An apparatus to monitor thickness of a crystalline sheet grown from a melt. The apparatus may include a process chamber configured to house the melt and crystalline sheet; an x-ray source disposed on a first side of the crystalline sheet and configured to deliver a first beam of x-rays that penetrate the crystalline sheet from a first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface, at a first angle of incidence with respect to the first surface; and an x-ray detector disposed on the first side of the crystalline sheet and configured to intercept a second beam of x-rays that are generated by reflection of the first beam of x-rays from the crystalline sheet at an angle of reflection with respect to the first surface, wherein a sum of the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection satisfies the equation λ=2d sin θ.

In the present day various apparatus are available to measure thickness of crystalline layers that may be free standing or disposed on a substrate. Although many techniques are available to measure a crystalline layer in a static fashion, such as when the layer is disposed on a substrate at room temperature, measurement of layer thickness during formation of a crystalline layer may be more challenging. This is especially so when growth takes place under elevated temperature or under special ambient.
In the present day techniques have been developed to grow single crystalline (monocrystalline) sheets from a melt of a given material such as silicon or sapphire. This may be accomplished by crystallizing a thin solid layer of the given material on the surface of a melt and drawing an edge of the layer along the melt or pulling the layer from the melt according to known techniques. Control of the crystallinity and thickness of such monocrystalline sheets may depend upon a number of factors, including growth temperature, pulling rate, and so forth. Accordingly, precise control of growth parameters may be desirable. Moreover, it may be desirable to measure properties of the monocrystalline sheet during growth of the monocrystalline sheet in order to obtain "real time" information to determine if properties of the monocrystalline sheet are as desired.
However, there is a lack of techniques for measurement of properties of monocrystalline sheets during growth. Measurement is complicated by the fact that a crystalline sheet may be growing on or within a melt at an elevated temperature, which provides challenges to delivering a probe signal to the crystalline sheet and detecting a measurement signal with enough accuracy to properly monitor the growing sheet. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed.

Apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling thickness of a crystalline layer

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


This vehicle includes a guard rail intended to occupy a lowered position delimiting a closed space that prevents a passenger from falling and a raised position in which the guard rail opens up the space at the front of the vehicle to allow one or more passengers to board and disembark. The vehicle also includes means for locking the guard rail in the lowered position, wherein the locking means includes a locking lever having a first end provided with a bearing surface and with a blocking surface, the bearing surface and the blocking surface delimiting a first housing intended to accommodate part of the guard rail, and a second end in which a locking member designed to immobilize the second end of the locking lever is intended to engage when the guard rail is in the lowered position.

Conventionally, a mechanical lift facility allows passengers, skiers or pedestrians to go up or down slopes. A mechanical lift facility usually has two end stations, a station located downslope and a station located upslope. These end stations are connected by an aerial carrier-tractor cable which may form a closed loop. It is known to drive the cable by means of pulleys and to support it using pylons. Cable-suspended vehicles allow passengers to be conveyed from one end station to another.
There are several types of mechanical facility, such as chair lifts, ski-lifts, gondolas or cable cars. A chair lift-type mechanical lift facility allows passengers to go up or down a slope, in a sitting position, by means of seats suspended from a continuously moving cable.
When the cable forms a closed loop, each end station may include a passenger boarding area and a passenger disembarking area. The mechanical lift facility makes it thus possible to simultaneously transport passengers going up and down the slope.
Conveying passengers up and down a slope requires meeting a high level of security. In particular, the seats travel at a relatively large distance from the ground. It is known to improve passenger safety by using a guard rail to limit the risk of accidental falling of a passenger from the seat.
Guard rails are conventionally pivotally mounted relative to the seat to allow passengers to board and disembark. The guard rail may be in a lowered operating position or in a raised operating position. When the guard rail is in a lowered position, it constitutes an obstacle to tilting of a passenger in a vacuum. This lowered position of the guard rail is usually adopted during a phase path of the seat outside boarding and disembarking areas. When the guard rail is in a raised position, it opens up the space at the front of the seat to allow passengers to settle on the seat or leave it. The guard rail is thus normally in a raised position when the seat is in a boarding or disembarking area.
For security reasons, the guard rail must not be raised during the entire phase path outside the boarding and disembarking areas. It is, thus, known to provide the seats with means for locking their guard rail in the lowered position.
However, most means used to lock the guard rail are of the mechanical type and often require a complex structure. Consequently, said locking means do not always offer the possibility to be mounted on preexisting seats. In addition, they sometimes require substantial maintenance and can significantly weigh down the seat to which they are fitted, which often leads to premature wear of the seats and mechanical lift facilities to which they are fitted.


A dosage form is disclosed for delivering the beneficial drugs pseudoephedrine and brompheniramine to a biological environment of use.

Antihistamine and decongestants are used for the temporary relief of symptoms of the common cold, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. The antihistamine brompheniramine and the decongestant pseudoephedrine are therapeutically indicated for patients needing relief of these symptoms.
Brompheniramine is a propylamine derivative antihistamine. Brompheniramine is a racemic mixture of the dextro and levo isomers. Pharmacologic activity is predominantly due to the d-isomer. Dextrobrompheniramine, the dextro isomer, is approximately twice as active. Brompheniramine is administered for its effects as a therapeutically acceptable salt, preferably as brompheniramine maleate. Brompheniramine maleate occurs as a white crystalline powder, freely soluble in aqueous-type fluids, and it is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug which occurs naturally in plants of the Ephedra. Pseudoephedrine is a stereoisomer of ephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is administered for its beneficial effects as a therapeutically acceptable salt, preferably as the hydrochloride or the sulfate. Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride occurs as a fine, white crystal or powder; it is very soluble in aqueous-type fluids and it is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,880 a presentation is set forth concerning the desirability of providing a pharmaceutical dosage form comprising the two different drugs that are initially delivered in a therapeutically effective amount, followed by delivery of the drugs at a controlled rate, and for a time period, established to meet a specific therapeutic need. That is, as discussed therein, it would be desirable to provide a dosage form that comprises an exterior lamina comprising pseudoephedrine, brompheniramine and a releasable binder, which lamina delivers both drugs immediately for substantially eliminating the start-up time of the dosage form and for providing immediate therapy to a recipient. The exterior drug-containing lamina for delivering an initial drug-pulse act in cooperation with the dosage form that follows with the drugs then delivered at a controlled rate over time.
Additionally, as discussed therein, it would be desirable to provide a pharmaceutical dosage form comprising the two different drugs for their simultaneous administration for obtaining the physiological and the pharmacological benefits of each drug. Such a novel dosage form could be used for the desired medical relief where each individual drug addresses different symptoms of the particular medical situation. Prior to the invention disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,880 the co-administration of these drugs in a predetermined ratio did not appear feasible. For example, prior to that application pseudoephedrine and brompheniramine appeared to be kinetically incompatible in a pharmaceutical osmotically-controlled dosage form for their respective administrations within prescribed ratios because of their individual osmotic properties and their solubilities. Additionally, before the copending application, it was unobvious from their pharmacokinetic properties that pseudoephedrine and brompheniramine could be administered from a dosage form to a warm-blooded animal at rates that are individually selected to achieve each of their separate therapeutic plasma concentrations.
Thus, in the light of the above presentation, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the dispensing art that the novel and unique dosage form disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,880 has made available (1) administering a pulsed amount of pseudoephedrine and brompheniramine and (2) made available a means for housing the pseudoephedrine and the brompheniramine for their administration at a controlled and continuous rate and in therapeutically effective ratio for obtaining the benefits of each drug, has a definite use and also represents a valuable contribution to the dispensing art. Also, it will be appreciated by those versed in the dispensing art that if an improvement is made available in the means for providing a pulsed amount of pseudoephedrine and brompheniramine from the dosage form, the improvement also will have a definite use and represent an additionally valuable contribution to the dispensing art.


Computer-implemented methods for workload management and related computer program products are disclosed. One method comprises receiving corrosion rate signals from a first sensor associated with a first compute node, determining a first corrosion level for the first compute node as a function of the corrosion rate signal received from the first sensor, and automatically removing a first workload from the first compute node in response to determining that the first compute node has a first corrosion level that is greater than a setpoint level of corrosion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to workload management in computer systems.
2. Background of the Related Art
In a cloud computing environment, a management system performs constant monitoring of numerous compute nodes that make up the cloud. Accordingly, the management system may take steps to balance the load among the individual compute nodes, and may deploy workloads to compute nodes that are able to perform appropriately.
In various implementations, the management system is the centralized point for workload distribution and has access to information about the operating condition of all servers and all workloads. The management system collects this information and uses it to determine how to move and rearrange workloads to accomplish one or more operational objective. The management system, such as a management server, is limited as to what information it can collect about the individual servers or hosts. In some systems, server operating conditions are exposed to the management server so that the management server can make a more informed decision as to which host should receive a given workload.

International Business Machines Corporation


A novel class of compounds of the general formula (I), their use in therapy, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, as well as their use in the manufacture of medicaments are described. The present compounds modulate the activity of 11β-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) and are accordingly useful in the treatment of diseases in which such a modulation is beneficial, e.g. the metabolic syndrome.

