The invention is aryl, amide, imide and carbamate pyridine antagonists of platelet activating factor.

Platelet Activating Factor (PAF), 1-O-hexadecyl/octadecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glyceryl-3-phosphorylcholine, is an ether lipid produced by a variety of different cell types. Recent studies [Snyder, F., Ann. Rep. Med. Chem., 17,243 (1982); Pinckard, R. N., et. al., J. Adv. Inflammation Res., A, 147 (1982); O'Flaherty, J. T., et. al., Clin. Rev. Allergy, 1, 353 (1983); Vargaftig, B. B., et. al., J. Trends. Pharmacol. Sci., A, 341 (1983)] have shown PAF to be an important mediator of allergic disease. When injected into mammals, PAF induces hemodynamic and hematological changes including hypotension, platelet aggregation, neutropenia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, increases in vascular permeability, bronchoconstriction, tissue injury (hypoxia and necrosis) and eventually death (reviewed by Cammussi, G. Kidney Int. 29, 469, (1986). In recent years, it has been postulated that PAF is the mediator of tissue injury in mammals undergoing endotoxic shock due to bacterial sepsis (Terashita, Z., Y. Imura, K. Nishikawa and S. Sumida 1985, Eur. J. Pharmacol. 109:257-261; Doebber, T. W., M. S. Wu, J. C. Robbins, B. M. Choy, M. N. Chang and T. Y. Shen 1985, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 127:799-808; Inarrea, P., Gomez-Cambronero, J. Pascual, M. del Carmen Ponte, L. Hernando and M. Sanchez-Crespo. 1985, Immunopharmacology, 9:45-52). These studies, in mammals, have shown that PAF is produced in large amounts when the said mammal has been treated with endotoxin. In addition, mammals undergoing endotoxic shock exhibit all of the clinical symptoms associated with the administration of PAF. In addition, PAF is implicated in asthma, respiratory distress syndrome, lung edema and other inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases.
The compounds of the present invention have proven to be specific inhibitors of the biological fects of PAF and are consequently useful for the treatment of asthma, anaphylactic and septic (endotoxic) shock, psoriasis, bowel necrosis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, transplant rejection, thrombosis, stroke, cardiac anaphylaxis and cancer.
Concurrently, with the realization that PAF is an important mediator of inflammatory diseases in mammals, a number of structurally different antagonists of PAF have been developed. References to some of these antagonists are listed hereinbelow.
Terashita, Z.; Imura, Y. Takatani, M. Tsushima, S.; Nishikawa, K., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 1987, 242, 263-268. PA0 Takatani, M.; Yoshioka, Y.; Tasaka, A.; Terashita, Z.-I.; J. Med. Chem., 1989, 32, 56-64. PA0 Tsushima, S.; Takatani, M.; Kohei, N. Eur. Patent Appln. EP 301751 (Feb. 1, 1989). PA0 Tomesch, J. C. U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,718 (Apr. 11, 1989). PA0 Gustafson, A.; Handley, D. A.; Tomesch, J. C.; Prashad, M. FASEB J, 1989, 3, A1224. PA0 Page, C.; Abbott, A. TIPS, July 1989, 10, 1. PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,145 (Oct. 4, 1990). PA0 European Patent Appln. EP 327,962 (Aug. 16, 1989). PA0 European Patent Appln. EP 301,751 (Feb. 1, 1989). PA0 European Patent Appln. EP 353,474 (Feb. 7, 1990). PA0 Spanish Patent Appln. ES 2,010,937 (Dec. 1, 1989). PA0 Spanish Patent Appln. ES 2,010,932 (Dec. 1, 1989). PA0 European Patent Appln. EP 353,777 (Feb. 7, 1990). PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,718 (Nov. 4, 1989).
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The compounds of the present invention are represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein:
(A) X is a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of: ##STR2## wherein Y is a divalent radical selected from the group represented by OCH.sub.2, (CH.sub.2).sub.n, (CH.sub.2).sub.n+1 O; p is the integer 0, 1, 2, or 3; n is the integer 0, 1, or 2; R.sub.4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, phenyl, --COR.sub.6 or --SO.sub.2 R.sub.7 ; wherein R.sub.6 is selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkenyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkylamino, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy, phenyl, aminophenyl, substituted phenyl and substituted aminophenyl and the substituents are selected from the group consisting of one or more of the following C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, halogen and trifluoromethyl; R.sub.7 is selected from the group of C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C25 alkenyl, phenyl and substituted phenol and the substituents are selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkoxy, halogen and trifluoromethyl; R.sub.5 is selected from the group consisting of --COR.sub.6 and --SO.sub.2 R.sub.7 wherein R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 are as previously described above with the proviso that when ##STR3## and Y is (CH.sub.2).sub.n with n=0, R.sub.4 cannot be hydrogen or phenyl;
(B) R.sub.1 represents one or more substituents of the aromatic ring which may be the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of:
(i) C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 alkenyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 alkenyloxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 thioalkyl, phenyl, phenoxy, substituted phenyl, and substituted phenoxy wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkoxy, halogen, and trifluoromethyl; PA1 (ii) halogen, trifluoromethyl, cyano, and nitro; PA1 (iii) --CO.sub.2 R.sub.7, --CONHR.sub.7, --OCONHR.sub.7, and --NHCOR.sub.7 wherein R.sub.7 is as previously described above;
(C) the moiety R.sub.2 represents one or more substituents of the pyridine ring which may be in any position and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkoxy, and halogen;
(D) the heterocycle is bonded to the X-group at optionally the 2, 3, or 4 position;
(E) the group R.sub.3 is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 halogen (bromine, chlorine or fluorine) substituted alkyl, benzyl, hydrogen or N-oxide; Z.sup..crclbar. represents a pharmacologically acceptable anion.

Aryl pyridinium compounds which are useful in treating shock


Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for retaining a plug in an outlet. The apparatus includes a body and a pair of arms slidably connected to the body. The arms are secured to the outlet. The body slides along the arms in a first direction to retain the plug in the outlet.

The present invention relates to a plug retention device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a plug retention device for a power outlet unit ("POU").
Plug retention devices are well known in the art. However, existing plug retention devices are difficult to install, typically requiring that the outlet be at least partially disassembled/removed prior to installation. Additionally, existing plug retention devices are designed for a specific type of plug, cord, and outlet.
Therefore, there is a need for a plug retention device that is easy to install, preferably without removing the outlet. There is also a need for a plug retention device that can accommodate a variety of plugs, cords, and outlets.
POU's are also well known in the art. Typically, POU's are installed in network cabinets to provide power to one or more network components, such as servers and switches, installed therein. The network components are connected to the POU's via one or more power cords. However, when the network cabinet is crowded, which is typically the case, as most data centers are limited in space, the power cords are easily disconnected, and even if the power cords remain connected, the connections are difficult to identify.
Therefore, there is a need for a plug retention device for a power outlet unit. There is also a need for a plug retention device that includes a plug identification area.


Systems and methods are provided for a multi-configuration electronic device carrying case. The multi-configuration electronic device carrying case includes a protective encasing structure configured to receive and hold an electronic device. The carrying case further includes at least two adjustable straps configured to attach the encasing structure to a person in one of a plurality of configurations. The configurations include a hip holster configuration, where one adjustable strap is used for connection around a waist of the person and one adjustable strap is used for connection around one leg of the person. The configurations also include a back configuration, where one adjustable strap is used for connection around each arm of the person to attach the encasing structure to a back of the person.

Over the last decade, portable electronic devices have become increasingly popular among consumers. Such portable electronic devices include, for example, electronic tablet devices (e.g., Apple iPad®, Amazon Kindle Fire®, Samsung Galaxy Tab®), e-reader devices (e.g., Amazon Kindle®, Barnes & Noble NOOK®), and netbook devices (e.g., Samsung NC10®, Asus EeePC®), among others. These devices may be enabled to store a wide variety of information and to perform a number of different functions (e.g., web browsing, movie and music playback, word processing, audio and video editing, gaming, etc.). As the sophistication of these devices increases, the devices' dimensions and weight may also change, thus affecting their portability and creating transportation issues.


