This invention provides a type of lithium iron phosphate cathode active material and its method of synthesis. Said cathode active material contains the sintering product of lithium iron phosphate and a mixture. Said mixture comprises of two or more metal oxides where the metal elements are selected from groups II A, III A, IV A, V A, III B, IV B, or V B, and where the weight of one metal oxide is 0.5-20% of the weight of the other metal oxide. Greatly increased capacity can be achieved in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries using the lithium iron phosphate cathode active material provided by this invention.

Lithium-ion batteries have already seen widespread use as a high-capacity chemical power source in mobile communications, notebook computers, video cameras, photo cameras, and all other types of portable apparatus. They are also the prime target of many nations' research into power sources for electric vehicles and outer space applications, and have become a first choice in alternative energy sources.
Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) is a hot research area as cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries. Initial research indicated that LiFePO4 enjoyed the benefits of LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMnO4, and other materials: it does not contain precious metals, the original materials are inexpensive, and it can be created from widely available materials; it has a moderate voltage level (3.4V); it has good platform characteristics, stable voltage, and a high theoretical capacity (170 mAh/g); its structure is stable, and it is extremely safe (oxygen and phosphorous are held together with strong covalent bonds, making oxygen decomposition of materials difficult); it performs well under high temperatures and has good cycling ability; its volume shrinks during recharging, and it has good volume effect when paired with a carbon-based anode; it is compatible with most electrolyte solution systems, it is non-toxic, has good storage capacity, and can truly be considered as a green energy source.
However, LiFePO4 has poor conductive qualities, leading to a relatively low battery capacity and greatly limiting the usefulness of batteries constructed with such material for high current-density applications. According to the reports, current methods to improve or increase the conductivity of cathode active materials are mainly limited to surface mixing or coating the conducting carbon material or the conducting metallic particles in order to increase the inter-particulate electron conductivity of the original material. However, the electrical capacities of cathode active materials obtained through these methods are still rather low.
CN1797823A discloses a type of lithium iron phosphate cathode active material containing oxygen vacancies for use in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Its chemical formula is LiFe1-xMxPO4-yNz, where M represents Li, Na, K, Ag, or Cu; 0≦x≦0.1, 0≦y≦1, 0≦z≦0.5, x, y, and z are not all 0, and the following conditions are met: (1) when x=0 and z=0, 0≦y≦1; (2) when x=0 and z≠0, y≧3z/2; (3) when z=0 and x≠0, y≧x/2; (4) when x≠0 and z≠0, y≧x/2+3z/2. The goal of this patent application is to increase electronic and ionic conductivity, and thereby increase the capacity of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries constructed using this type of cathode active material.

Type of lithium iron phosphate cathode active material and its method of synthesis


The present invention is a device which allows for receiving, distributing and storing a sample into numerous aliquots of small volume without air entrapment and with retention of aliquots when the device is manipulated. The device allows for the treatment of any or all of the aliquots with the same or different reagents and/or other chemical additives. The device comprises a housing for containing a body for guiding a sample into a plurality of wells without the need for pipetting aids, without multiple manipulations, without the retention of air and for retaining sample in the wells.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device useful for receiving, distributing and storing aliquots of a sample for testing or analysis and is particularly useful in the sampling techniques employed in clinical microbiology applications.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many analytical methods in chemistry, clinical chemistry and microbiology where a liquid sample is divided into more than one aliquot and then tested or examined Even in the case of a single analytical protocol, there are many instances where replicate tests may be run on multiple aliquots of the sample to assure reproducibility of the result. When undergoing analysis and characterization, aliquots of a single sample may be reacted with either a variety of different chemical reagents for analytical purposes or may be reacted with differing amounts of a single reagent or both.
Many approaches exist to aid in the preparation of aliquots of a single sample. A common example of such a situation exists in the modern practice of clinical microbiology. An unidentified microorganism is routinely subjected to tests and procedures to determine its identity and/or pattern of resistance or susceptibility to destruction by a variety of antimicrobic chemicals. Commercial systems for such determination are provided by several manufacturers and typically use between 10 and 100 small aliquots of a sample suspension of the microorganism undergoing analysis. These systems require a variety of sterile vessels and pipetting aids for adequate filling when small physical amounts of aliquots are required. Therefore a need exists for a device and method for the preparation of sample aliquots that obviates the requirement for a variety of sterile vessels and pipetting aids.
A number of devices and containers are commercially available for the preparation of samples for analysis. For in vitro tests, disposable, multi compartmental containers are provided by manufacturers in complete reagent kits. Immunoassays, which include the screening of blood samples for virus antibodies (e.g., the HIV or Hepatitis B virus), are commonly carried out in 96 well micro titration trays supplied precoated with appropriate reagents as part of a kit. Specialized equipment used in the preparation of samples for analysis is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,761,378; 4,496,657; 4,493,896; 4,342,407; 3,826,717; 4,154,795 and 4,200,613.
Pipetting devices for inoculation of multi compartmental containers include the SCEPTORPETTE.RTM. System (trademark of Becton Dickinson and Company) sold by Becton Dickinson Microbiology Systems, Towson, MD and the device illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,805.
In clinical microbiology, there are a number of devices and containers available, having a plurality of small reaction chambers. Such devices include the SCEPTOR.RTM. Bacterial MIC and ID testing system (trademark of Becton Dickinson and Company) sold by Becton Dickinson Diagnostic Instrument Systems, Towson, MD, MINITED.TM. Systems (trademark of Becton Dickinson and Company) sold by Becton Dickinson Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, MD and the API20E.RTM. Identification Strip (trademark of Sherwood Medical) sold by Analytab Products, Division of Sherwood Medical, Plainview, NY.
Devices for manipulating liquid samples containing microorganisms for use with multi welled containers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,548,245; 4,565,100; 4,239,853; 4,235,971; and 4,076,592.
Automated devices for microorganism identification and drug susceptibility testing include the commercially available VITEK.TM. system (trademark of Vitek Systems, Inc.) sold by Vitek Systems, Inc., Hazelwood, MO and the devices illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,957,583; 4,018,652; 4,116,775 and 4,207,394.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,316 to Johnson, et. al. describes a device for use in exposing a sample to be tested to one or more test reactants. The Johnson et al. device comprises a docking port, a filling manifold, a vent control system and a filling channel. A specific feature of the device is that it uses complex flow paths for liquid and air.
A device comprising a planar surface with projections which align with the wells of a standard-type 96 well tissue culture plate is known in the art as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,925 to Noack. The projections used in Noack are of an absorbent nature and are used to control the removal of liquid from the wells.
A commercially available system, the F.A.S.T..TM. Immunoassay System (trademark of Becton Dickinson and Company) by Becton Dickinson Labware Products, Lincoln Park, NJ, provides simultaneous addition of a reagent to wells of a microtiter plate, however, each well of the microtiter plate is previously filled by pipetting steps.
Although there are a number of testing devices and pipetting systems available, there is no self-contained system available to produce small aliquots of a sample without entrapment of air bubbles.
The available devices also do not allow easy error free reading of reaction results visually or by instruments for accurate test results, particularly when covered. The available devices do not have the means to provide aliquots of predetermined volume in a single operation and are not able to conveniently or accurately introduce reagents or materials into each separate aliquot for analysis thereof.
Thus, a special need exists for a device and method for the convenient preparation of separate aliquots into efficient areas without entrapment of air that obviates the requirement for a variety of sterile vessels, pipetting aids and multiple manipulations.

Multiple aliquot device for distributing a liquid solution into a well


Provided is a screw shaft in a ball screw device. At least a part of the screw shaft includes a cylindrical body which is manufactured by a filament winding method or a sheet winding method, and a spiral member or a partitioned spiral member which is fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body and forms a thread groove.

In a ball screw device which is used in a machine tool or a construction machine, a metal material having high hardness, such as high carbon chromium bearing steel, stainless steel, or case hardening steel, has been generally employed. However, in recent years, weight reduction has been strongly required, and by changing a screw shaft, which takes most part of the weight among members which configure the ball screw device, from the above-described steel material to fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), the weight reduction is achieved.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes that a filament bundle including organic fibers is wound by helical winding or parallel winding while being impregnated with a liquid thermosetting resin around a core made of aluminum or iron, is thermally cured, and is made into a columnar body, and then, is cut into a shape of the screw shaft.
In addition, Patent Document 2 describes a motion guide device in which the vicinity of a rolling body rolling surface consists of a metal material and other parts consist of FRP.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes that, in a motion guide device which is used in a mechanical device which handles an X-ray, a lifespan is improved by using FRP which is an X-ray transmitting material in at least one of a track member, a moving member, and a rolling body, and by making a steel tape stick to a rolling body rolling surface.

Screw shaft, manufacturing method thereof, and ball screw device


A connector position assurance system is provided for an electrical connector adapted to mate with another mateable connecting device. The connector includes a housing having an interior cavity. A flexible locking arm is provided on the housing and is adapted for locking engagement with appropriate lock means of the mateable connecting device. The locking arm is flexibly movable between a locking position when the connector is fully mated with the device inwardly to an unlocking position of incomplete mating of the connector with the device. A locking member is mounted substantially within the interior cavity of the connector housing and includes an actuating portion exposed exteriorly of the housing. The locking member is movable between a first position allowing movement of the locking arm and mating of the connector and the device, and a second position blocking inward movement of the locking arm away from its locking position when the connector and the device are fully mated. The locking arm in its unlocking position of incomplete mating of the connector and the device blocks movement of the locking member from its first position to its second position, thereby indicating that the connector and the device are not fully mated.