The metabolic syndrome is a major global health problem. In the US, the prevalence in the adult population is currently estimated to be approximately 25%, and it continues to increase both in the US and worldwide. The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a combination of insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, obesity and hypertension leading to increased morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases. People with the metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of developing frank type 2 diabetes, the prevalence of which is equally escalating.
In type 2 diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemia are also highly prevalent and around 70% of people with type 2 diabetes additionally have hypertension once again leading to increased mortality of cardiovascular diseases.
In the clinical setting, it has long been known that glucocorticoids are able to induce all of the cardinal features of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) catalyses the local generation of active glucocorticoid in several tissues and organs including predominantly the liver and adipose tissue, but also e.g. skeletal muscle, bone, pancreas, endothelium, ocular tissue and certain parts of the central nervous system. Thus, 11βHSD1 serves as a local regulator of glucocorticoid actions in the tissues and organs where it is expressed (Tannin et al., J. Biol. Chem., 266, 16653 (1991); Bujalska et al., Endocrinology, 140, 3188 (1999); Whorwood et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 86, 2296 (2001); Cooper et al., Bone, 27, 375 (2000); Davani et al., J. Biol. Chem., 275, 34841 (2000); Brem et al., Hypertension, 31, 459 (1998); Rauz et al., Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., 42, 2037 (2001); Moisan et al., Endocrinology, 127, 1450 (1990)).
The role of 11βHSD1 in the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes is supported by several lines of evidence. In humans, treatment with the non-specific 11βHSD1 inhibitor carbenoxolone improves insulin sensitivity in lean healthy volunteers and people with type 2 diabetes. Likewise, 11βHSD1 knock-out mice are resistant to insulin resistance induced by obesity and stress. Additionally, the knock-out mice present with an anti-atherogenic lipid profile of decreased VLDL triglycerides and increased HDL-cholesterol. Conversely, mice that overexpress 11βHSD1 in adipocytes develop insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia and visceral obesity, a phenotype that resembles the human metabolic syndrome (Andrews et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 88, 285 (2003); Walker et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 80, 3155 (1995); Morton et al., J. Biol. Chem. 276, 41293 (2001); Kotelevtsev et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, 14924 (1997); Masuzaki et al., Science, 294, 2166 (2001)).
The more mechanistic aspects of 11βHSD1 modulation and thereby modulation of intracellular levels of active glucocorticoid have been investigated in several rodent models and different cellular systems. 11βHSD1 promotes the features of the metabolic syndrome by increasing hepatic expression of the rate-limiting enzymes in gluconeogenesis, namely phosphoenolpyuvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase, promoting the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes thus facilitating obesity, directly and indirectly stimulating hepatic VLDL secretion, decreasing hepatic LDL uptake and increasing vessel contractility (Kotelevtsev et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, 14924 (1997); Morton et al., J. Biol. Chem. 276, 41293 (2001); Bujalska et al., Endocrinology, 140, 3188 (1999); Souness et al., Steroids, 67, 195 (2002); Brindley & Salter, Prog. Lipid Res., 30, 349 (1991)).
WO 01/90090, WO 01/90091, WO 01/90092, WO 01/90093 and WO 01/90094 discloses various thiazol-sulfonamides as inhibitors of the human 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme, and further states that said compounds may be useful in treating diabetes, obesity, glaucoma, osteoporosis, cognitive disorders, immune disorders and depression.
We have now found novel substituted bi- or tricyclic amides that modulate the activity of 11βHSD1 leading to altered intracellular concentrations of active glucocorticoid. More specifically, the present compounds inhibit the activity of 11βHSD1 leading to decreased intracellular concentrations of active glucocorticoid. Thus, the present compounds can be used to treat disorders where a decreased level of active intracellular glucocorticoid is desirable, such as e.g. the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), dyslipidemia, obesity, hypertension, diabetic late complications, cardiovascular diseases, arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, myopathy, muscle wasting, osteoporosis, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, and adverse effects of treatment or therapy with glucocorticoid receptor agonists.
Objects of the present invention are to provide compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and use of said compounds that modulate the activity of 11βHSD1.
Definitions
In the following structural formulas and throughout the present specification, the following terms have the indicated meaning:
The term "halo" includes fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
The term "trihalomethyl" includes trifluoromethyl, trichloromethyl, tribromomethyl, and triiodomethyl.
The term "trihalomethoxy" includes trifluorometoxy, trichlorometoxy, tribromometoxy, and triiodometoxy.
The term "alkyl" includes C1-C68, preferred C1-C6 straight chain saturated and methylene aliphatic hydrocarbon groups, C3-C8 branched saturated hydrocarbon groups having the specified number of carbon atoms. For example, this definition shall include but is not limited to methyl (Me), ethyl (Et), propyl (Pr), butyl (Bu), pentyl, hexyl, isopropyl (i-Pr), isobutyl (i-Bu), tert-butyl (t-Bu), sec-butyl (s-Bu), isopentyl, neopentyl, and the like.
The term "alkenyl" includes C2-C6 straight chain unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon groups and branched C3-C6 unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon groups having the specified number of carbon atoms. For example, this definition shall include but is not limited to ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, pentenyl, hexenyl, methylpropenyl, methylbutenyl and the like.
The term "alkynyl" includes C2-C6 straight chain unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon groups and C4-C6 branched unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon groups having the specified number of carbon atoms. For example, this definition shall include but is not limited to ethynyl, propynyl, butynyl, pentynyl, hexynyl, methylbutynyl, and the like.
The term "saturated or partially saturated cyclic, bicyclic or tricyclic ring system" represents but are not limited to azepanyl, azocanyl, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-quinolinyl, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-isoquinolinyl, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-quinoxalinyl, indolinyl, 6-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]octane, 2-aza-bicyclo[4.1.1]octane, 2-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]octanyl, 7-aza-bicyclo[4.1.1]octanyl, 9-aza-bicyclo[3.3.2]decanyl, 4-aza-tricyclo[184.108.40.206.8]undecanyl, 9-aza-tricyclo[3.3.2.03,7]decanyl, 8-aza-spiro[4.5]decane.
The term "cycloalkyl" (e.g. cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, cyclononyl, cyclodecyl, bicyclo[3.2.1]octyl, spiro[4.5]decyl, norpinyl, norbonyl, norcaryl, adamantyl and the like) represents a saturated, mono-, bi-, tri- or spirocarbocyclic group having the specified number of carbon atoms.
The term "cycloalkylalkyl" (e.g. cyclopropylmethyl, cyclobutylethyl, adamantylmethyl and the like) represents a cycloalkyl group as defined above attached through an alkyl group having the indicated number of carbon atoms or substituted alkyl group as defined above.
The term "cycloalkenyl" (e.g. cyclobutenyl, cyclopentenyl, cyclohexenyl, cycloheptenyl, cyclooctenyl, cyclononenyl, cyclodecenyl and the like) represents a partially saturated, mono-, bi-, tri- or spirocarbocyclic group having the specified number of carbon atoms.
The term "cycloalkylcarbonyl" (e.g. cyclopropylcarbonyl, cyclohexylcarbonyl) represents an cycloalkyl group as defined above having the indicated number of carbon atoms attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "hetcycloalkylcarbonyl" (e.g. 1-piperidin-4-yl-carbonyl, 1-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-isoquinolin-6-yl)carbonyl) represents an hetcycloalkyl group as defined above having the indicated number of carbon atoms attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "hetcycloalkyl" (e.g. tetrahydrofuranyl, tetrahydropyranyl, tertahydrothiopyranyl, piperidine, pyridazine and the like) represents a saturated mono-, bi-, tri- or spirocarbocyclic group having the specified number of carbon atoms and one or two additional heteroatoms or groups selected from nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, SO or SO2.
The term "hetcycloalkylalkyl" (e.g. tetrahydrofuranylmethyl, tetrahydropyranylethyl, tertahydrothiopyranylmethyl, and the like) represents a hetcycloalkyl group as defined above attached through an alkyl group having the indicated number of carbon atoms or substituted alkyl group as defined above.
The term "alkyloxy" (e.g. methoxy, ethoxy, propyloxy, allyloxy, cyclohexyloxy) represents an alkyl group as defined above having the indicated number of carbon atoms attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "alkyloxyalkyl" (e.g. methyloxymethyl and the like) represents an alkyloxy group as defined above attached through an "alkyl" group.
The term "aryloxy" (e.g. phenoxy, naphthyloxy and the like) represents an aryl group as defined below attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "hetaryloxy" (e.g. 2-pyridyloxy and the like) represents a hetaryl group as defined below attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "aryloxyalkyl" (e.g. phenoxymethyl, naphthyloxyethyl and the like) represents an aryloxy group as defined above attached through an "alkyl" group having the indicated number of carbon atoms.
The term "arylalkyloxy" (e.g. phenethyloxy, naphthylmethyloxy and the like) represents an arylalkyl group as defined below attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "hetarylalkyloxy" (e.g. 2-pyridylmethyloxy and the like) represents a hetarylalkyl group as defined below attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "hetaryloxyalkyl" (e.g. 2-pyridyloxymethyl, 2-quinolyloxyethyl and the like) represents a hetaryloxy group as defined above attached through an "alkyl" group having the indicated number of carbon atoms.
The term "hetarylalkyloxyalkyl" (e.g. 4-methoxymethyl-pyrimidine, 2-methoxymethyl-quinoline and the like) represents a hetarylalkyloxy group as defined above attached through an "alkyl" group having the indicated number of carbon atoms.
The term "arylalkyloxyalkyl" (e.g. ethoxymethyl-benzene, 2-methoxymethyl-naphthalene and the like) represents an arylalkyloxy group as defined above attached through an "alkyl" group having the indicated number of carbon atoms.
The term "alkylthio" (e.g. methylthio, ethylthio and the like) represents an alkyl group as defined above attached through a sulphur bridge.