A rear holder for retaining a terminal in a terminal accommodating chamber of a connector housing with a wire secured to the terminal extending in a rearward direction of the connector housing. The rear holder includes a fitting member having a slit formed therein; a wire clamping member which is integral with the fitting member, the wire clamping member defining a wire insertion hole therein which is continuous with the slit; and locking members for locking the fitting member to the connector housing. The wire is insertable into the slit such that the wire can be retained in the wire insertion hole and the wire clamping member is flexible to allow relative movement thereof with respect to the fitting member when the wire is bent. Therefore, the bend in the wire has a relatively large radius of curvature so that the wire will not break. The wire clamping member includes a pair of spaced arcuate members which together define the wire insertion hole. The arcuate members protrude rearwardly of the fitting portion and are spaced therefrom to allow the flexibility noted above. Further, the thickness of the arcuate members decreases in the rearward direction to increase the flexibility toward the rear of the arcuate members.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rear holder which holds a wire in a water-proof connector which is employed in an environment position where water is liable to flow therein as in the case of the electrical system of a motor vehicle, and to a water-proof connector employing the rear holder.
2. Related art
FIGS. 5 through 8 show a conventional water-proof connector 1 with a rear holder 3.
As shown in these figures, the connector body 5 of the water-proof connector 1 has terminal accommodating chambers 7 and openings 9. In each of the connector bodies, the terminal-side end portion of a wire 13, on which a terminal 11 is connected by crimping, is inserted into each terminal accommodating chamber 7, and the wire is extended outside through the opening 9.
The terminal 11 comprises a conductor crimping portion 15 and a cover crimping portion 17 which are folded over the conductor 19 and the cover 21 of the wire 13 by crimping, respectively. A water-proof plug 23 made of rubber is positioned on each of the wires 13, to prevent the entrance of water through the gap between the opening and the wire.
Each of the terminal accommodating chambers 7 of the connector body has a flexible lance 25. When the terminal side end portion of the wire 13 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 7, the locking portion of the terminal 11 is locked by the lance 25, thus preventing the terminal 11 from disengaging.
The rear holder 3 is fitted in the opening 9. As shown in FIG. 8, the rear holder 3 has a slit 29, and locking portions 31 and 31. Two wires 13 are received in the slit 29. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, with the wires 13 held in the slit, the rear holder 3 is engaged in the opening 9, and it is locked to the connector body 5 with the locking portions 31 and 31.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rear holder 3 locked to the connector body 5 cooperates with the cover crimping portions of the terminals and the water-proof plugs 23 to prevent the wires 13 from disengaging from the connector body.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the slit 29 of the rear holder 3, which holds the wires 13, is linear. Hence, it is impossible for the rear holder 3 to hold the wires 13 in the direction in which the slit extends (i.e., in the lateral directions shown by the arrows X in FIG. 6).
Therefore, if the wire 13 is significantly bent in the directions of the arrow X, then the wire bending force acts on the water-proof plug 23 to form a gap between the plug 23 and the internal surface of the opening 9. As a result, the water-proofing ability of the water-proof plug 23 is lowered, which may result in electrical troubles. In other words, the insulating ability of the connector is lowered, which may cause a malfunction in the associated electrical equipment.
Furthermore, when the wire is bent in the vertical directions of the arrow Y in FIG. 5, the bend has a relatively small radius of curvature, and therefore the wire may be broken.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a rear holder which has superior water-proofing ability and which prevents the wires from being broken, as well as a water-proof connector employing the rear holder.

Rear holder, and a water-proof connector with the rear holder


The present invention relates to a stroller, and provides a stroller including: a seat part, and a seat accommodation part configured to accommodate a seat; a connection frame part including a first connection frame configured to support the seat and to include vertical portions and lateral portions, and a second connection frame formed in a “U” shape including vertical portions and a lateral portion and configured such that the vertical portions are rotatably connected to the first connection frame; and a bicycle structure including a main frame configured such that the connection frame part is mounted thereon in such a manner that the first connection frame is coupled to the front end thereof and the second connection frame is coupled to the rear end thereof, a front wheel installed under the front of the main frame, and rear wheels installed under the back of the main frame.

Generally, the age span for the use of strollers ranges from the age of a newborn baby to 3 years old.
However, compared to such a short period of use, the purchase price of a stroller is considerably high. In particular, in the case of an infant having a rapid growth rate, the period is shorter due to rapid growth, and there are many cases that the stroller becomes useless.
Furthermore, in these days in which the average number of children per household is less than one, it is a reality that it has become uncommon to use such an expensive stroller between brothers or sisters.
However, conventional strollers are mainly improved only in functional parts, as in the case where the strollers are fabricated to be foldable for convenient storage or only the designs of the strollers are changed.
Furthermore, consumers tend to purchase and use strollers having a low price rather than paying high costs for strollers having a short period of use. The reality is that consumers ignore the safety of strollers and think about the costs thereof first.
Moreover, as the periods of use of the strollers are shortened, the strollers are not discarded due to a breakdown or the like, but most of the strollers are discarded after the ages for the use of the strollers even when they are almost new. Therefore, problems arise in that serious waste of resources and environmental pollution are caused by such discarded or unused strollers.


The invention pertains to a process for the production of monochloroacetic acid from chlorine and acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst by reactive distillation. The process and the required reactive distillation apparatus is much less complex than conventional reactors and yields a monochloroacetic acid product having a low content of over-chlorinated products.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of monochloroacetic acid from chlorine and acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst.
Such a process for the preparation of monochloroacetic acid is commonly known and generally makes use of a bubble column reactor in which a mixture of acetic acid (HAc) and acetic anhydride is present and through which mixture chlorine gas bubbles are led. Acetic anhydride immediately is converted with chlorine gas into acetyl chloride which is the catalyst for this process. The process generally is conducted at a pressure of from 3 to 5 barg and a temperature of from 115 to 155° C. In the bubble column reactor, monochloroacetic acid (MCA) and gaseous HCl are formed together with by-products of which dichloroacetic acid (DCA) and trichloroacetic acid are examples. Part of the catalyst acetyl chloride leaves the bubble column reactor as a gas and is recovered to a large extent in a catalyst recovery section. Such a catalyst recovery section is generally complex, as it comprises columns, coolers, heat exchangers, pumps and piping, and consequently is expensive in respect of maintenance and equipment costs.
After the MCA-containing reaction product mixture has passed the bubble column reactor(s) and the catalyst recovery section, DCA is still present in a significant amount, which is typically about 5%. The MCA/DCA-containing product mixture is subsequently led to a reduction unit where DCA is reduced with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, e.g. a Pd-based catalyst. This catalyst not only reduces DCA, but it also reduces MCA to some extent, which is of course undesirable. Moreover, such a reduction unit and its operation is very expensive, and this adds to the costs of the MCA end-product.
The low-boiling components are then removed from the MCA by conventional vacuum distillation.

Process for the preparation of monochloroacetic acid


An apparatus for generating electricity from wind power includes a turbine having an impeller rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and having a plurality of blades, a wind redirecting element which redirects the wind around the blades, a generator connected with the turbine and generating electricity in response to rotation of the impeller about the substantially vertical axis under an action of wind, a wind directing element which directs the wind into an interior of the apparatus, and a wind guiding device located under the turbine and guiding the wind substantially upwardly toward the turbine.

The present invention relate to an apparatus for generating electricity from wind power.
There are many apparatuses for generating electricity from wind power, which have been developed and manufactured and are currently in use. It is believed that there is a need in apparatuses that are more efficient in capturing energy from wind, with significantly reduced dimensions, reduced manufacturing, installation, and servicing costs, easily installable in any populated areas and on rooftops, while being appealing to most and safe for people, animals, and birds.
An apparatus which has been designed with this in mind is disclosed in our patent application Ser. No. 13/337,157 filed on Dec. 26, 2011

Apparatus for generating electricity from wind power


A method includes pre-milling a pigment by dry ball milling the pigment with crushed CO2 (s), reducing the size of particles of the pigment by milling the pigment with glass beads, measuring a size of the particles of the pigment, determining whether that size of the particles is acceptable and coating the imaging member with the pigment if it is determined that the size of the particles is acceptable. A system includes a mill, a measuring device, a coating device and a controller that controls the mill to dry ball mill a pigment with crushed CO2, and then controls the mill to reduce the size of the pigment by milling the pigment with glass beads. The controller controls the measuring device to measure a size of the particles of the pigment to determine whether the size of the particles is acceptable. The imaging member is then coated with the solution.

Imaging systems may include an imaging member such as a photoreceptor. In many instance, the imaging member is formed using a coating material that includes a pigment for a charge-generating layer or photoconductive layer. For example, hydroxygallium phthalocyanine is a pigment with high sensitivity. However, using the pigment hydroxygallium phthalocyanine with current methods that form the charge-generating layer can cause a high dark decay and induce charge deficient spots.
There have been efforts to improve the performance of hydroxygallium phthalocyanine in cyclic stability, print quality, and coating quality by reducing the raw pigment and subsequent dispersion particle size of conventional pigments. For example, a useful polymorph Type V (hydroxygallium phthalocyanine (V)) has been converted from crude hydroxygallium phthalocyanine (hydroxygallium phthalocyanine (I)) by using a process of ball milling in the pigment using a solvent. Moreover, different hydroxygallium phthalocyanine (V) synthesis and grinding routes have been used to reduce particle size. Current pigments used in coating materials that form photoreceptors are highly sensitive and composed of various particle sizes.

