A system and process of calculating monetary payments by a lender to a borrower based on the value of an asset using at least one of a plurality of constants stored in look-up tables. The process includes inputting borrower information such as borrower birthdate or age. Property specific information is input, such as appraised property value. Equity share information is also input. With the Equity share information and borrower age, the process looks-up a tenure conversion factor from a look-up table. The loan type is input as one of tenure, line of credit, and modified tenure and appropriate variables are set accordingly. The principal limit factor is read from a look-up table and the original principal limit is calculated to be equal to the principal limit factor multiplied by the appraised property value. Next the net principal limit is calculated as the original principal limit minus costs. The loan is then calculated--if tenure, then the monthly payment equals net principal limit times tenure conversion factor, if line of credit, then the net principal limit equals the line of credit, and if modified tenure, then net line of credit equals net principal limit minus (monthly payment divided by tenure conversion factor), when a monthly payment amount was requested or monthly payment equals (net principal limit minus net line of credit) multiplied by tenure conversion factor when a net line of credit was requested.

This invention is directed generally to loan calculation system, and, in particular, to a reverse mortgage loan calculation system and method using look-up tables.
Mortgage products have taken many forms in the prior art. Among the popular types of mortgage products are a conventional mortgage where an individual receives money in exchange for a mortgage, which includes a promissory note to the lender, as well as providing the lender with a security interest in the underlying collateral. In most cases, the individual's home is the primary collateral.
A home equity loan is an additional type of collateralized loan. The home equity loan or home equity line of credit normally provides an individual with the ability to obtain additional capital, while again providing a promissory note and a second security interest in the underlying collateral. In each case, the owner of the asset enjoys the asset while a security interest in the asset is given to a lender.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,270 is directed to a method and apparatus for releasing the value of an asset. The program provides for an interest-free mortgage to be taken against a secured asset for a promissory obligation by a participant to pay a sum certain on death of the participant. This system is developed as a fund which derives income from a payment of obligations as participants die, thereby funding distributions to other participants that are living. Eligibility into the system is determined based on the value of pledged assets with respect to the amount against which they are pledged.
Thus, it is known to loan money to an individual so that the borrower can obtain money from an asset that the owner still enjoys during his/her life, but at death, the asset is turned over to the loan provider.
It is desirable to provide a loan calculation system and method which allows a loan officer in a financial institution to change many different variables required in considering whether to lend money, so that a customized loan may be provided. In particular, an individual can obtain upfront income, line of credit income, or tenure payments, and upon entry of certain fixed information, the loan officer may vary a plurality of variables to provide the desired customized loan structure.

Reverse mortgage loan calculation system and process


A fixing holder for fixing an electronic component having wire-shaped leg portions to a printed circuit board, the holder being an almost cylindrical-shaped holder for holding the electronic component having the wire-shaped leg portions in a manner that the leg portions pass through and protrude therefrom, the fixing holder comprises: a holder main body portion for holding a main body portion of the electronic component; and a base portion continuously provided to the holder main body portion, wherein one surface of the base portion on a forward side is opened to form an opening, at least a portion of periphery of the opening is configured to form a flat surface, and a side surface of the holder main body portion on a side where the opening is formed is protruded forward to form an engagement nail portion to be engaged with the printed circuit board.

The present invention relates to a fixing holder for fixing an electronic component having wire-shaped leg portions such as an LED (light emitting diode) to a printed circuit board (hereinafter abbreviated as a PCB), and a fixing method utilizing the same.
A PCB is installed in a dipping machine in a state that a multiplicity of electronic components are mounted on the upper portion of the PCB, so that the lower surface thereof soldered.
In general the dipping machine includes guide rails G having U shaped configuration in its section for guiding right and left edges of the PCB as shown in FIG. 1C. The PCB is guided by the guide rails G so as to move therealong and passes through a soldering bath provided on a way of the running path, thereby being subjected to the soldering on its lower surface.
Due to the aforesaid configuration of the dipping machine, an electronic component can not be fixed at the left or right edge of the PCB so as to extend across the edge portion transversely.
In other words, such a component which interferes the passing of the guide rails can not be fixed at the edge portion of the PCB where the guide rail G passes.
In a case where electronic components such as an LED are required to be fixed at the edge portion of such a PCB by all means due to the requirement for the circuit design, only such components are soldered and fixed manually without using the dipping machine.
That is, components other than such particular components are soldered and fixed on the PCB by using the dipping machine and only the particular components are soldered and fixed manually.
The Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. Hei 3-113900 discloses an LED holder. As shown in FIG. 3, such an LED holder is arranged in a manner that first elastic engagement pieces 101d, 102e for provisional fixing are protrusively provided at the lower end thereof, second elastic engagement pieces 101f, 101g for formal fixing are protrusively provided at the one side thereof, and a thin bending portion 101a is provided between the first elastic engagement pieces and the second elastic engagement pieces, whereby after the holder is provisionally fixed on a substrate 103, the holder is bent and fixed at a predetermined position of the substrate.
However, when the LED holder 101 is bent at the bending portion 101a, tension force is applied at leg portions 102a, 102b of the LED 102. Thus, there arises a problem that the dipped or soldered portions at the tip ends of the leg portions 102a, 102b may come off or the leg portions 102a, 102b may be broken at portions thereof.
Further, according to such a holder, the LED 102 can not protrude to the side direction at the near portion of the edge of the PCB, and the LED is fixed at the portion lifted from the PCB 103 by the length l of the elastic engagement pieces 101f, 101g. Thus, the holder is insufficient for the degree of freedom in its design.

Fixing holder for fixing an electronic component having wire-shaped leg portions to a printed circuit board


An electronic substrate manufacturing method includes: forming a wiring pattern on a substrate; providing a mask with an opening for the substrate on which the wiring pattern has been formed; performing a specified treatment in a part area of the wiring pattern through the opening of the mask. The opening has a size based on an accuracy of an alignment between the substrate and the mask.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic device and its manufacturing method, an electro-optical device and its manufacturing method, and electronic apparatus and its manufacturing method.
2. Related Art
In recent years, miniaturization and densification of the packaging of semiconductor devices itself are being demanded with the miniaturization and higher functionality of electronic devices. One such example that is well known is the technology for integrating resistance in semiconductor element using polysilicon. For instance, the technology for forming resistance using polycrystalline grain boundary doped with impurities in polysilicon has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. S58-7848. Also, the technology for forming a resistance part by applying and curing resistance paste by the thick film formation method in a rearranged wiring section on a semiconductor element, has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2003-46026.
When performing impedance control and the like using passive elements such as resistances installed on a substrate, the resistance value has to be controlled accurately. However, it is difficult to ensure the required accuracy in the art mentioned above, and resistance parts with high reliability cannot be obtained. Moreover, an independent process is necessary to form a resistance part, and the problem in the art mentioned above is that productivity decreases.
To resolve such a problem, the formation of resistance elements using a part of wiring patterns installed on substrates, such as rearranged wiring patterns, may be considered. In this case, wiring can be manufactured using mask, but if the mask alignment accuracy with respect to the substrate is poor, the offset between the mask opening and wiring pattern increases, and the resistance elements formed corresponding to the opening cannot be obtained in the specified area.

Electronic substrate manufacturing method


The present disclosure relates to systems for mounting touch-panel devices such as smartphones or tablets. An example embodiment of an on-wall docking station is provided wherein the docking station comprises a metallic pad, a gripping surface, mounting screws, a mounting plate, an external connection port, magnets, a near field communication device, and a magnet buffer. The docking station may allow for mounting a touch-panel device in a plurality of mounting orientations.

Touch-panel devices, also referred to herein as touch-panel display devices, such as tablets, are used widely for a plurality of various applications in the home and office. For example, tablets may be used for reading electronic versions of books, controlling home automation, cameras, playing music, etc. So far, there are only a limited number of wall mount options on the market that are available to consumers. The available options for wall mounting touch-panel devices include mounts specific to one model or brand of touch-panel device which may force a consumer to change the mount along with upgrading or replacing the touch-panel device. Some additional mounting devices may require cutting into a wall or other mounting surface in order to effectively couple the mount to the mounting surface.
However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, other methods of mounting touch-panel display devices may include bulky cases or large external attachments to be placed onto the exterior of a touch-panel device. Mounting devices that require attachments to be placed onto the touch-panel display device may typically inhibit the use of an existing protective case. Further, mounting devices that require a touch-panel device to be contained within a specific case may therefore limit the options for protective cases.
As one example, the present disclosure provides a touch-panel mounting system comprising durable, easily mounted pieces that are substantially free of peripheral projections. The mounting assembly may further comprise a substantially thin profile that may be configured to mount any touch-panel device.
In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a mounting solution which is easy to use, comprises a substantially thin profile, is strong, durable, and includes the ability to mount directly to walls, mirrors, granite, or any other surface is provided. Additionally, the docking station may provide reliable mounting of touch-panel devices such as tablets, while maintaining the ability to use an existing protective or carrying case.
In another embodiment, a near field device tag may be added to the mounting assembly. In this way, the tablet or other near field capable touch-panel device may be able to determine its location relative to the mounting device which may further allow the touch-panel device to automatically trigger specific applications for example.
It will be appreciated that the touch-panel device mounting system as described herein may be configured such that the mounting system may be used with any brand or model of a touch-panel device. Further, multiple touch-panel devices, including devices of different brands or models may be used on the same mount. In this way, a singular mounting device may be used for a plurality of different touch-panel devices. As an example, a household may use the same mounting device to mount devices belonging to the whole family as well as guests.
One embodiment of the present disclosure provides that the mounting device comprises and is constructed from one or more pieces such that the mount is easy to install, and flexible in its mounting location. Further, the mounting system may comprise one or more of plastics, metals, rubbers, screws, wires, and magnets in at least one example.
The summary provided herein is intended to introduce a selection of concepts in simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, this summary is not intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.

