The method of the present invention provides a novel use of lactoferrin to modulate the molecular events during development of age-related disorders in humans. More specifically, the present invention is directed to the use of lactoferrin to treat or prevent autoimmune, neurodegenerative and immune hypersensitivity disorders, and its use for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment or prevention of such conditions.

Lactoferrin, an iron-binding glycoprotein, is considered an important mediator in host defense against pathogenic organism. The significance of lactoferrin in health and disease has been the subject of several reviews (Sanches L., Calvo M., Brock J H., (1992) Biological role of lactoferrin. Arch Dis Child. 67, 657-661; Lonnerdal B., Iyer S. (1995). Lactoferrin: molecular structure and biological function. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 15, 93-110). Lactoferrin has well-defined, direct antimicrobial activity (Zagulski T, Lipinski P, Zagulska A, Broniek S, Jarzabek Z. Lactoferrin can protect mice against a lethal dose of Escherichia coli in experimental infection in vivo. Br J Exp Pathol. 1989; 70(6): 697-704). It can also be categorized as an immunomediator during inflammatory responses. Lactoferrin is particularly active at mucosal surfaces. Because of its high concentration in human colostrum, lactoferrin has been studied extensively in host defense responses in infants (Brock J. H. Lactoferrin in human milk: its role in iron absorption and protection against enteric infection in the newborn infants. Arch. Dis. Child. 1980; 55, 417-421; Howie P W., Forsyth J S., Ogston S A., Clark A., du V. Florey C. Protective effects of breast feeding. B. M. J. 1990; 300, 11-16). It is theorized that lactoferrin within human milk provides protection against pathogens during newborn adaptation to non-uterine life, and plays a role in rendering breast-fed infants more resistant to the development of microbe-induced gastroenteritis (compared to formula-fed babies). U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,137 of Nichols et al. discloses milk lactoferrin as a dietary ingredient which promotes growth of the gastrointestinal tract of human infants and newborn nonhuman animals immediately on birth. Nichols discusses the use of lactoferrin in the management of short gut syndrome, an anatomical dysfunction.
Lactoferrin has a profound modulatory action on the immune system (Zimecki M., Machnicki M., Lactoferrin inhibits the effector phase of delayed type hypersensitivity to sheep erythrocytes and inflammatory reactions to M. bovis (BCG). Arch Immunol Ther Exp 1994; 42:171-177), it promotes maturation of T cell precursors into immunocompetent helper cells and differentiation of immature B cells to become efficient antigen presenting cells (Zimecki M., Mazurier J., Spik G., Kapp J A. Human lactoferrin induces phenotypic and functional changes in splenic mouse B cells. Immunology 1995; 86:112-127). Lactoferrin is an integral part of the cytokine-induced cascade during insult-induced metabolic imbalance (Kruzel M., Harari Y., Chen Y., Castro A. G. Lactoferrin protects gut mucosal integrity during endotoxemia induced by lipopolysaccharide in mice. Inflammation 2000; 24:33-44). Receptors for Lactoferrin have been identified and characterized on monocytes, B and T cells. Lactoferrin injected intravenously, intraperitoneally, or orally is quickly taken up by cells of the immune system, preferably by cells of the reticuloendothelial-system. Lactoferrin upregulates expression of leukocyte function associated-1 (LFA-1) antigen on human peripheral blood lymphocytes (Zimecki M, Miedzybrodzki R, Mazurier J, Spik G. Regulatory effects of lactoferrin and lipopolysaccharide on LFA-1 expression on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Arch Immunol Ther Exp 1999; 47:257-264). As presented in FIG. 1, lactoferrin can modulate the outcomes of acute inflammation, which is fundamentally a protective response to cell injury as disclosed in PCT application number WO 98/50076, entitled "Methods for Preventing and Treating the Insult-Induced Metabolic imbalance in humans and other Animals", filed May 3, 1997, all of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The role of lactoferrin in modulating both the acute and chronic inflammation is under active investigation. By virtue of high affinity to iron lactoferrin is considered an important component of nonspecific host defense system against various pathogens in humans. However, a high level of lactoferrin in plasma has been suggested to be a predictive indicator of sepsis-related morbidity and mortality (Bayens R D., Bezwoda W R. Lactoferrin and the inflammatory response In: Lactoferrin: Structure and Function, eds. T. W. Hutchens et al., Plenum Press, 1994; pp. 133-141). In addition, progression in chronic inflammatory disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, or autoimmune disorder such, as multiple sclerosis, seems not to be interrupted by lactoferrin elevation in various physiological fluids. Although, the endogenous production of lactoferrin is increased in these disorders, it is either not sufficient, or does not trigger the pathway(s) of molecular events to aid a defense system against the disorder. It is possible that the exogenous lactoferrin, especially when given orally, transduces different signaling pathways than the endogenous lactoferrin molecule. Consequently, the end effects are different.
Under normal physiological conditions, the rate and magnitude of reactive oxidants formation is balanced by the rate of their elimination. An imbalance between reactive oxidants production and antioxidant defense results in oxidative stress, which may lead to the oxidative cell injury (Touyz R M. "Oxidative stress and vascular damage in hypertension". Curr Hypertens Rep. 2000; 2(1): 98-105). Oxidative stress can contribute to many diseases including fatigue, sepsis, autoimmune diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, heart attack and stroke. Transitional metals have been considered as key factors in the oxidative stress. In particular, traces of iron can be detrimental to physiological processes under reactive oxygen conditions. Iron is in a center of the reactive oxygen species control. It has the ability to catalyze two step process known as the Haber-Weiss reaction (FIG. 2). In the first reaction a superoxide molecule reacts with iron (3+) salt to form iron (2+) salt and ground state oxygen. The second reaction is known as the Fenton reaction. In this reaction iron (2+) salt reacts with hydrogen peroxide to form iron (3+) salt, the hydroxyl radical and alcohol.
In normal physiological conditions the production and neutralization of these reactive oxygen species (ROS) depend on the efficiency of key enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). If the process of neutralization of ROS is not efficient, it can contribute to development of oxidative stress (e.g. lipid peroxidation). Although, endogenous lactoferrin participates in these processes at cellular level it is not understood how exogenous lactoferrin would contribute to these molecular events (FIG. 2). Again, based on the recognition that lactoferrin level increases during development of some autoimmune and neurologic conditions, the use of exogenous lactoferrin would not be scientifically justified.
Reactive oxygen species are capable of catalyzing morphological changes to proteins, in both beneficial and non-beneficial ways. The ability of a cell to control these changes in oxidation and resulting protein effects is very important for species survival. Recently, intermediates in the lipid peroxidation process have shown the ability to inactivate and modify proteins. This is an important finding because proteins in biological membranes may become a primary target in radical-induced cell death. Lipid peroxidation is tentatively defined as the oxidative deterioration of polyunsaturated lipids. These fatty acids provide mobility and fluidity to the plasma membrane, properties which are known to be essential for the proper function of biological membranes. The process of lipid peroxidation is a step-wise process with an initiation and subsequent propagation reactions. Iron and other transitional metals help to initiate the process by forming alkeoxy or peroxy radicals upon reaction with oxygen species. The fatty acids are reduced to reactive aldehydes and hydrocarbons. In general, the damaging consequences of lipid peroxidation are expressed as a decrease in the fluidity of the membrane and subsequent increase in its permeability to substances which normally do not pass.
The nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, is rich in both unsaturated fats and iron (Halliwell. Reactive oxygen species and the central nervous system. J. Neurochem. 1992; 59(5): 1609-23). The high lipid content of nervous tissue, coupled with its high metabolic activity, makes it particularly susceptible to oxidant damage. The high level of brain iron may be essential to oxidative stress via the iron-catalyzed formation of reactive oxygen species.
In the age related disorders that develop over decades, many chemical species as well as pathophysiological conditions are involved. The major threat comes from the oxidative stress. The generation of the reactive oxygen species can lead to immediate damage or death of cells in various tissues (Gutteridge. Hydroxyl radicals, iron, oxidative stress, and neurodegeneration. Ann N Y Acad. Sci. 1994; 738:201-13). There is substantial evidence that oxidative stress is a causative factor in the pathogenesis of major neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (Ebadi M, Srinivasan S K, Baxi M D. Oxidative stress and antioxidant therapy in Parkinson's disease. Prog Neurobiol. 1996; 48(1):1-19), Alzheimer's disease (Markesbery W R, Camey J M. Oxidative alterations in Alzheimer's disease. Brain Pathol. 1999; 9(1):133-46.; Behl Vitamin E and other antioxidants in neuroprotection. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1999; 69(3):213-9), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Olanow and Arendash Metals and free radicals in neurodegeneration. Curr Opin Neurol. 1994; 7(6):548-58.; Simonian and Coyle Oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1996; 36:83-106) as well as in cases of stroke, trauma, and seizures (Coyle and Puttfarcken. Oxidative stress, glutamate, and neurodegenerative disorders. Science. 1993; 262(5134):689-95.; Facchinetti F, Dawson V L, Dawson T M. Free radicals as mediators of neuronal injury. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 1998; 18(6):667-82) or rheumatoid arthritis, fatigue and cancer (Kovacic P, Jacintho J D. Mechanisms of carcinogenesis: focus on oxidative stress and electron transfer. Curr Med Chem 2001; 8(7):773-96).
Also, there is ample evidence that allergic disorders, such as asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis, are mediated by oxidative stress (Bowler R P., Capro J D. (2002): Oxidative stress in allergic respiratory diseases J Allergy Clin Immunol. 110:349-56). In fact, the oxidative stress-induced immune hypersensitivity indicates a shift in immunostasis towards the Th2 responses. The Th1/Th2 balance is responsible for coordinating the immune system and become very important during aging processes, including the development of autoimmune, neurodegenerative and immune hypersensitivity disorders.
Although, considerable data from in vitro experiments indicate several physiological roles for lactoferrin, there is no firm evidence concerning its actual physiological function from in vivo studies. For example, in a review by Roy D. Byens and Werner R. Bezwoda entitled "Lactoferrin and the inflammatory response" and published in the book: Lactoferrin: Structure and Function, pp 133-141, (1994), a relationship between plasma lactoferrin and granulocyte activity in sepsis is mentioned. However, the biological function of the significant amounts of lactoferrin in plasma of septic patients is as yet not completely understood.
Similarly, marked elevation of lactoferrin has been noted in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with acute cerebrovascular lesions and other pathological lesions in variety of neurodegenerative disorders (Penco S, Villaggio B, Mancardi G, Abbruzzese M, Garre C. A study of lactoferrin and antibodies against lactoferrin in neurological diseases. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1998; 443:301-40). Based on this observation the use of exogenous lactoferrin in patients who overexpress its own lactoferrin would not be scientifically justified.
In another review entitled "The role of lactoferrin as an anti-inflammatory molecule" by Bradley E. Britigan, Jonathan S. Serody, and Myron S. Cohen and published in the book: Lactoferrin: Structure and Function, pp 143-156, (1994), the role of lactoferrin in inflammation is suggested to be played at two different levels: (i) as an antioxidant, capable of binding free iron, and (ii) as an endotoxin scavenger, capable of reducing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced toxicity.
In yet another article entitled "Lactoferrin in infant formulas: effect on oxidation", by Satue-Gracia M T, Frankel E N, Rangavajhyala N, German J B., and published in J Agric Food Chem. 2000; 48(10):4984-90, authors emphasize the ability of lactoferrin to control oxidation in infant formulas.
Relevant patents are also silent as to the use of lactoferrin for prevention or therapy of autoimmune or neurodegenerative disorders in humans and animals. U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,909 of Nitsche relates to the use of lactoferrin as an agent for the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of the toxic effects of endotoxins. Nitche discloses that the lactoferrin used according to his invention has the ability to neutralize endotoxin and must have bound to it either iron or another metal to be effective. U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,491 of Stott et al. encompasses a method of disease treatment utilizing a therapeutically effective product produced from ordinary milk whey.
Despite large number of studies on lactoferrin, there is no disclosure that it can function as a mediator to reduce the debilitating conditions in the autoimmune, neurodegenerative and immune hypersensitivity disorders such as Alzheimers, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, allergy, stroke or fatigue. The knowledge about endogenous lactoferrin is not supporting the clinical effects of exogenous lactoferrin as found in the present invention. For example, autoantibodies to lactoferrin are commonly found in many autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis (Penco S, Villaggio B, Mancardi G, Abbruzzese M, Garre C. A study of lactoferrin and antibodies against lactoferrin in neurological diseases. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1998; 443:301-40) and rheumatoid arthritis (Locht H, Skogh T, Kihlstrom E. Anti-lactoferrin antibodies and other types of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in reactive arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Exp Immunol. 1999; 117(3):568-73). In fact, the presence of these antibodies has been suggested to be used as marker for the inflammatory disorders. Based on this observation the use of lactoferrin in patients with autoantibodies to lactoferrin would not be scientifically justified. According to present invention, exogenous lactoferrin has been found to reduce the symptoms of autoimmune, neurodegenerative and immune hypersensitivity disorders.