Electrical connectors normally require secure mechanical and electrical engagement between one electrical connector and a mateable electrical connector or other mateable connecting device. Various latching systems have been used with electrical connectors to provide such secure engagement. Such systems usually provide this secure engagement with ease of attachment and detachment. For instance, latching mechanisms have been developed which include pivotally supported latching arms that interlock with each other or that interlock with a complementary latching mechanism of the mateable connector or connecting device.
In addition, connector position assurance devices also are known in the art. Typically, the primary function of such devices is to verify that the connectors are fully mated and latched, i.e. that the latching mechanisms are fully or securely engaged. A secondary function often is to prevent the latching mechanisms from inadvertently unlatching and permitting the connectors to separate. These connector position assurance functions may be accomplished in a variety of ways, but most prior art connector position assurance systems employ a spacer that cannot be inserted into its intended position unless the latching arm is fully engaged, and the latching arm cannot be moved when the spacer is properly positioned. Problems often are encountered with such removable spacers because they may be lost or misplaced. Therefore, in some position assurance systems, the spacers may be preloaded on the connector housing so that they cannot be lost or misplaced. However, one of the problems with such systems is that the preloaded spacer often is mounted substantially on the outside of the connector housing which significantly increases the overall size of the connector and also locates the spacer where it can catch on extraneous objects during handling.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,345 to Cahaly, dated May 24, 1994, shows an electrical connector system for use in a vehicle occupant inflatable restraint ("airbag") system wherein it is highly desirable to assure that the electrical connector system is fully mated. Such a connector system for use in an airbag system incorporates a so-called shorting clip arranged to electrically short together the leads within a plug connector before the plug and mating jack are mated. The connector system includes a position assurance locking element or spacer which is tethered to the connector housing so that it does not become lost or misplaced. However, the tethered locking element is prone to catch on all kinds of extraneous objects, during manufacture, shipping and handling.
The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing an electrical connector position assurance system wherein the position assurance locking member not only is preloaded on the connector housing, but the locking member actually is incorporated within the connector housing itself.

Electrical connector position assurance system


Stabilization of an oscillator, particularly an RF oscillator, is achieved by an arrangement employing a fiber optic delay line. The delay line has a Q defined by the relationship Q=2.pi.f.tau., where f is the oscillator operation frequency and .tau. is the length of the delay line. Opto/electronic and electro optic transducers are coupled between the electrical oscillator circuitry and the optical delay line for interfacing the electrical section of the RF oscillator with its optical section. This optic delay line may be configured as a single optical fiber where a single output frequency is desired, or it may be configured of a plurality of optical fibers of respectively different lengths, where plural output frequencies are to be produced.

Communication systems, radar systems, signal processors, control and timing systems require oscillators in order to carry out their intended functions; advanced signal generation systems require oscillators having low phase and FM noise and good temperature stability. In order to obtain low phase and FM noise, the oscillator should have a high loaded Q, since the phase and FM noise of an oscillator are determined by its Q. Oscillator temperature stability, on the other hand, depends principally upon the thermal expansion coefficient of the resonator so that the lower the thermal expansion coefficient, the better the temperature stability.
Prior art oscillator configurations for achieving a high Q have included large size cavities (such as circular cylindrical cavities, rectangular cavities, coaxial cavities and low frequency helical cavities). In order to obtain good temperature stability, materials utilized in these cavities commonly include metallized fuzed quartz, which unfortunately suffers from its high cost, weight and size. As additional schemes for stabilizing the operation of an oscillator, components such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) delay lines have been used. However, these types of delay lines suffer the following disadvantages; presetting of the oscillation frequency cannot be achieved with precision without extreme difficulty; high insertion loss; high dispersion which limits wideband operation; deficient temperature stability; problems with hysteresis, potential aging and multimode operation; fabrication, particularly of high frequency delay line transducers, is difficult; the operation frequency and temperature ranges are limited; phase shift components are required; and hermetic sealing is required to avoid loading perturbation.

Plural frequency oscillator employing multiple fiber-optic delay line


A compound with formula (I)