Imaging systems and method that form a layer on an imaging member


A failure analysis method according to the invention includes inputting the positions of failures in multiple wafers of an input device; preparing multiple sections in the multiple wafers; calculating feature amounts, which are represented by at least one numerical value representing a distribution of the failures in the multiple wafers, for each of the multiple sections; and representing by a first numerical value, the degree of similarity between the multiple wafers in terms of the feature amounts. Subsequently, the method includes detecting another wafer, which has the first numerical value greater than a predetermined first threshold, for each of the multiple wafers and forming a similar wafer group of multiple wafers with similar distributions of the failures.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a failure analysis method that classifies wafer failure distributions in units of wafers and also in units of lot.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to enhance LSI yields, clarification of the cause of deterioration in the yields, early identification of a problematic LSI manufacturing process, a problematic manufacturing device, or a problematic design condition, and improvement thereof are critical. As LSI miniaturization progresses, various failures that reduce the LSI yields have become obvious. Failure information including the test results of LSI wafers, in particular, memory products, which have been tested by a tester immediately after completion of a wafer process, is mapped into a fail bit map (FBM). Analysis of the FBM and a defect map of wafer defects developed inline during the manufacturing process is critical to improvement of preventing failures.
Wafer failure distributions of the FBM and the defect map can be categorized as either random distribution failures or clustering distribution failures. It is thought that clustering distribution represents a systematic factor due to a manufacturing process or a manufacturing device. The clustering distribution is a significant cause of reduction in the LSI yields.
Therefore, detection of clustering failures from the failure distribution is the first step to identify the cause of failures; a detection method thereof has been proposed.
Failures due to a manufacturing process or a manufacturing device develop manufacturing process- or manufacturing device-specific wafer failure distribution. Therefore, failure pattern analysis of the clustering distribution may be thought of as a clue to identify the cause of failure.
As the second step to identify the cause of failure, the clustering distribution is subjected to failure pattern analysis. This is capable of identifying a bit failure, a row failure, and a column failure according to which the FBMs for memory products may be microscopically classified, an open/short interconnects that may be a physical cause thereof, and a layer damaged therefrom. In addition, macroscopic classification of FBM distribution of wafers is made to identify the cause of failure. It has been reported that the waveform of the probability distribution function in terms of the distance between failure bits in the FBM can be classified according to seven certain failure modes.
It has been reported that classification according to fifty-five failure modes can be made by combining the failure distribution in a wafer resulting from macroscopically classifying the FBM, and microscopic classification thereof. Failure patterns have been classified using an artificial neural network, with the FBM as a picture image.
Alternatively, a fail bit count (FBC) data method that counts the number of failure bits for every minutely divided section in the memory products has been proposed.
It has been reported that an usage of FBC data allows classification according to various failure modes, such as lithography-caused failure.

Method for analyzing fail bit maps of waters and apparatus therefor


The present invention relates to a protease containing heavy duty liquid composition comprising. (a) a capsule which comprises a non-proteolytic enzyme; and PA0 (b) a composite polymer which in turn comprises a hydrophilic portion and hydrophobic polymer core particles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heavy duty liquid detergent compositions which contain a novel encapsulation system. In particular, the invention relates to compositions containing capsules which capsules comprise
(1) non-proteolytic enzymes (e.g. lipase) subject to degradation by other enzymes (e.g. protease) in the composition; and PA0 2) a composite polymer which comprises hydrophobic core particles to which are chemically and/or physically attached hydrophilic polymer or polymers. The non-proteolytic enzymes are entrapped within the composite polymer.
2. Prior Art
It is well known in the art that heavy duty liquid detergents provide a hostile environment for non-proteolytic enzymes. The enzymes may be denaturated, for example, by surfactants in the composition or subject to proteolytic digestion by protease enzymes in the composition. A number of methods are known in the art for protecting and stabilizing enzymes or other components in such heavy duty liquids from denaturation or from proteolytic digestion. Typically, stability from proteolytic digestion is accomplished by reducing proteolytic activity (i.e., inhibiting the enzyme) This reduces proteolysis and results in better stability of the non-proteolytic enzyme.
A number of patents teach the use of a combination of a polyol and a boron compound as an enzyme stabilization system. Thus, Canadian Patent No. 1,092,036 (Hora et al), for example, discloses enzymatic liquid detergents containing 4-25% polyol and boric acid (or boron equivalent) in a weight ratio of polyol to boric acid less than 1; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,115 to Tai teaches the combination of alkalimetal sulphite and/or polyol as an enzyme stabilizing system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,694 to Shaer teaches the use of carboxylic acids as enzyme stabilizers and U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,292 teach the stabilization of proteins using specified proteins (i.e., proteins containing quaternary nitrogen substituents).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,163 to Aronson et al. teaches a composition for stabilizing proteolytic and non-proteolytic enzymes using a stabilizing system comprising a polyol and a boron compound wherein the compounds react with one another and the polyol has defined first and second binding constants.
None of these references teaches or suggests the protease containing compositions comprising the non-proteolytic enzyme capsules of the invention.
Yet another way of stabilizing an enzyme is by physically separating the enzyme from the medium causing degradation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,396 to Falholt et al., for example, teaches coating the enzyme in a hydrophobic substance such as silicone oil and which substance is sufficiently fluid or friable to be disrupted under normal conditions of use.
Many references also teach the encapsulation of sensitive components which are released at a desirable time subsequent to encapsulation. None of these references, however, teach the capsules of the invention.
European Patent Application No. 266,796 (assigned to Showa Denko), for example, teaches water-soluble microcapsules comprising an enzyme, preferably dissolved or dispersed in a water containing hydroxy compound and coated with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol as the coating material. There is no teaching or suggestion of a composite polymer comprising network formed by hydrophilic polymer or polymers chemically and/or physically attaching to the hydrophobic particles and in which system or network non proteolytic enzymes is entrapped. By being entrapped, the non-proteolytic enzyme is protected from attack by the protease present in the composition. In addition, the PVA used in the Showa Denko reference, in contrast to the PVA which could be used as the hydrophilic polymer of the subject invention, has an average degree of polymerization in the range of 200-3000 and a percent hydrolysis not less than 90%, preferably not less than 95%. It is said that if the percent hydrolysis of PVA is lower than 90%, the microcapsule is not stable and will dissolve during storage in a water-containing liquid detergent. This is probably not surprising in that there is nothing to stabilize the capsule other than a cross linking agent, i.e., there is no teaching or suggestion of hydrophobic "core" particles comprising an ethylenically unsaturated group to which the hydrophilic polymers can affix, chemically or physically, to form an entrapping network.
That is, the encapsulating polymer of this reference comprises only the use of a water soluble polymer (i.e., PVA) rather than an entrapping polymer which is a composite emulsion copolymer comprising both water-soluble (i.e., hydrophilic attaching polymer) and water insoluble (i.e., hydrophobic particles to which hydrophilic polymers attach) components or domains. The use of a totally water soluble polymer does not provide optimal resistance to water. Such polymers are also more difficult to process than the composite polymers of this invention. Finally, at the levels of hydrolysis for PVA taught in this reference (i.e. greater than 90%, preferably greater than 95%), it is difficult to dissolve the capsule or polymer at ambient temperatures and the protected component is only partly released upon dilution. Moreover, the reference does not allow the option of using less hydrolyzed PVA because, although the less hydrolyzed PVA will dissolve more readily when diluted, such a PVA is too water sensitive and would fail to protect the component during storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,396 to Falholt et al., teaches an enzyme dispersed in a hydrophobic substance. Again, there is no teaching or suggestion of a polymer which is a composite emulsion copolymer comprising both water soluble and water insoluble components.
EP 1,390,503 (assigned to Unilever) teaches a polymer which dissolves when the ionic strength of the liquid decreases upon dilution. Further, there is no teaching of a polymer system comprising a composite emulsion polymer which in turn comprises a hydrophilic portion (i.e., hydrophilic polymer or polymers) chemically and/or physically attached to a hydrophobic core portion (i.e., hydrophobic particles) to form an entrapping emulsion polymer in which the enzyme component is trapped.
Takizawa et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,777,089 & 4,908,233) teach the use of a microcapsule which comprises a "core" material (i.e., the protected material is the core) coated with a single water soluble polymer (which polymer undergoes phase separation by the action of an electrolyte in the compositions). Again, there is no teaching or suggestion of a composite emulsion polymer comprising a hydrophilic portion chemically or physically attached to hydrophobic core particles and used to entrap non-proteolytic enzymes. Such a composite polymer having both a hydrophilic and hydrophobic portion offers significant advantages over the solely water-soluble encapsulating polymers of the reference in that it entraps the enzyme and slows migration of harsh components from outside the capsule to the enzyme as well as migration of the enzyme to water and other components outside the capsule.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,761 to Rutherford teaches compositions and methods for controlled release of fragrance-bearing substances (perfumes) wherein the compositions comprise a water-soluble and a water-insoluble (both normally solid) polymer and a perfume composition, a portion of the perfume composition being incorporated in the water-soluble polymer and a portion incorporated in the water-insoluble polymer. The two polymers are physically associated with each other in such a manner that one is in the form of discrete entities in a matrix of the other. The particles of this reference have a particle size of between 100-3000 microns in contrast to the capsules of the invention which have a particle size of under 100 microns. In addition, the capsules are formed by intermixing water soluble and water insoluble polymer under high shear resulting in a different capsule system than the emulsion polymer capsule of the subject invention.
Applicants co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 07/766,477 teaches a water soluble polymer used to encapsulate particles made of an emulsifiable mixture of a fragrance and a wax. The waxes used are hydrocarbons such as paraffin wax and microcrystalline wax. These waxes differ from the core hydrophobic particles of the invention. Moreover, the core is not simply a wax material enveloping the perfume but an intimate mixture of the wax and perfume which differs completely from the core particles of the subject invention which may stand alone. In fact, the enzymes of the subject invention are not inside the hydrophobic core particles at all. Finally, the encapsulated material of the reference is released by heat trigger whereas the release of material of the invention is dilution triggered.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,474 to Vasilliades discloses a hydroxy containing polymer shell grafted onto a water soluble core. The hydroxy shell is cross-linked with a formaldehyde condensation product and will therefore not release upon dilution by water. Moreover, the reference does not refer to entrapped sensitive materials which can be released. Indeed, the capsule is intended to be a load bearing capsule which is not ever subject to pressure release.
None of these patents teach capsules comprising the specific composite emulsion polymers of the invention in any composition, let alone in heavy duty liquid compositions.
Thus, there is a need in the art for protease containing heavy duty liquid compositions containing capsules comprising novel composite polymers which can stabilize non-proteolytic enzymes, and yet readily break down to release the enzymes in use (e.g., in diluted aqueous medium, especially at ambient temperatures).
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide protease containing heavy duty liquid compositions that incorporate capsules comprising a novel composite polymer that can stabilize and isolate non-proteolytic enzymes while simultaneously being able to deliver the enzymes in a controlled and reproducible manner when the composition is diluted with water during use.