On-wall docking station for touch-panel devices


An apparatus and method for managing multiple traffic redundancy mechanisms includes a resource manager for managing the multiple redundancy mechanisms for bridging traffic between a working port and a protection port, and uses an agent for the working port in order to maintain routes associated with the working port even after a failure occurs that affects communication over the working port. The resource manager creates a protection group including the working port and the protection port. A traffic bridge is established between the working port and the protection port.

In today's information age, computers and computer peripherals are frequently interconnected over a communication network. A typical communication net work includes a number of networking devices, such as switches and routers. These networking devices work together to route packets of information from a source device to one or more destination devices.
A typical networking device includes a central controller and a number of line cards. Each line card occupies a "slot" of the networking device, and supports one or more network interfaces (each referred to hereinafter as a "slot port") through which the networking device communicates with various other devices, including other networking devices. Exemplary slot port types include Ethernet and SONET.
Within the networking device, the line cards are interconnected by a switching fabric. Each line card includes one or more fabric interfaces (each referred to hereinafter as a "fabric port"). Among other things, the fabric ports on a particular line card may be used for supporting different types of fabric services (e.g., unicast versus multicast fabric ports) and/or for supporting priority queues (e.g., high priority versus low priority fabric ports). The switching fabric routes information between the line cards, and more particularly between fabric ports.
Each line card includes logic for receiving, processing, and transmitting packets. Each line card can receive and transmit packets over its fabric port(s) and over its slot port(s). Each line card maintains a routing table that is typically distributed to all line cards by the central controller. The routing table includes a number of routing table entries, where each routing table entry indicates, among other things, the outgoing associated with a particular destination. An outgoing interface can be a slot port on the same line card as indicated by a slot port number, a different line card as indicated by a slot number, or a specific fabric port on a different line card as indicated by a slot number/fabric port number pair.
The line cards interoperate over the switching fabric in order to route packets. Specifically, a packet received by a particular line card (referred to hereinafter as the "incoming line card") over a particular slot port may be forwarded to other slot ports on the same line card and/or to other line cards. The incoming line card uses its routing table to determine the outgoing interfaces for the packet, typically based upon a destination address or label in the packet, and forwards the packet over the outgoing interface(s).
In certain applications, two line cards are "bridged" so that all packets sent to a first line card (referred to hereinafter as a "working line card" or "WLC") over the switching fabric are also sent to a second line card (referred to hereinafter as the "protection line card" or "PLC"). Among other things, a bridge may be used for redundancy or protection switching. In a typical embodiment, bridging is accomplished by modifying the routing table to include the PLC as an outgoing interface in all routing table entries having the WLC as an outgoing interface. For convenience, each such routing table entry is referred to hereinafter as a "bridged routing table entry." With a bridge in place, any packet that is sent to the WLC is also sent to the PLC.
Data Path (DP) logic in the central controller typically maintains the IP/circuit (IP/CCT) handlers (HDLs) for each active slot port, and also maintains various processes for each active slot port. When a failure occurs that affects communication over a particular slot port (e.g., a link failure), the DP logic disables the slot port. Specifically, the DP logic tears down all routes that are associated with that slot port (i.e., all routes that include the slot port as an outgoing interface) and distributes an updated routing table to all line cards. The DP logic also removes any processes that are associated with the slot port.
When bridging is used, it is important for routes associated with the WLC to remain active even after a failure affecting communication over the WLC. This is because those routes are used to establish or maintain the bridge between the WLC and the PLC. Unfortunately, when the DP logic detects a failure affecting communication over the WLC, the DP logic tears down all routes associated with the WLC. This either destroys an existing bridge between the WLC and PLC or prevents a bridge from being established between the WLC and the PLC.

Apparatus and method for supporting multiple traffic redundancy mechanisms


The invention belongs to the field of animal health and in particular Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV). The invention provides infectious BVDV clones and methods to produce said BVDV clones. The invention further relates to methods of attenuating said clones, attenuated BVDV clones and vaccines comprising said attenuated clones.

The invention belongs to the field of animal health and in particular Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV). The invention provides infectious BVDV clones and methods to produce said BVDV clones. The invention further relates to methods of attenuating said clones, attenuated BVDV clones and vaccines comprising said attenuated clones.
Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) is the causative agent of BVD and mucosal disease in cattle (Baker, J. C., 1987, J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 190:1449–1458; Moennig, V. and Plagemann, J., 1992; Adv. Virus Res. 41:53–91; Thiel, H. J. et al., 1996, Fields Virology 1059–1073). Fetal infection during pregnancy can result in the resorption of the fetus, abortions, as well as birth of immunotolerant calves which are persistently infected with BVDV. These calves lack or have very low neutralizing antibody titers and are continuously shedding high amounts of virus. Next to acutely infected cattle these calves are the major source for virus spreading and are therefore of prime importance in the epidemiology of this disease. The major economical impact of BVD results from high abortion rates, stillbirths, fetal resorption, mummification, congenital malformations, and birth of weak and undersized calves. For a detailed review of the pathogenesis, hereby refer to the article of Moennig, V. and Liess, B. of 1995, Virus, 11(3):477–487.
Two major antigenic groups of BVDV (type 1 and 2) have been described (Becher, P. et al. 1999, Virology 262:64–71) which display limited cross neutralizing antibody reactions (Ridpath, J. F., et al. 1994, Virology 205:66–74).
Present vaccines for the prevention and treatment of BVDV infections still have drawbacks (Oirschot, J. T., et al. 1999, Veterinary Microbiology, 64:169–183). Vaccines against the classical BVDV type 1 provide only partial protection from type 2 infection, and vaccinated dams may produce calves that are persistently infected with virulent BVDV type 2 (Bolin, S. R., et al., 1991, Am. J. Vet. Res. 52:1033–1037; Ridpath, J. F., et al., 1994, Virology 205:66–74). This problem is probably due to the great antigenic diversity between type 1 and type 2 strains which is most pronounced in the glycoprotein E2, the major antigen (Tijssen, P., et al., 1996, Virology 217:356–361). most monoclonal antibodies against type 1 strains fail to bind to type 2 viruses (Ridpath, J. F., et al., 1994, Virology 205:66–74).
Killed vaccines (inactivated whole virus) or subunit vaccines (conventionally purified or heterologously expressed purified viral proteins) are most often inferior to live vaccines in their efficacy to produce a full protective immune response even in the presence of adjuvants.
Live BVDV vaccines, although attenuated, are most often associated with safety problems. As mentioned above, they cross the placenta of pregnant cows and lead to clinical manifestations in the fetus and/or the induction of persistently infected calves. Therefore, they cannot be applied to breeding herds that contain pregnant cows. Pregnant cows have to be kept separate from vaccinated cattle to protect fetuses and must not be vaccinated themselves. Furthermore, revertants of attenuated live BVDV pose a serious threat to cattle. For conventionally derived attenuated viruses wherein the attenuation is achieved by conventional multiple passaging, the molecular origin as well as the genetic stability of the attenuation remains unknown and reversion to the virulent wild-type is unpredictable.
Live vaccines with defined mutations as a basis for attenuation would overcome the disadvantages of the present generation of attenuated vaccines. A further advantage of said attenuating mutations lies in their defined molecular uniqueness which can be used as a distinctive label for the attenuated pestivirus to distinguish it from pestiviruses from the field.
In the art, BVDV of defined genetic identity which closely resemble wild-type viruses are hardly known, in particular not for type 2 BVDV. In the art, there was a long lasting need for methods to generate such BVDV. Therefore, the technical problem underlying this invention was to provide a BVDV, in particular a BVDV type 2, of defined genetic identity.

