Methods and compositions for identifying and characterizing the affinity of one or more ligands of a peptide are provided. In particular, a “stripped phage ligand sensor device” (SPLSD) is provided comprising a sensor coupled to a binding element of interest. Binding elements of the invention comprise phage which in most embodiments express a peptide of interest on the phage surface. Assays using the SPLSD allow detection and quantitation of ligands. Also provided are improved methods for forming monolayers using phage. In particular, methods for the formation of monolayers using “stripped phage” are provided. Further provided are monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett films formed by the methods of the invention as well as substrates having deposited thereon the films of the invention. The monolayers, films and substrates of the invention are useful as components of biosensors and/or chemosensors.

A monolayer is a one-layer-thick film of at least one amphiphilic compound or composition that forms at the air/water interface of an aqueous solution. Molecules in the monolayer are aligned in the same orientation, with the hydrophobic domain facing the air and the hydrophilic domain facing the aqueous solution. Compression of the monolayer results in the formation of an ordered, two-dimensional solid that may be transferred to a substrate by passing the substrate through the monolayer. A monolayer that has been transferred to a substrate is termed a Langmuir-Blodgett film, or LB film. For reviews of Langmuir-Blodgett technology, see Gaines, G. L. Jr. (1966) Insoluble Monolayers at Liquid-Gas Interfaces, Interscience, New York; Zasadzinski et al. (1994) Science 263:1726-1733; Ullman (1991) An Introduction to Ultrathin Organic Films, Academic Press, Boston, Mass.; and Roberts (1990) Langmuir-Blodgett Films, Plenum, N.Y.; the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Monolayers are typically composed of organic molecules such as lipids, fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives, fat-soluble vitamins, cholesterol, chlorophyll, valinomycin and synthetic polymers such as polyvinyl acetate and polymethyl methacrylate, but may also be formed by many other amphiphilic compounds. LB films may be used to detect a molecule that binds to or reacts with a compound of interest that comprises the monolayer or has been incorporated into the monolayer.
Sensing systems employing LB films include electrochemical devices using ion-sensitive field effect transistors, absorption or fluorescence based optical devices, and piezoelectric crystals. For example, LB films of valinomycin have been used to detect a specific interaction of potassium that results in a conformational change that is detectable by infrared spectroscopy (Pathirana et al. (1992) Langmuir 8:1984-1987).
Monolayers incorporating fluorescein lipids have been deposited on quartz crystal microbalances and used to detect specific anti-fluorescyl monoclonal antibodies in solution (Ebato et al. (1994) Analytical Chem. 66:1683-1689). In contrast, detection of antigens by piezoelectric crystals coated with LB films incorporating antibodies has met with limited success. In these systems, non-specific binding of molecules to the LB film prevents accurate measurement of antigen.
Previous methods for forming LB films require dissolution of the compounds to be formed into a monolayer in a volatile organic solvent. The organic solvent forms a separate phase from the aqueous solution and functions to prevent dissolution of the monolayer components in the aqueous phase. After spreading the mixture at the air-liquid interface of the aqueous solution, the solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving a monolayer at the interface. Unfortunately, the organic solvent often damages the monolayer components and leaves an undesirable residue. LB films formed from such monolayers may have unacceptable levels of nonspecific binding. Such non-specific binding, which is non-saturable, hampers quantitative measurement of specific binding. Our previous invention (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/452,968, filed Dec. 2, 1999) overcame such problems by providing a method for forming monolayers that does not require the use of an organic solvent.
Efficient detection using a biosensor device requires: (1) high surface density of functional molecules; (2) high specificity of interactions and the absence of non-specific binding; (3) accessibility of interacting partners; and (4) stability of the sensing system. From a practical standpoint, the most important feature of any biosensor is the dynamic response-time curve of the sensor. When a biosensor is exposed to a specific ligand, the dynamic output signal as a function of time represent the binding process. The total binding (T) includes a non-saturable constituent of non-specific binding (NSB) and a saturable constituent of specific binding (SB). The SB constituent is saturated when the interaction of analytical or diagnostic probe attached to the sensor, for example, a peptide probe, and a target in solution (ligand) reaches a steady-state level. The ability of the probe-ligand system to achieve a steady state level is extremely important for measuring the target ligand concentration in the solution being analyzed.
Unfortunately, extra ligands may be bound to the sensor by the nonspecific interaction with the probe-supporting components. When this occurs, the sensor output corresponding to the steady-state level of specific binding is masked by the increasing contribution of non-specific binding. In practice, to relate concentrations of ligands in a solution being analyzed to sensor output, various variables must be controlled and/or known, such as the volume of liquid, the flow rate of liquid, and the time of exposure. In contrast, when non-specific binding is low, the steady-state output corresponds to a specific ligand concentration. Thus, for optimal performance of sensor devices, surface density and purity of probes must be high and non-specific binding must be minimized.
A critical step in the production of a biosensor is the immobilization of the probe to the surface of the biosensor. Previous methods included a combined Langmuir-Blodgett (LB)/molecular assembly method (Samoylov et al. (2002) Biomolecular Engineering 18: 269-272; Samoylov et al. (2002) J. Mol. Recognit. 15: 197-203). This method involves LB film deposition, which is known in the art and described in references such as Sukhorukov et al. (1996) Biosens. Bioelectron. 11: 913-922; Petty (1991) J. Biomed. Eng. 13: 209-214; Pathirana et al. (1992) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114: 1404-1405; Pathirana et al. (1992) Langmuir 8: 1984-1987; Pathirana et al. (1996) Supramolecular Sci. 3: 149-154; Pathirana et al. (1998) Langmuir 14: 679-682; Vodyanoy et al. (1994) Langmuir 10: 1354-1357. In some methods, phage-derived probes are directly adsorbed to the sensor device to create a biosensor.
Biosensors previously reported in the literature are somewhat limited because the reported devices have low sensitivity, limited longevity, and/or long response times. Decker et al. ((2000) J. Immunol. Methods 233:159-165) reported that more than 90 minutes were needed to measure phage binding by peptide fragments immobilized by biotin/streptavidin coupling. Hengerer et al. ((1999) Biotechniques 26: 956-60, 962, 964) reported binding of phage antibodies to antigen immobilized on a quartz crystal microbalance with a time constant of about 100 min. These long response times are not compatible with rapid screening and make large-scale screening unwieldy. Therefore, there remains a need for a biosensor which can rapidly detect specific proteins. In addition, reported biosensors generally suffer from disadvantages such as low specificity and low affinity.
Some biosensor platforms utilize antibodies as the binding element. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,183 teaches the use of thin film composites of metal oxides and antibodies for amperometric and potentiometric sensing. Porous silicon biosensors are described for use with antibodies in U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,047. A patterned multiple antibody substrate for use in biosensors or immunosensors was prepared by adsorbing specific antibodies at the sites in U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,801. U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,611 teaches the use of monoclonal antibodies to superficial papillary bladder tumor cells in an ELISA-type format. See also, copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/452,968, filed Dec. 2, 1999.
Antibody-based sensors represent an improvement over previously-used sensors in several ways, and can exhibit improved specificity and affinity (see, e.g., Ziegler et al. (1998) Biosensors & Bioelectronics 13: 539-571. However, antibody-based sensors have several disadvantages which restrict their usefulness, including high cost and short longevity or inability to perform in various environmental or field test conditions. Moreover, the quality of antibodies can vary with different production variables, such as the animal used to produce the antibodies. Another disadvantage of antibodies is that it may take months to generate the desired antibodies for use in an antibody-based sensor.
The threat of bioterrorism highlights the need for specific, accurate sensors that are rapidly prepared. At present, the earliest recognition of and response to a bioterrorist attack with Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) spores may be based on clinical manifestations of anthrax and laboratory culture tests, which require days to complete (see, e.g., Inglesby et al. (1999) JAMA 281: 1735-45). Thus, a need exists for specific, accurate biosensors that are rapidly prepared.
Phage-based biosensors have been previously developed. See, e.g., our application Ser. No. 10/289,725, filed Nov. 7, 2002. Typically, a biotinylated monolayer is deposited onto the surface of the sensor device. Following this step, a phage layer may be added using non-LB, molecular self-assembly of a phage layer using biotin/streptavidin coupling. See Furich et al. (1996) SPIE 2928: 220-225 and Volker and Siegmund (1997) EXS 80: 175-191.
Monolayer coverage provides a proximate binding of analyte to sensor surface and therefore works better for sensors in which the short distance between sensor surface and analyte binding site is critical for generation of measurable signal such as acoustic wave or surface plasmon resonance sensors. The present invention provides monolayers of superior purity that provide higher specificity and lower non-specific binding with less manipulation and effort than previous methods, leading to more economical, rapid, and accurate detection of ligands.