Protease containing heavy duty liquid detergent compositions comprising capsules comprising non-proteolytic enzyme and composite polymer

Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.


Methods and systems to efficiently share multiple satellites and associated transponders or links among a network of uplinking earth stations are disclosed. An embodiment of this invention uses a terrestrial communications link, such as the Internet, to control access to the transponder or satellite links. Communications over this link may employ a TCP/IP protocol to connect the requesting uplinking earth stations with a centralized controller. This control system creates more efficient use of satellite resources and reduces the overall amount of time needed for transmitting data through the satellite. By reducing the overall amount of time needed for transmitting data, the control system may reduce the cost of using the satellite transponder capacity.

Data communication via satellite has grown with leaps and bounds recently. That growth has reduced transmission costs and increased usage, but at the cost of bandwidth congestion. In part, the congestion is due to an operation environment that utilizes static channel assignments with scheduling based on manual time reservation mechanisms.
For example, in the past, distributing television, cable, and other video/sound files to local stations around the country has been done by manually scheduling the feeds. Typically, a satellite transmitter has a fixed allocation of bandwidth and, if a user needs to transmit ten minutes worth of data, the user manually places a phone call to a provider and indicates that he or she would like ten minutes of transponder time at a specified time (e.g., 4:00 p.m.). This negotiation for transponder time is time consuming and inefficient and may result in the user being forced to purchase an hour's worth of transponder time when all that is needed is ten minutes. Consequently, once the user finishes transmitting his data, the transponder sits dormant for the remaining fifty minutes, which results in wasted capacity. Currently, no providers have a system that promotes the efficient use of transponder time through the reuse and sharing of previously dedicated facilities.
Some alternative satellite providers are looking at reliable multicast transmission as a key technology that may be used to minimize network traffic. Coordination is a major problem with multicast file distribution over a satellite. In other words, the problem is how can many content providers (e.g., channels, news organizations, etc.) distribute their content without overwhelming the network bandwidth. This is especially a problem where bandwidth allocation is handled through a manual system.
A second problem in multicasting files over a satellite communications network is that you cannot determine exactly when your file is sent. No one can know with certainty when a particular transmission will end. In the past, people have dealt with this problem by statistically evaluating the data transmission information to determine a statistical end point over time. That is, by looking at a number of transmissions after the fact, one can figure out how many actually went through on time. Usually, that percentage is very high, approximately 90%. It can be made even higher, but the trade-off typically is a less efficient use of satellite transponder time. In other words, if you want to be certain that your file will be sent over the satellite when you schedule it, you need, overall, to schedule less traffic than the system can handle. In essence, this is very like what a doctor does in scheduling patient appointments—if the doctor wants to make sure he or she sees the maximum number of patients, the doctor will schedule many appointments for the day. But, as the day progresses, the delay between when the doctor sees the patients and the patients' appointment times lengthens. The doctor can remedy this by reducing the number of appointments, but then the doctor runs the risk of having some down time during which no patient is scheduled.
In any event, if bandwidth is allocated based on these statistical averages, inevitably some jobs will not be completed within the allocated transmission time. Skilled persons in this art say this means that your file completion times are "non-deterministic." Non-deterministic file transmission causes scheduling difficulties in projecting future start times for other data transmission. This can be a critical problem. For instance, consider a breaking news story, such as a presidential news conference, that a network wants to be certain is sent out across the country to various local affiliates. It is critical that the network knows that at the set time the news story will be transmitted. You would normally think that to guarantee files are sent on time, and thus solve the scheduling problems described above, one could just increase the rate the data is sent over the satellite. But this brings up another problem with multicast, which is that data throughput varies. For example, suppose five out of six cable headends where the cable equipment operators maintain their equipment have state of the art, well maintained equipment that can receive data at 100 Mbps (one Mbps is equivalent to one million bits of data per second). One of the six head ends can only receive data at 10 Mbps. In this situation, if all six need to receive the file within a certain designated time, increasing transmission bandwidth does not guarantee a transmission stop time because there is a "weak link in the chain," namely the 10 Mbps head end.
Conventional systems do not provide efficient or optimum resource allocation when multiple local demands are placed on a control system. International Application Serial No. PCT/US00/10394, published as International Publication No. WO 00/67449, filed Apr. 18, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, addressed some of the above-identified problems by introducing dynamic rate allocation, dynamic time slicing and logical framing, and distributed hierarchical control. However, there remains room for improvement. More specifically, optimizing available multiple satellite resources across a diverse satellite distribution network is not provided for by International Application Serial No. PCT/US00/10394. Additionally, applications such as providing access to multiple satellite resources using multiple uplink sites and creating a content distribution network utilizing content from multiple content providers are not disclosed in International Application Serial No. PCT/US00/10394.
Many broadcast communication satellites used for transmitting multimedia information operate in an orbital plane known as a geo-synchronous or geo-stationary orbit. Such satellites operate within the equatorial plane of the earth and their transmission is designed for maximum signal strength within a beam or footprint that covers a predetermined portion of the earth's surface. An example is a satellite beam designed to cover the continental United States, such a beam being generally referred to as a CONUS beam. However, because satellite communication requires line-of-sight transmission between the receiver antenna/dish on the earth's surface and the orbital position of the satellite, a receiver can only receive one transmission from one satellite at a time. This limitation may be overcome by using multiple antennas and receivers with each antenna aligned with a different satellite.
With multicast file distribution, there exists centralized control for the multicast distribution session, even when there is more than one physical outbound distribution channel (e.g., multiple satellite uplink sites). In multicast file distribution over a satellite network where the desired receivers are dispersed over multiple satellite beams, there exists a multicast scheduling problem. The scheduling problem arises from a lack of coordinated control between the centralized multicast distribution site and the multiple satellites that can collectively transmit to the desired pool of receivers. There are many instances where a user may wish to send a multicast transmission to geographically diverse receive sites that cannot be covered by any one satellite transponder. In such cases, it is desirable to maintain efficient use of required satellite resources.
To address the identified problems, the present invention provides a distributed-hierarchical scheduling control system that monitors the network and adapts dynamic rate allocation, frequency allocation, satellite allocation, time slicing, and logical framing to optimize system resources.

Multicast control systems and methods for dynamic, adaptive time, bandwidth,frequency, and satellite allocations


Metallic articles having heat transfer channels are produced by solidification of molten metallic material about pre-formed channel defining members such that a solidified metallic deposit having heat transfer channels is formed. The channel defining members may be in the form of either solid elements (which are subsequently removed to leave the channels), or conduit elements (which may remain permanently embedded in the article). Moulds, dies, cores and other tools for use in moulding or casting of plastics and metals are particularly suitably formed by the process, the heat transfer channels being used for cooling of the respective articles during use. The molten metallic material is preferably deposited by spray forming utilizing one or more sprays of molten metallic material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of at least partially metallic articles, and in particular to the production of such articles with defined heat transfer channels.
2. State of the Art
Articles such as dies, moulds and other tools are typically required to operate within a specific temperature range in order to ensure that the operation for which they were designed proceeds smoothly and produces an optimised product. Examples of this are plastic injection moulding (PIM) techniques where it may be desirable to hold the dies at a temperature of, for example, 100.degree. C. As a further example, in the case of high pressure die casting (HPDC) techniques using aluminium alloys, a preferred temperature range may be 200.degree.-250.degree. C.
In both examples the injected material is at a higher temperature than the mould or die. The mould or die cools the injected material until it becomes substantially solid after which the product is ejected. In the process of cooling the injected material the mould or die becomes relatively hotter and must then be allowed to cool (or be artificially cooled) to return to the required operational temperature range.
To reduce cycle times, and therefore increase production efficiency, it is preferable to cool mould or dies during or after use by means of in-built heat transfer channels for cooling water to circulate within the mould or die. Typically, cooling channels such as these are made by drilling into the mould or die block during manufacture and fitting connections for the circulation of cooling water or, in some cases, cooling air. The construction of such cooling channels involves complex, accurate and expensive drilling and plugging of many channels.
In other embodiments it is envisaged that it may be desirable to transfer heat to the article, in which case heating fluid may be passed through the heat transfer channels.

Metallic articles having heat transfer channels and method of making


According to some embodiments a system and a method are provided to determine a correct mail recipient are disclosed. The method comprises receiving an incorrectly addressed mail piece from a sender, scanning the mail piece, analyzing the scanned mail piece to produce analysis results, determining a correct address for the mail piece based at least in part on the analysis results, printing a correctly addressed label based on the determination, adhering the correctly addressed label to the mail piece, sending the mail piece comprising the correctly addressed label to a mail recipient, and transmitting a notification of the correct address to the sender.