The present invention relates to pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs), and is particularly concerned with the use of these compounds as prodrugs for antibody-directed enzyme-prodrug therapy (ADEPT), gene-directed enzyme-prodrug therapy (GDEPT), photodynamic therapy (PDT) and naturally present enzyme-prodrug therapy (NPEPT).
Pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) have the ability to recognise and bond to specific sequences of DNA; the most preferred sequence is PuGPu (Purine-Guanine-Purine). The first PBD antitumour antibiotic, anthramycin, was discovered in 1965 (Leimgruber et al., 1965 J. Am. Chem. Soc., 87, 5793-5795; Leimgruber et al., 1965 J. Am. Chem. Soc., 87, 5791-5793). Since then, a number of naturally occurring PBDs have been reported, and over 10 synthetic routes have been developed to a variety of analogues (Thurston et al., 1994 Chem. Rev. 1994, 433-465). Family members include abbeymycin (Hochlowski et al., 1987 J. Antibiotics, 40, 145-148), chicamycin (Konishi et al., 1984 J. Antibiotics, 37, 200-206), DC-81 (Japanese Patent 58-180 487; Thurston et al., 1990, Chem. Brit., 26, 767-772; Bose et al., 1992 Tetrahedron, 48, 751-758), mazethramycin (Kuminoto et al., 1980 J. Antibiotics, 33, 665-667), neothramycins A and B (Takeuchi et al., 1976 J. Antibiotics, 29, 93-96), porothramycin (Tsunakawa et al., 1988 J. Antibiotics, 41, 1366-1373), prothracarcin (Shimizu et al, 1982 J. Antibiotics, 29, 2492-2503; Langley and Thurston, 1987 J. Org. Chem., 52, 91-97), sibanomicin (DC-102)(Hara et al., 1988 J. Antibiotics, 41, 702-704; Itoh et al., 1988 J. Antibiotics, 41, 1281-1284), sibiromycin (Leber et al., 1988 J. Am. Chem. Soc., 110, 2992-2993) and tomamycin (Arima et al., 1972 J. Antibiotics, 25, 437-444). PBDs are of the general structure:
They differ in the number, type and position of substituents, in both their aromatic A rings and pyrrolo C rings, and in the degree of saturation of the C ring. In the B-ring there is either an imine (Nxe2x95x90C), a carbinolamine (NHxe2x80x94CH(OH)) or a carbinolamine methyl ether (NHxe2x80x94CH(OMe))at the N10-C11 position which is the electrophilic centre responsible for alkylating DNA. All of the known natural products have an (S)-configuration at the chiral C11a position which provides them with a right-handed twist when viewed from the C ring towards the A ring. This gives them the appropriate three-dimensional shape for isohelicity with the minor groove of B-form DNA, leading to a snug fit at the binding site (Kohn, 1975 In Antibiotics III. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 3-11; Hurley and Needham-VanDevanter, 1986 Acc. Chem. Res., 19, 230-237). Their ability to form an adduct in the minor groove enables them to interfere with DNA processing, hence their use as antitumour agents.
The use of prodrugs represents a very valuable clinical concept in cancer therapy. For example, a prodrug may be converted into an antitumour agent under the influence of an enzyme that is linked to a monoclonal antibody so that it can bind to a tumour associated antigen. The combination of such a prodrug with such an enzyme monoclonal antibody conjugate represents a very powerful therapeutic strategy. This approach to cancer therapy, often referred to as xe2x80x9cantibody directed enzyme/prodrug therapyxe2x80x9d (ADEPT) is disclosed in WO88/07378.
A further therapeutic approach termed xe2x80x9cvirus-directed enzyme prodrug therapyxe2x80x9d (VDEPT) has been proposed as a method for treating tumour cells in patients using prodrugs. Tumour cells are targeted with a viral vector carrying a gene encoding an enzyme capable of activating a prodrug. The gene may be transcriptionally regulated by tissue specific promoter or enhancer sequences. The viral vector enters tumour cells and expresses the enzyme, thereby converting the prodrug into the active drug within the tumour cells (Huber et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1991) 88, 8039). Alternatively, non-viral methods for the delivery of genes have been used. Such methods include calcium phosphate co-precipitation, microinjection, liposomes, direct DNA uptake, and receptor-mediated DNA transfer. These are reviewed in Morgan and French, Annu. Rev. Biochem., 1993, 62;191. The term xe2x80x9cGDEPTxe2x80x9d (gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy) is used to include both viral and non-viral delivery systems.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) provides another method which uses prodrugs to deliver desired drugs to specific sites in the human body. Advances in the field of light delivery to internal areas of the body allow delivery to organs and other areas without the need for any extensive surgical procedures. The activation process can be extremely site specific, as the direction of a laser beam can be controlled with great precision, and the beam diameter can be reduced far below that of a single cell, minimising any possible damage to other neighbouring tissue from unwanted activation of the drug. The high energy of ultra-violet light (e.g. 350 nm equivalent to 340 kJ/mol) is sufficient to break a range of chemical bonds, since the bond energy spectrum of the majority of organic molecules lies between 250 and 420 kJ/mol. For example, there has been wide application of the photochemical deprotection of amino acids, peptides and polysaccharides from their o-nitrobenzyl carbamate, CBZ, and 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl carbamate forms at wavelengths longer than 350 nm.
A further class of prodrugs is those where the protecting group is removed by an enzyme naturally present at the desired site of action. These enzymes include dopa-decarboxylase, L-xcex3-glutamyl transpeptidase, and mixed function oxidases and reductase (e.g. DT-diaphrase). This is method termed xe2x80x9cnaturally present enzyme-prodrug therapy (NPEPT) in this application. One enzyme of particular interest is glutathione transferase (GST), which forms part of a major cellular defence mechanism based on the use of the tripeptide, glutathione, as a scavenger of toxic electrophiles. GST acts as a catalyst in the reaction between glutathione and its target electrophiles. A consequence of this defence mechanism is the inactivation of electrophilic therapeutic agents. Many human tumour cells exhibit elevated GST levels compared to normal cells and the association of GST with resistance to DNA alkylating agents has been demonstrated by Lewis et al. (Carcinogenesis 1988, 9, 1283-1287), Kuzmich et al. (Journal of Biochemistry 1992, 281, 219-224), and Tew et al. (Glutathione-S-transferase and anti-cancer drug resistance, in Mechanism of Drug Resistance in Neoplastic Cells; Wooley, P. V., Tew, Kr. D., Eds.; Academic Press: Orlando, Fla., 1987; pp141-159). Chemotherapeutic agents that take advantage of this intrinsic property of cancer cells may prove highly useful in treating refractory cancers.
Prodrugs which make use of this elevated GST level have been made (Satyam et al., Med. Chem. 1996, 39, 1736-1747). They have a glutathione molecule linked via a 2-sulphonylethyloxycarbonyl linker to a phosphorodiamidate mustard. An alternative type of prodrug has made use of the closely related 2-phenylsulphonylethyloxycarbonyl (Psec) group (Nicolaou et al., Science, 1992, 256, 1172-1178). Such prodrugs showed selectivity between healthy human bone marrow cells and promeocytic and T cell leukemia tumour lines.
A first aspect of the present invention provides a compound with the formula I:
wherein:
R10 is a therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group;
R2 and R3 are independently selected from: H, R, OH, OR, xe2x95x90O, xe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94R, xe2x95x90CH2, CH2xe2x80x94CO2R, CH2xe2x80x94CO2H, CH2xe2x80x94SO2R, Oxe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94R, CO2R, COR and CN;
R6, R7 and R9 are independently selected from H, R, OH, OR, halo, amino, nitro, Me3Sn; or R, and R, together form a group xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)pxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, where p is 1 or 2;
X is S, O or NH;
R11 is either H or R;
where R is a lower alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or an aralkyl group (i.e. an alkyl group with one or more aryl substituents), preferably of up to 12 carbon atoms, whereof the alkyl group optionally contains one or more carbon-carbon double or triple bonds, which may form part of a conjugated system, or an aryl group, preferably of up to 12 carbon atoms; and is optionally substituted by one or more halo, hydroxy, amino, or nitro groups, and optionally contains one or more hetero atoms, which may form part of, or be, a functional group;
and where there is optionally a double bond between C1 and C2 or C2 and C3;
and R8 is selected from H, R, OH, OR, halo, amino, nitro, Me3Sn, where R is as defined above, or the compound is a dimer with each monomer being the same or different and being of formula I, where the R8 groups of the monomers form together a bridge having the formula xe2x80x94Txe2x80x94Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Txe2x80x94 linking the monomers, where Rxe2x80x2 is an alkylene chain containing from 3 to 12 carbon atoms, which chain may be interrupted by one or more hetero atoms and/or aromatic rings, e.g. benzene or pyridine, and may contain one or more carbon-carbon double or triple bonds, and each T is independently selected from O, S or N.
If R is an aryl group, and contains a hetero atom, then R is a heterocyclic group. If R is an alkyl chain, and contains a hetero atom, the hetero atom may be located anywhere in the alkyl chain, e.g. xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94C2H5, xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94CH3, or may form part of, or be, a functional group, e.g. carbonyl, hydroxy.
R is preferably independently selected from a lower alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or an aralkyl group, preferably of up to 12 carbon atoms, or an aryl group, preferably of up to 12 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by one or more halo, hydroxy, amino, or nitro groups. It is more preferred that R groups are independently selected from a lower alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms optionally substituted by one or more halo, hydroxy, amino, or nitro groups. It is particularly preferred that R groups are unsubstituted straight or branched chain alkyl groups, having 1 to 10, preferably 1 to 6, and more preferably 1 to 4, carbon atoms, e.g. methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl.
Alternatively, R6, R7, R8, and R9 may preferably be independently selected from R groups with the following structural characteristics:
(i) an optionally substituted phenyl group;
(ii) an optionally substituted ethenyl group;
(iii) an ethenyl group conjugated to an electron sink.
The term xe2x80x98electron sinkxe2x80x99 means a moiety covalently attached to a compound which is capable of reducing electron density in other parts of the compound. Examples of electron sinks include cyano, carbonyl and ester groups.
The term xe2x80x98therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting groupxe2x80x99 means any group which can protect the 10-nitrogen, but which is removable under therapeutic conditions in vivo, that is, removable under conditions which occur or can be caused to occur in vivo and are medically acceptable generally by elimination to produce a N10-C11 imine group or an equivalent, capable of interacting with DNA. The removal of the protecting group should leave the rest of the structure of the PBD unaffected.
Suitable removal techniques include applying light, e.g. with a wavelength of 250 to 400, or 550 nm, changing the ambient pH, or cleavage by the action of an enzyme. One particularly suitable enzyme is nitroreductase, although other suitable enzymes include penicillin V/G amidase, P-lactamase, phosphatase, L-xcex3-glutamyl transpeptidase, and xcex1-galactosidase. The action of some of these enzymes is described in Jungheim, L. N. and Shepherd, T. A., Design of Antitumour Prodrugs: Substrates for Antibody Targeted Enzymes, Am. Chem. Soc. Chem. Rev., 1994, 94: 6, 1553-1566. Another particularly suitable enzyme is glutathionare transferase, as discussed above.
One possible group is R10 of the formula II:
wherein n is 0 to 3, R(I) is H or R, and R(II) is one or more optional substituents independently selected from NO2, OR, or R, where R is as defined in any of the definitions above; and if two substituents R(II) are on adjacent atoms, they may together be of the formula xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, where m is 1 or 2. R(II) is preferably NO2.
If the therapeutically removable group R10 is one which is susceptible to nitroreductase, it may be of the formula III:
wherein n is 0 to 3, R(I) is H or R, and R(III) is one or more optional substituents independently selected from NO2, OR or R, where R is as defined in any of the definitions above, and if two substituents R(III) are on adjacent atoms, they may together be of the formula xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, where m is 1 or 2.
Another possible therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group, R10, is of the formula XI:
where R is as defined in any of the definitions above and n is 0 to 3, preferably 0. For this formula, R is most preferably a phenyl group, substituted or unsubstituted. This protecting group may be removable by the action of glutathione transferase (GST), which is present at high levels in many human tumour cells (see above).
It is preferred in compounds of formula I that X is O and, independently, that R11 is H.
If there is a double bond in the C ring, it is preferably between C2 and C3.
Additionally, it is preferred that R6 and R9 are H, and further preferred that R7 and R8 are independently selected from H, OH, and OR. It is further preferred that R2 and R3 are H.
If the compound of formula I is a dimer, the dimer bridge may be of the formula xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)pxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, where pxe2x80x2 is from 1 to 12, preferably 3 to 9. Further, R6 and R9 are preferably H, and R7 is preferably independently selected from H, OH, and OR.
A second aspect of the present invention provides a method of preparing a compound of formula I as described in the first aspect of the invention wherein XR11xe2x89xa0OH, from a corresponding compound Ia which is a compound of formula I in which XR11=OH. A product in which XR11 is OR may be prepared by direct etherification of compound Ia. A product in which X is S may be prepared by treatment of compound Ia with R11SH and a catalyst (generally a Lewis acid such as Al2O3). A product in which X is NH may be prepared by treatment of compound Ia with an amine R11NH and a catalyst (generally a Lewis acid such as Al2O3).
A third aspect of the present invention provides a method of preparing a compound of formula Ia as described in the second aspect of the invention, by the oxidation of a compound of formula IVa:
wherein the substituents of the compound of formula IVa are the same as for the compound of formula Ia to be prepared. (For preparation of dimeric compounds, the monomers linked through C8 by xe2x80x94Txe2x80x94Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Txe2x80x94 are both of formula IVa. Similar comments apply to other intermediates in dimer synthesis.) The preferred oxidation method is Swern oxidation.
A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method of preparing a compound of formula IVa as described in the third aspect of the invention, by reacting a compound of formula Va:
with a compound of formula VI:
Yxe2x80x94R10xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(VI)
wherein the substituents of the compounds of formulae Va and VI are the same as for the compound of formula IVa to be prepared, and Y is a halogen atom.
If the therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group is to be of formula II, then it is preferred that the compound of formula VI is a haloformate of the formula VIa:
wherein the substituents are as defined for the group of formula II, and Y is a halogen atom.
If the therapeutically removable nitrogen group is to be of formula XI, then it is preferred that the compound of formula VI is a haloformate of the formula VIb:
where Y is a halogen atom, and R and n are as defined for formula XI.
A fifth aspect of the present invention provides an alternative synthesis of a compound of formula IVa as described in the third aspect of the invention, by reacting a compound of formula VII:
with a compound of formula VI:
Yxe2x80x94R10xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(VI)
to form a compound of formula VIII:
and then reacting the compound of formula VIII with a compound of formula IXa:
(e.g. by means of (COCl)2), wherein the substituents for compounds of formulae VI, VII, VIII and IXa are the same as for the compound of formula IVa to be prepared, where Y is a halogen atom.
A sixth aspect of the present invention provides a method of preparing a compound of formula Ia as described in the second aspect of the invention, by the unmasking of a compound of formula IVb:
wherein the substituents of the compound of formula IVb are the same as for the compound of formula Ia to be prepared, and Q is either S or O and R(IV) are independently selected from Me or Et or may together form xe2x80x94(CH2)qxe2x80x94 where q is 2 or 3. (For preparation of dimeric compounds, the monomers linked through C8 by xe2x80x94Txe2x80x94Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Txe2x80x94 are both of formula IVb. Similar comments apply to other intermediates in dimer synthesis.) The preferred unmasking method when Qxe2x95x90S is mercury-mediated unmasking. Unmasking when Qxe2x95x90O is preferably carried out by the use of acid conditions, e.g. TFA, methanol and water or palladium catalysis.
A seventh aspect of the present invention provides a method of preparing a compound of formula IVb as described in the sixth aspect of the invention, by reacting a compound of formula Vb:
with a compound of formula VI:
Yxe2x80x94R10xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(VI)
wherein the substituents of the compounds of formulae Vb and VI are the same as for the compound of formula IVb to be prepared, and Y is a halogen atom.
If the therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group is to be of formula II, then it is preferred that the compound of formula VI is a haloformate of the formula VIa:
wherein the substituents are as defined for the group of formula II, and Y is a halogen atom.
An eighth aspect of the present invention provides an alternative synthesis of a compound of formula IVb as described in the second aspect of the invention, by reacting a compound of formula VII:
with a compound of formula VI:
Yxe2x80x94R10xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(VI)
to form a compound of formula VIII:
and then reacting the compound of formula VIII with a compound of formula IXb:
(e.g. by means of (COCl)2), wherein the substituents for compounds of formulae VI, VII, VIII and IXb are the same as for the compound of formula IVb to be prepared, where Y is a halogen atom.
A ninth aspect of the present invention provides a method of making a compound of formula X:
by cleavage of the therapeutically removable protecting group R10 of a compound of formula I as described in the first aspect of the invention, wherein the substituent groups of the compound of formula X are the same as the substituent groups of the compound I used.
A tenth aspect of the present invention provides a use of a compound of formula I, wherein the therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group (R10)is enzyme labile, in conjunction with an appropriate enzyme in methods of ADEPT or GDEPT therapy. If the enzyme labile group is susceptible to nitroreductase, then compounds of formula I, may be used in conjunction with nitroreductase enzymes (for example, those isolated from E. coli) in methods of ADEPT and GDEPT therapy.
An eleventh aspect of the present invention provides a use of a compound of formula I, wherein the therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group (R10)is photolabile, in conjunction with light of wavelengths between 250 and 400 or 550 nm in methods of PDT.
A twelfth aspect of the invention provides a use for a compound of formula I, where the therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group (R10) is labile by conditions occurring naturally at specific localised sites in the patient in therapy. Suitable compounds of formula I may be those susceptible to a nitroreductase enzyme when used to treat hypoxic tumour cells, or those susceptible to enzymes which are naturally occurring at specific localised sites, such as glutathione transferase.
The drug produced by the cleavage of the therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group, in either the tenth or eleventh or twelfth aspect of the invention, may be used for treating cancers or other site-specific diseases where a local increase of toxicity is beneficial to the patient. Cancers that may be treated are solid cancers including ovarian, colonic cancer, renal, breast and bowel CNS, melanoma, as well as leukemias. Such drugs may also be suitable for treating bacterial, viral or parasitic infections by exploiting a unique enzyme produced at the site of the infection which is not natural to the host, or by exploiting an elevation in the amount of an enzyme which does naturally occur in the host.
A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of formula I as described in the first aspect of the invention. Pharmaceutical compositions according to the present invention, and for use in accordance with the present invention, may comprise, in addition to the active ingredient, i.e. a compound of formula I, a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, carrier, buffer, stabiliser or other materials well known to those skilled in the art. Such materials should be non-toxic and should not interfere with the efficacy of the active ingredient. The precise nature of the carrier or other material will depend on the route of administration, which may be oral, or by injection, e.g. cutaneous, subcutaneous or intravenous.
Pharmaceutical compositions for oral administration may be in tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form. A tablet may comprise a solid carrier or an adjuvant. Liquid pharmaceutical compositions generally comprise a liquid carrier such as water, petroleum, animal or vegetable oils, mineral oil or synthetic oil. Physiological saline solution, dextrose or other saccharide solution or glycols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol may be included. Capsules may comprise a solid carrier such as gelatin.
For intravenous, cutaneous or subcutaneous injection, or injection at the site of affliction, the active ingredient will be in the form of a parenterally acceptable aqueous solution which is pyrogen-free and has suitable pH, isotonicity and stability. Those of relevant skill in the art are well able to prepare suitable solutions using, for example, isotonic vehicles such as Sodium Chloride Injection, Ringer""s Solution, or Lactated Ringer""s Injection. Preservatives, stabilisers, buffers, antioxidants and/or other additives may be included, as required.
A fourteenth aspect of the present invention provides the use of a compound of formula I as described in the first aspect of the invention, to prepare a medicament for the treatment of neoplastic disease or other site-specific diseases where a local increase of toxicity is beneficial to the patient. The compound of formula I may be provided together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. The preparation of a medicament is described in relation to the thirteenth aspect of the invention.

