The disclosure is an irregular object length measuring instrument, comprising a first fixing seat, at least two mounting flanges are provided on an edge of the first fixing seat, and a notch is provided on the first fixing seat, a shaft sleeve, the shaft sleeve is mounted on the mounting flange, a main board, a battery is installed on the main board, a gear and an angle sensor are installed on the main board, and the angle sensor is installed on the gear, a second fixing seat, an edge of the second fixing seat is provided with a matching flange that cooperates with the mounting flange, the second fixing seat is installed on the first fixing seat, and the main board is fixedly installed on the first fixing seat or the second fixing seat, a swivel, an outer side of the swivel is provided with a ring groove.

Nowadays, for measuring objects with irregular surface shapes, it is usually measured by using a measuring ruler to wrap around the sticker, but it is more troublesome to use, especially the starting point is prone to offset in the course of winding and sticking, resulting in errors in the final measurement results, and once there are many irregularities for pressing and bonding, and the user cannot handle it alone.
Furthermore, there are many restrictions on the use of the ruler. When the measurement range exceeds the length of the ruler, it needs to be marked multiple times or replaced with a longer-length ruler. At the same time, storage is more troublesome.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for an irregular object length measuring instrument that can solve one or more of the above problems.

Irregular object length measuring instrument

Shenzhen Test Friends Technology Co., LTD


This method of manufacturing a lid made of a transparent resin comprises a step of introducing a resin into a cavity for molding a protrusion continuous with a cavity for molding a lid in a die; a step of forming a molded body including a lid and a protrusion continuous with the lid by solidifying the resin in the cavity for molding a lid and the cavity for molding a protrusion, respectively; a step of separating the molded body from the die by ejecting an ejector pin to the protrusion; and a step of separating the protrusion from the lid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lid made of a resin for a case for accommodating a solid-state imaging device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a solid-state imaging apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In general, a solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a case for accommodating a solid-state imaging device, and a transparent lid which closes the case and transmits incident light therethrough. Examples of the lid include transparent resins, transparent glass, and transparent ceramics, among which the transparent resins are advantageously used in terms of the cost, easiness in molding, etc.
It has been conventionally known a resin molding technique by using a die. In the resin molding method, a resin before solidified is injected into an inside cavity of a die, and after cooling the resin in the die, the resin molded body is pulled out from the die. This pulling out step is referred to as "protrusion". There are various methods for protrusion methods of the molded body, and typically a method by using an ejector pin has been known.
When injection-molding a resin in general, the resin is likely to flow into a gap between a die body and an ejector pin for taking the molded body out of the die, so that burrs are likely to occur in the part (ejector pin mark) ejected by the ejector pin.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional lid 10.
Lid 10 has a lid upper surface 10a, a lid lower surface 10b and a side face part 50. A window area 60 (mirror-finished area) is formed in the center area of the lid 10. When ejecting a lid-forming part of a molded body with ejector pins at the time of injection-molding, ejector pin marks 44 are likely to remain on a surface 10a of the lid 10 in a conventional method as shown in FIG. 1, thereby generating burrs. These burrs may drop into a solid-state imaging apparatus during or after assembling the solid-state imaging apparatus, thereby causing defects in imaging.
While it has been proposed to cover a burr-generating portion with a sealant resin for burrs in a case used in a solid-state imaging apparatus (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 11-177074), for example, covering the ejector pin EP marks on the lid surface with a sealant resin makes the lid form irregular, and is inefficient in terms of cost as well.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lid made of a resin for accommodating a solid-state imaging device, which leaves no ejector pin marks on a lid surface and is free of burrs when molding the lid made of a resin by injection molding.

Lid made of resin for case for accommodating solid-state imaging device and solid-state imaging apparatus


There is provided a method of adapting a Quantization parameter of digitally encoded video, comprising calculating spatial activity values of macroblocks in a picture of interest, creating a histogram of the spatial activity values, determining a change of quantization parameter value for a low activity category ΔQPLA from a skewness parameter of the histogram. There is also provided an apparatus for carrying out the method, and a computer readable product carrying instructions which when executed carry out the method.

In video compression encoders, control of a degree of quantisation is an important means of controlling the coding process in order to match the capacity demands of the picture behaviour with the available output bit rate. A key parameter used extensively in current coding methods for practical compression applications (e.g. MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264) is the Quantisation Parameter (Qp). Since an increased Qp value results in lower bit rates for the digital video bit stream, for a low target bit rate the value of Qp is at the high end of its nominal range (1 to 31 in MPEG-2, and 0 to 51 in MPEG-4/H.264). Conversely, where bit rate is not severely constrained, a value nearer to the lower end is chosen.
The process linking the target bit rate and the coding process, in particular the value of Qp, is known as Rate Control. The value of Qp is variable within each picture down to the level of a macroblock, but in simple coding implementations is often constant over a whole picture (i.e. non-adaptive quantization) and set at the value suggested by Rate Control. The result of such a simple implementation is that all the macroblocks in a picture contain a similar amount of distortion noise after decoding, regardless of how the macroblocks content and location can cover up the distortion, i.e. the choice of quantization parameter is done regardless of the behaviour of the image and without any recognition of the visible effect of the resultant coding distortions.
Adaptive quantisation, on the other hand, is used to distribute bit allocations within a picture without interfering with the Rate Control algorithm. In general, the picture quality can be improved by reducing the amount of quantisation in picture areas of lower spatial activity where the human visual system (HVS) can detect distortion more easily, whereas higher spatial activities are less affected by coarser quantisation because the HVS is less sensitive in picture regions with such high activity levels. However, while some picture sequences benefit from aggressive adaptive quantisation (i.e. large deviations from the average quantisation measured over the whole picture), others are better with little or no adaptive quantisation. This implies that some degree of control is necessary to adapt the value of Qp in a beneficial manner.
Adaptive Quantization is not a new idea and is in common use, but the prior art methods of Adaptive Quantization have been complex and hence costly to implement in terms of delays introduced into the video encoding pathway, or physical cost/size of the hardware required. Accordingly, the present invention seeks to describe a simple and cost effective method for controlling the aggression of adaptive quantisation.

Adaptive quantization based on spatial activity histogram


The present invention is concerned with a pharmaceutical formulation comprising an amylin agonist and optionally a buffer, a tonicifier or stabilizer, and a preservative in a container, for example, a vial, prefilled cartridge, prefilled syringe or disposable pen. This formulation may be in liquid, gel, solid or powdered form for delivery, for example, via nasal, pulmonary, oral, sublingual, buccal, transdermal, or parenteral routes. Formulation with biocompatible polymers and release modifiers, such as sugars, can facilitate controlled release after injection, minimizing the number of administrations to a patient. These formulations maintain stability upon storage under refrigerated or room temperature conditions. Such formulations can be further combined with insulin for administration to a patient.

