phase.
During the development of a preparation process of vesicle dispersions of polar lipids prepared from oats we realized that the same process could be applied in order to prepare uniform particle dispersions of oil-in-water and furthermore by introducing monoglycerides into mixtures of phospholipids and galactolipids uniform particle dispersions of cubic-phases could also be efficiently prepared.
We have developed a step-wise ethanol/water dilution process in order to prepare colloidal dispersions of polar lipids and it is described in detail here in the case of oat lipid fractions. This process was introduced mainly to avoid formation of the HII-phase at direct water exposure. This method was found to produce unilamellar vesicles in a smaller size range than earlier described. Prior art process required extremely pure polar lipid fractions as starting material. Our new process enables use of less purified staring material and at the same time accepts a higher load of active ingredient in delivery systems, while maintaining or improving the functional properties of the dispersion.
2.1.1 Prior Art and their Relations to Our Invention
As we use ethanol solutions we will consider here prior art for lipid particle preparation involving ethanol. A method based on ethanol solution droplets exposed to a water phase that has become important for liposome preparation was introduced long time ago (S. Batzri and E. Korn: Biochim. Biophys. Acta 298 (1973) 1015-1019). They injected an ethanol solution of phospholipids into the water phase. Large-scale production using this method has also been reported, cf. (R. Naeff: Adv. Drug Delivery Rev. 18 (1996) 343-347), including preparation of tuneable particle size distributions controlled by needle diameter in combination with hydrodynamic pressure (P. Prahan, J. Guan, P. G. Wang, L. J. Lee, R. J. Lee: Anticancer Res. 28 (2008) 943-947).
The use of ethanol for preparation of cubic particles was introduced by Spicer and co-workers and is further discussed below in connection with such particles.
These applications of direct water-dilution of ethanol solutions of the lipids are fundamentally different from our ethanol-water dilution process to produce particle dispersions. The earlier described prior art methods cannot be applied to our galactolipid and phospholipid systems as gel phases with the hexagonal HII-phase will be formed irreversibly.
In our case the ethanol-water dilution of the ethanol-lipid mixture must be carefully controlled so as to avoid formation of the hexagonal HII-phase. At ethanol concentrations higher than a critical ethanol concentration, the HII-phase cannot form. By dilution of an oil containing polar lipids, using an ethanol solution with a concentration close to the critical concentration, it is possible to separate the lamellar phase directly without formation of any HII-phase.
The prior art processes require extremely pure polar lipid fractions as starting material. Our new process enables use of less purified staring material and at the same time the particles can carry a higher load of active ingredients in delivery applications, while the functional properties of the dispersion are maintained or improved.
The interaction of cereal lipids with water has been analysed in detail in the case of wheat lipids, which resulted in the ternary phase diagram shown in FIG. 1. Similar phase equilibria occur also for oat lipids as shown below. The phase diagram shows phase equilibria of wheat lipids and water at room temperature. The polar and non-polar wheat lipid components were first separated and then reconstituted in different proportions before equilibration with water. Two liquid-crystalline phases exist—the lamellar (LC-L) and the inverse hexagonal (LC-H) and one liquid phase (L) as identified by X-ray diffraction. The broken line shows the composition polar/non-polar lipids in the wheat endosperm (after Larsson et al. 2006 Lipids: Structure, Physical properties and Functionality, The Oily Press)
The phase equilibria and physical structures of lipid extracts from oats are in general agreement with the wheat lipid system (G. Jayasingha, K. Larsson, Y. Miezis and B. Sivik. J. Dispersion Sci. Techn. 12 (1991) 443).
From FIG. 1, it can be seen that at a polar lipid concentration above 65 lipid % and addition of water the hexagonal phase HII is formed. The hexagonal phase creates a gel and this gel is extremely viscous and impossible to disperse into small particles.
However, the starting material in this invention contains ethanol. Thus a fourth dimension is introduced. In oat lipids with ethanol the formation of HII-gel occurs when the lipids are diluted in water, see Example 1. Once formed it takes very long time to dissolve the HII-gel. At room temperature the time scale is years.
At direct dilution of the oat lipid fractions of this invention, the HII-phase is always formed before the L-alpha phase, see Example 1, and therefore the prior art methods to produce liposomes in phospholipid systems cannot be applied. When the HII-phase is formed in phase diagrams of phospholipids, there appears to be an existence region of the L-alpha phase at lower temperature, where water dilution towards liposomes can take place.
By diluting the lipids with an ethanol-water solution according to a carefully designed protocol, defined in this invention, formation of the HII-particles can be avoided. This procedure is a prerequisite for the formation of the very small particles presented in this invention. In this way we can produce very small particles using lipid-mixtures of wide composition variations and with high concentrations, and this allows us to load more active components in the particles compared to prior art. The lipids used here form the liquid crystalline phase at and above room temperature so processing can be done at room temperature. The carefully designed ethanol-water dilution protocol also enables production of polar lipid fractions free from ethanol in a reproducible way without HII-particles. These polar lipid fractions have a very high and stable capacity to make oil-in-water emulsions.
There are only a few reported applications of cereal lipids and galactolipids which are discussed in detail below:    1. WO9520944 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,561) describes "bilayer preparations" which are prepared from chromatographically purified cereal extracts resulting in a polar lipid concentration of 100% and a concentration of DGDG above 67% (see their table 1) for producing carrier particles for active ingredients, in the form of either a gel or liposomes which are shown to be multilamellar. These very pure polar lipids could be mixed with water without formation of HII. After ultrasonication the average particle size of the vesicles was 144 nm.    The small unilamellar vesicles we obtain have average particle size below 100 nm. In addition the cubosomes we describe cannot be formed by their technology. Note also that we achieve much smaller particles using polar lipids with a much lower purity.    2. WO 2009/131436A1 describes a yoghurt product with an oil-in-water emulsion for satiety enhancement, and in the formulation of the complex mixture they use galactolipids as emulsifier (claim 3), and also oat lipids are mentioned (claim 4). The particles size for the oil-in-water (O/W) stabilized with an additional stabilizer, was such that at least 75% of the particles should be smaller than 1000 nm. Thus, their process will never obtain the O/W emulsions we describe.    3. WO 2009/068651 A1 describes an O/W emulsion for lowering cholesterol by phytosterols as a component in all claims. Galactolipids are used as emulsifier. Particle sizes are not given.    4. Li X. et al, Preparation and stability of DGDG as emulsifier for sug-microemulsions, Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi 2009, 34(17) 1272-1276 (AN2009:1571859) describes that digalactosyl diglycerides are used to make a submicro-emulsion of "bay oil" as a model drug. The particle size after high pressure homogenisation was 168 nm. Thus the particles are significant larger than the particles from our process.2.1.2 Conclusion on Lipid Particles
Within a wide range of proportions between galactolipids and other components of oat or other cereal lipids, the formation of an HII-phase is a serious complication for formation of uniform vesicle dispersions. This invention provides a solution to this problem.
During the development of the preparation process focused towards vesicle dispersions in water of oat lipids it was realized that this process also can be applied to preparation of polar lipid fractions free from ethanol and HII crystals, oil-in-water emulsions and furthermore cubic liquid-crystalline particles in water can be prepared when monoglycerides are introduced into the cereal lipid mixture.
2.2 Appetite Regulation
Obesity is a big and increasing problem in the western society. It has been estimated that $45 billion of US healthcare costs, or 8% per annum of total healthcare spend, is a direct result of obesity. Traditional approaches to long term weight management such as diet and exercise have proved ineffective alone to control the spread of obesity. Today, more than ever, there is a considerable interest in developing safe, effective methods for treatment of obesity.
Pharmacological approaches to the treatment of obesity have focused on either developing drugs that increase energy expenditure or drugs that reduce energy intake. One approach to the reduction of energy intake is to reduce the body's ability to digest and adsorb food, in particular fat. The key enzyme involved in digestion of fat is pancreatic lipase that is secreted by pancreas into the gut lumen.
The lipase inhibitor lipstatin has formed the basis of the anti-obesity drug, orlistat. Orlistat and its use in inhibiting pancreatic lipase and treating hyperlipaemia and obesity is disclosed in EP129748 (Hoffmann-la Roche, 1984). The use of orlistat (Xenical) as a drug against obesity is well established (Sjöström L. et al., Lancet 352: 167-172, 1998). The proposed mechanism is that less fat will be absorbed and therefore you will reduce your energy intake and consequently reduce your weight. The drawback with this lipase inhibitor is that it inhibits all types of lipases and produces steatorrhea due to strongly impaired fat digestion. It is therefore of outmost importance to develop a natural compound that retards fat digestion in a milder way without causing steatorrhea as side effect.