Lactoferrin for age related disorders in humans


A cuffing assembly for flexible bags inserted into a receiving open carton includes cuffing fingers at each carton corner. The fingers are movable between a retracted position for insertion into a bag and an extended position in which they can overlap the carton corners. Air is discharged through air outlets adjacent the outer ends of the cuffing fingers to minimize frictional forces between the bag and cuffing fingers to prevent tearing of the bag as the cuff is being formed and during subsequent retraction of the cuffing fingers.

This invention pertains to formation of a cuff about the opening of a plastic bag used as a liner for a receiving open carton. It arose from a need to facilitate the insertion and removal of cuffing fingers without tearing a bag during and after formation of the cuff. Such lined carton assemblies are widely used for packing of fresh meat and other food products.
The present disclosure constitutes an improvement in bag cuffing equipment of the type generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,370, issued Mar. 31, 1992, which is hereby incorporated into this description by reference.

Cuffing finger and apparatus for cuffing bags in cartons


A diving face mask comprises a purge valve assembly in a lower central area of a body frame. The purge valve assembly comprises a nose frame projecting from the body frame such that a V-shape cross-section is formed, a laterally elongated, and generally oblong valve which is configured to sit on a valve seat on a front wall of the nose frame for closing a laterally elongated, oblong opening passage. The purge valve assembly further comprises a nose cover having a configuration conforming to that of the nose frame for covering the nose frame, and a discharge opening defined between the nose frame and the nose cover.

Prior art diving face masks with such a purge valve generally include a cylindrical or box-shaped bulky portion which projects normally forwardly from a lower central area of a mask front surface to define a valve chamber where a valve is located (for example, see Japanese Kokai Utility Model No. Sho 49-33599). Such bulky configurations of the prior diving face masks have a poor appearance. More disadvantageously, the bulky configurations create increased fluid resistance, and in some instances, catch seaweeds therearound which may cause serious problems to a divers's underwater activities.
Another drawback of the prior diving face masks is that they are not configured to collect at their bottom planes, where the valve chamber is located, accumulations of water therein through leakage or the like. In such configurations, it is therefore difficult to completely discharge the accumulations of water from opening passages of the valve by the air pressure created through a single breathing stroke of the diver.
Still another drawback of the prior diving face masks is that they are not structurally designed to manage air bubbles formed as a diver's breath goes through the accumulations of water. Those air bubbles sometimes touch a diver's nares to give a diver discomfort or pain, or diffuse along the front lens to block the diver's view.


A system, method and computer program product is provided that enables measurement and determination of the relative material composition of ash content in a paper product. While materials in ash content, e.g., CaCaO3, Clay, and TiO2, have distinct x-ray absorption spectrum, by varying an X-ray gauge rapidly, measuring the absorption at each energy level and, comparing this to tables of fundamental physical parameters, the relative fractions of materials in ash content, e.g., CaCaO3, Clay, and TiO2, can be extracted. The relative weights of other constituent materials found in web or sheet paper products are additionally determinable.

Paper comprises cellulose and additives. One additive is referred to as 'ash' and is the remaining material when the paper is burned. Paper products generally contain "ash" to enhance printability, color and other physical aspects. The most common type of additive found in paper products include Clay, Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) but there exist other types of additives. It is well known that the weight of the paper is referred to as the Basis Weight (BW); Dry Weight (DW) is the Basis Weight minus the weight of the remaining water in the paper; and, Percentage Ash is defined as the sum of the additives divided by the Dry Weight.
Most paper qualities depend on the amount of ash content so this is tightly controlled during paper production. During production, the total ash content of a paper product or sample must be determined. X-ray absorption or X-ray fluorescence techniques are typically used to measure the individual or total concentrations of these additives.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,821 describes an X-ray absorption measuring system and process for measuring the three common types of paper additives. To measure ash, the '821 patent utilizes two adjacently placed x-ray sources on one side of a paper web, and two corresponding adjacent detectors placed on the opposite side of the paper web with the first source operating at an energy level higher than the of the paper web with the first source operating at an energy level higher than the second source. It is asserted that improved composition detection for ash in paper can be achieved in this manner. However, one skilled in the art will notice that operating such a system is still subject to reduced accuracy since variance of each X-ray source must also be considered.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,652 also describes an X-ray absorption measuring system that utilizes a "measure and calibrate" approach whereby a single X-ray source using a multiple filter/detector arrangement is used to determine the total mineral content in sheet material having at least three mineral additive components. Measurement beams are directed through a continuously advancing paper web with each beam being received by a corresponding X-ray detector on the other side of the web. Signals representative of both the beam(s) and the detector(s) are received by a computer which then compares the signals and, using well-known or readily derived equations, computes the individual component concentrations of the mineral additives in the paper web.
Those skilled in the art will notice that the signals obtained in the three detectors by such an arrangement are only slightly different and thus result in very limited accuracy of the composition.
It would be highly desirable to provide a system for implementing a technique that enables detection of the relative material composition of ash content in paper material utilizing a simple scanning X-ray sensor gauge and known fundamental physics parameters concerning the ash contents.