Method of forming monolayers of phage-derived products and used thereof


A leadscrew mechanical drive includes a leadscrew having a leadscrew axis and a leadscrew thread with a nonzero leadscrew thread pitch, and a leadscrew follower structure engaged to the leadscrew. The leadscrew follower structure includes a threaded insert having an insert thread with a nonzero insert thread pitch different from the leadscrew thread pitch, which is threadably engaged to the leadscrew. The leadscrew follower structure further includes a bearing in which the threaded insert is received and which permits the threaded insert to rotate about the insert axis, a bearing support in which the bearing is received, and a preload structure which biases the insert thread against the leadscrew thread.

Most common electrical motors have a rotational output, but in many instances the structure to be driven requires a linear motion. There are a number of approaches to mechanically converting the rotational motor output to a linear motion. One such approach is a leadscrew mechanical drive in which the motor rotationally drives a threaded leadscrew. A leadscrew follower structure driven by the leadscrew engages the leadscrew and moves parallel to the axis of the leadscrew to convert the rotational motion to linear motion parallel to the axis of the leadscrew. The leadscrew follower structure typically includes a follower threadably engaged to the leadscrew or a recirculating ball mechanism, although other types of leadscrew followers have been proposed.
The conventional leadscrew mechanical drive works well in many situations, but has limitations in others. If the linear motion is to be very slow, the basic leadscrew mechanical drive must be modified in one of several ways. The leadscrew must have a small thread pitch, the leadscrew must be driven through a speed-reducing gearbox placed between the motor and the leadscrew, and/or special motor controls such as a high-resolution rotary optical encoder must be used to measure and control the motor output in a feedback manner. Additionally, care must be taken to minimize play and backlash in the leadscrew mechanical drive. Some of these modifications have physical limitations that limit the ability to achieve the desired slow linear movement. For example, the reduction in thread pitch is limited by the physical width between the turns of the thread that may be achieved by machining or other thread-producing technique. The efficiency of speed-reducing gearboxes falls with increasing reduction ratio, requiring a larger motor for high reduction ratios. The ability to reduce the rotational output speed of the motor is limited by the structure of the motor windings, so that it may be necessary to use a special low-speed motor. In any event, these modifications lead to an expensive, bulky, and/or heavy leadscrew mechanical drive that may not be suitable for the desired applications.
There is therefore a need for an improved approach to the mechanical conversion of rotary motion to linear motion, particularly for applications in which the required linear motion is very slow. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Leadscrew mechanical drive with differential leadscrew follower structure


A method for detecting coking in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection is provided. The internal combustion engine has variable intake valve control. The variable intake valve control makes it possible to change the open time of the intake valves in relation to the crank angle of the crankshaft. In the method, the internal combustion engine is operated in idling mode at an idling rotational speed that is elevated in comparison with the normal idling operation. In order to perform the measurement, the open time of the intake valves is also shifted in an advanced direction. An uneven-running characteristic value of the internal combustion engine that is characteristic of the uneven running of the internal combustion engine is determined, and the presence of coking in the intake tract can be detected on the basis of the uneven-running characteristic value.

The invention relates to a method for detecting coking in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine having variable intake camshaft control, and to a corresponding engine testing device for detecting coking.
Coking of the intake tract can occur in gasoline engines having direct fuel injection, in particular on the intake valve (for example, on the valve neck) or in the intake port on the valve opening. With such coking, carbon deposits in the intake tract. The cause for the tendency of gasoline engines having direct fuel injection toward coking is that no continuous cleaning scavenging of the intake tract, for example of the intake valve, with gasoline takes place in engines having direct fuel injection, since the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber; oil residue from the crankcase breather can deposit, together with soot particles from the cylinder, in the intake in the form of carbon under the action of heat. The coking tendency increases when low-quality fuels are used and with low-load driving profiles.
This coking causes rough idling (uneven running) when the engine is cold and can result in increased fuel consumption as well as problems in the warm-up driving behavior. A carbon deposit coating at the top on the valve neck between the valve head and the valve stem, for example, can interfere with the tumble flow, so that the idle speed fluctuates to a higher degree and, in the extreme case, even misfires can occur. A carbon deposit coating can even result in performance losses when it acts as a flow resistance due to insufficient cylinder filling. Moreover, a carbon deposit coating on the intake valve or on the valve opening can prevent the valve from closing properly, resulting in compression losses and sporadic misfires. Coking of the intake tract, in particular of the intake valves, in internal combustion engines having direct fuel injection and the consequences thereof are described in the published prior art EP 1 884 637 A2.
The degree of coking in the intake tract is typically determined visually in the workshop only after engine components have been disassembled. If the intact tract exhibits coking, the intake tract is then cleaned or the components in question are replaced.
The visual detection of coking has the drawback of being very labor-intensive due to the disassembly of engine components for visual accessibility. Moreover, the visual inspection is associated with the drawback of a lack of objectivity, since coking is difficult to assess with a purely visual observation.
It is further known from the published prior art DE 199 58 177 A1 that the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine can also be affected by coking. In connection with the coking of the combustion chamber, it is proposed to detect speed fluctuations of the internal combustion engine and, if the fluctuations in the idle speed are significant, to initiate cleaning of the combustion chambers of the engine.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method for detecting coking in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection, which does not require the internal combustion engine to be disassembled for detection and allows an objective assessment of the coking level. The object is further directed to providing an engine testing device having the appropriate properties.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention.
A first aspect of the invention relates to the detection of coking in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection, in particular of a gasoline engine having direct fuel (gasoline) injection. For example, the method is carried out on a vehicle-external engine testing device, which is used in a vehicle repair shop, for example. The engine testing device is connected wirelessly or by wire to the engine control unit of the vehicle via an appropriate vehicle interface and, in this way, is able to control the operation of the vehicle and retrieve measurement values from the engine control unit. However, it is also contemplated for the method to be carried out on the engine control unit of the vehicle, wherein cleaning of the ports is ordered automatically, for example, when coking is detected. For this purpose, a cleaning notice may be issued to the driver or to a service technician in the workshop and/or an appropriate notice indicating coking may be stored in a fault memory of the vehicle. It would also be conceivable for automatic cleaning of the vehicle to be carried out when the engine control unit detects coking, for example by introducing cleaning liquid into the intake tract, or by switching the internal combustion engine to a cleaning operating mode.
The internal combustion engine further has variable intake valve control. This variable intake valve control system allows the opening time of the intake valves in relation to the crank angle of the crankshaft to be modified. For example, this is a variable camshaft control system, in which the position of the intake camshaft relative to the crankshaft is varied, in particular by way of what is known as a vane cell adjuster. It can also be a fully variable valve gear, in which the valve lift can be varied, in addition to the opening time of the intake valves.
In the method, the internal combustion engine is operated in idle at an idle speed that is increased compared to normal idle operation. It may be provided for this purpose that the internal combustion engine is initially operated in normal idle operating mode, for example at a rotational speed in the range of 700 to 900 rpm. For detecting coking, the idle speed is then increased, for example to an idle speed greater than 1200 rpm, in particular to a rotational speed of approximately 1500 rpm.
For conducting the measurement, additionally the opening timing of the intake valves is controlled to achieve an early timing event, whereby the valve overlap (the duration during which the intake valve is already open before the exhaust valve is closed) is increased. It is possible here to institute a particular setting for the opening time and then record the measurement values at this setting of the opening time of the intake valves. For example, a setting for the opening time is instituted, which is in the early half of the control range. It is possible to use a setting at which the intake valves already close just after bottom dead center or already before bottom dead center. However, it is also possible for the opening time to pass once, or multiple times, between advanced and retarded, and for measurement values to be recorded during each passage of the opening time. For example, measurement values in an evaluation window are used for determining a rough running characteristic, the center of gravity of which is, or which is entirely, in the early half of the maximum control range.
By way of the measurement, it is possible to determine a rough running characteristic of the internal combustion engine which is typical of the rough operation of the internal combustion engine. The presence of coking in the intake tract can then be detected based on the rough running characteristic.
The control of the opening time of the intake valves according to the invention to achieve an early timing event essentially increases rough running of the internal combustion engine. The difference in rough running of the internal combustion engine between the case where coking is present in the intake tract and the case where no coking is present thus becomes greater, whereby a distinction between coking and non-coking becomes easier, and coking can thereby be detected more reliably, and lower levels of intake valve coking can also be detected sooner. On the other hand, a higher idle speed should be used with an early opening time of the intake valves so as to prevent the internal combustion engine from stalling.
The method according to the invention allows coking to be objectively determined by measurement, instead of by subjective visual assessment. Cleaning or repairing only takes place when this is objectively truly necessary.
Disassembly of the engine solely for the visual coking assessment is not necessary when using the method. Coking can be determined very quickly by way of the method (for example, within 3 minutes instead of 1 hour or more when disassembling of the engine is necessary).
The rough running characteristic of the internal combustion engine can be compared to a comparison value. If the rough running characteristic increases as rough running increases, for example, it is possible, in particular when the rough running characteristic is greater than the comparison value, to determine that there is a high level of coking of the intake tract and/or a need for cleaning of the intake tract. However, if the rough running characteristic is smaller than the characteristic, there is no need to clean the intake tract.
If the rough running characteristic decreases as rough running increases, for example, it is possible, for example when the rough running characteristic is smaller than the comparison value, to determine that there is a high level of coking of the intake tract and/or a need for cleaning of the intake tract.
The rough running characteristic, the presence of a high level of coking, and/or a need for cleaning can be communicated, in particular visually, to the user of the engine testing device, for example, who will then carry out the cleaning of the intake tract.
Preferably, a cylinder-based rough running characteristic that is typical of the rough operation of a cylinder is determined for each cylinder. The (global) rough running characteristic for the entire internal combustion engine is then formed from the cylinder-based rough running characteristics. This can be done in particular by averaging of the rough running characteristics of the individual cylinders. By averaging the rough running characteristics of the individual cylinders, it is possible, based on the resulting rough running characteristics, to better infer the presence of coking in the intake tract. If the cylinder-based rough running characteristic of all cylinders indicates increased rough running, coking of the intake tract is typically present. If the rough running characteristic of an individual cylinder indicates increased rough running, but the rough running characteristics of the remaining cylinders do not indicate increased rough running, in most cases no coking of the intake tract is present; however, in this case, when averaging the rough running characteristics, the resulting rough running characteristic will precisely not indicate particularly high rough running, since the increase in the rough running characteristic of one cylinder influences the rough running characteristic of the internal combustion engine only by the factor 1/number of cylinders.
The above-described rough running characteristic of the internal combustion engine, in turn, can be an averaged rough running characteristic of the internal combustion engine, which results from averaging multiple rough running characteristics of the internal combustion engine during multiple measurement passes.
The cylinder-based rough running characteristic of each cylinder is preferably determined as a function of multiple rough running values that are based on the particular cylinder, which describe the rough running of the internal combustion engine during the phases of the particular cylinder (which is to say, during firing of the particular cylinder). A rough running value indicates, for example, whether the crankshaft is rotating more quickly or more slowly compared to a reference.
The rough running characteristic of a cylinder can be determined by averaging rough running values that are based on this cylinder. The rough running characteristic of a cylinder can be determined, for example, from the average value of the rough running values that indicate that the crankshaft is rotating more quickly, and from the average value of the rough running values that indicate that the crankshaft is rotating more slowly, for example by determining the difference between these two average values.
Preferably, the engine temperature (based on the temperature of the coolant, for example) is lower or lower than/equal to a temperature threshold value (for example, a temperature threshold value in the range of 30° C. to 50° C., in particular a temperature threshold value of 40° C.), at least during the start of the measurement, so that the measurement is meaningful. This is checked before the measurement, for example. If the engine temperature does not fulfill this condition prior to the measurement, preferably a rapid cool-down of the engine by way of the electric fan is carried out, wherein, for example, the measured temperature of the coolant can be cooled within 2 hours (instead of 8 hours) from 100° C., for example, to 30° C. It could also be provided that the engine temperature must be lower than or lower than/equal to a temperature threshold value during the entire measurement.
A second aspect of the invention is directed to an engine testing device. The engine testing device is configured as a test unit to detect coking in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection and variable intake valve control. The device can be connected to a motor vehicle for controlling the operation of the vehicle and for receiving vehicle-internal measurement values, for example via an electrical connection or a radio connection.
The engine testing device includes the test unit and interfaces configured to control the internal combustion engine via the engine control unit in such a way that the engine is operated in idle at an idle speed that is increased compared to normal idle operation. Via the engine control unit, the engine testing device controls the opening time of the intake valves to achieve an early timing event. The engine testing device further determines a rough running characteristic of the internal combustion engine which is typical of the rough operation of the internal combustion engine, wherein the presence of coking in the intake tract is detectable based on the rough running characteristic.
The above comments on the method according to the invention based on the first aspect of the invention apply accordingly to the engine testing device according to the invention based on the second aspect of the invention; advantageous embodiments of the engine testing device according to the invention correspond to the described advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Detection of coking in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