Many companies must deal with some portion of their incoming mail that is ambiguously or incorrectly addressed. Currently, it takes a significant amount of knowledgeable manpower to determine who is the individual who is the intended recipient for each piece of incorrectly addressed mail. There are several problems with the current method because it takes a significant amount of time to route the incorrectly addressed mail and if an amount of manpower is limited or not available; more time may be expended by teaching replacement personnel. Although the replacement personnel eventually learn how to recognize many mail pieces, they must endure a long process to determine the recipients for other mail pieces on a recurring basis. Even for the mail pieces that are easily identified, significant time is used to write an internal address for each mail piece. In some cases, this incorrectly addressed mail may be return mail or business reply mail that was generated by an internal department using an ambiguous return address.
Since mail of this kind is considered "deliverable" by United States Postal Service ("USPS") standards, the mail originator is unaware that the mail is being delayed before delivery or in some cases discarded if employees have left the recipient company. In addition, since the USPS National Change of Address ("NCOA") database does not include any information about individuals within companies, the originator has no easy way to correct the address or even identify if the recipient still works at the address. Since there is no easy way for a receiving mailroom to inform the mail originator of the correct address, the problem perpetuates and the internal address may have to be re-researched every time a new mail piece arrives from the same mail originator.

System and methods to determine a recipient for ambiguously addressed mail


In a TDI-type linear image sensor in which pixels are constituted of CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) of n phases (n being an integer not smaller than 3), a gate opening portion and a gate non-opening portion functioning as a TDI transfer channel (15) are formed in all of transfer gates of the CCDs of n phases constituting the pixels. Within one pixel pitch in a TDI transfer direction, n microlenses (18) are formed such that light is concentrated at the gate non-opening portion formed at the transfer gate of each phase.

An image sensor having a large number of photodetectors arranged in an array on a semiconductor substrate and including a circuit for reading signal charges and an output amplifier on the same substrate has been developed. In remote sensing, a linear image sensor in which photodetectors are arranged in a one-dimensional array is mounted on an artificial satellite or the like and a direction perpendicular to the array is matched with a direction in which the satellite moves, so that a two-dimensional image of the surface of the Earth is photographed.
Though a pixel pitch is desirably minimized in order to improve resolution of an image, a quantity of incident light decreases in correspondence with decrease in area of photodetectors and S/N disadvantageously lowers.
As ingenious measures for improving S/N, a TDI (Time Delay and Integration)-type image sensor has been developed. TDI is a reading technique for improving S/N by employing an FFT (full frame transfer)-type CCD (Charge Coupled Device) which is a two-dimensional image sensor and synchronizing timing of charge transfer with timing of movement of an image of a subject. In the case of remote sensing, a TDI operation can be realized by matching charge transfer in a vertical direction to a moving speed of a satellite. When TDI operations in M stages are performed in a vertical CCD, an accumulation time period increases effectively by M-fold, and hence sensitivity improves by M-fold and S/N improves by AIM-fold.
In many cases, a visible image sensor picks up an image by allowing light to be incident on a chip surface side. Incident light is photoelectrically converted within a silicon substrate and produces signal charges. In the FFT-type CCD, however, light is incident through a polysilicon electrode which controls vertical charge transfer. Therefore, light particularly in a region of a short wavelength is absorbed by the polysilicon electrode and sensitivity disadvantageously lowers.
In order to address this, an image sensor of which sensitivity has been improved by adopting what is called a VPCCD (virtual phase CCD) structure in which some vertical transfer gate electrodes are replaced with virtual electrodes has been proposed. The VPCCD can suppress light absorption in an electrode portion and achieve improved sensitivity by replacing a polysilicon electrode with a virtual electrode.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-102560 (PTD 1) discloses a solid-state image pick-up device aiming to suppress decrease in area of a light reception portion in an individual pixel, to improve pixel density, and to avoid difference in light gathering efficiency or sensitivity of a pixel between two pixel rows adjacent to each other.
In the solid-state image pick-up device in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-102560 (PTD 1), a two-dimensional shape of a charge transfer channel for a vertical transfer CCD is meandered, a first transfer electrode and a second transfer electrode are employed as transfer electrodes for the vertical transfer CCD, each of reading gate regions adjacent to an odd-numbered charge transfer channel is formed to be adjacent to a portion where one transfer electrode of the first and second transfer electrodes and a charge transfer channel intersect two-dimensionally with each other, and each of reading gate regions adjacent to an even-numbered charge transfer channel is formed to be adjacent to a portion where the other transfer electrode of the first and second transfer electrodes and a charge transfer channel intersect two-dimensionally with each other.


An audio system includes a first unit and a second unit. The first unit includes a radio frequency (RF) front-end, a channel decoder, a first wireless interface, a content decoder and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The second unit includes a second wireless interface, a source decoder and a content encoder.

Satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) is a relatively new satellite-based service that broadcasts audio entertainment to fixed and mobile receivers within the continental United States and various other parts of the world. Within an SDARS system, satellite-based transmissions provide the primary means of communications. Today, Sirius satellite radio and XM satellite radio are two SDARS systems that are utilized to provide satellite-based services. These SDARS systems may provide separate channels of music, news, sports, ethnic, children's and talk entertainment on a subscription-based service and may provide other services, such as email and data delivery.
In these SDARS systems, program material is transmitted from a ground station to satellites in geostationary or geosynchronous orbit over the continental United States. The satellites retransmit the program material to earth-based satellite digital audio receivers. A typical satellite digital audio receiver has included an RF front-end, a channel decoder, a source decoder and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), in addition to a human-machine interface. In SDARS systems, using satellite digital audio receivers configured in this manner, an individual that desired to listen to a satellite broadcast at different locations, for example, in a motor vehicle and in their home, has been required to have multiple satellite digital audio receivers to receive the associated satellite transmissions.
It would be desirable to provide a user of a satellite digital audio radio service with an audio system that lowers the cost of implementing multiple satellite digital audio receivers.

Audio system with first and second units having wireless interface, and audio recievers therefor


It is an object to obtain a blade 1 with which coating or scraping can satisfactorily be performed and which is able to protect a plate-like member 3 from being broken.. A blade having a ceramic plate-like member 3 having an edge 3a and secured to the surface of an elongated metal plate 2 in the leading end portion of the elongated metal plate 2, wherein the blade 1 is deflected by 10 cm or more in the direction of the thickness thereof owning to the deadweight without breakage of the ceramic plate-like member 3 when the blade 1 is supported at two ends thereof which are apart from each other by 1 m or longer in the lengthwise direction thereof.

The present invention relates to a blade for coating the surface of a sheet-like member or that of a cylindrical member with another substance or scraping off a substance from the surface of a member of the foregoing type.
Hitherto, doctor blades have been used in a variety of industrial fields. For example, the doctor blade has been used in a process for coating the surface of paper with resin or a process for coating the same with a heat sensitive material to manufacture heat sensitive paper, a process for coating the surface of sheet-like paper or another member with resin, a process for scraping off excess ink allowed to adhere to the surface of a printing plate and a process for molding rubber or foods into a sheet shape.
A major portion of the doctor blades has been made of a metal material, such as high-speed steel, and arranged in such a way that resin or the like is spread while the resin or the like is being pressed by the edge formed at the leading end of the doctor blade or ink or the like is scraped off. Doctor blades of a type made of a metal material however suffer from a problem in that inevitable wear of the edge of the doctor blade causes uniform coating to be impossible it leads to a fact that the doctor blade must be changed after it has been used for two hours, Thus there arises critical problems in that reliability and working efficiency are unsatisfactory.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, a method has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-38671, in which a hard film made of tungsten carbide (WC) is thermally sprayed to the end surface of the blade. However, the foregoing blade can be used in only short time of about 80 hours because the hard film is separated during the operation.
Accordingly, a structure has been suggested in which, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-51398, at least the cutting part of the blade is made of zirconia ceramics.
When the overall body of the doctor blade or the cutting part of the same is made of zirconia ceramics, the thickness must be considerably reduced to 1 mm or smaller. Therefore, if the doctor blade is deflected during the operation, there arises a risk that the doctor blade will be broken. If the blade is formed thick to prevent breakage, the blade cannot easily be deflected. In this case, there arise problems in that coating and scraping cannot easily be performed, thus resulting in that coating is performed nonuniformly and streaky defects take place.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a blade which cannot be broken when the blade is deflected during operation or handling and which exhibits excellent wear resistance.
A blade according to the present invention comprises a ceramic plate-like member having an edge and secured to the surface of at elongated metal plate in the leading end portion of the elongated metal plate, wherein the blade is deflected by 10 cm or more in the direction of the thickness thereof owning to the deadweight without breakage of the ceramic plate-like member when the blade is supported at two ends thereof which are apart from each other by 1 m or longer in the lengthwise direction thereof.
In order to satisfactorily perform an operation using the blade, the blade must appropriately be deflected. A variety of studies were performed by the inventor of the present invention. As a result, a preferred result can be obtained by adjusting materials, dimensions and shapes of the metal plate and the ceramic plate-like member and by making the blade to be deflected by 10 cm or more in the direction of the thickness of the blade owning to the deadweight when the blade is supported at two ends thereof which are apart from each other by 1 m or longer in the lengthwise direction thereof. Moreover, a structure in which the ceramic plate-like member is secured to the surface in the leading end portion of the metal plate enables the overall body of the blade to easily be deflected and the ceramic plate-like member to be protected from being broken when the blade is deflected.
A blade according to the present invention comprises a ceramic plate-like member having an edge and secured to the surface of an elongated metal plate in the leading end portion of the elongated metal plate, wherein the apparent Young's modulus E.sub.A (kg/cm.sup.2) of the overall body of the blade is defined as follows: EQU 1/E.sub.A =V.sub.1 /E.sub.1 +V.sub.2 /E.sub.2
when the Young's modulus of the ceramic plate-like member is E.sub.1 (kg/m.sup.2), the volume fraction of the same is V.sub.1, the Young's modulus of the metal plate is E.sub.2 (kg/m.sup.2) and the volume fraction of the sane is V.sub.2, and the following relationship is satisfied: EQU 5.times.10.sup.-10 <A<7.times.10.sup.-8
when the cross sectional secondary moment is I (m.sup.8), weight per unit length is W (kg/m) and A=5W/384E.sub.A I
That is, value A is a measure indicating the quantity of deflection realized by the deadweight of the blade. When the value A satisfies the above-mentioned range, the blade can be deflected.
A blade according to the present invention comprises a ceramic plate-like member having an edge and secured to the surface of an elongated metal plate in the leading end portion of the elongated metal plate, wherein the following relationship is satisfied: EQU E.sub.1 <3.0.times.10.sup.10
when the fracture toughness level of the ceramic plate-like member is K.sub.C (kg/m.sup.3/2), the Vickers hardness of the same is H (kg/m.sup.2), and the Young's modulus of the same is E.sub.1 (kg/m.sup.2), and the following relationship is satisfied: EQU 2.00.times.10.sup.-8 <R<2.60.times.10.sup.-8
when R=(E.sub.1 /H).sup.4/5 /(K.sub.C.sup.1/2 +H.sup.5/8).
That is, the value R is the measure indicating the wear resistance. When the value R satisfies the above-mentioned range, the blade has satisfactory wear resistance and the same can appropriately be worn to be fitted to the shape of the coated surface.