Deposition of amyloid in pancreatic islets is a common feature in human Type II diabetic patients. The major protein forming these amyloid particles, called amylin, has a propensity to form fibril amyloid structures. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 84(23):8628-32, 1987. Amylin is a 37 amino acid protein which, in its fully active form, is carboxy-amidated and has a disulfide bridge between the cysteine residues found at positions 2 and 7. Amylin plays a role in control of systemic concentrations of glucose, and has been proposed as a useful therapeutic agent. See, e.g., Leighton and Cooper, 15 TIBS 295, 1990. Human amylin is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,052, entitled "Amylin Peptides," and U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,314, entitled "Pharmaceutical Compositions Containing Amylin." Amylin has been reviewed in the literature, for example, in Gaeta, L. S. L. and Rink, T. J., 3 Med. Chem. Res. 483-490, 1994, Pittner, R. A. et al., 55S J. Cell. Biochem. 19-28, 1994, and Rink, T. J. et al., 14 TIPS 113-118, 1993.
Therapeutic opportunities for insulin-using and other people with diabetes who are deficient in amylin or for whom amylin therapy would be of benefit, and hormone blockage for other people, for example, the obese and Type II diabetics and those with insulin resistance who may have elevated plasma amylin or undesired amylin activity have been pursued. The use of amylin agonists, including amylin itself, for the treatment of diabetes is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,145. The use of amylin antagonists for the treatment of Type II diabetes mellitus, obesity and essential hypertension, and insulin resistance, are described and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,266,561, 5,280,014, 5,281,581, and 5,364,841.
The most severe form of the disease is Type I (juvenile-onset) diabetes. There are an estimated 1 million Type I diabetics in the U.S. who need daily insulin injections for survival. Their quality of life is often markedly affected by the rigors of their daily metabolic imbalances, in particular hypoglycemic attacks (dangerously low blood glucose) and by the onset of serious long-term complications, including blindness, kidney failure, impotence, ulcers, amputations and atherosclerosis (NIH Diabetes Complications and Control Trial).
Type II (adult-onset) diabetes afflicts over 10 million Americans, who are also subject to the same complications. Impaired glucose tolerance, a risk factor for Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease, is thought to affect another 20 million people in the U.S. and is not treatable by any known regimen. There is also an alarming increase in the incidence of Type II diabetics in groups of populations around the world, whose standard of living is increasing through economic development or migration. Sulfonylureas are the primary oral antihyperglycemic diabetic medications sold in the U.S. Discovered in the 1940's, these compounds do not address the underlying causes of Type II diabetes and, in many cases, are not effective or lose their efficacy after a few years of treatment. Type II diabetics do not lack insulin, rather they are insulin resistant, so that insulin does not work properly and the insulin secretory responses are disordered.
After a meal, the pancreas secretes insulin in response to a rise in glucose. Insulin stimulates the uptake of glucose into muscle and fat, and signals the liver to reduce glucose production; this results in a return of blood glucose to normal levels. In muscle, large amounts of glucose are stored as glycogen. Some of the glycogen is broken down into lactate, which circulates to the liver and can be converted back into glucose and stored as glycogen. Between meals the liver breaks down these glycogen stores to provide glucose to the brain and other tissues. This cycle in which glycogen is effectively transferred from muscle to liver is known as the Cori cycle. The stimulus for this flux from muscle to liver under resting conditions remain unidentified; recent results indicate that amylin provides a major stimulus to this pathway.
Amylin has been demonstrated to have direct metabolic effects in both skeletal muscle and the pancreas. In skeletal muscle, amylin acts as a non-competitive antagonist of insulin, reducing insulin-stimulated incorporation of glucose into glycogen. In vitro studies indicate that amylin reduces glycogen synthese activity and favors the formation of an active form of glycogen phosphorylase, the enzyme that converts glycogen into glucose 6-phosphate. The actions of amylin on skeletal muscle promote glycogen breakdown, thus stimulating lactate formation and increasing turnover of the Cori cycle. Amylin is co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta cells and has been demonstrated to suppress insulin secretion. It appears to provide feedback regulation of the beta-cell, in order to modulate insulin secretory activity.
It is believed that amylin plays a role in the regulation of glucose uptake from ingested food into blood, and that amylin or amylin agonist therapy in diabetics, particularly insulin-using diabetics, such as Type I diabetics and late-stage Type II diabetics, will smooth the excessive glucose rises that these patients typically experience after meals. Deficiency of an important hormone such as amylin which has been reported to have effects on carbohydrate, fat and bone metabolism, may also disrupt other important physiological mechanisms. The co-administration of amylin, or an amylin agonist which exerts the physiological effects of amylin, will significantly improve existing insulin therapy by restoring the appropriate metabolic balance.
Many factors affect the stability of a pharmaceutical product, including the chemical reactivity of the active ingredient(s), the potential interaction between active and inactive ingredients, the manufacturing process, the dosage form, the container-closure system, and the environmental conditions encountered during shipment, storage, handling and length of time between manufacture and usage. Pharmaceutical product stability is determined by the chemical stability as well as the physical stability of the formulation. Physical factors including heat and light may initiate or accelerate chemical reactions.
Optimal physical stability of a formulation is very important for at least three primary reasons. First, a pharmaceutical product must appear fresh, elegant and professional, when it is administered to a patient. Any changes in physical appearance such as color changes or haziness can cause a patient or consumer to lose confidence in the product. Second, because some products are dispensed in multiple-dose containers, uniformity of dose content of the active ingredient over time must be assured. A cloudy solution or a broken emulsion can lead to a non-uniform dosage pattern. Third, the active ingredient must be available to the patient throughout the expected shelf life of the preparation. A breakdown of the product to inactive or otherwise undesired forms can lead to non-availability of the medicament to the patient.
Stability of a pharmaceutical product, then, may be defined as the capability of a particular formulation to remain within its physical, chemical, microbiological, therapeutic and toxicological specifications. A stable solution retains its original clarity, color and odor throughout its shelf life. Retention of clarity of a solution is a main concern in maintaining physical stability. Solutions should remain clear over a relatively wide temperature range such as about 4° C. to about 37° C. At the lower range an ingredient may precipitate due to a lower solubility at that temperature, while at higher temperatures homogeneity may be destroyed by extractables from the glass containers or rubber closures. Thus, solutions of active pharmaceutical ingredients must be able to handle cycling temperature conditions. Similarly, a formulation should retain its color throughout this temperature range, and its odor should be stably maintained.
Small peptides are typically unstable and are susceptible to degradation in aqueous solution. In this regard, once a human amylin agonist or amylin has less than approximately 90% of its labeled potency, it is no longer considered to be suitable for administration to a patient. Various types of molecules such as sugars, surfactant, amino acids and fatty acids, used singly or in combination, have been used in efforts to stabilize protein and peptide products against degradation. See Wang and Hanson, J. Parenteral Science and Technology Supplement, 1988, Technical Report No. 10 (describing parenteral formulations of proteins and peptides); Manning et al., 6 Pharmaceutical Research, 1989. Examples of excipients such as buffers, preservatives, isotonic agents, and surfactants are also known in the art. See 21 C.F.R. §180.22 et seq. (defining recognized food additives); Wang and Kowal, 34 J. Parenteral Drug Association 452, 1980 (describing various excipients); A. R. Gennaro et al., 17th Remington's "Pharmaceutical Sciences," 1985; Avis et al., Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms: Parenteral Medications, Vol. 1, 1992, all of which, including the definitions of various useful excipients, are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Formulations for amylin agonist peptides


Certain examples relate to a build material management system to transport build material from a collection to source to one of a plurality of storage tanks. The storage tank is determined by a controller that compares color of the build material measured by a color sensor with predetermined values. The controller routes the build material to the storage tank.

Additive manufacturing processes can produce three-dimensional (3D) objects by solidifying and unifying successive layers of build material in cross-sectional patterns of the 3D objects according to computer models. Successive layers can be solidified and unified using processes such as melting, fusing, sintering, binding, or combinations of these processes. These processes may be caused by the application of energy to build material. The application of an energy absorbing fusing agent may be used to cause only portions of build material on which the fusing agent is applied to heat up and melt when energy is applied to the layer of build material. In other systems, a laser may be used to directly melt portions of build material such as in selective laser sintering systems. Binding involves the use of chemical binding agents that bind build material particles together. Binding agents may be UV or thermally cured to harden the bound build material. Structural and decorative properties of 3D objects built in additive manufacturing processes may be controllable and may depend on the process and materials used.

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.


In a range measurement signal exchange session between a first communication device and a second communication device, the first communication device generates an NDP, which includes: generating a plurality of training fields to be used by the second communication device to determine a time of arrival of the NDP. Each training field corresponds to a respective orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing (OFDM) symbol. Generating the plurality of training fields includes: i) setting signal samples corresponding to guard intervals between the OFDM symbols to zero, and ii) for each OFDM symbol, setting a plurality of frequency domain values corresponding to OFDM sub carriers of the OFDM symbol to complex number values. The first communication device transmits the NDP as part of the range measurement signal exchange session.

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) have evolved rapidly over the past decade, and development of WLAN standards such as the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 Standard family has improved single-user peak data throughput. For example, the IEEE 802.11b Standard specifies a single-user peak throughput of 11 megabytes per second (Mbps), the IEEE 802.11a and 802.11g Standards specify a single-user peak throughput of 54 Mbps, the IEEE 802.11n Standard specifies a single-user peak throughput of 600 Mbps, and the IEEE 802.11ac Standard specifies a single-user peak throughput in the Gigabit per second (Gbps) range. Future standards (e.g., IEEE 802.11ax) promise to provide even greater throughput, such as throughput in the tens of Gbps range.
Some mobile communication devices include a WLAN network interface and satellite positioning technology, such as global positioning system (GPS) technology. GPS technology in mobile communication devices is useful for physically navigating to a desired location, for example. However, GPS technology does not typically provide accurate location information when a GPS receiver is not in direct sight of a GPS satellite, and thus GPS technology is often not useful for providing location information while a mobile communication device is within a building such as an airport, a shopping mall, etc., within a tunnel, etc.
Additionally, sometimes a wireless communication device merely needs to know a distance from another wireless communication device, and GPS technology may not be available or using GPS technology will take too much time or consume too much power.
Techniques for determining a distance between communication devices using WLAN technology are now under development. For example, a distance between a first communication and a second communication device is determined by measuring a time of flight of WLAN transmissions between the first communication device and the second communication device, and the determined distance.
Similar techniques can be used to determine a position of a communication device, and are now under development. For example, after determining the distance between the first communication device and the second communication device, distances between the first communication device and multiple third communication devices are determined. Then, the determined distances are used to estimate a location of the first communication device by employing, for example, a triangulation technique. For a first communication device having multiple antennas, an angle of departure (AoD) of a WLAN transmission can be determined. Similarly, for a second communication device having multiple antennas, an angle of arrival (AoA) of the WLAN transmission from the first communication device can be determined. The AoD and the AoA, along with the determined distances, can be also be used for estimating the location of the first communication device.


A horticultural luminaire in which a lamp is contained within a first compartment and a ballast unit is contained in a second compartment. The ballast unit is in heat-conducting contact with the top of the unit and a plate member also covers the ballast unit to act as an additional heat sink. The top of the luminaire housing may be provided with bracket members to facilitate mounting of the luminaire on a structural I-beam.

Horticultural luminaires normally use high wattage lamps (1000 W HPS) and in prior art arrangements the ballast and starter is mounted close to the lamp for starting purposes. The ballast normally requires a large housing to dissipate the heat and a large cavity is required for the lamp to provide the required light distribution. Fixtures having a width exceeding 20 inches are very common; and it has been found that wide luminaires obstruct daylight which is undesirable for horticultural applications.

