Method for the treatment of tumors in the liver of a subject wherein a pharmaceutically effective amount of at least one vitamin D compound selected from vitamin D, a precursor of vitamin D or a metabolite or analog thereof, is administered to the subject. The method involves regional delivery of the vitamin D compound to the liver, for example by intraarterial infusion to the hepatic artery. Compositions are also provided for use in such treatment.

The present invention is concerned with a method for the treatment of tumours and in particular, with a method for the treatment of tumours in the liver. The invention is also concerned with compositions suitable for such treatment.
Hepatoma (primary liver cancer) is one of the commonest causes of cancer death in the world with an estimated incidence of 1 million cases per year worldwide (Lencioni R and Bartolozzi C. The Cancer Journal, Vol 10, pp1-6). There is a considerable variation in its incidence with it being the most common in Asian countries. although it is now of increasing importance in the West. There are currently few effective treatment options available. Untreated, the average survival in this condition is of the order of 3 months. Liver resection may allow 5 year survival in approximately 40% of cases but very few patients are eligible for such treatment. Systemic chemotherapy has been of very limited value in the treatment of primary hepatic cancer, and attempts have consequently been made to deliver pharmacologically active agents directly to the liver using the technique of transarterial chemoembolisation (TAE). TAE combines the selective delivery of agents to hepatic tumours vascularized by the hepatic artery and thus their concentration in the tumour, with the concept of causing embolisation of the tumour and hence necrosis by ischemia. A wide range of chemotherapy agents have been delivered in this way, including doxorubicin, epirubicin and cisplatin (Choi, J. Cancer Control, Vol 3, pp407-413, 1996). Frequently, chemotherapeutic agents are emulsified with or dissolved in the contrast agent Lipiodol, which is an iodised poppy seed oil fatty acid ethylester. Uptake of iodised oil into tumours is thought to prolong contact of the chemotherapeutic agent with tumour, and the radioopaque nature of the medium enables progress of the infusion to be monitored by radiography.
Vitamin D is an isoprenoid compound made up of activated 5-carbon units. The most abundant form of vitamin D is vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. Vitamin D3 arises from biosynthesis of 7-dehydrocholesterol, an intermediate in cholesterol biosynthesis. Vitamin D3 is metabolised in the liver to 25-hydroxycholocalciferol [25(OH)D3] which is a major form of Vitamin D circulating in the blood compartment. 25(OH)D3 is converted by the kidney to produce two principal dihydroxylated metabolites, namely, 1.25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1.25(OH)2D3] and 24,25-dihydroxycholocalciferol [24R,25(OH)2D3].
1.25(OH)2D3 is the most biologically active naturally occurring form of vitamin D3 and is transported in the bloodstream to its major site of action in the mucosal cells of the intestine, where calcium absorption is stimulated. Thus vitamin D3 may be regarded as a prohormone because it is converted to a metabolite that acts analogously to a steroid hormone. It regulates calcium and phosphorous metabolism particularly in the synthesis of the inorganic matrix of bones.
Therapeutically, 1.25(OH)2D3 and certain other analogues of Vitamin D3 are used to counteract deleterious effects of dietary deficiency of Vitamin D (rickets), or in the treatment of diseases characterised by abnormalities in the synthesis of or response to Vitamin D such as hypophosphatemic vitamin D-resistant rickets and renal osteodystrophy (renal rickets). A further use in the calcification-related disease osteoporosis is distinct from assuring vitamin D nutritional adequacy. Here, the rationale is directly to suppress parathyroid function and reduce bone turnover (Goodman and Gilman, The Pharmacological basis of Therapeutics. Pub. 1992, The McGraw Hill Companies Inc). Finally, a recent use of Vitamin D3 analogues is in the treatment of the cutaneous disease psoriasis.
Experimental studies have shown that Vitamin D3 receptors are present on a range of cell types and so the understanding has arisen that the Vitamin D endocrine system is involved in the modulation of a number of fundamental cellular processes not directly related to calcium homeostasis (Pols, HAP et al, J Steroid Biochemistry, Vol 37, pp873-876, 1990). Included amongst the cells bearing Vitamin D3 receptors are a number of malignant tissues or cell lines derived from tumours. The presence of receptors on some cancer cells has been shown to have a functional significance in a number of cases, and the literature contains reports of Vitamin D3 and analogues being able to inhibit the proliferation of melanoma, osteosarcoma and breast carcinoma cells (Deluca HF and Ostrem V, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, Vol 206, pp413-429, 1986) colon adenocarcinoma cells (Cross HS et al Journal of Nutrition, Vol 127 Suppl. pp2004-2008, 1995) and hepatic tumour cells (Tanaka Y et al, Biochem Pharmacol vol 38 pp449-453, 1989).
This effect in vitro has given rise to the hope that Vitamin D3 and analogues could be used in the treatment of cancers. Vitamin D3 compounds are listed among xe2x80x9cunconventional cancer therapiesxe2x80x9d (British Columbia Cancer Agency publication; 600 West 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada), and clinical trials have attempted to show an effect. Unfortunately, attempts to use naturally occurring analogues of Vitamin D3 such as 1.25(OH)2D3 have not been associated with the successful treatment of cancer and indeed have rarely been attempted. This is due in large part to the observation that for growth reduction of cancer cells to be caused by Vitamin D3, supraphysiological concentrations are needed (Pols et al-ibid). The consequence of this is that before anti-tumour properties of the treatment can be expressed, the effects of Vitamin D3 on calcium homeostasis are expressed to an excessive and dangerous degree, leading to life-threatening toxicity from hypercalcaemia.
In an attempt to overcome this problem, and to disassociate the hypercalcaemic effect of Vitamin D3 from its actions on cell differentiation, the pharmaceutical industry has expended much effort on the search for synthetic analogues that are devoid of an effect on calcium metabolism, and might therefore be useful for the treatment of cancer or other diseases. This approach has met with some limited success. For example, the analogue Calcipotriol has been synthesized which contains a 22-23 double bond, a 24(S)-hydroxy functional group, and carbons 25-27 incorporated into a cyclopropane ring. This compound has receptor affinity similar to that of 1.25(OH)2D3, but it is less than 1% as active as 1.25(OH)2D3 in regulating calcium metabolism. Calcipotriol has been studied extensively as a potential treatment for psoriasis (Goodman and Gilman, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics Pub McGraw Hill, 1992). However, despite its reduced effect on calcium metabolism, calcitriol is used topically in order to avoid systemic hypercalcaemia. Examples have also been disclosed of synthetic Vitamin D analogues claimed to be useful for the treatment of tumours which have reduced effects on calcium metabolism (U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,364, Jan 2 1990). Also, attempts have been made to treat certain cancers locally. Thus, Bower M et al treated breast cancer topically with Calcipotriol (Lancet vol 337: No 8743 pp701-702). Of the 19 patients treated, only 3 showed a significant response and 1 a minimal response. Moreover, even though this synthetic analogue has a drastically reduced effect on calcium metabolism (vide supra) and even though the treatment was locally restricted to skin around breast cancer lesions, still 2 of the 19 patients became hypercalcaemic during treatment.
Thus, despite the interesting findings of basic researchers and the intensive efforts of the pharmaceutical industry, the application of Vitamin D compounds to cancer therapy has not been successful. The key limitation has been either an inherent lack of activity, or the low therapeutic index (ratio of effective dose to toxic dose) of Vitamin D3 which has made its use so difficult.
We have found that, surprisingly, regional delivery to the liver of a vitamin D compound, such as vitamin D3 or a precursor, metabolite or analogue thereof, avoids the production of hypercalcaemia, even at high doses of the vitamin D compound. For example, despite the fact that therapeutic oral and intravenous doses of 1.25(OH)2D3 are typically in the order of 0.5 to 3 mcg/day (at or beyond which level there is a distinct risk of hypercalcaemia developing), we have shown (Example 2) that doses of at least 10 mcg/day can be administered intraarterially to the liver without any observable systemic toxicity.
A reasonable conclusion of this observation is that the avoidance of hypercalcaemia after such high doses of Vitamin D compound is due to increased retention of the Vitamin D compound in the liver, or degradation in the liver (a first pass effect). However, neither of these occurrences could have been predicted for the following reasons: The dose provided is much higher than physiological levels, and thus, although arterial infusion would bring the Vitamin D compound into contact with cells bearing Vitamin D receptors, they would not be expected to be capable of trapping all the Vitamin D compound. Concerning degradation, the major metabolic activity of the liver is applied to compounds entering via the hepatic portal route, not the hepatic artery. Moreover, as was discussed above, the liver is one of the sites of activation of Vitamin D and would not necessarily be expected to remove Vitamin D compounds from the blood. The precise reasons why the Vitamin D compound induce less hypercalcaemia after hepatic arterial delivery are not known.
Regional delivery of Vitamin D3 to the liver has not only been shown to be safe, but in 4 of 7 patients had at least a limited response to treatment as indicated by changes in their rate of rise of tumour marker.
Thus, not only has the surprising ability to administer large doses of Vitamin D compound to the liver by regional delivery been demonstrated, but also indications of a beneficial effect on disease progress have been obtained.
Accordingly, the first aspect of the present invention consists in a method of treating a tumour in the liver of a subject including administering to the subject a pharmaceutically effective amount of at least one vitamin D compound selected from the group consisting of vitamin D, a precursor of vitamin D, or a metabolite or analogue thereof, wherein the vitamin D compound is regionally delivered to the liver.
The regional delivery of the vitamin D compound may be achieved by intraarterial delivery or delivery via the portal vein. Preferably the vitamin D compound is delivered intraarterially. Particularly preferred is where the vitamin D compound is delivered by intraarterial infusion via the hepatic artery.
The method of treatment of the invention may be used to treat primary or secondary cancers of the liver. The method of the invention is particularly suitable for the treatment of hepatoma (primary liver cancer) in a subject. The method of the invention may also be used to treat secondary cancers in the form of metastases in the liver, for example, metastases of colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer or renal cancer. The secondary cancer may be a sarcoma. The method of the invention may be used to treat primary or secondary liver cancers in the liver.
Preferably the vitamin D compound is vitamin D3 or a precursor or metabolite thereof, although the vitamin D compound may be an analogue of vitamin D3.
The vitamin D analogue compound may be selected from any suitable analogue, for example, 1.25(OH)2D3 (1-25-dihydroxycholecalciferol), OCT (22-Oxacalcitirol), MC903 (calcipotriol) or EB1089 (1 xcex1.25 (OH)2 22.24 diene 24.26.27 trihomo D3).
The metabolite of vitamin D may be a hydroxylated or other product of vitamin D or its analogues.
The effect of the vitamin D compound on tumours is very dose dependent and there is therefore advantage in delivering high concentrations of the vitamin D compound to the tumour. However, the limited solubility of vitamin D compounds in a conventional carrier such as aqueous media places an upper limit on the amount of compound that can be delivered to the tumour.
We have found that very high concentrations of a vitamin D compound, such as 1.25(OH)2D3, can be achieved by dissolving the compound in a pharmaceutically acceptable oil. For example, 2 mg of 1.25(OH)2D3 can be readily dissolved in 1 ml lipiodol. This high solubility allows for very high concentrations of vitamin D compound to the tumour. A further advantage of using an oil as the carrier for the vitamin D compound is that some oils are concentrated in certain tumours allowing the achievement of very high tumour concentrations of the vitamin D compound. Moreover, another advantage of achievement of high concentrations is that some vitamin D compounds that are inactive at low concentrations may become active at the much higher concentrations achieved when an oil is used to dissolve the compound.
Accordingly, in a second aspect the present invention consists in a method of treatment of the first aspect wherein the vitamin D is delivered as a solution of the vitamin D compound in a pharmaceutically acceptable oil.
The oil may be an iodised oil such as lipiodol although clearly the presence of iodine, while possibly being useful to allow infusion to be monitored radiographically, is not an essential feature of the oily agent. Furthermore, the oily agent needs only to (1) incorporate large amounts of Vitamin D compound and (2), if possible, be taken up into tumours being treated. Therefore, to one skilled in the art, the carrier could also be deemed to include other oils and chemically modified oils used in the pharmaceutical industry such as Cremophor (polyoxyethylated castor oil). Examples of oils for intra-arterial tumour treatment are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,391, which disclosure however is solely concerned with the dissolution of sparingly oil-soluble or water soluble anti-tumour drugs for infusion. Known formulations for intravenous use (Calcijex(copyright) calcitriol injection marketed by Abbot Laboratories, as described in the Physicians Desk Reference, ibid, and also formulations disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,264) are aqueous solutions and their use in the treatment of cancers has not been reported. Moreover, their low calcitriol content would make them particularly unsuited to intra-arterial administration to the liver.
Further suitable carriers include multicomponent systems capable of incorporating lipophilic materials such as liposomes and microemulsions.
Tamoxifen, an oestrogen receptor antagonist, has been shown to significantly, but modestly, improve survival in human hepatoma. It has also been shown that tamoxifen increases vitamin D receptor expression on breast cancer lines. We believe that tamoxifen""s effect on hepatoma may be due to its effect on vitamin D receptor expression, making the tumour more sensitive to endogenous vitamin D. Tamoxifen and oestrogen or oestrogen-like compounds are therefore expected to significantly increase the effect of vitamin D therapies in cancers such as hepatoma and that this will significantly increase response whilst allowing lower doses of the vitamin D compound, thus avoiding hypercalcaemia and other complications.
Accordingly in a third aspect, the present invention consists in a method of treatment in accordance with the first and second aspects of the invention, the method further including administration of a compound capable of increasing vitamin D receptor expression is also administered.
The compound capable of increasing vitamin D receptor expression may be tamoxifen or other oestrogen or oestrogen-like compound.
The compound capable of increasing vitamin D receptor expression may be administered before, concurrently or after administration of the vitamin D compound.
In a fourth aspect the present invention consists in a composition suitable for the treatment of a tumour in the liver, the composition including a pharmaceutically effective amount of a vitamin D compound selected from the group consisting of vitamin D, a precursor of vitamin D, or a metabolite or analogue thereof dissolved in a pharmaceutically acceptable oil.
The pharmaceutically acceptable oil is an iodised oil such as iodised poppy seed oil. The pharmaceutically acceptable oil may be a non-iodised oil, for example, poppy seed oil.