Cetilistat is another lipase inhibitor disclosed in WO00/40247, (Alizyme Therapeutics, 2000) with similar working mechanism, but with less side effects than orlistat (Kopelman P. et al., Int J Obes 2006; 31: 465-71).
Energy balance is a homeostatic system. Although malfunctions of this system can cause obesity, the relatively recent increase in the incidence of obesity is not thought to be the result of specific defects, but of a regulatory system unable to cope with the current context of cheap, high-energy foodstuffs, mechanized transport and non-manual labour. Commandeering elements of this regulatory system might provide the best opportunity for us to combat obesity (Murphy K. Bloom S., Nature 2006; 444: 854-859).
The "ileal brake" is a feedback mechanism activated by nutrients in the intestine, especially fat, with marked effects on satiety. Small amounts of fat are able to induce satiety and influence food intake (Welch I., et al. Gastroenterology 1985; 89: 1293-1297; Welch I., et al. Gut 1988; 29: 306-311; Greenberg D. and Smith, G. P., Psychosomatic medicine 1996; 58: 559-569; Maljaars P W J., et al, Int. J. Obesity 2008; 32: 1633-1639).
WO87/03198 refers to an enteric preparation in the form of a capsule or tablet containing a fat as the active substance that should be released in the intestine. This preparation utilizes the ileal brake mechanism.
WO99/02041 and WO2007/075142 disclose the use of emulsions based on fractionated palm oil and fractionated oat oil to bring fat far down in the intestine. This product (Olibra, DSM) is investigated in several studies (Burns A. A. et al., Int. J Obesity 2000; 24:1419-1425; Burns A. A. et al., Int. J Obesity 2001; 25:1487-1496; Burns A. A. et al., Eur J Clin Nutr 2002; 56:368-377; Logan C:M: et al., Eur J Clin Nutr 2006; 60:1081-1091; Diepvens K. et al., Int. J Obesity 2007; 31:942-949; Diepvens K. et al., Physiol Behav 2008; 95:114-117). A statistical significant effect is demonstrated in some cases. However, it is questionable if the effect can be considered as clinical.
Emulsions based on palm oil and proteins from partially denatured egg white, as disclosed in WO2006/053647, Unilever, and rapeseed oil or hydrogenated rapeseed oil together with milk protein and monoglycerides, as disclosed in WO2006/117069, Unilever, are also used to bring fat far down in intestine.
In WO2006/132586 (Albertsson) whole biological membranes or the hydrophobic peptides of biological membranes are used for the reduction of lipolytic activity and/or retard fat digestion, suppress appetite, body weight and/or lower blood lipids.
WO97/13500 refers to liposome formulations having incorporated therein an amount of a 5-β steroid effective to treat obesity, diabetes or hydrocortocoidism.
WO03/018529 refers to fatty-acid monoesters of an estrogen and a fatty acid for use in treatment of obesity and overweight. In a preferred pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition for intravenous injection the monoester is incorporated in a lipidic suspension prepared from liposomes.
JP2007204368 refers to a silk peptide as active ingredient useful in treatment of obesity, wherein the silk peptide is incorporated into a liposome.
Even if these products provide effective for treating obesity, there remains a need to provide improved methods for use in control and treatment of obesity and obesity-related diseases.
2.2.1 Proposed Mechanism and Initial Results in this Invention
Our process enable production of very small (smaller than 100 nm), uniform particles of unilamellar vesicle type. The mechanism for enhancement of satiety is assumed to be the following: These lipid particles, with extremely large surface area and very rich in galactolipids, interact with the lipases in the intestine and the reduced enzyme activity increases the concentration of lipids in the end of intestine. This activates the "ileal break mechanism" for satiety. We can control the enzyme activity and achieve sufficient satiety without any negative side effects. A particular advantage is that the lipids we use are components of a common food material, which eliminates any safety risks.
As a first step in proving this invention on satiety, a clinical evaluation under controlled conditions has been done. A morning meal containing a particle dispersion of oat lipid vesicles gave significant effects on GLP-1, which is a hormone in the blood and used as an indicator on satiety. This study is described in Example 7 below. An extended clinical study is now performed.
2.3. Encapsulation or Solubilization for Increasing Bioavailability of Valuable Nutrients in Foods and Feed
Within the field of formulation technology, various methods have been developed in order to solubilize encapsulate, and deliver biologically active materials. Our invention provides new application possibilities of nutrients or other important food components, such as antioxidants and aroma substances. These processes involve solubilization or encapsulation of the actual component in our particle carrier systems. In this way increased bioavailibility can be obtained
The most advanced applications in this field are found in drug delivery, which involves controlled administration of a pharmaceutical active material in order to achieve a therapeutic effect. An authority in this field Robert S, Lang stated that the current needs in this field are to reduce toxicity, to increase absorption and to improve release profile (C. M. Henry, Chem. & Engineering News 80 (2002) 39-47). Lipids are frequently applied, and the introduction of liposomes has proved to reduce toxicity in an application involving doxorubicin (the product Doxil is used in cancer therapy). A drug incorporated into a liposome is released by diffusion or released into the targeted cells by endocytosis. Some advanced recent studies are focused on drug targeting by attached ligands on the surface of the liposomes which bind to specific cell surface receptors. The general properties of lipid particles described in the present invention offer similar application possibilities as liposomes. They can be expected to be superior with regard to drug load and mechanical properties of the particles.
There are obviously many common features in gastrointestinal drug delivery and delivery of special food components. The present knowledge of delivery in food systems have recently been described in an excellent review by Sagalowicz and Leser (Delivery systems for liquid food products, Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science (2009), doi: 10.1016/j.cocis.2009.12.003). Sensitive molecules can be protected against degradation (such as oxidation during storage of the actual food product) and the most important aspect is that the bioavailability of important nutrients can be improved.
2.3.1 Conclusion Encapsulation and Solubilisation
The present invention provides new possibilities in this field. One application enables production of very small (smaller than 100 nm), uniform particles of self assembly type. Only limited mixing energy is required in the process. Also the preparation of particles of cubic lipid liquid-crystalline phases can be useful in this field. A wide range of molecules can be added into the particles, both hydrophilic and lipophilic molecules. A particular advantage is that the lipids we use are components of a common food material, which eliminates safety risks.
2.4 Method to Utilize the Full Emulsifying Capacity of Oils Containing Galactolipids in Emulsions
Already in the 1960s Stig Friberg demonstrated the important role of the lamellar liquid-crystalline phase in emulsion formation and stability. Now it is generally accepted that food emulsions stabilized by polar lipid must provide the lamellar liquid-crystalline phase during the emulsification process (cf. K. Larsson and Stig Friberg: Food Emulsion second ed. Marcel Dekker Inc., New York 1960).
The mechanism behind the emulsification is that the non-polar oil separates simultaneously as the lamellar liquid-crystalline phase is formed and the lamellar phase will then tend to coat the oil droplets spontaneously in order to reduce the surface energy of the dispersion. Such emulsions are kinetically stable at a solid content above about 40 vol %.
This also means that if the HII-phase is formed before the lamellar phase, there is a serious complication hindering the application of standard mechanical emulsification processes. The starting lipid material we use comprises galactolipids as a polar lipid component. Galactolipids may form HII-particles. Using traditional emulsifying methods on oils containing galactolipids may fail or become difficult to reproduce because formation of HII-particles. Large amounts of energy are required to emulsify oil in water. It is difficult to get the particles small enough, to get a sufficient narrow particle size distribution and the variation between batches are very high.
By using the methods presented in this invention we can circumvent the ranges where HII particles are formed and the energy consumption is reduced, the particle size is reduced, the particle size distribution is narrower and the variation between batches is reduced.
2.5 Removal of Ethanol from Oils Containing Galactolipids without Forming HII-Particles
When ethanol is removed from oil fractions containing galactolipids and ethanol there is a risk that HII-particles are formed. Once formed it may take years before the HII-particles are dissolved. This means that oils containing HII-particles lose their emulsifying properties.
Therefore there is a great need to find methods to remove ethanol from oils containing galactolipids without forming HII-particles.
By using the methods presented in this invention we can; circumvent the ranges where HII particles are formed during removal of ethanol from oils containing galactolipids; reduce energy consumption, the particle size, the particle size distribution and reduce the variation in product quality between batches in downstream processes.