Small profile high wattage horitcultural luminaire


Sublithographic contact apertures through a dielectric are formed in a stack of dielectric, hardmask and oxide-containing seed layer. An initial aperture through the seed layer receives a deposition of oxide by liquid phase deposition, which adheres selectively to the exposed vertical walls of the aperture in the seed layer. The sublithographic aperture, reduced in size by the thickness of the added material, defines a reduced aperture in the hardmask. The reduced hardmask then defines the sublithographic aperture through the dielectric.

As dimensions have shrunk, lithographic engineers have resorted to various methods to reduce the size of apertures passing through interlevel dielectrics such as growing a polymer on the vertical surface of a resist hole (Relacs); a reflow of resist; a negative etch bias in transferring the contact hole to the substrate; and deposition of a sidewall spacer on the inside of the contact hole.
The negative etch bias often introduced a slope in the profile of the aperture, resulting in poor control of the aperture size.
The spacer approach introduced an additional etch step.
Various approaches have been shown in patents for depositing layers of oxide from the liquid phase, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,753, U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,245, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,829 incorporated by reference.

Shrinking contact apertures through LPD oxide

International Business Machines Corporation


Metal complexes of pyridylbenzimidazoles are described which can be used as ultraviolet absorbers. The pyridylbenzimidazole compounds can be substituted or unsubstituted. The ultraviolet absorbers can be used to protect a carrier or to protect objects being shielded by a carrier.

Ultraviolet light is emitted by the sun, carbon arc lamps, mercury vapor lamps, tungsten lamps and other light sources. The ultraviolet portion of the spectrum is from about 180 to about 390 nm. Ultraviolet light having a wavelength within this range is capable of degrading synthetic resins or polymers presently used to manufacture structures, or coatings commonly exposed to ultraviolet light, e.g., sidings, paints, or varnishes.
It is estimated that over 40% of all plastics in the United States need some protection from ultraviolet radiation. A polymeric matrix can be photochemically broken down causing discoloration, cracking, embrittlement and peeling. Ultraviolet photodegradation can result in the loss of optical, physical, and mechanical properties of the original polymer.
There is a need for improved ultraviolet absorbers because some presently available ultraviolet absorbers are subject to ultraviolet degradation themselves, i.e. they are not stable as ultraviolet absorbers for long periods of time when incorporated in a carrier.

Pyridylbenzimidazole compositions for absorbing ultraviolet light


A new and distinct peach variety of Prunus persica named ‘NJ351’ is provided. This variety is distinguished from other peach varieties by its unique combination of nonshowy flowers, fruit that ripen in late-midseason, attractively blushed fruit with a bright golden-yellow ground color, freestone fruit with a juicy, nearly nonmelting texture and sweet, low acid flavor, firm fruit that retain their firmness well and trees with regular, heavy production of fruit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree named 'NJ351'. Our new tree resulted from crossing 'NJ304' as the seed parent with 'J19-19-862144' peach tree, as the pollen parent. The new variety differs from seed parent 'NJ304' (unpatented) in that the new variety has firm fruit with yellow flesh while the parent has soft fruit with white flesh. The new variety differs from pollen parent 'J19-19-862144' (unpatented) in that the new variety has fruit with a bright ground color and yellow flesh, while the parent has fruit with a slight green ground color and white flesh. The resulting tree was selected when growing in a cultivated area as the 34th tree in the 40th row of Block K in Cream Ridge, N.J.


The invention relates to a bone plate having at least two and up to ten rimmed eyelets for receiving anchoring bone screws in a modified ball-and-socket joint. The eyelets are longitudinally aligned and joined to neighboring eyelets by curvilinear, bendable ribs extending between pairs of eyelets. The ribs are of a longer length than the distance between the external surfaces of adjacent rings which allows the longitudinal spacing of the rings to be increased or decreased by bending the ribs.

Orthopaedic implants have long been used for the stabilization of bones. For example, plates have been used in conjunction with screws on long bones, and screws and hooks have been used in conjunction with rod seats and rods in the spine as a method of treating traumatic injuries as well as to correct severe misalignments such as scoliosis.
While plates have the advantage of simplifying assembly during surgical implantation, traditional applications of plates have not been as flexible as other means of fixation such as rods and anchors due to the fact that plates do not allow for longitudinal variation of the spacings at the fixation site. For some sites or bone conditions, the exact location for fixation may be limited and in such instances it is extremely advantageous to be able to readily adapt to the site by reshaping a plate and also to be able to vary the angle of entry of the anchoring screw(s) or other anchoring means.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fixation or stabilization plate for surgical implantation in humans or other animals wherein the location of the anchoring sites along the longitudinal axis can be varied by increasing or decreasing the distance.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a bone plate in which the alignment of the fixation sites along the longitudinal site can be varied.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a plate having fixation sites which enable variation in the angle of entry of an anchor such as a bone screw.

Longitudinally adjustable bone plates and method for use thereof


A SiC substrate of a semiconductor device includes: a drift region of a first conductivity type; a body region of a second conductivity type having a channel region which adjoins a first surface of the SiC substrate; a source region of the first conductivity type adjoining a first end of the channel region; an extension region of the first conductivity type at an opposite side of the body region as the source region and vertically extending to the drift region; a buried region of the second conductivity type below the body region and having a tail which extends toward the first surface and adjoins the extension region; and a compensation region of the first conductivity type protruding from the extension region into the body region along the first surface and terminating at a second end of the channel region opposite the first end.

Doping of silicon (Si) devices can be easily realized by both implantation and diffusion. Doping of silicon carbide (SiC) devices can be easily realized only by implantation, except for diffusion of boron. This poses challenges for achieving smooth implantation profiles in SiC devices, and leads to peak-like structures of doping profiles into the depth of SiC devices and also mask edge effects. For example, at mask edges, deep implantations lead to an implantation tail reaching up to the surface of the SiC substrate. The implantation tail affects doping profiles close to the surface.
For example, in a planar SiC MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) structure, mask edge effects have an unwanted effect on channel doping. In power MOSFETs particularly, the gate oxide is shielded against electric fields for large source-drain voltages by a p-type buried region formed below the channel/body region. Since the implants to form both the p-type buried region and the channel/body region typically use the same mask, the p-type buried region often has an implantation tail which adjoins the end of the channel on the drain side of the device. Since the edge angle of the implantation mask changes due to process variation, the doping of the p-type implantation tail changes. This affects the inversion condition for the voltage-controlled channel and thus the threshold voltage for turn-on. In this way, process variations of the mask angle lead to strong variations of the threshold voltage and thus variations in specific on-resistance (RonA).
Other adverse effects on device performance or lifetime, such as large drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL), may also be worsened by such mask edge effects. In some cases, DIBL is a limiting factor for the design of planar MOSFETs. Among other effects, DIBL negatively impacts the short circuit time of the device.
Thus, there is a need for an improved SiC device and methods of manufacturing thereof.

Silicon carbide device with an implantation tail compensation region


The present invention discloses heavily doped PbSe with high thermoelectric performance. Thermoelectric property measurements disclosed herein indicated that PbSe is high zT material for mid-to-high temperature thermoelectric applications. At 850 K a peak zT>1.3 was observed when nH˜1.0×1020 cm−3. The present invention also discloses that a number of strategies used to improve zT of PbTe, such as alloying with other elements, nanostructuring and band modification may also be used to further improve zT in PbSe.

Thermoelectric power generation is drawing more and more interest in engine exhaust heat recovery to improve fuel efficiency.1 The development of useful devices requires materials with high dimensionless figure of merit zT (zT=S2T/ρκ, S being Seebeck coefficient, ρ electric resistivity and κ thermal conductivity).2 Among the materials suitable for power generation applications PbTe has been the most studied,3, 4 including recent results from nanostructuring5 and band modification6 with exceptional zT in both n type7, 8 and p type.9, 10
PbSe, closely related to PbTe, is much less frequently considered for thermoelectrics. This can be traced to the smaller band gap and higher thermal conductivity expected from the lighter PbSe compared with PbTe.11 Importantly, PbSe offers a cheaper alternative to PbTe, as Se is more abundant and the cost is much less than that of Te. Thus, there is a need in the art for PbSe with high thermoelectric performance.

Heavily doped PbSe with high thermoelectric performance


Disclosed are capacitive sensors designed to measure the very low-amplitude displacements of two zones with respect to each other. It comprises a capacitive element formed by two elements that are fitted to each other by a shrink-on method, and respectively having two facing cylindrical surfaces, the longitudinal axes of which are parallel to one and the same given direction, these surfaces bearing electrodes, at least some of which have limits parallel to the given direction. These two supports are respectively rigidly connected to the two zones, so much so that the capacitance of the capacitors formed by the electrodes of the facing surfaces varies as a function of the relative displacements of the two zones perpendicularly to the given direction. Thus the measurement of the displacements perpendicularly to this given direction is done by a measurement of variation in capacitance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the capacitive sensors used for the measurement of displacements and, more particularly, for the measurement of very small displacements such as the twist or torsion to which an engine shaft is subjected. These measurements of displacements make it possible to determine the value of the physical magnitude that has caused the displacement: temperature, pressure, force, acceleration etc. Thus, the measurement of the angle of twist of an engine shaft makes it possible to determine the value of the engine torque transmitted by this shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Capacitive sensors such as these are known. Prior art sensors are formed by capacitors with plane, parallel electrodes located at a short distance from each other but fixed in zones that are relatively distant from each other, so that the displacements of these two zones with respect to each other cause variations in capacitance that are sufficient to be used by a measuring electronic system associated with the sensor.
There are difficulties related to the making of these sensors, especially when great measuring precision is sought and when the environmental conditions are difficult, for example when there is a wide range in the working temperatures, a high degree of vibrations etc. For, the making of the measuring capacitors, the plane, parallel electrodes of which should be located at a short distance from each other but should be fixed in two zones that are relatively distant from one and the same structure to be examined, entails machining operations and assembling processes that are difficult and costly. Furthermore, the fastening of the plane electrodes or electrode supports should provide for the electrodes to be completely fixed but should not introduce mechanical stresses liable to deform the electrodes. Now, it proves to be difficult to make a fixed arrangement of this type, because of the differences between the expansion coefficients of the materials to be assembled.