Method of treatment of liver tumors and pharmaceutical compositions for use therein


Methods and systems are disclosed for enhancing communications line records with Global Positioning System coordinates. One embodiment acquires Global Positioning System information and provides the Global Positioning System information to assemble a line record.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to computers and to telecommunications and, more particularly, to methods and systems for creating a telephone line record including Global Positioning System (GPS) information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most residential and business telephone customers are connected to a telecommunications network by cables and wires. The cables and wires include the familiar one or more telephone lines installed throughout nearly every home in the United States. Because cables and wires connect most homes and many businesses to the telecommunications network, the Public Switched Telephone Network includes billions of cables and wires. Each of these cables and wires must be maintained to provide superior communications service to the customer.
An accurate telephone line record is desirable when maintaining these cables and wires. A telephone "line record" describes a customer's telephone service, the condition of the telephone system physical facilities serving the customer, and the telephone equipment installed at the customer's residence or business. When a customer calls to report a problem, accurate telephone line records help identify the problem and help speed resolution.
A telephone line record, however, may have an incorrect, or an incomplete, address location. If the telephone line record is incorrect, then a technician struggles to locate the customer and the facilities serving that customer. When the address is incorrect, time and effort is wasted trying to find the correct service address and the facilities. If the technician had a precise address, the technician could respond quicker and resolve the customer's concern.
There is, accordingly, a need for accurate telephone line records, a need for methods and systems that provide a more precise location of a customer's service address, a need for methods and systems that provide a more precise location of the telephone plant facilities serving the customer, and a need for methods and systems that quickly and easily correct telephone line records.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

AT&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc.


Fastening device for coupling ploughing elements in agricultural cultivation machines, the ploughing elements including ploughshares, points, blades or any similar type of tool, the fastening device including an intermediate fastening element, formed by a solid body, which joins the ploughing element to the support arm; the intermediate fastening element being equipped with a fastening arrangement for linking thereof to the support arm; a guiding arrangement for insertion of the former inside the ploughing element; and an aperture, passable transversely with respect to the direction of the guiding arrangement and intended for insertion of a retractable pin which, in an insertion position for the pin, acts as a retaining element for the ploughing element with respect to the intermediate fastening element such that the fastening device enables the user/operator to manually replace or reposition the ploughing element, avoiding any need for accessory tools for this purpose.

Current agricultural cultivation machines comprise a frame having a plurality of support arms on which the ploughing elements such as ploughshares, points, blades or the like are attached or linked.
It is known that the ploughing elements are linked to the support arms by common screws, which implies using auxiliary tools to change or replace the ploughing element, or, screws with special properties, particularly designed for this function, and which require the use of a type of specific tool for handling.


A method of operating a dishwasher having multiple wash chambers, with each wash chamber executing a different cycle of operation, and liquid from one chamber may be reused in the other chamber.

Dishwashers can include multiple compartments in the form of multiple drawers or pull-out compartments slidably mounted in a cabinet. Each compartment can include a tub defining a treating chamber. Typically, a dish rack is provided in each treating chamber to support utensils during a treating cycle of operation. Treating liquid may be provided to each of the treating chambers to treat utensils. The treating liquid may be, for example, water, treating chemistry, or a mixture of water and treating chemistry. Some dishwashers may be provided one or more sensors to monitor the soil load in the treating liquid.