Cells derived from postpartum umbilicus and placenta are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions, devices and methods for the regeneration or repair of ocular tissue using the postpartum-derived cells are also disclosed.

Various patents and other publications are referred to throughout the specification. Each of these publications is incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety.
As a complex and sensitive organ of the body, the eye can experience numerous diseases and other deleterious conditions that affect its ability to function normally. Many of these conditions are associated with damage or degeneration of specific ocular cells, and tissues made up of those cells. As one example, diseases and degenerative conditions of the optic nerve and retina are the leading causes of blindness throughout the world. Damage or degeneration of the cornea, lens and associated ocular tissues represent another significant cause of vision loss worldwide.
The retina contains seven layers of alternating cells and processes that convert a light signal into a neural signal. The retinal photoreceptors and adjacent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) form a functional unit that, in many disorders, becomes unbalanced due to genetic mutations or environmental conditions (including age). This results in loss of photoreceptors through apoptosis or secondary degeneration, which leads to progressive deterioration of vision and, in some instances, to blindness (for a review, see, e.g., Lund, R. D. et al. 2001, Progress in Retinal and Eye Research 20: 415-449). Two classes of ocular disorders that fall into this pattern are age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
AMD is the most common cause of vision loss in the United States in those 50 or older, and its prevalence increases with age. The primary disorder in AMD appears to be due to RPE dysfunction and changes in Bruch's membranes, e.g., lipid deposition, protein cross-linking and decreased permeability to nutrients (see Lund et al., 2001 supra). A variety of elements may contribute to macular degeneration, including genetic makeup, age, nutrition, smoking and exposure to sunlight.
RP is mainly considered an inherited disease—over 100 mutations have been associated with photoreceptor loss (see Lund et al., 2001, supra). Though the majority of mutations target photoreceptors, some affect RPE cells directly. Together, these mutations affect such processes as molecular trafficking between photoreceptors and RPE cells and phototransduction, for example.
Other less common, but nonetheless debilitating retinopathies can also involve progressive cellular degeneration leading to vision loss and blindness. These include, for example, diabetic retinopathy and choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM). Diabetic retinopathy may be classified as (1) non-proliferative or background retinopathy, characterized by increased capillary permeability, edema, hemorrhage, microaneurysms, and exudates, or 2) proliferative retinopathy, characterized by neovascularization extending from the retina to the vitreous, scarring, fibrous tissue formation, and potential for retinal detachment. In CNVM, abnormal blood vessels stemming from the choroid grow up through the retinal layers. The fragile new vessels break easily, causing blood and fluid to pool within the layers of the retina. Damage or progressive degeneration of the optic nerve and related nerves of the eye constitutes another leading cause of vision loss and blindness. A prime example is glaucoma, a condition of the eye that is made up of a collection of eye diseases that cause vision loss by damage to the optic nerve. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) due to inadequate ocular drainage is a primary cause of glaucoma, but it can also develop in the absence of elevated IOP. Glaucoma can develop as the eye ages, or it can occur as the result of an eye injury, inflammation, tumor, or in advanced cases of cataract or diabetes, or it can be caused by certain drugs, such as steroids. The primary features of the optic neuropathy in glaucoma include characteristic changes in the optic nerve head, a decrease in number of surviving retinal ganglion cells, and loss of vision. It has been proposed that a cascade of events links degeneration of the optic nerve head with the slow death of retinal ganglion cells observed in the disease, and that this cascade of events can be slowed or prevented through the use of neuroprotective agents (Osborne et al., 2003, Eur. J. Ophthalmol. 13 (Supp 3): S19-S26).
Cellular damage and degenerative conditions also affect other parts of the eye. For example, cataracts result from gradual opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye. It is believed that once begun, cataract development proceeds along one or more common pathways that culminate in damage to lens fibers. This condition is presently treated by surgical removal and replacement of the affected lens. Another example concerns the cornea and surrounding conjuctiva that make up the ocular surface. The limbal epithelium, located between the cornea and the bulbar conjuctiva, contains corneal epithelial stem cells. Limbal epithelial cell deficiency (LECD) is a condition that occurs, for example, in Stevens-Johnson syndrome and thermal or chemical burns. LECD often leads to an imbalance between the corneal epithelium and the conjunctival epithelium in which the cornea is covered by invading conjunctival epithelial cells, which severely compromises the corneal surface and affects visual acuity (Nakamura, T. & Kinoshita, S., 2003. Cornea 22 (Supp. 1): S75-S80).
The recent advent of stem cell-based therapy for tissue repair and regeneration provides promising treatments for a number of aforementioned cell-degenerative pathologies and other ocular disorders. Stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation to generate a variety of mature cell lineages. Transplantation of such cells can be utilized as a clinical tool for reconstituting a target tissue, thereby restoring physiologic and anatomic functionality. The application of stem cell technology is wide-ranging, including tissue engineering, gene therapy delivery, and cell therapeutics, i.e., delivery of biotherapeutic agents to a target location via exogenously supplied living cells or cellular components that produce or contain those agents (For a review, see Tresco, P. A. et al., 2000, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 42: 2-37).
An obstacle to realization of the therapeutic potential of stem cell technology has been difficulty in obtaining sufficient numbers of stem cells. One source of stem cells is embryonic or fetal tissue. Embryonic stem and progenitor cells have been isolated from a number of mammalian species, including humans, and several such cell types have been shown capable of self-renewal and expansion, as well differentiation into a variety of cell lineages. In animal model systems, embryonic stem cells have been reported to differentiate into a RPE cell phenotype, as well as to enhance the survival of host photoreceptors following transplantation (Haruta, M. et al., 2004, Investig. Ophthalmol. Visual Sci. 45: 1020-1025; Schraermeyer, U. et al., 2001, Cell Transplantation 10: 673-680). But the derivation of stem cells from embryonic or fetal sources has raised many ethical issues that are desirable to avoid by identifying other sources of multipotent or pluripotent cells.
Adult tissue also can yield stem cells useful for cell-based ocular therapy. For instance, retinal and corneal stem cells themselves may be utilized for cell replacement therapy in the eye. In addition, neural stem cells from the hippocampus have been reported to integrate with the host retina, adopting certain neural and glial characteristics (see review of Lund, R. L. et al., 2003, J. Leukocyte Biol. 74: 151-160). Neural stem cells prepared from fetal rat cortex were shown to differentiate along an RPE cell pathway following transplantation into the adult rat subretinal space (Enzmann, V. et al., 2003, Investig. Ophthalmol. Visual Sci. 44: 5417-5422). Bone marrow stem cells have been reported to differentiate into retinal neural cells and photoreceptors following transplantation into host retinas (Tomita, M. et al., 2002, Stem Cells 20: 279-283; Kicic, A. et al., 2003, J. Neurosci. 23: 7742-7749). An ocular surface reconstruction in a rabbit model system, utilizing cultured mucosal epithelial stem cells, has also been reported (Nakamura, T. & Kinoshita, S., 2003, supra). While these reports show promise for the use of adult progenitor and stem cells in cell-based therapy for the eye, it must be noted that adult stem cell populations are comparatively rare and are often obtainable only by invasive procedures. Further, adult stem cells may have a more limited ability to expand in culture than do embryonic stem cells.
Thus, a need exists for alternative sources of adequate supplies of cells having the ability to support, augment or replace lost cellular function in the eye. A reliable, well-characterized and plentiful supply of substantially homogeneous populations of such cells would be an advantage in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic applications in ocular repair and regeneration, including drug screening assays, ex vivo or in vitro trophic support of ocular and other useful cell types, and in vivo cell-based therapy.