Aqueous dispersion comprising galactolipids and method for production thereof


A lock box with a locking mechanism using a puck lock is provided that also has a handle for moving a locking bar from a locking to an unlocking position. Furthermore, the puck lock is permanently attached to the exterior of the lock box eliminating the possibility of losing the puck lock. The construction of the puck lock makes tampering with the locking system of the lock box impractical.

Lock or gang boxes are commonly used by contractors in the construction industry to provide a secure place for them to store their tools safely overnight or during other periods when they are not present to prevent others from taking their tools. These lock boxes typically use padlocks that are part of a locking mechanism which keeps the lid of the box closed and prevents its opening after the tools have been placed within the box and the padlock has been locked. Frequently, the padlock is situated within a pocket such that its body only partially protrudes therefrom even when the padlock is in an open configuration and the shank is substantially inaccessible at all times, preventing someone from cutting it with bolt cutters.
The disadvantage that these prior art lock boxes have is that they all have some of the internal moving parts of the locking mechanism attached to the front panel of the lock box. The resulting structure, which is necessary to accommodate the moving parts of the locking mechanism, creates obstructions that reduce the user's accessibility to the inside of the box for storage and also creates catch points upon which items may get stuck when trying to remove items from the box. Accordingly, there exists a need for a lock box that has a locking mechanism that maximizes the accessibility to the interior of the box and minimizes the difficulty of taking items out of the box.
Furthermore, many padlocks have a key tumbler that is made of brass. Even if the shackle can't be cut using bolt cutters, someone can break into the lock box by drilling out the tumbler portion of the padlock, rendering it incapable of locking the box. Accordingly, there also still exists a need for a lock box that uses a lock that cannot be easily tampered with, preventing someone from breaking into the lock box.