Dishwasher with multiple treating chambers


A document collector, stager and diverter apparatus and method are provided for processing sheet articles through a first and second stage. The first stage is adapted for receiving sheet articles advanced thereto and collected therein and includes a first transport mechanism being operative for selectively diverting collected sheet articles in a divert direction opposite to the conveying direction of the sheet articles. Alternately, the first transport mechanism is operative for selectively advancing the collected sheet articles from the first stage to the second stage. In the second stage, sheet articles can be independently processed and held until a predetermined time when they can be advanced from the second stage by a second transport mechanism. The first and second transport mechanisms each preferably includes plastic chains each with plastic lugs thereon. The chains of the first and second transport mechanisms are simultaneously rotatably movable by a motor and gears or pulleys associated therewith.

A variety of sheet article processing apparatuses and methods exist in the art for processing sheet articles such as, for example, mail media comprising paper envelope inserts which are processed at high speeds. To insert such sheet articles into envelopes, the sheet articles, folded or unfolded are usually collected in a stack and conveyed in a conveying path to an envelope inserting machine which has a continuously moving transport chain with discrete time windows inside of which a successful delivery of a stack of sheet articles is possible. A stager mechanism is therefore necessary between the collector and the envelope inserting machine to correctly correlate proper delivery of the sheet articles to the envelope inserting machine within an appropriate time window thereof, and various types of stager apparatuses exist within the art of sheet processing as is apparent to those of skill in the art.
As is readily apparent to those of skill in the art of sheet processing, a need commonly exists for selectively diverting sheet articles from the conveying path during collection thereof subsequent to folding and prior to advancement of collected sheet articles to the envelope inserting machine so that the diverted sheet articles can be manually processed. In the past, sheet articles have been diverted from the conveying path by using a solenoid-driven ramp or gate to selectively divert sheet articles above or below the conveying path. This divert method requires two electronically controlled mechanisms which are the divert solenoid and the mechanism for transporting the sheet articles in the conveying path. This prior art method of diverting sheet articles can therefore be said to be "in-line" with the conveying path of the high-speed media processing apparatus. It is a requirement of this prior art method therefore that an additional component, i.e. a solenoid, be utilized and that the machine processing the media be long enough to accommodate the divert gate. The use of the divert gate also has the potential of slowing down the overall system performance due to the activation time required to open and close the gate.
For the actual conveying or transporting of sheet articles, it has in the past been common for high-speed media processing apparatuses to utilize a belt with one or more lugs or push members attached thereto for causing the sheet articles to be conveyed along a predetermined path. One apparatus used in the past utilizes a timing belt constructed of neoprene with screw-on lugs attached thereto to push or transport folded sheets of paper during high-speed media processing. An electro-magnetic clutch/brake combination is used to control the motion of the timing belt. As known to those of skill in the art of high-speed media processing, the motion of such a timing belt is typically slow, the timing belt breaks very frequently with continued use, and the clutch/brake system ultimately wears out. Such a timing belt is also usually very difficult to replace since it is a closed loop and typically requires some disassembly of the machine for replacement.
Another method used in the past for transporting collected sheet articles collects sheet articles over a moving belt, thus energizing a solenoid that moves a bracket stopping advancement of the sheet articles and simultaneously pushes a roller down on top of the sheet articles to advance the sheet articles past the bracket. This method has proven somewhat unreliable for advancing larger stacks of sheet articles, particularly at higher speeds, because of the tendency for the sheet articles to delaminate upon acceleration.
Additionally, metal chains with steel push pins or lugs have been used in media transport applications, but due to their inherent weight and the weight of the gears or sprockets used to drive them, they severely limit the speed at which media can be processed and reduce the ability to precisely control the motion of the media.
In light of the prior art apparatuses and methods for conveying and diverting media such as sheet articles in high-speed media processing, room for improvement exists in the art of sheet article processing for a document collector, diverter and stager apparatus and method for collecting sheet articles before or after they have been folded, selectively diverting the collected sheet articles from the conveying path or advancing the sheet articles to a stager, and selectively further advancing the sheet articles from the stager at a predetermined time to another location such as, for example, an envelope inserting machine.

Document collector, diverter and stager apparatus and method


A method of reducing distortion in the output of an amplifier is provided. The method comprises subtractively combining an error signals with the appropriate phase shift with input signals to be amplified. The error signal being generated by subtractively combining a fed-forward portion of the input signal with a portion of the fed-back amplified output signal, and signal processing applied to it between its generation and application to correcting the input signal in the baseband domain. The error therefore being down-converted, filtered, and up-converted in the feedback path. The filtered baseband error signal components providing inputs to a controller which adjusts active elements of the amplification and feedback path in order to minimize the distortion within the output of the amplifier.

