An endoscopic morcellator device and method for use is provided. The morcellator device includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough, a handle coupled to the proximal end of the shaft, at least one active electrode disposed about a periphery of the distal end of the shaft, at least one return electrode disposed at the distal end of the shaft and electrically insulated from the at least one active electrode, and at least one fluid conduit extending along the shaft and having an outlet at the distal end of the shaft.

Minimally invasive endoscopic surgeries and techniques are widespread in the medical world today due to the obvious benefits of reduced patient trauma and recovery times. These procedures typically involve making one or more incisions in the patient in proximity to the surgical target, and inserting a cannula or other surgical port through which the entire surgery is preformed by manipulating endoscopic instruments within the port. Many endoscopic surgical procedures require removing or excising body tissue or other matter (such as a tumor) having a size greater than the diameter of the cannula. To accomplish this, the tissue must be cut into small enough pieces, or otherwise reconfigured to enable it to be removed through the cannula. Tissue morcellators are a well known means by which to accomplish this result. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,439,474, 5,443,472, 5,520,634, 5,562,694, 5,569,927, 5,879,358, 6,039,748, 6,193,715 and 6,468,228, all describe tissue morcellators of varying complexity that can be used to morcellate and/or extract tissue from an endoscopic surgery site. These instruments generally consist of a pistol-style handle 102 (see FIG. 1) with an elongate shaft 106 for endoscopic access. The distal tip of the shaft is equipped with a rotary cutting mechanism 100 for cutting tissue that comes into contact with it. The handle either possesses a motor or provides connection to an external motor for rotating the cutting mechanism at the end of the elongate shaft. The shaft of the instrument is completely hollow and equipped at the proximal end with an entryway to allow passage of a grasper or tenaculum 104 into the surgical site for the purpose of grasping (FIGS. 2a and 2b), pulling and guiding tissue into contact with the cutting element, and eventually removing the cut tissue out through the shaft (FIG. 2c). This entryway is generally equipped with one or more gaskets that seal to the shaft of the tenaculum when it is in use to preclude the loss of pneumoperitoneum.
Although functional, these devices are limited in that they are generally complex, expensive, and rely solely on sharp edges and other mechanical means (electric motors, mechanical screws) to cut tissue. Reliance on such mechanical means and sharp shearing surfaces is sub-optimal in that device performance will degrade as the edge dulls with use. In addition, sharp cutting edges present the risk of accidental tissue cutting or damage and provide no hemostatic capability. Another deficiency of these devices arises from the weight of the integral motors or drive cables required to couple the instrument to an external motor, which makes manipulation of the instrument both awkward and fatiguing.
Alternative mechanisms and devices for endoscopically cutting or dissecting tissue within the body have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,697,281, 5,697,536, 5,697,882, and 5,697,909, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, describe bipolar electrosurgery technology that uses a plasma/vapor pocket to provide rapid tissue vaporization or cutting with reduced collateral tissue damage and improved hemostatic effect as compared to monopolar electrosurgery. These patents describe a custom generator which is capable of forming and maintaining this plasma bubble in a conductive fluid media, such as normal saline, and a collection of electrodes which can be used to cut and vaporize tissue. None of these devices, however, are morcellators, as none are designed to or capable of being used to excise and remove relatively large tissue volumes from the body.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved morcellator that provides rapid and efficient cutting and concomitant hemostasis without the need for sharp edges and mechanical drive mechanisms.


An apparatus obtains response information including a result of processing executed by a virtual machine operates on the first device, calculates the first value that is used to evaluate a response time from transmission of the request information to reception of the response information, calculates a ratio of processing capability of the first device to processing capability of the second device, calculates, based on the first value and the ratio, a second value that is used to evaluate a processing time until a response for a request is received when the virtual machine operates on the second device, determines the second device to be a migration destination candidate of the virtual machine when the second value is smaller than a threshold value, migrates the virtual machine that operates on the first device to the migration destination candidate to turn off the power of the first device.

In recent years, a virtualization technology by which a plurality of virtual machines (VM) is operated on a single server at the same time has been prevailed. By using the virtualization technology, an operating system (OS) can be operated in each of the VMs. Therefore, a plurality of OS can be operated in parallel on the single server, and a server resource can be utilized effectively.
In addition, there has been a need for effective use of resources of a computer system that includes a plurality of physical servers. As such a technology by which the resources of the computer system are used effectively, for example, there are the following technologies.
As a first technology, there is a technology by which resources are automatically reallocated on the basis of a measurement result based on a service level target correspondingly to various types of applications. In the first technology, a table of resources that include a server, a network, and a storage, an application table that indicates configuration elements of an application that operates on these resources, and a table of allocation of the resources to the application are held. A performance measurement item template that is used to generate a measurement item of performance information from these pieces of configuration information, a performance measurement unit that measures the measurement item of the performance information using a performance measurement engine, and a resource allocation change rule that is used for reallocating resources from the configuration information are generated. The reallocation of resources is performed in accordance with the generated resource allocation change rule and configuration information.
As a second technology, there is a technology by which remigration of a virtual server is reduced. In the second technology, the virtual server is connected to a plurality of physical servers on which the virtual servers can be operated, and a virtual server migration control device that migrates the virtual server that operates in any of the plurality of physical servers to another physical server executes the following processing. The virtual server migration control device detects loads on the plurality of physical servers and calculates a time period during which a load smaller than a predefined low load determination threshold value is detected, for each of the physical servers. The virtual server migration control device identifies a migration destination physical server that is a migration destination of the virtual server from among the plurality of physical servers using the calculated time period, and causes the virtual server to be migrated to the identified migration destination physical server.
In a third technology, in a computer system in which a plurality of servers are connected to each other through a network and one or more businesses are running, a power reduction mechanism of a management server migrates the business under a certain condition to reduce power that is consumed by the computer system.
In a fourth technology, deployment server candidates are selected depending on failure possibility of a spare server in a dynamic deployment time period, a deployment server candidate that can satisfy requirements of deployment to a system is selected from the deployment server candidates and is determined to be a deployment server. Therefore, for a required time period, a server is dynamically deployed to a system the performance of which is insufficient.
Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-174201
Patent literature 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-116380
Patent literature 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-90704
Patent literature 4: International Publication No. WO 2008/041302

Apparatus for migrating virtual machines to another physical server, and method thereof


In order to provide a seal for sealing a sealing gap between a first component and a second component, comprising a seal body with at least one sealing portion and at least one spring element for biasing the sealing portion against at least one of the components to be sealed, the spring element being at least partially arranged in a receiving space of the seal body, which seal is simply constructed and easily producible and nevertheless ensures a secure retention of the spring element in the receiving space, it is proposed that the spring element has at least one claw element, by means of which the spring element is interlocked with the seal body.

Seals of this type are known from the prior art. In particular, seals of this type are marketed by the company ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik GmbH, 74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany, under the name "spring-assisted lip seal".
In order to secure the spring element against it moving out of the receiving space unintentionally, provided on the seal body of these known seals is a so-called retaining lug, past which the spring element is moved when the spring element is introduced into the receiving space and which forms an undercut, behind which the spring element latches in, so that the spring element is retained by the retaining lug in the receiving space.
However, to produce the retaining lug, an additional turning work step is necessary, for which a separate turning tool is required. As this turning tool is relatively delicate, it wears very rapidly, in particular owing to fillers contained in the material of the seal body. The wear of the turning tool leads to the retaining lug no longer being perfectly turned. As a result, undesired pieces of fluff may occur, which can detach from the seal body during use of the seal and lead to problems in the tightness of the seal and to problems in the assembly containing the seal (for example to a clogging of nozzles or filters).
The turning tool therefore has to be changed relatively often.

Seal for sealing a sealing gap and method for producing a seal of this type


A highly parallel cyclic redundancy code generator has p precalculated k-bit remainder polynomials loaded in a lookup table. A cyclic redundancy code register has a p-bit portion and a k-bit portion. An input data message is input to an input XOR gate together with the contents of the p-bit portion to generate a p-bit result for storage in the p-bit portion. The content of the p-bit portion is used to control which k-bit remainder polynomials from the lookup table are to be parallel XOR'd to produce a partial cyclic redundancy code that is stored in the k-bit portion. The contents of the CRC register are shifted to the left and the process repeated until all of the bits of the input data message have been processed. The contents of the k-bit portion are then output as the CRC for the input data message.