Capacitive sensor of displacement and twist angle sensor including at least one such capacitive sensor


An apparatus includes a memory storing computer-readable instructions to cause the apparatus to perform determining a scanning number of times. The scanning number of times is a number of times that a carriage of a printer is to be moved to increase a maximum density of a first ink to be higher than a unit density. The instructions also cause the apparatus to perform generating print data to cause ejection of the first and a second ink by multi-pass scans in a final printing unit. The final printing unit is continuous scans corresponding to a number of passes including a last scan, among the scans to be performed the scanning number of times. The second ink is an ink whose density is equal to or less than the unit density, among the different inks.

The present disclosure relates to a printer and a printing method that can eject an amount of ink that is larger than an amount of the ink that can be ejected during one scan of a carriage, to each of dot arrays that extend in a main scanning direction. The present disclosure also relates to an apparatus that can generate print data.
In related art, a technique is known that causes a printer to eject ink while moving a carriage a plurality of times in order to form a dot array. For example, after performing printing using a white ink, an image forming device may perform heat fixing of the printed white ink. The image forming device may repeatedly perform printing and heat fixing of the white ink a plurality of times. In this manner, the image forming device can achieve good color development by ejecting a large amount of the white ink onto a print medium. A printing method in which printing with an ink of the same color is performed by moving a carriage a plurality of times for each of the dot arrays will be hereinafter referred to as overprinting.

Apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable medium


The invention pertains to a vacuum pump (1) with a closable line (63, 102) through which gas ballast can be fed into the pump chamber (8, 9); to eliminate the danger that a recipient hooked up to the vacuum pump may be charged with air in the event of a pump failure, the invention proposes that the line be equipped with a control valve (59, 60, 61; 98, 99; 109, 110) to regulate the gas ballast feed as a function of operating conditions, such that the line is closed in the event of a pump failure.

The invention pertains to a vacuum pump with a closable line through which gas ballast can be fed into the pump chamber of the pump.
In the case of vacuum pumps with an inner compression, there is the danger that sucked in vapours might condense in the pump chamber. No condensation will occur as long as the sucked in vapours are compressed by no more than their saturation vapour pressure. If, for example, water vapour is compressed to a higher pressure than this, the vapours condense in the pump and emulsify with the pump's oil. Thus the lubricating properties of the pump's oil reduce very rapidly so that there is the danger of rotor seizure. By admitting gas, preferably air--gas ballast--into the pump chamber of the pump, sucked in gases may be practically diluted thereby increasing the saturation vapour pressure, so that damaging condensations may not occur. It is known to equip the gas ballast facility with a manually operated valve, so that the gas ballast feed may be blocked off when it is not required.
From DE-A-702 480 vacuum pumps with gas ballast facilities are generally known. The rotary vane vacuum pump presented in drawing FIG. 1 of this document has a gas ballast facility where the quantity of the applied.sup.1) gas depends on the intake pressure. At a high intake pressure the valve is open; with reducing intake pressure the gas ballast feed is also reduced. In the case of a failure of a vacuum pump of this kind--for example, by a failure of the drive--the recipient is vented more or less rapidly via the gas ballast feed. FNT .sup.1) Translator's note: The German text reads . . . zugefuhrt . . . instead of . . . zugefuhrte . . . . The latter has been assumed for the translation.
It is known to prevent the recipient from being vented by means of an intake valve which is controlled according to the operating conditions. However, these solutions are involved and are out of the question for cheaper vacuum pump designs. A further possibility to prevent venting of the recipient, is, to ensure that the pump chamber of the pump is hermetically sealed in the case of a pump failure. A solution for this is known from the older application DE-A-42 08 194. In this solution, the oil supply to the pump chamber is blocked in the case of a pump failure, in order to avoid contaminating the recipient with oil vapours. However, functioning of this solution requires that a gas ballast facility not be present, or that it be closed manually prior to the pump failure. Known, so-called hermetically sealed vacuum pumps to date do not offer any protection of the vacuum with the gas ballast switched on.


A parenteral apparatus (10, 50, 60, 70, 90, 110, 120) comprises a chamber (26) for parenteral fluid within a housing (12). The apparatus also includes an axially slidable seal (24) operatively associated with a needle (28) and a catheter (32) enclosing the needle (28) in part. In operation, the needle (28) makes an incision in tissue by means of a sharp point (33) and it is then withdrawn into the housing (12) whilst the catheter remains in contact with the tissue. The parenteral fluid is expelled by movement of the seal (24) from the chamber (26) through the needle (28) initially and subsequently through the needle (28) and the catheter (32) as the needle (28) is withdrawn.

The present invention relates to a parenteral apparatus.
Injection devices which use a sharp needle to enter human tissue are now widely recognized as being hazardous to users and other individuals because the sharp point, contaminated by its exposure to the tissue of the first person may penetrate the skin of a second person and in doing so may carry micro-organisms from the patient on whom the injection device was first used into the tissue of a second person. Such transmission may result in the development of disease in the second person. When the penetration of the skin is accidental it is referred to as xe2x80x9cneedlestick injuryxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cneedleprick injuryxe2x80x9d.
Disease transmission by this means is now recognised as a major cause of occupational disease transmission to healthcare workers. The prevention of such transmission has resulted in the setting up of expensive and inefficient procedures and has caused an increase in the cost of providing medical support.
Transmission of disease may also result from the deliberate re-use of a sharp needle by a second person and this is a major cause of transmission of such diseases as hepatitis C and AIDS (HIV) amongst users of narcotic intravenous drugs. Many other infectious diseases may be transmitted from one person to another by contaminated needles.
Three main strategies have been put in place to reduce the risk of disease transmission by contaminated needles. These are
(i) strict adherence to methods and procedures which reduce the risk of accidental needlestick injury;
(ii) the widespread distribution of secure containers (sharps containers) into which the used needles can be placed as soon as possible after use; and
(iii) the invention and development of injection devices whereby the sharp needle point can be covered soon after use, so reducing the risk of needlestick injury, and in many examples, reducing the possibility of the injection device being used a second time.
A disadvantage of all of these strategies is that they all cause some perturbation of optimal or most efficient clinical practice and all incur increased expense in providing medical care. Often these factors mean that the safety measures fail not because the device does not provide safety but simply because they are not put into universal practice. Most importantly, these strategies and techniques leave a xe2x80x9cwindow of riskxe2x80x9d in the interval between removing the contaminated needle from the tissue of a person and putting into effect the chosen procedure or technique to make the contaminated needle safe.
There is a second type of problem associated with the use of sharp tubular needles to obtain access to living tissues, especially veins or arteries. This second problem is that the sharp point is only necessary to advance the needle to the required location in the tissue. When in the desired location the sharp point is often a disadvantage.
The prior art also shows a great variety of methods of covering a sharp needle tip, such as a sheath moving forward to cover the needle after use, retraction of the needle into the body of the syringe or capture of the hub of the needle by a latch on the moving plunger after emptying the syringe. These methods are associated with varying degrees of complexity and interference with normal clinical requirements. Above all they do not allow the use of the device for the transfer of fluid to or from the living tissue after the sharp tip is covered and do not protect the living tissue from damage by the sharp tip during the parenteral procedure. An internal blunt tube within the sharp tubular needle overcomes many of these problems to a degree but has the disadvantages of significantly increasing the resistance to fluid flow and of not permitting the sharp needle point to be covered.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which can be used in much the same way as conventional tubular injection needles and catheters for achieving fluid transfer between the exterior and the parenteral tissue of the living body and without requiring difficult or complex techniques to maintain fluid transfer passages during movement of the needle within the device.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a parenteral apparatus characterised by a housing having a first end and a second end and defining a chamber for parenteral fluid, a thin walled catheter having a free end closely enclosing a tubular needle having a sharp point, the catheter being mounted to the housing, the needle and the catheter being longitudinally moveable relative to one another between a first position at which the needle extends from the catheter so that the sharp point is exposed and a second position at which the sharp point is located within the housing, the needle remaining in a fluid pathway of the parenteral apparatus at all times between the first and second positions, the sharp point of the needle being arranged to pierce tissue when the catheter and the needle are in their relative first position and retraction means being provided for moving the needle and catheter relatively from the first position.


