The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can more improve a luminance when the liquid crystal display device includes a column spacer. The present invention is a liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, and the liquid crystal display device having a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel, wherein a column spacer structure is arranged in the red pixel among three pixels of the red, green, and blue pixels, and the red pixel has the smallest aperture ratio of the three pixels.

A liquid crystal display device provides display by controlling optical characteristics of light emitted from a light source using a liquid crystal layer and the like in a liquid crystal display panel. Such a liquid crystal display device has been widely used in various fields, using its features such as slim profile, lightweight, and low power consumption. The liquid crystal display panel that is a main member of such a liquid crystal display device generally has a structure where a liquid crystal layer is interposed between a pixel array substrate and a color filter substrate, and a thickness (cell gap) of the liquid crystal layer is maintained by a spacer arranged between the substrates. Examples of the spacer include spherical spacers made of plastic, an inorganic material, and the like; and column spacers made of a resin material, and the like. Among these, the column spacer is excellent in that it can be directly formed on a substrate using a photosensitive resin and the like, for example, by a photolithography method, and such a column spacer can be arranged with high precision.
An arrangement position of such a column spacer can be determined in accordance with a desired spacer density. Generally, as shown in FIG. 8, one spacer is arranged in every pixel of red pixel R, green pixel G, and blue pixel B. If a column spacer 1 overlaps with a pixel electrode 10 arranged on the pixel array substrate, alignment of liquid crystals near the column spacer 1 tends to be disturbed. So, the pixel electrode 10 is provided with a notch in a region where the column spacer 1 is to be formed so that the pixel electrode 10 does not overlap with the column spacer 1. Due to the notch of the pixel electrode 10, an aperture ratio of the pixel is reduced, and the entire luminance is reduced. For this problem, a configuration in which the column spacer 1 is arranged in a region facing blue and red color filters or in a region facing only blue color filter among red, green, and blue color filters is disclosed as a configuration in which the reduction in aperture ratio is suppressed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1)
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Kokai Publication No. 2002-196338

Liquid crystal display device having spacer provided in red pixel(s)


An ultra sensitive method for detection of biomolecules includes the step of providing a plurality of bioreceptor functionalized nanoparticle probes. The nanoparticles can include metal, semiconductor, radioactive isotope or fluorescent dye molecules. A sample solution suspected of including the target is contacted with the probes, wherein if present, the target binds to the bioreceptor. After such binding a separating step follows. In the separating step, probes having the target bound thereto are separated from probes not having the target bound thereto. In one embodiment probes having the target bound thereto are then decomposed to generate ions, or broken into discrete radioactive isotopes or fluorescent dye molecules to form a solution including a large plurality of metal ions, radioactive isotopes or dye molecules. A concentration of ions, radioactive isotopes, or dye molecules in the solution is then determined and using this information the concentration of the target in the original sample solution is determined.