Treatment of retinitis pigmentosa with human umbilical cord cells


A light curtain system and method of operation includes a control circuit having visible light indicators positioned adjacent channels of individual light beams established across a guard zone. The light beams are transmitted along a plurality of parallel channels between a transmitter bar and receive bar. The control circuit operates to sense when one or more beams are blocked by the intrusion of an opaque object. The circuit responds by operating visible light LEDs which are positioned adjacent the channels of the blocked beams. The visible light provides continuous feedback to the machine operator as to the condition of the guard zone. The visible light indicators are also used to facilitate alignment of the transmitter and receiver bars.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to light curtain systems for detecting the movement or intrusion of objects into guarded zones. More particularly, the invention relates to light curtain systems which provide protection for human operators who are working with machines and other industrial equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light curtains employing infrared beams are used to provide operator safety in a variety of industrial applications. Light curtains typically are employed for operator protection around machinery such as punch presses, brakes, molding machines, automatic assembly equipment, coil winding machinery, robot operation, casting operations and the like. The prior art light curtains typically employ light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted at spaced positions along a transmitter bar at one side of the guard zone and phototransistors (PTs) mounted along a receiver bar at the opposite side of the zone. The LEDs transmit modulated infrared light beams along separate parallel channels to the PTs at the receiver bar. If one or more beam is blocked by penetration by an opaque object, such the operator's arm, the control circuit either shuts the machine down, prevents the machine from cycling or otherwise safeguards the area.
The typical existing light curtain system incorporates a control panel having a series of visible indicator lights. One of the lights is red for indicating that at least one of the beams is blocked so that the machine is prevented from cycling, and another light is green for indicating that no objects penetrate the guard area so that the machine can cycle. The control panel can also contain lights used for diagnostic purposes, such for indicating a power supply fault, for indicating receiver fault, for indicating transmitter fault or for indicating alignment. In the case where the machine cycling is interrupted by penetration of an opaque object, removal of the object causes the green indicator on the control panel to go on so that the operator can restart the cycle by pushing buttons or other controls provided outside the guard area.
For purposes of safety it is important that a condition should not arise in which the control panel shows the green indicator when it should show red, which would be an unsafe state. However, there are many possible failures that can arise in the machine and control circuitry which can cause such an unsafe state.
With the prior art light curtains the operator does not necessarily know what the real condition or problem is when the red light is observed on the control panel. Because the operator cannot see the invisible infrared beams, the presence of the red light on the panel would not tell him whether it was red because a beam was broken or whether some circuit or alignment problem caused it to go red.
When light curtain equipment is installed, replaced or re-aligned, a skilled technician is normally required to do the work. The alignment job is relatively difficult, especially where the transmitter and receiver bars are provided with lenses to form narrow beam angles. Because there is no feedback from the individual beams to the technician, it is difficult to adjust the transmitter and receiver bars until the single green light on the control panel comes on to indicate alignment.
The prior art includes light curtain systems having control panels with lights or other indicators related to individual beams for use by the technician in diagnosing and debugging problems, such as why the individual beam is not functioning. Such a system does not, however, provide feedback to the machine operator of the conditions in the guard area.

Light curtain system with individual beam indicators and method of operation


The boat control system of the invention is a propulsion system for controlling the direction of passage of a vessel underway at low speeds. Six thruster nozzles are installed around the hull so that, used individually or in combinations, the boat can be maneuvered forward, backward, laterally or turned on its axis. The impeller pumps are operated by a water cooled reversible DC electric motor which allows the thruster apparatus to operate for long periods.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed herein relates to a propulsion system for controlling the direction of passage of a vessel underway at relatively low speeds without utilizing the power of the vessel's main engine(s). The invention particularly relates to combinations of water thrusters installed in the bow and stern of vessels, especially power and sail pleasure boats, that can selectively propel the craft forward or backward or laterally. The system's design allows the thruster apparatus to operate for long periods without overheating.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of thrusters as a means of enhancing the turning capability of a boat or ship is well known in the marine arts. When maneuvering to enter or exit a dock or marina, small single engine boats of at least thirty plus feet in length and ships of any length are in tight quarters and are at the mercy of the prevailing current, wind direction and the tendency for a single engine prop to turn the boat's stern. A miscalculation in where the boat's engine, just turning above stalling RPM, and the boat's corresponding momentum will take the craft can result in an ever so seemingly light contact with a bulkhead or another boat in its slip. Yet, that light contact damage will cost thousands of dollars to remedy. But the experienced boater knows the risk can be remedied by installing bow thrusters. They can turn the bow quicker in short distances than a rudder and engine combination that gives the Captain more control.
A pair of thrusters can also be installed in the stern of the boat, preferably connected to the transom. These provide a capability to turn the stern laterally and, in consort with the bow thrusters, rotate the boat on its axis. They also are a great assist to single engine boats when they are backing into a slip. Depending on which way the engine shaft rotates, the boat's prop in reverse gear turns the stern of the boat to port or starboard but with stern thrusters installed and operating to port or starboard this tendency can be balanced to allow the boat to back straight into the slip.
Another advantage of bow and stern thrusters is their capability to move the boat forward or backward at extremely slow speed when operated in tandem. When entering a crowded fairway of a marina, the flow of the thrusters can be directed to the stern of the boat and thereby provide a small forward motion to the vessel with an instant capability to turn the vessel if so necessary.
One problem that compromises the scope of use of bow or stern thrusters in the current art is the use of air-cooled electric motors to power the thrusters. Under air-cooling, the electric motors heat up and must be shut down before they are damaged. Therefore, they cannot be used continuously during a cruise so some of their advantages are not always available to the Captain. Nor can they be used for trolling in open waters. However, the instant invention overcomes that problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,611 to Glass describes a boat having a plurality of water jet nozzles at the bow and stern to assist in steering the boat. The water-jet nozzles also provide auxiliary drive to propel the boat. As described, the water-jets of the patent are restricted to maneuvering in an about the marina and are not capable of extended, continuous operation. The patent does not overcome the problems resolved by the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,851 to Canazzi describes bow thrusters and stern thrusters for maneuvering a boat in confined places. The four thrusters receive their stream of water from a single point source which distributes the water to the thrusters from four circumferentially spaced outlet ports at ninety degree interval. Precise lateral movement of the boat under this feed configuration is questionable as is the net forward thrust provide to the boat when all four thrusters are in play.
Thus, a boat control system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