Interlocked floating-point instructions are detected, and a register address referring to and assigning an operand in the interlocked instructions is changed to an odd-number address not assigned as any operation at the time of compiling. Next, an instruction not in any register-dependency relation with the interlocked instructions is detected, and the detected instruction is inserted between instructions interlocked with each other. Thus a program can be executed with an improved efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a code conversion method and apparatus for converting the content of an assembly language code with which a computer system can perform a given instruction.
This application s the priority of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-167446 filed on Jun. 7, 2002, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
For getting a processor like CPU or DSP to execute a source program stated in a high-level programming language such as the C language or the like, the code of the source program has to be converted into an execute form that enables such processors to perform instructions specified by the source program.
FIG. 1 shows a flow of operations made in the conventional conversion of a source program stated in a high-level programming language into an execute form that enables a processor to perform instructions specified by the source program.
In the conventional code conversion method, a source program stated in a high-level programming language such as the C language or the like is converted by a compiler into an assembly language code that can be understood by an object processor (in step S50-1). In the assembly language code, one line states one instruction whose operand is a program code directly representing an address in a data register in the processor hardware. Next, the assembly language code is converted by an assembler into a machine language that can be understood by the object processor (in step S50-2). Next, a plurality of programs stated in the machine language is combined together and converted into a code executable by the object processor (in step S50-3).
Note that for many of the recent processors such as CPU, DSP and the like, a fixed-point instruction as an operand and a floating-point instruction as an operand are included in a set of instructions. A floating-point instruction is normally performed by a floating-point unit in the processor. The floating-point unit will perform the instructions referencing to operands stored in a floating-point register provided separately from a fixed-point register and also assign a determined floating-point value in the floating-point register.
The floating-point is defined in the IEEE 754 "Floating-point Standard". In the definition in the IEEE 754, the floating-point includes a single-precision floating-point and a double-precision one. The floating-point unit can normally make a single-precision operation in which a single-precision floating-point value is used as an operand and a double-precision operation in which a double-precision floating-point value is used as an operand. In the floating-point register, each address is set in units of a single-precision floating-point bit. Therefore, in the single-precision operation, a value stored in one floating-point register is manipulated as an operation for one word while in the double-precision operation, values stored in two floating-point registers are combined and manipulated as an operand for one word.
For the floating-point unit in a data processor, there is provided an arithmetic operation library capable of performing arithmetic operation instructions and also calculating a trigonometric function, logarithmic function etc. Generally, the double-precision operation is used when the arithmetic operation library is used.
Note here that double-precision floating-point instruction data in two registers are combined together and manipulated as one operand for one word but only the address in one of the registers is assigned as the operand. Therefore, when the compiler compiles a double-precision floating-point instruction, it will assign only the even-number register address to an operand for the double-precision floating-point instruction with the odd-number register address being always opened. By assigning the registers in this way, two register areas are assigned to an double-precision floating-point operand.
FIG. 2 shows an example of the assembly language code statement including double-precision floating-point instructions, and FIG. 3 shows the use of a floating-point register and memory when the assembly language code stated as shown in FIG. 2 is performed.
In the assembly language code shown in FIG. 2, a double-precision floating-point value stored in memories MEM[0] and MEM[1] are loaded to floating-point registers FR0 and FR1, respectively, under a double-precision load instruction LD.D (in step S51-1). Next, an arithmetic operation library for an SIN function is called under a call instruction CAL SIN in the arithmetic operation library and double-precision SIN function values calculated on the basis of the double-precision floating-point value stored in the floating-point register FR0 is stored into floating-point registers FR2 and FR3, respectively (in step S51-2). Next, the double-precision floating-point values stored in the floating-point registers FR2 and FR3 are stored into memories MEM[2] and MEM[3], respectively, under a double-precision store instruction ST.D.
By assigning only the even-number register address to the operand as above, two successive register areas can be assigned to a double-precision floating-point instruction operand.
Also, the processor normally makes reference to and assigns both the single-precision floating-point instruction operand and double-precision floating-point instruction operand with the use of the same floating-point register. On this account, the compiler has to assign only the even-number register address as an operand for no conflict for a register with the double-precision floating-point instruction when it compiles the single-precision floating-point instruction as well as it compiles the double-precision floating-point instruction.
FIG. 4 shows an example of the assembly language code statement including double- and single-precision floating-point instructions, and FIG. 5 shows the use of the a register and memory when the assembly language code stated as shown in FIG. 4 is executed.
In the assembly language code shown in FIG. 4, a single-precision floating-point value stored in the memory MEM[0] is loaded to floating-point register FR4 under a single-precision load instruction LD.S (in step S53-1). Next, a single-precision floating-point value stored in the memory MEM[1] is loaded to a floating-point register FR6 under the single-precision load instruction LD.S (in step S53-2). Then, single-precision floating-point values stored in the floating-point registers FR4 and FR6 are multiplied under a single-precision multiply instruction MUL.S and the result of multiplication is stored into the floating-point register FR0 (in step S53-3). Next, an arithmetic operation library for an SIN function is called under a call instruction CALL SIN in the arithmetic operation library and double-precision SIN function values calculated on the basis of the single-precision floating-point value stored in the floating-point register FRO is stored into floating-point registers FR2 and FR3, respectively (in step S53-4). Then, the double-precision floating-point values stored in the floating-point registers FR2 and FR3 are stored into memories MEM[2] and MEM[3], respectively, under the double-precision store instruction ST.D.
That is, when the compiler compiles the floating-point instruction, it will generate an assembly language code having an operand to which only the floating-point register at an even-number address is assigned, whether the floating-point instruction is a single-precision one or double-precision one.
However, in case only an even-number register address is assigned to an operand, for example, in the case of a program including no double-decision floating-point instructions or a program including a very small number of double-decision floating-point instructions, about a half of all the floating-point registers will not be used, that is, the floating-point registers cannot be used efficiently. If the registers are not usable efficiently, the number of the registers will possibly be insufficient for instructions. When the registers are insufficient in number, data will be saved into the memory and registers are released for other instructions, and after completion of the instructions, the saved data has to be returned to the registers, which will need more instructions than in case the registers are sufficient in number for instructions.
Also, the recent processors such as a CPU and DSP can perform operations to be done under one instruction, such as performance of an operation, storage of operation result, etc. in parallel in the hardware. Such a hardware configuration is generally called "pipeline configuration". FIG. 6 shows, for example, a data processing timing of a pipeline-configured processor (will be referred to as "pipeline processor" hereunder) which performs one instruction for operations from instruction fetch (IF) to operation result storage (FWB) with respective seven clocks. Such a pipeline processor can perform one instruction apparently with one clock.
However, even such a pipeline data processor cannot perform instructions with an improved efficiency when interlocking takes place between the instructions to be performed.
For example, an assembly language code as shown in FIG. 7 is assumed here that is structured for performing an instruction (MUL.S FR0, FR2, FR4) for multiplication of single-precision floating-point values in the floating-point registers FR2 and FR4 by each other and then for storing the multiplication result into the floating-point register FR0, and then performing an instruction (ADD. S FR6, FR0, FR10) for adding the single-precision floating-point values stored in the floating-point registers FR0 and FR10 and storing the addition result into the floating-point register FR6. Even if the data processor has executed such an assembly language code, it has to wait for performance of the next instruction (ADD.S FR6, FR0, FR10) until the result of operation under the instruction (MUL.S. FR0, FR2, FR4) is written into the register as shown in FIG. 8.
That is, in case there is a register-dependency relation between a plurality of instructions, no improvement in efficiency of instruction performance can be attained in the pipeline processing unless there is provided a sufficient margin between the instructions. In the seven-step pipeline data processor as shown in FIG. 6, interlocking will take place between the instructions unless more than five instructions lie between the instructions which are in the register-dependency relation with each other.
The above interlocking will probably take place less frequently if sufficiently many registers are available. However, the floating-point registers are used with low efficiency as above. Therefore, the interlocking will take place with a high frequency.
In the assembly language code generated by the conventional compiler, since only an even-number register address is assigned as an operand in a floating-point instruction, the number of instructions increases and interlocking possibly takes place with a high frequency in the pipeline data processor. As a result, with an assembly language code generated by the conventional compiler, a program cannot be executed with a low efficiency.


A digitally configurable multiplexer/de-multiplexer including several multiplexers, a switch matrix, and configuration logic. Each multiplexer receives multiple address signals, selects from among multiple first data signals and couples a selected first data signal to a corresponding one of several multiplexed signals. The switch matrix has a first interface coupled to the multiplexed signals and a second interface coupled to multiple second data signals. The configuration logic receives selection signals and controls the switch matrix to couple selected ones of the multiplexed signals to the second interface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data acquisition systems, and more particularly to a digitally configurable multiplexer/de-multiplexer for routing a number of analog signals to or from selected analog front ends of a digitization block of a data acquisition system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Analog multiplexers/de-multiplexers (MUX/DEMUX) are typically configured as D:1 devices (e.g., 2:1, 4:1, 8:1 or 16:1) with "N" address inputs for selecting from among "D" analog data signals in which D=2N. An analog MUX/DEMUX is typically bidirectional and may be operated as a MUX to select from among multiple inputs to an output or as a DEMUX to route an analog signal to redirect to a selected one of multiple outputs as known to those skilled in the art. The term "multiplexer" or "MUX" as used herein is intended to connote bidirectional operation in which the MUX may be used for MUX or DEMUX operations. Each configuration has traditionally been implemented on a separate integrated circuit (IC) or chip. If an analog signal needed to be dynamically re-routed to another path, additional multiplexers or switches were required and were placed in series with the signal path. Such additional devices added cost and complexity to the overall data acquisition system. In many cases, different configurations are required in the same system, which forced the designer to implement and purchase different ICs that suited each of the configurations. For example, some systems required the same signal to be routed to any number of different analog front ends that performed various functions (e.g., filtering, amplifying, etc.) depending upon the characteristics of the signal.
Conventional analog multiplexers are relatively inflexible and consume a significant amount of printed circuit board (PCB) area of the data acquisition system.