Infectious bovine viral diarrhea virus clone


The present invention provides an image bearing belt wherein a toner image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member is temporarily transferred to the image bearing belt and the toner image transferred to the image bearing member is used in a system for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material. It comprises a rubber layer having a thickness of 0.5 mm or more, and a high resistive layer having at a transfer position where the toner image is transferred in an image forming apparatus, a thickness of 100 .mu.m or less and having an average net resistance value greater than that of the rubber layer at that transfer position by ten times or more, thereby forming a good multi toner image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine having an intermediate transfer belt or a printer having an intermediate transfer belt, in which an image is formed by electrostatically transferring an image formed on an image bearing belt onto a transfer material.
2. Related Background Art
In conventional color image forming apparatuses, various systems such as electrophotographic systems, heat-transfer systems, ink jet systems or the like have been utilized. Among them, image forming apparatuses having the electrophotographic system are superior to other image forming apparatuses from a view point of high speed operation, high image quality and silentness and have recently been used widely.
In such electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, there have been used various methods such as a multi-developing method in which, after color images are superimposed on a surface of a photosensitive member, the images are collectively transferred for image formation, a multi-transfer method in which a development/transfer cycle is repeated, or an intermediate transfer method in which, after various color developed images were once transferred onto an intermediate transfer member successively, the images are collectively transferred onto a transfer material. Among them, the intermediate transfer method has been noticed in the points that there is no color mixing between developing devices and that it can be applied to various media.
The intermediate transfer member may be of roller type or of belt type. An intermediate transfer belt is superior to an intermediate transfer roller in the points that it has greater flexibility than the intermediate transfer roller and that separation ability between the transfer material and the belt (after second transferring) is excellent due to the fact that a curvature of the belt can be increased at a second transfer position where the developed images are collectively transferred onto the transfer material.
In general, the intermediate transfer belt is formed from a resin film made of PVdF, nylon, PET or polycarbonate and having a thickness of 100 to 200 .mu.m and volume resistivity of about 10.sup.11 to 10.sup.16 .OMEGA.m. By using such a thin resin film, since great electrostatic capacity of the order of several hundreds to several thousands of pF can be obtained at a transfer nip, stable transfer current can be achieved.
However, when the intermediate transfer belt having the thickness of 200 .mu.m or less is repeatedly flexed by support rollers during rotation, wrinkles are formed on the surface of the belt, thereby causing the image uneven. Further, since the belt may be torn through the wrinkles, a service life of the belt is decreased. In addition, since the resin film cannot be extended, if instantaneous great tension is applied to the belt, the belt cannot absorb such a great force, with the result that the belt will be torn. The image forming apparatus is frequently stopped instantaneously due to sheet jam treatment, or inadvertent door open caused by an operator's erroneous operation. In such a case, the intermediate transfer belt may be torn.
Further, if the thickness of the resin film is increased to improve the service life of the belt, the belt cannot follow the driving roller and/or a driven roller to make the rotation of the belt unstable, with the result that misalignment of registration occurs, thereby worsening the image quality of the color image. In addition, since a friction force is small, slip is easily generated, thereby making the drive unstable.

Image bearing belt and image forming apparatus using same


A method of initialising rendering at a graphics processing unit configured to perform safety-critical rendering within a graphics processing system, the method comprising: generating configuration data for initialising rendering of safety critical graphical data at the graphics processing unit; receiving the configuration data for initialising rendering at the graphics processing unit; configuring the graphics processing unit in accordance with the configuration data for initialising rendering; determining whether the graphics processing unit is correctly configured in accordance with the configuration data; and determining, by a safety controller external to the graphics processing unit, that an initialisation error has occurred in response to determining that the graphics processing unit is not correctly configured in accordance with the configuration data.

The present disclosure relates to methods and graphics processing systems for initialising safety-critical rendering.
In safety-critical systems, at least some of the components of the system must meet safety goals sufficient to enable the system as a whole to meet a level of safety deemed necessary for the system. For example, in most jurisdictions, seat belt retractors in vehicles must meet specific safety standards in order for a vehicle provided with such devices to pass safety tests. Likewise, vehicle tyres must meet specific standards in order for a vehicle equipped with such tyres to pass the safety tests appropriate to a particular jurisdiction. Safety-critical systems are typically those systems whose failure would cause a significant increase in the risk to the safety of people or the environment.
Data processing devices often form an integral part of safety-critical systems, either as dedicated hardware or as processors for running safety-critical software. For example, fly-by-wire systems for aircraft, driver assistance systems, railway signalling systems and control systems for medical devices would typically all be safety-critical systems running on data processing devices. Where data processing devices form an integral part of a safety-critical system it is necessary for the data processing device itself to satisfy safety goals such that the system as a whole can meet the appropriate safety level. In the automotive industry, the safety level is normally an Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) as defined in the functional safety standard ISO 26262.
Increasingly, data processing devices for safety-critical systems comprise a processor running software. Both the hardware and software elements must meet specific safety goals. Some software failures can be systematic failures due to programming errors or poor error handling. These issues can typically be addressed through rigorous development practices, code auditing and testing protocols. Even if systematic errors could be completely excluded from a safety-critical system, random errors can be introduced into hardware, e.g. by transient events (e.g. due to ionizing radiation, voltage spikes, or electromagnetic pulses). In binary systems transient events can cause random bit-flipping in memories and along the data paths of a processor. The hardware may also have permanent faults.
The safety goals for a data processing device may be expressed as a set of metrics, such as a maximum number of failures in a given period of time (often expressed as Failures in Time, or FIT), and the effectiveness of mechanisms for detecting single point failures (Single Point Failure Mechanisms, or SPFM) and latent failures (Latent Failure Mechanisms, or LFM). There are various approaches to achieving safety goals set for data processing devices: for example, by providing hardware redundancy so that if one component fails another is available to perform the same task, or through the use of check data (e.g. parity bits or error-correcting codes) to allow the hardware to detect and/or correct for minor data corruptions.
For example, data processors can be provided in a dual lockstep arrangement 100 as shown in FIG. 1 in which a pair of identical processing cores 101 and 102 are configured to process a stream of instructions 103 in parallel. The output of either one of the processing cores (101) may be used as the output 104 of the lockstep processor. When the outputs of the processing cores 101 and 102 do not match, a fault can be raised to the safety-critical system. A delay 105 can be introduced on the input to one of the cores so as to improve the detection probability of errors induced by extrinsic factors such as ionizing radiation and voltage spikes (with typically a corresponding delay 106 being provided on the output of the other core). However, since a second processing core is required, dual lockstep processors are expensive in that they necessarily consume double the chip area compared to conventional processors and consume approximately twice the power.
Advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous vehicles may incorporate data processing systems that are suitable for such safety-critical applications which have significant graphics and/or vector processing capability. However, the increases in the area and power consumption (and therefore cost) of implementing a dual lockstep processor might not be acceptable or desirable. For example, driver-assistance systems often provide computer-generated graphics illustrating hazards, lane position, and other information to the driver. Typically, this will lead the vehicle manufacturer to replace a conventional instrument cluster with a computer-generated instrument cluster which also means that the display of safety-critical information such as speed and vehicle fault information becomes computer-generated. Such processing demands can be met by graphics processing units (GPUs). However, in the automotive context, advanced driver-assistance systems typically require a data processing system which meets ASIL level B of ISO 26262.
For example, in the automotive context, graphics processing systems may be used to render an instrument cluster for display at a dashboard display screen. The instrument cluster provides critical information to the driver, such as vehicle speed and details of any vehicle faults. It is important that such critical information is reliably presented to the driver and vehicle regulations would typically require that the critical information is rendered in a manner which satisfies a predefined safety level, such as ASIL B of the ISO 26262 standard.
FIG. 2 illustrates an instrument cluster 200. The instrument cluster comprises a speedometer 202 in the form of a traditional dial having speed values 208 around the edge of the dial and a needle 207 whose angular orientation indicates the current speed of the vehicle. The instrument cluster further comprises an oil temperature gauge 203, an information icon 204 (e.g. indicating the selected radio station), a non-critical warning icon 205 (e.g. indicating a fault with the air conditioning system), and a critical warning icon 206 (e.g. indicating a serious engine problem). It may be necessary to render the instrument cluster 200 in a manner which satisfies a mandated safety level, such as ASIL B of the ISO 26262 standard.
Autonomous vehicles must in addition process very large amounts of data (e.g. from RADAR, LI DAR, map data and vehicle information) in real-time in order to make safety-critical decisions. Graphics processing units can also help meet such processing demands but safety-critical systems in autonomous vehicles are typically required to meet the most stringent ASIL level D of ISO 26262.