Abstract: A compound with formula (I)

Abstract: where R10 is a therapeutically removable nitrogen protecting group; R2 and R3 are independently selected from: H, R, OH, OR, xe2x95x90O, xe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94R, xe2x95x90CH2, CH2xe2x80x94CO2R, CH2xe2x80x94CO2H, CH2xe2x80x94SO2R, Oxe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94R, CO2R, COR and CN; R6, R7 and R9 are independently selected from H, R, OH, OR, halo, amino, nitro, Me3Sn; X is S, O or NH; R11 is either H or R; and where there is optionally a double bond between C1 and C2 or C2 and C3; and R8 is selected from H, R, OH, OR, halo, amino, nitro, Me3Sn, or R7 and R8 together form a group xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)pxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, where p is 1 or 2. Such compounds may be used in methods of ADEPT, GDEPT, NPEPT or PDT.


In one embodiment a control unit for managing an HVAC system includes an RS-BUS interface that may communicate with one or more HVAC units. A plurality of universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) ports, wherein at least one of the UART ports may communicate with an interactive display using an RS-485 communication protocol, A secure digital input output (SDIO) port configured to interface with a Wi-Fi module, wherein the Wi-Fi module is operable to communicate with a plurality of HVAC sensors, wherein the plurality of HVAC sensors operable to measure temperature. A processor that may receive, from the SDIO port, a sensor reading from one of the plurality of HVAC sensors, the sensor reading formatted according to an 802.11 Wi-Fi protocol. The processor may then convert the sensor reading from the 802.11 Wi-Fi protocol into an RS-BUS protocol, the RS-BUS protocol may control the one or more HVAC units. The processor may also convert the sensor reading from the 802.11 Wi-Fi protocol into the RS-485 communication protocol that may communicate with the interactive display. The processor may then transmit the sensor reading in the RS-485 communication protocol to the interactive display using the at least one UART port. The processor may also transmit the RS-BUS protocol to the one or more HVAC units using the RS-BUS interface.

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems regulate a number of environmental conditions in homes, offices, factories, warehouses, and vehicles. These HVAC systems may include one or more HVAC units to move, cool, or heat air. A thermostat may connect to the HVAC units over a communications network, to provide control to the HVAC units. However, thermostats offer limited control over the HVAC system.

Device for operating a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning network


A high Q tank circuit is employed at the output of a digital, crystal controlled oscillator to generate a high voltage amplitude signal. The tank circuit has a resonant frequency greater than the maximum required oscillation frequency. During each oscillation cycle, oscillation within the tank circuit is stopped in an energy efficient manner such that the resonant oscillation period is extended to match the required oscillation period. Modulation of the digital oscillator signal appears in the output circuit signal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to electronic pens used with an electrostatic digitizing tablet and in particular to battery powered electronic pens. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an energy efficient high voltage oscillator for battery powered electronic pens used with an electrostatic digitizing tablet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrostatic digitizer tablets provide an indication of the location of an electronic pen on a planar sensor grid. The electronic pen (sometimes called a stylus) transmits an electric field by emitting a radio frequency (RF) signal which may be modulated. An oscillator within the pen provides the RF signal.
The electronic pen may be physically coupled to the tablet through wiring (generally referred to as a xe2x80x9ctetheredxe2x80x9d pen) which provides power to the pen. Alternatively, the pen may be battery powered and unconnected to the tablet (xe2x80x9cuntetheredxe2x80x9d). Untethered pens provide a more natural user interface and are therefore preferable.
Within a battery powered electronic pen, the oscillator consumes the most power. The oscillator is typically a high output voltage oscillator, generated output voltages in the range of 80-100 Vp-p (volts peak-to-peak). Since the pen is powered by a small, watch-type battery, an extremely energy efficient oscillator is desirable. On the other hand, the operating frequency of the oscillator should be well-defined and stable. Satisfying both requirements for an electronic pen oscillator design is quite challenging. Conventional electronic tuning methods may not be employed because the high voltage amplitude prevents the use of available tuning components such as varicaps or varactors.
Given a power supply limited to 3-5 V, a high Q tank circuit at the output of the oscillator is the most energy efficient mechanism for obtaining the high output voltage required. However, a tank circuit generally yields an operating frequency tolerance of 5-10%, which may be unacceptable for many applications. Automatic electronic tuning of the tank circuitxe2x80x94with a phase lock loop (PLL), for examplexe2x80x94is virtually impossible for circuit oscillation amplitudes in the range of 80-100 Vp-p.
Additionally, the high voltage pen output signal usually requires additional modulation to transmit pen status information. Such information, called telemetry, may typically include tip switch status, barrel switch status, battery status, etc. Efficient output signal modulation of a high Q tank circuit with a voltage amplitude swing of 100 Vp-p at the oscillator output is difficult.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide an energy efficient oscillator having a very stable and very well defined operating frequency which produces an output voltage in the range of at least 80 Vp-p. It would further be desirable to provide an oscillator output circuit which permits efficient phase shift keyed (PSK) or frequency shift keyed (FSK) modulation of a high voltage output signal.
A high Q tank circuit is employed at the output of a digital, crystal controlled oscillator to generate a high voltage amplitude signal. The tank circuit has a resonant frequency greater than the maximum required oscillation frequency. During each oscillation cycle, oscillation within the tank circuit is stopped in an energy efficient manner such that the resonant oscillation period is extended to match the required oscillation period. Modulation of the digital oscillator signal appears in the output circuit signal.