The term "alkyloxycarbonyl" (e.g. methylformiat, ethylformiat and the like) represents an alkyloxy group as defined above attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "aryloxycarbonyl" (e.g. phenylformiat, 2-thiazolylformiat and the like) represents an aryloxy group as defined above attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "arylalkyloxycarbonyl" (e.g. benzylformiat, phenyletylformiat and the like) represents an "arylalkyloxy" group as defined above attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "arylalkyl" (e.g. benzyl, phenylethyl, 3-phenylpropyl, 1-naphtylmethyl, 2-(1-naphtyl)ethyl and the like) represents an aryl group as defined below attached through an alkyl having the indicated number of carbon atoms or substituted alkyl group as defined above.
The term "hetarylalkyl" (e.g. (2-furyl)methyl, (3-furyl)methyl, (2-thienyl)methyl, (3-thienyl)methyl, (2-pyridyl)methyl, 1-methyl-1-(2-pyrimidyl)ethyl and the like) represents a hetaryl group as defined below attached through an alkyl having the indicated number of carbon atoms or substituted alkyl group as defined above.
The term "alkylcarbonyl" (e.g. octylcarbonyl, pentylcarbonyl, 3-hexenylcarbonyl) represents an alkyl group as defined above having the indicated number of carbon atoms attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "arylcarbonyl" (e.g. benzoyl) represents an aryl group as defined below attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "hetarylcarbonyl" (e.g. 2-thiophenylcarbonyl, 3-methoxy-anthrylcarbonyl, oxazolylcarbonyl and the like) represents a hetaryl group as defined below attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "alkylcarbonylalkyl" (e.g. propan-2-one, 4,4-dimethyl-pentan-2-one and the like) represents an alkylcarbonyl group as defined above attached through an alkyl group as defined above having the indicated number of carbon atoms.
The term "hetarylcarbonylalkyl" (e.g. 1-pyridin-2-yl-propan-1-one, 1-(1-H-imidazol-2-yl)-propan-1-one and the like) represents a hetarylcarbonyl group as defined above attached through an alkyl group as defined above having the indicated number of carbon atoms.
The term "arylalkylcarbonyl" (e.g. phenylpropylcarbonyl, phenylethylcarbonyl and the like) represents an arylalkyl group as defined above having the indicated number of carbon atoms attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "hetarylalkylcarbonyl" (e.g. imidazolylpentylcarbonyl and the like) represents a hetarylalkyl group as defined above wherein the alkyl group is in turn attached through a carbonyl.
The term "alkylcarboxy" (e.g. heptylcarboxy, cyclopropylcarboxy, 3-pentenylcarboxy) represents an alkylcarbonyl group as defined above wherein the carbonyl is in turn attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "arylcarboxy" (e.g. benzoic acid and the like) represents an arylcarbonyl group as defined above wherein the carbonyl is in turn attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "alkylcarboxyalkyl" (e.g. heptylcarboxymethyl, propylcarboxy tert-butyl, 3-pentylcarboxyethyl) represents an alkylcarboxy group as defined above wherein the carboxy group is in turn attached through an alkyl group as defined above having the indicated number of carbon atoms.
The term "arylalkylcarboxy" (e.g. benzylcarboxy, phenylpropylcarboxy and the like) represents an arylalkylcarbonyl group as defined above wherein the carbonyl is in turn attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "hetarylalkylcarboxy" (e.g. (1-H-imidazol-2-yl)-acetic acid, 3-pyrimidin-2-yl-propionic acid and the like) represents a hetarylalkylcarbonyl group as defined above wherein the carbonyl is in turn attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "alkylS(O)n" (e.g. ethylsulfonyl, ethylsulfinyl and the like) represents an alkyl group as defined above, wherein the alkyl group is in turn attached through a sulphur bridge wherein the sulphur is substituted with n oxygen atoms.
The term "arylS(O)n" (e.g. phenylsulfinyl, naphthyl-2-sulfonyl and the like) represents an aryl group as defined above, wherein the aryl group is in turn attached through a sulphur bridge wherein the sulphur is substituted with n oxygen atoms.
The term "arylalkylS(O)n" (e.g. benzylsulfinyl, phenetyl-2-sulfonyl and the like) represents an arylalkyl group as defined above, wherein the arylalkyl group is in turn attached through a sulphur bridge wherein the sulphur is substituted with n oxygen atoms.
The term "aryl" includes but is not limited to a carbocyclic aromatic ring system being either monocyclic, bicyclic, or polycyclic, such as phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, anthracenyl, phenanthrenyl, fluorenyl, indenyl, pentalenyl, azulenyl, biphenylenyl and the like. Aryl is also intended to include the partially hydrogenated derivatives of the carbocyclic aromatic systems enumerated above. Non-limiting examples of such partially hydrogenated derivatives are 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthyl, 1,4-dihydronaphthyl and the like.
The term "hetaryl" includes but is not limited to pyrrolyl (2-pyrrolyl), pyrazolyl (3-pyrazolyl), imidazolyl (1-imidazolyl, 2-imidazolyl, 4-imidazolyl, 5-imidazolyl), triazolyl (1,2,3-triazol-1-yl, 1,2,3-triazol-2-yl 1,2,3-triazol-4-yl, 1,2,4-triazol-3-yl), oxazolyl (2-oxazolyl, 4-oxazolyl, 5-oxazolyl), isoxazolyl (3-isoxazolyl, 4-isoxazolyl, 5-isoxazolyl), thiazolyl (2-thiazolyl, 4-thiazolyl, 5-thiazolyl), thiophenyl (2-thiophenyl, 3-thiophenyl, 4-thiophenyl, 5-thiophenyl), furanyl (2-furanyl, 3-furanyl, 4-furanyl, 5-furanyl), pyridyl (2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 5-pyridyl), 5-tetrazolyl, pyrimidinyl (2-pyrimidinyl, 4-pyrimidinyl, 5-pyrimidinyl, 6-pyrimidinyl), pyrazinyl, pyridazinyl (3-pyridazinyl, 4-pyridazinyl, 5-pyridazinyl), quinolyl (2-quinolyl, 3-quinolyl, 4-quinolyl, 5-quinolyl, 6-quinolyl, 7-quinolyl, 8-quinolyl), isoquinolyl (1-isoquinolyl, 3-isoquinolyl, 4-isoquinolyl, 5-isoquinolyl, 6-isoquinolyl, 7-isoquinolyl, 8-isoquinolyl), benzo[b]furanyl (2-benzo[b]furanyl, 3-benzo[b]furanyl, 4-benzo[b]furanyl, 5-benzo[b]furanyl, 6-benzo[b]furanyl, 7-benzo[b]furanyl), 2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]furanyl (2-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]furanyl), 3-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]furanyl), 4-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]furanyl), 5-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]furanyl), 6-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]furanyl), 7-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]furanyl)), benzo[b]thiophenyl (2-benzo[b]thiophenyl, 3-benzo[b]thiophenyl, 4-benzo[b]thiophenyl, 5-benzo[b]thiophenyl, 6-benzo[b]thiophenyl, 7-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl (2-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 3-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 4-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 5-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 6-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 7-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl)), 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl (2-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 3-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 4-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 5-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 6-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl), 7-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-benzo[b]thiophenyl)), thieno[2,3-b]thiophenyl, 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-thieno[2,3-c]pyridyl (4-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-thieno[2,3-c]pyridyl), 5-4,5,6,7-tetra-hydro-thieno[2,3-c]pyridyl), 6-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-thieno[2,3-c]pyridyl), 7-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-thieno[2,3-c]pyridyl)), indolyl (1-indolyl, 2-indolyl, 3-indolyl, 4-indolyl, 5-indolyl, 6-indolyl, 7-indolyl), isoindolyl (1-isoindolyl, 2-isoindolyl, 3-isoindolyl, 4-isoindolyl, 5-isoindolyl, 6-isoindolyl, 7-isoindolyl), 1,3-dihydro-isoindolyl (1-(1,3-dihydro-isoindolyl), 2-(1,3-dihydro-isoindolyl), 3-(1,3-dihydro-isoindolyl), 4-(1,3-dihydro-isoindolyl), 5-(1,3-dihydro-isoindolyl), 6-(1,3-dihydro-isoindolyl), 7-(1,3-dihydro-isoindolyl)), indazole (1-indazolyl, 3-indazolyl, 4-indazolyl, 5-indazolyl, 6-indazolyl, 7-indazolyl), benzimidazolyl (1-benzimidazolyl, 2-benzimidazolyl, 4-benzimidazolyl, 5-benzimidazolyl, 6-benzimidazolyl, 7-benzimidazolyl, 8-benzimidazolyl), benzoxazolyl (1-benz-oxazolyl, 2-benzoxazolyl), benzothiazolyl (1-benzothiazolyl, 2-benzothiazolyl, 4-benzothiazolyl, 5-benzothiazolyl, 6-benzothiazolyl, 7-benzothiazolyl), benzo-[1,2,5]oxadiazolyl, (4-benzo[1,2,5]oxadiazole, 5-benzo[1,2,5]oxadiazole), carbazolyl (1-carbazolyl, 2-carbazolyl, 3-carbazolyl, 4-carbazolyl), piperidinyl (2-piperidinyl, 3-piperidinyl, 4-piperidinyl), pyrrolidinyl (1-pyrrolidinyl, 2-pyrrolidinyl, 3-pyrrolidinyl).
The term "R5oxy" (e.g. MeC(O)O—, phenylC(O)O—, pyridine-2-yl-C(O)O— and the like) represents an R5 group as defined above attached through an oxygen bridge.
The term "R14alkylcarbonyl" (e.g. 2-cyclohexyloxy-acetyl, 3-(1-methyl-piperidin-4-yloxy)-propionyl, 2-phenoxy-acetyl and the like) represents an R14 group as defined above attached through an alkylcarbonyl group as defined above.
The term "R16carbonyl" (e.g. acetyl, 3-phenyl-propionyl, phenyl-acetyl, 2-(pyridin-2-ylmethoxy)-acetyl and the like) represents an R16 group as defined above attached through a carbonyl group.
The term "R16carbonylN(R12)" (e.g. 3-phenyl-propionamide, phenyl-acetamide, 2-(pyridin-2-ylmethoxy)-acetamide, N-methyl-2-(pyridin-2-ylmethoxy)-acetamide, benzyl-2-(pyridin-3-ylmethoxy)-acetamide and the like) represents an R16carbonyl group as defined above attached through an amino group substituted with R12 as defined above.
The term "NR12R13carbonylalkyl" (e.g. N,N-dimethyl-propionamide, N-isopropyl-N-methyl-propionamide and the like) represents an NR12R13 group attached through a carbonylalkyl group as defined above.
The term "NR12R13alkylcarbonyl" (e.g. N,N-dimethylamino-acetyl, (N-cyclohexyl-N-methyl-amino)-acetyl, 2-(4-acetyl-piperazin-1-yl)-acetyl and the like) represents an NR12R13 group attached through an alkylcarbonyl group as defined above.
Certain of the above defined terms may occur more than once in the structural formulae, and upon such occurrence each term shall be defined independently of the other.
The term "optionally substituted" as used herein means that the groups in question are either unsubstituted or substituted with one or more of the substituents specified. When the groups in question are substituted with more than one substituent the substituents may be the same or different.
The term "treatment" is defined as the management and care of a patient for the purpose of combating or alleviating the disease, condition or disorder, and the term includes the administration of the active compound to prevent the onset of the symptoms or complications, or alleviating the symptoms or complications, or eliminating the disease, condition, or disorder.
The term "pharmaceutically acceptable" is defined as being suitable for administration to humans without adverse events.
The term "prodrug" is defined as a chemically modified form of the active drug, said prodrug being administered to the patient and subsequently being converted to the active drug. Techniques for development of prodrugs are well known in the art.