A honeycomb structure comprising a core and at least one face sheet. The core having a honeycomb configuration comprising an array of hollow cells formed between a network of walls. The or each face sheet having a plurality of outwardly directed protrusions. The or each face sheet being affixed to the core to cover the hollow cells with each said protrusion being received within a respective region of the core and bonded to the core.

Honeycomb structures such as honeycomb sandwich panels are widely known and are used in various different fields such as, for example, commercial and military aircraft, marine vessels, automobiles, buildings and construction, sporting equipment and even toys.
A typical prior art honeycomb sandwich panel consists of two relatively stiff and thin face sheets made from a dense material such as metal or fibre composite which is adhesively or otherwise bonded to a relatively thick and light honeycomb core. FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a pair of such face sheets 1, 2 and a honeycomb core 3. As is conventional, the honeycomb core is made up from a network of thin walls 4, which in the illustrated arrangement is provided in the form of a square grid arrangement. The network of walls thus defines a plurality of discrete hollow cells 5 between individual walls 4. The cells 5 may be columnar. As will be recognised by those of skill in the art, other configurations for the network of walls 4, and thus the resulting cells 5, are also possible, and indeed configurations having hexagonally shaped cells 5 are widely used; such arrangements clearly being most directly suited to the general term "honeycomb structure" on account of sharing their shape and configuration with natural honeycombs from which the term derives. FIG. 1 illustrates the two face sheets 1, 2 being offered up to respective opposite sides of the honeycomb core 3 for bonding to the core. FIG. 2 illustrates the completed structure.
Honeycomb panels are commonly used in situations where saving weight in a structure is important. They offer considerably higher strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios than alternative solid panels of similar weight, size and geometry. Additionally, honeycomb panels are well suited to use in acoustic damping and thermal insulation.
It is for these reasons that acoustic liners for the engine casings of modern gas turbine engines in the aeronautical industry are fabricated from honeycomb panels of the general type described above. In particular, such acoustic liners are often fabricated using a fibre (such as glass, nylon, etc.) reinforced plastic or aluminium perforate front face sheet bonded to one side of an aluminium honeycomb core, with a glass reinforced plastic rear sheet bonded to the opposite side of the core. However problems can arise with such panels which are attributable to their basic construction.
It has been found that currently used designs of honeycomb panels have their strength and durability limited by the strength of the bond, which as explained above is usually created by the use of adhesive, which exists between each face sheet and the honeycomb core. This is because the strength of the bond between each face sheet and the core is determined by the total contact area over which the adhesive can effectively bond the face sheet and the core together.
As will be appreciated from FIG. 1, the actual contact area presented by the network of thin walls 4 is very small in comparison to the overall area of the core 3 and the face sheets 1, 2; simply due to the thin configuration of the walls 4. Additionally, the bond between the core 3 and each face sheet 1, 2 provided by adhesive applied to the ends of the thin walls 4 will be subject to peel and tensile forces in the use of many panels fabricated in the conventional manner.
Although it is common to apply the adhesive in the form of a fillet, the total area available for the fillet is often small and is dependent on the ability of the adhesive to form a meniscus along the cell walls due to capillary action and/or the tendency of some parts of the cell wall to sink into the film or paste adhesive used for the bonding. However, it is worthy to note that if thicker fillets of adhesive are used in an attempt to counteract this problem, there can often be a tendency for the adhesive to completely encapsulate the honeycomb structure of the core 3, which reduces the weight saving advantage of using a honeycomb structure.
Fabricating acoustic liner panels in the above-described prior art manner is very expensive and time consuming because of the care which must be taken when applying the adhesive to prevent it plugging the perforations which are usually provided in the front face sheets for such panels, which of course would reduce the panel's noise damping effect. To avoid this problem, the adhesive must be applied to the face sheet, or to the ends of the walls 4 of the core in a carefully reticulated manner, which is not only time consuming but also results in a reduction in the total contact area of the bond.
In addition, the adhesive bond formed between the honeycomb and the mating face sheets in the prior art panels are readily exposed to the risk of chemical hydrolysis of the adhesive and or corrosion of the bonding interface due to ingress and entrapment of water, lubricating oils or moisture around the bond. The resultant effect of either or both of these phenomena is a significantly lowered bond strength and service life of the honeycomb structure.
There is therefore a need for a honeycomb structure which is less susceptible to the above-mentioned problems and which, in particular is stronger and more durable than previous structures.


Controllers and related control methods for a switched mode power supply are disclosed. The switched mode power supply has an inductive device and a power switch connected in series. An output current estimator in a controller is configured for receiving a current-sense signal representing an inductor current flowing through the inductive device and a discharge-time signal indicating a discharge time of the inductive device. The output current estimator generates a charge current in response to the discharge-time signal and the current-sense signal, thereby the charge current substantially corresponding to an output current that the switched mode power supply outputs to a load. The charge current is limited not to exceed a maximum value. A current limiter is configured for limiting the current-sense signal when the charge current is the maximum value.

The present disclosure relates generally to switched mode power supplies, and especially to power supplies capable of generating and employing signals estimating an output current to a load.
A switched mode power supply commonly utilizes a power switch to control the current flowing through an inductive device. In comparison with other kinds of power supply, switched mode power supplies usually enjoy compact size and excellent conversion efficiency, and are accordingly popular in the art.
Power supplies with flyback topology are welcome because they provide Galvanic isolation. Flyback topology employs a transformer to direct-current isolate input power lines electrically connected to an AC mains outlet from output power lines electrically connected to a load. A primary side commonly refers to the side where the circuits are connected to input power lines, and a secondary side refers to the side where the circuits are connected to output power lines. Secondary side control uses resistors or devices in the secondary side to directly sense the current flowing to a load or the voltage across the load. Output voltage and current regulation can be easily achieved using secondary side control in expense of extra power consumption as the device in the secondary side constantly consume electrical power all the time, probably lowering power conversion efficiency. US patent application publication US20100321956A1, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses several switched mode power supplies employing primary side control to regulate their output currents in the secondary side. US patent application publication US20100321956A1 could make the maximum output current from a switched mode power supply a constant, independent from the voltages at input power lines.
Load compensation is a kind of skill to increase the output voltage of a power supply when an output current to a load increases, in order to compensate the voltage lost over the cables connected between a load and the power supply. One conventional method to achieve load compensation is by using a peak current through a transformer to represent the output current to a load and to adjust a target voltage that an output voltage of a power supply tends to approach. As known in the art, the peak current is so different from the output current and can hardly represent it.

Controllers and related control methods for generating signals representing an output current to a load in a switched mode power supply


An intermediate network element deployed in a content delivery network is disclosed. The content delivery network cooperates its content delivery effort with other intermediate network element with similar capabilities. Distributing rules that govern the operations of the intermediate network element(s) are presented. These include the framework of the intermediate network element(s), the format of indicating part or whole of a rule specification to be distributed, the format of signatures for intermediate network elements to discover each other, the format of signaling other intermediate network elements that a rule is distributed to, and the method of determining the intermediate network element to distribute a rule to. In addition, authoring rules that are specific to real time streaming of contents are disclosed. A set of rule evaluation conditions are revealed that can be triggered based on different criteria during the streaming of real time contents. A set of parameters from which rules can be based on is disclosed.