Measurement of ash composition using scanning high voltage X-ray sensor


A cellular phone includes a key input determination unit, key input information storage unit, program storage unit, time decision unit, download execution unit, download execution unit, and program update unit. The key input determination unit determines whether a key input is done, and outputs a determination result as determination information. The key input information storage unit stores every hour the determination information input from the key input determination unit. The program storage unit stores a program. The time decision unit decides time for issuing a program download request to a server, on the basis of the determination information stored in the key input information storage unit when the program stored in the program storage unit needs to be updated. The download execution unit downloads the program at the time determined by the time decision unit. The program update unit updates the program in the program storage unit in accordance with the downloaded program. An automatic program update method for the cellular phone is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a cellular phone and automatic program update method and, more particularly, to a cellular phone and automatic program update method used therefor to update an incorporated program in accordance with a program downloaded from a server.
Conventionally, in a cellular phone, a program becomes complex along with an increase in number of functions, so that bugs are sometimes found in the program after the cellular phone appears on the market. Additionally, in order to upgrade the function, the program is sometimes updated after the cellular phone appears on the market. To cope with these situations, a cellular phone having a function of downloading and updating a program via a radio channel has been available. This type of cellular phone is disclosed in, e.g., reference 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-152821).
Recently, in order to avoid centralized processing in a server for controlling program downloading, a scheme of notifying a user's cellular phone of downloadable time and downloading the program at the time selected by the user is used.
However, by the scheme of notifying the user's cellular phone of the downloadable time and downloading the program at the time selected by the user, when the program needs to be updated, the user must operate the cellular phone at the time selected by him/her, resulting in a deterioration in operability.

Cellular phone and automatic program update method used therefor


A fastener for elongated bodies includes a base member, a press-and-clamp member, a stopper member and an engaging member. The press-and-clamp member has appropriate rigidity and is swingably connected to one end of the base member by means of a hinge so that the inner surface of the press-and-clamp member is capable of abutting the upper surface of the base member. The stopper member rises arcuately from the other end of the base member and has outer surface claws. The engaging member has a substantially U-shaped sectional profile, is integral with the press-and-clamp member, defines a space for admitting the stopper member and has inner surface claws releasably engageable with the outer surface claws of the stopper member when the stopper member is admitted in the space. Elongated bodies are clamped between the inner surface of the press-and-clamp member and the upper surface of the base member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastener for fastening elongated bodies such as electric cords and tubes along the surface of a panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous electric cords are disposed inside an automobile or electric appliance. For protecting such cords, they are required to be bound together and the resulting bundle of cords to be fastened at a prescribed position. A variety of fasteners for binding cords together have heretofore been proposed and a number of such fasteners have been put into practice. However, existing fasteners of the type for fastening cords directly onto the metal panels of an automobile body or electric appliance are still not satisfactory to users. This type of fastener is fundamentally required to be fixed to a metal panel, to fasten cords to the panel so that they do not move in their longitudinal direction, to enable the cords to be unfastened with ease for maintenance inspection or replacement, and to enable the cords to be restrained again with ease.
As shown in FIG. 7, at the job site, a metal panel 101 is generally press formed to have a raised portion 102 of a trapezoidal sectional profile, and a plurality of electric cords 104 are placed in parallel on a flat portion 103 of the raised portion 102 and pressed against the flat portion 103 with an adhesive tape 105. The cords 104 are unfastened by peeling off the adhesive tape 105 and fastened again with another adhesive tape 105. Since the cords 104 cannot move in their longitudinal direction owing to the adhesive tape 105, the cord-fastening purpose is attained. However, the adhesive tape per se is not reliable and, since its adhesion is lower after it has once been peeled off, it is necessary to use a fresh piece of adhesive tape in order to again secure the cords 104. Further, since the cords 104 are directly laid along the raised portion 102, there is a possibility of the cladding of the cords 104 being damaged by burrs which may be formed on the periphery of the raised portion 102 in consequence of the press forming.
In view of the drawbacks encountered by the fastening means comprising an adhesive tape, a plastic fastener capable of repeating cord fastening and unfastening operations has been proposed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 64-9413. This prior art plastic fastener comprises a substrate, a holding member provided on the substrate for binding a prescribed number of electric cords together, and an engaging member with which the free end of the holding member is detachably engaged, whereby the cords can be detachably clamped. Therefore, the prior art plastic fastener can firmly fasten cords and is more reliable than the aforementioned fastening means comprising an adhesive tape. With the prior art plastic fastener, however, if the number of cords is less than the aforementioned prescribed number, it is impossible to restrain the cords against movement in their longitudinal direction, thus raising the problem of low fastening stability.


A compressor blade (26) comprises an aerofoil (36) and a root (38). The aerofoil (36) comprises a concave wall (40) extending from a leading edge (44) to a trailing edge (46) and a convex wall (42) extending from the leading edge (44) to the trailing edge (46). The aerofoil (36) defines at least one internal chamber (48). The root (38) is connected to the aerofoil (36) and the root (38) has a base (50) remote from the aerofoil (38) and at least one aperture (52) extends from the base (50) to the at least one internal chamber (48) in the aerofoil (36). The dimensions, shape and position of the least one aperture (52) are selected such that the root (38) is deformable. This reduces the weight of the containment region of a fan casing (28).

A turbofan gas turbine engine comprises a fan, which comprises a fan rotor and a number of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly extending fan blades secured to the fan rotor. The fan is surrounded by a fan casing, which defines a fan duct. The fan casing is also arranged to contain one or more of the fan blades in the unlikely event that a fan blade becomes detached from the fan rotor.
If a fan blade becomes detached from the fan rotor, due to impact from a large foreign body, e.g. a bird, the released fan blade strikes a main fan casing containment region. The fan blade generally progressively breaks up under a buckling action. The fan blade increases in strength from the tip to the root and at some position between the tip and the root the remaining portion of the fan blade, including the root, no longer buckles. The remaining portion of the fan blade has substantial mass and is accelerated to impact a rear fan containment region of the fan casing.
It is necessary to provide additional material to the rear fan containment region of the fan casing to contain the remaining portion of the fan blade. The additional material may be in the form of an increase in thickness, the provision of ribs, honeycomb liners etc, which dissipate the impact energy by plastic deformation of the material. However, these methods of protecting the rear fan containment region add weight to the turbofan gas turbine engine.


A training bat having a handle portion with a knob end and a barrel receiving end, a hitting portion, and a means for tethering said handle portion to said hitting portion. The means for tethering is selected from either an eye bolt assembly, a link assembly, and an eye bolt. The eye bolt assembly joins a wood fitting portion secured within the barrel receiving end of the handle portion to the hitting portion by one or more chain links, as well as joins a wood hitting portion to the one or more chain links. The link assembly joins a plug secured within the barrel receiving end of the handle portion to the hitting portion by one or more chain links.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to bats and the art of training devices, and in particular, to training bats used for training a user's bat swing. The present invention has a hitting portion and a handle portion with a tethered means for connecting the hitting portion to the handle portion such that the hitting portion is pivotally tethered to the handle portion, resulting in the training bat moving between an angled position and an extended position.
2. Related Art
There are a number of bat training devices for assisting a user with improving his/her swing of a baseball or softball bat. The majority of such training devices are separate devices intended to be used with a conventional baseball or softball bat. However, there are certain training devices directed to a modified bat which are designed to correct and improve a user's batting swing style.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,996 to Boyce, a Practice Bat is disclosed having a spring connecting a hand portion with a head portion with the spring positioned just above the knob of the handle. A user places one hand below the spring and one hand above the spring when using the bat. The bat is designed for assisting the user to break his wrists during the follow-through of a swing. A disadvantage of this practice bat is that it is very awkward to use because a user employs an unnatural grip, with his/her hands separated, on the bat handle when training. Therefore, there is a need for a training bat that allows a user to have a conventional grasp of the bat, with hands together on the handle, when practicing his/her swing.
Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,042 to LaChance, et al., a Sports Swing Development Device is disclosed which also has a spring to connect a head portion with a handle portion, but this spring is positioned closer to the head portion. The type of spring used in this device is a tightly wound coil spring such that the head portion and the handle portion remain along the same longitudinal axis even when not in use. That is, the head portion does not at any time drop down and rest at an angle less than about 180 degrees from the handle portion. A disadvantage of this practice bat is that it does not provide any immediate visual feedback to the user of whether or not he/she has swung the bat properly because the practice bat remains in an extended position as conventional bats.
Therefore, there is a need for a training bat in which a head portion is tethered to a handle portion such that the head portion is freely pivotable in any direction about the handle portion. There is a further need for such a training bat such that in use, the user is immediately given visual feedback as to whether he/she has achieved a proper swing with the head portion moving from an angled position in relation to a handle portion into an extended position wherein the head portion is aligned along the same longitudinal axis as the handle portion.
Furthermore, there are no bats available wherein a bat is separated into two distinct portions—a hitting portion and a handle portion such that the hitting portion is tethered to the handle portion such that both portions move independent of each other with free range of motion.
Similar to bat swing training devices, there are a number of modified golf clubs that are designed to assist a user in improving his/her golf swing. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,854,585; 5,489,100; 5,842,808; and 6,558,267 disclose various golf clubs each of which has a head portion that pivots during a swing such that upon contacting the golf ball, the head portion is in the proper hitting position so long as the user made a proper swing. In these devices, the head portion only pivots in one plane. That is, the hinge connecting the head portion to the shaft is designed for the head portion to pivot back and forth in a single direction. This limitation is required for a training golf club because unlike a baseball bat, a golf club has one very specific planar club face for hitting a ball.
Therefore, there is a need for a swing aid in which the hitting portion freely pivots about the handle portion and is not limited to one specific plane of motion.
In the field of karate, the nunchuka weapon is a pair of sticks connected together by a short chain. The sticks are the same length, size and shape wherein they are typically tapered from a thicker handle end to a thinner distal end connected to the chain between the handles. Also, the sticks are less than about one inch in diameter, and they are typically separated by about 3–7 inches of chain. Although the nunchukas are useful as a karate weapon, the nunchukas are not very useful in training a user's swing to hit a ball. The sticks are to small to be effective, and the separation distance between the sticks provides too much freedom of movement of the sticks.
Therefore, there is a need for a bat swing aid in which a hitting portion is tethered to a handle portion by a distance that provides an optimum degree of movement between the two portions. There also is a need for such a bat swing aid wherein the two portions of the bat when viewed in combination with the tether resemble the overall length, size, and shape of a conventional baseball/softball bat.