11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 active compounds


An interactive input system comprises at least one imaging assembly having a field of view looking into a region of interest and capturing image frames and processing structure in communication with the at least one imaging assembly. When a pointer exists in captured image frames, the processing structure demodulates the captured image frames to determine frequency components thereof and examines the frequency components to determine at least one attribute of the pointer.

Interactive input systems that allow users to inject input (eg. digital ink, mouse events etc.) into an application program using an active pointer (eg. a pointer that emits light, sound or other signal), a passive pointer (eg. a finger, cylinder or other object) or other suitable input device such as for example, a mouse or trackball, are well known. These interactive input systems include but are not limited to: touch systems comprising touch panels employing analog resistive or machine vision technology to register pointer input such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,448,263; 6,141,000; 6,337,681; 6,747,636; 6,803,906; 7,232,986; 7,236,162; and 7,274,356 assigned to SMART Technologies ULC of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, assignee of the subject application, the contents of which are incorporated by reference; touch systems comprising touch panels employing electromagnetic, capacitive, acoustic or other technologies to register pointer input; tablet personal computers (PCs); laptop PCs; personal digital assistants (PDAs); and other similar devices.
Above-incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,906 to Morrison et al. discloses a touch system that employs machine vision to detect pointer interaction with a touch surface on which a computer-generated image is presented. A rectangular bezel or frame surrounds the touch surface and supports digital cameras at its corners. The digital cameras have overlapping fields of view that encompass and look generally across the touch surface. The digital cameras acquire images looking across the touch surface from different vantages and generate image data. Image data acquired by the digital cameras is processed by on-board digital signal processors to determine if a pointer exists in the captured image data. When it is determined that a pointer exists in the captured image data, the digital signal processors convey pointer characteristic data to a master controller, which in turn processes the pointer characteristic data to determine the location of the pointer in (x,y) coordinates relative to the touch surface using triangulation. The pointer coordinates are conveyed to a computer executing one or more application programs. The computer uses the pointer coordinates to update the computer-generated image that is presented on the touch surface. Pointer contacts on the touch surface can therefore be recorded as writing or drawing or used to control execution of application programs executed by the computer.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0179001 to Morrison et al. discloses a touch system and method that differentiates between passive pointers used to contact a touch surface so that pointer position data generated in response to a pointer contact with the touch surface can be processed in accordance with the type of pointer used to contact the touch surface. The touch system comprises a touch surface to be contacted by a passive pointer and at least one imaging device having a field of view looking generally along the touch surface. At least one processor communicates with the at least one imaging device and analyzes images acquired by the at least one imaging device to determine the type of pointer used to contact the touch surface and the location on the touch surface where pointer contact is made. The determined type of pointer and the location on the touch surface where the pointer contact is made are used by a computer to control execution of an application program executed by the computer.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0165007 to Morrison et al. discloses an interactive input system comprising at least two imaging devices associated with a region of interest. The at least two imaging devices acquire images of the region of interest from different vantages and have overlapping fields of view. At least one receiver is operable to receive data output by an active pointer relating to the pointer status when the pointer is both within and outside of the fields of view of the imaging devices. Processing structure processes data acquired by the at least two imaging devices and the at least one receiver to detect the existence of an active pointer and to determine the location of the pointer within the region of interest.
Although many different types of interactive input systems exist, improvements to such interactive input systems are continually being sought. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel interactive input system and an information input method therefor.

Interactive input system and information input method therefor


The present invention is a multiparameter method of screening for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of atherosclerosis-related coronary heart disease (CHD) or stroke. This method is used for predicting a total risk of the disease and a disease risk level, determining a primary cause in the disease, assessing a therapeutic efficacy and optimizing the therapeutic targets at the different stages of the disease in different individuals who require the therapy to prevent or to treat the disease. The method of this invention can be used to combine the contributions of atherosclerotic risk factors to the disease and to unite the two major methods for diagnosing the disease: screening the Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level and measuring the C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in human blood. The method of this invention is written as an executable computer program named the MMA.exe © 2004, by Xing F. Wang, which provides greater ease and convenience to perform this method.

Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease characterized by the thickening, hardening and loss of elasticity of inner artery walls. The pathologic process underlies most coronary heart disease (CHD) and strokes.
Since atherosclerosis is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the world, intense research efforts have been dedicated to the disease for the past two centuries. Many researchers have been focusing on the understanding of atherosclerosis mechanism and the development of efficient screening procedures [1, 2].
Since Anitschkow, N. stated that dietary cholesterol caused atherosclerosis in 1913, over the past five decades, lipid-lowering therapy has played a central role in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis-related CHD or stroke. This therapeutic method treats the elevated level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or cholesterol in blood as a primary cause in atherosclerosis [3]. In deciding whether a patient requires the therapy to prevent or to treat the disease, physicians usually rely heavily on measuring the LDL concentration in the patient's blood. The expert panels in the USA, Europe, UK and Canada have defined the guidelines of LDL level in serum [4-7]. It was reported that there were about 55 million American adults who had elevated level of LDL that warranted intervention [8]. The lipids hypothesis emphasizes a causal relationship between the elevated LDL level and disease. However, clinical evidences indicated that many individuals in the United States developed atherosclerosis-related CHD in the absence of abnormalities in the lipoprotein profile [9].
The recent method for diagnosing the disease is the so-called the measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in blood plasma [9-10]. The method treats atherosclerosis as an inflammatory disease. In 1852, Rokitansky, C. V. suggested that small mural thrombi existed at the arterial wall, which led to plaques. In 1856, Virchow, R. stated that an early event in atherosclerosis was an inflammatory response to an injured arterial wall. In 1973, Ross, R. and Glomset, J. combined the two hypotheses and suggested the response-to-injury hypothesis [11]. The inflammatory hypothesis emphasizes inflammation as a primary cause in atherosclerosis [9-11]. The above-mentioned two major methods for diagnosing the disease are not mutually exclusive but they cannot be united.
In 1969, Caro, C. G., et al. found that atherosclerotic lesion occurred in areas experiencing low wall shear stress [12]. In 1980, Texon, M. developed a concept called hemodynamic basis of atherosclerosis [13]. In 1983, Friedman, M. H., et al. stated a causal relationship between arterial geometry and atherosclerosis [14]. Clinical and experimental evidences indicated that the elevated level of heart rate causes atherosclerosis [15-16]. In 1991, Schwartz, C. J., et al. suggested a unifying hypothesis that focused on lesion-prone arterial sites [17]. More recently, Wang, H. H. created analytical models of atherosclerosis [2]. Kruth, H. S. emphasized increased LDL uptake into arterial walls as a primary cause in atherosclerosis [18]. However, there is no screening method that is able to determine the effects of these risk factors on the disease.
Epidemiological studies stated that many risk factors influenced atherosclerosis, mainly including elevated LDL level, hypertension, smoking cigarette, family history, systemic inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, infectious agents such as Chlamydia pneumoniae, high-fat diet and emotion factors such as depression [3, 19]. However, the contributions of these risk factors to the disease cannot be combined using current screening methods, which result in limited reliable clinical screening capabilities. In recent review article entitled "atherosclerosis", Lusis, A. J. points out that efficient screening procedures are urgently needed but they are unlikely to be available in the near future [19].