High voltage crystal controlled oscillator for an electronic pen used with an electrostatic digitizing tablet


A lamp driver circuit (400) comprises a feedback circuit for controlling stable operation of a discharge lamp (La), e.g. an inductively coupled discharge lamp such as a molecular radiation lamp, and for controlling a light output level of the discharge lamp (La). In particular, if the discharge lamp (La) is operated at a dimmed light output level, the light output is sensitive to changes in the lamp voltage (VLa), possibly resulting in flickering. In order to control stable lamp operation and prevent flickering, a high-sp feedback circuit is provided for controlling an operating frequency. In order to provide a relatively large dimming range for controlling the light output level, a low-speed feedback circuit is provided for controlling a DC supply voltage level (VDC).

It is known in the art to operate a discharge lamp using an open-loop lamp driver circuit. The lamp driver circuit comprises an inverter circuit for generating a suitable AC current for driving the lamp. Such an open-loop driver circuit may be calibrated during manufacturing with respect to the output power.
A known discharge lamp, e.g. an inductively coupled discharge lamp such as a molecular radiation lamp, may exhibit a steep relation between an output power and a voltage over the lamp terminals. The lamp voltage depends, inter alia, on a frequency of the supplied AC current, the output power thereby being depended on the frequency of the supplied AC current. Further, during run-up the impedance of the lamp may exhibit steep changes. Thus, an open-loop lamp driver circuit may not be suitable for driving such a discharge lamp, since the open-loop lamp driver circuit cannot ensure stable operation of the lamp.
Further, it may be desirable to control the lamp power during run-up and steady-state operation. Due to the above-mentioned steep relations, an open-loop lamp driver circuit may not be suitable for regulating the output power.
It is known to use a feedback circuit, and thus a closed-loop lamp driver circuit for driving a discharge lamp. For example, the frequency of the AC current may be controlled in response to an actual lamp power. However, due to EMI regulations, the frequency range for control may be limited, not allowing both controlling stability and regulating power, in particular not during run-up and for dimming.
Another possibility is to control the DC voltage from which the AC current is generated by the inverter circuit. However, due to the presence of a relative large capacitance for energy buffering at the DC-voltage bus, such a control system is relatively slow, whereas a relatively fast control is required for stability control.

Lamp driver circuit and method for driving a discharge lamp


A portable non-battery operated lamp has a spring wound up by hand for operation. A releasable lever mounted on the lamp handle swings outwardly and can be rotated to wind up the spring. A rocker switch assembly is moved to an ON position to release the bias of the spring thereby moving a gear train operatively connected to a generator for energizing a LED assembly. The switch can be moved to an OFF position to conserve spring bias prior to full relief of the spring.

The invention relates to the field of non-battery operated electric lamps, particularly portable lamps or flashlights having a spring wound up by hand operation.
Existing hand-powered flashlights have a dynamo which is driven by a wind-up spring motor through a transmission gearing. These flashlights do not have assemblies that function to restrain and conserve spring bias prior to full relief of the spring motor whereby repeated winding up of the spring motor is necessary for continuous operation of the flashlight.
J. Speck in U.S. Pat. No. 3,099,402 discloses a dynamo which feeds electric current to a bulb and charges a storage battery simultaneously. During operation of the dynamo the storage battery is charged whereby after the spring motor has run off, the operation of the flashlight bulb is maintained by the battery. However, use of a battery to supply power to operate the bulb is economically and environmentally undesirable.
The invention comprises a portable hand-operated utility flashlight having a generally rectangular shaped housing with a top carrying handle. A cranking lever is rotatably mounted on the housing and connected to drive means rotatable to wind up a spring. The spring is connected to a gear train which is connected to a generator. Upon release of spring bias the gear train moves whereby an electrical current is generated by the generator to energize the light-emitting assembly, such as a light-emitting diode. The drive means has a vertical gear having ratchet teeth cooperating with teeth of a vertical gear mate to provide a one-way drive assembly. A center-pivoted lever is moveable into engagement with the vertical gear mate to selectively prevent release of spring bias and thereby conserve spring bias.


A transmission having a starter/generator that is not mounted on the engine crankshaft is provided. The starter/generator is drivingly or directly connected to a transmission pump, and can selectively engage a torque converter and/or an internal combustion engine. The invention allows for efficient disengagement of the engine when the vehicle is stopped, and reengagement upon subsequent torque demand.

The present invention relates to a power train for a motor vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to a power train that allows a starter/generator to drive a transmission pump and to selectively engage an internal combustion engine.
Vehicle transmissions include an internal combustion engine, a starter/generator, and a transmission input. Incorporating a starter/generator into a transmission presents several issues. For example, crankshaft-mounted starter/generators add a large mass, i.e., the mass of the rotor, to the crankshaft. This adds load to the crankshaft bearings, and can exacerbate crankshaft deformation and stress due to dynamic loading. Ultimately, deformation of the crankshaft can make it difficult to maintain the small, uniform air gap desirable for the starter/generator.
The present invention provides a power train having a starter/generator that is not mounted on the crankshaft. Furthermore, the starter/generator is able to directly drive a transmission pump, and can selectively engage a torque converter and/or an internal combustion engine.
Briefly, a power train in accordance with the present invention comprises an internal combustion engine, a starter/generator that has a rotor, a torque converter, a transmission pump directly connected to the rotor, a selectively engageable clutch disposed between the starter/generator and internal combustion engine, and a transmission input directly connected to the output turbine of the torque converter.

Approach to integrating a starter-generator with an automatic transmission


In a gesture detection method for a capacitive touchpad, various gesture operations are determined by detecting the touching on the touchpad, leaving from the touchpad, and moving on the touchpad.

Capacitive touchpad is an input device that allows user to slide his finger on a smooth panel thereof for cursor movement control. Because of its very small thickness, capacitive touchpad can be designed in slim notebooks, keyboards, digital media players and other devices, and moreover, due to its non-mechanical design it is virtually maintenance free.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional two-dimensional capacitive touchpad 100, which comprises a panel 102, a Y-axial sensing layer 104, an insulating layer 106, an X-axial sensing layer 108, and a bottom plate 110. When a finger 112 touches on the panel 102, the sensed values (to the capacitances of the traces in the touchpad 100) on the touched position will vary, and the control circuit connected to the touchpad 100 can convert the sensed capacitive variation on the touchpad 100 to a sensed value as shown in FIG. 2, by which the position where the finger 112 touches and the moving distance and the moving direction of the finger 112 can be determined. Conventionally, there are two methods to determine whether an object touches on the touchpad 100. In the first method, the sensed value on the touchpad 100 is used to determine if an object touches the touchpad 100 by the way as shown in FIG. 3. When the sensed value is greater than a threshold th, it is determined that an object touches on the touchpad 100, and on the contrary, when the sensed value is less than the threshold th, it is determined that the object leaves the touchpad 100 or no object touches on the touchpad 100. In the second method, the cumulative sensed value on the touchpad 100 is used to determine if an object touches on the touchpad 100 by the way as shown in FIG. 4, by which if the cumulative sensed value is greater than a threshold th, it is determined that an object touches on the touchpad 100, otherwise it is determined that the object leaves the touchpad 100 or no object touches on the touchpad 100. However, these two detection methods might be interfered by external noise, which will cause erroneous determination and accordingly operation that is not desired or predicted. Moreover, the operation of drag gesture on the touchpad 100 is determined based on the time relationship when an object operates to fall down to the touchpad 100, leave from the touchpad 100, and move on the touchpad 100, and thus, for a user using the touchpad 100 first time or being unfamiliar with operating the touchpad 100, the action of the user might not be so definite that the touchpad 100 will detect thereto incorrectly and cause inconvenient use. In addition, with the trend of reducing the size of electronic products, the size of the touchpad 100 also needs to reduce. It results in inconvenience that the drag is often over the range of the touchpad 100 and thus the user needs to repeat the operation several times for a wide drag range.
Therefore, it is desired a detection method for a touchpad that will avoid noise to interfere the operation of the touchpad and have the touchpad to be easy to operate with.

Method for gesture detection on a capacitive touchpad


A toy figurine 10 is disclosed having a torso 13, a right arm 14, a left arm 15, a right leg 16, a left leg 17 and a head 18. Each arm 14 has a right shoulder portion (22, 29), an elbow portion (23, 30) and a wrist portion (24 31). The shoulder portions are coupled to the elbow portions by upper arm pneumatic cylinders (25, 32). The elbow portions 23 are coupled to the wrist portions by lower arm pneumatic cylinders (26, 33). Each leg (16, 17) has a thigh portion (36, 43), a knee portion (37, 44) and a foot portion (38, 45). The thigh portions are coupled to the knee portions by upper leg pneumatic cylinders (39, 46). The knee portions are coupled to the foot portions by a lower leg pneumatic cylinder (40, 47). The figurine also includes an internally mounted manual air pump (50) positioned within an internally mounted pressure tank (51). The pressure tank is coupled to a conduit system (60) having a multiple control valve assembly (61) which control the flow of pressurized air through the individual conduits (71, 72, 73 and 74) of the conduit system to the pneumatic cylinders of the arms and legs.