The present invention relates to a hydraulic unit whose ventilation system includes a pressure compensating channel (1) that extends transversely to the motor- and pump accommodating bore (2, 11) from the second housing surface (A2) through the motor accommodating bore (2) in the direction of a third housing surface (A3) in the accommodating member (3) positioned diametrically to the second housing surface (A2).

EP 0 787 084 B1 discloses a hydraulic unit of the indicated type which includes a ventilation system with one single ventilation point to the atmosphere aligned coaxially to the motor accommodating bore for the purpose of central ventilation of the accommodating bores. To this end, the motor accommodating bore is configured as a through-bore in the accommodating member. The rear portion of the accumulator accommodating bore is ventilated by way of a complex channel system, comprised of a transverse channel and ventilation slots provided between the motor flange and the accommodating member and between the motor mounting support and the accommodating member.
As an alternative to this presented ventilation concept, another embodiment of EP 0 787 084 B1 discloses connecting the rear chamber of the accumulator accommodating bore directly to the hollow space in the hood which is in fluid-tight abutment on the first housing surface of the accommodating member. Pressure compensation takes place by way of a ventilation point disposed in the hood. Leakage fluid of the pump is not hindered to propagate through the motor accommodating bore into the hood. Said hood accommodates electric and electronic components being disadvantageously exposed to moistening by fluid.
In view of the above, an object of the invention is to improve an immersion-proof hydraulic unit of the indicated type in such a fashion that the ventilation system can be manufactured in a simplified way, with the aim of avoiding the above-mentioned shortcomings.

Hydraulic unit for an anti-slip brake system


Light emitter device packages, modules and methods are disclosed having a body and a cavity that can be formed from a single substrate of material. The material can be thermally conductive and/or metallic. A light emitter device package can have at least one isolating layer creating at least a first isolated portion of the body and/or first isolated portion of the cavity. The isolating layer can be formed from the same material as the single substrate which forms the package body and cavity, and can be a layer which is thermally and electrically isolated. A light emitter or light emitter device, such as an LED chip can be mounted upon a surface of the cavity and upon at least a portion of the isolating layer.

Light emitter devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or LED chips for example, are often packaged within surface mount device (SMD) housings. These housings are often made of plastic and can be referred to as plastic leaded chip carriers (PLCCs). The housings can also comprise a body formed from a ceramic material. Conventional SMD housings feature an LED chip wirebonded to one or more metal leads. The metal leads of the SMD package serve as a channel for supplying the LED chip with electrical power and, at the same time, may act to draw heat away from the LED chip. Metal leads typically utilize metal portions extending from the package body, thereby increasing the overall footprint and cost to manufacture the package.
Heat is generated by the LED chip when power is applied to the chip to produce light. Some of the heat generated by the LED chip may be dissipated by the plastic or ceramic package body; however, most of the heat is drawn away from the LED chip via the metal components, or other elements of high thermal conductivity, comprising the LED package. Plastic and ceramic housings can be limited in the amount of heat that can be thermally conducted away from the LED chip, and can result in inefficient thermal management. As such, plastic and ceramic housings must rely on additional thermal components such as for example, thermal slugs or heat sinks comprising a thermally conductive material to draw heat away from the LED package. Conventional LED packages which include the heat sink, mounting components (leads), and wirebonded LED chips can all result in decreased package performance. For example, wirebonding can decrease reliability and brightness of a LED package while conventional package bodies have higher thermal resistance, thereby relying on incorporation of additional thermal components. The additional components in addition to the processes required to form the body of the SMD housing results in high manufacturing costs.
Consequently, there remains a need for improved light emitter device packages, modules and methods that overcome or alleviate shortcomings of the prior art light emitter device packages, modules and methods.


A soft magnetic alloy sheet has low residual magnetic flux density. The alloy sheet comprises a base element and an alloying element having a concentration gradient in a thickness direction of the alloy sheet. The alloying element is selected from Si, Al, Ni, Co and Fe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soft magnetic alloy sheet having low residual magnetic flux density, which is used as a core of distribution transformers, electric power and industrial equipment transformers, direct current sensors, and current transformers.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Generally, distribution transformers use grain-oriented silicon steel sheets because that type of sheets allow the design of high magnetic flux density while suppressing the iron loss to a low level. The grain-oriented silicon steel sheets have, however, a drawback of residual induction owing to their high residual magnetic flux density. When residual induction exists, distribution transformers in buildings and in an environment that widely uses inverter power source may induce overcurrent in case of power failure or in case of reclosing of power because of the saturation of magnetic flux, and may finally result in the occurrence of iron loss in the power source equipment of power distribution system and further the generation of serious damages on other power system. To prevent such defects, distribution transformers are designed to reduce residual magnetic flux density by placing a gap in magnetic path to avoid the occurrence of residual induction.
Owing to the design, the characteristic of high magnetic flux density which is an inherent feature of grain-oriented silicon steel sheets cannot be utilized, and the transformer becomes large. In addition, existence of gap increases iron loss at the gap portion.
Direct current sensors have a gap in magnetic path, and detects the magnetic flux crossing the gap. Also the direct current sensors have similar problem as the distribution transformers have. That is, owing to the high residual magnetic flux density in core, the sensor cannot function in detecting current during a period of decreasing the current from a high level to a low level because of the residual magnetism in the core.
For power and transmission current transformers, cutting may be applied thereto for preventing error in evaluation of break of transmission line induced by the occurrence of residual induction under accidental overcurrent resulted from lightening or the like.

Soft magnetic alloy sheet having low residual magnetic flux density


A self-oscillating roller assembly (11, 13) and method of oscillating a roller in an offset printing press having an oscillating drive assembly (11) for oscillating a rotationally mounted roller (10, 12) with a source of pneumatic pressure (62) by alternatively applying pressure to pressure chambers (42A, 42B) on opposite sides of the roller (10, 12) to impart a longitudinal force on the oscillating roller (10, 12) from the source of pressure (62) in two opposite directions and a controller (47) for controlling the application of pressure (58, 62) to alternately move the rotationally mounted roller in two opposite directions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an oscillating roller assembly in an offset printing press and, more particularly, to such an oscillating roller assembly in which the oscillating roller is driven to oscillate by means of fluidic pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97-1.99
Offset printing assemblies are well known which employ one or more oscillating rollers in either or both of the dampening liquid roller train and the inking roller train. These oscillating rollers oscillate back and forth in the axial direction while in contact with an ink carrying roller, dampening liquid carrying roller or ink and dampening liquid carrying roller. When such oscillating rollers are used in the dampening liquid train, the uniformity of water film thickness on the printing plate cylinder is enhanced. In addition, use of an oscillating roller increases the speed of cleaning the printing plate during start-up and thereby reduces start-up waste. Further, scumming at the edges of the printing plates is reduced or eliminated which also reduces waste and enhances print quality.
It is known to drive such oscillating rollers via complex gear trains and cams. Due to such complexity, such gear train driven oscillating rollers cannot be used in inking rollers and dampening rollers without tremendous cost.
More recently, such oscillating rollers have been friction driven via contact with vibrating drums which are printer driven and oscillate themselves to cause the oscillating rollers to oscillate. These vibrating drum driven oscillators, or self-oscillating rollers, function successfully but they provide no means for control of the oscillation which is generally random. In addition, such self-oscillating rollers require vibrating drums to drive the oscillatory movement that entail additional complexity and cost of construction and also result in increased cost of maintenance and repairs.