A shade includes a pivot member disposed along a horizontal axis extending in the transverse direction of a vehicle and configured to pivot about the horizontal axis. An indentation section extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle is formed in a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the shade. Two areas on the outer peripheral surface in the circumferential direction thereof are formed as a first distributed light generation section for generating a left low beam light distribution pattern, and a second distributed light generation section for generating a right low beam light distribution pattern. The indentation section is formed as a third distributed light generation section for generating a high beam light distribution pattern.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp configured to form a light distribution pattern having a cut-off line formed at an upper end portion thereof, by means of a lamp unit of the so-called projector type.
2. Related Art
A related art vehicle headlamp is configured to emit light ahead of a vehicle by means of a lamp unit of the projector type.
The related art projector type lamp unit is configured such that light originating from a light source disposed in the vicinity of an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle is gathered and reflected toward the front and around the optical axis by a reflector. The thus-reflected light is emitted ahead of the lamp by a projection lens provided in front of the reflector.
When a light distribution pattern having a cut-off line formed at an upper portion thereof is formed by means of the lamp unit, a shade is disposed in the vicinity of a rear focal point of the projection lens. A portion of the light reflected from the reflector is interrupted by the shade, to thus form the cut-off line.
Japanese publication JP-B-6-48601 describes a shade configured to enable selection between a light distribution pattern for a left-distributed low beam and a light distribution pattern for a high beam, serving as a light distribution pattern resulting from emission of light from the lamp unit. The light distribution is done by pivoting the shade—which is configured to pivot about a horizontal axis extending in a transverse direction of a vehicle—in accordance with a vehicle driving condition. JP '601 further suggests, as a modification, the ability to select a light distribution pattern for a right-distributed low beam.
European Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1033528 describes a shade configured such that two areas in an outer peripheral surface of the shade formed from a rotary shaft member, the shaft member configured to pivot about a horizontal axis extending in a transverse direction of a vehicle, are configured as a region to be used for generating a light distribution pattern for a left-distributed low beam (hereinafter simply called a "left low beam light distribution pattern") and another region to be used for generating a light distribution pattern for a right-distributed low beam (hereinafter simply called a "right low beam light distribution pattern").
However, the related art has various problems and disadvantages. For example, but not by way of limitation, the shade described in JP '601 is configured such that a plurality of blades is fastened to a rotary shaft member at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction thereof. To generate a light distribution pattern having a cut-off line formed at an upper end portion thereof by means of the shade, the blade must be configured to accurately stop at a predetermined rotational angular position. To this end, accurate control of rotational movement of the shade is required.
In contrast, the shade described in European '528 generates the left low beam light distribution pattern or the right low beam light distribution pattern via the outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft member. Hence, if some degree of displacement has arisen in the rotational angle, no essential change arises in the shape of the cut-off line. Hence, a necessity for accurate control of rotational movement of the shade is obviated.
However, the shade described in European '528 encounters a problem of a failure to form a light distribution pattern for a high beam.


A panel assembly includes a multilayer panel including first and second layers made of loftable material characterized by a molded orientation resultant from lofting and subsequently compressing the loftable material during molding of the multilayer panel. The panel assembly may be light-weight with a low profile to minimize protrusion into an opening or compartment enclosed by the panel. The multilayer panel may be configured to as a floor panel enclosing an opening defined by a floor structure, which may be a vehicle floor. The multilayer panel may include at least one recess portion configured to strengthen the multilayer panel. A method of making the multilayer panel includes tethering the loftable material in a tethering frame prior to lofting and transferring the tethering frame including the lofted material into a mold to form into the multilayer panel. The tethering frame retains offal for removal from the mold after forming the panel.

A panel may be used to enclose a structure which may define an opening or compartment which is to be covered by the panel. The panel may be configured to withstand a force or load imposed on the panel without failing and/or exceeding a maximum deflection. Panels are used in vehicles to enclose various structures. For example, door panels configured to withstand bending and deflection forces are used to enclose door structures. In another example, a floor panel may be positioned in a floor, trunk, storage, or cargo space of a vehicle to enclose a compartment used to enclose or store one or more vehicle components, such as a spare tire or vehicle jack, or other vehicle user items, such as luggage, tools, etc. The floor panel should be configured to withstand bending and deflection forces and loads imposed by items which may be placed on the floor panel, which may include vehicle users standing, sitting or kneeling on the floor panel. A floor panel may be used in a vehicle including one or more retractable seats, where the floor panel is configured to cover the seat(s) when the seat(s) are fully retracted into a compartment defined by the floor structure of the vehicle. In this configuration, the panel should be configured to withstand loading and deflection forces imposed on the panel when the seats are in the retracted position, which may include withstanding a minimum knee loading requirement. Floor panels strengthened by adding a matrix or grid of reinforcing materials, and/or by increasing the depth of the panel profile or the thickness of the panel are disadvantaged by volume and weight added to the floor panel, such that the panel assembly presents a weight penalty to the vehicle and/or may be difficult to manipulate by a user, and/or the thick panel structure extends substantially into the vehicle compartment being enclosed to consume a portion of the compartment space, thus limiting the open compartment space available for storage, for example, of the retracted seat(s).


A self-latching sash latch device for use with a sliding closure. The latch device has a primary bolt (15) which in use engages with a strike (12). The primary bolt (15) is coupled to an operating element (13) whereby the primary bolt is moveable from a latching position to a retracted position. A retainer (38) retains the primary bolt (15) in the retracted position. A secondary bolt (16) is moveable with or independent of the primary bolt (15) and is engageable with the retainer (38) to release the retainer and enable the primary bolt (15) to move from a retracted position to the latching position.

This invention relates to a latch device and more particularly one which is self-latching. The latch device is primarily intended for the latching of a sliding window sash in the closed position in a window frame.
Currently there are a number of self-latching window sash latches available on the market. In most cases the latch operates after the window has been physically closed. Thus when the latch has reached the same level as the strike it latches the window in the closed position. To open the window an operating member e.g. a pull lever is operated and is held in the "open" position until such time as the latch has been lifted or slid past the strike. The operating member is then released.
One problem with this type of latch device arises when disengaging the latch from the strike. As described above the action of opening the window involves holding the operating member and at the same time physically lifting or moving the window. Not only is this action awkward to perform but also it can be very difficult to perform on large windows, windows without finger grips, windows with more than one latch and windows which have limited/restricted access.
A second problem is related to security and safety. With known latches there is no indication once the window sash has been moved to its fully closed position as to whether the latch has in fact successfully engaged with the strike. Thus a window thought to be latched may, in fact, be unlatched which can give rise to potential safety and security risks.


The present invention relates to compositions and methods for diagnosing, monitoring and/or treating an autoimmune or chronic inflammatory disease. In particular, the present invention provides methods for diagnosing, monitoring and treating an autoimmune disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) or chronic inflammatory disease (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus) based on detecting or altering (e.g., altering expression or methylation status of) autoimmune or chronic inflammatory disease proteins (e.g., CD70 and CD40L). The present invention also provides kits for detecting methylation status of autoimmune or chronic inflammatory disease proteins (e.g., CD70 and CD40L) and for diagnosing, monitoring and/or treating autoimmune or chronic inflammatory diseases.

Autoimmune diseases are generally understood to be diseases where the target of the disease is "self" or "self antigen." Among the many types of autoimmune diseases, there are a number of diseases that are believed to involve T cell immunity directed to self antigens, including, for example, multiple sclerosis (MS), Type I diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
RA is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by joint pain. The course of the disease is variable, but can be both debilitating and mutilating. According to conservative estimates approximately 50,000,000 individuals are afflicted with RA worldwide. Those individuals are not only subjected to life-long disability and misery, but as current evidence suggests, their life expectancy is compromised as well.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body including skin, blood, kidneys, and joints. SLE may manifest as a mild disease or be serious and life-threatening. More than 16,000 cases of SLE are reported in the United States each year, with up to 1.5 million cases diagnosed. Although SLE can occur at any age, and in either sex, it has been found to occur 10-15 times more frequently in women.
SLE is characterized by the production of auto-antibodies having specificity for a wide range of self-antigens. SLE auto-antibodies mediate organ damage by directly binding to host tissues and by forming immune complexes that deposit in vascular tissues and activate various immune cells. SLE induced damage to the host targets the skin, kidneys, vasculature, joints, various blood elements, and the central nervous system (CNS). The severity of disease, the spectrum of clinical involvement, and the response to therapy vary widely among patients. The clinical heterogeneity of SLE makes it challenging to diagnose, monitor and manage.
When a patient is diagnosed with an autoimmune disease such as RA and SLE, the choice of appropriate therapeutic interventions would be considerably facilitated by diagnostic and prognostic indicators that accurately reflect the current severity of the disease, predict future severity, and monitor response to therapy. Thus, there is a need in the art for reliable diagnostic and prognostic methods to monitor disease activity and response to therapy in patients suffering from autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and kits for diagnosing or monitoring autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disease