The present invention relates to checking the integrity of digital data, and more particularly to a highly parallel cyclic redundancy code (CRC) generator that produces partial CRCs in parallel to any degree to greatly impact each and every high-speed digital networking application.
The cyclic redundancy code (CRC) has been used for a long time as a means to preserve the integrity of digital data for storage and transmission. Treating the data, or message, as a binary polynomial u(x), its CRC which corresponds to a particular generator polynomial g(x) may be generated by first raising the message polynomial to a proper power and then taking the remainder r(x) of the message polynomial divided by the generator polynomial. Early CRC implementations made use of the concept of linear feedback shift registers (LFSR) in which polynomial division is processed one bit at a time.
As the technology advanced single-bit CRC generation using LFSRs was not enough to handle high-speed data processing and transmission. Parallel CRC algorithms were then developed to meet this need. Most of these algorithms generate CRCs in software or in firmware, and some have been implemented in special hardware to take advantage of very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuit technology. These parallel CRC algorithms, although improved over single-bit LFSR, are not highly parallel in the sense that they can process at most one or two bytes at a time, limited by the degree of the generator polynomial. Byte-wise CRC generation is insufficient for very high-speed protocol processing in gigabit-per-second ATM/SONET environments. Considering the case where the internal data path of a host processor is 64-bit, it is highly desirable to perform 64-bit CRC generation even though the degree of the generator polynomial may only be 16 or 32. Existing CRC algorithms are cumbersome in this situation.
The key reason that existing CRC algorithms are limited in their degree of parallelism is deeply rooted in the concept of LFSRs. All existing algorithms try to solve the same problem, i.e., how to parallelize the bit-by-bit operation of LFSRs. As a result the degree of parallelism never goes beyond the perceived size of LFSRs.
What is desired is an improved, highly parallel CRC algorithm which can generate partial CRCs in parallel to any degree.

Highly parallel cyclic redundancy code generator


A reduced pressure device the reduced pressure chamber of which is constructed of stainless steel, and includes a passivation film formed on the exposed interior surface thereof. The film has a thickness of more than 50 .ANG. and is composed of two or more layers. One layer contains mainly chrome oxide formed in the vicinity of the interface of the stainless steel and the passivation film. The other layer contains mainly iron oxide formed in the vicinity of the surface of the passivation film. A passivation film may also be used with a thickness of more than 50 .ANG. and containing mainly a mixture of chrome oxide and iron oxide. Lastly a passivation film may also be used with thickness of more than 50 .ANG. and containing mainly chrome oxide.

The present invention relates to a reduced pressure device, and more particularly to a reduced pressure device capable of realizing an ultrahigh vacuum and ultraclean process.
In recent years, techniques for realizing an ultrahigh vacuum or techniques for supplying fixed gases into a vacuum chamber at a small flow rate to provide an ultraclean, reduced pressure atmosphere have become very important. Such techniques are widely used in the study of material characteristics, the formation of various films, and the manufacture of semiconductor devices with advances in high vacuum techniques. It is therefore desired to obtain a reduced pressure atmosphere, wherein the impurity particles and molecules are reduced to the smallest limit.
In order to enhance the degree of integration of an integrated circuit, the ability to use semiconductor devices which are composed of unit elements, having sizes being 1 .mu.m to submicron and even to 0.5 .mu.m or less is intensively sought as the size of unit elements decreases year by year.
To manufacture such semiconductor devices it is necessary to repeatedly carry out film formation processes and etching processes for those formed films according to fixed circuit patterns. Usually, such processes are performed by placing silicon wafers into a vacuum chamber which has been evacuated to an ultrahigh vacuum state or into a vacuum chamber at a reduced pressure atmosphere whereinto fixed gases are introduced. If impurities appear in the vacuum chamber during these processes, problems such as the deterioration of film quality and a reduction of the precision of fine processing will take place. This is the reason that an ultrahigh vacuum or an ultraclean reduced pressure atmosphere are required.
One of the most important reasons for hindering the realization of an ultrahigh vacuum and an ultraclean atmosphere has been the release of gases from the surface of stainless steel, which material is widely used in chambers and piping systems. In particular, moisture adsorbed in the surfaces which will be released at a vacuum or reduced pressure atmosphere acts as the greatest source of contaminations.
FIG. 8 shows, for a prior art devices the relationship of the total gas leakage amount of a system including a gas piping system and a reaction chamber (the total amount of gases released from the internal surfaces of the piping system and the reaction chamber and the gases due to leakage into the chamber from the exterior) and the contamination of gas at different flow rates.
In order to realize a highly precise process, there is a tendency to adopt smaller and smaller gas flow rates. For example, the selection of a flow rate of 10 cc/min or less has become generally accepted. If the flow rate of 10 cc/min is used and the system total leakage is in a range of 10.sup.-3 .about.10.sup.-6 Torr l/sec for a currently used prior art devices the purity of gas will reduce to 10 ppm.about.1%. Therefore such a process is far from being an ultraclean process.
The present invention comprises an ultraclean gas supply system and permits reducing the external leakage amount below the detectable limit of 1.times.10.sup.-11 Torr l/sec of existing detectors. However, because of internal leakages i.e., the existence of released gas emanating from the internal stainless steel surfaces, the present invention fails to lower impurity concentrations in a reduced pressure atmosphere In the case of stainless steel, the minimum amount of gas released from surfaces which are treated with prior art ultrahigh vacuum techniques is 1.times.10.sup.-11 Torr l/sec.multidot.cm.sup.2. By way of example, since the internal exposed surface area of a chamber is at least 1 m.sup.2, the total leakage amount will be 1.times.10.sup.-7 Torr l/sec and gas with a purity of 1 ppm can be obtained only if the gas flow rate is 10 cc/min. Therefore it is evident that, if the gas flow rate is decreased still further, the purity will drop further.
In order to lower the degassing components released from the internal surface of the chamber to the same level of 1.times.10.sup.-11 Torr l/sec.multidot.cm.sup.2, a surface treating technique for reducing the amount of gas from stainless steel is required.
Many gases of all kinds are employed in the semiconductor manufacturing process such as relatively stable general gases (O.sub.2, N.sub.2, Ar, H.sub.2, He) and other special gases with, respectively, strong reactivity, corrosivity and toxicity. The existence of moisture in a special gas atmosphere will cause a hydrolysis reaction which produces hydrochloric acid and fluoric acid, since BCl.sub.3 and BF.sub.3, etc., all having strong corrosivity, occur in special gases. Because of considerations of reactivity, corrosion-resistance, high strength, readiness of secondary processing, weldability and the ability to polish internal surfaces, stainless steel is usually used as the material for piping and chambers for dealing with these gases.
However, although the corrosion-resistance of stainless steel in an atmosphere of dry gas is very good, stainless steel will be easily corroded if it is placed in an atmosphere formed of chlorine or fluorine gases. Because of the above-mentioned facts it is necessary to treat stainless steel for corrosion-resistance after polishing the stainless steel surface. There have been several treatment methods such as Ni-W-P coating (method of cleanness coating) This method not only causes cracks, and easily forms pin holes but also has the disadvantage that the amount of moisture and solvent residue absorbed on the internal surfaces is great since the process adopts the method of wet coating. Moreover there are other methods such as passivation treatment for producing a thin oxide film on the surface of metal. Stainless steel can be passivated only by immersing it into a liquid containing an efficient oxidizer. The passivation treatment of stainless steel is usually carried out by immersing it into a solution of nitric acid. However, because this method is still a wet process there remains much residue of moisture and treatment solution in the pipes and chambers. Particularly chlorine and fluorine gases will cause severe damage to stainless steel being treated in this way.
Therefore although it is very important for an ultrahigh vacuum technique and semiconductor process to use chambers and gas supply systems constructed of stainless steel on which a passivation film is formed for occluding and adsorbing less moisture and which is capable of resisting damage caused by corrosive gases, such a technique has not been developed in the prior art.
In view of the drawbacks of the prior art techniques it is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrahigh vacuum and ultra-clean reduced pressure device capable of reducing impurities resulting from released gas and having excellent corrosion-resistance.
Another object of the invention is to provide a reduced pressure device capable of performing self-cleaning and self-maintenance.


The invention proposes an improvement for a method for collecting a debt. The method includes entering in a data processing system data at least including data concerning the debtor and the debt, permitting debt access to at least two parties to at least a part of the data entered in the system, and initiating an action for collecting the debt on a basis of the data entered in the database. The improvement comprises entering accounting data regarding accounts payable to the creditor and payments to the creditor into the system, enabling a financing party providing a loan to the creditor on the payable accounts to inspect at least a part of the accounting data for determining an amount of the loan based on at least the part of the accounting data.

In the Netherlands patent application 1021231 a debt collecting method is described for collecting a debt of a debtor, the debt being owed to a creditor. Data relating to the debt is stored in a data processing system. The data can be entered by the creditor or by any other authorised person, and comprises at least data concerning the debtor and the debt. Then, for the debt (for this case), access is permitted to other parties to at least a part of the data entered in the database. The party can e.g. comprise a debt collecting agency, a lawyer, a court, the debtor or the creditor. Based on the data entered in the database, an action is initiated by the system for collecting the debt. The action can e.g. comprise a sending of a letter to the debtor, a sending of instructions to perform a specific action to a party, etc.