A filter cartridge for use in a fluid filtering system, constructed to induce rotational flow in the unfiltered fluid, includes a pleated filter sleeve in which the individual sleeves are slanted relative to the sleeve circumference in a direction opposite to the direction of the rotational flow fluid. The slanted pleats can be constructed by creasing a sheet of filter media at alternatingly shorter and longer widths to form pleats having relatively shorter front legs and relatively longer back legs. The shorter front legs bias the pleats in the counter-rotational direction.

Fluid filter systems utilizing central filter cartridges are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,979 to Harms et al., which is incorporated by reference into this disclosure, discusses a fluid filter system having a central filter cartridge. In the Harms et al. system, a central filter cartridge defines a filtering partition between an outer, unfiltered fluid chamber and an inner, filtered fluid chamber. Unfiltered fluid is introduced to the outer chamber through an inlet in the outer housing of the system. Due to a pressure differential, the fluid is forced through a pleated filter media sleeve of the filter cartridge, which is disposed in a central portion of the outer housing. The filtered fluid exiting the filter media travels upwardly in a annular volume defined by the filter sleeve and a smaller diameter, outlet tube disposed in a central cavity of the filter cartridge. The filtered fluid, with associated gases, is forced upwardly into an upper chamber where the flow is reversed and evacuated downwardly through the outlet tube.
In the Harms et al. filter, unfiltered fluid enters the inlet chamber through an inlet port in the bottom surface of the filter housing. The upward, axial flow relative to the pleated filter media can impart forces on the individual filter media pleats, causing the pleats to compress against one another or "blind off." Blinding off reduces the filter media surface area available for filtering and can affect the flow efficiency of the system. Additionally, the reduced surface area can cause concentrations of filtered debris on the available media surface area, thereby requiring premature replacement or servicing of the filter cartridge.
An improved cartridge filter system that reduces the effects of this blinding off phenomenon is described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 543,326 to Harms et al., which is incorporated by reference into this disclosure. This filter system is constructed to create rotational flow around the pleated filter media to reduce the likelihood of blinding off.
In this rotational flow filter system, unfiltered fluid is introduced into the filter system through tangential inlet passages in the side wall of the filter housing. The entering fluid flows tangentially to the housing contour and is induced into a unidirectional rotational flow about the central axis of the housing by the curvature of the housing. The rotational flow imparts substantially uniform forces tangential to the pleats of the filter media. Thus, the pleats are urged in the same direction in a substantially uniform manner, thereby reducing the likelihood of blinding off.

Pleated filtering sleeve for rotational flow filter systems


A bleed valve for a gas turbine engine includes a housing that defines an inlet upstream from an outlet. The bleed valve includes a poppet movable relative to the housing between a first position, in which the poppet closes the inlet, and a second position, in which the inlet is open and configured to receive a fluid flow. The housing defines a tortuous path for the fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet configured to reduce a pressure of the fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet within the housing. The tortuous path is defined by a plurality of rings positioned about the poppet, with each ring of the plurality of rings spaced apart from an adjacent ring of the plurality of rings between the inlet and the outlet to define the tortuous path.

Gas turbine engines may be employed to power various devices. For example, a gas turbine engine may be employed to power a mobile platform, such as an aircraft. Generally, gas turbine engines include one or more compressors contained within a compressor section of the gas turbine engine, which operate to draw air into the gas turbine engine and to raise a pressure of that air. In certain instances, high pressure air generated by the compressors may need to be vented from the compressor section due to the operating conditions of the gas turbine engine. The venting of the high pressure air from the compressor section, however, may result in undesirable noise due to mixing of high pressure compressor air with lower pressure air in the fan bypass duct. In certain operating conditions, such as low power, when the aircraft is on approach to landing or on the ground, the undesirable noise generated by the venting of the high pressure air may be disruptive to residents near the airport, ground crew, etc.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a bleed valve for venting high pressure air that reduces a noise generated by the venting of the high pressure air. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.


A process for deliquifying a solid particulate containing liquid waste stream including organic contaminants produced during the production of acrylonitrile comprising feeding the waste stream onto the outer surface of a heated drum(s) rotating the drum(s) to facilitate removal of the liquid to produce a substantially solid material which adheres to the surface of the drum(s) and is subsequently removed.

The present invention is related to the use of a drum dryer for deliquification of acrylonitrile production waste. In particular, the present invention is related to the use of a drum dryer for deliquification of acrylonitrile waste streams produced during the practice of the Sohio Acrylonitrile Process.
The problem of minimization of waste products produced in any chemical processing plant is becoming acute due to environmental as well as disposal problems. In the practice of the Sohio Acrylonitrile Process the production of liquid waste streams containing solid particulate material is a problem because conventional means of disposing of these streams is becoming more and more expensive. Accordingly, minimization of the volume of these streams is desirable. Typically, mechanical dewatering equipment such as a centrifuge or filter have been utilized to deliquify these waste streams to reduce their volume. Solid bearing waste streams from the commercial acrylonitrile plant are typically sent to a primary solid-liquid separation device for an initial phase separation. In this device the solids are concentrated into a slurry stream containing between about 7 to 40 percent solids. This stream is then mechanically dewatered using either a centrifuge or filter press to produce a sludge cake containing between about 30 to 60 percent solids. The liquid recovered during the mechanical separation is recycled back to the primary phase separation device or disposed of directly.
It would be highly desirable to process this sludge cake in a economic and efficient manner to further concentrate the solid material. However, until the present invention the inherent nature of the sludge cake has made further processing uneconomical or impossible.

Drum drying of acrylonitrile production wastes


A removable cap for dispensing liquids in pre-measured quantities from a liquid-filled container including an elongated tubular member having a bottom end adapted to be fastened to said liquid-filled container and an open top end through which a pre-measured quantity of liquid is discharged, a spout formed internal to and as an integral part of the tubular member with an opening through which liquid may pass from the container and a cover pivotally connected to the tubular member and having a closed position and an open position. The cover includes an extnding member shaped to form a collection chamber when the cover is in the closed position.

Many products are packaged for sale to the consumer in liquid form with directions requiring the consumer to discharge the contents in fixed dosages in accordance with a given relationship or prescription. Typical of such products are liquid detergents, gasoline additives and liquid medicaments. Liquid medications include directions for the patient to carefully measure out a fixed quantity of the medicament in accordance with a given prescription. The latter procedure is difficult for certain age groups to comprehend, such as, for example, the elderly, young children, and the physically and mentally handicapped. Elderly people have difficulty manipulating the container to dispense a controlled quantity, whereas younger children and the mentally handicapped may misinterpret the directions.
Devices which attach to a container for dispensing a pre-measured dosage of fluid are not new. One such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,692 issued to W. Buehlig on Aug. 28, 1956. The Buehlig patent discloses a dispenser designed as an attachment for a container to permit a pre-measured dosage of liquid to be dispensed from the container. It is essential to the design of the Buehlig device that the dispenser be large relative to the size of the container in order to be able to collect a reasonable volume of pre-measured liquid. This makes for a verY unattractive product. The design is also cumbersome and unwieldY. Moreover, the Buehlig design does not lend itself to mass production techniques and is accordingly expensive to manufacture. The Buehlig design, as well as other prior art dispensing attachments, have been relegated to novelty items, primarily for sale with liquor bottles.


A semiconductor device includes a first interface film on a first area of a substrate, the first interface film including a first growth interface film and a second growth interface film on a lower portion of the first growth interface film, a first dielectric film on the first interface film, and a first gate electrode on the first dielectric film.

1. Field
Some example embodiments relate to a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A semiconductor device may be classified into a semiconductor storage device and a semiconductor logic device. The semiconductor logic device may be, for example, an integrated circuit which includes MOS transistors, diodes, and the like, and performs a logic operation or an arithmetic operation. In general, both an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor are used as the MOS transistors, and skew may occur in electrical characteristics between the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor.

Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same


Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member, including: a support; and a photosensitive layer, which is provided on the support, in which: a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a terminal siloxane-containing polyester resin having a specific structure; and a lower layer provided in contact with the surface layer includes a polycarbonate resin, a polyester resin, or a polyvinyl acetal resin, having a specific structure.