This invention relates to toy figurines, and specifically to toy figurines which are pneumatically actuated.
Figurines, such as dolls, have existed for centuries. Today""s dolls typically have manually manipulable legs, arms and heads. These dolls may be articulated to assume many different positions. However, these dolls are generally considered to be static.
Some figurines have been developed which give the illusion or impression of growth or movement. U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,805 discloses an inflatable doll having a body formed of an elastic material so that the body may be inflated with pressurized air. The pressurized air is provided by a manual air pump coupled to the elastic body. This type of figurine however requires the actuation of the manual pump with each occurrence of expansion. As such, the figurine can not be quickly transformed from one configuration to another. U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,729 similarly shows a doll or mannequin that includes elastic features to provide the illusion of growth attributed to weight or muscle gain. Again, this doll must be pumped with each occurrence of expansion.
Figurines have also been designed with pneumatically extendable arms or legs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,957 discloses a toy in the form of a robot with extendable arms. The arms extend through the introduction of pressurized air into expandable bellows which form the arms. However, as with the previously described toys here again an air pump must be actuated with each occurrence of arm expansion. As such, this reference also does not disclose a toy which may be actuated immediately or repetitively to enhance the playability of the toy.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for a figurine which may physically change in appearance quickly and repetitively. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.
In a preferred form of the invention a toy figurine comprises an air pump, a pressure tank in fluid communication with the air pump, a pneumatically actuatable appendage, and a control valve which controls the flow of pressurized air from the air tank to the pneumatically actuatable appendage. With this construction, the flow of pressurized air from the pressure tank to the appendage causes the actuation of the appendage.

Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc.


The present invention is intended to efficiently produce a large amount of chlamydospores of Trichoderma harzianum SK-5-5 mycelia. This objective is achieved by chlamydospores characterized by having been obtained by inoculating a culture medium containing glucose, yeast extract and polypepton with Trichoderma harzianum SK-5-5 mycelia and culturing the same to thereby obtain chlamydospores containing conidiospores.

It has been known to contain a very small amount of chlamydospores in the fungal microorganisms. Said chlamydospores have been known to have high environment adaptability and not to become extinct at high temperature as well as low temperature. The invention on the subject of chlamydospores of Nimbya scirpicola K-004 (FERM Bp-4448) and inducing medium thereof has been suggested (Japanese unexamined patent-publication No. JP-A-07-303481).
Since the above mentioed chlamydospores in nature exist at an extremely low level, it is very difficult to collect and use them. Also, it has difficult problems in producing a large amount of the chlamydospores of common fungal microorganisms from the medium disclosed said known invention, effectively.

Process for producing Trichoderma harzianum ferm BP-4346


A gardening shear may comprise a first blade, a second blade, a first handle, and a second handle. By using leverage principle, a user can use the gardening shear of the present invention to easily cut limbs or branches of plant, which is labor-saving. Moreover, the gardening shear of the present invention is simple in structure, which saves time and effort in assembly and lowers costs of manufacture.

Generally, a conventional gardening shear comprises a pair of blades to cut and trim parts of plant which include limbs, branches and twigs.
However, the conventional gardening shear is disadvantageous because: some limbs or branches are thick that a user needs to take great strength to operate the gardening shear; and (ii) although there are some labor-saving gardening shears in the market, the structures thereof are always complicated, which leads to more costs and effort for manufacture. Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved design for a gardening shear to overcome the problems presented above.


This invention describes a method of controlling light emission from porous silicon and porous silicon devices using ion implantation. The emitted light intensity can be either selectively increased or decreased by suitable processing of the silicon prior to the fabrication of the porous layer. Amorphizing the silicon prior to the fabrication of the porous layer quenches the light emission. Ion implantation with doses below the amorphization level enhances the intensity of the emitted light of the subsequently fabricated porous layer.

The band structure for single crystal silicon exhibits a conduction band minimum which does not have the same crystal momentum as the valence band maximum, yielding an indirect gap. Therefore, in silicon, radiative recombination can only take place with the assistance of a phonon making such transitions inefficient. This has prevented silicon from being used as a solid state source of light, unlike group III-V semiconductors which have a direct gap at the center of the Brillouin zone. A review of these materials properties can be found in S. M. Sze, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 2nd. Edition (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1981). The discovery of photoluminescence in porous silicon has therefore generated a new optoelectronic material for study. A selected review of the fabrication techniques and properties of porous silicon can be found in the articles entitled: "Silicon quantum wire array fabrication by electrochemical and chemical dissolution of wafers" by L. T. Canham, Appl. Phys. Lett., 57, 1046 (1990); "Visible light emission due to quantum size effects in highly porous crystalline silicon" by A. G. Cullis et al., Nature, 353, 335 (1991); "Visible luminescence from silicon wafers subjected to stain etches" by R. W. Fathauer et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 60, 995 (1992); "Demonstration of photoluminescence in nonanodized silicon" by J. Sarathy et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 60, 1532 (1992); and "Photoluminescent thin-film porous silicon on sapphire", by W. B. Dubbelday et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 62, 1694 (1993).
Porous silicon is formed using electrochemical etching, photochemical etching or stain etching of bulk silicon or silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) wafers as described in the above references. The substrate may be suitably patterned lithographically prior to the etch to define device structures or confine the region exposed to the etch solution. The typical emission spectrum of porous silicon is in the red, orange and yellow region (nominally 500 to 750 nm) although green and blue emission has also been demonstrated. Blue shift of the peak emission wavelength has been shown by increased oxidation and etching of the porous silicon as described in "Control of porous Si photoluminescence through dry oxidation" by S. Shih et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 60, 833 (1992) and in "Large blue shift of light emitting porous silicon by boiling water treatment" by X. Y. Hou et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 62, 1097 (1993). These references teach ways to control the wavelength of the emitted light from the porous silicon, but do not teach ways in which the intensity of the emitted light (photoluminescence or electroluminescence) can be controlled. At this time the light emitting mechanism is not fully understood. The scientific controversy surrounding the detailed physical mechanism behind the light emission has not, however, hindered the ability to fabricate porous silicon layers and useful light emitting devices using this technology as described in "Visible electroluminescence from porous silicon" by N. Koshida et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 60, 347 (1992); "New Results on Electroluminescence from Porous Silicon" by P. Steiner et al., in Microcrystalline Semiconductors: Materials Science & Devices, Materials Research Society Proceedings, 283, 343 (1993) and in "Current injection mechanism for porous-silicon transparent surface light-emitting diodes" by H. P. Maruska et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 61, 1338 (1992 ).
The use of ion irradiation to quench the light emission from porous silicon has been reported in "Ion-irradiation control of photoluminescence from porous silicon" by J. C. Barbour et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 59, 2088 (1991). In this report, the authors teach of high energy ion irradiation (24 MeV Cl.sup.+5 ions and 250 keV Ne.sup.+ ions) of a previously formed porous silicon region. The photoluminescence intensity of the ion irradiated porous silicon region can be reduced (at 0.012 eV/atom) and effectively turned-off (at 0.12 eV/atom) by low levels of damage. The amount of damage required to amorphize silicon is greater than 12 eV/atom, which is roughly ten times the value reported to completely quench the light emission. Due to the low levels of damage required to totally quench the photoluminescence using the teachings of the prior art, the processing window for irradiation doses is small which limits the degree over which the intensity can be lowered using this technique. Thus, in accordance with this inventive concept a need has been recognized for alternative techniques which are therefore desired to selectively and reproducibly decrease the intensity in predetermined areas using microelectronic fabrication techniques. Furthermore, the emergence of light emitting porous silicon and porous silicon devices has to date been limited to moderately low light levels. Methods of increasing the intensity of the emitted light are needed for most commercial and technological applications such as displays, light emitting diodes (LED's), optical interconnects and optoelectronic circuits. In accordance with this inventive concept a continuing need has been recognized in the state of the art for a method of controlling the photoemission of porous silicon using ion implantation.

Method of controlling photoemission from porous silicon using ion implantation

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


If a failure occurs in a certain layer of a conventional hierarchical backup system, the lower layers are also affected by the failure. If, for instance, a failure occurs in the second layer, a backup process cannot be performed in the third layer so that an improper backup results in the fourth layer.

The present invention relates to a data backup system for a computer, and more particularly to a data backup method for a hierarchical backup system that is formulated by combining a plurality of backup systems.
At present, various backup methods are used, including mirroring, snapshot, and backup on magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, and optical disks. All these methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
In mirroring, control is exercised to ensure that the same contents are always stored on a plurality of disks. Therefore, even if one of such disks becomes faulty, the current operation can be continued with another disk to minimize loss from a disk failure. However, if data deletion occurs due to a human operator error, software bug, or computer virus, the data on all the disks are deleted. In this sense, mirroring does not provide adequate data protection.
In situations where a snapshot copy of data is made on a periodic basis (this method is hereinafter referred to as the "snapshot method"), a previously saved snapshot copy remains unaffected even if the associated data is inadvertently deleted. If a failure occurs, however, recovery can only be achieved using the last snapshot copy. Therefore, this method is not suitable for operations where data is updated at intervals shorter than one minute. In general, it is difficult, in terms of cost, to manage many generations of snapshot copies. Old snapshot copies are sequentially overwritten by new ones so that the use of snapshot copies is not suitable for long-term storage of backup data.
The other means of backup include inexpensive disk drives, magnetic tapes, and optical disks. Making backups on inexpensive disk drives is generally superior in cost but inferior in performance to making snapshot copies. Making backups on magnetic tapes or optical disks is generally more superior in cost but more inferior in performance to making snapshot copies.
Although various backup methods are available, they have both advantages and disadvantages as described above. Under these circumstances, optimum methods have been employed for backup system construction in accordance with the properties of the data to be backed up. Also, a hierarchical backup system is now used in an increasing number of cases by hierarchically combining a plurality of backup means to exploit their advantages and offset their disadvantages (this system is hereinafter referred to as the "hierarchical backup system"). For example, the use of such a hierarchical backup system makes it possible to protect operations data by means of mirroring (first layer), make periodic snapshot copies to protect the data against software bugs and computer viruses (second layer), back up some snapshot copies on a magnetic disk to eliminate the risk of data loss, which may result when old snapshot copies are overwritten (third layer), and use a magnetic tape library to back up some backup data stored on a magnetic disk so that magnetic tapes can be removed and stored in a vault or at a remote place (fourth layer). It means that establishing a hierarchical backup system makes it possible to achieve failure recovery promptly and protect data not only from hardware faults but also from human operator errors, software bugs, computer viruses, and disasters.
However, if a failure occurs in a certain layer of a conventional hierarchical backup system, the failure affects the lower layers as well. If, for instance, a failure occurs in the second layer, no backup process can be performed in the third layer so that an improper backup results in the fourth layer.
The system disclosed by JP-A No. 36502/1996 consists of n units of equipment. In this system, k out of n units are activated for use while the remaining (n−k) units are designated as hot standby units. The system is configured so that the best k units are sequentially selected to determine the next active units. Even if a failure occurs in a certain unit within a hierarchical backup system that uses the above method, a certain standby unit becomes active and operates. Therefore, the hierarchical backup system can operate without causing any problem.
For the use of the above conventional technology, both active units and standby units need to be furnished. In a hierarchical backup system, which consists of various devices such a storage and server machine, various standby devices need to be furnished accordingly.