Over the past decade, the Internet, or more specifically, the Internet Protocol (IP) based network, has seen a tremendous growth. The proliferation of the Internet and the increasing number of Internet users has resulted in extension and scaling problems for applications. This is especially true for applications designed for end-users, such as the World Wide Web (WWW), and audio-visual streaming. The increased in network bandwidth and processing power can hardly catch up with the demands of the increasing number of Internet users. This has resulted in longer load time for WWW page request, and lost of quality in real-time audio-visual playback across the Internet. The effort to reduce such undesirable effects has led to a wide deployment of intelligent network elements at the network edge (i.e. nearer to the end-users).
The most common use of such intermediate network elements are to function as caching proxies, such as hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP) proxies and/or caches as described in an article "Hypertext Transfer Protocol—HTTP/1.1", IETF RFC 2616, June 1999, by Fielding, R., Gettys, J., Mogul, J., Frystyk, H., Masinter, L., Leach, P., and T. Berners-Lee. These have been successful in reducing the network load at the WWW server and accelerating WWW contents delivery to the end-users. However, as the number of end-users increases, the variety of web-browser configurations and platforms widens. Similarly, the range of web contents is also broadening. Simply replicating static web contents cannot hope to sustain the ever-increasing demands from the end-users.
In addition, there has also been a noted increase in the deployment of multimedia streaming over the Internet. These usually employ the real-time streaming protocol (RTSP) as session protocol to set up and tear down communications channel, and real-time transport protocol and real-time control protocol (RTP/RTCP) for the actual transmission of content data. The RTSP is disclosed for example, in "Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP)", IETF RFC 2326, April 1998, by Schulzrinne, H., Rao, A., and Lanphier, R. The RTP/RTCP is disclosed for example, in "RTP: A Transport Protocol for Real-Time Applications", IETF RFC 1889, January 1996, by Schulzrinne, H., Casner, S., Frederick, R., and Jabcobson, V. Because of the versatile nature of Internet traffic, adaptation of the multimedia stream to the fluctuating traffic conditions is necessary to ensure a smooth presentation to the end-user. Though RTCP provides a means for end-users to report their communication status back to the sender, measures taken up by the sender based on receiver report can hardly be effective because the distance (network-sense) between the receiver and sender is often large. As most end-users connects to the Internet via an intermediary of some sort, for instance, firewall gateways, Network Address Translator (NAT), or proxies, the intermediary present a good choice to perform adaptation services on behalf of the content originator.
Furthermore, as the Internet grows, so does the range of devices that are used to access content from the Web. This diversification of browser types has accelerated with recent advancements in wireless Internet technology, in which tiny handheld devices such as digital personal assistants (PDA) and mobile phones have built-in micro-browsers that browse the Web, or play back audio/visual streams. Content authors can no longer develop content with the assumption that the created content will only be viewed by users using traditional desktop computers. Device independence is now a critical consideration, as disclosed in "Device Independence Principles", W3C Working Draft, September 2001, by Gimson, R., et al.
A number of international standardization organizations have recognized the need to provide services originally available only at the network core (where the servers are located) to the network edge (where the end users are located). For instance, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has recently set up working groups focusing on providing services at the network edges. The Open Pluggable Extensible Services (OPES) working group is one such effort. The OPES working group focuses on extending the current HTTP proxies from performing simple caching tasks to a whole suite of adaptation services. The framework of OPES is specified in "A Model for Open Pluggable Edge Services", IETF Intemet Draft, Work In Progress, November 2001, by Tomlison, G., Chen, R., and Hofmann, M. There is also a Content Distribution Internetworking (CDI) working group that concentrates on collaborations between different content distribution networks (CDN). Such collaboration efforts are believed to be able to further accelerate the delivery of contents to the end user.
The current use of intermediaries in content delivery is mostly restricted to providing simple functionality such as HTTP caching, HTTP proxy, or RTSP proxy. This cannot hope to maintain the service level demanded by the users of today's Internet, as the number of end-users increases exponentially. Moreover, with the range of hardware devices and software agents employed to retrieve contents by different users are also broadening, content providers are finding it difficult to present to the users a coherent set of contents are that suited to the user's device and preferences.
Though various international bodies have recognized the above problems, and have acted to provide resolutions, their work could still be improved on. The OPES framework described in focused on the operations of a single intermediary, ignoring the current trend of collaborations between content delivery networks. In addition, though the idea of the OPES framework is to perform content adaptation so as to enhance the user experience in content retrieval, it focused only on parameters of the HTTP. This is not only inadequate for device independence, it also does not cater to the growing number of audiovisual streaming applications.

Method and apparatus for configuring and controlling network resources in content delivery with distributed rules


Tensor linear Laplacian discrimination for feature extraction is disclosed. One embodiment comprises generating a contextual distance based sample weight and class weight, calculating a within-class scatter using the at least one sample weight and a between-class scatter for multiple classes of data samples in a sample set using the class weight, performing a mode-k matrix unfolding on scatters and generating at least one orthogonal projection matrix.

Discriminant feature extraction is an important topic in pattern recognition and classification. Current approaches used for linear discriminant feature extraction include Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). Applications for PCA and LDA include pattern recognition and computer vision. These methods use a vector-based representation and compute scatters in a Euclidean metric, i.e., an assumption is made that the sample space is Euclidean, where an example metric is a function that computes a distance or similarities between two points in a sample space.
Despite the utility of these subspace learning algorithms, the reliance on a Euclidean assumption of a data space when computing a distance between samples has drawbacks, including the potential of a singularity in a within-class scatter matrix, limited available projection directions, and a high computational cost. Additionally, these subspace learning algorithms are vector-based and arrange input data in a vector form regardless of an inherent correlation among different dimensions in the data.
In one nonlinear approach, Linear Laplacian Discrimination (LLD), weights are introduced to scatter matrices to overcome the Euclidean assumption, however, the weights are defined as a function of distance and therefore still use an a priori assumption on a metric of the sample space.

Tensor linear laplacian discrimination for feature extraction


The present invention provides a maltooligoside derivative represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein n denotes an integer 3-5, R represents an aromatic chromophoric group, X represents a group >CHCH.sub.2 N.sub.3 or >C.dbd.CH.sub.2, and Y represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group or an alkyl- or arylsulfonyl group, a reagent for determining .alpha.-amylase activity which comprises said maltooligoside derivative as an effective ingredient, and a process for determining .alpha.-amylase activity, characterized in that said maltooligoside derivative and coupled enzymes are added to an .alpha.-amylase containing sample to conduct an enzymatic reaction and a liberated aromatic chromophoric compound is quantitatively determined. The compound of the present invention is very useful as a substrate for determining .alpha.-amylase activity, and .alpha.-amylase activity can be easily measured accurately in a short time by using the reagent without affection of the other ingredients contained in the sample.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel maltooligoside derivative, a reagent for determing .alpha.-amylase activity containing the derivative as an effective ingredient and a process for determining efficiently and accurately the .alpha.-amylase activity by the use of the derivative.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, the determination of .alpha.-amylase activity in body fluids such as serum, urine, pancreatic juice and saliva has been very important for clinical diagnoses and is an essential item in the diagnosis of acute or chronic diseases such as hepatitis, pancreatitis, pancreatic carcinoma and epidemic parotiditis.
A variety of methods have hitherto been known as for the method for determining the .alpha.-amylase activity. Among them, a method comprising utilizing as a substrate a compound [having a property of resistance (stability) to hydrolysis by a coupled enzyme] in which a non-reducing end glucose of substituted phenyl maltooligosides is modified by a variety of substituents has been widely used, recently. Said method is one that the compound is cleaved by .alpha.-amylase and the cleavage product is treated with the coupled enzyme, followed by quantitative, colorimetric determination of the resulting substituted phenols directly or, if necessary, after the adjustment of pH, or after the condensation of the phenols.
The substrate used in the aforementioned application is generally required to have the properties that only a single D-glucosidic linkage of the substrate is hydrolyzed, the pattern of action in the hydrolysis and the reaction rate do not vary depending on two .alpha.-amylases (isozymes), the hydrolyzed products are not further hydrolyzed by .alpha.-amylase, the substrate has a high affinity to .alpha.-amylase (that is, a small Km value) and a high hydrolysis rate, and that the substrate has an excellent solubility in water. However, no substrate having a modified non-reducing end which satisfies completely the requirements has hitherto been discovered.
The objects of the present invention are to overcome such defects of conventional reagents for determining the activity of .alpha.-amylase and determining methods using these reagents, and to provide a novel compound suitable as a reagnet permitting efficient and accurate determination of .alpha.-amylase activity and a novel process for determining .alpha.-amylase activity by using the compound as a reagent.
The present inventors have carried out earnest researches for the purpose of accomplishing the aforementioned objects. As a result, they have found that a specified novel maltooligoside derivative is very suitable as a reagent for determining .alpha.-amylase activity and that the aforementioned objects can be achieved by determining .alpha.-amylase activity by the use of the reagent.

Maltooligoside derivative, reagent for determining .alpha.-amylase activity containing the same as effective ingredient and a process for determining the .alpha.-amylase activity using same


A modified planetary gear box and arrangement of the gear box with a drive motor permits electrical, optical or other types of cabling or wiring to be passed through the planetary gear box along its axis of rotation. The planetary gear box drives or rotates a reel of coiled tubing. Electrical, hydraulic, optical and other types of line for lowering into a well bore through the coiled tubing is passed through a passageway through the center of the planetary gear box, into one end of a hub of the reel, and then into the coiled tubing, which is injected into the wellbore. The other end of the hub of the reel is able to be connected to a swivel joint that can be connected to a pump for pumping fluid into the coiled tubing.