An organic electrophotographic photosensitive member containing an organic charge-generating substance (hereinafter, referred to as "electrophotographic photosensitive member") is known as an electrophotographic photosensitive member mounted on an electrophotographic apparatus. In an electrophotographic process, a variety of members such as a developer, a charging member, a cleaning blade, paper, and a transferring member (hereinafter, also referred to collectively as "contact member or the like") have contact with the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Therefore, the electrophotographic photosensitive member is required to reduce generation of image deterioration due to contact stress with such contact member or the like. In particular, in recent years, the electrophotographic photosensitive member has been required to have an effect of reducing the image deterioration due to contact stress with improvement of durability of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.
To relieve contact stress, there is proposed a technology for incorporating a siloxane-containing resin having a siloxane structure in its molecular chain into a surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member. Patent Literature 1 proposes a resin obtained by incorporating a phenol-modified siloxane structure into the terminal of a polyester resin and discloses that the resin can exhibit both of an effect of suppressing potential variation and an effect of reducing contact stress. Meanwhile, Patent Literature 2 proposes a polycarbonate resin obtained by incorporating an ether-modified terminal siloxane structure and discloses that the resin can improve stain or fouling resistance of the outermost layer of the photosensitive member to dust, fingerprint, oil, cleaning liquid, a large amount of toner, and the like.

Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus


A sunshade assembly includes a flexible sunscreen, a rotatable winding shaft for winding and unwinding the sunscreen and two opposed guides for cooperation with two opposed longitudinal edges of the sunscreen. Each guide extends longitudinally in a curved manner in a plane which substantially is perpendicular to the sunscreen and in parallel to the respective longitudinal edge of the sunscreen. Longitudinal edge sections of the sunscreen are less stretchable than the remainder of the sunscreen and are tensioned in the longitudinal direction of the sunscreen.

The invention firstly relates to a sunshade assembly, comprising a flexible sunscreen, a rotatable winding shaft for winding and unwinding the sunscreen and two opposite guides for cooperation with two opposite longitudinal edges of the sunscreen.
One important field of application of such sunshade assemblies are vehicles which are provided with an open roof construction. Nowadays there is a trend towards larger roof openings, and thus also the need arises for larger sunshade assemblies with larger (longer) sunscreens.
Such larger sunscreens, however, suffer from certain drawbacks. The friction between the guides and the longitudinal edges of the sunscreen increases substantially, which leads to high forces to be exerted by the winding shaft when winding the sunscreen (and, oppositely, by an opposite moving member for unwinding the sunscreen), leading to higher tensions in the sunscreen with a resulting transverse contraction of the sunscreen which, finally, results in an even higher friction or even in a detachment of the longitudinal edges of the sunscreen. As a result of these high forces (such as frictional forces) the sunscreen suffers from an increased wear and even may be damaged or torn. Further there is an increased power demand for moving the sunscreen.

Sunshade assembly and open roof construction provided therewith


A transient load instruction for a processor may include a transient or temporary load instruction that is executed in parallel with a plurality of input operands. The temporary load instruction loads a memory value into a temporary location for use within the instruction packet. According to some examples, a VLIW based microprocessor architecture may include a temporary cache for use in writing/reading a temporary memory value during a single VLIW packet cycle. The temporary cache is different from the normal register bank that does not allow writing and then reading the value just written during the same VLIW packet cycle.

In computing, an optimizing compiler is a compiler that tries to minimize or maximize some attributes of an executable computer program. The most common requirement is to minimize the time taken to execute a program; a less common one is to minimize the amount of memory occupied. The growth of portable computers has created a market for minimizing the power consumed by a program. Compiler optimization is generally implemented using a sequence of optimizing transformations, algorithms which take a program and transform it to produce a semantically equivalent output program that uses fewer resources. In the past, computer memory limitations were also a major factor in limiting which optimizations could be performed. Because of all these factors, optimization rarely produces "optimal" output, but rather employs heuristic methods for improving resource usage in typical programs.
In compiler optimization, register allocation is the process of assigning a large number of target program variables onto a small number of CPU registers. Register allocation can happen over a basic block (local register allocation), over a whole function/procedure (global register allocation), or across function boundaries traversed via call-graph (inter-procedural register allocation). When done per function/procedure the calling convention may require insertion of save/restore around each call-site. In many programming languages, the programmer has the illusion of allocating arbitrarily many variables. However, during compilation, the compiler must decide how to allocate these variables to a small, finite set of registers. Not all variables are in use (or "live") at the same time, so some registers may be assigned to more than one variable. However, two variables in use at the same time cannot be assigned to the same register without corrupting its value. Variables which cannot be assigned to some register must be kept in RAM and loaded in/out for every read/write, a process called spilling. Accessing RAM is significantly slower than accessing registers and slows down the execution speed of the compiled program, so an optimizing compiler aims to assign as many variables to registers as possible. Register pressure is the term used when there are fewer hardware registers available than would have been optimal; higher pressure usually means that more spills and reloads are needed.
When data is loaded from memory, only needed for one operation and then discarded, this can lead to register pressure (especially when unrolling inner loops) and difficulty in scheduling the load and possibly hiding the "load to use" latency. Thus, conventional systems suffer from register pressure and minimizing the impact of data that is very transient in nature (only needs to exist for 1 cycle/1 packet). Loading and then using the data causes a problem of latency of the write to the register followed by the use as well as the use of a register for what is effectively a temporary value.
Accordingly, there are long-felt industry needs for methods that improve upon conventional methods including the improved methods and apparatus provided hereby.
The inventive features that are characteristic of the teachings, together with further features and advantages, are better understood from the detailed description and the accompanying figures. Each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only, and does not limit the present teachings.

System, apparatus, and method for a transient load instruction within a VLIW operation


The present disclosure relates to methods of diagnosing acute rejection of a cardiac allograft in a subject using genomic expression profiling, proteomic expression profiling, or both on panels of nucleic acid markers and proteomic markers.