Infection of pathogens is controlled by inducing disease resistance with a method of treating a plant with a composition of an acidic heat-treated solution of microorganisms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition containing a disease resistance enhancer for plants. The enhancer is produced by using a microorganism, which is environmentally friendly and is safe for users and consumers. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling plant diseases.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Pesticides that act directly on a pathogen, such as bactericides, are often used to control diseases that afflict crop plants. However, another type of pesticide is known which control crop diseases by enhancing the plants' intrinsic disease resistance, and these are called "resistance induction-type pesticides." Pesticides and bactericides that act directly on plant pathogens often exhibit bactericidal effects against the pathogens. Yet, continuous use of such pesticides often results in mutants which are resistant to the pesticide agents. Alternatively, the resistance induction-type pesticides do not act directly on the pathogens and instead control disease infection by inducing the resistance of the plant to the disease pathogen. Hence, there have been no reports to date of mutants that are resistant to this type of pesticide. Furthermore, because the resistance induction-type pesticides have less bactericidal action against organisms, it is more likely that this type of pesticide will be better for the environment, particularly for organisms other than plants.
Pesticides are known which are marketed for induction of resistance to plant diseases, and include probenazole (trade name: Oryzemate), benzothiazole (BTH)-based acibenzolar S-methyl (ASM, trade name: Bion), thiadiazole carboxamide-based tiadinil (trade name: V-GET).
In addition, known substances derived from natural materials which induce disease resistance include polysaccharide decomposition products (JP 5-331016A), cerebrosides (JP2846610B, WO 98/47364 and Koga J. et. al., J. Biol. Chem., 1998, 48, 27, p. 31985-31991), jasmonic acid (JP 11-29412A and Nojiri H. et. al., Plant Physiol., 1996, 110, p. 387-392), chitin oligosaccharides (Yamada A. et. al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 1993, 57, 3, p. 405-409), β-1,3- and β-1,6-glucan oligosaccharides (Sharp J. K. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1984, 259, p. 11312-11320, Sharp J. K. et. al., J. Biol. Chem., 1984, 259, p. 11321-11336 and Yamaguchi T. et. al., Plant Cell, 2000, 12, p. 817-826), cholic acid (JP 2006-219372A and Koga J. et. al., Plant Physiol. 2006, 140, p. 1475-1483), peptide glycan (Gust A. A. et. al., J. Biol. Chem., 2007, 2007 in press), lipopolysaccharide (Newman M. A, Plant J. 2002, 29, p. 487-495), and the like. These substances are called elicitors and are known to have certain effects, including causing the accumulation of phytoalexins, which have an antimicrobial activity against pathogens, and causing the accumulation of PR proteins (pathogenesis-related proteins), such as chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase, which digest the cell walls of the pathogens and induce hypersensitive cell death (Yamada A. et. al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 1993, 57, 3, p. 405-409 and Keen N. T., Plant Mol. Biol., 1992, 19, p. 109-122).
Furthermore, a method has been reported for controlling infection by pathogens by spraying the supernatant of a proline fermentation solution by Corynebacterium (JP 6-80530A). Yet, the effect of a solution obtained by heat-treating microorganisms under acidic conditions has not been previously reported.

Disease resistance enhancer for plants and method of controlling plant disease by using the same