A package (30) for an individual charging wire (10) includes a backing (32) having a back portion (42) and a front portion (44). A first perforation (46) is defined in the backing (32) between the back portion (42) and the front portion (44). A closing strip (36) is disposed on the back portion (42). A padding strip (34) is disposed on the back portion (42) between the closing strip (36) and the first perforation (46). A second perforation (48) is defined in the back portion (42) between the closing strip (36) and the padding strip (34).

Electrophotographic printing and/or copying machines use thin wires, referred to as charger or corona wires, in order to charge and/or discharge various surfaces and thereby attract/repel toner particles to/from those surfaces. In most electrophotographic machines, one such charger wire typically extends in close proximity and parallel to the surface of the photoconductive drum and is used to charge that surface. Another charging wire is typically positioned to charge the image-receiving substrate (typically a sheet of paper) as it travels toward the drum. Other charging wires may be positioned and used elsewhere within electrophotographic machines, such as, for example, to charge and/or discharge the drum and/or other components of the machine.
As shown in FIG. 1, a typical charging wire 10 generally includes a wire portion 12 attached at each end thereof to copper lugs or terminals 14 that are typically pressed-on to wire portion 12. Wire portion 12 is typically very thin, such as, for example, 0.022 to 0.004 inches in diameter. The thin wire portions 12 are relatively fragile and sensitive to vibration. Therefore, the charging wires and the container within which they are packaged must be handled with great care.
Multiple charging wires are typically packaged within a single container for shipping and/or handling. A typical such packaging arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein a plurality of wires 10 are shown contained within a single container 20. More particularly, opposing terminals 14 are received within respective holders 22, which are typically constructed of molded foam and disposed within container 20 at opposite ends or sides thereof. Wire portions 12 extend between the opposing terminals 14 and holders 22, and are thus maintained in a taught condition or under a predetermined/desired tension.
Due to their fragility, a significant proportion of wires are often broken during shipping and handling, and additional wires may be broken as they are unpacked and exposed to further handling.
Therefore, what is needed in the art is an improved container and method of packing a plurality of charging wires for shipping and handling.
Furthermore, what is needed in the art is a package for individual charging wires that protects single charging wires from damage during shipping and handling in a bulk container, and during unpacking and subsequent handling of the individual wires.


Some embodiments provide a proprietary 64-bit consistent distribution scheme that preserves the efficiencies of CARP while providing a significantly more balanced distribution of requests that is on par with schemes reliant on computationally expensive cryptographic hashes. The scheme performs hashing of requested URLs and identifiers of available servers over a 64-bit space while optimizing the hashing to remove computationally expensive operations. Some embodiments provide a variant of the scheme to provide a differentiated distribution on the basis of one or more differentiating factors. A first variant utilizes load factor values to adjust the resulting hashes and to produce a first distribution of differentiated content that varies from a second distribution of undifferentiated content. A second variant identifies requests for differentiated content from requests for undifferentiated content and utilizes a first scheme to distribute the differentiated content and a second altered scheme to distribute the undifferentiated content.