The Regents of the University of Michigan

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs


An optical disk driving apparatus comprises an optical pickup device having a laser beam source for emitting a laser beam to a disk recording medium, a unit for rotating the disk recording medium such that a linear velocity of a track on the recording medium accessed by the optical pickup device becomes a predetermined value, a unit for translating the optical pickup device along a radius of the disk recording medium in accordance with a seek signal indicative of the track to be accessed by the optical pickup device, and a unit responsive to the seek signal for controlling both the translating unit and the rotating unit, the translating means being prevented from translating the optical pickup device during a period until the linear velocity of the track desired by the seek signal on the disk recording medium reaches down to a value determined by the linear velocity of the desired track when the seek signal represents the order to transfer the optical pickup device from inner to outer tracks of the disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk driving apparatus having an optical disk that is rotated according to a constant linear velocity (CLV) system and, more particularly, to an optical disk driving apparatus in which an optical pickup device can be translated on the optical disk at high speed and a method of translating the optical pickup device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One recent optical disk driving apparatus tends to increase a recording density of an optical disk by rotating the optical disk at the constant linear velocity (hereinafter referred to as a CLV, if necessary). Further, recent optical disk apparatus tend to increase the transfer rate of data by increasing the revolution rate of an optical disk. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,660,189 and 5,126,994 describe the above-mentioned optical disk driving apparatus of such as CLV system.
Generally, when an optical pickup device is translated along a radial direction of an optical disk (i.e., during a seek operation), the optical pickup device is translated under the focusing servo in order to record or reproduce a signal immediately after the seek operation. An upper limit of a revolution rate of the optical disk is determined by the limit frequency of the focusing servo, i.e., a frequency at which an open loop characteristic of the focusing servo crosses 0 dB. The limit frequency of the focusing servo is a limit frequency at which the optical pickup device can be translated by a motor in response to a focus error amount in order to effect the focusing servo.
An optical pickup device that is located at a relatively outer peripheral side of the optical disk is translated toward the inner peripheral side in about 0.1 second if the optical disk is a 12-inch write once optical disk. Also, it takes about 1.2 seconds for a optical disk to increase a rotational speed on the outer peripheral side, i.e., from a rotational speed of 1080 r.p.m. to a rotational speed on the inner peripheral side, i.e., 2160 r.p.m.
Therefore, when the optical pickup device is translated from the outer to inner peripheral sides of the optical disk, even if the optical pickup device is translated and the rotational speed of the optical disk is changed at the same time, then the rotational speed of the optical disk does not reach the rotational speed on the inner peripheral side track after the optical pickup device is translated toward the inner peripheral side. In this case, however, the focusing servo can follow such rotational speed because the frequency of the focusing servo becomes a value lower than a value desired by a limit frequency of the focusing servo.
When the optical pickup device is translated from the inner to the outer peripheral sides of the optical disk, if the optical pickup device is translated and the rotational speed of the optical disk is changed at the same time, then the rotational speed of the optical disk is not reduced sufficiently by the time the optical pickup device reaches the outer peripheral side of the optical disk. There is then the disadvantage that the frequency of the focusing servo exceeds the limit frequency of the focusing servo. As a consequence, the optical pickup device cannot follow the optical disk according to the focusing servo so that the optical pickup device is brought in contact with the surface of the optical disk.

Optical disk driving apparatus with tracking control


The present invention generally provides a diagnostic head assembly which preferably includes both optical and non-optical diagnostic devices which locates the diagnostic devices in proximity to the processing region of a plasma reactor to enable in situ process control. Such diagnostic head assembly may include a quartz crystal microbalance, an optical endpoint detector and a Langmuir probe. The invention also provides microprocessor control of a plasma process using the information gathered from the optical and non-optical diagnostic devices. The invention further provides a plasma reactor that includes both optical and non-optical diagnostic devices positionable in a single diagnostic port provided in a sidewall of the reactor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing. More particularly, the invention relates to a plasma chamber having a diagnostic head assembly for detecting the completion of a plasma etch process, monitoring the plasma characteristics in a plasma reaction and determining the build up of material on the chamber walls using both optical and/or non-optical techniques.
2. Background of the Related Art
Sub-half micron feature size and multilevel integration are two of the key technologies for the next generations of very large scale integration ("VLSI") and ultra large scale integration ("ULSI"). Plasma processing and plasma-assisted processing are essential to the production of present and future generations of large scale integrated circuits. The advantages of plasma processing are being applied to thin-film processes that involve a deposition or removal of metals, semiconductors, inorganic insulators, and organic films. Increased production rates, more precise production control and the unique material properties that can result from the non-thermal chemistry of plasma processing are significant compared to conventional processing techniques. Because of the complexity of the physical and chemical environment in a process plasma, a large array of process monitors, historically termed "plasma diagnostics" are required to characterize the plasma, or to properly monitor important control parameters. The multilevel interconnections that lie at the heart of this technology require very precise processing to fabricate high quality, uniform gates, metal wires, plugs and other features. The uniformity and performance of these features is effected by numerous factors, including the methods and apparatus used to control plasma process conditions.
As the density of semiconductor devices increases, plasma etch processes are increasingly utilized because such processes can be employed to etch films in situ and avoid wet etch techniques. A typical plasma etch system includes a plasma processing chamber and a workpiece holder to support the workpiece in the chamber. Inlet ports introduce a reactant gas or gases into the chamber where electrodes are used to excite the gases into a plasma state in the chamber. One or more of the electrodes may be excited by a direct current (DC) voltage source or a radio frequency (RF) voltage source, often at frequencies ranging between about 2 MH.sub.z and about 13.56 MH.sub.z to couple energy from the power supply into the plasma. Typical methods for transferring the power into the gas include direct coupling, capacitive coupling, and inductive coupling. Often, coupling consists of a combination of these methods, even when it is not intentional. In addition, inductors (or coil arrangements) can be used in a chamber arrangement to inductively couple power into the process chamber to excite gases introduced in the chamber into a plasma state.
Plasma etch processes can be used to etch metals, semiconductors, inorganic insulators and organic films using reactive gases. Typical reactive gases include fluorine-containing gases, such as NF.sub.3, SF.sub.6, CHF.sub.3, CF.sub.4 or C.sub.2 F.sub.6, sometimes in combination with O.sub.2, Ar, N.sub.2, or He. These gases are useful in obtaining desired etch rates, selectivities and uniformities, all of which must be precisely controlled.
A typical process for etching a contact via is described in Arleo et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,790, which discusses etching a dielectric in a plasma using a mixture of fluorine-containing gases and nitrogen-containing gases. Dry etching of metals, such as aluminum, can be performed either by reactive ion etching (RIE) or by plasma etching in the presence of a halide gas, such as chlorine or bromine-containing gases for aluminum etching and fluorine-containing gases for tungsten etching. In addition, dry etching of a laminated film consisting of a metal silicide layer and a polycrystalline silicon layer can be performed using a mixed gas of SF.sub.6 and O.sub.2. Other gas combinations such as HBr, Cl.sub.2 and O.sub.2 ; NF.sub.3, Cl.sub.2 and O.sub.2 ; Cl.sub.2 and O.sub.2 ; as well as other gases can also be used to perform dry etching processes.
The increased demands placed on dry plasma etching make it extremely important to achieve reproducibility of etch results from wafer-to-wafer and batch-to-batch. In addition, the required feature characteristics need to be achieved at high wafer throughput requiring higher etch rates while achieving precise selectivity and uniformity across the wafer surface. Finally, the etching process and accompanying plasma chemistry should have a minimum effect on the etching system and the maintenance of that system.
In order to obtain a substantially uniform etch across the substrate surface, it is necessary to create and maintain a uniform plasma over the substrate and to monitor changes in the plasma. Typically, optical sensors are located within a single port on the chamber to detect changes in plasma characteristics. The presence of sensors and probes in the plasma region of the chamber, however, may disturb the plasma uniformity. Consequently, the use of sensors or probes is generally limited to a single sensor positioned in a small defined area along the perimeter of the chamber.
In applications where it is most important to determine a plasma's internal discharge parameters, an electrostatic probe, such as a Langmuir probe, may be used to measure the plasma density, charged particle concentration, and energy distribution functions. The Langmuir probe is typically a metallic electrode of cylindrical, planar, or spherical geometry, which collects current from a plasma when a voltage is applied to the probe. The probe's current collection properties, often called the probes's "current-voltage (I-V) characteristic" or the "probe characteristic", yields information on the plasma's internal discharge parameters. The probe's current-voltage characteristic is very useful for studying plasma parameters in a wide variety of situations. Langmuir probes suitable for use in RF plasmas are described by Carlile in U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,039, entitled "Langruir Probe System For Radio Frequency Excited Plasma Processing System," which is incorporated herein by reference.
In other applications where it is most important to closely monitor the etch rate of thin films on a substrate and material build up on the chamber walls, it can be beneficial to use a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to monitor the amount of material etched from the substrate and deposited on the chamber walls. Piezoelectric quartz crystals are commonly used to monitor the quantity of film material deposited on the crystal. These basic techniques are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,817,430, 4,207,836, and 4,311,725, which are incorporated herein by reference. A circuit for monitoring a piezoelectric crystal for changes in its resonant frequency as a film is deposited on the crystal is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,192, which is incorporated herein by reference. One such QCM which can be used to advantage with the present invention is the XTM/2 Deposition Monitor available from Leybold Inficon Inc. of East Syracuse, N.Y. However, other QCM's are available from other vendors and may be used to advantage in accordance with the present invention.
In plasma etch processes where it is most important to know when an etch process is complete, an endpoint detector is typically used to sense changes in the gas composition within the chamber. One such endpoint detection device is available from Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., and is known as the Endpoint Optical Emission System. This system allows the user to define the etch endpoint algorithms for each etch chamber, store the endpoint data for each etched wafer and to play back the endpoint trace. The Endpoint Optical Emission System uses spectral emissions of the plasma to sense endpoint.
However, despite the availability of these instruments to monitor and control individual aspects of plasma processing, there remains a need to increase the degree of control over the entire plasma process and plasma chamber and to precisely determine the intervals between which clean processes must be performed in the chamber. In particular, there is a need for an apparatus that will provide improved monitoring and control over plasma processes, particularly plasma etch processes. It would be desirable if the apparatus could indicate the etch rate, accurately determine the endpoint of the etch process and monitor material build up on the chamber walls. Furthermore, it would be desirable if the apparatus could use the existing detection port found in typical plasma chambers and maintain the uniform plasma characteristics within the chamber. It would also be desirable if the apparatus could improve reproducibility of process results from wafer-to-wafer, batch-to-batch, achieve greater wafer throughput, have a minimum effect on the plasma processes and have a minimum effect on the maintenance of that system.