In recent years, advances in semiconductor integrated circuits for wireless and RF technology have dramatically changed our perceptions, use, and reliance upon portable electronic devices. The uses of wireless technology are widespread, increasing, and include, but are not limited to, telephony, Internet e-mail, Internet web browsers, global positioning, photography, diary, address book, and in-store navigation. Additionally, devices incorporating wireless technology have expanded to include not only cellular telephones, but Personal Digital Assistant (PDAs), laptop computers, palmtop computers, gaming consoles, printers, telephone headsets, portable music players, point of sale terminals, global positioning systems, inventory control systems, and even vending machines. Today, many of these devices are high volume consumer commodities supplied by businesses competing through integrated features and rapidly changing branding whilst reinforcing customers desire for small size, long battery life, and lightweight devices with increased roaming capabilities and download speeds. Within a matter of a few years, these systems have evolved from bulky cellular telephones offering voice and simple text messaging to lightweight compact multi-media players providing streaming live video and music alongside telephony, PDA functionality, integrated mega pixel CCD camera, and supporting BlueTooth™ wireless peripheral interfaces for headphones, microphones etc.
Semiconductor integrated circuits have been an important enabler of this rapid evolution by offering high volume, low cost solutions with low power consumption, small footprint and reduced component count when compared to discrete or hybrid solutions. There is significant economic and business pressure to ensure that these trends continue, whilst providing increased benefits to the manufacturers including reducing the number of chips for a chip set, providing multiple standards from a single chip set, and providing specifications and margin allowing today's chip sets to support the evolving bandwidth and spectral aspects of these systems and standards.
Indeed, such wireless semiconductor circuits today address a plethora of standards including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11 WiFi, IEEE 802.16 WiMAX, quad-band GSM, EDGE, GPRS, and Global Positioning Systems. In many instances, such as IEEE 802.16e WiMAX with targeted data rates of 10 Mb/s at a 10 km range from a base station, the systems are also stretching the limits of performance in respect of transmitted power, received power, dynamic range, interference, efficiency and bandwidth.
All of these performance aspects impact the design and implementation of the RF amplifiers that form a critical element in both the transmitter and receiver portions of the transceivers within these devices. In order to increase efficiency wireless amplifiers have tended to move from the high linearity amplifier design typified by classes A, AB, and B, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/amplifier) to non-linear amplifier classes such as C, D, E and F, where efficiencies over 90% can be achieved.
The evolution from low efficiency, high linearity amplifiers to very high efficiency non-linear amplifiers has circuit designers exploiting classical techniques to correct the distortion generated in the amplifier. For those skilled in the art such classical techniques fall into 5 different classes; feed-forward, feedback, pre-distortion, adaptive bias, and synthesis. However, the basic objective on any amplifier in the context of a wireless information transmission system is to provide an exact copy of the signal intended to be transmitted at the correct power level with highest possible power efficiency.
Feed-Forward: This approach employs an error signal that is extracted from an amplifier, commonly referred to as the power amplifier (PA) on the transmit path. Considering a PA for the following discussions, then the PA is corrected by subtracting a scaled (attenuated) version of the output signal of the PA from the input signal. If these signals are properly scaled, then the resulting signal contains only error information that is spectral energy generated by the non-linearity of the PA, noise from the PA, and energy resulting from non-flat frequency response of the PA, and none of the original signal. This error signal is then amplified appropriately, and subtracted from the output signal of the PA. Typically, the output signal from the amplifier is time delayed to account for the delay in the components of the error signal generation path. An example of the feed-forward approach is disclosed by Chen et al in "Article comprising a Power Amplifier with Feed Forward Linearizer using a RLS Parameter Tracking Algorithm" (U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,091) and described in respect of FIG. 1 subsequently. If the amplitude and phase are correct, feeding forward and subtracting the error removes all the error (distortion) generated in the PA in question and is powerful in that the approach corrects any error generated by the PA. However, it is a very inefficient correction technique as firstly, the amplifier boosting the error signal must itself be fairly large and linear as its output signal is generally combined with the PA output signal using a low ratio coupler to avoid losses on the main transmit path. Secondly, the time delay applied to the output signal of the PA due to the circuit delay in the error signal path can add significant loss.
Pre-Distortion: This correction approach employs a model of the PA to predict the distortion that will be generated in the amplifier being corrected. The modeled distortion is then added to the input signal provided to the amplifier, with appropriate phase adjustment, such that it cancels the distortion produced. The model can take many forms including, but not limited to, a look-up table of amplitude modulation (AM) and phase modulation (PM) transfer curves such as AM-AM and AM-PM curves, it can be non-linear electronic hardware, it can be DSP algorithms, or it can be a scaled model of the amplifier being corrected. An example of pre-distortion applied to an amplifier is presented by Midya et al "Scalar Cost Function based Pre-Distortion Device, Method, Phone and Base Station" (U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,278), as presented and discussed in respect of FIG. 2.
Pre-distortion is an efficient technique, in that there are no lossy circuit elements after the power amplifier, and there are no additional microwave circuit blocks that are inherently power-hungry. Further, the ability to use digital hardware, which has dramatically improved in capability in recent years, has made this a favored solution. However, predistortion can only easily cope with simple memoryless deterministic distortion and typically assumes that the AM-AM and AM-PM curves are static and do not depend on earlier events, operational conditions, or frequency of operation. Furthermore, the nature of the model used to predict the error must suit the amplifier. That is, the model must employ an appropriate order of non-linearity, or an appropriate number of entries in the look-up table.
This makes the pre-distortion system somewhat specific to the amplifier being corrected. Although digital hardware tends to be relatively low cost, a digital pre-distorter can be quite elaborate, requiring wide data bus and fast sample rates (usually at least 5× the Nyquist rate of the data rate within the uncorrected signal). Finally, the algorithms for adjusting the non-linearity (the weights on the non-linear work function or the elements in the look-up table) are complex and prone to finding local minima. Despite these limitations and disadvantages, pre-distortion has a significant share of the distortion correction solutions implemented today.
Adaptive Bias: In contrast to the previous approaches, adaptive bias technique does not attempt to correct distortion products but rather can improve either the linearity or minimize the distortion of the PA. In an adaptive bias system, the bias voltages on the terminals of the active device are adjusted to suit the instantaneous signal being transmitted. For example, the collector or drain voltage of a transistor amplifier can be increased during peaks in the amplitude of the input signal. This technique can be a simple way to make modest improvements to amplifier linearity, however it also is amplifier dependant, and large improvements in linearity are difficult to achieve. As a result, the adaptive bias approach has limited benefit to the very high efficiency but highly non-linear amplifier classes which suit the demands for low power consumption in wireless handheld devices.
Synthesis: This approach is more a general category of "synthesis techniques", in which a linear PA is not used, but instead the signal at the output port of the amplification system is generated by combining 2 or more signals, each of the initial signal components not resembling the final signal being generated. Examples of this technique include Envelope Elimination and Restoration (EE&R), as discussed by Midya, Khan et al "Method, Device, Phone and Base Station for Providing Envelope-Following for Variable Envelope Radio Frequency Signals" (U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,541), and Linear Amplification with Nonlinear Components (LINC), as discussed by Okubo et al "Constant-Amplitude Wave Combination Type Amplifier" (U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,069).
In EE&R, a constant amplitude signal with variable phase is amplified, and the envelope restored by varying the collector or drain voltage of the transistor amplifier. In LINC, two constant amplitude signals are combined in various phases to generate a signal with the correct amplitude and phase. These techniques have specific applications, but all have significant drawbacks in respect of power, bandwidth, efficiency and linearity.
Feedback: The general technique of feedback correction goes back nearly 80 years, see for example H. S. Black "Wave Translation System" (U.S. Pat. No. 2,102,671; filed 1932). In particular, negative feedback tends to act to reduce variability of gain, and reduces distortion introduced in an amplifier. The actual feedback may be implemented in many different forms. Perhaps the simplest form of feedback being referred to as circuit-level feedback, wherein an electrical linkage couples some of the energy from the output port of an amplifier back to the input port. Considering a single transistor amplifier, such approaches include shunt-feedback, where a resistor is placed between the drain and gate of a transistor, and series feedback, where an inductor is inserted into the source of a transistor.
Circuit level feedback can be applied to multiple stages, but the signal delay through the stages must be accounted for. If there is too much delay, then the negative feedback will, at some frequency, become positive feedback, and an oscillation results because a portion of the output signal (at a particular set of frequencies) adds constructively to the input signal. With each passage through the loop, the signal increases to the point where all energy can be found in those particular frequencies where the combination is most constructive. Of course, as long as the gain is less than unity at the frequency at which the phase shift through the feedback loop is 360 degrees, the amplifier will remain stable. While simple circuit level feedback is widely used it suffers from one major fault in that it necessarily decreases the gain of the amplifier. Hence, higher levels of correction necessarily increasing gain which is an issue at RF frequencies where gain is difficult and expensive to achieve.
As a result, other feedback approaches have been established to act upon only the information on the envelope of the signal being amplified, which has the advantages that the RF gain of the amplifier is undiminished, and the feedback circuit may be implemented in baseband. Two such approaches being Cartesian Feedback and Polar Feedback. Considering, Cartesian Feedback, a typical approach is presented by Leitch "Gain/Phase Compensation for Linear Amplified Feedback Loop" (U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,986), in demodulating the signal at the output port of the amplifier into in-phase (I) and out-of-phase (Q) components in the Cartesian coordinate system. These I- and Q-output signal components can be compared to the I- and Q-input signals, and the results applied to an I/Q modulator at the input port of the amplifier to provide correction.
An advantage of the Cartesian feedback approach is that the filtering that keeps the amplifier stable can now be done at baseband, which is advantageous, as it no longer needs to be tuned with the RF frequency of operation of the amplifier. The design of this filter is critical, however, as the filter's frequency response is superimposed onto the gain of the amplifier. Further, delay through the amplifier is critical, as it determines the bandwidth of the filter required to stabilize the feedback loop, and therefore the instantaneous bandwidth of the system.
In contrast, Polar feedback resolves the amplitude and phase elements of the output signal, compares these to the amplitude and phase characteristics of the input signal, and uses the resulting error terms to control a polar modulator placed before the input port of the power amplifier, thereby closing the loop. This approach is presented subsequently in FIG. 4. Both Cartesian and Polar feedback techniques suffer from the limitations of the loop filter that is used to ensure that the gain of the loop rolls off fast enough with increasing frequency such that the loop remains stable. In the prior art, this loop filter adds delay and amplitude variation with frequency across the band.
It is possible, however, to configure feedback loops in which just the error is fed back, such an approach being presented by Huang "Wideband, Phase Compensated Amplifier with Negative Feedback of Distortion Components in the Output Signal" (U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,514). This approach generates the error term by subtracting the input signal from the attenuated version of the output signal. This error term is fed back into the input port of the amplifier in anti-phase (inverted) to effect the correction. This is advantageous, as the frequency response of the filter is now interposed only on the error signal and the main signal is not at all affected. Ripple in the frequency response of this filter will vary the amount of correction applied, but not the gain of the main signal. Implementations of error feedback have been limited, primarily as initial publications on error feedback, such as John McRory "An RF Amplifier for Low Intermodulation Distortion" (1994 MTT-S Digest, pp. 1741-) resulted in minimal improvements being observed. Two significant challenges in implementing this architecture exist. Firstly, the implementation of the tunable filter which must be at RF, but have a finesse adequately high to maintain stability, and secondly in designing the components in the loop to have minimal delay so that a useful correction bandwidth results.
The classical techniques presented supra all suffer from one or more of the following impairments:                Poor Efficiency        Limited Bandwidth        Complexity        Limited Effectiveness
It would be apparent that such limitations result in system designers and circuit designers trading aspects of performance and cost in implementing commercial systems with non-linear amplifiers for improved efficiency using these prior art approaches.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a linearization solution for an RF amplifier that addresses these drawbacks of prior art approaches whilst leveraging increased integration potential within semiconductor integrated circuits for lowering cost, footprint and power consumption. It would be particularly beneficial if the linearization solution addressed the increasing fractional bandwidth of today's increasing data rate wireless protocols.

Method and apparatus for distortion correction of RF amplifiers


A vascular graft with trim lines is described, the trim lines providing a guide for precision shaping of the cuff. The trim lines may be printed or otherwise disposed on a surface of the cuff or included on a template designed for disposition over the cuff. The trim lines may also be disposed on a side of a pocket into which the cuff is positioned for trimming. Also described is an apparatus and method for precise trimming of a vascular graft.