Content delivery networks (CDNs) deploy surrogate origin servers, also referred to as caching servers or edge servers, at various points-of-presence (PoPs) that are geographically proximate to large numbers of end users. Each PoP includes multiple edge servers. These edge servers deliver content from various content providers to the geographically proximate end users. The overall end user experience is improved as the resources of the CDN often exceed those of the content providers such that the edge servers can respond to the end user requests more expediently and by virtue of the geographic proximity that the edge servers have to the end users, the requested content is delivered with less latency, jitter, packet loss, etc. than if the same content was otherwise delivered from more distant origin servers of the content providers.
End user content requests that are routed to a particular PoP are distributed across the edge servers of that particular PoP. This distribution primarily serves to partition the load across the edge servers of the particular PoP. How effectively the load is partitioned depends on how effectively the requests are distributed across the edge servers.
A round-robin distribution is a basic scheme in which the edge servers of a PoP are ordered and each incoming content request is distributed to the next edge server in the ordering. This ensures that the edge servers receive an equal amount of content requests. Advantages of the round-robin distribution scheme include its simplicity in terms of resource overhead (e.g., processing and memory) and efficient computation. The round-robin distribution scheme operates without consideration of the content being requested such that the incoming content requests need not be processed. A simple lookup as to the next available server is all that is required to distribute the requests. This allows for a relatively underpowered server to distribute thousands of requests per second and prevents the distribution element within the PoP or network from becoming a bottleneck.
However, the equal distribution of requests provided by any round-robin distribution scheme is less than ideal in the context of a CDN. Each distributed request can consume different amounts of server resources. Consequently, the equal distribution of requests can fail to produce an equal partitioning of load across the edge servers of a PoP. Round-robin distribution is also not a consistent distribution scheme. A first request for particular content may be routed to a first edge server of a PoP and a second request for the same particular content may be routed to a second edge server of a PoP, even though the first edge server may have the particular content already in cache as a result of the first request. Consequently, content is redundantly cached within the PoP (at the first edge server and the second edge server), thereby leading to inefficient usage of storage resources and reduction in the overall cache footprint of a PoP (i.e., overall amount of content that the PoP can cache). Overall performance of the PoP is also reduced as a result of the edge servers having to perform more cache writes and purges when redundantly caching content. Lastly, round-robin distribution results in a higher cache miss ratio. The higher cache miss ratio stems from the distribution schemes inability to guarantee that subsequent requests for the same content are distributed to the same edge server that has previously cached that content. For these and other reasons, round-robin distribution does not provide a well-balanced partitioning of load across edge servers of a PoP.
To address the problems stemming from redundant caching, many CDNs have utilized consistent distribution schemes to distribute content requests amongst edge servers of a PoP. A consistent distribution scheme, such as the Cache Array Routing Protocol (CARP), divides the space of hosted content amongst the edge servers of a specific PoP and ensures that requests for the same content are routed to the same edge server of the specific PoP. This often involves hashing an identifier that uniquely identifies the content being requested to identify the edge server tasked with servicing that content, wherein the hashing consistently identifies the same edge server for the same identifier. The identifier typically includes the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or some permutation thereof, such as a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) and Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) as some examples. Other parameters such as the requesting end user's IP address and port combination can also be used as part of the hash.
While consistent distribution schemes have effectively eliminated redundant caching of content in a PoP and the performance impact associated with redundant caching, actual analysis of consistent distribution schemes in use today has revealed a tradeoff between evenness and efficiency of the request distribution produced by these distribution schemes. For instance, CARP is a lightweight efficient distribution scheme that can efficiently distribute thousands of requests, but CARP does so at the expense of a relative uneven distribution. The uneven distribution then results in a poor partitioning of load amongst edge servers in a PoP. Other consistent distribution schemes that rely on cryptographic hashes have produced more even request distributions than CARP. However, these schemes are computationally taxing on the server performing the distribution because of the complexities of the cryptographic hashes. As such, these distribution schemes are unsuitable for use in a CDN framework in which thousands of incoming requests have to be distributed in a short period of time (e.g., few seconds).
To quantify the shortcomings of CARP, FIG. 1 presents results for an actual distribution of requests when using a consistent hashing technique implemented per the CARP specification. The distribution is presented for three different content types across edge servers of two CDN PoPs. In this figure, field 110 represents the total number of requests of a specific content type that a particular PoP distributes during the monitored period. Field 120 represents the fewest requests of a specific content type that any edge server of a particular PoP receives as a result of the CARP distribution. Field 130 represents the most requests of a specific content type that any edge server of the particular PoP receives as a result of the CARP distribution. Field 140 presents the median number of requests of a specific content type received by the edge servers of a particular PoP. Field 150 presents the standard deviation for the number of requests of a specific content type received by the edge servers of a particular PoP. Lastly, field 160 presents the average time needed to process an incoming request, wherein processing the incoming request includes computing the hash from which the distribution decision is based.
As evident from the distribution of requests presented in FIG. 1, CARP does not provide an even distribution. Specifically, the least utilized edge server receives approximately 25% of the number of requests as the most utilized edge server in a given PoP. When considering that the requests are for the same content type, it can be extrapolated that the least utilized edge server receives a quarter of the load as the most utilized edge server in a given PoP. This uneven distribution causes certain edge servers to be overutilized and others to be underutilized.
One factor behind the uneven distribution produced by CARP is the use of an inadequate hash. The hashes called for in the CARP specification are selected for their computational efficiencies. However, this focus on efficiency produces the uneven distribution shown in FIG. 1. The obvious solution involves replacing the simplistic CARP hashes with more robust hashes. For instance, cryptographic hashes, such as SHA1, can be used to provide a more even distribution. However, cryptographic hashes and other robust hashes incur substantially greater processing overhead, thus rendering these hashes unsuitable for use in a CDN framework.
A second factor behind the uneven distribution is the "one-size fits all" approach to request distribution. Specifically, the same hash is used to distribute "hot" content and "not hot" content. Hot content is content that is requested frequently during a period of time and not hot content is content that is requested infrequently during that period of time. Accordingly, an edge server that receives requests for hot content will be overutilized when compared to an edge server that receives requests for not hot content. Also, the CARP specification does not consider the content that is being requested and the same hash functions are used to distribute different content types irrespective of the disparate load requirements that the different content types may impose on the edge servers. For instance, servicing requests for large file content consumes greater resources of an edge server than servicing requests for small file content. This is because of the additional bandwidth, memory, processing, and connection overhead needed to transmit the larger file. Accordingly, an edge server that receives a disproportionate number of large file content requests will be overutilized when compared to an edge server that receives a disproportionate number of small file content requests.
An even load partition is critical in order to achieve maximum resource utilization in a PoP and the request distribution scheme used is the primary factor in determining these loads. When the request distribution scheme produces an unbalanced load distribution, it will cause the entire capacity of the PoP to be reduced. For example, a PoP with an unbalanced load distribution in which one edge server operates at 95% capacity with other edge servers operating around 60% of capacity will be able to service substantially fewer requests than a PoP with a balanced load distribution in which all edge servers operate at 90% capacity. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved content request distribution scheme. Specifically, there is a need for a scheme that avoids redundant caching in a PoP while providing for a distribution of requests that results in an even partitioning of load amongst edge servers of that PoP. Also, there is a need for such a scheme to remain lightweight and computationally efficient so as to be able to receive, process, and distribute several thousand requests per second.

Optimized consistent request distribution for balanced load distribution in a content delivery network