Fluidic driven self-oscillating printer roller and method


Web browser software is implemented in a processing system housed in a set-top box connected to a television and communicating over a wide-area network with one or more servers. The browser allows a user to use a remote control device to navigate between hypertext anchors in World-Wide Web pages displayed on the television. User inputs are entered from the remote control device using an infrared IR link in order to move a selection between hypertext anchors or various control buttons displayed on the television display. The browser is capable of downloading audio files from Web sites and generating sound through a speaker of the television set based on the audio files. Background music is generated during Web browsing based on audio files downloaded from one of the servers or audio files stored in memory in the set-top box. A background music audio file from a server can be downloaded while another background music audio file is played. An audio panel can be displayed when an audio file from a Web site is downloaded and played to form a user interface by which the user to play, stop, pause, rewind, or fast-forward the audio file.

The number of homes and businesses using personal computers has increased substantially in recent years, and along with this increase has come an explosion in the use of the Internet, and particularly the World-Wide Web ("the Web"). The Web is a collection of formatted hypertext pages located on numerous computers around the world that are logically connected by the Internet. Although "the Web" has in the past been a source of primarily scientific and technical information, it is now a valuable resource for information relating to almost any subject, including business, entertainment, travel, and education, to name just a few. Advances in network technology, and especially in software such as "Web browsers" (software applications which provide a user interface to the Web), have made the Web accessible to a large segment of the population. However, despite the growth in the development and use of the Web, many people are still unable to take advantage of this important resource.
Access to the Web has been limited to people who have access to a personal computer. Yet some people cannot afford the cost of even a relatively inexpensive personal computer, while others are unable or unwilling to learn the basic computer skills that are required to access the Web. Furthermore, Web browsers in the prior art generally do not provide the degree of user-friendliness desired by some people who lack computer experience, and many computer novices do not have the patience to learn how to use the software. Some people, for example, dislike an interface which requires them to identify hypertext objects and use the point-and-click technique to browse through Web pages.
Most people, however, feel quite comfortable using a remote control to operate a television set. Therefore, it would be desirable to allow a person to access the World-Wide Web without the use of a personal computer. In particular, it would be desirable for a person to be able to access and navigate through Web pages using an ordinary television set and a remote control. It would further be desirable to have a user interface by which a person can use a remote control to navigate between hypertext objects on a Web page with minimal effort or thought, so that a person feels more as if he or she is simply changing television channels rather than utilizing a complex computer network.
Another problem associated with Web browsers is that they tend to provide minimal audio functionality. Audio files linked to Web pages are becoming increasingly more common. Although some Web browsers may provide capability to download and play audio files, they generally do not provide capability to manipulate audio data to any significant extent. In addition, Web browser user interfaces generally are not set up to facilitate audio functionality.

User interface for controlling audio functions in a web browser


A dielectric is formed over a node location on a semiconductor substrate. The dielectric comprises an insulative material over the node location, an insulative polish stop layer over the insulative material, and an insulator layer over the insulative polish stop layer. A contact opening is formed into the insulator layer, the insulative polish stop layer and the insulative material to proximate the node location. A conductive material is deposited over the insulator layer and to within the contact opening. The conductive material and the insulator layer are polished to at least a portion of the insulative polish stop layer. In one implementation and prior to depositing the conductive material, at least a portion of the contact opening is widened with an etching chemistry that is selective to widen it within the insulative material to a degree greater than any widening of the contact opening within the insulative polish stop layer.

In the fabrication of integrated circuitry, electrically conductive contacts are commonly made to electrically interconnect devices received at different elevations within a substrate. One technique for doing so forms a contact opening within insulative material to an underlying area within the substrate. The contact opening is then typically filled with an electrically conductive material which interconnects with or forms a part of an overlying device.
Exemplary prior art problems which motivated this invention are described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 depicts a semiconductor substrate 10 comprised of a bulk monocrystalline silicon substrate 12 having various layers formed thereover. The particular problem described is with respect to making a contact opening to a node location 18 within substrate 12, although the problem which motivated the invention manifests regardless of the underlying node location/area to which a conductive contact is being formed. For example, the conductive contact might be formed to any node location, whether comprised of semiconductive material, conductively doped semiconductive material, elemental metals, metal alloys, metal compounds, whether the node location is conductive or semiconductive at the time of the fabrication, etc. FIG. 1 depicts an updoped SiO2 layer 14 received over monocrystalline silicon material 12. A doped SiO2 layer 16, for example borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG), is formed over layer 14. A conductively doped diffusion region 18 has been fabricated within monocrystalline silicon material 12 and comprises a node location to which the conductive contact is being formed.
A contact opening 20 has been anisotropically etched through layers 16 and 14 to diffusion region 18. Ideally, such opening would have straight vertical sidewalls in the substrate orientation depicted in FIG. 1. However more typically a profile as depicted by solid lines 20 in FIG. 1 is a common result, whereby the opening widens slightly at the beginning of the etch and narrows towards the end of the etch. A maximum open width "A" is shown at the outermost portion of opening 20 at the conclusion of the etch.
A conductive material (not shown), for example comprising elemental tungsten, is deposited over layer 16 effective to fill opening 20. At this point in the process, such is typically then polished back, for example by chemical mechanical polishing, at least to the outer surface of layer 16, and typically slightly therebeyond to ensure the complete removal of all conductive material above layer 16.
However prior to deposition of the conductive material, the contact opening which was previously formed is typically subjected to one or more cleaning steps primarily for the purpose of providing a clean, exposed surface on the depicted node location 18. The anisotropic etching depicted to produce FIG. 1, as well as exposure of the substrate to subsequent atmospheres, can leave or form a thin oxide layer over diffusion region 18. This is typically cleared by a suitable liquid etching chemistry prior to deposition of the conductive material to assure electrical contact of the same with diffusion region 18. For example, all of layer 14 might not be cleared by the anisotropic etching depicted to form contact opening 20, and/or a native oxide might form over diffusion region 18. By way of example only, any such oxide can be cleared with a suitable etching chemistry, for example dipping or spraying the substrate with an HF chemistry.
Unfortunately, the typical wet oxide cleans have a tendency to widen the contact opening, for example as depicted by the outline of dashed lines 20a. Further, such widening is not as precisely controllable as one would prefer. Accordingly, the outermost portion of the contact opening can be widened from initial dimension "A" to a subsequent wider dimension "B". Further because of the typical contact opening profile depicted in FIG. 1, a typical over-polish of the subsequently deposited conductive material will also go into layer 16 to some degree which is also not precisely controllable. As the initially etched contact opening profile widens to some degree in going from the outermost surface of layer 16 to elevationally inward at least initially, this further contributes to uncontrolled widening of contact opening 20/20a.
Integrated circuitry fabrication continues to strive to make ever denser circuitry devices and components such that the conductive contacts are continually placed closer and closer together. Accordingly, it is desirable to precisely control the maximum width of the conductive contacts to facilitate controlling the critical dimension between immediately adjacent contacts. The lack of contact width control due to contact widening from the clean etching chemistries and over-polishing of material 16 to form the contacts is counter to the dimension control of individual contacts and accordingly to control of the critical dimension between adjacent contacts.
While the invention was motivated in addressing and improving on the above-described issues, it is in no way so limited. Rather, the invention is limited only by the accompanying claims as literally worded, without limiting reference to the drawings or specification or problem(s) as just described, and in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods of forming a conductive contact through a dielectric


A method and system for calculating extent of a formation treatment material in a formation. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising releasing neutrons into a formation from a neutron source of a logging tool within a borehole having an axis, sensing energies of gammas produced by materials in the formation, the sensing by a gamma detector on the logging tool, generating a measured spectrum of the energies of the gammas sensed by the gamma detector, determining elemental concentrations of materials in the formation based on a basis spectrum, and calculating axial extent of a formation treatment material in the formation in relation to the axis of the borehole based on the elemental concentrations of at least some materials in the formation.