Multiparameter method of screening for atherosclerosis-related coronary heart disease or stroke


Ions generated by the ion generating section are discharged from a paper sheet conveyer belt nozzle and an intermediate transfer belt nozzle, so that (i) a toner image transferred from a photosensitive drum onto an intermediate transfer belt and having yet to be transferred from the intermediate transfer belt onto a recording paper sheet and (ii) a paper sheet conveyer belt are charged. This makes it possible to more appropriately transfer a toner image onto a recording paper sheet from a photosensitive drum in an image forming apparatus, including a conveyer belt for conveying a recording paper sheet, in which a toner image formed on an image carrier is transferred onto an intermediate transfer body and the toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer body onto a recording material; and to simultaneously prevent an increase in size of the image forming apparatus.

Conventionally, there has been known an image forming apparatus in which a toner image formed on an image carrier is transferred onto an intermediate transfer body and the toner image thus transferred onto the intermediate transfer body is transferred onto a recording material (e.g., see Patent Documents 1 and 2 listed below).
When the image forming apparatus thus arranged shows variations in charging amount of the toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer body, the toner image may not be appropriately transferred from the intermediate transfer body onto the recording material.
In order to reduce variations in charging amount of a toner image transferred onto an intermediate transfer body, Patent Document 3 listed below discloses an image forming apparatus including pre-transfer charging means for charging a toner image having yet to be transferred from an intermediate transfer body onto a recording material.
Further, according to Patent Document 3, a second transfer belt for conveying a recording material and an electricity-removing charger for ridding the second transfer belt of residual charge are provided at a point of contact between the intermediate transfer body and a recording material. Further, in order to prevent printing misalignment from being caused by a recording material floating when a toner image is transferred from an intermediate transfer body onto the recording material, Patent Document 4 discloses an image forming apparatus including (i) a conveyer belt for conveying a recording material and (ii) a charging roller for charging the recording material and the conveyer belt so that the recording material and the conveyer belt electrostatically cling to each other.
However, the technique of Patent Document 3 requires a pre-transfer charging means for charging a toner image transferred onto an intermediate belt and an electricity-removing charger for ridding a second transfer belt of residual charge, and therefore undesirably causes an increase in size of the image forming apparatus.
Further, in order to more appropriately transfer a toner image onto a recording material in an image forming apparatus in which a toner image formed on an image carrier is transferred onto an intermediate transfer body and the toner image thus transferred onto the intermediate transfer body is transferred onto a recording material, the technique of Patent Document 3 and the technique of Patent Document 4 may be combined. However, such a combination also makes it necessary to provide two charging devices, and therefore undesirably causes an increase in size of the image forming apparatus. Note that the arrangement obtained by combining the technique of Patent Document 3 and the technique of Patent Document 4 is an arrangement devised by the inventor of the subject application, and is not a publicly known arrangement.
(Patent Document 1)
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
Publication No. 92275/2001 (Tokukai 2001-92275; published on Apr. 6, 2001)
(Patent Document 2)
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 15947/1996 (Tokukaihei 8-15947; published on Jan. 19, 1996)
(Patent Document 3)
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 274892/1998 (Tokukaihei 10-274892; published on Oct. 13, 1998)
(Patent Document 4)
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 221798/2000 (Tokukai 2000-221798; published on Aug. 11, 2000)

Image forming apparatus with ion generator


Efficient packet traffic transmission equipment is provided by enhancing the transmission equipment already implemented in a carrier to have the packet processing function, with a reduced number of cross-connects for 1:n (point-to-multipoint) connection between nodes. Transmission equipment includes a switch board having a cross-connect portion for making a multiplexed packet signal to branch to predetermined paths; and a plurality of interface boards for interfacing the cross-connect portion with a multiplexed signal being transmitted on a path, wherein at least one of the plurality of interface boards is a dedicated interface board having a path switch function of demultiplexing the multiplexed packet signal to each packet to route the demultiplexed packet signal to a predetermined path.

Conventionally, transmission equipment has been introduced in communication carriers for transmitting TDM (time-division multiplex) channel signals. In recent years, however, mainstream of the traffic data carried by communication systems has been shifted to data having a packet format.
Today there is one type of such a network, as shown in FIG. 1, in which an IP packet is routed by a router or aggregator 201 or the like in an ISP (internet service provider) 200. Long-haul transmission of such a packet is then carried out using transmission equipment 101 provided by a communication carrier 100.
Here, packet signals multiplexed into STS-n (n=1/3/12/48) are transmitted in a long distance through transmission equipment 101 provided in carrier 100. The signals are conveyed through a predetermined path (or a physical channel) dedicatedly connected one-to-one (point-to-point) by a cross-connect portion (routing means). In such a manner, packet traffic is conveyed through a TDM channel without need of distinguishing the information unit, 'packet'.
However, when 1-to-n (i.e. point-to-multipoint) connection is desired for packet traffic, there are required extremely large number of cross-connect lines so far as the above-mentioned type of transmission is employed. In order to meet such traffic requirement, transmission equipment of this type is not economically advantageous.
One method introduced in earner 100 to cope with the aforementioned problem is shown in FIG. 2. IP traffic 300 is terminated and then is lead to an aggregator router 102, which are additionally provided and in which traffic signals are concentrated or routed on a packet-by-packet basis, so that the number of connection lines for 1-to-n (point-or-multipoint) connection between the nodes can be decreased.
To implement the above-mentioned method, however, it is necessary for carrier 100 newly to introduce aggregator or router 102. This necessitates additional capital investment, reservation of installation space, and measures to cope with the difference of maintenance method.

Transmission equipment having a packet switching function


An improved acetabular cup prosthesis has a cup body with inner convex and outer concave surfaces. The cup body has an apex and a base that defines a plane. The cup body outer convex surface has a curved annular portion between the base and the transition. In one embodiment, the outer convex surface is a curved annular surface extending in between the rim and a distance about two fifths to three fifths (2/5-3/5) of the distance between the rim and the apex. In another embodiment, a plurality of cup bodies are provided in a range of sizes between about 40 mm and 80 mm. Each cup body has a companion rotary reamer that is correspondingly shaped. The companion cup body is oversized between about 1 mm and 3 mm so that a generally constant change in volume is provided for all cup sizes between 40 mm and 80 mm.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to orthopedic prosthetic devices and more particularly to an improved orthopedic prosthesis (and a method of surgically implanting the prosthesis), wherein the prosthesis is in the form of a cup shaped body having in inner concave surface, an outer convex surface, and an annular rim that defines a plane, and wherein all or majority of the outer convex surface define a toroidal shape that can form an interference fit with a purely hemispherical socket that is surgically prepared, and wherein the amount of interference fit is proportional with cup diameter.
2. General Background
There are a number of commercially available acetabular prosthetic devices that include a cup shaped body. Some of these acetabular cups have correspondingly shaped inner and outer concave and convex surfaces. Some acetabular cup devices have outer surfaces with two differently shaped regions thereon including an annular rim or skirt that is thickened for forming an interference fit with the pelvis. Another acetabular cup (Patent DE 3341723C1) is in the form of a hemispherical socket body that is flattered at the crown region, to ensure lateral wedging of the socket in the pelvic bone.
Another patented cup design is seen in the Averill U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,127 entitled "Dual-Geometry Acetabular Cup Component and Method of Implant". The '127 patent provides a cup with a shell component having an outer surface that includes a frustro-conical surface portion and a spherical surface portion. As part of the method, the patient's acetabulum is prepared with an inner surface that includes a frustro-conical surface portion and a spherical surface portion, the spherical surface portions having essentially the same radius and the frustro-conical surface portions having relative dimensions such that upon nesting of the spherical surface portions in contiguous relationship, the frustro-conical portions engage one another in an interference fit to secure the shell component within the prepared acetabulum.
The Figgie U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,549 discloses an acetabular cup that has a shell component with an outer surface including a first spherical surface portion and a second spherical surface portion, and an acetabulum is prepared with an inner surface having a spherical configuration complimentary to the second spherical surface portion of the shell component. The radius of the first spherical surface portion is slightly greater than the radius of the second spherical surface portion such that upon nesting of the second spherical surface portion of the shell component in contiguous relationship with the inner surface of the acetabulum, the first spherical surface portion engages the inner surface of the acetabulum in an interference fit to secure the shell component within the prepared acetabulum. Some acetabular cup devices have projections extending from the outer surface of the cup-shaped body for engaging the surrounding pelvic bone tissue. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,497 describes a socket for a hip joint prosthesis which is secured to a cavity in the bone tissue by a series of radially arranged pegs which can be projected outwardly from the wall of the socket into the surrounding tissue by a central screw which also has a self-tapping thread that enters the tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,923 discloses a hip joint socket made from a plastic material that can be installed without the use of bone cement or adhesive. The socket comprises a hemisphere of polyethylene.
The Forte et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,282 discloses an acetabular cup assembly that includes a metal shell component and a plastic bearing insert capable of assembly intraoperatively, the metal shell component being secured in position within the acetabulum and then the plastic bearing insert being receivable within the shell component. The shell component has an outer surface that includes a generally spherically shaped portion and a generally frustro-conically shaped second surface portion. An annular shoulder forms a connection between the two different outer surfaces of the shell.
The Cremascoli U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,959 discloses a total hip prosthesis structure that includes an acetabular or socket component and a femoral or pin component, the two components being made of a metal or a metal alloy and being intimately connected to parts of ceramic material at least part of the surface of which is granular or porus so as to encourage osteogenesis after implantation. The metal part of the acetabular component is shaped in such a way as to simplify and facilitate its anchorage in a corresponding cavity of the ilium by having a sharp screw thread thereon.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,337 an acetabular cup is provided which has a metallic shell. The cup is for cement-less fixation in the acetabulum.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,565 there is provided a component for a non-cemented hip prosthesis. The component has two parts, a titanium hemispherical shell and a cup of polymer which is engaged into it.
Another acetabular cup for cement-less fixation in the acetabulum is described in European Patent Application No. 13,863, published Jun. 8, 1980.
European Patent Application No. 169,978 published May 2, 1986, describes an acetabular cup which has an outer shell embedded into the patient's pelvis. The outer shell has a frustro-conical skirt and a spherical central cap.
In European Patent Application No. 211,169 published Feb. 25, 1987, an acetabular cup is described in which an external boss protrudes from the outer surface of the acetabulum body to fit into a pre-drilled hole in the acetabulum.
Other foreign patents and patent applications which describe acetabular cups include European Patent Application No. 212,087 published Apr. 3, 1987, wherein metallic pins project from the surface of the cup and contain holes in which tissue may grow. In European Patent No. 341,198 published Nov. 8, 1989, an acetabular cup has a metal outer shell and a plastic body for retaining the hip joint head.
A PCT publication WO 95/16413 discloses a hip cup for use as an acetabular component in a hip prosthesis. The prosthesis comprises a shell part having an at least partially convex outer surface. The shell part is insertable into a cavity having an inner surface that is substantially defined by the outer surface of a segment of this sphere. The outer surface of the shell part substantially corresponds to the outer surface of a part of an ellipsoid, the arrangement being such that during positioning the shell part contacts the longitudinal edge of the cavity at least by a circumferential edge, while a space is formed between the inner surface of the cavity and the apex of the shell part.
Two recent U.S. Patents have issued for acetabular cup components. The Averill U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,519 discloses an acetabular cup prosthetic device comprised of an outer shell component and an inner bearing insert and a method of implanting the acetabular cup prosthetic within a patient. The outer surface of the shell has a plurality of region in which conform to the curvature of at least one ellipsoid. The Evans U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,532 entitled "CEMENTLESS ACETABULAR CUP" provides a component that is press fit into a patient's acetabulum to create an interference fit and to eliminate the need for cement. A body portion of the cup provides an outer convex surface. The inside of the cup provides an inner concave surface. An apex portion of the cup or shell is spaced from the lower rim portion, the rim defining a plane. A plurality of annular rings are spaced along the body outer surface beginning at the lower rim and extending at least a partial distance toward the apex. Each of the annular rings is preferably generally parallel to the plane of the lower rim. Three recently issued European patents disclose other examples of acetabular prosthetic components. These include European patents specifications 0091315, 0285756, and 0327509.