The use of vascular grafts for bypassing peripheral vascular occlusive conditions is believed to be well known, as is the use of microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) in prosthetic vascular grafts. U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,135 to Goldfarb shows and describes an ePTFE prosthetic vascular graft; U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,912 to Scholz et al. shows and describes a flanged graft for end-to-side anastomosis; U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,590 to Randall et al. shows and describes an apparatus and method for making flanged grafts for end-to-side anastomosis; and the publication entitled, "Venaflo™ Vascular Grafts, Information for Use" shows an ePTFE graft with a modified venous end, each of which is incorporated by reference into this application as if fully set forth herein.
In current clinical practice, a peripheral anastomosis between a bypass prosthesis and a peripheral artery has been performed by either direct anastomosis, interposition of a venous segment at the anastomotic site, anastomosing the prosthesis with a long venous patch sutured into the artery, enlargement of the prosthesis with the anastomotic region using a venous patch, or interposition of a venous cylinder between the prosthesis and the artery. In bypass grafting, it is believed that hemodynamic factors are a major cause of thrombosis and the development of subintimal hyperplasia at the anastomotic site. In particular, hemodynamic phenomena may induce the development of intimal hyperplasia, e.g., occlusive legions that are predominately located at a venous anastomosis, which is believed to adversely affect the longevity of ePTFE grafts. Disturbed flow patterns, e.g., recirculation zones, flow separation and reattachment, development of stagnation points, and the rate of change of shear stress can be amplified due to abnormally high flow rates present in arteriovenous grafts. In the paper entitled "The Importance of Correct Trimming of Venaflo Graft Proven by CFD," presented at the 4th International Congress of the Vascular Access Society, May 25 to 27, 2005, Berlin, Germany, which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application, Dr. Ulf Krueger describes how graft geometry at the site of a venous anastomosis directly affects hemodynamic factors.
In order to mitigate intimal hyperplasia in an arteriovenous graft, it is known to use a bulb-like shape of the venous end-to-side anastomosis. Preferably, this includes a prefabricated cuff, which is attached to the venous anastomosis, resulting in an enlargement of anastomotic room with a curved vein floor. Flow studies related to the known vascular grafts are believed to suggest that blood flow patterns are optimized compared with previously known non-vascular grafts. However, the positive properties are closely connected with the correct design of the venous anastomosis. The hemodynamic is determined by the anastomotic metrics. Hence, the size and shape of the cuff must closely match the vein diameter in order to realize the aforementioned benefits. The prefabricated cuff, according to the known device, is only roughcast and may be trimmed relative to the vein diameter at maximal dilation by a clinician during surgery. However, if a graft is not trimmed precisely, sub-optimal results may occur.
Leonard Pinchuk, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,455 (Oct. 10, 1989), shows an anastomosis trimming device that is used for trimming a section of a tubular structure, such as a blood vessel or vascular graft, which is to be anastomosed, to provide an anastomotic end with a smooth, reproducible shape. That is, Pinchuk shows and describes a tool to specifically cut a middle or tubular portion of a graft instead of a flanged or cuffed end of a vascular graft.
Applicants have recognized that precise trimming of a prefabricated flanged end or cuff to achieve optimal blood flow patterns through the cuff can be accomplished through detailed instructions, including trim lines disposed on the cuff and/or through the use of tailoring devices.


Optical filters comprising a small concentration of visible light absorbing components optionally in combination with small concentrations of ultraviolet and infared absorbing components suitable for use in an illuminator for an accelerated weathering device and methods of accelerated weathering.

Often a manufacturer will warranty a product used outdoors for a specified lifetime. Accelerated weathering devices are used by a number of industries to test a product's performance after exposure to outdoor environmental conditions such as temperature cycles, moisture including humidity, condensation, and rain, as well as exposure to (i.e. simulated) solar radiation. Although all such stresses can result in product degradation, exposure to solar radiation is one of the more influential factors in weathering because ultraviolet rays often tend to break down polymers and other materials over time.
Among the more difficult tasks in the manufacture of accelerated weathering devices is to provide a spectral power distribution of artificial light that matches closely to that of natural sunlight at the earth's surface, i.e. terrestrial sunlight. This is typically accomplished by passing illumination from an artificial light source through one or more optical filters to filter out wavelengths of light that are not present in actual sunlight. By matching or closely approximating the spectral power distribution of natural sunlight, the results of exposure to the accelerated weathering device will more closely approximate effects of real world exposure.
Commercially available optical filters often pass more amounts of ultraviolet radiation, at wavelengths less than 290 nm, than present in actual terrestrial solar radiation. Radiation at these wavelengths can cause materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyurethanes prepared from phthalate containing polyols, to fail prematurely. Other commercially available optical filters transmit insufficient intensity of light within the solar spectrum. This can lead to slower degradation rates or longer test times.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,655 describes and apparatus for accelerated weather testing of a sample using a metal halide lamp. The optimum filter is described as being made of soft glass having a low melting point which consists of, for instance, SiO2 of 60-65% (percentage by weight), Pb of 15-20%, Na of 7-8%, K of 7-8%, Co of 1%, and Ni of 1%.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,309 is directed to an optical filter for use in accelerating weathering device that exhibits certain irradiance ratios that approximate sunlight. A preferred optical filter includes a glass having a lead content of between 0.5% and 50% by weight that is free of visible light absorbing components. In some examples, the filter can be constructed to have a thickness of 0.7 mm to 10 mm. In another aspect, the optical filter is part of an optical filter that may further include an ultraviolet transmissive optical filter. The ultraviolet transmissive optical filter may be constructed from quartz glass and may further include an infrared absorbing coating.

Optical filters for accelerated weathering devices


A cancer therapeutic agent comprising a combination of compound A described below, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and compound B described below, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:    Compound A represented by the formula of claim 1 and    Compound B represented by:            at least one type of compound selected from the group consisting of a platinum-type anticancer compound, selected from the group consisting of cisplatin carboplatin, oxaliplatin and nedaplatin; a gemcitabine-type compound, selected from the group consisting of gemcitabine and Ara-C; a 5-FU-type compound, selected from the group consisting of 5-FU, doxifluridine, UFT, carmofur, S-1, and capecitabine; a texane-type compound, selected from the group consisting of Taxol, Taxotere, IDN 5109, BMS 188797 BMS 184476 paclitaxel and docetaxel; a vinca alkaloid-type compound, selected from the group consisting of vinorelbine, vincristine, vinblastine, and videsine; an anticancer tyrosine kinase inhibitor compound, and an anticancer monoclonal antibody.

Camptothecins, platinum-type anticancer compounds such as cisplatin, and anticancer compounds such as taxanes are active against a wide variety of tumor cells, and are expected as therapeutic agents such as anticancer agents (Patent Documents 1 and 2). Some of these compounds are excellent anticancer agents, but there is a demand for further activity improvement.
Many of these compounds are lipophilic, and because of their low water solubility, their use in injections (parenteral administration) is sometimes limited (Patent Document 1). Water-soluble prodrugs have been studied in an attempt to solubilize such lipophilic pharmaceutical agents in water (Non-Patent document 1 and Patent Document 1).    [Patent Document 1] WO 03/043631    [Patent Document 2] WO 03/045952    [Non-Patent Document 1] Shan et al., J. Pharm. Sci., 86(7), 765-767, 1997


An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device for displaying a white color using a first color and a second color that are complementary to each other. The OLED display device includes a substrate, a lower electrode on the substrate in a first direction, a first organic layer on a first region of the lower electrode and having a first EML for displaying a first color, a second organic layer on a second region of the lower electrode and having a second EML for displaying a second color that is complementary to the first color, and an upper electrode disposed on the first and second organic layers in a second direction crossing the first direction, wherein the first organic layer has a different thickness from the second organic layer. In addition, a thin film transistor (TFT) may disposed between the substrate and the lower electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device, and more particularly, to an OLED display device that displays a white color using complementary first and second colors.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flat panel display device (FPD) has been employed as a display device to replace a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display device because the FPD is lightweight and thin. Typical examples of the FPD are a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device. In comparison with the LCD, the OLED display device has a higher luminance and a wider viewing angle and can be made ultrathin because the OLED display device needs no backlight.
The OLED display device includes an organic layer having at least one organic emission layer (organic EML), which is interposed between an anode and a cathode. Thus, when a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, electrons injected through the cathode and holes injected through the anode recombine in the organic EML to produce excitons. As a result, light with a specific wavelength is generated due to the energy of the excitons. The organic layer may further include a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), a hole blocking layer (HBL), an electron transport layer (ETL), and/or an electron injection layer (EIL) to facilitate the injection and/or transport of the electrons and holes.
The OLED display device may be classified into a passive matrix type and an active matrix type depending on how the N×M pixels of the OLED display device that are arranged in a matrix are driven. An active matrix OLED display device includes a circuit using a thin film transistor (TFT). A passive matrix OLED display device can be fabricated using a simple process because anodes and cathodes are arranged in a matrix on a display region. However, the passive matrix OLED display device is applied only to low-resolution small-sized display devices due to its resolution limit, its needs for a high driving voltage, and its short material life span.
By comparison, in the active matrix OLED display device, a TFT is disposed on each pixel of a display region. Thus, a constant amount of current can be supplied to each pixel so that the active matrix OLED display device can emit light with a stable luminance. Also, since the active matrix OLED display device consumes low power, the active matrix OLED display device can be applied to high-resolution large-sized display devices.
In an OLED display device, when light is emitted from an organic layer at or greater than a critical angle, the light emitted from the organic layer is totally reflected at an interface between a layer having a high refractive index and a layer having a low refractive index. Thus, light extraction of the OLED display device is only ¼ light emitted by the organic layer.
In order to solve this problem, the thickness of the organic layer may be varied according to the color of light emitted by the organic layer, or a refractive layer may be formed in a direction in which light emitted by the organic layer is extracted, so that a resonance effect may occur due to an optical micro-cavity to thereby improve the light extraction efficiency of the OLED display device.
However, an organic layer of an OLED display device, for displaying a white color using complementary colors, includes first and second EMLs for displaying first and second colors. Because the first and second EMLs are sequentially stacked, it is difficult to improve the luminous efficiency and luminance of a displayed white color using a resonance effect caused by an optical micro-cavity, and, as such, color coordinates are degraded.