The present invention discloses methods of use of facially amphiphilic polymers and oligomers, including pharmaceutical uses of the polymers and oligomers as antimicrobial agents and antidotes for hemorrhagic complications associated with heparin therapy. The present invention also discloses novel facially amphiphilic polymers and oligomers and their compositions, including pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention further discloses the design and synthesis of facially amphiphilic polymers and oligomers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of use of facially amphiphilic polymers and oligomers, including pharmaceutical uses of the polymers and oligomers as antimicrobial agents and antidotes for hemorrhagic complications associated with heparin therapy. The present invention also relates to novel facially amphiphilic polymers and oligomers and their compositions, including pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention further relates to the design and synthesis of facially amphiphilic polymers and oligomers.
2. Related Art
Amphiphilic molecules exhibit distinct regions of polar and nonpolar character. These regions can result from substitution of hydrophobic and hydrophilic substituents into specific and distinct regions of conformationally defined molecules. Alternatively, a conformationally flexible molecule or macromolecule can adopt an ordered structure in which the hydrophobic and hydrophilic substituents on the molecule segregate to different areas or faces of the molecule. Commonly occurring amphiphilic molecules include surfactants, soaps, detergents, peptides, proteins and copolymers. These molecules have the capacity to self-assemble in appropriate solvents or at interfaces to form a variety of amphiphilic structures. The size and shape of these structures varies with the specific composition of the amphiphilic molecule and solvent conditions such as pH, ionic strength and temperature.
Amphiphilic peptides with unique broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties have been isolated from a variety of natural sources including plants, frogs, moths, silk worms, pigs and humans (H. G. Boman Immunol Rev. 2000 173:5-16; R. E. Hancock and R. Lehrer, Trends Biotechnol. 1998 16:82-88). These compounds include the magainin 1 and dermaseptin S1 isolated from the skin of frogs and the cecropin A isolated from the cecropia moth. These naturally occurring compounds have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and they do not appear prone to the development of bacteria resistance. These compounds are of relatively low molecular weight and have a propensity to adopt an α-helical conformation in hydrophobic media or near a hydrophobic surface and as a result are facially amphiphilic, with one-third to two-thirds of the cylinder generated by the helical peptide has hydrophobic side chains while the remainder has hydrophilic side chains. The hydrophilic side chains are primarily positively-charged at neutral pH.
Hydrophobic amino acids compose 40-60% of the total number of residues in most anti-microbial peptides. The selectivity of the amphiphilic peptides (e.g. for bacteria vs. human erythrocytes) depends on the overall hydrophobicity. The biological activity of the compounds depends on the ratio of charged (c) to hydrophobic (h) residues. When the ratio is varied from 1:1 (c:h) to 1:2 (c:h) peptides with more hydrophobic residues tend to be more active toward erythrocyte membranes. Related peptides have been isolated from mammals and these anti-microbial peptides have been suggested to be an important component of the innate immune response. (Gennaro, R. et al. Biopoylmers (Peptide Science) 2000, 55, 31)
Secondary structures other than helices may also give rise to amphiphilic compounds. The protegrins are a related series of anti-microbial peptides. (J. Chen et al., Biopolymers (Peptide Science), 2000 55 88) The presence of a pair of disulfide bonds between Cys6-Cys5 and Cys8-Cys13 results in a monomeric amphiphilic anti-parallel β-sheet formed by the chain termini and linked by a β-turn. The amphiphilic β-sheet conformation is essential for anti-microbial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Following the initial discovery of cecropins and magainins, antimicrobial peptides have become a large and growing class of biologically interesting compounds (Zasloff, M., Curr. Opin. Immunol. 4:3-7 (1992); Zasloff, M., Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 21:236-238 (2000)). These compounds represent the first line of defense against microbes for many species, including plants, insects, worms, and mammals (Boman, H. G., Immunol. Rev. 173:5-16 (2000); Hancock, R. E., and Lehrer, R., Trends Biotechnol. 16:82-88 (1998)). In mammals, the peptides are produced and secreted by skin, mucosal surfaces and neutrophils. There are many different classes of natural host defense peptides (Zasloff, M., Curr. Opin. Immunol. 4:3-7 (1992); Zasloff, M., Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 21:236-238 (2000); Steiner, H., et al., Nature, 292:246-248 (1981); Ganz, T., et al., Eur. J. Haematol. 44:1-8 (1990); Tang, Y. Q., et al., Science 286:498-502 (1999); Ganz, T., et al., J. Clin. Invest. 76:1427-1435 (1985); Landon, C., et al., Protein Sci. 6:1878-1884 (1997); Zhao, C., et al., FEBS Lett. 346:285-288 (1994); Peggion, E., et al., Biopolymers (Peptide Science) 43:419-431 (1998); Dempsey, C. E., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1031:143-161 (1990)), but, in general, most contain between 20-40 amino acid residues and adopt an amphiphilic secondary structure as shown in FIG. 2.
The cytotoxic activity of the cationic and amphiphilic host defense peptides is also specific for bacteria over mammalian cells. This specificity is most likely related to fundamental differences between the two membrane types. For example, bacteria have a large proportion of negatively charged phospholipid headgroups on their surface, while, in contrast, the outer leaflet of animal cells is composed mainly of neutral lipids (Zasloff, M., Nature 415:389-395 (2002)). The presence of cholesterol in the animal cell membrane also appears to reduce the activity of the antimicrobial peptides.
The bactericidal activity of the host defense peptides is very rapid, occurring within minutes after exposure of bacteria to lethal doses of peptide. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the process of cell killing. According to the carpet mechanism, host defense peptides aggregate parallel to the membrane surface (Gazit, E., et al., Biohemistry 34:11479-11488 (1995); Pouny, Y., et al., Biochemistry 31:12416-12423 (1992)), leading to thinning and, ultimately, rupture of the membrane. In the so-called barrel-stave mechanism, the bound peptides on the cell surface self-associate into transmembrane helical bundles that form stable aqueous pores in the membrane (Merrifield, R. B., et al., Ciba Found. Symp. 186:5-20 (1994)). According to a third possible mechanism (DeGrado, W. F., et al., Biophys. J. 37:329-338 (1982)), the peptides initially bind only to the outer leaflet of the bilayer, leading to an increase in the lateral surface pressure of the outer leaflet relative to the inner leaflet of the bilayer. This pressure imbalance results in translocation of the peptides into the interior of the bilayer, with concomitant formation of transient openings in the membrane that allow hydration of the polar sidechains of the peptide and leakage of cellular contents. Most antimicrobial peptides probably act by more than one of these mechanisms. Additionally, some classes may interact with periplasmic or intercellular targets (Zasloff, M., Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 21:236-238 (2000)).
In addition to antibacterial activity, several of the host defense peptides possess antifungal activity. Examples of mammalian, insect and amphibian peptides with demonstrated antifungal activities include defensins, protegrins, lactoferrin-B, cecropins, and dermaseptins (DeLucca, A. J., and Walsh, T. J., Antimicob. Agents Chemother. 43:1-11 (1999)). The mechanism of cytotoxic action appears to be similar to that for bacteria, leading to rapid lysis of the fungal membrane.
Several host defense peptides also possess antiviral activity and inhibit the replication of both DNA and RNA viruses. See, for example, Sinha, S., et al., Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 47:494-500 (2003); Belaid, A., et al., J. Med. Virol. 66:229-234 (2002); Egal, M., et al., Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 13:57-60 (1999); Andersen, J. H., et al., Antiviral Rs. 51:141-149 (2001); and Bastian, A., and Schafer, H., Regul. Pept. 15:157-161 (2001).
The human alpha-defensins have also been shown to inhibit the replication of HIV-1 isolates in vitro (Zhang, L., et al., Science 298: 995-1000 (2002). The antimicrobial peptides melittin and cecropin have also been reported to inhibit HIV-1 replication and it is suggested that they exert their activity by suppressing HIV gene expression (Wachinger, M., et al., J. Gen. Virol. 79:731-740 (1998)).
Although host defense peptides are found in a wide variety of species and are composed of many different sequences, their physiochemical properties are remarkably similar. They adopt an amphiphilic architecture with positively charged groups segregated to one side of the secondary structure and hydrophobic groups on the opposite surface. For example, magainin and some of the other naturally occurring antibacterial peptides contain positively charged amino acids and a large hydrophobic moment. Although these peptides exhibit considerable variation in their chain length, hydrophobicity and distribution of charges, they have a high propensity to adopt α-helical conformations in a hydrophobic environment, e.g., a cell surface or a natural or synthetic membrane (Oren, Z., and Shai, Y., Biopolymers (Peptide Science) 47:451-463 (1998)). The periodic distribution of hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains in their amino acid sequences allows the segregation of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains to opposite faces of the cylinder formed by the helix. These structures can be described as facially amphiphilic regardless of whether the secondary structure is a helix or sheet type fold. In fact, it is the overall physiochemical properties that are responsible for the biological activity of these peptides and not the precise sequence (Zasloff, M., Curr. Opin. Immunol. 4:3-7 (1992); Zasloff, M., Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 21:236-238 (2000); Hancock, R. E., and Lehrer, R., Trends Biotechnol. 16:82-88 (1998); DeGrado, W. F., et al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 103:679-681 (1981); DeGrado, W. F., Adv. Prot. Chem. 39:51-124 (1988); Tossi, A., et al., Biopolymers 55:4-30 (2000); Merrifield, E. L., et al., Int. J. Pept. Protein Res. 46:214-220 (1995); Merrifield, R. B., et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 92:3449-3453 (1995)). Thus, facial amphiphilicity, i.e., the alignment of polar (hydrophilic) and nonpolar (hydrophobic) side chains on opposite faces of a secondary structural element formed by the peptide backbone, and not amino acid sequence or any particular secondary/tertiary structure, chirality or receptor specificity, is responsible for the biological activity of these peptides.
The design of non-biological polymers with well-defined secondary and tertiary structures has received considerable attention in the past few years (Gellman, S. H., Acc. Chem. Res. 31:173-180 (1998); Barron, A. E., and Zuckermann, R. N., Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 3:681-687 (1999); Stigers, K. D., et al., Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol., 3:714-723 (1999)). Using these principles, investigators have designed synthetic antimicrobial peptides by idealizing the amphiphilic α-helical arrangement of sidechains observed in the natural host defense peptides, leading to a large number of potent and selective antimicrobial compounds (Tossi, A., et al., Biopolymers 55:4-30 (2000); DeGrado, W. F., Adv. Protein. Chem. 39:51-124 (1988); Maloy, W. L., and Kari, U. P., Biopolymers 37:105-122 (1995); Zasloff, M., Curr. Opin. Immunol. 4:3-7 (1992); Boman, H. G., et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 201:23-31 (1991); Oren, Z., and Shai, Y., Biopolymers 47:451-463 (1998)).
β-peptides have also provided another avenue to test and further elucidate the features required for the construction of bactericidal agents. β-peptides adopt L+2 helices, which have an approximate 3-residue geometric repeat. Thus, if polar and apolar sidechains are arranged with precise three-residue periodicity in the sequence of a β-peptide, they should segregate to opposite sides of the helix. Using this approach, DeGrado and co-workers (Hamuro, Y., et al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 121:12200-12201 (1999); Liu, D., and DeGrado, W. F., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 123:7553-7559 (2001)) have designed synthetic β-peptide oligomers that are roughly equipotent in antimicrobial activity to many naturally occurring peptide antibiotics. The antimicrobial activities of these β-peptides and their specificities for bacterial cells over mammalian cells can be controlled by fine-tuning their hydrophobicities and chain lengths. Gellman and coworkers have also synthesized cyclically constrained β-peptides possessing potent antimicrobial activity and minimal activity against mammalian cells (Porter, E. A., et al., Nature 404:565 (2000)).
Non-peptidic antimicrobial polymers have also been developed. For example, suitably substituted polymers lacking polyamide linkages that are capable of adopting amphiphilic conformations have been designed and synthesized. Solid phase chemistry technology has been utilized to synthesize a class of meta substituted phenylacetylenes that fold into helical structures in appropriate solvents (Nelson, J. C., et al, Science 277:1793-1796 (1997); Prince, R. B., et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 39:228-231 (2000)). These molecules contain an all hydrocarbon backbone with ethylene oxide side chains such that when exposed to a polar solvent (acetonitrile), the backbone collapses to minimize its contact with this polar solvent. As a result of the meta substitution, the preferred folded conformation is helical. This helical folding is attributed to a "solvophobic" energy term; although, the importance of favorable π-π aromatic interactions in the folded state are also likely to be important. Furthermore, addition of a less polar solvent (CHCl3) results in an unfolding of the helical structure demonstrating that this folding is reversible.
Regioregular polythiophenes (5 and 6) have been shown to adopt amphiphilic conformations in highly ordered π-stacked arrays with hydrophobic side chains on one side of the array and hydrophilic side chains on the other side. These polymers form thin films useful in the construction of nanocircuits. (Bjørnholm et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1998 120, 7643) These materials would be facially amphiphilic as defined herein; however, no biological properties have been reported for these compounds.

Antimicrobial peptides have been incorporated onto surfaces or bulk materials, with some retention of antimicrobial properties. Haynie and co-workers at DuPont have investigated the activity of antibacterial peptides that have been covalently attached to solid surfaces (S. L. Haynie et al., Antimicrobial Agents Chemother., 1995 39:301-7; S. Margel et al., J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 1993, 27:1463-76). A variety of natural and de novo designed peptides were synthesized and tested for activity while still attached to the solid support. The activity of the peptides decreased when attached to the solid support although the peptides retained their broad spectrum of activity. For example, a de novo designed peptide referred to as E14LKK was reported to have a MBC (minimum bactericidal activity) of 31 μg/ml in solution as opposed to 1.5 mg/ml when attached to a solid phase bead. The peptides were attached to the resin with a 2 to 6-carbon alkyl linker. The porosity of Pepsyn K, the resin used in the synthesis, is small (0.1 to 0.2 μm) compared to the bacteria, so the microbes may have been unable to penetrate into the interior of the resin. Thus the great majority of the peptide would not be available for binding to cells. The antimicrobial activity did not arise from a soluble component; no leached or hydrolyzed peptide was observed and the soluble extracts were inactive. These studies indicate quite convincingly that antimicrobial peptides retain their activity even when attached to a solid support. However, there is a need to optimize the presentation of the peptides to increase their potency.
Other antimicrobial polymeric materials have been reported which contain chemical functionalities known to be antimicrobial (J. C. Tiller et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2001 98:5981-85). A large portion of this work uses chemical functions such as alkylated pyridinium derivatives, which are known to be toxic to mammalian cells. The antibiotic ciprofloxacin has been grafted into a degradable polymer backbone (G. L. Y. Woo, et al., Biomaterials 2000 21:1235-1246). The activity of this material relies on cleavage of the active component from the polymer backbone.
In addition, Mandeville et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,129, disclose anti-infective vinyl copolymers, wherein monomers with hydrophobic and hydrophilic side chains have been randomly polymerized to produce polymers with amphiphilic properties. These materials are produced by polymerization of hydrophobic and hydrophilic acrylate monomers. Alternately, the hydrophobic side chain is derived from a styrene derivative which is copolymerized with a hydrophilic acrylate monomer wherein an ionic group is linked to the carboxylic, acid.
Tew et al (Tew, G. N., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 99:5110-5114 (2002)) disclose the design and synthesis of a series of biomimetic, facially amphiphilic arylamide polymers possessing antimicrobial activity. The arylamide polymers were designed using de novo computational design techniques.
WIPO Publ. No. WO 02/100295 discloses facially amphiphilic polyamide, polyester, polyurea, polycarbonate, and polyurethane polymers with anti-infective activity, and articles made from them having biocidal surfaces. WIPO Publ. No. WO 02/100295 is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
WIPO Publ. No. WO 02/072007 discloses a number of facially amphiphilic polyphenylene and heteroarylene polymers, including polyphenylalkynyl polymers, with anti-infective activity and articles made therefrom having biocidal surfaces. WIPO publication no. WO 02/072007 is fully incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
An alternative method to make amphiphilic polymers is to produce block copolymers comprised of hydrophobic blocks (A) and hydrophilic blocks (B), commonly polypropyleneoxy and polyethylenoxy segments respectively, into A-B, A-B-A or similar copolymers. These copolymers also are not facially amphiphilic as defined herein.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Facially amphiphilic polymers and oligomers and uses thereof

The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


A memory element including a layered structure including a memory layer having magnetization perpendicular to a film face in which a direction of the magnetization is changed depending on information stored therein, a magnetization-fixed layer having magnetization perpendicular to the film face, which becomes a base of the information stored in the memory layer, and an intermediate layer that is formed of a non-magnetic material and is provided between the memory layer and the magnetization-fixed layer.