A metal interconnect structure formed over a substrate in an integrated circuit that traverses a scribe-line boundary between a first die and a second die includes at least one metal interconnect line that traverses the scribe-line boundary. A switch is coupled between the at least one metal interconnect line and the substrate, the switch having a control element coupled to a scribe-cut control line. The control line turns the switch on if the two dice are separated into individual dice and turns the switch off if the two dice are to remain physically connected so that the interconnect line may be used to make connections between circuits on the two dice.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuit technology and integrated circuit structures. More particularly, the present invention relates to integrated circuit wafers having metal interconnect lines traversing die scribe-line boundaries, integrated circuit dice having metal interconnect lines passing through scribe saw-cut lines and to methods for forming metal interconnect structures traversing scribe-line boundaries.
2. The Prior Art
A major issue relating to integrated circuit dice having metal interconnect lines passing through scribe saw-cut lines is contamination. Referring first to FIGS. 1A and 1B, respectively, a top view and a cross-sectional view of metal interconnect wiring in a portion of a prior-art semiconductor wafer at the edges of two dice disposed thereon shows a typical environment of the present invention.
In general, a structure known as the "die seal" is built at the border between the chip (outside the pads) and the scribe line area of the die. Usually the die seal consists of a substrate tap and a continuous ring of each layer of metal electrically shorted to that tap and tied to ground. This prevents chemical contaminants from seeping into the chip and damaging it during later stages of the manufacturing process, package assembly, testing, PCB assembly, and during its useful lifetime in the target application.
Specifically semiconductor wafer 10 includes a first die 12 that includes a segment 14 of interconnect wiring in a first lower metal layer disposed above a first interlayer dielectric layer 16 formed on substrate 18 and a segment 20 of interconnect wiring in a second upper metal layer disposed above a second upper metal layer. A scribe line (dashed line 26) indicates where the first die 12 is to be separated from a second die 28 including a segment 30 of interconnect wiring in the first lower metal layer disposed above the first interlayer dielectric layer 16 and a segment 32 of interconnect wiring in the second upper metal layer disposed above the second interlayer dielectric layer 22.
A scribe seal metal region is located on first die 12 just inside scribe line 26 (to left of scribe line 26 in FIGS. 1A and 1B). As will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art, the scribe seal metal region is formed from a portion 34 of the first lower metal layer and a portion 36 of the second upper metal layer. As shown in FIG. 1B, portion 34 of the first lower metal layer makes contact with an n+ doped region 38 in the substrate 18. A similar scribe seal metal region is located on second die 40 just inside of scribe line 26 (to the right of scribe lines 26 in FIGS. 1A and 1B). The scribe seal metal region on second die 40 is formed from a portion 42 of the first lower metal layer and a portion 44 of the second upper metal layer. As shown in FIG. 1B, portion 42 of the lower metal layer makes contact between portion 36 of the lower metal layer and an n+ doped region 46 in the substrate 26. After the wafer containing dice 12 and 40 has been scribed to separate die 12 from die 40, the scribe seals in dice 12 and 40 and the overlying passivation layer 24 together act as border seals to protect the interiors of first die 12 and second die 40 from contamination.
The conventional wisdom is that metal connections that pass through the die seal can potentially serve as conduits for contamination to enter through the protective barrier of the seal, especially if these signals can be at higher voltages than the grounded substrate (as is the case in conventional CMOS circuits). Therefore, metal connections across a die seal are not used in the prior art.

Integrated circuit wafer with inter-die metal interconnect lines traversing scribe-line boundaries


A rapidly solidified aluminum base alloy is formed into a powder and plasma sprayed onto a substrate to provide a uniform and contiguous coating. Deposition and retention of the alloy onto the substrate are effected in a single process step. The coating exhibits improved mechanical and physical properties including excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance and improved elevated temperature strength and thermal stability.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for improving the properties of materials, and more particularly to a process for producing a metallic coating from a rapidly solidified metal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spray metallizing consists of heating a metal to a molten or semi-molten condition by passing it through a high temperature heat source, and depositing it in a finely divided form on a substrate. The molten or semi-molten particles flatten out on impacting the substrate and adhere to its surface. Subsequently deposited particles also flatten out, and adhere to those previously deposited, thus the structure of sprayed deposits is lamellar. The sprayed metal deposits resemble the derivative wire or powder chemically, but their physical properties, especially their microstructure, are quite different from those of the original wrought metal. Cohesion is achieved through mechanical and metallurgical bonding. After being sprayed, certain materials can be fused to form a dense and uniform coating that is metallurgically bonded to the substrate. Fused coatings usually are required for protecting the substrate material during service of high temperatures, in abrasive and corrosive environments, or for developing a surface of uniformly high hardness. For example, sprayed aluminum coatings on steel require heating to above 482.degree. C. to metallurgically bond the coating to the steel. Typically, the material may be subsequently heated at 732.degree. C. to 1093.degree. C. to provide a dense, uniform coating metallurgically bonded to the base metal.
Problems may arise due to the spray metallizing of aluminum coatings and subsequent diffusing of the aluminum spray coating from the formation of coarse aluminum-iron intermetallics dispersed within the deposited articles and at the coating/substrate interface. These intermetallics are very brittle and can degrade the mechanical properties of the component, for example, by forming a brittle layer between the components. Also, because the sprayed aluminum coating requires a thermal diffusing treatment, conditions may exist wherein the substrate material may not be properly heat treated. Problems may be encountered with welded aluminum coated steel parts. The alloying of the aluminum and iron can create a loss of ductility and lowering of corrosion resistance in the weld and heat-affected zone. Finally, because of the mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the sprayed aluminum coating and the substrate, the coating may degrade and spall off during high temperature exposure.

Plasma spraying of rapidly solidified aluminum base alloys


A semiconductor device arrangement and a method. One embodiment includes at least one power transistor and at least one gate resistor located between a gate of the power transistor and a connecting point in the drive circuit of the power transistor. The semiconductor device arrangement includes a switchable element between the connecting point and a source of the power transistor.