Organic light emitting diode display device having organic layers of varying thickness


The present invention relates to inhibitors of Nox1-dependent reactive oxygen species production and their use in the treatment of disorders associated with reactive oxygen species, such as hypertension and cancer.

NADPH oxidases (Nox) are proteins present in the membrane of a variety of mammalian cell types whose function is to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide anion (O2−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Maintaining healthy O2− levels is important in maintaining vascular tone. However, excessive O2− production may lead to hypertension through scavenging of the vasodilatory agent nitric oxide (NO) [1]. In addition, Nox-dependent ROS production is critical in a number of cellular signaling pathways and is involved in multiple cardiovascular diseases and colon cancer. [See 6, 7.]
With this wide gamut of functions for ROS, tight regulation of Nox by the cell is required. This is accomplished in part by generation of a number of different isoforms of Nox that are differentially regulated and produced in varying cell types. Among these isoforms, Nox1 and Nox2 bear significant homology. Each of these isoforms associates with the membrane protein p22phox and cytosolic organizing and activating subunits. Nox1 was originally discovered in colon carcinoma cells and has more recently been found to cause deleterious vascular constriction and contribute to angiogenic processes [2]. Nox2 is the prototypical enzyme of the family and is responsible for the respiratory burst found in phagocytes [2].
Both Nox1 and Nox2 produce O2− exclusively while Nox4 is thought to primarily produce H2O2 [2]. Nox1 and Nox2 derived O2− directly inactivates NO. Cells use cytosolic cofactors to regulate Nox-derived ROS production. Nox4 appears not to require classical cytosolic factors as do Nox1 and 2 but recently Poldip2 has been described as modulatory for Nox4. Nox1 activation is regulated primarily by the cytosolic proteins NOXA1, NOXO1, and the GTPase Rac1 while Nox2 activation is primarily regulated by the cytosolic proteins p67phox, p47phox, p40phox, and the GTPase Rac2 [2].
NOXA1 shares 38.3% homology with p67phox and a specific domain of p67phox from amino acids 190-200 is particularly well conserved across the animal kingdom and shares high homology with NOXA1 [3-5] (FIG. 1A-B). This domain has been termed the activation domain of p67phox and within it are a number of amino acids critical to the activation of Nox2. A portion of NOXA1 stretching from amino acids 191-211 is highly homologous to the activation domain of p67phox. Within these amino acids, 199-201 are of particular importance to enzyme activation (FIG. 1A). If one of these amino acids in NOXA1 is mutated to an alanine, the protein's function is reduced and in some cases totally lost [5].

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH—OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION


To provide, without increasing the number of manufacturing steps, a friction material that can effectively inhibit water fade, provide good brake effectiveness and a good wear resistance, and give low aggressiveness against the mating surface. In the friction material comprising the inorganic abrasive material and lubricant, the inorganic abrasive material includes 0.5-10 volume % of the inorganic particle relative to the total amount of the friction material, with Mohs' hardness of 5-8 and the average particle diameter of 0.5-10 μm, and the graphite and the petroleum coke in amount of 8-15 volume % relative to the total amount of the friction material. Proportion of the graphite and the petroleum coke is 2:8-3:7 volume ratio, and the average particle diameter of the petroleum coke is 400-900 μm.

Conventional automobile brake devices are disc brake devices or drum brake devices that use a brake pad or brake shoe as a friction member which is formed by affixing the friction material on a metal base member.
The friction material especially used in the brake pad may be classified into three types, i.e., semi-metallic friction material including a steel fiber as a fiber base material, low steel friction material including a steel fiber in a part of the fiber base material, and Non-Asbestos-Organic (NAO) friction material not including steel fiber as the fiber base material.
The semi-metallic friction material is characterized by having a high wear resistance; the low steel friction material is characterized by having highly effective braking; and the NAO friction material is characterized by having a minimal brake noise occurrence.
In recent years there is a demand for minimal brake noise occurrence, therefore the NAO friction material with no steel fiber has widely been used in the brake pad. The NAO friction material includes a fiber base material, such as nonferrous metal fiber, organic fiber, and inorganic fiber; a binder, such as thermosetting resin; and a frictional wear modifier, such as an organic filler, an inorganic filler, an inorganic abrasive material, a lubricant, and a metal particle and so on.
The NAO friction material minimizes brake noise occurrence, but on the other hand, the use of the NAO friction material decreases the brake effectiveness because a thin water film forms between the friction surface of the friction material and the friction surface of the mating member when water breaks into a gap between both friction surfaces, i.e., the use of the NAO friction material causes water fade.
The Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2007-191010 (Patent Document 1) shows a method of dissolving water fade by controlling the pressure on the friction material against the brake disc.
However, the method of the Patent Document 1 requires a highly precise pressure control mechanism, and therefore a technology to inhibit water fade using improved friction members, such as the brake pad, and without the use of the pressure control mechanism, was demanded.
Water fade can be inhibited by creating sufficient roughness on the friction surface of such as the brake disc or the brake drum. The sufficient roughness reduces the water surface tension, thereby making it difficult to form a thin water film.
The semi-metallic friction materials and low steel friction materials including steel fiber with a large abrasive force, creates sufficient roughness on the friction surface of the brake disc or brake drum, and therefore water fade occurrence is minimized.
However, there is a problem when using NAO friction materials with no steel fiber and a small abrasive force in that it is difficult to create sufficient roughness on the friction surface of the brake disc or brake drum and therefore water fade tends to occur.
In order to increase the abrasive force, the inorganic abrasive material to be applied in the friction material may be hardened; the particle diameter may be enlarged; or additives may be increased. However, a problem of failing to meet other required performance arises because these changes of the friction material contribute to lowering the wear resistance and heighten the aggressiveness against the mating surface (aggressiveness against the surface of the mating member).
The Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. H08-2278866 (Patent Document 2) shows a brake pad that improves drainage and inhibits water fade occurrence by using multiple slits on the friction surface of the brake pad, where the slits are extending from an approximately center line to both ends in a longitudinal direction of the friction material and inclining in a frictional direction of the mating member.
However, in this document, specially designed slots are required, which increase the manufacturing steps.
Also, the Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2007-326999 (Patent Document 3) shows a friction material including a high hardness inorganic abrasive material, and a friction material including an inorganic abrasive material, 5 volume % of graphite, and 0.5-3 volume % of coke is shown in the embodiment.
However, effective inhibition of water fade cannot be expected in the friction material in the Patent Document 3.
This is due to an excessive amount of graphite addition. Graphite has a crystal structure with laminated two-dimension graphite sheet layers of honeycomb structure, and when a shearing force is applied it generates interlaminar slide indicating fine lubricant function; therefore, graphite has widely been used as a lubricant of the friction material. However, graphite is crystalline and tends to grow a film on the friction surface of the mating member and thus increases the thickness thereof.
This thickened graphite film hinders the abrasive function of the inorganic abrasive material, and therefore creating sufficient roughness on the friction surface of the mating member cannot be realized, which makes it easy to form the thin water film and therefore water fade tends to occur.
The Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2004-155843 (Patent Document 4), Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2007-056063 (Patent Document 5), and Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2007-112952 (Patent Document 6), disclose the invention of friction materials made of the low steel friction material, and where petroleum coke is added to the graphite as lubricant to heighten the wear resistance.
However, the low steel friction material rarely has a problem of water fade occurrence, and there is no explanation as to the relation between the friction material composition and water fade.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2007-191010
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. H08-227866
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2007-326999
[Patent Document 4] Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2004-155843
[Patent Document 5] Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2007-056063
[Patent Document 6] Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 2007-112952


A storage medium on which geographic data of a geographic region are stored together as map units, a corresponding method for generating a map from the geographic data, and a corresponding navigation device. In order to reduce the amount of data to be processed, the map units are structured hierarchically, map units of an nth order respectively corresponding to one geographic partial region, n being a natural number, and map units of an (n+1)th order respectively corresponding to one geographic subregion of one of the partial regions.