Along with a rapid development of various information apparatuses from mobile terminals to large capacity servers, further high performance improvements such as higher integration, increases in speed, and lower power consumption have been pursued in elements such as a memory and a logic configuring this. In particular, a semiconductor non-volatile memory has significantly progressed, and, as a large capacity file memory, a flash memory is spreading at such a rate that hard disk drives are replaced with the flash memory. Meanwhile, the development of FeRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), MRAM (Magnetic Random Access Memory), PCRAM (Phase-Change Random Access Memory), or the like has progressed as a substitute for the current NOR flash memory, DRAM or the like in general use, in order to use them for code storage or as a working memory. A part of these is already in practical use.
Among them, the MRAM performs the data storage using a magnetization direction of a magnetic material, so that high speed and nearly unlimited (1015 times or more) rewriting can be made, and therefore has already been used in fields such as industrial automation and an airplane. The MRAM is expected to be used for code storage or a working memory in the near future due to the high-speed operation and reliability. However, it has challenges related to lowering power consumption and increasing capacity actually. This is a basic problem caused by the recording principle of the MRAM, that is, the method of inverting the magnetization using a current magnetic field generated from an interconnection.
As a method of solving this problem, a recording method not using the current magnetic field, that is, a magnetization inversion method, is under review. In particular, research on a spin torque magnetization inversion has been actively made (see, for example, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3, and Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).
The memory element using a spin torque magnetization inversion often includes an MTJ (Magnetic Tunnel Junction) element and TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistive) element, similarly to the MRAM.
This configuration uses a phenomenon in which, when spin-polarized electrons passing through a magnetic layer which is fixed in an arbitrary direction enter another free (the direction is not fixed) magnetic layer, a torque (which is also called as a spin transfer torque) is applied to the magnetic layer, and the free magnetic layer is inverted when a current having a predetermined threshold value or more flows. The rewriting of 0/1 is performed by changing the polarity of the current.
An absolute value of a current for the inversion is 1 mA or less in the case of an element with a scale of approximately 0.1 μm. In addition, because this current value decreases in proportion to a volume of the element, scaling is possible. Furthermore, because a word line necessary for the generation of a recording current magnetic field in the MRAM is not necessary, there is an advantage that a cell structure becomes simple.
Hereinafter, the MRAM utilizing a spin torque magnetization inversion will be referred to as ST-MRAM (Spin Torque-Magnetic Random Access Memory). The spin torque magnetization inversion is also referred to as spin injection magnetization inversion. Great expectations are placed on the ST-MRAM as a non-volatile memory capable of realizing lower power-consumption and larger capacity while maintaining the advantages of the MRAM in which high speed and nearly unlimited rewriting may be performed.


A pattern recognition system, comprising a neural network formed utilizing nanotechnology and a pattern input unit, which communicates with the neural network, wherein the neural network processes data input via the pattern input unit in order to recognize data patterns thereof. Such a pattern recognition system can be implemented in the context of a speech recognition system and/or other pattern recognition systems, such as visual and/or imaging recognition systems.

Neural networks are computational systems that permit computers to essentially function in a manner analogous to that of the human brain. Neural networks do not utilize the traditional digital model of manipulating 0's and 1's. Instead, neural networks create connections between processing elements, which are equivalent to neurons of a human brain. Neural networks are thus based on various electronic circuits that are modeled on human nerve cells (i.e., neurons). A neural network is an information-processing network, which is inspired by the manner in which a human brain performs a particular task or function of interest.
In general, artificial neural networks are systems composed of many nonlinear computational elements operating in parallel and arranged in patterns reminiscent of biological neural nets. The computational elements, or nodes, are connected via variable weights that are typically adapted during use to improve performance. Thus, in solving a problem, neural net models can explore many competing hypothesis simultaneously using massively parallel nets composed of many computational elements connected by links with variable weights.
In a neural network, "neuron-like" nodes can output a signal based on the sum of their inputs, the output being the result of an activation function. In a neural network, there exists a plurality of connections, which are electrically coupled among a plurality of neurons. The connections serve as communication bridges among of a plurality of neurons coupled thereto. A network of such neuron-like nodes has the ability to process information in a variety of useful ways. By adjusting the connection values between neurons in a network, one can match certain inputs with desired outputs.
One does not "program" a neural network. Instead, one "teaches" a neural network by examples. Of course, there are many variations. For instance, some networks do not require examples and extract information directly from the input data. The two variations are thus called supervised and unsupervised learning. Neural networks are currently used in applications such as noise filtering, face and voice recognition and pattern recognition. Neural networks can thus be utilized as an advanced mathematical technique for processing information.
Neural networks that have been developed to date are largely software-based. The implementation of neural network systems has lagged somewhat behind their theoretical potential due to the difficulties in building neural network hardware. This is primarily because of the large numbers of neurons and weighted connections required. The emulation of even of the simplest biological nervous systems would require neurons and connections numbering in the millions. Due to the difficulties in building such highly interconnected processors, the currently available neural network hardware systems have not approached this level of complexity. Another disadvantage of hardware systems is that they typically are often custom designed and built to implement one particular neural network architecture and are not easily, if at all, reconfigurable to implement different architectures. A true physical neural network (i.e., artificial neural network) chip, for example, has not yet been designed and successfully implemented.
The problem with a pure hardware implementation of a neural network with technology as it exists today, is the inability to physically form a great number of connections and neurons. On-chip learning can exist, but the size of the network would be limited by digital processing methods and associated electronic circuitry. One of the difficulties in creating true physical neural networks lies in the highly complex manner in which a physical neural network must be designed and built. It is believed that solutions to creating a true physical and artificial neural network lie in the use of nanotechnology and the implementation of analog variable connections.
The term "nanotechnology" generally refers to nanometer-scale manufacturing processes, materials and devices, as associated with, for example, nanometer-scale lithography and nanometer-scale information storage and include devices such as nanotubes, nanowires, nanoparticles and so forth. Nanometer-scale components find utility in a wide variety of fields, particularly in the fabrication of microelectrical and microelectromechanical systems (commonly referred to as "MEMS"). Microelectrical nano-sized components include transistors, resistors, capacitors and other nano-integrated circuit components. MEMS devices include, for example, micro-sensors, micro-actuators, micro-instruments, micro-optics, and the like.
Based on the foregoing, it is believed that a physical neural network which incorporates nanotechnology is a solution to the problems encountered by prior art neural network solutions. It is believed that a true physical neural network can be designed and constructed without relying on computer simulations for training, or relying on standard digital (binary) memory to store connections strengths. Additionally, such a physical neural network, if implemented properly, can be utilized for pattern recognition purposes, including speech, visual and/or imaging data.

Pattern recognition utilizing a nanotechnology-based neural network


A bending machine with a cam made up of two articulated arms, comprising a main roller that is coaxial with the axis of articulation of the arms, the end of the short portion of each one of the arms having means for exerting a bending force on a rod, wherein the means are made up of eyelets, each one of the eyelets being mounted on the end of the short portion of one of the arms in a rotatably mobile manner about an axis parallel to the axis of the main roller.