This disclosure relates to a semiconductor device arrangement with at least one power transistor and at least one gate resistor, the power transistor having an extremely high switching speed owing to very low device capacitances. In the turn-off process, the so-called decommutation process, however, current and voltage overlap in the power transistor. To minimize any turn-off losses resulting from this, it is possible to turn off the channel current very fast by small external gate series resistors.
Turn-off losses can also be reduced by using the output capacitance Ca as a turn-off unloading capacitor. In this process, the load current commutates completely into the output capacitance Ca. As a result, the semiconductor device suffers virtually no heat losses in the turn-off process, but only a capacitive displacement current into the output capacitance Ca with an energy content ECa of
                              E                                                              Ca                =                              ∫            0                          u              DS                                                      Ca            ·            U            ·                          ⅆ              U                                                          (                  equation                                                              1                )
wherein uDS represents the rising drain-source voltage in the turn-off process. From this can be derived the capacitive energy content of the semiconductor device in the off state at a voltage UDS. This energy content can be minimized by reducing the value of the output capacitance Ca while reducing the size of the component.
In a switching process modified as described above by using the output capacitance Ca, the voltage increase during the turn-off process is however no longer controlled by the gate, but only by the load current IL to be disconnected. The voltage increase du/dt is determined by the load current IL in a linear manner and is inversely proportional to the output capacitance Ca withdu/dt=IL/Ca  (equation 2),
Wherein IL represents the load current and Ca represents the output capacitance of the power transistor.
By reducing the dimensions of the device, the output capacitance Ca is reduced to a very low value, so that at high current peaks the voltage increase du/dt reaches values which may significantly exceed the permissible breakdown voltage. Owing to the intrinsic structure of the semiconductor devices, the output capacitance Ca is voltage-dependent, so that, based on the above equation 2, the value of Ca changes as du/dt increases during the turn-off process. This change causes both a change of the capacitive displacement current for the output capacitance Ca and a change of the capacitive displacement current at the gate electrode.
In a non-linear condition, i.e. if there are parasitic inductances in the drive circuit, the change of the gate current induces a reverse voltage and may result in oscillations, in particular if the exciting voltage, is amplified by the power transistor. This results in an upper limit frequency via the charge of the input capacitance of the power transistor and the through-conductivity of the power transistor. In high-voltage devices, this may be significantly lower than the inherent resonance of the serial oscillator circuit made up of the drain-gate capacitance and the gate inductance. Oscillations during the turn-off process of such power transistors are undesirable, as they affect the EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) of the power transistor.
The fast and, with the aid of the output capacitance, nearly loss-free switching of power transistors is further limited by a very high current chopping in the power circuit. If the power transistor is turned off in a completely unloaded state, the load current completely commutates into the output capacitance Ca. In this process, the gate voltage may fall below the Miller plateau at full load current and even be reduced to zero. The Miller plateau is the potential at the insulated gate which still ensures that the channel of a field effect power transistor remains open.
If the power transistor as a switch reaches the externally preset link voltage, the switch can supply the load current. The di/dt resulting from this will cause a voltage reduction at the power transistor via the existing source inductances and, if the gate potential remains constant, contribute to an effective biasing of the channel. It has however been found that, owing to the capacitive coupling between gate and source, the gate potential follows a steep voltage reduction to source, resulting on the one hand in an incomplete biasing of the channel and on the other hand in an excessively high voltage amplitude at the gate.
In combination with the gate inductances, the rapid voltage change at the gate due to the capacitive coupling between gate and source also excites undesirable oscillations. Both effects are due to the inductances existing in a power transistor between the control electrode and a switching electrode. Such inductances are built up by the conductor routing to the gate connections of the power transistor within the semiconductor device and in part by the connecting elements forming induction loops between external contacts of the semiconductor device arrangement and the internal contact surfaces on the semiconductor chip of the power transistor.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Semiconductor device having a switchable element


A vehicle body impact absorption structure includes a bumper reinforcement, an upper vehicle body frame member, a lower vehicle body frame member, and an impact absorption box. The impact absorption box includes a rear portion, which is connected to the upper and lower vehicle body frame members, and a front portion, which is connected to the bumper reinforcement. The impact absorption box includes an upper impact absorption portion, which has a closed cross-section, a lower impact absorption portion, which has a closed cross-section, a front connection portion, which has a closed section, and a communication portion. The front connection portion connects the upper and lower impact absorption portions. The communication portion is located at the rear side of the front connection portion. The communication portion includes an opening extending through the impact absorption box in the lateral direction of the vehicle body.

The present invention relates to vehicle body impact absorption structures that absorb impacts applied to bumpers.
A vehicle body impact absorption structure that absorbs the impact applied to a bumper may include impact absorption boxes arranged one above the other. International Publication No. WO2007/011238 describes an impact absorption structure that integrally connects two impact absorption boxes, which are arranged one above the other, with a flat joint. The joint has a central portion including a tetragonal opening.

Vehicle body impact absorption structure


Metal electrodes (cathode) are made from a plurality of materials wherein they are not simply superposed one another along the sectional direction, but the metal electrodes (cathode) are in contact with an organic thin film in such that they exhibit a difference in magnitude of work functions dependent upon their disposed positions in the plane. More specifically, a local metal electrode being in contact with the organic thin film inside a light-emitting device in the plane is formed from a material having a small work function, while the peripheral metal electrode which encloses the local metal electrode, wiring sections other than the light-emitting device and the like are formed from materials each having a lager work function than that of the local metal electrode.

A so-called organic thin film electric field light-emitting device is such a device wherein excitation arises as a result of recombination of electrons and holes injected from a pair of electrodes, the resulting excitation emits light in the process of radial deactivation, and the light is radiated towards the outside through a transparent electrode and a glass substrate. In such an electric field light-emitting device, it is required that injection of carriers should be controlled towards the inside of the electric field light-emitting device.
A first conventional electric field light-emitting device is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Kokai No. 4-51494. In this electric field light-emitting device, the surface of a transparent electrode formed on a glass substrate is covered with an insulating film except for a portion for injecting carriers thereby to avoid unnecessary injection of the carriers. More specifically, after forming the transparent electrode, the whole surface of which is covered with the insulating film such as SiO2 film and the like in accordance with chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method or sputtering method, an aperture is defined on the insulating film by locally etching a portion corresponding to that for injecting carriers for light-emitting device in accordance with photolithographic process, and then an organic thin film (hole transportation layer and light-emitting layer) and a metal electrode are formed thereon.
A second conventional electric field light-emitting device is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Kokai N. 3-233891. In this electric field light-emitting device, a light-emitting layer is formed in an island-shape so as to separate from the other elements, respectively. The fabricating method therefor is such that a hole transportation layer is formed on a transparent electrode by means of vapor deposition method or the like, and thereafter a light-emitting layer is locally deposited to form the same by, for example, shadow mask method. Then, a metal electrode is formed by the use of another pattern mask in accordance with shadow mask method.
A third conventional electric field light-emitting device is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Kokai Nos. 4-19993 and 4-363896. In this electric field light-emitting device, a metal electrode is formed from a plurality of materials. A substrate metal electrode which has been prepared by utilizing a material and a process for providing good adhesion is disposed between the surface of an organic thin film composed of a hole transportation layer and a light-emitting layer and the metal electrode. The reason for disposing the substrate metal electrode is in improvements in adherent properties between the metal electrode and the organic thin film and in injection characteristic properties of carriers, so that the substrate metal electrode is formed on the whole surface of the underside of the metal electrode.
In the first to third conventional electric field light-emitting devices, however, there are disadvantages as explained below.
Although the first conventional electric field light-emitting device achieves an object for injecting carriers inside the electric field light-emitting device, it requires an expensive production facilities for CVD method (or sputtering method) and for photolithographic process, besides it utilizes expensive process steps (the number of steps is remarkable), so that this conventional electric field light-emitting device becomes expensive from economical point of view.
In the second conventional electric field light-emitting device, it is difficult to work the light-emitting layer so that stability in the fabrication process is deficient, besides since the light-emitting layer which is a major stage for light emission must be worked in a poor state of controllability, the device properties are also unstable.
In the third conventional electric field light-emitting device, although the two-layered metal electrodes are employed, since the upper and lower metal electrodes have an identical size with each other, electrons injected from an end of the electrodes spread to affect adjacent light-emitting devices, whereby there arises a problem of cross talk.