Such navigation devices are installed in transportation devices such as motor vehicles, ships, and airplanes in order to navigate the driver of the transportation device from a current location to a desired destination. The navigation devices determine the current position of the transportation device, for example, using GPS (global positioning system), and calculate a recommended route using geographic data that are stored on a storage medium.
Such a navigation device is described in German Patent Application No. DE 101 46 785, which uses a storage medium on which geographic data are stored together as map units that respectively correspond to a geographic partial region, the geographic partial regions not overlapping. In this context, the geographic data relate to either a point, which is determined through its coordinates, or to lines or surfaces that are determined by their edge points and split at map unit boundaries. To calculate a recommended route, required map units are selected and completely read by the navigation device.
A disadvantage is that the individual map units also contain a lot of detailed information relating to geography, which is not always necessary for navigation. For this reason, the scope of the geographic data that must be read, stored, and processed by the navigation device is unnecessarily broad.

Storage medium for map data, method for generating maps, and navigation device


A device and method thereof for packetizing scalably encoded data. The device can include a receiver adapted to receive a stream of data from an encoding device, wherein at least a first portion of the data is scalably encoded. The device can also include a packetizer coupled to the receiver, the packetizer adapted to packetize at least a second portion of the data into scalable data packets.

Wireless streaming environments present many challenges for the system designer. For instance, clients can have different display, power, communication, and computational capabilities. In addition, wireless communication links can have different maximum bandwidths, quality levels, and time-varying characteristics. A successful wireless video streaming system must be able to stream video to heterogeneous clients over time-varying wireless communication links, and this streaming must be performed in a scalable manner. Scalability is needed to enable streaming to a multitude of clients with different device capabilities.
In order to achieve scalability and efficiency in wireless streaming environments, one must be able to easily adapt or transcode the compressed video stream at intermediate network nodes. A transcoder takes a compressed video system as the input, then processes it to produce another compressed video stream as the output. Sample transcoding operations include bitrate reduction, rate shaping, spatial downsampling, frame rate reduction, and changing compression formats. Network transcoding can improve system scalability and efficiency, for example, by adapting the spatial resolution of a video stream for a particular client's display capabilities or by dynamically adjusting the bitrate of a video stream to match a wireless channel's time-varying characteristics.
While network transcoding facilitates scalability in video streaming systems, it also presents a number of challenges. First, while computationally efficient transcoding algorithms have been developed, even these are not well-suited for processing hundreds or thousands of streams at intermediate wired network nodes or even a few streams at intermediate low-power wireless networking relay nodes. Furthermore, many prior art network transcoding methods impose severe encryption, decryption, and re-encryption schemes for the streamed data.
More specifically, in conventional video streaming approaches employing application-level encryption, video is first encoded into a bitstream using interframe compression algorithms. These algorithms include, for example, the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standard, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standard, H.263, or intraframe compression algorithms such as, for example, the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) or JPEG2000 standards. The resulting bitstream is then encrypted, and the resulting encrypted stream is packetized and transmitted over the network using a transport protocol such as unreliable datagram protocol (UDP). Prior Art FIG. 1 is a block diagram 100 which illustrates the order in which conventional application-level encryption is performed (i.e., Encode 102, Encrypt 104 and Packetize 106). One difficulty with this conventional approach arises when a packet is lost. Specifically, error recovery is difficult because without the data from the lost packet, decryption and/or decoding may be difficult if not impossible.
Prior Art FIG. 2 is a block diagram 200 illustrating another conventional secure video streaming system that uses network-level encryption (i.e. Encode 202, Packetize 204, and Encrypt 206). The system of Prior Art FIG. 2 can use the same video compression algorithms as the system of Prior Art FIG. 1. However, in the system of Prior Art FIG. 2, the packetization can be performed in a manner that considers the content of the coded video and thus results in better error recovery, a concept known to the networking community as application-level framing. For example, a common approach is to use MPEG compression with the RTP transport protocol which is built on unreliable datagram protocol (UDP), RTP provides streaming parameters such as time stamps and suggests methods for packetizing MPEG payload data to ease error recovery in the case of lost or delayed packets. However, error recovery is still difficult and without data from a lost packet, decryption and/or decoding is still difficult if not impossible.
Both of the conventional approaches of Prior Art FIG. 1 and Prior Art FIG. 2 are secure in that they transport the video data in encrypted form. However, with these conventional approaches, if network transcoding is needed, it must be performed in accordance with the method of Prior Art FIG. 3. That is, as shown in block diagram 300, the necessary transcoding operation is a decrypt 302, decode 304, process 306, re-encode 308, and re-encrypt 310 process. As shown in the block diagram 400 of Prior Art FIG. 4, in another conventional approach, the computational requirements of the operation of Prior Art FIG. 3 are reduced to a decrypt 402, transcode 404, and re-encrypt 406 process. Specifically, this computational reduction is achieved by incorporating and efficient transcoding algorithm (i.e. transcode module 404) in place of the decode 304, process 306, and re-encode 308 modules of Prior Art FIG. 3. However, even such improved conventional transcoding algorithms have computational requirements that are not well-suited for transcoding many streams in a network node. Hence, conventional schemes employing such encryption methods further reduce computational and streaming efficiency.
As yet another concern, wireless streaming systems are limited by wireless bandwidth and client resources. Wireless bandwidth is scarce because of its shared nature and the fundamental limitations of wireless spectrum. Client resources are often practically limited by power constraints and by display, communication, and computational capabilities. As an example, wireless transmission and even wireless reception alone typically consume large power budgets. In order to make the most efficient use of wireless bandwidth and client resources, it is desirable to send clients the lowest bandwidth video streams that match their display and communication capabilities. In wireless streaming systems where a sender streams video to a number of heterogeneous clients with different resources, network transcoders can be used to help achieve end-to-end system efficiency and scalability.
In hybrid wired/wireless networks, it is often necessary to simultaneously stream video to fixed clients on a wired network and to mobile clients on a wireless network. In such a hybrid system, it may often be desirable to send a full-bandwidth, high-resolution video stream to the fixed wired client, and a lower-bandwidth, medium-resolution video stream to the mobile wireless receiver. Conventional video streaming approaches, however do not achieve the efficiency and scalability necessary to readily accommodate the video streaming corresponding to hybrid wired/wireless networks.
Yet another example of the drawbacks associated with conventional video streaming approaches is demonstrated in conjunction with wireless appliance networks. In many wireless appliance networks, mobile senders and receivers communicate with one another over wireless links. A sender's coverage area is limited by the power of the transmitted signal. Relay devices can be used to extend the wireless coverage area when intended receivers are beyond the immediate coverage area of the sender. However, in the case of heterogeneous clients within the same wireless network, it may be desired to provide a higher bandwidth, high-resolution video stream to the high power wireless receivers, and a lower bandwidth, low-resolution video stream to the low power wireless receivers. Once again, conventional video streaming approaches, however do not achieve the efficiency and scalability necessary to readily accommodate such video streaming demands in wireless appliance networks. Although the above-listed discussion specifically mentions the shortcomings of prior art approaches with respect to the streaming of video data, such shortcomings are not limited solely to the streaming of video data. Instead, the problems of the prior art span various types of media including, but not limited to, audio-based data, image-based data, graphic data, web page-based data, and the like.
Accordingly, what is needed is a method and/or system that can stream media data in a computationally efficient manner. What is also needed is a method and/or system that can satisfy the above need and that can also stream media data to heterogeneous clients ("receiving nodes") that may have different display, power, communication and computational capabilities and characteristics. The present invention provides a novel solution to these needs.

Packetizing devices for scalable data streaming

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A head unit 103 for use in a droplet ejection apparatus is provided with a plurality of droplet ejection heads for ejecting one or more kind of liquid material of a predetermined color onto a base in the form of droplets. Each of the droplet ejection heads includes at least one nozzle array constituted from a plurality of nozzles linearly aligned. The liquid material is adapted to be ejected through the plurality of nozzles of the plurality of droplet ejection heads in the form of droplets. The plurality of droplet ejection heads for ejecting the liquid material of the same color are arranged so that the nozzle arrays of the plurality of droplet ejection heads are parallel to each other in a first direction and each of the plurality of droplet ejection heads partially overlaps at least one of the other droplet ejection heads when viewed from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. All the plurality of droplet ejection heads for ejecting the liquid material of the same color which are partially overlapped each other eject the liquid material onto a predetermined region of the base in the form of droplets.