Coiled tubing well intervention has been known in the oil production industry for many years. A great length, often exceeding 15,000 feet of steel tubing, is handled by coiling it on a large reel, which explains the name of coiled tubing. The tubing reel cannot be used as a winch drum. The stresses involved in using it as a winch would destroy the tubing. The accepted solution in the oil industry is to pull tubing from the reel as it is required and pass it around a curved guide arch so that it lies on a common vertical axis with the well bore. To move the tubing into and out of the well bore, a device called a coiled tubing injector is temporarily mounted on the wellhead, beneath the guide arch. Examples of coiled tubing injectors include those shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,309,990, 6,059,029, and 6,173,769, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Coiling tension is controlled by a tubing reel drive system and remains approximately constant no matter if the injector head is running tubing into or out of the well, or if it is pulling or snubbing. The coiling tension is insignificant by comparison to tubing weight and payload carried by the tubing in the well bore and therefore is no danger to the integrity of the tubing.
Although other methods of achieving this aim are known, injector heads used for well intervention and drilling utilize a plurality of chain loops, on which are mounted grippers for gripping the tubing. There are many examples of such injector heads. Most rely on roller chains and matching sprocket forms as a means of transmitting drive from the driving shafts to the chain loop assemblies. For the injector head to manipulate tubing, it pushes, from opposite sides, the grippers against the tubing and then concurrently moves the grippers by rotating to move the tubing in and out of the well bore.
A coiled tubing reel assembly includes a stand for supporting a spool on which tubing is stored, a drive system for rotating the reel and creating back-tension during operation of the reel, and a "level winding" system that guides the tubing as it is being unwound from and wound onto the spool. The level winding system moves the tubing laterally across the reel so that the tubing is laid across the reel in a neat and organized fashion. The coiled tubing reel assembly must rotate the spool to feed tubing to and from the injector and well bore. The tubing reel assembly must also tension the tubing by always pulling against the injector during normal operation. The injector must pull against the tension to take the tubing from the tubing reel, and the reel must have sufficient pulling force and speed to keep up with the injector and maintain tension on the tubing as the tubing is being pulled out of the well bore by the injector. The tension on the tubing is always being maintained in an amount sufficient to wind properly the tubing on the spool and to keep the tubing wound on the spool.
Although a spool can be rotated by means of a chain and a sprocket mounted on the axle of the coiled tubing spool, planetary gear drives are typically used to rotate the spool. A planetary gear drive is capable of delivering high torque at low speeds without the heaviness and expense of a chain and sprocket. Closed center planetary gear drives are usually preferred. Such drives have all of their components mounted symmetrically about the center of rotation, including the drive motor, which may be electric or hydraulic.
In a typical arrangement, the output of a planetary gear drive supports one end of the reel, connecting directly to the axle of the reel. Integral brakes are usually fitted to the planetary drive to provide a parking brake for preventing unwinding of the stored tubing when the drive motor is not powered. Planetary gearing is also referred to as epicyclic gearing. Planetary gearing comprises one or more gears, called planet gears, that revolve around a central gear called a sun gear. The planet gears are mounted to a carrier, which may rotate relative to the sun gear. An outer gearing, called an annulus, meshes with the planet gear. Planetary gearing may be either simple or compound. A simple planetary gear has one sun, one ring, one carrier and one set of planet gears. A compound planetary gearing has a more complex structure. There exist many examples of compound structures too numerous to list. In a coiled tubing reel application, the planetary gear drive functions as reduction gearing that takes a relatively high speed, low-torque input, such as from a hydraulic motor, and provides a relatively low speed, high-torque output that is coupled with the hub of the reel, with the input to the planetary gearing rotating about the same axis as its output and the spool.
A fluid swivel connects to the other end of the axle of the reel for coupling a fluid source to the coiled tubing wound on the reel. Because the planetary gear drive is connected to one end of the spool's central axle, and the fluid axle is connected to the other end, a concentric rotary union or a slip ring assembly is used to run electrical and other wires into the coiled tubing for transmitting electrical signals to and from sensors and other equipment connected to the end of the coiled tubing. The concentric rotary union must have a sufficiently large internal hub that can be bored out to pass over the axle of the reel. Alternately, to avoid having to incorporate concentric rotary ring, a chain and sprocket is used.


An improved composition for treatment of ulcer-type skin conditions. The composition is primarily characterized by a combination of nitroglycerin and arginine. Other embodiments comprise emollient cream, mineral oil, tumeric powder, folic acid, vitamin B12, and zinc citrate. The composition is particulary effective in improving blood flow in the underlying capillary bed about the wound, improving nerve growth about the wound, increasing circulation, and having a standardized and more predictable therapeutic characteristic.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an improved composition for treatment of a skin condition. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved composition for treatment for common types of skin ulcers, including diabetic, stasis, and decubitus ulcers.
2. Background Information
Various treatments for ulcer-type skin conditions are known in the art. More specifically, skin ulcer treatment regimens heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the designs encompassed by the prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of various objectives and requirements.
Known documents include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,840, which relies on modified (oxidized) heparins; and U.S. Pat. No 5,789,439, which relies one pharmaceutical use of forskolin derivatives.
While these treatments may fulfill their respective, particularly claimed objectives and requirements, the aforementioned documents do not disclose an improved composition for treating skin ulcers such as Applicant's present invention.
Today's society, particularly in the United States, is increasingly susceptible to Diabetes. In fact, the incidence of diabetes is rising precipitously. Genetic traits, in combination with poor diet and lack of exercise, are thought to be significant factors in one's likelihood of coming down with diabetes.
Type II diabetes is the most common form of the disease and accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diabetes. Throughout the world, the incidence of Type II diabetes is nearing epidemic proportions. Examination of current and expected diabetic trends (and the detrimental effects therefrom) is helpful for grasping the tremendous need for the present invention.
By way of example, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") reports an increase in the cases of diagnosed adult diabetes of 49% between 1990 and 2000. Further, the CDC estimates the diabetes, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, affects approximately seventeen million Americans (or some 6.2% of the U.S. population).
Diabetes is a prevalent disease and an ever-growing domestic and international public health concern. The World Health organization estimates that approximately 150 million people are affected by diabetes; and, these numbers are expected to only get worse (estimated 215 million people affected by 2010; estimated 300 million people affected by 2025). Worldwide, diabetes has a relatively high mortality rate. Diabetes is reportedly among the top five causes of death by disease in most countries, though this may be a conservative ranking. More likely, diabetes is even more deadly as it is frequently under reported on death certificates. Finally, diabetes does not discriminate. Similar trends in the increase incidence of diabetes has been observed across both sexes, virtually every age group, different ethic groups, all socio-economic backgrounds, and every state in the Union. Importantly, the occurrence of diabetes and skin ulcers is directly related. Accordingly, the sharp increase in the number of people having diabetes has led to an increase in the number of people affected by skin ulcers. By way of example, diabetics have a fifteen percent chance of developing a foot ulcer during their lifetime. Of those diabetics that develop foot ulcers, approximately twenty percent will require amputation. (International J of Pharm Compounding 8(4) July/August 2004, 269). Such amputations are also increasing at an alarming rate. Between 1990 and 2000, the number of amputations resulting from foot ulcers increased by twenty six percent. This trend is expected not only to continue, but to worsen in the coming years. Foot ulcers cause approximately eighty five percent of all diabetic amputation of the lower extremities (Emergency Medicine 36(8) August 2004, 14-23). The number of such lower extremity amputations (LEA's) now exceeds 100,000 per year!
Recurring foot ulcers, and the amputations that may result, present a continuing problem on a national and global scale. In the event that an ulcer is successfully treated, it is more likely than not that the ulcer will reoccur. Recurrence rates associated with diabetic foot ulcers and resulting LEA's are commonly as high as fifty percent to seventy percent over a period of three to five years.
Those skilled in the art of ulcer treatment realize that the accepted standard of care is simply not working. Current medications s of treatment all too commonly fail to heal ulcers and prevent the occurrence of complications such as infection and gangrene. Overall, fifty to eighty percent of patients having diabetic foot ulcers will heal within six months—assuming optimal management from a multi-disciplinary team. (Emergency Medicine 36(8) August 2004, 14-23). However, all too common complications require hospitalization, painful and expensive surgery, and a prolonged rehabilitation regimen. With the incidence of ulcer recurrence as high as seventy percent, the healing of one ulcer is often rapidly followed by the development of a new one.
In view of the serious consequences of diabetic ulcers and the utter inability to effectively treat those ulcers, a great need exists for an improved treatment. Applicant's invention, through a novel composition and associated methods of applying that composition, provides a much needed solution to the problems mentioned above. While known regimens rely on the use of debridement and washing, the present invention does away with this accepted treatment. Applicant has found that such treatment typically results in scarring, non-closure of the wound, and/or recurrence. Instead, the present invention relies on a novel combination of ingredients that is particularly effective in increasing blood flow and nerve growth about the wound.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Composition for treating a dermal anomaly