A method of maintaining a high voltage bushing can comprise inspecting a high voltage bushing connection, the high voltage bushing connection comprising a tubular lead, a lower stud connector, and the high voltage bushing. A method of maintaining a high voltage bushing can also comprise restoring the high voltage bushing connection, which can further comprise applying conductive material to at least one of a mating portion of a tubular lead and a mating portion of a high voltage bushing, machining an outside diameter of at least one of the mating portion or the tubular lead and the mating portion of the high voltage bushing to a predetermined outer diameter, and machining a mating portion of a lower stud connector to a predetermined inner diameter. A high voltage bushing connection can comprise a restored mating portion of a tubular connector and a restored lower stud connector.

A high voltage bushing ("HVB") can be used to conduct electric current from a stator winding connection of a generator through the generator frame to a buss external to the generator. In a gas-cooled generator (e.g., a hydrogen-cooled generator), the HVB isolates voltage from the generator frame and provides a gas tight connection. On higher rated generators, direct gas-cooled HVBs are used along with other electrical conductors and/or components to transmit the electric current from the winding to the external buss. In these generators, cooling gas flows through a hollow HVB conductor and a hollow tubular lead. Physical and/or electrical degradation of these and other electrical components can occur due to heat, vibration, or other factors, many of which occur during the course of normal use and aging. Degradation and/or failure of the electrical components can lead to overheating of the HVB, causing degradation and/or failure of the HVB. HVB degradation and/or failure can include, but is not limited to, degradation and/or failure of gas seal(s)/gaskets within the HVB which causes the HVB to leak hydrogen and/or corona resistant filler (e.g., asphalt), aging of the HVB flange bond, and electrical degradation and/or failure. HVB degradation and/or failure can necessitate HVB maintenance, repair, or replacement.
Routine inspections and maintenance can be scheduled, during which the need to repair or replace an HVB can be detected. Leaking asphalt is one possible indicator of a failing HVB. Asphalt can be used to fill air space in the HVB connection to prevent undesirable electrical discharge (e.g. arcing between components). The air-side (exposed side) of the HVB is an area where evidence of asphalt leaking is likely to be discovered. In the event the seals fail and asphalt leaks from the HVB, it is normally recommended that the HVB be rebuilt or replaced with a new HVB, to protect from hydrogen leakage.
HVB degradation and/or failure can also be indicated by in-service gas loss, in gas-cooled generators. Further, an HVB replacement can be prompted by generator uprating, resulting in the need for higher rated HVBs, or by other factors not associated with degradation, damage, or failure of the HVBs or other electrical components.
An HVB and/or an HVB connection can be repaired and/or replaced by disassembling and reassembling it. Before disassembly, a first winding resistance on each phase can be recorded to obtain baseline data. The disassembly of the HVB connection can be performed by removing insulation and putty between the HVB and the lower stud connector, unbolting the connection between the HVB, the lower stud connector, and a tubular lead, and removing the lower stud connector to free the HVB to be removed.
The tubular lead and the lower stud connector can be visually inspected for overheating and their silver plating integrity. The plating can be restored if desired. Usually, there is no evidence of overheating on the HVB conductor, the lower stud connector, or the tubular lead.
The reassembly of the HVB connection can be performed by the reverse of the disassembly process, except that the lower stud connector bolts can be replaced with new stainless steel hardware. Once the lower stud connector bolts are properly torqued, a second winding resistance can be recorded, and the connection can be re-insulated.
Attempts to repair and/or replace HVBs using current methods have resulted in ensuing failures of the HVBs. These failures have occurred either immediately after the maintenance, or relatively soon thereafter, in a time significantly less than the expected or average life of an HVB. For example, recent failures have surfaced over the past 1 to 3 years with replacement HVB's installed by more than one service provider. In each case, evidence of leaking asphalt was detected during inspections. Accordingly, current industry practices to repair and/or replace HVBs are insufficient in addressing the HVB failure and/or its cause.
In some cases of failure after repair or reassembly of an HVB the winding resistance was recorded, and the results were consistent with past maintenance outage measurements, and in both cases, measurements were consistent between phases. The results would appear to indicate that the HVB connections were acceptable per the industry acceptance criteria e.g., max. of 2% differential between phases when compared to one another). Accordingly, current industry practices to detect HVB connection deficiencies and/or HVB failure causes are insufficient.
It would be advantageous to perform maintenance, repair, or replacement of an HVB to avoid, prevent, or reduce the chance of, an ensuing failure that occurs sooner than the expected life of an HVB.

Method of restoring high voltage bushing connection


A windshield device for obtaining a favorable screen effect with respect to an air flow from the sides of a screen while suppressing large-sizing of the screen in the vehicle width direction. In a front cowling which includes a screen unit which is mounted on a front portion of a vehicle body and has a screen, an air introducing opening is formed in a front portion of the screen unit and opens forwardly. An air blow-off opening is formed in an upper portion of the screen unit that opens upwardly. An air duct allows the screen unit and the air blow-off opening to communicate with each other. Air discharge ports which open outwardly and to the sides from the vehicle are formed in a side of the air duct.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a windshield device applicable to a motorcycle or the like.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventionally, a windshield device for a vehicle is known which forms an air blow-off opening which opens upwardly in an upper portion of a screen of a windshield device body. In this windshield device, a portion of air flow which is taken into the windshield device through an air introducing opening formed in a front portion of the windshield device body is blown off upwardly from the air blow-off opening thus guiding the whole air flow such that the air flow avoids an occupant behind the screen with such an air flow whereby a screen effect can be enhanced while suppressing a height of the screen. See, for example, JP-A-64-1617.
However, although the above-mentioned windshield device takes a size of the screen in the vertical direction into consideration, the windshield device does not take an air flow from the sides of the windshield device into consideration. Thus, there exists a drawback that it is necessary to increase a size of the screen in the vehicle widthwise direction to enhance a screen effect of the air flow from the sides.


The present invention provides an accelerated weathering test method, which gives the results having a high correlation with the results of natural exposure and can significantly reduce a test duration.

As for walls of residential houses and buildings and bodies of automobiles, coating films are often formed on their surfaces in order to protect their appearances or provide glories. Such the coating films are degraded gradually due to the effects of sun light, water, changes in ambient temperature or the like during exposure to the outdoors for long time and their appearances deteriorate.
The degradation of the coating film is generally evaluated as weather resistance. This evaluation of the weather resistance is conducted by exposing the coating films in Okinawa in Japan or Florida in USA. In these areas, it is hot and wet and an amount of ultraviolet light is much, and the environment is harsh for coating films. Since such exposure requires much time, various accelerated weathering testers have been developed as an apparatus capable of evaluating weather resistance in a short time.
However, in the previous accelerated weathering testers, some coating films, which were considered to have adequate weather resistance by a test, actually caused problems such as cracks or discoloration with time and its correlation with the results of actual exposure was not insufficient. And, the test in which the conventional accelerated weathering testers are used has an acceleration factor of about 10 to 100 times, and an accelerated weathering tester, which can conduct the test at higher acceleration factor, has been desired.
On the other hand, in a conventional accelerated weathering tester, loads applied to coating films for the accelerated degradation are limited to factors such as ultraviolet light, water and changes in ambient temperature, given from nature, and there were few attempts to apply another factors.
In Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-9-178727, there is disclosed a test method of organic materials, an accelerated degradation of coating films is conducted using a plasma generating apparatus of a type having parallel plate type electrodes in this patent. However, there is no clear description on a correlation with the results of natural exposure. Further, in the case where a coating film is formed on a metal material, when plasma is irradiated directly to the coating film using such an apparatus, a metal portion must be masked because spark-discharge may be generated to destroy the material, and in addition it is difficult to keep a constant test conditions because the temperature of the coating film is raised due to the occurrence of induction heating by a high-frequency. On the other hand, in the case where a coating film is formed on a porous inorganic material such as a ceramic board, there was a problem that a volatile ingredient from the inorganic material had an effect on test results in a high-vacuum condition in which plasma is irradiated.
When in order to resolve such the problems, the present inventors studied the results of natural exposure tests in detail, it was recognized that the degradation of coating films in natural exposure proceeded based on the degradation of the surface layer in the surface of a coating film. On the contrary, in the conventional accelerated weathering tester, it became apparent that the degradation of a deep layer simultaneously occurs. It is supposed that an adequate correlation with the results of the natural exposure cannot be obtained due to such the different points.
If a usual plasma generating apparatus, which is described in Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-9-178727, is employed, it is impossible to selectively develop only the degradation of the surface layer and to resolve the problems described above.