As a method of manufacturing a panel for an image display apparatus such as a color filter of a liquid crystal display, a method using a droplet ejection apparatus (ink jet drawing apparatus) is known (for example, see JP-A-59-75205). In this method, a plurality of pixels are formed on a substrate for manufacturing a panel on which a plurality of pixels (ejection regions) are formed by supplying a liquid material such as ink onto the plurality of pixels in the form of droplets using the droplet ejection apparatus. Such a droplet ejection apparatus for manufacturing a panel supplies the liquid material for forming pixels onto the plurality of pixels on the substrate by ejecting the liquid material in the form of droplets onto the substrate while mutually moving a stage for supporting the substrate with respect to a head unit on which a plurality of droplet ejection heads are provided.
A plurality of nozzles (nozzle openings) are formed in one droplet ejection head so as to be aligned, and the plurality of nozzles constitute a nozzle array. Since the length of the nozzle array is shorter than the size of the substrate, the plurality of droplet ejection heads are arranged on the head unit so that the nozzle arrays thereof connect each other when viewed from a scanning direction in order to make a width of a region on which droplets are ejected at one scanning operation of the head unit (a width to be drawn) longer.
However, since it is inevitable that some variations in the amount of ejection among the plurality of droplet ejection heads occur, for example, color of pixels onto which one droplet ejection head ejects droplets of the liquid material may become deep, and color of pixels onto which another droplet ejection head ejects droplets of the liquid material may become light. In such a case, there is a problem that color heterogeneity is generated in the panel.

Head unit, a droplet ejection apparatus, a method of manufacturing a panel from a base, an image display apparatus and an electronic apparatus


A cylinder unit is provided in a rear side of a boat body to rotate an outboard motor main body as a steering apparatus, and a pump unit is provided to drive the pump unit via a hydraulic pipe by a steering wheel in a driver's seat. A steering torque inputted to the pump unit by the steering wheel is detected by a torque sensor. The pump unit is assisted in the steering operation direction based upon the detected torque by an electric motor, a worm gear, and a worm wheel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering system for a small boat.
2. The Related Art of the Invention
As a steering system for a conventional small boat such as a boat with an outboard motor, there has been proposed a steering system in which a power is assisted by an electric motor as disclosed in Japanese Patent Serial No. 2652788.
In this conventional steering system, an operation of a steering wheel located in a driver's seat is transmitted to an outboard motor steerably supported in a rear side of the boat by a wire and the outboard motor is rotated in accordance with a steering amount of the steering wheel. On the other hand, a rotating force of the electric motor in a power-assisted mechanism rotates the outboard motor through a reduction gear. Herein an output signal of a steering force sensor to sense a steering transmission force acting on the wire, a motor rotation number signal of the outboard motor and the like are detected. An assist force of the electric motor is controlled in accordance with the signals by an electric control unit.
However, since the electric motor or the steering force sensor are arranged in the vicinity of the outboard motor in the conventional steering system, there is a need for improving a water proofing property so as to prevent water rolled up by a propeller or the like from entering into the electric motor or the steering force sensor. And the mounting of them is complicated, thereby to increase costs of the steering system.
And an operating force of the wire pushed and pulled by the steering of the steering wheel is sensed by the steering force sensor. Therefore, the steering force that can be sensed by the steering force sensor reduces or varies by friction generated caused by the wire operation, deteriorating the accuracy of the sensor. As a result, the assist force is restricted and therefore, there is a limit to reducing the steering force and improving a feeling of the steering.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a steering system for a small boat which overcomes the above-mentioned problems in the related art. The present invention addresses this need in the related art and also other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


An antenna board includes a first base board unit including a first insulating layer having a first receiving groove; a first antenna board unit disposed in the first receiving groove, including a second insulating layer and a third insulating layer disposed on the second insulating layer, and further including at least one of a first patch pattern disposed on the second insulating layer and covered by the third insulating layer and a second patch pattern disposed on the third insulating layer; and a first encapsulant covering at least a portion of the first antenna board unit and filling at least a portion of the first receiving groove, wherein a dielectric constant of the second insulating layer is different from a dielectric constant of the third insulating layer.

Recently, as fifth generation (5G) communications are applied to mobile devices such as mobile phones, an antenna module for high frequency communications of 20 GHz or higher has been used. To additionally mount a 5G antenna module in the mobile phone, it may be necessary to reduce a size and thickness of the antenna module.
To reduce the size and thickness of the antenna module, an antenna board may be implemented using an insulating material having a high dielectric constant (Dk). However, when only an insulating material having a high dielectric constant is used, problems related to performance of an antenna, such as surface waves or a narrow bandwidth, may occur.


An emission control valve is retained in a mounting on an engine intake manifold by a retaining clip. The clip is formed from a single piece of metal strip stock to have tines that pass through slots in the mounting to axially capture the valve in the mounting. The clip also has a locking formation releasably locking the clip with a catch formation of the mounting.

Known emission control valves for internal combustion engine powered motor vehicles include, one, purge valves for purging fuel vapors from evaporative emission spaces of fuel storage systems to engine intake manifolds to entrain the fuel vapors in fresh fuel-air charges entering the engines for combustion, and two, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves for recirculating hot exhaust gases from exhaust manifolds to intake manifolds for thermal doping of fresh fuel-air charges entering the engines for combustion.
Known mountings for such valves include mounting brackets that can be attached to components of automotive vehicles by fasteners such as screws. It is also known to mount EGR valves directly on engines.
Integration of such emission control valves in engine air-fuel systems is believed to offer potential advantages for both suppliers of such systems and for automobile manufacturers who purchase such systems from suppliers. By mounting a valve on an engine component, such as a purge valve on a plastic intake manifold, to create an integrated assembly at a supplier facility, integrity of a valve and its mounting can be confirmed by the supplier. Such a procedure may yield efficiencies by enabling non-compliant components and/or systems to be detected earlier in the overall manufacturing process.
Further advantages can be realized by minimizing the number of operations required to assemble a valve into an integrated air-fuel system. While conventional fastening devices, such as threaded fasteners, are readily available for securing a valve and/or valve mounting bracket on an engine component, a single fastening device that can be used to retain a valve in a mounting without the need to perform a twisting operation on the device it believed to afford certain advantages for assembly purposes. A device which can also be expediently removed and re-installed may also facilitate service procedures whenever such procedures are performed.

Automotive emission control valve mounting


A connector housing includes a housing main body and a tubular shroud. Terminal receiving chambers are mounted on the housing main body. A male connector housing is inserted into the shroud. The male connector housing receives male terminals to be fitted to female terminals received in the terminal receiving chambers. A notched groove is formed on the shroud in a length direction of the female terminals. A half-fit detecting member receives a female connector housing and includes a pair of correcting ribs. A pair of abutting walls facing each other is mounted on both sides of the notched groove. The pair of correcting ribs abuts on the pair of abutting walls to prevent a width of the notched groove to be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, in particular, to a connector including a connector housing having terminal receiving chambers and a housing cover to receive the connector housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional connector, Japanese published patent application No. 2004-220970 discloses a half-fit preventing connector shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The half-fit preventing connector consists of a female connector housing 20 having terminal receiving chambers and a half-fit detecting member 30 as a housing cover receiving the female connector housing 20.
Unless the female connector housing 20 and a mating male housing (not shown) are connected completely, the half-fit detecting member 30 prevents the female connector housing 20 from sliding from a initial position where the female connector housing 20 is projected from a top end opening of the half-fit detecting member 30 to a fit-detecting position where the whole female connector housing 20 is received in the half-fit detecting member 30. Whether the female connector housing 20 is completely connected to the male connector housing or not can be judged by whether the female connector housing 20 is positioned at the initial position or the fit-detecting position.
The female connector housing 20 includes a substantially cylindrical housing main body 21. Terminal receiving chambers 211 for receiving the female terminals are formed in the housing main body 21. A front holder 26 is attached to the housing main body 21 via an O-ring 25 from a top end of the female terminal in a length direction Y1 thereof.
Two pairs of guiding projections 27 are projected from an outer wall at a rear end of the housing main body 21 in the length direction Y1. Guide receivers 35, 35 corresponding to guiding projections 27, 27 are formed on an inner peripheral wall of the half-fit detecting member 30. Because the guiding projections 27, 27 are inserted into the guiding receivers 35, 35, the sliding position between the female connector housing 20 and the half-fit detecting member 30 is prevented from shifting, and the female connector housing 20 slides smoothly.
However, according to the conventional connector, due to an insertion of the male connector housing, the guiding projection 27 is only formed at an outer sidewall back end from a deepest part F where a top end of the connector housing is positioned when the connector is connected to mating connector. Therefore, when the female connector housing 20 is assembled with the half-fit detecting member 30, a rattle is generated at the top end of the female connector housing 20. Thus, fitting feeling is reduced, and the female connector housing 20 has a structure that a prying or a reverse-engagement is generated easily when the female connector housing 20 is connected to the mating connector.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that prevents a rattle between a connector housing and a housing cover, and increases connecting reliability and assembling ability.