Many medical diagnosis processes are based on the detection of biomarker molecules such as proteins, antibodies, enzymes, DNA or RNA that are often uniquely associated with a particular disease. When diseases such as cancer appear in a human body, the human body is known to produce levels of certain chemicals that are much lower, or non-existent, in a healthy human being. For example, the diagnosis of prostate cancer is initially based on the concentration of a protein called PSA in the body. When the concentration of PSA exceeds a certain normal range, the doctor will generally suggest other more direct tools such as biopsy and imaging techniques to confirm the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Another example is breast cancer. Breast cancer patients are known to have much higher level of a certain enzyme called carbonic anhydrase. The detection of an unusually high level of this enzyme can provide the initial tool for breast cancer diagnosis.
The accurate detection of biomolecules at extremely low levels is vital for early diagnosis of diseases. Regarding many cancers and other diseases, if diagnosed early, the chance for successful cure or treatment is much higher than being diagnosed at later stages. Enormous research efforts have been and are continuously being pursued toward techniques and tools for biomolecule detection at ultra low levels. For example, enzymes, fluorescent dye molecules, and radioactive isotopes have been used extensively for bioconjugation and bioassays. Among the different biolabels, fluorescent dye molecules have received much attention due to the high sensitivity common to fluorescence detection. Although fluorescent dye molecules display shortcomings such as photobleaching, instability, and sensitivity to environmental conditions such as pH variation, some of these problems are being overcome by introducing highly luminescent and photostable quantum dots and nanoparticles. Quantum dots have high quantum yields, high molar extinction coefficients, high resistance to photobleaching and exceptional resistance to photo- and chemical degradation. Due to these exceptional optical properties, quantum dots have become one of the most interesting materials for bioimaging, labeling, and sensing. Other types of nanoparticle materials, such as gold and silver, exhibit some other unique size-dependent optical properties such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The extinction coefficient of metal nanoparticles is orders of magnitude higher than typical organic molecules; therefore, low concentration detection of DNAs based on color change of gold nanoparticle-DNA probe conjugates has been developed. Another important optical property of metal nanoparticles, the surface enhanced Raman scattering, is also being studied for ultra low level detection of biomolecules.
In addition to the development of labeling materials that can lead to lower detection limit, new techniques and methodologies to concentrate the analyte molecules and/or amplify the analyte concentration have also been reported. An example of this approach is the barcode detection of proteins and DNAs using gold nanoparticles and magnetic microparticles developed by Mirkin et al. (Nam, J; Park, S.; Mirkin, C. A. "Bio-barcodes based on oligonucleotide-modified nanoparticles" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 3820) The magnetic microparticles are used as a tool to concentrate analyte molecules in solution by applying magnetic field. To detect the analyte molecules, multiple bar code DNA molecules are attached to the gold nanoparticle that is conjugated to the detector molecule. The detection of the analyte molecule is realized indirectly by measuring the amount of the bar code DNA molecules attached to gold nanoparticles. To increase the detection limit, the concentration of DNA barcode can be increased by PCR amplification. Using the bio-barcode method, Mirkin et al. has achieved detection limits for DNA molecules at the attomolar range (10−18 M) or lower. Similar approach has been demonstrated to detect prostate specific antigens (PSA) at attomolar concentration. Another extensively explored research area for protein detection is the use of DNA aptamers and PCR amplification technique. Specific binding towards a target protein is created by simultaneous binding of two DNA aptamers to two different sites of the same protein. Ligation of the two-closely positioned DNA aptamers followed by PCR amplification can lead to detection of target proteins at a level as low as zeptomole (10−21) range.
Despite significant progress, there is a strong and urgent need to develop more sensitive, reliable and low cost techniques for biomolecular detection and analysis at ultra low level. Although the bar-code method developed by Mirkin et al. has pushed the detection limit beyond the attomolar range, this method involves the use of expensive biomolecules (DNA) and rather sophisticated procedures and analytical instrumentation. Moreover, the amplification effect of the bar-code method is limited to the number of DNA barcodes that can be attached to the nanoparticle surface.
Regarding the fluorescence detection technique, the fluorescence of organic dyes and quantum dots is often affected by the chemical environment of the sample solution, and such effect could be further manifested at ultra low concentration. Although surface enhanced Raman scattering has shown promising potential for label-free trace detection of biomolecules, the Raman enhancement effect is not well understood and further study is needed before a routine assay method can be developed from this effect. For the DNA aptamer ligation method, the biggest problem is that PCR amplification is needed for the analysis and the type of proteins that can be detected using this method is relatively limited.
Therefore, a facile and economic method that allows the detection of a wide range of biomarker and other biologically significant target molecules at ultra low concentration is needed preferably in a quantitative manner.

Detection of biotargets using bioreceptor functionalized nanoparticles

The University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A device for warming fluids being administered intravenously to a patient. The heating assembly comprising a warming pouch is wrapped and secured around a tube through which fluid is intravenously provided to the patient.