The present invention relates to the field of tools for manual bending of rods, in particular for bending orthopaedic rods such as intervertebral linking elements.
The rods are typically steel or titanium rods, with a cross-section of five to six millimeters. The sought bending radii are usually comprised between twenty and one hundred millimeters. Bending requires the application of a very large force of several thousand Newtons, in particular for titanium rods.
A plurality of patents are known in the prior art that describe manual bending tools made up of two articulated arms supporting a main roller and two secondary rollers each mounted on the end of one of the two arms. Such tools are described in American patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,046, U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,409 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,580.
The patents propose the use of an adjustable main roller to optimize the bending angle of the rod.
The manual bending tools have a plurality of disadvantages.
First of all, the known implementation of bending tools involves considerable physical exercise, which is incompatible with careful, accurate manipulation: the operator must exercise a force to the limit of his or her own strength on the arms, and this obliges the operator to focus all of his or her attention on exercising this force, rather than on the precise positioning of the rod to be bent and on the permanent verification that a correct positioned is maintained. When the force is relaxed, the rod exits the head of the tool and falls. This is especially problematic in the case of orthopaedic rods that necessarily require that sterility is maintained.
A second problem relates to the limits of the bending angle. The tools of the prior art do not allow bending with very small radii of curvature, and are generally limited to radii of curvature of more than around fifty millimeters.
A third problem is that of the weight and the cleaning of said tools. In order to withstand the considerable forces applied by the user, these tools generally have solid metal arms, and articulations that have areas where dirt may accumulate.

Bending machine with a cam for an orthopaedic rod


A thermosetting resin composition useful for slot insulation purposes is disclosed, which includes:. a liquid epoxy resin; PA0 a curing agent including an acid anhydride; PA0 a maleimide resin in an amount of 3-50 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the liquid epoxy resin; and PA0 finely divided wollastonite in an amount of 50-400 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the liquid epoxy resin.

This invention relates generally to a thermosetting resin composition and, more particularly, to an epoxy resin composition useful for insulation of stator or rotor coils.
In the field of automobiles, there are increasing demands for compact motors such as for use in starters in correspondence to the recent demands for minimizing the space of engine rooms. Since the revolution speed of such a smallsized motor must be increased to, for example, as high as several r.p.m. in order to obtain a desired output torque, the current density of the coil is increased so that the temperature of the rotor becomes as high as about 350.degree. C. during use. As a result, when a conventional vanish is used for fixing and insulating the coils, cracks or blisters are formed in the vanish coat during operation of the motor, so that there are caused insulation failure and loosening of the windings.
An epoxy resin composition has also been used for fixing stator coils or armature coils. One such known epoxy resin composition is composed of 3,4-epoxycyclohexyl-methyl-(3,4-epoxy)cycloheanecarboxylate, methylnadic anhydride and resorcinol (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 57-174314). In use, this composition is mixed with a small amount of triethanolamine and the mixture is applied to a coil to be fixed. The curing is performed at 120.degree. C. for 16 hours and then at 180.degree. C. for 16 hours. Thus, this epoxy composition has a drawback because it requires a long curing time. Another problem of the known epoxy resin composition is that the cured resin is poor in heat-resistance and cannot be used under conditions involving a high temperature of 200.degree. C. or more.

Thermosetting resin composition comprising maleimide, anhydride, epoxy resin and wollastonite


Disclosed is a MOS transistor and a fabrication process for the MOS transistor. Each gate electrode pattern made of silicon is formed on a gate oxide film formed on a silicon base body. An impurity is doped in the silicon base body using the gate electrode patterns as a mask, followed by activation of the impurity thus doped, to form diffusion layers in a surface layer of the silicon base body. An interlayer insulating film is formed in such a manner as to cover the gate electrode patterns. An upper portion of the interlayer insulating film is removed to expose the upper portion of each gate electrode pattern. The gate electrode pattern thus exposed is removed by selective etching. After that, a recessed portion formed by removal of each gate electrode pattern is embedded with a metal material, to form a CMOS transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fabrication process for a MOS transistor, and a fabrication process for a CMOS transistor using the above process.
2. Description of Related Art
A surface channel type transistor is easily controlled by an electric field of a gate electrode because a current flows along the surface of a silicon substrate, and therefore, it is superior in switching characteristic to an embedded channel type transistor. In other words, the surface channel type transistor can reduce an OFF current as compared with the embedded channel type transistor. For this reason, to meet a requirement to reduce a current consumption, each of an Nch transistor and a Pch transistor has come to be of a surface channel type.
Incidentally, a CMOS transistor having an Nch transistor and a Pch transistor each of which is of a surface channel type, is generally fabricated in accordance with processing steps shown in FIGS. 1A to 1D and FIG. 2. FIGS. 1A to 1D are sectional views taken along the direction perpendicular to the length direction of a gate electrode, in which only one of an Nch transistor region and a Pch transistor region is illustrated; and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the direction parallel to the length direction of the gate electrode.
The related art fabricating process for a CMOS transistor will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1D and FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 1A, element isolation regions 2 are formed on a silicon substrate 1 by LOCOS, to isolate an Nch transistor region (NchTr) from a Pch transistor (PchTr) as shown in FIG. 2. Next, as shown in FIG. 1A, a gate oxide film 3 is formed on the silicon substrate 1, and a Si film 4 made of crystalline or amorphous pure silicon (doped with no impurity) is deposited on the gate oxide film 2. Subsequently, an N-type impurity and a P-type impurity are doped on the NchTr side and the PchTr side shown in FIG. 2 by ion implantation respectively, to give the Si film 4 in each region a conductivity of a type corresponding to that of transistors to be formed in the region.
A film (not shown) made of tungsten silicide (WSi.sub.x) is formed on the Si film 4, followed by patterning of the film and Si film 4, to form gate electrodes 5 each having a polycide structure composed of a silicon portion 5a and a metal silicide portion 5b as shown in FIG. 1B. Then, an N-type impurity and a P-type impurity are doped on the NchTr side and the PchTr side by ion implantation using these gate electrodes 5 as a mask respectively, followed by activation of these impurities by heat treatment, to form LDD diffusion layers 6 corresponding to the transistors to be formed in each region as shown in FIG. 1C.
Next, side walls 7 are formed on both the sides of each gate electrode 5. An N-type impurity and a P-type impurity are doped on the NchTr side and PchTr side by ion implantation using the side walls 7 and the gate electrodes 5 as a mask respectively, followed by activation of these impurities thus doped by heat treatment, to form diffusion layers 8 as source/drain regions corresponding to the transistors to be formed in each region as shown in FIG. 1D.
Incidentally, in the above-described related art fabrication process for a CMOS transistor, as described above, to make lower the resistance of the gate electrode 5, and to electrically connect the gate electrodes 5 in the VchTr and the PchTr to each other, the gate electrode 5 is configured to be of the polycide structure composed of the silicon portion 5a and the metal silicide portion 5b.
Such a polycide structure of the gate electrode, however, presents a problem. That is, by the heat treatment performed to activate the doped impurities for forming the LDD diffusion layers 6 and the diffusion layers 8 after formation of the gate electrodes 5, the impurities in the silicon portions 5a of the gate electrodes 5 are easily mutually diffused through the metal silicide portions 5b as shown in FIG. 3, and such mutual diffusion of the impurities reduces the concentration of the impurity in the silicon portion 5a of each gate electrode 5, to change the work function of the gate electrode, thus rendering variable the threshold voltage of the transistor.

MOS transistor and fabrication process for the same


A mask-integrated surface protective tape for production of semiconductor chips, with the production containing steps (a) to (d), which tape comprises a base film and a mask material layer provided thereon, wherein a wetting tension of the base film on the side from which the mask material layer has been peeled is from 20.0 mN/m to 48.0 mN/m, and wherein a surface roughness Ra of the base film on the side from which the mask material layer has been peeled is within a range from 0.05 μm to 2.0 μm when measured in conformity to JIS B0601,    (a) a specific laminating step;    (b) a specific peeling step;    (c) a specific plasma-dicing step; and    (d) a specific ashing step.