Abstract: An accelerated weathering test method for a coating film with a remote plasma apparatus,

Abstract: wherein it is possible to bring the interior of the remote plasma apparatus into a reduced pressure and

Abstract: introduce gas, for example oxygen gas, into the apparatus.


A method for event processing within a complex event processing environment. The method includes monitoring a plurality of event processing paths of the complex event processing environment. The method includes determining that utilization of server resources in the complex event processing environment has exceeded a threshold value and identifying one or more event processing paths responsible for the high utilization of server resources. The method includes determining that the one or more event processing paths contain an independent rule, wherein an independent rule includes a rule or a rule subset where data for processing of the rule or rule subset is accessible by a client computing device. The method then includes determining the client computing device can perform processing of the independent rule and transferring processing of the independent rule to the client computing device.

Event processing is a computer-based method of tracking and analyzing streams of data and information about things happening in the real world, known as "events", and deriving a conclusion from the events. An event can occur in a business context, such as a financial transaction or a sales figure, in an industrial process, such as a temperature rising above a threshold, or an event can be some occurrence in a computer. Complex event processing is event processing that combines data from multiple data sources to infer events or patterns suggesting more complicated circumstances.
Event processing services process events based on a set of rules, which typically include a condition rule statement and an action rule statement. Patterns are detected based on the condition rule statement and an output is generated and transmitted based on the action rule statement. For example, a simple condition rule statement might look for a specific value appearing in information from a data source and a simple action rule statement might generate a report that the value was found. In complex event processing, the condition rule statements and action rule statements are reported by multiple clients and each client generates data and information related to the rule statements, all of which must be processed and analyzed to identify patterns and perform actions.

Monitoring and distributing event processing within a complex event processing environment


Display panels capable of eliminating reliability issues due to high switching frequency. The display panel comprises a data driver outputting first, second, third and fourth data signals in sequence through a data line, a scan driver outputting first and second scan signals in sequence through first and second scan lines and an auxiliary driver generates first and second auxiliary signals in sequence, and first and second display cells commonly receives the first scan signal through the first scan line and receives the first and the second data signal through the data line, and a first switch is coupled to the data line and the second display cell, turning on and off in sequence according to the first auxiliary signal when the first scan signal is applied thereto such that the second and the first display cells receive the first and the second data signals in sequence.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to display devices, and in particular to a display panel capable of reducing number of data signal driving IC.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional display driving circuit 10. It includes two data drivers 121 and 122, a scan driver 11, a pixel matrix comprising display cells 13, and switches 161 and 162 comprising transistors. Each display cell 13 in the odd columns of the pixel matrix receives a data signal through a data line 151 from the data driver 121 or 122. Each display cell 13 in the even columns of the pixel matrix receives a data signal through a data line 152 from the data driver 121 or 122. The display cells 13 also receive scan signals through scan lines 14 from the scan driver 11. To reduce number of the data drivers, data lines 151 and 152 are respectively coupled to the display cells 13 in the odd and even column of the pixel matrix share the same data terminal as the data driver through the switches 161 and 162 controlled by signals SW1 and SW2. When one of the scan signals is applied, the odd and even display cells 13 in the scanned row of the matrix receive the data signal output from the same terminal of the data driver 121 or 122 by turns. In FIG. 1, for example, the number of the data drivers is half that when not using the switches to share the data terminals since each data terminal provides the data signals to two columns of display cells of the pixel matrix.
However, in the conventional display driving circuit, the switching frequency of the switches 161 and 162 is n times the frame rate, wherein n is the number of the columns in the pixel matrix. For example, the switching frequency of the switches in a display having 768 pixel columns and a frame rate of 60 Hz is 46080 Hz. Such a switching frequency is much higher than that of the thin-film transistors (TFTs) used in the display cells 13. Besides, the high duty ratio and high current stress also degrades the reliability of the circuit.


A system for extracting and analyzing information from a collection of linked documents at a locality to enable categorization of documents and prediction of documents relevant to a focus document. The system obtains and analyzes topology, usage and path information from for a collection at a locality, e.g. a web locality on the world wide web. For categorization, document meta information is represented as document vectors. Predefined criteria is applied to the document vectors to create lists of "similar" types of documents. For relevance prediction, networks representing topology, usage path and text similarity amongst the documents in the collection are created. A spreading activation technique is applied to the networks starting at a focus document to predict the documents relevant to the focus document. Using category and relevance prediction information, tools can be built to enable a user to more efficiently traverse through the collection of linked documents.

Users of large linked collections of documents, for instance as manifest on the World Wide Web, are motivated to improve the rate at which they gain information needed to accomplish their goals. Hypertext structures primarily affords information seeking by the sluggish process of browsing from one document to another along hypertext links. This sluggishness can be at least partly attributed to three sources of inefficiency in the basic process. First, basic hypertext browsing entails slow sequential search by a user through a document collection. Second, important information about the kinds of documents and content contained in the total collection cannot be immediately and simultaneously obtained by the user in order to assess the global nature of the collection or to aid in decisions about what documents to pursue. Third, the order of encounter with documents in basic browsing is not optimized to satisfy users' information needs. In addition to exacerbating difficulties in simple information-seeking, these problems may also be found in the production and maintenance of large hypertext collections.
There are two widely visible technologies that may be considered broadly as seeking to address the above inefficiencies:
Text-based information retrieval techniques that rapidly evaluate the predicted relevance of documents to a user's topical query (e.g. services such as Alta Vista.TM., LycoS.TM., and Infoseek.RTM. which operate on the World Wide Web). This effectively changes slow sequential search to nearly parallel search, and provides an improved ordering of the users' search through documents. PA1 Community/service categorization of documents. For instance, this service is provided by Yahoo.TM., which has a hierarchy of Web pages that define a topic taxonomy.
Known previous work has focused on attempts to extract higher level abstractions which can be used to improve navigation and assimilation of hypertext. Such work has typically used topological or textual relationships to drive analysis.

System for categorizing documents in a linked collection of documents


Described herein are compounds, pesticidally acceptable salts thereof, and compositions thereof that are useful, for example, for pest management and for controlling pests. In certain embodiments provided are enantioenriched and/or enantiopure compounds and pesticidally acceptable salts thereof, and methods of making same. Methods of controlling pests with the compounds of the disclosure are also provided.

DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane) is a well-known inexpensive pesticide. DDT was marshalled for the eradication of malaria by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1955 (see WHO, Global Malaria Control and Elimination—Report of a Technical Review. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2008). DDT nevertheless faltered in the face of insect resistance, and experienced a backlash in the wake of serious environmental concerns, foretold by Rachel Carson in Silent Spring (see Heckel, D. G. Insecticide resistance after Silent Spring. Science 2012; 337: 1612-1614).
Gravitz and Sparks have emphasized the continuing need for new, inexpensive and long-lasting insecticides for indoor residual spraying and for insecticide-treated bed nets (see Gravitz, L. Vector control: the last bite. Nature, 2012, 484, S26-S27; see also Sparks, T. C; Insecticide discovery: An evaluation and analysis. Pestic. Biochem. Physiol. 2013, 107, 8-17).
There is a great need for the development of safe and more selective insecticides. The present embodiments described herein fulfill these needs and others.
The foregoing discussion is presented solely to provide a better understanding of the nature of the problems confronting the art and should not be construed in any way as an admission as to prior art nor should the citation of any reference herein be construed as an admission that such reference constitutes "prior art" to the instant application