Hypothermia, which comprises a body temperature of 95° F. or below, is a serious condition for which all trauma patients are at risk. Due to the use of anesthetics and the administration of cold intravenous fluids, 65% of all surgical patients experience hypothermia. Hypothermia causes discomfort and can cause potentially life-threatening complications, such as ventricular fibrillation, especially during surgery.
In an operating room setting, fluid may be provided to a trauma patent at flow rates varying from 20 ml per minute to 1 liter per minute. Fluid to be provided intravenously flows through a plastic tube extending from a fluid reservoir (such an intravenous bag) to a vein within the patient. The intravenous bag is typically stored or held in the operating room, and when administered to the patient, it is administered through a tube which may be 6 to 8 feet long. Operating rooms are usually maintained at about 55° F. to about 65° F. degrees, and, consequently, any fluid in the intravenous bag is often cooled to the ambient temperature which is well below body temperature. Infusing this cold fluid intravenously into the already stressed surgical patient can significantly affect the patient's body temperature and greatly increase the chances that the patient will experience hypothermia and other serious complications.
Hypothermia and other deleterious effects of cold IV fluids can be avoided by heating the IV fluid. However, even with the current, overwhelming evidence of the clinical benefits of fluid warming (which includes avoidance of hypothermia, discomfort, shivering, and reduced infection rates, faster healing, shortened hospital stays, and reduced risk of serious heart injury), only about 4% of the 45 million U.S. hospital infusions were warmed during the year 2000. Almost none of the 4 million emergency infusions were warmed. Thus, a simple, cost effective device is needed to warm fluids provided intravenously to patients.
Heating may be accomplished prior to use, but this may be impractical in an emergency settings or field applications. Thus, heating may be advantageously accomplished during the administration of the intravenous fluid, through heat exchange between the intravenous fluid and a heat source placed in the intravenous flow path. Several devices have been proposed for use in warming intravenous fluid. Kistner, Intravenous Warming System, U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,528 (Oct. 31, 200) discloses an electrical heating system, where intravenous fluid passes through a heat exchanger and is heated by electrical heating elements. White, Apparatus and Method for Warming Intravenous Equipment, U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,336 (Jun. 19, 1990) discloses a system in which flexible containers holding crystalizable supercooled aqueous salt solution are packed around an IV bag and the proximal extent of the IV tube.


A method for imaging a sample using a light-sheet microscope includes illuminating the sample from two different illumination directions using two light sheets, which have different polarization states and are superimposed on one another in a coplanar manner in a target region of the sample. An image of the illuminated target region is generated using an imaging optical unit of the light-sheet microscope. An interference pattern is generated using the two light sheets in the illuminated target region, whereby an image modulation corresponding to the interference pattern is applied to the image of the target region. The image modulation is evaluated. The illuminated target region is aligned in dependence on the evaluated image modulation in relation to a focal region of the imaging optical unit.

In so-called light-sheet or light-plate microscopy, a target region of a sample is illuminated using a thin light sheet via an illumination optical unit and the target region thus illuminated is imaged by means of an imaging optical unit, the optical axis of which is perpendicular to the optical axis of the illumination optical unit. Three-dimensional imaging is possible by displacing the target region, which ideally coincides with the focal region of the imaging optical unit and is illuminated by the light sheet, successively along the optical axis of the imaging optical unit through the sample. One advantage of this method used in wide-field fluorescence microscopy is also in particular a particularly low light stress of the sample.
However, it is problematic that the illumination light propagates perpendicularly to the optical axis of the imaging optical unit. Scattering or absorption of the illumination light can thus occur due to scattering centers or absorbers, respectively, within the sample, which is noticeable in the resulting image in the form of strip artifacts in the propagation direction of the illumination light.
To reduce such artifacts, it is proposed in the patent DE 10 2016 108 384 B3 that the target region of the sample be illuminated not only using one, but rather using two light sheets which are oriented from the same side, but from different illumination directions on the target region and are superimposed there on one another in a coplanar manner, i.e., in a common illumination plane. This type of light-sheet illumination is achieved in that an illumination light beam passes through a Wollaston prism, which splits the illumination light beam into two different linearly polarized partial beams, which are deflected away from the optical axis of the illumination beam path and thus enter the illumination plane, i.e., the target region of the sample, from different illumination directions. If shading of the illumination light occurs due to a scattering center or an absorber in one of the two illumination directions, sufficient light-sheet illumination of the target region is thus still ensured by the other illumination direction unimpaired by the scattering center or the absorber.
To ensure the sharpest possible imaging in a light-sheet microscope, a precise spatial overlap is required between the illumination plane, i.e., the target region defined by the light sheet thickness, which defines the sample volume excited to emit fluorescent radiation, and the focal plane, i.e., the focal region of the imaging optical unit defined by the depth of field. In the prior art, the fine setting required for this purpose, which is referred to hereinafter as overlap alignment, using which the spatial superposition between the illuminated target region and the focus region of the imaging optical unit is established, usually takes place in the context of a visual judgment, for example, using a reference preparation which does not have fluorescent particles. The microscopically recorded sample image itself can also be visually judged to perform the overlap alignment. However, such a procedure only enables a comparatively rough overlap alignment. In particular, the introduction of a reference preparation does not reflect the actual imaging situation in which, for example, sample-related aberrations occur due to an index of refraction mismatch. A comparatively complex alignment procedure, in contrast, provides introducing a mirror into the illumination beam path, which deflects the light sheet onto a reference position of the detector arranged in the image plane of the imaging beam path as soon as the alignment has occurred.