Backup method on a hierarchical backup system

Abstract: When a failure occurs in a certain layer of a hierarchical backup system of the present invention, the influence of the failure is minimized by causing a lower layer to substitute for the layer where the failure exists, by making backups skipping the layer where the failure exists, or by reducing the backup intervals for the lower layers.


A system to electronically assist health care professionals quickly and efficiently calculate dosages and infusion rates for emergency drugs. The system comprises a portable hand-held calculator incorporating user input keys dedicated to commonly prescribed drugs, quick entry of default drug values, and toggles between at least two operational modes, specifically between adult and pediatric modes. In addition, the system alarms on the entry of “out-of-range” drug values, titrates, immediately ascertains compatibilities between drugs, and allows the updating of stored drug parameters by means of physical or wireless data ports.

This invention relates to providing systems for improving medical safety in the area of intravenous drug administration. More particularly, this invention relates to hand-held electronic medical systems adapted to assist health care professionals quickly and efficiently calculate dosages and infusion rates for commonly administered drugs, especially emergency drugs. The system is also circumstantially adaptable to non-emergency drug administration procedures.
Intravenous drugs are commonly infused in critical care situations such as during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation or trauma stabilization where resuscitative drugs are administered as a life-saving measure. Such drugs may preferably include: Isoproterenol, Lidocaine Hydrochloride, Procanamide Hydrochloride, Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, Sodium Nitropusside, Dilitiazem Hydrochloride, Dobutamine Hydrochloride, Dopamine Hydrochloride, Norepincphrine, Heparin Sodium, Insulin Regular, Adrenaline, Lidocaine and Nitroglycerine. The safe and efficacious (typically intravenous at present) administration of such drugs is often dependent upon physical factors such as age and weight of the patient. Each drug infusion rate calculation is therefore generally dependent on a number of patient factors.
Conventionally, medical professionals are required to recall the formulas applicable to each category of drug, to determine the weight of the patient, and to manually calculate proper dosage (i.e., drip rate) based upon the parameters prescribed by the attending physician, the drug prescribed, volume of intravenous fluid, and other critical parameters. A particular problem which arises with manual calculations is that, quite often, a medical professional in critical care situation is operating within a dynamic and highly stressful environment where speed in infusing the patient is vital in achieving a satisfactory outcome.
An example of a common method of determining drip rates is expressed in the following equation:D*BW*60=C*R
The variables for this equation are defined as follows:                D=Dosage Rate (mg/ml, units/ml, ug/kg/min)        BW=Body Weight expressed in kilograms (kg)        C=Concentration of infusion expressed in mg/ml or units/ml        R=Rate of infusion expressed in milliliters per hour (ml/hr)        60=Constant (60 minutes per hour)
The representative equation includes five variables requiring that a series of calculations be performed each time a drug is prepared and used.
Medical professionals are often required to rely upon their memory to recall safe dose ranges for drugs being administered during an emergency procedure. Often, a medical professional is required to manually perform the entire sequence of the calculation, relying on the knowledge of the prescribing physician as to safe drug dose ranges. In complex cases, a medical professional may stop to reconfirm the proper administration by consulting a printed medical manual, infusion "cheat sheet", or incompatibility chart. This procedure can be excessively time consuming, especially in emergency and intensive-care environments.
Unfortunately, the urgency with which such calculations must take place can sometimes result in errors. Furthermore, multiple drugs are often administered simultaneously to a given patient. Some drugs are not compatible for infusion. The medical professional must immediately identify whether a first administered drug is compatible or incompatible with one or more other drugs to be administered. Again, medical professionals are often required to commit to memory the compatibility status of drugs, and thus less-than-perfect memory endangers the welfare of the patient.
Further compounding the above-described problems is the trend toward an increasing number of pediatric patients being treated in normally adult medical facilities. In these situations, the medical professional must quickly adjust the drug administration parameters to match the needs of the pediatric patient.
Clearly, a need exists within emergency and intensive-care environments for a system adapted to quickly and efficiently provide appropriate drug infusion rate calculations and interaction data to medical professionals, thus increasing the likelihood of a successful medical outcome. Similar issues sometimes exist in the administration of non-emergency drugs.


The system provides an improved clutch control system for use in a continuously variable transmission system. The system provides for generation of a clutch pressure setpoint to re-engage the clutch during special conditions in which the torque created by the vehicle inertia would tend to drive the engine to an undesirable operating point. Clutch slip speed is monitored as a difference value and integrated to provide a gradually decreasing error signal to return the clutch input speed to the clutch output speed, at which time clutch lockup will occur. Additionally, throttle position is monitored and a maximum torque schedule used to provide a maximum torque signal to prevent driver demand from undesirably racing the engine in similar conditions. A filtered output of the maximum torque schedule provides a pressure setpoint signal representative of actual driver demand which may be added to the clutch slip speed error signal to generate the clutch pressure setpoint. In this fashion, an engine may be loaded by an increase in the clutch pressure at the same time that the clutch input speed is returned to the clutch output speed to restore clutch lock up. Addition of a constant value to the clutch slip speed error signal ensures positive clutch lockup.

The present invention generally relates to the continuously variable transmission art. More particularly, the present invention relates to clutch control for continuously variable transmissions and to providing desired clutch control in particular driving circumstances.
The art contains numerous examples of the operation and construction of continuously variable transmissions (CVT's), e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,086 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,318, entitled Control System for Continuously Variable Transmission, and Control Arrangement for a Variable Pulley Transmission, respectively. These patents generally describe the mechanics and controls for a CVT system utilizing two adjustable pulleys, each pulley having at least one sheave which is axially fixed and another sheave which is axially movable relative to the first sheave. A flexible belt of metal or elastomeric material intercouples the pulleys. The interior faces of the pulley sheaves are beveled or chamfered. Thus, as the axially displaceable sheave moves relative to the fixed sheave, the distance between the sheaves and, thus, the effective pulley diameter may be adjusted. The displaceable sheave includes a fluid constraining chamber for receiving fluid to move the sheave and thus change the effective pulley diameter; as fluid is exhausted from the chamber, the pulley diameter changes in the opposite sense. Generally, the effective diameter of one pulley is adjusted in one direction as the effective diameter of the second pulley is varied in the opposite direction, thereby effecting a change in the drive ratio between the input shaft coupled to an input pulley and an output shaft coupled to an output pulley. The ratio changes continuously as the pulley diameters vary. Such transmissions frequently are referred to in the art as a continuously variable transmission, CVT.
Through the years various developments have refined and improved the hydraulic control system which is used to pass fluid into the fluid holding chamber of each adjustable pulley. An example of such a hydraulic system is shown in U.S. Pat. 3,115,049--Moan. In that patent, control of the secondary pulley adjustable sheave regulates the belt tension, while a different circuit regulates fluid into and out of the primary sheave to regulate the transmission ratio. U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,947--van Deursen et al.-also describes control of a CVT. In both systems, the line pressure of the fluid applied to hold the belt tension by pressurizing the secondary chamber is kept at a relatively high value. An improved control system subsequently was developed to reduce the main line fluid pressures supplied to the secondary sheave chamber as a function of torque demand. This improved system is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,086 entitled "Control System for Continuously Variable Transmission," which issued Jun. 11, 1985, and is assigned to the assignee of this application. Further work resulted in an improved control system which reduced the line pressure applied to the secondary chamber to a lower, safer operating pressure and also provided a lower control pressure for other portions of a hydraulic control system. This system is described in an application entitled "Hydraulic Control System for a Continuously Variable Transmission", Ser. No. 421,198, filed Sep. 22, 1982, which issued Dec. 15, 1987, as U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,453, and assigned to the assignee of this application.
Additional significant advances in CVT control systems have been described and claimed in another application also entitled "Hydraulic Control System for a Continuously Variable Transmission," Ser. No. 717,913, filed Mar. 29, 1985, which issued Jan. 12, 1988, as U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,308, and assigned to the assignee of this application.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,496, issued Mar. 10, 1987, entitled "Clutch Control System for a Continuously Variable Transmission" further describes control logic techniques for regulating pressure at a clutch in a CVT system to provide the desired torque transfer from an engine to a vehicle drive line. In that system, clutch control depends on logical recognition of one of a number of operating modes.
A related, co-pending application entitled "Continuously Variable Transmission Clutch Control System", Ser. No. 25,391, filed Mar. 13, 1987 assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses an improved clutch controller for use in CVT applications. Another related, co-pending application entitled "Ratio Control Technique For Continuously Variable Transmission Systems", Ser. No. 25,389, filed Mar. 13, 1987 assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses an improved belt ratio control technique for use in CVT applications.
It has been recognized that particular driving conditions may exist during which a normal start mode for operation of the clutch control may not be appropriate. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,496, a special start mode determination circuit 126 determines that special conditions, other than those of normal start, exist as the driver moves the manual selector into drive and steps into the accelerator. However, that system does not specify a detailed technique for operation of the clutch control system during special start mode operation other than in general sense. Likewise, the co-pending application entitled "Continuously Variable Transmission Clutch Control System" merely references other conditions in which the normal start mode operation described therein would not be applicable.
The teachings of each of the above referenced patents and co-pending applications are incorporated herein by reference, although none of the previously envisioned systems specifically addresses implementation of the control techniques disclosed herein.