The present invention relates to the field of infection and inflammation and, more specifically, to the field of pathogen-induced nuclear factor kappa B activation. More specifically, a novel splice variant of MyD88, (MyD88S), which has been identified encoding a protein that inhibits LPS-induced NF-κB activation. MyD88S is a target to inhibit the phenomenon of endotoxin-tolerance that occurs in sepsis.

The MyD88 gene was originally described as one of several myeloid differentiation primary response genes that are induced in murine M1 myeloblastic leukemia cells upon stimulation with IL-6. It is an exclusively cytosolic protein that functions as a unique adaptor for members of the type I interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R)/Toll like receptor (TLR) family. The MyD88 protein has a modular structure. At its N-terminus, it has a "death domain" (DD) similar to the cytoplasmic signaling domains found in many members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily. Its C-terminal domain is conserved in all members of the TLR/IL-1R super family and is, therefore, termed the "Toll/IL-1R" (TIR) domain. Both domains are required for MyD88 homodimerization and are separated by a short intermediate domain (ID) of unknown function. The TIR domain of MyD88 forms a homophilic interaction with the TIR domain of IL-1R and IL-1 Receptor accessory protein (IL-IRacP), IL-18R, and several TLRs, whereas the DD binds with the DD of both IL-1 receptor associated kinase (IRAK) and IRAK-2. Interaction with MyD88 triggers IRAK phosphorylation. Phosphorylated IRAK leaves the receptor complex and associates with TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF 6), which forms a molecular link to activation of NF-κB and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Targeted disruption of the MyD88 gene showed unamnbiguously the importance of MyD88 in IL-1, IL-18 and TLR (including LPS) signaling pathways. All IL-1 and IL-18 responses (including T-cell proliferation and induction of cytokines and acute phase proteins) were abrogated in MyD88−/− cells and no NF-κB or JNK activity was observed. MyD88−/− cells were resistant to LPS-induced endotoxic shock, but still showed delayed NF-κB translocation to the nucleus, which suggests redundancy at the level of MyD88 in the LPS-pathway.
MyD88 mRNA expression has been found to be constitutively expressed in many adult human tissues as a 2.6 kb mRNA species. In the present invention, we describe the identification, characterization and uses of a splice variant of MyD88, termed MyD88S, which encodes for a protein lacking the ID. We have disclosed earlier the occurrence of an unknown splice variant of MyD88, lacking part of the TIR domain, that can inhibit IL1-induced NF-κB activation (Janssens S. and Beyaert R. (2000) Scandinavian J. of Immunology, 51 (Suppl. 1), 1.

Splice variant of MyD88 and uses thereof

Vlaams Interuniversitair Instituut voor Biotechnologie VZW


A visible light cationically photopolymerizable composition is provided. This composition includes an expanding monomer and a dioxirane. More specifically, the expanding monomer used in this composition is one or more dioxiranyl tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecanes. The composition of the present invention may be used as a matrix resin for dental restorative materials. Another embodiment of the present invention is various novel dioxiranyl tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecanes.

Many types of monomers undergo shrinkage during polymerization to a degree that makes them generally unsuited for use in numerous applications, including for use as stress-free composites, high-strength adhesives, and precision castings. As an example, when such monomers are used in composites which contain inorganic fillers, the polymeric matrix is subject to failure when the polymer shrinks and pulls away from the filler particles. Failure of the composite can also occur when the matrix ruptures as a result of voids or micro cracks which form in the matrix during polymerization shrinkage.
Polymeric matrices commonly employed in dental materials such as adhesives and composites are based on 2,2′-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxy)]phenyl propane (BisGMA). A significant problem associated with the use of this monomer in dental applications is the shrinkage which occurs as the monomer is polymerized. The BisGMA monomer itself typically experiences high shrinkage, and when a low viscosity reactive diluent is combined with the monomer, the shrinkage may even be higher. The adverse effects of such shrinkage are believed to include increased postoperative sensitivity, the formation of marginal gaps between the dental restoration and the cavity wall, cracking of the restoration, and microleakage and potential failure of the restoration.
The discovery that spiroorthocarbonates may undergo reduced polymerization contraction and possibly polymerization expansion has led to the suggestion of their use in reinforced composites, including as dental materials. Spiroorthocarbonates are esters of orthocarboxylic acid and have four oxygen atoms bonded to a single carbon atom, with the carbon atom being common to two ring systems. The expansion of the spiroorthocarbonates on polymerization is attributed to a double spiro-cyclic ring opening of the spiroorthocarbonates, resulting in the breaking of two covalent bonds to form one new bond.
Initial attempts to form a homogeneous polymer matrix from certain spiroorthocarbonates and BisGMA resin mixtures proved unsuccessful because of the incomplete polymerization of the spiroorthocarbonates. Thompson et al., J. Dental Research 58:15221532 (1979). More recent studies demonstrated that homogeneous mixtures of other spiroorthocarbonates and BisGMA could be obtained. Stansbury, J. Dental Research 70:527; Abstract No. 2088 (1991).
The photocationic-initiated expansion polymerization of alicyclic spiroorthocarbonate monomers and the potential use of the resulting polymers in dental materials have been previously reported by some of the present inventors, with others. Byerley et al., Dent. Mater. 8:345-350 (1992). The specific spiroorthocarbonates identified by Byerley et al. include cis/cis, cis/trans, and trans/trans configurational isomers of 2,3,8,9-di(tetramethylene)-1,5,7,11-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane. These spiroorthocarbonates were determined to undergo an expansion of 3.5% during homopolymerization and demonstrated acceptable cytotoxicity and genotoxicity properties, making them promising components of composite resin matrix materials.
Some of the present inventors, with others, have also previously reported on the preparation of a copolymer of an alicyclic spiroorthocarbonate and an unidentified monofunctional epoxide, with the observation that there were no indications of the formation of small ring compounds as polymerization by-products. Byerley et al., J. Dental Research 69:263; Abstract No. 1233 (1990). The copolymerization of trans/trans-2,3,8,9-di(tetramethylene)-1,5,7,11-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane and commercially available multifunctional epoxides was also disclosed in a paper presented by Byerley et al., Abstract No. 1233, cited above. However, no physical or mechanical properties, including percentage shrinkage, of the copolymer compositions were disclosed. Still further, spiroorthocarbonate copolymers have been created that are capable of yielding a hard, non-shrinking matrix resin. These copolymers include a trans/trans-2,3,8,9-di(tetramethylene)-1,5,7,11-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane spiroorthocarbonate, a polymerizable epoxy resin, and a hydroxyl containing material, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,108.
A diepoxy spiroorthocarbonate, namely, 3,23-dioxatrispiro[tricyclo[184.108.40.206<2,4>]octane-6,5′-1,3-dioxane-2′2″-1,3-dioxane-5″,7′″-tricyclo[220.127.116.11<2,4>octane], is disclosed in a book entitled, "Expanding Monomers, Synthesis, Characterization and Applications," edited by R. J. Sadhir and R. M. Luck, CRC Press, Boca Raton (1992), pp. 329-332.
Some of the present inventors, with others, have previously disclosed the spiro-orthcarbonates 2,8-dimethyl-1,5,7,11-tetraoxaspiro[5,5]undecane and 3,9-diethyl-3,9-dipropionyloxymethyl-1,5,7,11-tetraoxaspiro[5,5]undecane in an article entitled "Photoreactivity of Expanding Monomers and Epoxy-Based Matrix Resin Systems" by Chappelow et al., J. of Applied Polymer Science, Vol 76, 1715-1724 (2000).
However, none of the above disclosed spiro-orthocarbonates used in a photopolymerizable composition generally exhibit characteristics desirable in a dental restorative, including flexible linkages, enhanced miscibility and reactivity and reduced photopolymerization contraction stress.
Despite the advances resulting from the above-noted polymeric compositions and SOCs, a need still exists for cationically photopolymerizable compositions exhibiting properties such as reduced shrinkage and reduced photopolymerization contraction stress. Still further, there is a need for expanding monomers containing flexible linkages that provide enhanced miscibility and reactivity in photopolymerizable compositions.