In order to increase the production of hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and gas) from formations, various fracturing techniques may be used. For example, in "hydraulic fracturing" a fracturing fluid is forced, under high pressure, down a cased, perforated borehole. The fracturing fluid enters the formation surrounding the borehole and creates and/or opens fractures within the formation. In some cases, a "proppant" is included with the fracturing fluid. When the pressure of the fracturing fluid is released, and the proppants remain in the fractures of the formation to keep the fractures propped open.
It is desirable to know the extent that fracturing has occurred within a formation, particularly the "vertical" extent of the fracturing (i.e., the distance in relation to the axis of the borehole). While tools exist to estimate the extent of the fracturing, any technique that can more accurately determine the extent of the fracturing provides a competitive advantage.

Method and system for calculating extent of a formation treatment material in a formation


An optical monitoring device for an optical imaging system having a focal plane, an optical axis and an entry pupil, forming an image of a scene substantially at infinity on an image detector disposed substantially in the focal plane, comprises: a virtually point-like emission source at the periphery of the detector and substantially in the focal plane; a reflecting element with a plane surface upstream of the imaging system relative to the direction of light rays coming from the scene, and according to a position and inclination where a monitoring image of the source produced by the optical system and reflected by the reflecting element is substantially in the focal plane on a detection element connected to a monitoring image analyzer allowing potential optical defects to be identified; the reflecting element having an annular shape allowing passage of light rays coming from the scene and passing through the entry pupil.

In order to operate in a satisfactory manner, an optical imaging system must exhibit good optical qualities, for example as regards the wave surface quality and the stability of the boresight.
When an imaging system exhibits a good wave surface quality, a point in the scene forms, in the image plane, an image dot exhibiting a light intensity distribution with dimensions essentially limited by the intrinsic resolution of the imaging system (diffraction limit). Any defect or incorrect positioning of the optical surfaces which compose the imaging system leads to a wave surface defect which results in an increase in the dimensions of the image dot and a decrease in the resolution of the system.
Generally speaking, a initially correctly adjusted system may exhibit a shift in the quality of its wave surface during the course of its operation.
For imaging systems placed onboard satellites for observing the Earth, such as instruments like high-resolution telescopes, monitoring of the variations in the wave surface is necessary in order to guarantee the quality of the recorded images.
One method for measuring the wave surface is to frequently acquire calibration images in order to follow the variation of the wave surface.
These calibration images may be obtained for example by taking specific photographs of specific external scenes: dedicated ground sites, stars.
Another known solution is to equip the instrument with an auto-calibration system comprising a mobile header mirror which, for the calibration, is oriented toward an internal target.
These solutions have the drawback of requiring a specific programming of the satellite, which may be at a high rate, for example every 20 min, each measurement requiring an interruption of the nominal programming operations of the satellite and potentially a displacement of mobile components.
Thus, the acquisition of calibration images leads to severe operational constraints.
Furthermore, in order to operate in a satisfactory manner, an optical imaging system must exhibit a good boresight stability. This stability is to be considered over the integration time scale in order to avoid the "blurring of the images" during the integration time and over the longer term in order to precisely reproduce the localization of the observed scenes.
These instabilities of the boresight are all the greater the smaller the IFOV (acronym for Instantaneous Field of View). For onboard instruments, the greatest instabilities are vibrational in origin; they determine the mico-vibrational stability performance of the platform. Other instabilities are thermo-elastic in origin; they determine the thermo-elastic stability performance of the imaging system.
The aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

Optical device for detection of optical defects for an imaging system


Information about each of broadcast programs is subdivided into multiple items including program attributes and the other program association schemes for management. To each item, a relevance ratio with respect to a program is assigned. For example, the next broadcast schedule has the highest relevance ratio with respect to the program, the relevance ratio with respect to the program is high in order of cast, titles, and genre, and so on. Then, a database search is done for programs related to the base program for each item, the search results are arranged in order of decreasing relevance ratio with respect to the base program, and a base program related information page is created. Without deadening a user's interest inspired by watching a program, information related to the program being watched is given, and a user can be guided smoothly to the next preselected recording operation.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program which perform processes of recording and reproducing contents, and particularly to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program which aid content processing such as TV program recording, preselected recording, and playback.
More specifically, in consideration of the nature of TV program watching that is passive entertainment, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program which provide information that aids content operations such as TV program search, preselected recording, and playback, and particularly to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program which provide information that aids content operations such as TV program search, preselected recording, and playback, without deadening a user's interest inspired by watching a TV program.
2. Description of Related Art
In modern information civilization society, the role of broadcasts is immeasurable. Most of all, TV broadcasts have a great influence, which directly deliver video information to audiences as well as sounds. Broadcasting techniques include a wide variety of techniques such as signal processing and sending and receiving signals, and information processing of sounds and video. Furthermore, the transmission form that provides program contents to users is in various forms such as a broadcast mode and a cable TV mode by radio waves including ground waves and satellite waves, and network programs offered by using computer communications.
The ownership rate of TV sets is extremely high, and the TV sets are installed in almost all houses. The broadcast contents distributed from individual broadcast stations are watched by an indefinite number of people. Moreover, for another form of watching the broadcast contents, the received contents may be temporarily recorded on the audience side to play it back at any time when desired.
In recent years, with the development of digital techniques, audiovisual data formed of video and sounds can be stored in mass volume. For example, an HDD (hard disk drive) having a capacity of a few tens of GB or greater is available at relatively low cost, and an HDD-based recorder and a personal computer (PC) having functions of recording and watching TV programs are coming.
The HDD is a device that can make random access to recorded data. Therefore, when recorded contents are played back, recorded programs do not need to be sequentially played back from the start as in the case of traditional videotape, and a desired program (or, a certain scene and a certain part in a program) can be directly started for playback. It is called a 'server-type broadcast' which is a watching form that a receiver (a TV set or a video record/playback device) mounted with a large-capacity storage such as a hard disk device is used, and received broadcast contents are temporarily stored in the receiver for playback.
According to the server-type broadcast system, it allows real time watching such as watching with a typical TV set as well as watching in such ways that video and sounds are distributed beforehand to watch them from the specified time and that information distributed at the same time is used to do scene search or watch a digest.
However, with the realization of the large-capacity HDD, in a system that allows program recording for a few tens of hours, a user can vacillate on selecting which program to watch first when many programs are stored. Then, contents will be a dead stock unless a program that the user desires to watch is efficiently selected to record it or to preselect recording it to aid the user to watch the stored contents. A recording device stores a large volume of the recorded contents therein, and it is difficult to watch all the contents. Thus, selecting is necessary. More specifically, it is considered that efficient preselected recording operations are important for users to enjoy useful activity of watching TV programs.
Here, a so-called electronic program guide (EPG) system is known in which a program guide for selecting programs of television broadcasts is superimposed on a picture signal for transmission, and is displayed on a display device on the receiver side. On the record/playback device side such as an HDD recorder, the EPG is obtained in parallel with recording processing of a broadcast program, and the EPG is shown when a user plays back and watches the recorded program. Therefore, certain watching aid effect can be obtained.
The EPG system has systems of the VBI (Vertical Blanking Interval) mode (for example, see JP-T-6-504165 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,121), and the digital satellite mode (for example, see JP-A-111823) that is used in digital satellite broadcast (DSS) (the trademark of Hughes Communication).
In the VBI mode, in television broadcasts of the typical ground wave (VHF (Very High Frequency) band), VBI data configuring the EPG is inserted at the position where an original image of the horizontal scanning lines is not influenced for transmission. On the receiver side, display data of the electronic program guide can be created from the VBI data to display it on a monitor. Furthermore, in the digital satellite mode, EPG data is digitized together with original image data, and is further formed in a packet for transmission. On the receiver side, the EPG data is stored in memory, and corresponding display data is created to display it on a monitor.
A user refers to the EPG distributed as accompanying programs, and then the user specifies or estimates a program desired to watch. However, in this case, it is necessary for the user to do complicated operations in such a way that the user first activates the EPG and searches a program desired to watch on the EPG screen for selection.
For example, when a user desires to search and record a program having high relativity to the program being watched such as the next broadcast program and a program in which the same actor/actress appears, based on the interest inspired in watching a recorded program (or a program now being broadcast), the user needs to activate an EPG screen for search based on days in a week and channels among many programs, or search according to titles and names of cast. In this case, the user needs to suspend watching a TV program to do a search operation for the program to be recorded.
Moreover, program related information is often provided on an official web site of the program through a medium such as the Internet. However, in order to browse detail information, complicated operations need to be done in such a way that a web browser is activated to enter a URL, and thus the interest to the TV program inspired through watching is diverted.
Watching TV programs inherently has the nature of passive entertainment. On the other hand, searching for a program to be preselected for recording requires users to do active operations, causing the interest inspired by watching programs to be deadened by the program search operations.