Method for imaging a sample by means of a light-sheet microscope


Techniques are disclosed to sense a current in a circuit. For instance, current sense circuit according to the teachings of the present invention includes a current sense resistor coupled to an input of the current sense circuit. The current sense resistor is coupled to receive a current to be sensed from the input of the current sense circuit. The current to be sensed is converted to a current sense voltage. A first PN junction diode is coupled to the current sense resistor. A light emitting diode (LED) is coupled to the first PN junction diode to provide a current sense threshold substantially proportional to a difference between a forward voltage drop of the LED and a forward voltage drop of the first PN junction diode. The first PN junction diode is coupled to be biased from the forward voltage drop of the LED. The LED is coupled to the current sense resistor to generate an output when the current sense voltage from the current sense resistor reaches the current sense threshold.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to electronic circuits, and more specifically, the invention relates to a current sense circuit.
2. Background Information
Most battery operated portable electronic products such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., require a low power alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) charger power supply with a constant voltage and constant current (CV/CC) characteristics for charging batteries. Most of these power supplies are housed in small enclosures to provide a portable and easily stored charger appropriate for the products being charged. The size of the enclosures used place efficiency requirements on the operation of the power supply to ensure the temperature inside the power supply enclosure stays within acceptable limits during operation. Due to the competitive nature of the consumer markets being served, there are also strict cost targets applied to these charger power supplies. As consumers continue to expect smaller and more portable products, there is therefore a strong requirement to introduce low cost means to improve charger power supply efficiency.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for sensing a current in a circuit


Embodiments include a particle comprising a surface enhanced spectroscopy (SES)-active core and a SES-active reporter molecule associated with the SES-active core wherein said particle has a measurable SES spectrum when excited by incident light having a wavelength of at least 1400 nm. Alternative embodiments include methods of manufacturing said particle and methods of tagging a material with said particle. The particle may include an SES-active core which supports plasmon resonance at a wavelength of at least 1400 nm. The particle may comprise an anisotropic core. The particle may include an SES-active reporter molecule which is resonant at one or more wavelengths greater than or equal to 1400 nm.