Photopolymerizable compositions that include alicyclic/aromatic dioxiranes and novel dioxiranyl tetraoxaspiro [5.5] undecanes


A highly accurate, low-cost and easy-to-handle heating resistor type flow meter has a main air flow passage body forming a main air flow passage for allowing air flowing therethrough. A measuring module has a heating resistor for measuring a flow rate of the air inserted inside the main air flow passage body: The measuring module comprises the heating resistor inside an auxiliary air flow passage body forming an L-shaped auxiliary air flow passage having an inlet opening portion opening in a direction perpendicular to a main flow line of the air and an outlet opening portion opening in a direction parallel to the main flow line. The main air flow passage body comprises an orifice on a periphery of the inner side wall positioned in an upstream side of the air flow passage body. Both of the inlet opening portion and the outlet opening portion are arranged within a flow flux zone formed by extending the air flow from a top edge of the orifice in a direction parallel to the main flow line.

This application claims the priority of 8-231620, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to an air flow meter for measuring an air flow rate, and more particularly to a heating resistor type air flow meter suitable for measuring an intake air flow rate of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle.
The conventional way of improving the measuring accuracy of a heating resistor type air flow meter used in an internal combustion engine under a pulsating flow condition, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-1518, provides a flow passage having an L-shaped detecting tube. That is, the flow passage comprises a wall against backward flow so that the back flow does not directly impinge on the heating resistor. Although such a flow passage construction cannot suppress back flow, it is possible to moderate a so-called binary-value phenomenon, that is, decrease of a detected value in the heating resistor type air flow meter which is caused when a pulsation amplitude of air flow increases.
Further, a flow passage construction having an orifice is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-110220. In this construction, a heating resistor is arranged just downstream of an orifice inside a detecting tube which is a nearly straight and short tube parallel to the main flow direction.
In the prior art described above, it is impossible to measure flow speed by identifying direction of the flow. Therefore, when averaged output signals of the heating resistor type air flow meter are plotted as the boost pressure is being varied by gradually opening the throttle valve while rotating speed of the engine is kept constant, the averaged output signal gradually increases, but shows a jump-up phenomenon at boost pressures above a certain point indicating a plus side measuring error to an actual flow speed (flow rate), as shown in FIG. 12(b). The phenomenon is caused by the amplitude of pulsation of the heating resistor type air flow meter gradually increasing as opening degree of the throttle valve is increased and finally back flow occurs at opening degrees of the throttle valve above a point B, as shown in FIG. 12(b). The heating resistor type air flow meter cannot identify flow direction. Therefore, when back flow occurs, the averaged output increases because flow speed is equally detected independently of forward flow and back flow. It is known that this phenomenon often occurs particularly in an engine having four or less cylinders at a comparatively low rotating speed range of 1000 to 2000 rpm, and hardly occurs in an engine having more than four cylinders.
It is possible to reduce the error caused by back flow by employing one of the prior art teachings described above in which a wall against backward flow is provided in the flow passage so that the back flow does not directly impinge on the heating resistor. However, the error can be reduced by only a half. This is because when back flow occurs, forward flow increases by an amount of the back flow at the same time.
Further, it is difficult to prevent the back flow in an intake flow passage from occurring because of structures of the engine and the intake flow passage. Accordingly, in order to reduce the error caused by back flow, it is necessary to employ a complex method such as a structure in which an amount of back flow rate is subtracted from an amount of forward flow rate or a structure in which both of a forward flow rate and a back flow rate are separately measured.
An object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost and easy-to-handle heating resistor type flow meter by improving the measuring accuracy, including deviation accuracy, under pulsating flow accompanying back flow when the heating resistor type flow meter is mounted on a vehicle.
A heating resistor type flow meter to attain the above object comprises a main air flow passage body forming a main air flow passage for allowing a fluid to be measured flowing therethrough; and a measuring module having a heating resistor for measuring a flow rate of the fluid to be measured, inserted inside the main air flow passage body, wherein
the measuring module comprises the heating resistor inside an auxiliary shaped auxiliary air flow passage body forming an L-shaped auxiliary air flow passage having an inlet opening portion opening in a direction perpendicular to a main flow line of the fluid to be measured and an outlet opening an portion opening in a direction parallel to the main flow line; PA1 the main air flow passage body comprises an orifice on a periphery of the inner side wall positioned in an upstream side of the air flow passage body; and both of the inlet opening portion and the outlet opening portion are arranged within a flow flux zone formed by extending the fluid to be measured from a top edge of orifice in a direction parallel to the main flow line.
According to the present invention, because increase of flow speed within the flow flux zone formed by the orifice reduces an effect of back flow flowing in the auxiliary air flow passage body having the both opening portions arranged within the flow flux zone, the measuring accuracy can be improved.

Heating resistor type air flow meter with a measuring module inside the main air flow passage body


The present disclosure provides a terminal device and a charging control method. The terminal device includes a receiving coil, a wireless charging module, an inverter circuit and a transmitting coil. The receiving coil is configured to receive a wireless charging signal. The wireless charging module is configured to perform a wireless charging to a battery based on the wireless charging signal received by the receiving coil. The inverter circuit is configured to generate an alternating current signal based on a power supply voltage provided by the battery. The transmitting coil is configured to transmit a wireless charging signal to the outside based on the alternating current signal.

With the popularity of wireless charging technologies, more and more terminal devices (such as mobile phones) support wireless charging.
At present, wireless charging of terminal devices usually needs a wireless charging base. Since it is troublesome to carry the wireless charging base, the wireless charging process is not flexible enough.

Terminal device and charging control method

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


Certain embodiments are directed to processes for fabrication of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) membranes. These ZIF membranes can be used in separating C2− hydrocarbons from C3+ hydrocarbons and propylene/propane mixtures.

I. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of this invention are directed generally to a process of making Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework materials and their use as membranes for separation of hydrocarbons.
II. Background
Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs) are a novel type of crystalline microporous materials. ZIFs are structurally similar to zeolites and other crystalline materials. ZIFs are comprised of metal ions or metal clusters bridged through a nitrogen atom of imidazolate ligands or their derivatives (Banerjee et al., Science, 2008, 319, P939), as compared to zeolites that are structures comprised of tetrahedral Si(Al)O4 joined by bridging oxygen. ZIFs belong to microporous materials because their pore size is typically less than 2 nm. The regular pore structure of ZIFs can differentiate gas molecules on the atomic level. Hence, ZIFs have potential to be used for gas separations, either in powder form or in a continuous membrane form.
US Patent Publication 2007/0202038, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes synthesis of a family of ZIF materials and the methods of using them as adsorbents for H2 and CO2 storage. PCT Publication WO 2009/105270, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes the use of ZIF crystals as adsorbents in a pressure swing or temperature swing process to recover H2 out of natural gas. PCT Publication WO 2009/105251, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes different types of ZIF structures including ZIF-1, ZIF-7, ZIF-8 and ZIF-11 that were utilized as adsorbents to separate methane out of C2+ hydrocarbons. PCT Publication WO 2009/105251 also describes a membrane process based on these ZIF materials; however, the membrane described in WO 2009/105251 was prepared using ZIF crystals and binders. The separation mechanism is based on selective adsorption of C2+ over methane, and hence the membrane is more permeable to C2+ hydrocarbons.
There remains a need for additional materials for the sharp, efficient separation of multi-component gas mixtures.

Zeolitic imidazolate framework membranes and methods of making and using same for separation of C2− and C3+ hydrocarbons and separation of propylene and propane mixtures

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology


Dry, laser-based, lithographic techniques and systems for patterning a surface of a wafer or other substrate are disclosed. The techniques and systems are particularly adapted for automated micro-fabrication of integrated circuits on semiconductor wafers. The invention entails dry depositing a resist material on a surface of a substrate, then generating a pattern in the resist material by selectively exposing the resist material to pulsed UV laser radiation, controlling the ambient exposure of the resist material between the resist-depositing and pattern-generating steps, and, finally, transferring the pattern from the resist to the substrate or otherwise employing the pattern to transform the substrate by deposition or implantation of materials.