Organic thin film light-emitting device having second electrodes layer covering periphery of first electrodes layer


A sewing thread comprising at least one precursor material of a product at its outer surface, which imparts a stitched connection produced with such a thread an increased adherence to the material to be sewn. Furthermore, the invention provides a sewing thread wherein the applied precursor material transforms to form a product which is capable of enlarging the outer diameter of the sewing thread, particularly in an aqueous environment. Furthermore, the invention provides a method for producing waterproof stitched connections.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sewing thread comprising a thread, and a precursor material impregnated into at least the outer surface of the thread, the precursor material capable of being activated after processing of said sewing thread to a product which imparts an increased adherence between the sewing thread and a stitched material in a stitched connection produced with such a thread, a sewable area structure sewn therewith, and a method for obtaining at least splash-proof stitched connections.
2. Description of the Related Art
One essential quality feature of textile stitched connections resides in the way the sewing thread material is locked in the material of the sewable area structure to be attached by means of the stitched connection. In lockstitching, such locking is achieved continuously with each stitch, with the underthread provided on a spool of small capacity locking the upper thread. In chain stitching, merely threads paid out by one or several cones of large capacity are used without being locked in every stitch. Locking the thread in chain stitching is achieved by nothing else but sewing across the ends of the stitched connection. If the stitched connection is damaged at a location between its ends, one pull at the thread consequently causes the entire connection to come undone. For this reason, the use of chain stitching is very limited or disadvantageous under practical conditions where a coming undone of stitched connections is accepted due to a lack of alternatives.
For the rest, lockstitched connections, being of higher quality, require considerable work effort as they do not lend themselves to automation. Once the available underthread on a spool has been used up, spool changes must be carried out manually, such that the sewing procedure has to be interrupted repeatedly, even in terms of several minutes under given circumstances, in order to permit a spool change. If it were possible to use a chain-stitched connection, work could be continued uninterruptedly throughout a whole work day or even longer, such that various automation measures might find application.
Due to the fact that its outer surface may be provided with an increased adhesiveness or adhesive effect after sewing, an adhering of the thread to the stitch linkage and to the textile or material to be sewn results in the area of the needle holes. Hereby the thread is held to each stitch linkage in a manner which is similar to the lockstitch thread being immobilized by the underthread. The resulting security against coming loose of the chain-stitched connection is essentially the same as in the case of a lockstitched connection. The essentially more favorable manufacturing option of the chain-stitched connection may thus also be made use of in cases hitherto requiring lockstitching in order to prevent the connection from coming undone. At the same time, further advantages of chain stitches, such as a higher elasticity in comparison with lockstitches, may be made use of. On the other hand, however, a sewing thread according to the invention may also be utilized for lockstitching if required, e.g. for reasons of looks, wearing comfort, or the like.
As a rule, the increased adhesive effect may most advantageously be achieved by a bonding effect. This allows to attain very high adhesive forces, guaranteeing a durable attachment of threads to the stitch linkages and inside the needle holes.
Furthermore it is known to seal textile stitched connections by covering the stitched connections with adhesive or welting ribbons. This, however, requires a considerable additional expense. Without the use of such additional sealing means, a flaw is in any case created when the thread passes through the needle hole.
DE-A-40 25 291, moreover, discloses a method for producing water or moisture proof stitched connections in sewing woven synthetic or rubber materials, or woven materials coated with synthetic or rubber, or multiple-layer synthetic or rubber materials, which in a given case are reinforced with metal foil, by inserting a body core of synthetic or rubber foil between the parts to be sewn upon sewing and by causing the sealant emanating from the pierced body core to cross-link. In particular, organo-polysiloxane masses are used as sealants.
Such a method, however, has the disadvantage that on the one hand, the needle constantly contacts a sealant capable of curing, thereby affecting the precision of the stitched connection over longer sewing periods, and on the other hand results in residues of sealant material on the needle which, upon continued sewing, may cause damage inside the fabric and/or to the needle, or even to the sewing device.
Moreover the method of DE-A-40 25 291 requires more precise positioning of the sealant-filled body cores, particularly hoses, bringing about considerable problems of positioning and corresponding technical expense if stitched connections under given circumstances are several meters in length.
One further disadvantage of this prior art method is founded in the fact that sealant constantly leaks at the needle holes, further favored by the circumstance of the articles to be sewn, as a rule, being positioned between the pressure leg and the bottom feeder, whereby additional pressure is exerted on the tube and its content of sealant, thus causing the sealant to constantly emanate and frequently reach locations of the sewing device and of the article being sewn where the sealant is not welcome or even harmful.
Consequently there is a need to particularly form textile stitched connections between fluid-proof textile materials by means of textile stitched connections which also fulfil the corresponding sealing requirements without essentially expensive additional measures. In such a case, the textile material may often replace synthetic sheets which are sealingly connected to each other by fusing.

Sewing thread, area structure sewn thereby, and method for obtaining a splash-proof stitched connection