When light is directed onto a molecule, the vast majority of the incident photons are elastically scattered without a change in frequency. This is termed Rayleigh scattering. However, the energy of some of the incident photons (approximately 1 in every 107 incident photons) is coupled into distinct vibrational modes of the molecule's bonds. Such coupling causes some of the incident light to be inelastically scattered by the molecule with a range of frequencies that differ from the range of the incident light. This is termed the Raman effect. By plotting the frequency of such inelastically scattered light against its intensity, the unique Raman spectrum of the molecule or material under observation is obtained. Analysis of the Raman spectrum of an unknown sample can yield information about the sample's molecular composition.
The intensity of Raman scattered radiation can be significantly increased by bringing the Raman-active molecule(s) or materials in very close proximity (for example ≦20 Å) to certain types of nanostructured metal surfaces. For example, molecules adsorbed to roughened gold, silver or copper or other free electron metal surfaces can experience million-fold increases in Raman intensity. This effect, called surface enhanced Raman scattering and alternately surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (in both cases referred to as SERS) can be observed with metal colloidal particles, metal films on dielectric substrates, with ordered or disordered metal particle arrays, and on a variety of other nanoscopic, mesoscopic, microscopic, or macroscopic surfaces.
The mechanism by which SERS or similar surface enhanced spectroscopic (SES) phenomena occur is understood, and is thought to result from a combination of electromagnetic (e.g. local field) and chemical (e.g. charge transfer) effects. Representative SES techniques include, but are not limited to surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and surface enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS). In SERS or SERRS, the metal or other enhancing surface will couple electromagnetically to incident electromagnetic radiation and create a locally amplified electromagnetic field that leads to 102- to 109-fold or greater increases in the Raman scattering of a SERS active molecule situated on or near the enhancing surface.
As noted above, Raman scattering occurs when a molecule is illuminated with incident light. Typically, the incident light source is a monochromatic laser. The correct selection of the incident laser wavelength can be an important consideration for Raman spectroscopy. For instance, many samples, especially those of an organic or biological nature will be (or contain) fluorescent species. Exciting these samples with a laser in the green (532 nm) may promote fluorescence, which will swamp any underlying Raman spectrum to such an extent that it is no longer detectable.
Accordingly, Raman spectroscopy techniques such as SERS and SERRS often feature the use of a laser in the red, for example, 633 nm or near infrared (NIR), for example, 785 nm or 1064 nm portions of the spectrum. Since these sources have somewhat lower photon energy that green or shorter wavelength sources, a red or NIR laser may not promote the electronic transitions which will resulting in fluorescence, resulting in Raman scattering which is easier to detect.
Unfortunately, as the incident wavelength is increased, from green to red to NIR, the efficiency of Raman scattering decreases, since it varies as (1/wavelength)4. Therefore, longer integration times and/or higher power lasers are necessary to acquire a suitable signal as the incident wavelength increases. Typically, lasers emitting light having a wavelength of no longer than about 1064 nm are used for Raman spectroscopy. Longer wavelengths result in such diminished scattering efficiency that the use of longer wavelength sources is impractical.
Certain safety concerns are present when using shorter wavelength lasers. In particular, lasers emitting at 1064 nm, 785 nm and shorter wavelengths are potentially hazardous if directed into a human eye. The maximum eye-safe exposure to laser light increases dramatically at 1400 nm and longer wavelengths as shown in the graphs 100 and 102 of FIG. 1, taken from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard Z136.1-2007. Accordingly, Raman microscopes or Raman spectrometers which use lasers emitting at 1064 nm or shorter wavelengths must be either stationary devices that cannot inadvertently illuminate a technician's eye, or these devices must include complex safety mechanisms to avoid the possibility of accidental damage to a technician's eye. Safety concerns thus limit the feasibility of hand held or other laser sources which may be implemented in a variety of uncontrolled, non-laboratory situations. Longer wavelength radiation can be relatively eye-safe; however as described above, longer wavelength light sources result in inefficient scattering using known enhancement strategies.
Generally, the suitability of a particle-based enhancing surface for use at longer wavelengths can be improved by making the particle larger, because larger particles typically exhibit plasmon bands shifted further into the NIR relative to smaller particles. Many SES active taggants are designed for use or dispersion in fluids, and thus are best implemented with particles or tags that are sized and have a suitable density to remain suspended in the selected liquid without settling. Therefore, the design of particles that may be interrogated at longer, eye-safe wavelengths and are also suspendable in a liquid is particularly problematic.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.

Particles comprising hollow surface-enhanced spectroscopy (SES)-active core for long wavelength SERS


This invention discloses a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism comprises a tray, a locking element, a solenoid, a linked apparatus, a first arm and a boss. The locking element has a protrusion and is rotably fixed on the tray. The solenoid is fixed on the tray and supplies a magnetic force to an active block. The linked apparatus is connected with the active block of the solenoid and is rotably fixed on the tray to push the locking element. The first arm is rotably fixed on the tray to push the linked apparatus and has a protruding rib to push against the protrusion of the locking element. The boss cooperates with the locking element when the tray is loaded. According to this mechanism, the sounds resulted from the locking element and the first arm are happened at the same time.