Transplantation is considered the primary therapy for patients with end-stage vital organ failure. While the availability of immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine and Tacrolimus has improved allograft recipient, e.g., heart transplant recipient, survival and wellbeing, identification of rejection of the allograft as early and as accurately as possible, and effective monitoring and adjusting immunosuppressive medication doses is still of primary importance to the continuing survival of the allograft recipient.
Rejection of an allograft may be generally described as the result of recipient's immune response to nonself antigens expressed by the donor tissues. Acute rejection may occur within days or weeks of the transplant, while chronic rejection may be a slower process, occurring months or years following the transplant.
At present, invasive biopsies, such as endomyocardial, liver core, and renal fine-needle aspiration biopsies, are widely regarded as the gold standard for the surveillance and diagnosis of allograft rejections, but are invasive procedures which carry risks of their own (e.g. Mehra M R, et al. Curr. Opin. Cardiol. 2002 March; 17(2): 131-136.). Biopsy results may also be subject to reproducibility and interpretation issues due to sampling errors and inter-observer variabilities, despite the availability of international guidelines such as the Banff schema for grading liver allograft rejection (Ormonde et al 1999. Liver Transplantation 5:261-268) or the Revised ISHLT transplantation scale (Stewart et al. 2005. J Heart Lung Transplant, 2005; 24: 1710-20). Although less invasive (imaging) techniques have been developed such as angiography and IVUS for monitoring chronic heart rejection, these alternatives are also susceptible to limitations similar to those associated with biopsies.
The severity of allograft rejection as determined by biopsy may be graded to provide standardized reference indicia. The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation scale (ISHLT) provides a means of grading biopsy samples for heart transplant subjects (Table 1)
TABLE 1International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation grading of heart transplant rejection for histopathologic biopsy analysis. Grade Comment0R No acute cellular rejection: No evidence of mononuclear inflammation or myocyte damage or necrosis. 1R Mild, low-grade, acute cellular rejection: Mononuclear cells are present and there may be limited myocyte damage and necrosis. 2R Moderate, intermediate-grade, acute cellular rejection: Two or more foci of mononuclear cells with associated myocyte damageand necrosis are present. The damage may be found in the same biopsy, or two separate biopsies. Eosinophils may be present. 3R Severe, high-grade, acute cellular rejection: Widespread, diffuse myocyte damage and necrosis, and disruption of normal architecture across several biopsies. Edema, interstitial hemorrhage and vasculitis may be present. The infiltrate may be polymorphous.
Indicators of allograft rejection may include a heightened and localized immune response as indicated by one or more of localized or systemic inflammation, tissue injury, allograft infiltration of immune cells, altered composition and concentration of tissue- and blood-derived proteins, differential oxygenation of allograft tissue, edema, thickening of the endothelium, increased collagen content, altered intramyocardial blood flow, infection, necrosis of the allograft and/or surrounding tissue, and the like.
Allograft rejection maybe described as 'acute' or 'chronic'. Acute rejection is generally considered to be rejection of a tissue or organ allograft within ˜6 months of the subject receiving the allograft. Acute rejection may be characterized by cellular and humoral insults on the donor tissue, leading to rapid graft dysfunction and failure of the tissue or organ. Chronic rejection is generally considered to be reject of a tissue or organ allograft beyond 6 months, and may be several years after receiving the allograft. Chronic rejection may be characterized by progressive tissue remodeling triggered by the alloimmune response may lead to gradual neointimal formation within arteries, contributing to obliterative vasculopathy, parenchymal fibrosis and consequently, failure and loss of the graft. Depending on the nature and severity of the rejection, there may be overlap in the indicators or clinical variables observed in a subject undergoing, or suspected of undergoing, allograft rejection—either chronic or acute.
Attempts have been made to reduce the number of biopsies per patient, but may be generally unsuccessful, due in part to the difficulty in pinpointing the sites where rejection starts or progresses, and also to the difficulty in assessing tissue without performing the actual biopsy. Noninvasive surveillance techniques have been investigated, and may provide a reasonable negative prediction of allograft rejection, but may be of less practical utility in a clinical setting (Mehra et al., supra).
The scientific and patent literature is replete with reports of this marker or that being important for identification/diagnosis/prediction/treatment of every medical condition that can be named. Even within the field of allograft rejection, a myriad of markers are recited (frequently singly), and conflicting results may be presented. This conflict in the literature, added to the complexity of the genome (estimates range upwards of 30,000 transcriptional units), the variety of cell types (estimates range upwards of 200), organs and tissues, and expressed proteins or polypeptides (estimates range upwards of 80,000) in the human body, renders the number of possible nucleic acid sequences, genes, proteins or combinations thereof useful for diagnosing acute organ rejection is staggering. Variation between individuals presents additional obstacles, as well as the dynamic range of protein concentration in plasma (ranging from 10″6 to 103 micro g/mL) with many of the proteins of potential interest existing at very low concentrations) and the overwhelming quantities of the few, most abundant plasma proteins (constituting ˜99 percent of the total protein mass.
The CARGO study (Cardiac Allograft Rejection Gene Expression Observation) (Deng et al., 2006. Am J. Transplantation 6:150-160) used custom microarray analysis of—7300 genes and RT-PCR to examine gene expression profile in subjects exhibiting an ISHLT score of 3 A or greater in samples taken 6 months or more post-transplant.
Immune cells that have a role in recognizing may be useful as indicators of allograft rejection. WO 2005/05721 describes methods for distinguishing immunoreactive T-lymphocytes that bind specifically to donor antigen presenting cells, providing a population of T-lymphocytes that are specifically immunoreactive to the donor antigens. Again however, particular markers that may be useful in assessing or diagnosing allograft rejection remain to be determined.
Traum et al., 2005 (Pediatr. Transplant 9(6):700-711) provides a general overview of transplantation proteomics. Exploration of biomarkers directly in the plasma proteome presents two main challenges—the dynamic range of protein concentrations extends from 10″6 to 103 micro g/mL (Anderson et al. 2004. MoI Cell Proteomics 3:311-326), with many of the proteins of potential interest existing at very low concentrations and the most abundant plasma proteins comprising as much as 99 percent of the total protein mass.
Maintenance or measurement of B2M serum levels in heart transplant patients was suggested as helpful in managing long-term immunosuppressive therapy (Erez et al., 1998. J Heart Lung Transplant 17:538-541). PCT Publication WO 2009/003142 disclose that B2M, along with another protein may be useful as biomarkers for peripheral artery disease.
Borozdenkova et al. 2004 (J. Proteome Research 3:282-288) discloses that alpha B-crystallin and tropmyosin were elevated in a set of cardiac transplant subjects.
Ishihara, 2008 (J. MoI Cell Cardiology 45:S33) discloses that ADIPOQ may have a role in cardiac transplantation, and Nakano (Transplant Immunology 2007 17:130-136) suggests that upregulation of ADIPOQ may be necessary for overcoming rejection in liver transplant subjects.
Antibodies that bind SHBG (PCT Publication WO 2007/024715) and F10 (PCT Publication WO 2005/020927) are suggested as being useful in preventing graft rejection.
SERPINF1 and C1Q are disclosed as biomarkers associated with an increased risk of a cardiovascular event; the biomarkers maybe detected in a sample of an atherosclerotic plaque from a subject (PCT Publication WO 2009/017405); sequences for SERPINF1 may also be useful in an assay to select optimal blood vessel graft (US Publication 2006/0003338).
Complement is also known to have a role in rejection of allografts—Csencits et al., 2008 (Am J. Transplantation 8:1622-1630) summarizes past studies on various complement components and observes an accelerated humoral immune response in C1Q−/− mice allograft recipients.
PCT Publications WO2006/083986, WO206/122407, US Publications 2008/0153092, 2006/0141493 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,235,358 disclose methods for using panels of biomarkers (proteomic or genomic) for diagnosing or detecting various disease states ranging from cancer to organ transplantation
Alakulppi et al, 2007 (Transplantation 83:791-798) discloses the diagnosis of acute renal allograft rejection using RT-PCR for eight markers.
A review by Fildes et al 2008 (Transplant Immunology 19:1-11) discusses the role of cell types in immune processes following lung transplantation, and discloses that AICL (CLEC2B) interaction with NK cell proteins may have a role in acute and chronic rejection
Integration of multiple platforms (proteomics, genomics) has been suggested for diagnosis and monitoring of various cancers, however discordance between protein and mRNA expression is identified in the field (Chen et al., 2002. Mol Cell Proteomics 1:304-313; Nishizuka et al., 2003 Cancer Research 63:5243-5250). Previous studies have reported low correlations between genomic and proteomic data (Gygi S P et al. 1999. Mol Cell Biol.\9?12Q-\730; Huber et al., 2004 Mol Cell Proteomics 3:43-55).

Biomarkers for the detection of acute rejection in heart transplantation


Improved quantum efficiency of multiple quantum wells. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an article of manufacture includes a p side for supplying holes and an n side for supplying electrons. The article of manufacture also includes a plurality of quantum well periods between the p side and the n side, each of the quantum well periods includes a quantum well layer and a barrier layer, with each of the barrier layers having a barrier height. The plurality of quantum well periods include different barrier heights.

Multiple quantum well (MQW) structures are in wide use in light emitting diodes and diode lasers, including visible-wavelength lasers for DVDs and laser pointers, lasers in fiber optic transmitters and blue light emitting diodes, which form the basis of many "white" light emitting diodes. Multiple quantum wells are also used to make HEMTs (High Electron Mobility Transistors), which are used in low-noise electronics. Quantum well infrared photodetectors are also based on quantum wells, and are used for infrared imaging. Further, multiple quantum well structures are utilized in some photo-voltaic (solar) cells.
Increased quantum efficiency of such devices is desired.

Quantum efficiency of multiple quantum wells


An improved olefin metathesis catalyst system is disclosed. The catalyst system comprises a transition metal halide metathesis catalyst and an organo transition metal hydride co-catalyst of the formula EQU R.sub.x '--Cu--H. The copper hydride co-catalyst of this invention has the general formula R.sub.x '--Cu--H wherein R' is a complexing ligand preferably an organically substituted phosphine, and x is 1 or 2. The organic substituents on the phosphine group are optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 hydrocarbons, such as C.sub.1-20 alkyls or alkenyls, C.sub.3-20 cycloalkyls or cycloalkenyls having 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the ring, or optionally substituted C.sub.6-20 aryl or fused aryl. The optional substituents on the hydrocarbons include halogens, preferably chloride and fluoride; C.sub.1-6 alkyl; C.sub.1-6 alkenyl; or C.sub.1-6 alkoxy. The co-catalysts of this invention are combined with molybdenum, tungsten, or tantalum metathesis catalysts to provide an active catalytic system for the polymerization of cycloolefins, particularly dicyclopentadiene.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved catalyst system for the ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclic olefins, such as dicyclopentadiene. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved co-catalyst for metathesis polymerization.
2. Description of Related Art
Cyclic olefins are subjected to ring-opening metathesis polymerization to produce thermoplastic or thermoset polymers having physical properties which make them suitable for structural and electronic applications, such as molded plastic items and electrical laminates. Such polymerizations are commonly carried out in reaction injection molding (RIM) processes, in which a metathesis catalyst and a monomer are charged to a heated mold, and polymerization of the monomer and forming of the polymer into the desired shape are carried out simultaneously in the mold.
In such RIM processes, it is important that the polymerization reaction occur rapidly and with as complete incorporation of the charged monomers as possible. For example, the presence of unreacted monomers in molded polydicyclopentadiene may result in a molded part with an unpleasant odor, and less than optimum physical properties. Finding a RIM process that reacts in as short a cycle time as possible and at mold temperatures at or near room temperature is economically desirable. It is also advantageous to be able to use a less than pure monomer stream and thus avoid extensive purification of the monomer prior to polymerization.
For most cyclic olefin metathesis catalyst systems, the presence of reactive materials such as water and oxygen should be avoided because they foul the polymerization reaction. Small amounts of reactive material may be acceptable, but water in excess of 20 parts per million (ppm) should generally be avoided. As a result, it is usually necessary to thoroughly dry the cycloolefin monomers prior to contact with the polymerization catalyst, and to conduct the polymerization in an inert environment.
Numerous patents and literature references describe techniques for polymerization of cycloolefins in the presence of a variety of olefin metathesis catalysts. Among the more effective ring-opening polymerization catalysts are homogenous catalyst systems based on tungsten or molybdenum halides, often employed with an organotin or organoaluminum co-catalyst. Examples of such catalyst systems are disclosed by Sjardijn et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,810,762 and 5,093,441, wherein phenolic tungsten halides are used with organotin hydrides. Similar catalyst systems are disclosed by Sjardijn et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,976, which have been found to be highly active in a relatively impure dicyclopentadiene feed stream.
The use of aluminum or tin based co-catalysts, however, has certain drawbacks. Both co-catalysts require special handling because of toxicity concerns and sensitivity to air and moisture. Tin co-catalysts can also be expensive. Therefore, a co-catalyst for use with tungsten or molybdenum based catalysts other than tin or aluminum is desirable.

Copper hydrides as co-catalysts for olefin polymerization