A relief printing form is prepared from a photosensitive element. An in-situ mask is formed and disposed above a photopolymerizable layer of the photosensitive element, the element is exposed to actinic radiation through the in-situ mask in an environment having an inert gas and a concentration of oxygen between about 30,000 ppm and about 7500 ppm to form at least a polymerized portion and an unpolymerized portion of the layer, and the exposed element is processed by treating with at least one washout solution selected from solvent solution, aqueous solution, semi-aqueous solution, or water.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This invention pertains to a method for preparing a relief printing form from a photosensitive element, and in particular, to a method of preparing the relief printing form by imagewise exposing the photosensitive element in a specific environment, and then treating with a washout solution.
2. Description of Related Art
Flexographic printing plates are widely used for printing of packaging materials ranging from corrugated carton boxes to cardboard boxes and to continuous web of plastic films. Flexographic printing plates are used in relief printing in which ink is carried from a raised-image surface and transferred to a substrate. Flexographic printing plates can be prepared from photopolymerizable compositions, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,323,637 and 4,427,759. Photosensitive elements generally have a solid layer of the photopolymerizable composition interposed between a support and a coversheet or a multilayer cover element. Flexographic printing plates are characterized by their ability to crosslink or cure upon exposure to actinic radiation. The plate is imagewise exposed with actinic radiation through an image-bearing art-work or a template, such as a photographic negative or transparency (e.g., silver halide films) for so called analog workflow, or through an in-situ mask having radiation opaque areas that had been previously formed above the photopolymerizable layer for so called digital workflow. The actinic radiation exposure is typically conducted with ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The actinic radiation enters the photosensitive element through the clear areas and is blocked from entering the black or opaque areas of the transparency or in-situ mask. The areas of the photopolymerizable layer that were exposed to the actinic radiation crosslink and harden and/or become insoluble to solvents used during development. The unexposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer that were under the opaque regions of the transparency or the in-situ mask during exposure do not hardened and/or remain soluble. The unexposed areas are removed by treating with a washout solution or heat leaving a relief image suitable for printing. If treated with washout solution, the plate is dried. Although thermal treatment to remove unexposed areas from the layer of the photopolymerizable material advantageously avoids time consuming drying step, washout treatment with solution is a well-accepted commercial practice in the industry to form the relief surface for the printing form. After all desired processing steps, the plate is then mounted on a cylinder and used for printing.
Solid plate preparation workflows involve making an intermediate, i.e., the photographic negative or phototool. Analog workflow requires the preparation of the phototool, which is a complicated, costly and time-consuming process requiring separate processing equipment and chemical development solutions. In addition, the phototool may change slightly in dimension due to changes in temperature and humidity. The same phototool, when used at different times or in different environments, may give different results. Use of a phototool also requires special care and handling when fabricating flexographic printing forms to ensure intimate contact is maintained between the phototool and plate. In particular, care is required in the placement of both the phototool and the plate in the exposure apparatus along with special materials to minimize air entrapment during creation of a vacuum to ensure intimate contact. Additionally care must be taken to ensure all surfaces of the photopolymer plate and phototool are clean and free of dust and dirt. Presence of such foreign matter can cause lack of intimate contact between the phototool and plate as well as image artifacts.
An alternative to analog workflow is termed digital workflow, which does not require the preparation of a separate phototool. Photosensitive elements suitable for use as the precursor and processes capable of forming an in-situ mask in digital workflow are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,275; U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,009; U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,814; U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,837; U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,876; U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,898; U.S. Pat. No. 6,673,509; U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,814; U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,102; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,284,431. The precursor or an assemblage with the precursor includes a layer sensitive to laser radiation, typically infrared laser radiation, and opaque to actinic radiation. The infrared-sensitive layer is imagewise exposed with laser radiation whereby the infrared-sensitive material is removed from, or transferred onto/from a superposed film of the assemblage, to form the in-situ mask having radiation opaque areas and clear areas adjacent the photopolymerizable layer. The precursor is exposed through the in-situ mask to actinic radiation in the presence of atmospheric oxygen (since no vacuum is needed). Furthermore, due in part to the presence of atmospheric oxygen during imagewise exposure the flexographic printing form has a relief structure that is different from the relief structure formed in analog workflow (based upon the same size mask openings in both workflows). Digital workflow creates a raised element (i.e., dot or line) in the relief structure having a surface area of its uppermost surface (i.e., printing surface) that is significantly less than the opening in the in-situ mask corresponding to the relief structure. Digital workflow results in the relief image having a different structure for dots (i.e., raised surface elements) that is typically smaller, with a rounded top, and a curved sidewall profile, often referred to as dot sharpening effect. Dots produced by analog workflow are typically conical and have a flat-top. The relief structure formed by digital workflow results in positive printing properties such as, finer printed highlight dots fading into white, increased range of printable tones, and sharp linework. As such, the digital workflow because of its ease of use and desirable print performance has gained wide acceptance as a desired method by which to produce the flexographic printing form. But not all end-use applications view this dot-sharpening effect as beneficial.
It is known by those skilled in the art that the presence of oxygen (O2) during exposure in free-radical photopolymerization processes will induce a side reaction in which the free radical molecules react with the oxygen, while the primary reaction between reactive monomer molecules occurs. This side reaction is known as inhibition (i.e., oxygen inhibition) as it slows down the polymerization or formation of crosslinked molecules. Many prior disclosures acknowledge that it is desirable for photopolymerization exposure to actinic radiation to occur in air (as is the case for digital workflow), under vacuum (as is the case for analog workflow), or in an inert environment. Oftentimes, nitrogen is mentioned as a suitable inert gas for the inert environment. The implication is that the nitrogen environment is one that contains substantially less than atmospheric oxygen to the extent that all oxygen is removed, or something less than about 10 ppm of oxygen. Nitrogen with oxygen impurity concentration level less than 10 ppm is readily commercially available.
The effect of oxygen associated with digital workflow can impact the ability to hold solid screen patterns in solid printing areas of the relief printing form. It is often desirable for an image that is printed by flexographic relief printing form to increase the density of ink in solid areas of the image, so-called solid ink density. Solid screening is a well-known process for improving the solid ink density in flexographic printing, and is described for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 6,492,095; and U.S. Patent Publication US 2010/0143841. Solid screening consists of creating a pattern in the solid printing areas which is small enough that the pattern is not reproduced in the printing process (i.e., printed image), and large enough that the pattern is substantially different from the normal, i.e., unscreened, printing surface. Often these screening patterns are features in the range of 5 to 30 microns. The inhibition effect of the atmospheric oxygen during imagewise exposure of a photosensitive element for relief printing can result in pattern features being reduced in size by about 15 microns on each edge. Consequently this reduction in feature size, a 30 micron feature will be reduced to a 0 micron feature size for example, limits relief printing form to print increased solid ink densities.
There is a desire to provide printing forms with a relief structure that can hold microcell patterns in solid areas and having relief features similar to analog, that is, raised features that are conically shaped and have a flat-top or substantially flat-top surface, including fine raised printing features of about 5 to 30 microns, such as highlight halftone dots and lines. Each of raised print features of the relief surface includes a top surface area which is the ink carrying surface, a side-wall surface area, and a shoulder surface area which is the transition between the top surface area and the side-wall surface area. For each raised feature the total printing area capable of contacting the substrate to transfer the ink is the sum of the top surface area and the shoulder surface area. For high quality printing, it is desirable that the shoulder surface area does not or only minimally contributes with the top surface area in contacting the substrate to transfer the ink. The contribution of the shoulder surface area to the total print area of a particular raised feature can also be influenced by pressure between the substrate and the relief print form during printing. As such, the shoulder surface of raised features should sharply transition from the top surface to the side-wall surface since obtuse or broad transitioning shoulder surfaces readily tend to print. Relief printing forms that have fine features with broad shoulder surface area can result in poor print performance, that is, poor reproduction of the image printed on the substrate. Poor reproduction of printed images can be problematic particularly for printed images that are the combination of fine raised lines and reverses, such as bar codes that are electronically scanned for the contained information. In some instances, printing the shoulder surface area with the top surface area can be further exacerbated by the orientation of the image on the printing form relative to the print direction particularly in rotary printing, i.e., relative to the longitudinal axis of the print cylinder.
It is desirable to eliminate the costs and the time consuming and process steps associated with the preparation of the photographic negative intermediate and transition from analog workflow to digital workflow in the fabrication of solid plates, while avoiding the dot-sharpening effect of the relief features associated with conventional digital exposure in the presence of atmospheric oxygen to create relief features having an analog-like appearance. For high quality printing, the relief printing form should have a relief surface is capable of printing detailed fine highlights in halftone images and/or clean fine text and line graphics without broadening of the shoulder area, and capable of holding solid screen patterning in solid areas for printing solid ink areas with increased density.
So a need arises for a method of fabricating a relief printing form from a photosensitive precursor element that utilizes a digital-like workflow for its ease and simplicity while utilizing washout development that results in the printing form having a relief structure with features necessary for high quality printing.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for preparing a relief printing form


A device for the measurement/layout of angles when using surveyor's stakes to locate reference points and erect building lines for construction of a structure. Capable of being used to determine one angle at a time for non-regular polygons, or for the simultaneous determination of multiple angles for the layout of regular polygons such as hexagons and octagons, this device provides a greatly simplified solution to the very first problem in construction, which is how to effect the layout.

Prior to any building project it is necessary to first establish the building lines. This is accomplished by driving stakes into the ground to locate corners or other reference points of the proposed structure. These stakes are then connected with string to form the building lines which represent the shape of the structure. The stakes, and thus the building lines, must be placed relative to each other at specific angles. The current state of the art includes a variety of devices for determining the measurement/layout of angles, however, they are limited by their ability to only measure/layout one angle at a time before the device must be somehow moved or set up again for the next angle. While this method of layout is standard procedure for the layout of non-regular polygons, a device capable of laying out multiple equal angles, as are found in regular polygons such as hexagonal and octagonal structures, and to do so simultaneously with only one setup of the device, is lacking in the current state of the art. Even transits, which could be used to achieve the layout of a regular polygon, require repetitive movement of the telescope so that one angle at a time may be laid out. The importance of this "one set-up" capability lies in the fact that any additional set-ups/movements required of a survey device greatly increase the possibility of error in the layout. This is particularly true for "do-it-yourselfers" and others who may lack specific skills in the use of surveying instruments.
The objective of the present invention then is to provide an inexpensive device for simplifying the layout of both single and multiple angles when constructing building lines, thus making it possible for both the skilled, and the semi-skilled worker to layout shapes of structures that otherwise would prove too complicated.