In recent years, the remarkable evolution is impressive on the thinning of the semiconductor chip and the downsizing of the chip. In particular, the thinning is required in the IC cards with built-in semiconductor IC chips, such as a memory card and a smart card. Further, the downsizing of the chip is required in LED or LCD driving devices and the like. With the increase in these demands from now, the needs for the thinning of the semiconductor chip and the downsizing of the chip are thought of as being increased much more.
These semiconductor chips are obtained by: thinning a semiconductor wafer to a predetermined thickness in the backgrinding step, an etching step, or the like; and then dividing the semiconductor wafer into individual chips through a dicing step. In this dicing step, a blade dicing method of cutting the semiconductor wafer with a dicing blade has been used. In this blade dicing method, the cutting resistance by the blade is put directly on the semiconductor wafer at the time of cutting. For this reason, a microscopic crack (or chipping) sometimes occurs in the semiconductor chip by this cutting resistance. Occurrence of the chipping does not only deteriorate outer appearance of the semiconductor chip, but also in some cases, there is a risk that a damage of chips is occurred due to lack (or insufficiency) of the transverse rupture strength (or deflective strength) at the time of picking up, and that even a circuit pattern on the chip may be damaged. Further, in the foregoing physical dicing step using such a blade, it is impossible to set the width of a kerf (also referred to as a scribe line or a street) which is an interval between chips to less than the thick blade width. As a result, the number (the yield) of chips which can be obtained from a sheet of wafer decreases. Further, a long time period to be taken for the processing of the wafer was also a problem.
In the dicing step, use is also made of any of various kinds of methods other than the blade dicing method.
For example, there is a DBG (pre-dicing) method of, in view of the difficulty in carrying out the dicing after the thinning of the wafer, forming in first a groove with a predetermined thickness in the wafer, and then carrying out a grinding processing, thereby achieving both the thinning and the singulation into chips at the same time. According to this method, although the kerf width is similar to that in the blade dicing method, this method has the advantage that the transverse rupture strength of the chip is increased, so that a damage of the chip can be suppressed.
Further, there is a laser dicing method of carrying out a dicing step by a laser.
The laser dicing method has an advantage of being able to narrow a kerf width and also being able to conduct the dicing in dry process. However, there is a disadvantage that a wafer surface is contaminated with a sublimate at the time of cutting by a laser, and therefore sometimes it is necessary to conduct a pre-treatment of protecting the wafer surface with a predetermined liquid protecting material. Further, the foregoing dry process has not yet led to achievement of a complete dry process. Meanwhile, the laser dicing method allows a further speeding-up of the processing speed, as compared to the blade dicing method. However, the laser dicing method remains unchanged in carrying out a processing along every one line, and therefore it takes a certain time period for producing an extremely small chip.
Further, there is a method of using a wet process such as a water-jet method of carrying out a dicing step with a water pressure.
In this method, there is a possibility that a problem arises with a material which is necessary to be prevented sophisticatedly from a surface contamination, such as a MEMS device and a CMOS sensor. Further, this method has a restriction in narrowing a kerf width, so that a yield of the chips obtained becomes low.
Further, it is known a stealth dicing method of: forming a modifying layer by a laser in the thickness direction of the wafer; and then dividing the modifying layer by expansion, to singulate the wafer.
This method has the advantage that a kerf width can be reduced to zero and a processing can be carried out in a dry state. However, the transverse rupture strength of the chip tends to be lowered by the thermal history at the time of forming the modifying layer. Further, silicon debris sometimes occurs at the time of dividing the modifying layer by expansion. Further, there is a risk that the collision of each adjacent chips may be bring about short (or insufficiency) of the transverse rupture strength.
Further, as a combined method of the stealth dicing and the pre-dicing, there is a chip-singulation method corresponding to a narrow scribe width, which includes: forming, in first, a modifying layer with only a predetermined width prior to the thinning; and, then, carrying out a grinding processing from the backing-face side, for thereby achieving the thinning and the singulation into chips at the same time.
This technique improves the disadvantages of the above mentioned process, and has the advantage that a kerf width is zero and a chip yield is high and also the transverse rupture strength is increased, because a silicon modifying layer is cleaved and singulated by a stress in the wafer backgrinding processing. However, because singulation is performed in the backgrinding processing, a phenomenon is sometimes occurred, in which an end side of the chip collides with an adjacent chip, so that the chip corner is chipped (or broken).
In addition to the above, there is a plasma dicing method (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
The plasma dicing method is a method of: dividing a semiconductor wafer, by selectively etching by plasma a portion which is not covered with a mask. When this dicing method is used, segmentation of chips can be achieved selectively, and even if the scribe line is curved, the segmentation is possible with no trouble. Further, as the etching rate of the semiconductor wafer is very high, in recent years, this dicing method is considered one of the most preferable processes for the segmentation of chips.
In the plasma dicing method, a fluorine-based gas which has a very high reactivity with wafers, such as sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), is used as a plasma generation gas. Because of its high etching rate, a mask protection is essential for the surface that is not etched, and therefore a mask formation in advance becomes necessary.
For this mask formation, as described in Patent Literature 1, it has been commonly used for a technology of coating a resist on a wafer surface, and then removing a portion corresponding to a street using a photolithography process, thereby for masking the wafer surface. Therefore, in the past, photolithography process equipment other than the plasma dicing equipment was necessary.
Further, because of being in a state where a mask (resist film) remains after the plasma etching, use of a large amount of a solvent was necessary for the mask removal. Nevertheless, the removal of the mask is not always completely performed, which sometimes resulted in occurrence of defective chips. Further, there was a disadvantage that an overall processing process is prolonged, in order to go through the masking process using a resist.


A database comprising data associated with one or more routes is maintained. The data associated with the one or more routes comprises difficulty level data for utilizing one or more mobility assistive tools to traverse the one or more routes. In response to receiving a query from a given computing device, one or more amounts of physical exertion for a given user to traverse at least a portion of the one or more routes utilizing a given mobility assistive tool are predicted. One or more routes for the given user to traverse are selected based at least in part on the predicted amounts of physical exertion. One or more contextual factors of the given user are estimated to at least one of optimize and prioritize the selected one or more routes for the given user based on analyzing user data.

For mobility impaired individuals such as individuals who are physically limited in some manner, mobility assistive tools may be used to provide mobility assistance. Examples of mobility assistive tools include, but are not limited to, walkers, wheelchairs, and canes. However, the ability to traverse a route (e.g., a sidewalk) may be difficult if not impossible due to obstruction, such as construction or other sources of blockage, or may be challenging due to the geography and terrain of the route, such as due to incline and/or the material comprising the walking route (e.g., gravel, dirt, tarmac, etc.) and other contextual characteristics and/or factors (e.g., user cognitive or affective state, weather condition, visibility, etc.). Such potential sources of problems may greatly impact movement for mobility impaired individuals. For example, a wheelchair user may not be able to navigate up a ramp with large cracks in it, and the additional physical energy required to take a given detour may be a deterrent for the wheelchair user.

Route accessibility for users of mobility assistive technology

International Business Machines Corporation


A flasher designed for use with a trolling assembly. The flasher is fashioned from a triangular blank having a base slightly longer than the two equal legs. The leg portions are bent to form wings, one upward and the other downward along non-parallel fold lines defining a central portion and running from a point on each leg near the apex of the triangle to points on the base. The fold lines form equal acute angles with a line between the points on each leg. The angles of the fold lines determine the speed of rotation of the flasher about its central axis. The upper and lower surfaces of the two wings and central portion provide six surfaces to which are affixed reflective tape panels. The flasher is connected to the fishing line through a swivel attached at an opening at the apex. One, two or three leaders can be attached at openings at the ends and center along the base. A hook with appropriate lure or bait is at the end of each leader. One leader attached at an end opening will produce a barrel roll motion as the flasher is moved through the water. Two leaders in the end openings, one in the center opening, or three leaders in all three openings produce a steady rotation about the central axis as the flasher moves through the water. The number and positioning of the leaders is determined by the variety of fish sought. The flasher produces a full 360.degree. of flash as it moves.

Fish attractors, also known as flashers, are well known to the fisherman who trolls for game fish in deep waters. A variety of such devices are known in the art. The particular shape and configuration of the flasher determines its pattern of motion and its rotation. The type of material used in its construction determines the degree of shine, reflection of light, or the "flash" of the device.
The flasher should not be confused with the spinner, which is small and attached to the leader next to the hook. Spinners are designed to appear as bait for the fish. Flashers are larger and are designed to look like another fish swimming through the water.
One end of a flasher is attached to the fishing line and held below the water's surface with the assistance of a downrigger assembly. The bait or lure and hook are thereafter attached to a leader which is fastened to the other end of the flasher. The flasher is pulled through the water and mimics the motion of a fish as it swims along.
Design patents for such devices do not divulge the materials, sizes or modes of motion, but such designs do contribute to the art. Gardemeyer has designed a trolling spoon to which the hook is directly attached. (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 153,676) Hazelquist in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 363,113 shows two embodiments of a fish attractor that is an elongated triangle with the legs bent to form "wings" at its rear portion. The second embodiment features a second bend in each "wing".
The most common form of flasher on the market today is generally in the shape of an elongated rectangle with rounded corners and having one end portion bent upward and the other end portion bent downward. Such devices have been made of a metal such as brass (Stackhouse, Canadian Patent No. 629,515), a molded plastic with sheets of metallic reflector tape on the top and bottom surfaces (Gaunt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,253), and molded transparent plastic with a reflective sheet sandwiched between two layers of the plastic (Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,624). Though various degrees of reflectiveness are exhibited by these devices, they can only be seen when the flat side is toward the observer.
Hansen teaches a form of trolling device designed to move through the water in a zig zag path. The device has an upright triangular rudder with angular wings extending from opposite sides of the rudder. The base of the triangle forms the leading edge of the device (U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,644).
The prior art devices have restricted flashing capabilities, have one type of motion pattern, usually erratic, and are designed to carry only one leader. There is a need for a flasher that can be seen over 360.degree., that can be used in more than one movement pattern which is geared to the variety of fish being sought, and that can carry more than one leader without the lines becoming entangled with each other.


A device for determining at least one parameter of a medium flowing in a line, particularly the intake air mass of an internal combustion engine, having one part which has at least one measuring channel for conducting at least one partial flow of the medium flowing in the line in a main flow direction and which can be inserted into the line with a predetermined alignment with respect to the main flow direction, and having at least one measuring element situated in the measuring channel for determining the at least one parameter. In the part, a channel structure is formed, having an input region for the entry of a partial flow of the medium and having a measuring channel branching off from the input region. The input region has a separation zone with a separation opening, and at least two projections which protrude from mutually opposite interior walls of the input region into the input region.