Diagnostic head assembly for plasma chamber


A plastics waste processor is provided for efficiently compacting and melting plastics waste, so as to form easily disposable compact plastic units having a volume considerably smaller than the unprocessed plastics waste. The plastics waste processor has a waste containment chamber, a rotating chamber door, a jam breaker bar to facilitate opening of the door when jammed by melted plastic waste, pneumatically driven waste compaction means with plastic shedding rams, a waste containment chamber heating system, a processor temperature monitoring means, a cooling means, and a control means. Further a cable and hose management system is provided for protection of moving cables and hoses, as well as a washdown system for automatic cleaning of the processor.

Navy ships generate plastic waste at a rate of approximately 0.2 pounds per man per day. This plastic waste has very low density, approximately 1.4 pounds per cubic foot, and approximately 60% of this waste is heavily contaminated with food residue. Historically, all of this plastic waste was mixed with the remainder of the ship's waste and discharged at sea. This method of disposal, however, is no longer used due to its negative environmental impact.
A less environmentally harmful procedure now carried out involves compacting the onboard plastic waste, and storing the compacted waste for disposal upon reaching shore, using a conventional compress/melt waste processor. Such a conventional compress/melt waste processor, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,411,697 and 5,489,200, to McGraw, et al., compacts the plastic waste inside of a compaction chamber having a hatch door thereon, and heats the compacted waste to a target temperature of approximately 325°–350° F. by cycling resistance heaters until the temperature at the center of the slug (compressed plastic waste) exceeds the boiling point of water. During this processing cycle, the ram continues to maintain the target compaction force. At the end of the process cycle, the control system turns off the electrical resistance heaters and begins cooling the processor.
When the processor reaches a predetermined cooled temperature, the control system stops the cooling process, the ram is retracted far enough to relieve the compaction pressure, and the hatch door is released from the frame by rotating the door about its axis to release a breech lock mechanism. The hatch door is rotated about its hinge axis to open the end of the chamber and the ram is extended to push the completed slug out of the chamber for removal and storage.
However, it was found that the above conventional compress/melt waste processor disclosed in the McGraw, et al. references suffers from various operational and maintenance deficiencies, such as unacceptably long compaction periods, jamming of the compaction ram due to melted plastic wedging between the ram and the chamber walls, jamming of the hatch door when rotating on its axis to free the breech lock at the end of the process cycle, contamination of the machine surfaces due to excessive build-up of food waste, failures of cable and hose under the ram due to poor cable and hose management, failures of non-robust temperature sensors, difficulty troubleshooting because of an overly complex control system, and performance of excessive scheduled maintenance.
In view of the above deficiencies of the conventional processes for plastic waste processing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plastic waste processor capable of efficiently compacting plastic waste, while also being reliable in terms of operability. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a plastics waste processor having a pneumatic compacting means capable of avoiding jamming and sudden release problems encountered with the conventional processors. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a plastics waste processor having a waste containment chamber door capable of being easily and safely opened after processing of plastic waste.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a plastics waste processor having a compaction ram capable of overcoming jamming problems associated with the conventional processors. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plastics waste processor having a washdown system for easy cleaning of the processor after processing, as well as an improved system for efficiently maintaining and protecting moving cable and hoses within the device during processing.


This invention relates to amide derivatives represented by the following formula (1), amide derivative synthesis intermediates represented by the following formula (2), (3) or (4), and external skin care preparations, cosmetic hair care formulations and bath medicines containing the amide derivatives (1): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.1a are, for example, tetradecyl or hexadecyl, R.sup.2 is, for example, tridecyl or pentadecyl, R.sup.3 is, for example, ethylene or trimethylene, R.sup.3a is, for example, trimethylene, and R.sup.4, R.sup.4a and R.sup.4b are, for example, methoxy or ethoxy. When added to external skin care preparations, bath medicines and cosmetic hair care formulations, the amide derivatives (1) exhibit advantageous effects such as skin-roughness preventing/curing effects and hair touch-feeling improving effects.

To keep the skin moisturized and soft, water in the horny layer is known to be important. Maintenance of availability of such water is considered to rely upon water-soluble components contained in the horny layer, namely, free amino acids, organic acids, urea or inorganic ions.
With the foregoing in view, it has been strived to lessen or prevent skin roughness by adding such substances either singly or in combination in medicinal external skin care preparations or cosmetics.
Besides the substances mentioned above, numerous humectants having high affinity with water have been developed and are used for lessening skin roughness.
However, when such humectants are applied to the skin, they remain on the skin horny layer and act to supply water to keratin. Moreover, their effects are temporary. They cannot therefore be considered to fundamentally improve the water-retaining ability of the horny layer and to basically prevent or cure skin roughness.
As an external skin care preparation effective in basically improving the water-retaining ability of the horny layer, the present assignee already proposed an external skin care preparation comprising an amide derivative represented by the following formula (5) (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 228048/1987, now Japanese Patent Publication No. 42934/1989): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1b represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 10 to 26 carbon atoms and R.sup.2b represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 9 to 25 carbon atoms.
Further, the present assignee also proposed external skin care preparations comprising amide derivatives having similar effects inter alia in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 216812/1988, 218609/1988, 222107/1988, 227513/1988, 29347/1989 and 31752/1989.
Moreover, the present assignee found that cosmetic hair care formulations containing amide derivatives represented by the below-described formula (6) can penetrate into the hair to effectively protect the same, can prevent chlorosis of the skull and can improve the touch-feeling of the hair, and also proposed them in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9913/1989. ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1b represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 10 to 26 carbon atoms, R.sup.2b represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 9 to 25 carbon atoms, and X represents (--CH.sub.2 )--.sub.n in which n stands for an integer of 2 to 6.
Although these amide derivatives bring about the above-described excellent advantageous effects, they have properties such as a high melting point, high crystallinity and low solubility in bases so that when added to external skin care preparations and cosmetic hair care formulations, they still involve unsolved problems in compatibility, interaction and the like.

Amide derivatives and external skin or hair care preparations


The self-draining sanitary control valve includes a body having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid control port forming a valve seat between the inlet and the outlet. A bonnet is detachably secured to the body having a stem receiving bore aligned on a common central axis with the control port. Clamping rings are provided for securably clamping the body and bonnet together and for securing the valve body to adjacent fluid lines. The clamping rings are readily detachable for permitting the valve to be cleaned and the interior surfaces of the valve are closed to provide for self-draining of the fluid contained therein. The valve includes a stem slidably mounted in the bore with a valve plug at one end having a predetermined outer surface profile movable toward and away from the port and a flexible diaphragm is secured to a central portion of the plug for engaging the valve seat. An outer portion of the diaphragm is clamped between the body and the bonnet when the clamp ring is locked in place. A central portion of the flexible diaphragm is permanently secured to the profiled outer surface of the valve plug to provide a matching profile similar to the valve plug for cooperation with the valve seat to result in a predetermined flow characteristic that is dependent on the profile of the valve plug rather than the resilient characteristics of the diaphragm alone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved self-draining sanitary control valve for use in sanitary fluid systems wherein cleanliness and sanitary conditions must prevail.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Control valves used in sanitary fluid systems have traditionally been of the diaphragm or plug type, which to a greater or lesser degree generally meet the requirements for cleanliness and sanitary conditions but which, inherently provide for poor flow control. The flow control characteristics of these valves is determined largely by the flexible nature of the diaphragm itself rather than by a preselected precision contour of a valve closure member. Some applications which have demanded more precise control have utilized plug valves which compromise cleanliness and sanitation conditions due to their complex internal contours and valve stem sealing means.