Information processing apparatus and information processing method, and computer program


A stable structured liquid laundry detergent composition is provided which is particularly effective for removing oily soils from fabrics. The detergent composition comprises, by weight:. (a) from about 10% to about 20% of a linear alkyl benzene sulfonate anionic surfactant; PA1 (b) from about 0% to about 10% of an alkyl ether sulfate anionic surfactant; PA1 (c) from about 5% to about 30% of an alkali metal phosphorous-containing builder; PA1 (d) from about 2% to about 15% of sodium carbonate; the total amount of components (c) plus (d) in the detergent composition being at least about 10%; PA1 (e) from about 0.1% to about 5% of an ethoxylated amine quaternary cationic surfactant having the following structural formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a linear branched or substituted C.sub.8 -C.sub.18 alkyl, alkaryl, aryl, alkenyl or ether moiety; R.sub.2 represents an alkyl group containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a benzyl group; each of x and y are integers which can vary independently from 1 to 8 and the sum of x plus y is greater than 2 and less than 9; and X represents a water-soluble anion; and PA1 (f) balance water, said structured liquid detergent composition being free of a nonionic surfactant, and wherein the respective amounts of each of the components (a) through (e) is selected to provide a stable structured liquid composition.

Heavy duty liquid laundry detergents have achieved increasing consumer acceptance in recent years as convenient alternatives to conventional powder laundry detergent compositions. Liquid detergent products generally provide the consumer with a more concentrated and compact commercial detergent product relative to powder products and also allow for ease of operation with respect to targeting the removal of specific stains on fabrics, such as by a pre-spotting or pre-soak step prior to laundering the soiled fabrics in a home washing machine.
In order to achieve efficient laundering of fabrics, laundry detergent compositions are generally formulated to contain a variety of active ingredients, typically one or more anionic surfactants, often in combination with a nonionic surfactant, detergent builder materials such as alkali metal carbonates and zeolites, electrolytes and adjuvants such as brighteners, perfumes and colorants, all of which in the case of a liquid composition must be dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous medium. Because of the relatively limited solubility of this combination of ingredients in water, and the resultant tendency to form a thick, difficult to pour liquid often characterized by phase separation, the principal problems to be overcome in formulating a commercially desirable liquid detergent product are primarily stability and pourability, particularly for liquid products containing high levels of surfactants and builders.
Structured liquid detergent products have received much attention in the laundry detergent art as a means of providing liquid detergent compositions which are capable of suspending undissolved particles while remaining pourable and otherwise having acceptable rheological properties such as phase stability upon storage at ambient and at elevated temperatures. These structured liquids typically contain between 10% and 20%, by weight, of surfactants and from 10% to 25%, by weight, of detergent builder. The challenge in formulating this type of structured liquid is to prevent separation of the liquid into two or more layers while maintaining the viscosity at a pourable level which is commercially acceptable based on the preferences and requirements of the consumer.
The dispersed structuring phase in a structured liquid composition is believed to consist of an onion-like configuration wherein water or the aqueous phase is trapped between concentric layers of detergent active materials. These configurations are often referred to as lamellar droplets or micelles, and it is believed that it is the presence of such lamellar droplets dispersed in the aqueous phase which renders the liquid capable of suspending particulate solid materials, notably insoluble detergent builders, in the liquid product. The invention which is herein described refers to structured liquid detergent compositions which are exemplified by configurations of this type.
Cationic surfactants are extensively described in the patent literature as useful components of heavy duty liquid detergent compositions. But in practice, most commercial non-softening laundry products intended for home-use do not contain this type of surfactant, and instead, are predominantly comprised of a conventional sulfated or sulfonated anionic surfactant and/or a conventional ethoxylated nonionic surfactant primarily because of economic considerations. Moreover, there exists a general notion that anionic and cationic surfactants can not be used in the same composition without suffering a loss of efficacy due to the interaction of the positively charged cationic with the negatively charged anionic in the wash bath. Consequently, anionic and nonionic surfactants remain the "workhorse" surfactants in the majority of commercial liquid laundry detergent cleaning products.
Mixtures of anionic and cationic surfactants have been described in the literature as being useful for laundering compositions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,541 to Mehreteab et al describes certain complexes of anionic and cationic surfactants which are found to provide improved removal of oily stains from fabrics. More recently, a series of published PCT applications filed in the name of Procter & Gamble Company have focused attention on detergent compositions containing a bis-alkoxylated quaternary ammonium surfactant in combination with an anionic surfactant and a third component selected from among a soil dispersant polymer; a bleach material; a percarbonate bleach; and an enzyme among other additives useful for cleaning. Included among these published applications are the following: WO 97/44418; WO 97/44419; WO 97/44425; WO 97/44431; WO 97/44432; WO 97/43364; WO 97/43365 and WO 97/43371. The compositions described in these PCT publications do not refer to or otherwise contemplate being able to formulate such compositions in the form of a structured liquid.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the prior art for structured liquid laundry compositions capable of incorporating high levels of a mixed surfactant system of anionic and cationic surfactants in the presence of high levels of detergent builders and which have the capacity to efficiently clean oily soils and stains from fabrics. Further, there remains the need to provide structured liquid compositions which manifest a high degree of phase stability, and the requisite rheological properties to satisfy the commercial requirements for an effective liquid laundry detergent product.

Liquid laundry detergent composition containing ethoxylated amine quaternary surfactant


A support for input and output transducers of a hearing aid is implanted in the middle ear. The support, which is attached to the mastoid bone, can be a single component or comprise two adjustable components. In one embodiment, an arm extends from the proximal end of the support towards an access hole created behind the outer ear, where the arm is attached for further stability. In another embodiment, the arm extends outside the access hole, where it is mounted subcutaneously to the mastoid bone with a mechanical fastener. The support provides positional adjustability, stability, and is invisible externally.

This invention relates to mounting implantable hearing aid transducers within the middle ear.
In an implantable hearing aid system, transducers within the middle ear engage an auditory element and transduce between electrical signals and mechanical vibrations. Middle ear hearing aid systems are not as susceptible to mechanical feedback as other types of systems. Such systems are more comfortable for the patient than other types of hearing aids, such as those placed directly in the external auditory canal. Transducers which contact an auditory element, such as one of the elements of the ossicular chain, require precise and reliable disposition within the middle ear. This is further complicated by anatomical variations among patients.
An implantable hearing aid (IHA) transducer support is mounted to the mastoid bone within a patient""s middle ear region. Input and output transducers are coupled to respective mounting portions on a single support. An electronics unit of the IHA is not attached to the support, simplifying implantation and attachment of the IHA support and transducers. When repairs or adjustments, such as replacing a battery, need to be made to the electronics unit of the IHA, it is not necessary to remove or adjust the support.
In one embodiment, a support comprises a single component. Input and output transducers are coupled""to respective mounting portions on opposite ends of the support prior to implantation. In a preferred embodiment, an arm extends from the support towards and into an access hole created behind the outer ear. The access hole is created, extending through the mastoid bone and into the patient""s ear. The arm is attached to the mastoid bone at its proximal end, providing more stability to the support. In an even more preferred embodiment, the arm extends outside the access hole, where it is mounted subcutaneously to the mastoid bone with a bone screw or other mechanical fastener. In a further embodiment, universal connectors are placed between the support and mounting portions for each transducer. The universal connectors, such as ball and socket joints, allow further adjustability and 360 degree movement to position the transducers against respective auditory elements.
In another embodiment, the position of the transducers within the middle ear cavity may be adjusted by manipulating a mechanical fastener that affixes the support to the mastoid bone. In this embodiment, the support comprises two components. Each of the components has an opening. At least one of the openings comprises an adjustment slot. The mechanical fastener extends through mutually-aligned slots/openings on alternate support components within the middle ear region. The distance between the transducers and the angle between the transducers and the support may be independently adjusted by positioning the adjustment slots with respect to the fastener. The resulting IHA support and transducers have positional stability and are invisible externally. In a further embodiment, universal connectors are placed between mounting portions for each transducer and each respective support component. The universal connectors, such as ball and socket joints, allow further adjustability and 360 degree movement to position the transducers against respective auditory elements.
In yet another embodiment, the position of the transducers within the middle ear region may be adjusted by manipulating two mechanical fasteners. In this embodiment, the support also comprises two components. Each component of the support has at least two adjustment slots or openings. Each of the two mechanical fasteners extends through mutually-aligned openings in opposite components. At least one of the two openings, through which a mechanical fastener extends, comprises a slot. The distance between the transducers is adjusted by positioning the adjustment slots/openings with respect to their respective fasteners. The resulting IHA support and transducers also have positional stability and are invisible externally.