Continuously variable transmission clutch control system including special start mode operation


An antenna assembly for cellular and PCS systems for mounting on a ceiling or wall surface of a building. The assembly includes a radome covering the antenna and a base, and a concealed mounting assembly including pins having snap retainers secured to the base and snap retainers secured to a bracket fixed to the wall or ceiling.

With the advent of personal communications systems operating in the 800/900 MHz and the 1.7 to 2.0 gigahertz ranges which have been developed for outside use as well as for use internally of office and industrial buildings, the need for effective antennas distributed locally throughout such buildings has increased. Although the technology for such antennas exists and such antennas can be neatly and compactly packaged, the need for small and attractive packaging and easy flush mounting of such antennas on walls and ceilings remains.
Although antennas designed for in-building communication systems can generally be implemented as relatively compact packages, for a variety of reasons, including unencumbered propagation of radio frequencies and of signal propagation, antennas cannot usually be hidden from view above or inside ceilings or inside the walls. Instead, the antennas must be suspended from ceilings or walls where they may be easily seen, and where they are more susceptible to visual inspection and to damage than are hidden installations.
Some antenna designs are inherently fragile, and in order to minimize the possibility of damage a protective cover or radome is generally installed over the antenna. Little effort has been expended on aesthetically pleasing designs for such protective covers, nor has the issue of mounting an antenna assembly in an exposed yet unobtrusive manner been satisfactorily addressed.
In the past, installations much like those used for suspending ceiling fixtures have sometimes been used for antenna assemblies like those assemblies described above. In such instances an electrical box-like structure is mounted flush with a ceiling or wall, is wired with suitable RF cable, and the antenna assembly is attached with visible screws, for example. Installation of electrical boxes requires the use of special tools, are expensive and are cumbersome for low-power antenna systems.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved flush mounting system for a PCS or like antenna assembly.

Cellular and PCS antenna mounting assembly


A small-diameter surgical snare device that is capable of fitting through existing balloon or guiding catheters includes metal tubing along a section of a core wire. The distal end of the core wire connects to one or more snare wires that form the snaring loop. The distal end of the snaring loop supports a radiopaque coil or collar that makes the end of the loop visible under fluoroscopy. The snaring loop may consist of one or two wires or an overlap of a tapered end of the core wire. A radiopaque coil is attached to a distal end of the metal tubing, to provide flexibility and visibility to a distal region of the device. Alternatively, a polyimide tube and a short radiopaque marker may be included at a distal end of the metal tubing. The polyimide tube fits inside of the metal tubing, to add strength and torsion control to the distal region of the device, while the radiopaque marker adds visibility. In all embodiments, a shrink tube is fit over the radiopaque coil or marker that is supported by the distal end of the metal tubing, to ensure that the coil does not stretch when the snaring loop is extended during use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surgical snares and more particularly to devices for retrieving broken, dislodged, or separated medical devices from within the vascular system.
2. Background Information
Certain snare devices have become available over recent years for retrieving malfunctioning or misplaced devices within the cardiovascular and non-vascular regions of the body. These typically consist of fairly large diameter sheaths, which house a movable central wire or wires whose distal ends are formed into a loop or loops. The loop is used to ensnare and capture the desired object for withdrawal and removal from the body. In use, the snare is typically passed through a guiding catheter or other introducing catheter that is placed within the vasculature and is directed to the vessel or area where the misplaced or malfunctioning device is located. The snare can then capture the intended device and retrieve it out of the body through the introducing catheter or by withdrawing both the snare and the introducing catheter in tandem.
Currently available snares are designed using large diameter outer sheaths that require larger entry sites. This may result in complications such as excessive bleeding and/or hematomas. Additionally, because of the large diameter of the snare, it may be necessary to remove the existing catheters and exchange to larger introducing devices, which increases the overall time and cost of the procedure. A third disadvantage of the prior snares is that the outer sheath is typically made of a plastic material that exhibits little or no torque control, which makes ensnaring the misplaced or malfunctioned device difficult. Lastly, the prior snares are stiff and typically have sharp distal leading edges, which may damage vessel walls when the device is advanced into small diameter vessels such as those in the coronary and cerebral vasculature.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a snare that uses a relatively small diameter outer sheath that requires only a small entry site. Another object of the present invention is to provide a small diameter snare that does not require the removal of an existing catheter or exchange to other larger devices. A third object of the present invention is to provide a small diameter snare that exhibits superior torque control, to simplify ensnaring a misplaced or malfunctioned device.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects an improved snare is provided, having a diameter of 0.39xe2x80x3 or less, that is capable of fitting through existing balloon or guiding catheters. The body of the snare includes metal tubing, which allows for a very thin wall thickness while providing stiffness for torque control and pushability. Additionally, a radiopaque coil may be attached to a distal end of the snare, to provide both visibility and a soft atraumatic leading edge.
Alternatively, or in addition, the snare employs a xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d shaped snare wire or wires to form the snare loop. This allows the wires to have a maximum cross sectional area within the confines of the inner diameter of the tubing, and thus, provides greater strength to the snare loop.
The snare may be further constructed with proximal end that is shaped to allow an extension to be added to the snare and thus enable catheters to be exchanged directly over the snare.


A new cultivar of Betula tree, ‘Jefpark’, that is characterized by its narrowly columnar and ellipsoidal plant habit and its compact plant habit, and its dense branching with lateral branch angles of less than 45° to vertical.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Betula platyphylla and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Jefpark'. 'Jefpark' represents a new cultivar of Asian white-birch, a deciduous tree grown for landscape use.
The Inventor discovered the new cultivar in summer of 2006 as a naturally occurring branch mutation of Betula platyphylla 'Fargo' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,963) that was growing in a field row at a nursery in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by in vitro propagation under the direction of the Inventor in Elnora, Alberta, Canada in summer of 2006. Asexual propagation by in vitro propagation has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


The present invention relates to a modular actuator system including at least two shaft elements arranged parallel to each other and extending in a first direction, at least two blade elements mounted on each shaft element in different horizontal levels substantially perpendicular to the first direction, with all blade elements mounted on one of the shaft elements being fixedly secured thereto, whereas at least one of the blade elements mounted on another shaft element can rotate around the axis of this other shaft element, and at least three SMA wires to connect the blade elements with each other and a fixed position, with power being supplied to one of the SMA wires leading to a rotation of all blade elements.

Actuator systems employing shape memory alloy, SMA, which can be also referred to as motors, or SMA motors find application in a variety of industries, such as in the automotive industry. For example, one common application is the application as electromechanical actuator which can rapidly and silently move. These actuator systems use the memory effect of SMA material that can be transitioned back and forth between an activated and a deactivated shape. For example, a wire comprising SMA material which is commonly referred to as SMA wire, can be made to shorten, or to extend its length by applying or removing, respectively, a heat source, or a power source that is connected to the SMA wire. In the actuator systems that are described in the prior art, at least one SMA wire is connected to mechanical elements for creating a rotational, or a linear movement to drive a component which is associated with the actuator system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,345 B2 describes a SMA actuator assembly, where a SMA element is used to impart motion in an output shaft.
Even though some actuators that are known in the prior art are very powerful, these actuators can, however, only operate over a very limited distance. Also, powerful actuators commonly employ SMA wires that have rather large diameters which take a long time to cool down once they are deactivated, so that the SMA wires will need a long time to transition back to their original lengths.
Therefore, the invention aims at providing an improved actuator system which is powerful, allows larger actuation distances, can be tailored to the requirements of different applications in a modular form and having a compact design, so that it can be used for applications where just limited installation space is available.

Modular actuator system employing shape memory alloy


Central is a nonstretchable, high strength thread that extends transverse to stretching, either of individual heat recoverable strands or of an embedding layer. The thread is either placed across plural heat recoverable strands, or plural threads are individually wrapped around the strands, or there is a plurality of helices on thermoplastic strings in a heat recoverable embedment, with further transverse high strength threads being interwoven with the helices.

The present invention relates to elongated stock such as particularly shaped strings and strands made of a polymer and serving as a preliminary product for the manufacture of heat-recoverable, i.e. heat-shrinkable, objects.
European Patent A.sub.2 -0115905 discloses a heat-shrinkable object made of a mesh and being composed of threads some of which are heat-shrinkable but others are not. The heat-shrinkable threads are usually, in this case, made of a polymer, while the non-heat-shrinkable threads are made of polyester or glass fibers. The disadvantage of this known mesh that the tensile strength of the heat-shrinkable material, particularly at shrinking temperature which is about 130.degree.-150.degree. centrigrade, is very low and a slight overload can readily tear some of the threats.

Method for making heat recoverable product