The disclosure provides a simple and effective methods for sterilization of milk without degradation or loss of biologically active agents in the milk and the products produced by such methods.

Human breast milk is a valuable therapy in the treatment of preterm, critically ill and other immune compromised neonates and children. Yet, for these critically ill patients, processed human donor milk poses a measure of risk, notably, from B. cereus, a ubiquitous food toxin found in about 4% of human milk samples. B. cereus is most troubling because of its ability to form a spore that cannot be killed thru standard pasteurization. Other bacteria of concern include Clostridium perfringens, Cryptosporidium parvum, Cyclospora cayatenesis, Escherichia coli, listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus.
To further complicate things, some donors give several "clean" LOTS (free of B. cereus and other pathogens) and then a lot will be contaminated. When the milk of qualified donors is pooled, milk infected with B. cereus or other pathogens ends up contaminating other clean lots, resulting in the destruction of the entire pool. There are limits for the number of colony forming units of these bacteria and although those limits are seldom reached, any pool that exceeds those limits is discarded and cannot be used for processing. Although testing the raw milk prior to pooling is helpful, the concentration of proteins done to make certain products effectively concentrates everything in the milk, including these pathogens. While other pathogens can be eliminated with pasteurization, B. cereus pathogen cannot be eliminated with pasteurization, therefore, it is vital that the pooled product be certified free of B. cereus prior to pasteurization and filling. Further, it is desirable to provide pools of raw milk that are substantially free of pathogens prior to pasteurization, to optimize the quality and safety of the product.

Methods of obtaining sterile milk and compositions thereof


It has been established that inhibition of the expression and function of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) can treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) in a patient in need thereof. Compositions and methods of an effective amount of one or more inhibitors of intracellular NAMPT (iNAMPT), extracellular NAMPT (eNAMPT), or a receptor of eNAMPT, to treat PAH are provided. The compositions and methods reduce, or reverse the physiological vascular changes associated with the onset and progression of PAH. Inhibitors of NAMPT or receptors of NAMPT include small molecules, antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof. Dosage forms including monoclonal antibody inhibitors of NAMPT or NAMPT receptors in an amount between 10 mg and 400 mg are provided. Dosage forms including small molecule inhibitors of NAMPT in an amount between 10 mg/kg and 3.5 mg/kg body weight of the recipient are also provided.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an often fatal disease with a dismal prognosis due to the lack of effective curative therapies. PAH is a progressive disease caused by functional and structural changes in the pulmonary vasculature. The changes lead to increased pulmonary vascular resistance and, eventually right ventricular failure and death. PAH is characterized by vasoconstriction, in situ thrombosis, vascular inflammation, and the proliferation and resistance to programmed cell death (apoptosis) by pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) and pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC). PAEC dysfunction and injury plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of the disease and triggers PASMC proliferation and migration through activation of growth factors and/or disruption of cell survival mediators. A key feature of the pathobiology of PAH is profound pulmonary vascular remodeling for which new therapeutic strategies are desperately needed. Despite recent progress, the precise cellular and molecular basis of PAH development continues to evolve.
Several drugs are currently used for clinical treatment of PAH, including vasodilators, endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as sildenafil and tadalafil, high-dose calcium channel blockers and anticoagulants. However, no current therapeutic regimens produce a cure in PAH, and fails to reduce or reverse the pathology of PAH. The mitigation of PAH physiology and symptoms requires continuous re-dosing, often involving adverse side-effects. Other options for mitigating PAH include surgical procedures, such as atrial septostomy (open heart surgery) are for a limited number of patients with PAH. In addition, these surgeries are complex and can have serious complications, including heart rhythm abnormalities (arrhythmias). For younger patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, a lung or heart-lung transplant may be an option. However, major risks of any type of transplantation include rejection of the transplanted organ and serious infection, and recipients must take immunosuppressant drugs for life to help reduce the chance of rejection. In summary, effective treatments for reducing and/or reversing the effects of chronic and acute PAH in patients have yet to be developed.
Recent work has identified the nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase enzyme (NAMPT), also called visfatin and pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF), as being associated with cellular processes involved in vascular remodeling. NAMPT is a multifunctional protein with extracellular pro-inflammatory cytokine-like activity as well as intracellular enzymatic activity as a phosphoribosyltransferase, which regulates NAD levels. NAMPT activity has been linked to several processes involving cellular adaptation to stress responses. These include resistance to senescence, apoptosis and increases in cell proliferation and regulation of cellular redox state. At the pathological level, NAMPT promotes inflammatory responses by increasing inflammatory cell survival and increasing pro-inflammatory cytokine production. In vascular cells, NAMPT promotes endothelial cell survival and angiogenic activity as well as smooth muscle cell survival. The precise significance of NAMPT in the onset and progression of chronic and acute PAH has yet to be elucidated.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide compositions, and methods of use thereof for preventing, reducing and reversing the pathophysiological processes that lead to the onset and progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension in a subject.
It is also an object of the invention to provide compositions, devices, grafts, and methods of use thereof to reduce or prevent inappropriate or deleterious vascular remodeling in a subject.
It is a further object of the invention to provide dosage formulations of compositions effective to treat or prevent one or more symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension in a subject.

Method to reduce pulmonary arterial hypertension by administering inhibitors of nicotinamide phosphoribotransferase

Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of The University of Arizona


A method of reading a flash memory device wherein the status of a predetermined cell is read in such a way that a plurality of page buffers connected to a memory cell array through a plurality of bit lines are divided into at least two group, and the page buffers are sequentially driven on a group basis. A power loss problem caused by excessive current consumption occurring since all page buffers operate at the same time is avoided.

1. Technical Field
A method of reading a flash and a NAND type flash memory device is disclosed wherein a plurality of page buffers are divided into predetermined groups and are then sequentially driven on a group basis to prevent erroneous operation due to excessive power consumption.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is an increasing demand for semiconductor memory devices in which electrical programming and erase are allowed, and where a refresh function of rewriting data at a constant cycle is not required. Further, in order to develop large-capacity memory devices capable of storing a large amount of data, the integration of memory cells has been increased. In order to fulfill the higher integration of the memory cells, a NAND type flash memory device has been developed in which a plurality of cells are serially connected to form one string and two strings share one contact. Program and erase of the NAND type flash memory device are performed by controlling a threshold voltage of a memory cell, while injecting or discharging electrons into or from a floating gate by way of F-N tunneling.
Accordingly, an erased cell has a negative threshold voltage since electrons of the floating gate are discharged. A programmed cell has a positive threshold voltage since electrons are injected into a floating gate. In case of the NAND type flash memory device, failure occurs due to charge gain or charge loss. A variety of verification schemes with respect to these characteristics has been developed. In order to perform a read operation for a verifying normal program and erase or store data program, a page buffer is used.
The page buffer temporarily stores data to be stored in a memory cell of a selected page, which is connected to a string of a memory cell array, or reads the status of a cell by sensing and amplifying information on a memory cell of a selected page.
In order to read information on a selected cell of a NAND type flash memory device, all page buffers within one chip must be driven at the same time, and all word lines of a selected block must be enabled. In this state, one cell is selected according to a signal for selecting a cell, and information on the cell is read. At this time, since all word lines of a selected block are enabled, current flows from the page buffer to the cell. If all page buffers of 2 k+64 Byte operate and a highest current flows, an instant peak current becomes too high, which causes power-down to occur within a chip. This results in erroneous operation of a chip. Meanwhile, the peak current increases as the number of page buffers that operate at the same time increases.