This invention generally relates to micro-fabrication of integrated circuits and, particularly, to an improved process and apparatus for pattern formation on semiconductor wafers to form such circuits.
Within the semiconductor industry, production of electronic circuits by very large scale integration ("VLSI") techniques is constrained by a variety of factors which limit yield and inhibit process flexibility. These detrimental factors include, for example, the exposure of wafers to contaminants and/or oxidation during fabrication. Such processing constraints adversely affect mass production of integrated circuits. In addition, conventional processes are slow and inordinately expensive for the fabrication of low-volume products, thus posing an impediment to new device and circuit designs.
Processes for micro-texturing and patterning semiconductor wafers typically rely on lithographic transfer of the desired image from a thin-film of radiation-sensitive resist material. The process entails the formation of a sacrificial layer, the "resist", which is photo-lithographically patterned.
The patterning of the resist involves several steps, including exposing the resist to a selected light source through a suitable mask to record a latent image of the mask and then developing and removing selected regions of the resist. For a "positive" resist, the exposed regions are removed; while for a "negative" resist, the unexposed regions are removed.
For example, in conventional processes using a deposited polymeric resist, the film is exposed with visible or near UV light, electrons or x-rays to induce chain sission (in the case of a positive resist) or cross-linking (in a negative resist) of the polymeric resist material, followed by development in an organic solvent. The pattern can be transferred into surface texture in the wafer by etching with a reactive gas using the patterned resist as a protective masking layer. Alternatively, when a wafer is "masked" by the resist pattern, it can be processed to form active electronic devices and circuits by depositing conductive or semiconductive materials or implanting dopants into etched wells and other surface structures.
Conventional micro-fabrication processes require a number of wet processing steps. For example, there is a general trend towards the use of organic polymer materials as resists, such as Novolack resins, polyesters, or polyimides. These materials are typically spun cast onto the wafer as a thin film (e.g., about 0.1 to 3.0 microns thick) from a wet polymeric solution, such as monoethyl ether or chlorobenzene. In addition, the development steps (in which regions of the resist are removed) typically involve treating the exposed film with another liquid solvent.
The use of conventional wet deposition and developing solutions is a major source of contamination and, consequently, defects in the fabrication of integrated circuits because such wet processing steps typically involve breaks in vacuum or controlled-ambient conditions. Whenever this occurs, the surfaces of the wafer can begin to oxidize in the air or become exposed to airborne chemical and particulate contamination. As a result, the wafer surfaces often must be cleaned and dried before the next processing step can commence. The deposition, development, cleaning and drying operations typically are time-consuming and reduce the through-put of the overall fabrication process. Moreover, the liquid solvents, themselves, can also be major sources of active corrosion or chemical contamination and thereby contribute further defects to the circuit or adversely affect dimensional control.
Another major source of contamination during integrated circuit fabrication is introduced by human operators working in the manufacturing clean room. Human operators are presently required in the clean room, for example, for process set-up and monitoring and transfer of wafers between process stations. It has been estimated that an operator making only light hand and arm movements sheds approximately 6000 particles per minute of a size equal to or larger than 0.3 microns. Successful wafer fabrication can not allow even one such particle per square centimeter to accumulate on the wafer over the processing cycle which can last several weeks. At present, the problem of human contamination of wafers during processing is addressed largely by protective garments and air filtration technology.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved processes and systems for pattern formation on integrated circuit wafers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide simpler processes and systems for patterning such wafers while exposing the wafers to a reduced level of contaminants and while limiting the interaction of humans during processing.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide more flexible, economic and automated processes and systems for patterning wafers with high resolution.

Integrated circuit micro-fabrication using dry lithographic processes


A slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a second rail, a third rail, a support member and a resilient member. The second rail is slidably connected to the first rail to which the third rail is connected. The support member is movably connected to the third rail and has a side portion and a stop portion. The side portion has at least one first slot, and a first connecting member extends through the at least one first slot and is connected to the third rail. The resilient member generates an elastic force in response to a relative movement between the support member and the third rail. The support member is movable relative to the third rail and contacts against the chassis.

1. Fields of the invention
The present invention relates to a slide rail assembly, and more particularly, to a slide assembly suitable for installing the chassis of different sizes and providing sufficient support to improve the stability of the chassis installation.
2. Descriptions of Related Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,356,718, 6,681,942 and 7,823,994 discloses the conventional slide rail assemblies utilized in rack systems and are incorporated herein by reference. However, these conventional slide rail assemblies are not adapted to the chassis of different sizes such that those conventional slide rail assemblies cannot provide sufficient support to the longer chassis.
The present invention intends to provide a slide rail assembly that is adapted to the racks of different sizes and the chassis of different sizes as well so as to provide sufficient support for the chassis and improve the stability of the chassis installation.


A device for emulating circuit switching in Ethernet using an Ethernet circuit header (ECH) includes a node of a network that is configured to receive a packet. A control module may be configured to determine that a destination address portion of a data frame associated with the packet matches a predefined format. A parser module may be configured to parse an ECH portion of the destination address to identify a circuit-identification (ID). A look-up module may be configured to look up the circuit ID in a circuit-ID table using at least one of a plurality of key options to generate a look-up-result data. The control module may be configured to use the look-up-result data to direct the packet to a destination interface of a destination node.

Ethernet is based on packet switch technology, which involves communication of packets between various nodes (e.g., switches) of a network (e.g., a local area network (LAN)). The packets may be data packets or control packets, and different packets from a single endpoint may follow different paths in the network. It is possible to broadcast, on the underlying data-link layer in Ethernet networks, by addressing frames that are intended to reach every endpoint of a given LAN segment to a predefined media-access control (MAC) address (e.g., set to FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF) defined by the Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA). The Ethernet broadcast nature may serve well in many applications where the topology changes are very dynamic such as core, enterprises, etc., but in some applications the change in topology may not be so dynamic, for example, mobile backhaul, or long distance transport between two continents, or a big fabric switch in a data center, where the path between many endpoints can be static.
Ethernet can have unicast and multicast addresses, where unicast MAC addresses are randomly distributed and are assigned to all ports of every device by the device manufacturer. The Ethernet multicast address is defined as any address with 40th bit set to 1. IANA has defined a reserved multicast MAC address as an address which is prefixed with 01-00-5E. With regard to multi-protocol labeled-switch transport profile (MPLS-TP) nodes, which may not be IP aware, IANA has recently defined a special Ethernet address: 01-00-5e-90-00-00.

Emulating circuit switching in Ethernet using an Ethernet circuit header


A force transmission element for force or moment measuring devices includes a block of essentially incompressible elastomeric material for transmission of forces to at least one force or pressure sensor arranged within said block or in close contact with the elastomeric material, wherein said block is closely surrounded by an enclosure deformable in axial force measuring direction, but essentially not expandable in cross section essentially perpendicular thereto. Such force transmission elements may be used in force transmission devices and may be manufactured by at least partially casting the enclosure in the elastomeric material with the enclosure, if desired, serving as a mold.

With force measuring devices frequently there is the problem that due to tolerances or temperature expansion, respectively, of the load introducing elements or the base, and due to variations in loading or a lateral influence, as by wind squalls or the like, the force measuring device is considerably affected outside the desired vertical force direction.
For example, FIG. 32 shows a bin 70 supported on a base 72 by force measuring devices 110 and corresponding supports 74. The force measuring devices 110 are loaded through lateral flanges 78 of bin 70. Depending on the extent bin 70 is filled, bending of flanges 78 may occur which may vary plan parallelism in the force measuring devices 110. Due to temperature expansion the distance between the central axes of force measuring devices 110 at the force introduction side may considerably be displaced in respect of the support side. Heavy side winds result in a tilting of bin 70 about a horizontal axis, again influencing the plan parallelism in force measuring devices 110, in addition to usual variations thereof. Furthermore, a twisting about a vertical axis is difficult to avoid. Therefore, specific measures must be taken ensuring the necessary degrees of freedom of movement without affecting the force measuring device in its measuring accuracy or even destroying it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,653 discloses a force measuring device comprising as a force introducing element a piston inserted into a relatively high cylindrical recess of a pot-type housing forming a narrow annular gap filled with elastomeric material fixedly adhering to the contact surfaces. Through further elastomeric material the piston acts on a pressure sensor. The elastomeric material completely transmits the vertical force component to the pressure sensor, whilst lateral force components are shunted from the piston through the elastomeric material in the annular gap to the pot-type housing. This known force measuring device has a relatively high measuring accuracy; however, its manufacture is relatively expensive and its mounting is complex, if the influences mentioned above are to be avoided.
German Patent Application Publication No. 21 06 92 discloses a force measuring cell comprising a cube-type block of elastomeric material sandwiched between two plates and having a pressure sensor embedded therein. Such a force measuring device is relatively inaccurate, since upon force application the elastomeric block expands laterally causing a considerable hysteresis and non-linearity of the measuring results. Instead of the elastomeric block disc-type discrete bodies of different pressure stability may be stacked in a telescopic tube body, the discrete bodies being destroyed at a different loading each.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,297 discloses a force measuring device featuring a force transmission by a wedge arrangement with the wedge being supported by a cushion. The cushion may comprise a ring made of sandwiched layers of elastomeric material and metal and enclosing a liquid space. Therefore, there is no uniform elastomeric block.
The force measuring device according to German Patent Application Publication No. 35 02 275 comprises a pot having inserted therein an elastomeric cushion having included therein a pressure measuring cell and being loaded by a piston.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,050 relates to a pressure measuring cell with the pressure being transmitted to a pressure sensor through elastomeric material filled into a pot-type housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,666 relates to a force measuring device including a pot-type base body having a piston inserted therein, with elastomeric material being provided between the end surface of the piston and the bottom of the base body, the elastomeric material being in contact with at least one pressure sensor. The base body is supported by a pot bearing provided at its bottom side and including an elastomeric plate.
German Patent Application Publication No. 21 58 607 relates to a force measuring cell comprising spaces filled with liquid and peripherally enclosed by resilient elements. Force introduction is accomplished through a stiff center of the resilient elements which elements are formed in a sandwich-type manner.
German Patent Application Publication No. 29 17 363 discloses a force measuring device including a body being elastic along its length and form-stable over its cross section. It contains a liquid flowing through a duct to a pressure sensor.