German patent document no. 196 23 334 refers to a device for determining the mass of a medium flowing in a line, having a part which is inserted into the line and in which a channel structure is provided, the channel structure including a single measuring channel in which a measuring element is situated. Devices of this kind may be used, for example, as air-mass meters in the air-intake tract of an internal combustion engine. Spray water and dust are able to enter the air-intake tract. Moreover, when shutting down the internal combustion engine, oil vapor may enter the air-intake tract through the crankshaft ventilation inlet. In the case of the familiar devices, the fluid or solid particles transported with the medium, which penetrate into the channel structure of the device, flow past the measuring element and may soil and damage it.

Device for determining at least one parameter of a medium flowing in a line


A bookmark for identifying a single page and a location on that page by its position in the book with respect to indicia for odd-numbered pages and even-numbered pages and indicia for page locations printed on the bookmark.

Conventional bookmarks can mark or identify two pages of a text. They do not provide any information to identify a particular page or a location on that page. A user who intends to mark where to begin reading must rely on recollection. If the user's memory fails, it is necessary to reread some or all of the two pages which are marked. This is burdensome, particularly in the setting of a lecture or sermon. A common means for marking a place on a page is to use a highlighter or other marking device. Such markings diminish the integrity of the book and often cannot be made as in the case of manuscripts, library books, heirlooms, Bibles, etc.

Bookmark for identifying a location on a page


Materials and methods for increasing the adhesion of adhesives and coatings to proteinaceous substrates are provided wherein a liquid substantially acid-free hydrophilic acrylate monomer composition is employed to treat the substrate before application of adhesives and coating thereto.

The adornment, repairing and prosthetic extension of keratinaceous structures such as human fingernails and toe nails have been common practice for many years. Currently, it is known for human fingernails to be repaired with cyanoacrylate adhesives and coated with multicolored nitrocellulose and the like lacquers as well as being extended with the use of polymerizable acrylic monomer and polymer slurries or doughs. Although the nitrocellulose lacquer coatings and cyanoacrylate adhesives are generally adherent to proteinaceous substrates such as a human fingernail plate, the acrylic materials employed for the purpose of creating an artificial fingernail prosthesis and the like are not. Over the years a variety of in-situ polymerizable acrylic monomer and polymer slurry and dough compositions have been suggested for use as artificial fingernail prosthesis such as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,928,113; 4,048,442; 4,104,333; 4,229,431; 4,626,428; 4,669,491; 4,766,005; 4,871,534; 5,098,696 and 5,523,076.
Typically, only after treatment of the fingernail surface with an unsaturated carboxylic acid, such as methacrylic acid, will such polymerizable or cured acrylic compositions used for fingernail prosthesis adhere to the human fingernail plate, and even then, adhesion of the polymerized artificial fingernail materials may not persist for extended periods during normal use or until it is desired to remove the artificial fingernail. Moreover, use of such unsaturated carboxylic acids present a harsh treatment to a relatively fragile surface such as a natural human fingernail plate and poses a toxicological and dermatological hazard to living tissue of the user such as the underlying or surrounding living tissue of the fingernail plate due to the corrosive nature of these unsaturated carboxylic acids. Needless to say, "child-proof" packaging may be required for such hazardous materials. Other unsaturated carboxylic acids are also being used in the described applications including, either alone or in part, acrylic acid and beta-carboxyethyl acrylate as well as other compounds containing acid moieties. Lower concentration of these unsaturated carboxylic acids pose a decreased danger to the intact fingernail surface. However, at such lower concentrations adhesion of the polymerizable acrylic monomer and polymer slurry or dough to the fingernail plate is reduced or lost completely.
Currently, the typical known and readily practiced method for obtaining adhesion of artificial prosthetic materials to proteinaceous substrates, such as human fingernails, has been the physical abrasion and/or roughening of the proteinaceous substrate surface with a file or other abrasive material, the application of unsaturated carboxylic acid solutions as primers followed by the application and curing of the prosthetic topcoat material. These methods and materials present certain disadvantages as indicated which may be harmful to the human fingernail itself as well as to the underlying or surrounding tissue while such harsh techniques effect adhesive bonds which are frequently inadequate.
It follows from the above mentioned disadvantages that there is a need for materials and methods which are safe to use for the application of protective coatings and adhesives to proteinaceous substrates and the like and will provide improved adhesion of the coatings and adhesives such as artificial fingernail materials to proteinaceous substrates such as human fingernails. Particularly advantageous are materials and methods which effect adhesion of coating materials to the proteinaceous substrates for extended periods, preferably until it is desired by the user to remove the artificial fingernail coating, and the materials and methods reduce the preparation time and complexity of the procedure needed.


A method for isolating phases in an electrical equipment enclosure having multi-phase bus bars and a mounting base for mounting electrical equipment. The insulation system includes a plurality of components including a plurality of side isolation barriers with each barrier defining at least one slot proximate one edge of the barrier and having at least one tab along another edge of the barrier. A side barrier adapter is configured to engage the isolation barrier and to engage the mounting base. An inner isolation barrier is configured to isolate at least two of the vertical bus bars and couple to the mounting base. A vertical bus rear wall defining a plurality of slots proximate at least two edges of the cover is fastened to the inner isolation barrier. A plurality of corner connectors is configured to engage one of the cover slots and the side isolation barrier slots.

Switchgear assemblies and switchboards and panel boards are general terms which cover metal enclosures, housing switching and interrupting devices such as fuses and circuit breakers, along with associated control, instrumentation and metering devices. Such assemblies typically include associated bus bars, interconnections and supporting structures used for the distribution of electrical power. Low voltage switchgear and switchboards operate at voltages of up to 600 volts and with continuous currents up to 5000 amps or higher. Such devices are also designed to withstand short circuit currents ranging up to 200,000 amps (3 phase RMS symmetrical).
Typical switchgear equipment is composed of a lineup of several metal and closed sections. Each section may have several circuit breakers stacked one above the other vertically in the front of the section with each breaker being enclosed in its own metal compartment. Each section has a vertical or section bus which supplies current to the breakers within the section by short horizontal branch busses, also referred to as run-in busses. The vertical bus bars in each section are supplied with current by a horizontal main bus bar that runs through the lineup of metal enclosed sections. The vertical bus bars may be configured as separate individual sections that require isolation from each other vertically as well as horizontally. A typical arrangement includes bus bars for each electrical phase of a multi-phase system which may include three power phases and a neutral.
In multi-phase systems, it is desirable to isolate the bus bars of each phase from each other and the other components in the enclosure. Isolation is beneficial to minimize hazards to personnel and to reduce arc fault hazards. Since configuration of switchboard enclosures and equipment vary from application and installation, a modular standard insulation system is easier to configure and install.
Thus there is a need for a modular insulation system for an electrical equipment enclosure having multi-phase vertical and horizontal bus bars. There is a further need to have an isolation system that can be easily configured, maintained, and installed without special tools and with a minimum of tools.


An information and/or control system for a vehicle includes a positioning unit for determining a current geographic position of the vehicle, a map unit containing information at least regarding routes on which the vehicle may travel, and an interface unit for selective output of information from the map unit as a function of the current geographic position. Furthermore, information, referred to as a virtual traffic sign, regarding properties of a section of a drivable route is stored in the map unit in correlation with a geographic position along this route. This information is outputable by the interface unit when the distance of the vehicle from this geographic position is less than a limit value.

Such systems are used as vehicle navigation systems, for example. They include as the positioning unit a receiver for a satellite signal such as a GPS signal, which may be analyzed to obtain information regarding the current geographic position of the vehicle equipped with the navigation system with high accuracy. By comparing this position information with information stored in a map unit, such a system is capable of discovering from a plurality of routes, about which information is stored in the map unit, precisely that route on which the vehicle is located, and displaying the current position of the vehicle on a display screen via an interface unit, e.g., a map of the surrounding area. Such systems frequently also include an arrangement by which a user may input a destination into the system, whereupon the system selects a route to the desired destination on the basis of the information stored in the map unit and provides the driver continuously with information needed to follow this route in the course of the trip by drawing the attention of the driver (before reaching a turn) to the fact that he must leave the road on which he is currently driving and in which direction he must continue driving.
However, the information provided by the majority of such systems is limited to the minimum needed by a driver to follow a given route.
A first step in this direction of expanding the capabilities of these conventional information and control systems was discussed in German Published Patent Application No. 195 48 487, where the current position information obtained by a positioning unit with the help of a satellite signal and the information supplied by a map unit regarding the course of a route are used to control the alignment of the headlights of a vehicle adapted to the course of the road ahead of that is currently being traveled so that the headlights of the vehicle are deflected to the side even before reaching a curve to thereby illuminate the road in front of the vehicle for a longer distance than would be possible with traditional headlights.
This conventional system includes a control unit which receives information from the positioning unit regarding the current position of the vehicle and information from the map unit regarding the course and local topology of the road on which the vehicle is currently positioned. On the basis of the information regarding the course of the road in front of the vehicle, the control unit calculates continuously the required and/or optimum light distribution of the headlight system and controls the headlights accordingly.
This system requires a considerable computing power because the radius of curvature of the road in front of the vehicle must be constantly calculated in advance. Furthermore, its applicability is limited to controlling the vehicle headlights.

Information and control system for vehicles