In a control block design methodology, control block design proceeds without the inclusion of scan functionality until the functional design specifications are met. After meeting the functional design specifications, a scan insertion tool is executed to automatically insert scan functionality. The insertion is performed in such a manner that the functional cells within the control block are not perturbed. Therefore, functional timing may be minimally affected, if at all. In one embodiment, a scan enable buffer is inserted at the end of each row in the control block. Flops (or other scannable storage devices) within the row are connected to the scan enable line provided by the scan enable buffer within the row. Additionally, flops are connected into a scan chain on a row-by-row basis, minimizing the length of the wires connecting the scan chain. If a particular scan chain wire exceeds a length which will meet scan timing requirements, a scan chain buffer can be inserted as well (e.g. at the end of the row).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to scan testing functionality for integrated circuits and, more particularly, to inserting scan functionality into a control block of an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits comprise millions of transistors fabricated upon a semiconductor substrate, interconnected by several metal wiring layers placed atop the semiconductor substrate. Manufacturing defects may occur in any of the transistors or in the metal interconnect, causing the integrated circuit not to function properly. Various faults may occur, including stuck-at faults in which a node is stuck at a particular value which is not correct given the state of the integrated circuit; open faults in which an open circuit exists; short faults in which a short circuit exists; etc. To ensure delivery of a quality product to the integrated circuit consumer, designing a high degree of fault testability (or simply "testability") into the integrated circuit is of critical importance.
One method for providing testability in control blocks of an integrated circuit is designing scan test functionality into the control block. Control blocks generally comprise combinatorial logic gates which receive inputs from storage devices and provide outputs to storage devices. The input and output storage devices are clocked with a clock signal which causes the storage devices to periodically capture the value provided to the storage devices. The captured value is provided as an output of the storage device until the next value is captured. Between the periodic captures, the combinatorial logic evaluates and generates new input values. Control blocks embody the control logic which operates data flow elements within the integrated circuit in order to provide the functionality specified for the integrated circuit.
Scan testing involves scanning values into the storage devices of the control block, allowing the combinatorial logic within the control block to evaluate, clocking results of the evaluation into the storage devices, and scanning the results out of the storage devices. Based upon a model of the combinatorial logic design, the expected results for any set of inputs can be determined. If the measured results match the expected results, then the test passes. If the measured results do not match the expected results, the test fails. A set of input patterns (and corresponding expected results) are generated to test for the largest possible number of faults. While generating a set of all possible input patterns would theoretically lead to 100% fault coverage, the number of input patterns would be prohibitive. However, a high degree of test coverage may be achieved by using a much smaller number of patterns. Scan testing effectiveness can be measured as a percentage of all possible faults which are tested by the set of input patterns used. Typically, greater than 95% of the faults tested is required. Often, greater than 99% of the faults can be tested.
In order to scan inputs into the storage devices and scan results out of the storage devices, the storage devices are interconnected in a serial chain (or "scan chain"). One of the storage devices forms the end of the chain, and receives a scan input provided from an input pin to the integrated circuit. Another one of the storage devices forms the other end of the chain, and provides a scan output provided to an output pin of the integrated circuit. The chain of storage devices effectively forms a scan register. The scan register operates as a shift register to allow values to be scanned in and out of the storage devices forming the scan register.
Inserting scan functionality into a control block design involves at least: (i) distributing a scan enable to the storage devices within the control block, the scan enable indicating when scanning of values into or out of the storage devices is being performed; and (ii) connecting the devices together into a scan chain. Unfortunately, inserting scan functionality into a control block design complicates the design process. In addition to iterating the design to meet functional specifications and design requirements, the designer must design the scan functionality. The design must meet timing requirements for the scan enable and scan chain signals, increasing the timing design effort. Additionally, the scan enable and scan chain signals must be routed throughout the control block. Wiring congestion within the control block may be increased, which may impact functional timing. Additionally, placement and routing of logic and storage elements may be impacted by the scan requirements. If logic elements and storage elements which are interconnected are moved farther apart due to scan functionality, functional timing may again be affected. An effective method for inserting scan testing into a control block design is therefore desirable.

Automated scan insertion flow for control block design


A ready to use heterograft membrane for replacement of injured skin which is prepared by extraction of a mucous membrane from an esophagus of bovine origin. The tissue-equivalent membrane resulting from this process is applied on burns, cuts or wounds to protect the affected area and generally provide an optimum condition for the proliferation of epidermal cells. The membrane has an affinity with tissue cells and integrates to the living tissue. Afterwards, it falls off, leaving the wound area prepared for homografting, or when the epidermis has completely regenerated.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for producing a tissue-equivalent membrane for use on burns, cuts or other wounds to protect an affected part and provide an optimum condition for the proliferation of epidermal cells, and, more particularly, to a tissue-equivalent membrane prepared by extraction from an esophagus of bovine origin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wounds which involve injuries to significant areas of human skin are difficult to treat. Covering the wound is an important aspect to successful care, and is often limited by lack of suitable autograft material. Because of this limitation, several temporary coverings have been developed and used. However, none of these has achieved the total benefit which results from an autograft. Products used as temporary coverings include human allografts, xenografts (e.g., pigskin), and a variety of manufactured membranes. Examples of patents of this type include:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,819 issued on Nov. 10, 1981 to Magdelena G. Eisenger discloses a process for treating burn victims wherein human epidermal cells are grown in a tissue culture medium having a pH from about 5.6 to 5.8. The edges of the sheet thus grown are separated from the tissue vessel and then applied to a transfer member (a collagen sponge or dermal side of porcine origin is discussed, along with using the pateint's own skin). This aggregate is then applied to the wound site. The novelty in the disclosure is that only epidermal cells are used, which retain the ability to differentiate into multilayered structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,124 issued on May 1, 1984 to Charles L. Fox, Jr. et al. discloses a wound dressing comprising silver sulfadiazine incorporated in animal tissue wherein, to minimize the possibility of bacteria that might have entered the wound before the dressing is applied, the dressing is prepared by placing it in an aqueous solution containing ammoniacal silver sulfadiazine for a period of time. Alternatively, one could spray the dressing with the solution. After the ammoniated silver sulfadiazine is incorporated into the tissue matrix, the dressing is partially dried and stored in sterile circumstances for later use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,096 issued on Nov. 27, 1984 to Eugene Bell discloses a tissue equivalent and method of preparation wherein a hydrated collagen lattice is formed in vitro and is used as a substrate for different types of tissue equivalents. Skin equivalent is formed by plating keratinocyte cells on this substrate. Small vessel equivalents are formed by growing smooth muscle cells within the lattice and wrapping the aggregate about a glass rod or other mandrel and then plating fibroblast and endothelial cells on the outer and inner layer, respectively, of the product obtained. Gland/organ equivalents are formed by introducing glandular cells of the specific type required into the lattice. Bone equivalents can be formed by incorporating demineralized bone powder into the hydrated lattice contracted with fibroblast cells, the required shape being produced by the mold in which the aggregate is cast.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,584 issued on May 14, 1991 to Miriam M. Brysk discloses an epidermal graft system wherein epidermal cells are cultured in an appropriate medium and when sufficient for the purpose, they are enzymatically detached from the container and laid on a collagen coated dressing.
These patents, and other analogous known methods of skin autografting, allografting, and xenografting may represent progress in the field of wound coverage, but do not provide an optimal, or in some cases, a variable alternative as a medical treatment for many skin injuries. Much of the prior art is dependent on complex lab procedures involving equipment that might not be available in some parts of the world, or in certain crises or disasters. Moreover, none of these, either taken singly or in combination, disclose the novel tissue-equivalent membrane produced by the process disclosed herein form an esophagus of bovine origin.

Tissue-equivalent membrane from bovine esophageal tissue


This invention provides alkoxy acetic acid derivatives of general formula I: ##STR1## wherein R is the residue of an amine, an aminoalcohol or a polyol linked to the or each --CHR'--CO-- moiety via an amide or ester linkage;. R' is hydrogen or a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group; PA1 R.sup.1 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group of 1 to 300 carbon atoms; PA1 one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is independently selected from hydrogen and optionally substituted hydrocarbyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, the other of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 being independently selected from optionally substituted hydrocarbyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms; PA1 m is from 3 to 200; PA1 n is from 0 to 20, provided that m/n is at least 1; and PA1 p is from 1 to 5; a process for their preparation; and their incorporation in additive concentrates and fuel compositions for internal combustion engines.

FR-A-2 407 258 (Rhone-Poulenc) discloses fuel compositions comprising a motor fuel and at least one alkylpolyglycol acetic acid amide having the formula: ##STR2## wherein R represents a saturated or unsaturated C.sub.8-20, preferably C.sub.12-18, aliphatic radical, R' represents hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic radical of at least 3, preferably 4 to 18, carbon atoms, and R" represents a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic radical of at least 3, preferably 4 to 18, carbon atoms. In the examples, there are described additives of the above formula in the form (1) of the N,N-dibutylamide of the acid derived from a 45:55 mixture of polyethoxylated cetyl and oleyl alcohols (C.sub.16 saturated and C.sub.18 unsaturated alcohols) wherein n is 6.3, (2) of the N-dodecylamide of the acid derived from a 75:25 mixture of polyethoxylated dodecyl and tetradecyl alcohols wherein n is 4.5 and (3) of the N,N-dibutylamide of the acid from which (2) is derived. The amides are said to impart improved detergency, anti-corrosion, anti-pollution and anti-icing properties to hydrocarbon fuels.