Transmission element for force or moment measuring devices


A method of monitoring an anesthesia and consciousness depth through brain network analysis by a computing device according to the present disclosure includes: acquiring a user's brain signals extracted during anesthesia; performing pre-treatment to the acquired brain signals to be suitable for brain network analysis; calculating a functional connectivity value between two channels for each frequency based on the pre-treated brain signals and performing brain network analysis; determining an anesthesia and consciousness depth of the user based on features of the analyzed brain network; and providing the determined anesthesia and consciousness depth of the user through a user interface.

In general, during a medical practice such as surgery and treatment, it is vital to properly maintain the depth of anesthesia and consciousness. If anesthetized lightly, a patient may awaken during surgery and suffer pain, whereas if anesthetized deeply, the patient may die of complications from heart attack. A bigger problem is that when the patient under anesthesia has difficulty in breathing during surgery, he/she cannot express him/herself. Such accidents caused by anesthesia can happen to anyone by surprise and immediately lead to the patient's death. Therefore, the best measure is prevention. In order to prevent such accidents, the depth of anesthesia and consciousness needs to be quantitatively measured. However, at present, the depth of anesthesia is determined by experience and knowledge of an anesthesiologist who understands the status of a patient and regulates the dose of anesthetic. Accordingly, an apparatus capable of objectively measuring the depth of anesthesia is needed.
A Bispectral index (BIS) or entropy index as a representative technology used to monitor a patient currently accounts for 90% or more of the anesthesia depth monitoring market and assesses the depth of anesthesia based on brain activity. Particularly, the BIS values range from 1 to 100 to indicate the depth of anesthesia, and values between 40 and 60 are known as suitable for surgery. Values lower than 40 indicate that a patient is anesthetized too deeply and values higher than 60 indicates that the patient is anesthetized lightly. When a value is equal to or higher than 80, there is a high likelihood of anesthesia accidents such as "anesthesia awareness" in which the patient can feel external stimulus and which can cause the patient to recall pain. The anesthesia awareness during surgery means that the patient awakens under anesthesia and feels pain during surgery but cannot move. If the patient feels pain and paralysis, the patient is very highly likely to suffer "post-traumatic stress disorder" including fear of death, anxiety, etc. That is, in the current anesthesia depth monitoring technologies, it is desirable to maintain anesthesia within a proper BIS range. In this case, the patient can quickly recover from anesthesia after surgery and does not suffer from vomiting or dizziness.
However, these technologies are just used as reference to determine the depth of anesthesia and consciousness. The final determination of consciousness or unconsciousness requires the subjective judgement of a doctor and is often different from the result of sedation rating scales. Also, these technologies take time up to 60 seconds to quantify the result and thus cannot immediately handle medical accidents which may can happen unexpectedly. Further, these technologies are highly reliable in general anesthesia but have low reliability and performance in classification of sedation anesthesia state classification and thus actually have limitations in consciousness depth monitoring. Accordingly, there is a need for an anesthesia and consciousness depth monitoring system capable of considering various environmental variables and helping doctors properly regulate the dose of anesthetic and minimize the occurrence of medical accidents.
As a conventional technology of measuring an anesthesia and consciousness depth using bio-signals, Korean Patent No. 10-1079785 (entitled "EEG analyzer for index calculation of depth anesthesia) discloses a technology of extracting multiple parameters and extracting a proper parameter for each environment or user based on the correlation between anesthesia depths. However, this technology relates to extraction of features rather than development of single index and thus is not suitable to find out an anesthesia and consciousness depth changing according to various environmental variables. Further, Korean Patent No. 10-1111498 (entitled "Depth of anesthesia monitoring system and method using bio-signal analysis and learning process) analyzes various bi-signals including electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and blood pressure. However, as the number of bio-signals used increases, it becomes difficult to apply this technology in real clinic practice due to physical complexity and cost.
However, the above-described technologies suggest different types of anesthesia and consciousness depth indexes, respectively, but cannot accurately distinguish consciousness and unconsciousness.

Method and apparatus of monitoring anaesthesia and consciousness depth through brain network analysis

Korea University Research and Business Foundation


A fading simulator for generating multipath-faded test signals which have attenuation notches of precisely controllable frequency position and attenuation depth from a modulated input signal of known bandwidth. The input signal is fed to a splitter that directs two in-phase components to a first path and a second path. The input to each path is divided by a splitter into in-phase and quadrature sub-signals having a quadrature phase relationship, each sub-signal being fed to a respective inverting attenuator, the outputs of the attenuators then being combined in a combiner and the combined output being passed through a variable delay line to generate the output of the respective path. The outputs of each path are then combined in a combiner circuit to generate the multipath-faded test signal. All four inverting attenuators are preferably substantially identical to one another so that the two paths have close to identical temperature-drift and other characteristics. The attenuators and delay lines are electronically controlled in tandem, preferably using a microprocessor and stored program, to generate precision, static or dynamic, attenuation notches desired.

The background to the present invention is set out in the specification of prior PCT patent application No. PCT/AU89/00254 filed in the name of the of the present applicant (herein called `our prior application`). Reference should be made to the specification of that application for a discussion of the technical problems faced in the design and operation of fading simulators and for an explanation of the applicant's desiderata in designing such devices.
The simulator of our prior application allowed microprocessor-controlled calibration of notch depth and notch position as independent variables thereby greatly reducing calibration time. Since the drift of component parameters normally requires frequent re-calibration of the simulator during use, the significant reduction in calibration time offered by the simulator design and method of our prior application provided a substantial advantage with respect to the art at the time it was filed. Nevertheless, calibration of that simulator could still take a few minutes and it would clearly be desirable if such calibrations were to take much less time while still allowing accurate and predictable simulation of deep signal fades which sweep rapidly across the signal spectrum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,148 to Edwards discloses a multipath fading simulator in which each path includes a 180.degree. phase shifter and an attenuator which are jointly controlled so that each phase shifter contributes to the total difference in phase between the paths and so that each attenuator contributes to the required signal level difference between the paths. By closely matching the characteristics of the two phase shifters, compensation for parameter drift and errors in the phase shifters can be achieved. Similarly, by matching the attenuators, compensation for drift and errors can be achieved. However, calibration is complicated and calibration time is increased.


A cargo round (e.g., 155 mm high explosive projectile) is provided for dispensing submunitions. The round includes a nose tip, a casing attached thereto forming a chamber, a tail and a payload in the chamber between the tip and tail. The payload includes a plurality of axi-symmetric darts mounted on a plurality of front and rear tandem plates. Each dart has fore and aft ends along a polar axis. Each dart is shaped as a cone at its fore end and includes a cavity at its aft end. Each plate has a plurality of orifices arranged in a regular pattern. Each orifice receives a corresponding dart to protrude from both obverse and reverse sides of the plate. Each fore end of its dart in the rear plate inserts into the cavity of a counterpart dart in the front plate, and each plate shears apart on release of the payload to disperse the darts. The plates preferably have a plurality of notches arranged in rows on the reverse side, together with a lip at an outer rim and bounded recess region within the lip on the obverse side, with the orifices are disposed in the region.

The invention relates generally to submunition packaging in a cargo round. In particular, the invention provides a large plurality of flight-stabile darts for target release.
The 155 mm high explosive (HE) M483A1 cargo round carries a payload of dual-purpose grenades: (a) armor defeating (M42) and (b) anti-personnel (M46). Upon detonation of the primer, the flash ignites the propelling charge producing gases that eject the spin-stabilized projectile from the gun and propels the projectile to the target. The fuze, having been set to function at a pre-determined time in flight, initiates the expulsion charge ejecting the entire grenade load from the rear of the projectile. Centrifugal force from spinning disperses the grenades radially from, the projectile's line-of-flight. The M42 and M46 grenades are ground-burst submissiles that explode on impact.

Conical dart sub-munitions for cargo round

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


An improved end closure for food and beverage containers is provided. The end closure contains a raised bead portion for guiding and directing the opening or lifting motion of a tab portion attached to the end closure. More efficient opening features are enabled by the guided action of the tab and raised bead features.

Typical end closures for beer and beverage containers have an opening panel and an attached leverage tab for pushing the opening panel into the container to open the end. The container is typically a drawn and ironed metal can, usually constructed from a thin plate of aluminum. End closures for such containers are also typically constructed from a cutedge of thin plate of aluminum or steel, formed into a blank end, and manufactured into a finished end by a process often referred to as end conversion. These ends are formed in the process of first forming a cutedge of thin metal, forming a blank end from the cutedge, and converting the blank into an end closure which may be seamed onto a container.
These types of container ends have been used for many years, with almost all such ends in use today being the "ecology" or "stay-on-tab" ends in which the tab remains attached to the end after the opening panel is opened. Throughout the use of such ends, manufacturers have sought to save the expense of the metal by downgauging the metal of the ends and the tabs. However, because ends are used for containers with pressurized contents, the score of the opening panel must have sufficient score residual to withstand such pressure, which in turn requires that the tab have a thickness of metal to provide strength to open the panel. Further, with the more recent popular use of large-open ends, additional problems arise with regard to openability of the ends. Because of the enlarged size of the opening panel (or tear panel), more stress is placed on the tab during opening of the tear panel, constraining efforts to further downgauge the tab.
Another problem with such container ends is the restriction to the material and cost savings when seeking to make the ends from a thinner metal stock (downgauging), primarily due to the fact that the traditional geometry of such ends requires one to make the ends from a larger cutedge of metal when attempting to make the end of thinner gauge metal.
As is explained in greater detail below, the present invention reduces or eliminates these problems with ecology type ends and the problems with the large-open ends.


A method of fabricating a uniformly wrinkled capacitor lower electrode without the need to perform a high-temperature heat treatment and a method of fabricating a capacitor including the uniformly wrinkled capacitor lower electrode are provided. A first conductive layer is formed. Then, a second conductive layer including about 20% to about 50% of impurities is formed on the first conductive layer. Next, at least some of the impurities are exhausted from the second conductive layer by heat treating the second conductive layer. A surface of the second conductive layer is wrinkled due to the exhaustion of the impurities from the second conductive layer. A dielectric layer and an upper capacitor electrode may then be formed.

Integrated circuit devices are widely used in consumer and commercial applications. Many integrated circuit devices include integrated circuit capacitors therein. For example, many memory devices, such as Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) devices, include integrated circuit capacitors. As is well known to those having skill in the art, an integrated circuit capacitor generally includes a first (lower) electrode, a second (upper) electrode and a dielectric therebetween.
As the integration density of integrated circuit devices continues to increase, it may become desirable to increase the capacitance per unit area of an integrated circuit capacitor. As is well known, the capacitance per unit area may be increased by increasing the effective area of the capacitor, by decreasing the thickness of the dielectric, and/or by increasing the dielectric constant of the dielectric material.
Three-dimensional electrode structures, such as cylindrical, finned and/or trench electrode structures have been developed, to thereby increase the effective area of the capacitor per unit area in the integrated circuit substrate. It is also known to form hemispherical grain silicon electrodes, to increase the surface area of an integrated circuit electrode per unit area of the integrated circuit substrate. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,333,227; 6,245,632; 6,238,973; 6,117,692; 6,087,226; 6,077,573; 6,004,858; 5,960,281; 5,885,867 and 5,821,152, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety as if set forth fully herein.
It may be desirable to use metal as an integrated circuit electrode, such as a lower electrode of an integrated circuit capacitor, rather than silicon or polysilicon. For example, noble metals, such as platinum (Pt), ruthenium (Ru) and/or iridium (Ir) and/or their oxides may be used as an integrated circuit electrode, such as a lower electrode. In particular, ruthenium-based electrodes, including ruthenium oxide-based electrodes, may be etched by oxygen-containing plasma to form a conductive metal oxide layer. Thus, ruthenium-based electrodes may be particularly desirable.
It is known to increase the surface area of noble metal-containing electrodes using high temperature agglomeration, sputtering and/or oxygen plasma treatments. See, for example, Japanese Publication No. 10-270662, published Oct. 9, 1998 to Takeharu entitled Semiconductor Storage Device Having Capacitor and Its Manufacture; Japanese Publication No. 11-121711, published Apr. 30, 1999 to Teruo et al. entitled Manufacture of Capacitor, Manufacture of Semiconductor Device Capacitor and Semiconductor Device Capacitor; and published PCT Publication No. WO 00/13216, published Mar. 9, 2000 to Marsh et al. entitled Capacitors Comprising Roughened Platinum Layers, Methods of Forming Roughened Layers of Platinum and Methods of Forming Capacitors.

Methods of forming integrated circuit electrodes and capacitors by wrinkling a layer that includes a high percentage of impurities


To aim to provide an information processing device capable of improving a processing capability and securely handling programs and data to be protected. According to a system LSI including a plurality of CPUs, when a CPU-1 switches to a protection mode, the CPU-1 and a CPU-2 are reset. While the CPU-1 operates in the protection mode, only the CPU-1 executes a protection program and the CPU-2 is stopped by continuing outputting a reset signal to the CPU-2.

In recent years, users have enjoyed listening to music by using consumer appliances capable of digitizing music data and storing the digitized music data in a storage device. Also, there have been demands for consumer appliances capable of handling high-quality contents such as HD images in addition to music data.
In order to process high-quality contents such as HD images, it is necessary to improve the processing capability of the consumer appliances. As a method of improving the processing capability of the consumer appliances, a multi CPU system (also referred to as a "multi processor system") has been used in the field of Personal Computers (PC). According to the multi CPU system, processing that has been conventionally performed by one CPU is shared among a plurality of CPUs so as to reduce a period necessary for performing the processing.
On the other hand, it is possible to make copies of digitized music data and HD images without deterioration. Accordingly, in order to protect interests of copyright holders of data such as digitized music data and HD images, it is necessary to handle the data in an environment where unauthorized use cannot be performed.
The Patent Document 1 discloses an art of preventing unauthorized use of data that needs to be protected, by using a device including a plurality of CPUs. According to the art disclosed in the Patent Document 1 (hereinafter referred to as a "first conventional art"), each of the plurality of CPUs has allocated thereto a key that is unique to the CPU. A program and data that need to be protected is encrypted using a key corresponding to a CPU among the CPUs that handles the program and data, and the encrypted program and data are stored in an external memory. When the CPU attempts to use the program and data stored in the external memory, a bus encryption circuit performs decryption processing using the key corresponding to the CPU, and outputs decrypted program and data to the CPU.
However, in a case where such a program and data include right information showing the permitted number of times of playing back contents for example, it is impossible to prevent a so-called backup restoration attack. The backup restoration attack is a kind of unauthorized use in which all the data stored in an external memory are copied, and a right is used up. Then, the copy of the right information is restored. In this case, the restored right information is accurately decrypted using the bus encryption circuit. This results in allowing restoration of the right that would have been expired. Therefore, the first conventional art cannot realize the secure handling of information that needs to be protected.
In view of this, in order to certainly protect data and programs, there has been conventionally used another art (hereinafter referred to as a "second conventional art") in which a device including one CPU (a single processor) performs operations by switching between processing relating to data that needs to be protected and processing relating to data that does not need to be protected.
The device of the second conventional art realizes an execution environment for performing processing relating to data that needs to be protected, by using an internal memory included in a system LSI and a mode dedicated for the CPU. Hereinafter, such an execution environment is referred to as a "protection mode". According to the second conventional art, while the system LSI is operating in a mode that is not the protection mode (hereinafter referred to as a "normal mode"), access to the internal memory by the system LSI is intercepted. Here, when the execution environment is switched from the normal mode to the protection mode, the CPU is reset. Then, a protected program stored in the system LSI is activated. This protected program is stored in a ROM or the like included in the system LSI, and is difficult to be tampered with from outside of the device. Also, when the execution environment is switched from the normal mode to the protection mode, the system LSI is permitted to access the internal memory. According to such a control, the system LSI cannot access the internal memory while operating in the normal mode. Furthermore, a program that can access the internal memory during operations of the system LSI in the protection mode is a program being operated by the CPU that is operating in the protection mode, and this program is difficult to be tampered with (or another program that is called by the program difficult to be tampered with). Therefore, it is possible to limit a program that can handle data stored in the internal memory to a secure program.
As described above, the device including one CPU switches between processing relating to data that needs to be protected and processing relating to data that does not need to be protected. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent unauthorized access to the secure memory and securely use data stored in the internal memory.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2005-99984

Information processing device for securely processing data that needs to be protected using a secure memory


A simple method and apparatus for measuring the low area specific resistance of a metal plate, particularly in high temperature (<962° C.) environment, are provided. The metal plate, which may include a coating, is used in high temperature environment for electric conduction. Silver paste is applied on the metal surface. Paste sintering processes to minimize contact resistance are described. These sintering processes cause negligible change to the original metal condition, thus accurate and precise area specific resistivity of the metal plate can be obtained.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring the area specific resistance of a metal plate, particularly of low resistivity at high temperatures, with negligible change to the original plate properties.
2. Related Prior Art
To measure the area specific resistance of a metal plate at high temperatures, platinum paste, as a contact electrode, is applied on the metallic surface. Platinum paste is however expensive. Moreover, in the temperature range for the measurement, the degree of the sintering of the platinum particles is low so that the resistance of the platinum paste cannot be minimized and that the platinum particles cannot be firmly attached to the metallic surface. Therefore, the precision of the measurement is affected, particularly when the resistance to be measured is very low.
There are alternative measuring methods such as using a platinum mesh, together with platinum paste or alone, or using a mesh made of other noble metal. The platinum paste suffers the above-mentioned drawbacks. The platinum mesh or the mesh made of other noble metal cannot be firmly attached to the plate surface. There is an attempt to firmly attach the mesh to the plate surface by exerting pressure on the mesh against the plate surface. This however could easily damage the plate surface condition like coating or pre-oxidized scale, and induce errors to the measurement. In addition, the contact area between the mesh and the plate surface can not be accurately determined. Therefore, the above-mentioned methods for measuring the metallic area specific resistance cannot meet the need of precise measurement.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

Method and apparatus for measuring metallic area-specific resistance