The optical disc device is now in widespread use in personal computers. Recently, the thickness of the optical disc device is reduced and is set in laptops. According to the slim-type optical disc device, the solenoid is usually used to be a power of the ejection mechanism of the tray. Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5, schematic diagrams of a conventional lock mechanism of a tray and the lock mechanism at different states are illustrated. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the conventional lock mechanism comprises a tray 11, a locking element 12, a solenoid 13, a linked apparatus 14, a first arm 15, and a boss 16. The locking element 12 is connected with a first elastic device 121 that is rotably fixed on the tray 11. The solenoid 13 is fixed on the tray 11 to provide a magnetic force and includes an active block 131 which is set in a side of the solenoid 13. The linked apparatus 14 is connected with the active block 131 and is rotably fixed on the tray 11 to push the locking element 12. The first arm 15 is rotably fixed on the tray 11 to push the linked apparatus 14 and is connected with a third elastic device 151 which provides a force on the first arm 15. The boss 16 cooperates with a hook part 122 of the locking element 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the linked apparatus 14 of the conventional lock mechanism comprises a second arm 141 and a second elastic device 142 with reciprocal linking. A first end 1411 of the second arm 141 is connected with the active block 131. A second end 1412 of the second arm 141 is rotably fixed on the tray 11. A third end 1413 of the second arm 141 is linked the locking element 12. The second elastic device 142 is connected with the second arm 141 and is pushed by the first arm 15. By the way mentioned above, the tray of optical disc device can be loaded and ejected with a disc placed on it.
Referring to FIG. 3, a schematic diagram of a conventional lock mechanism at the ejection state is illustrated. The solenoid is normally kept to have a magnetic force in this illustration. When the magnetic force of the solenoid 13 is removed, the active block 131 parallely springs toward a direction 31 so that the second arm 141 of the linked apparatus 14 then rotates to push the locking element 12 to move toward a direction 32 that enables the hook part 122 of the locking element 12 to depart from the boss 16. Therefore, the tray 11 can be ejected by a force of a compression spring (not shown in FIG. 3).
Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, schematic diagrams of the conventional lock mechanism during tray loading process are illustrated. As shown in FIG. 4, when a user would like to load a CD, the tray 11 can be moved toward a direction 41 that enables the boss 16 to push the first arm 15. The first arm 15 then pushes the second elastic device 142 of the linked apparatus 14, and the linked second arm 141 drives the active block 131 to move toward the inside of the solenoid 13. In another word, the active block 131 can be inhaled by the solenoid 13 again. In the process, the boss 16 departs from the first arm 15 at first. The first arm 15 is sprung back by the pulling force generated from the third elastic device 151. Referring to FIG. 5, because the active block 131 is inhaled by the solenoid 13, the second arm 142 of the linked apparatus 14 releases the locking element 12. The locking element 12 is sprung back by the pulling force generated from the first elastic device 121 that enables the hook part 122 of the locking element 12 to cooperate with the boss 16 again to finish the loading.
In the loading process, the lock mechanism will be producing two sounds, a first sound is a sound generated by the first arm 15 being sprung back and a second sound is a sound generated by the locking element 12 being sprung back. When users hear the first sound, they may feel that the locking element has cooperated already. However, the reality is that the locking element does not cooperate with the boss completely that may confuse users. Hence, there must be some ways to resolve the problem mentioned above by providing a lock mechanism to be a total solution.


A semiconductor device includes an isolation layer defining an active region formed in a semiconductor substrate. A first recessing process is performed on the isolation layer to expose edge portions of the active region. A first rounding process is performed to round the edge portions of the active region. A second recessing process is performed on the isolation layer. A second rounding process is performed to round the edge portions of the active region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of Related Art
As semiconductor device integration increases, a size of an active region on which a channel is formed is reduced. Semiconductor devices having small active regions may exhibit high leakage currents and low driving performances. For example, when a channel length is reduced, a short channel effect can occur, and when a channel width is reduced, a driving current can be decreased.
Accordingly, there is a need to increase a channel area in highly integrated semiconductor devices. For example, the active region can have a larger surface area by forming a protrusion in the active region with respect to an isolation layer. In the active region, sidewalls as well as an upper surface can be used as a channel, and thus, the driving performance of the semiconductor device can be increased.
When the sidewalls of an active region are used as a channel, an electric field can be enhanced in an edge portion of the active region. The electric field increases as the curvature radius of the edge portion of the active region decreases. A threshold voltage of a semiconductor device can be changed according to the profile of the edge portion of the active region, and the threshold voltages between semiconductor devices respectively fabricated using a single wafer or a single batch have a wide distribution range. The wide distribution range of the threshold voltages decreases the reliability of the semiconductor device.
Furthermore, the profile of the edge portion of the active region can affect the programming characteristics of a non-volatile memory device. When the electric field is enhanced in the edge portion of the active region, more tunneling effects of electrons or holes may occur in the edge portion of the active region. As a result, a tunneling insulating layer disposed on the edge portion of the active region deteriorates, and the non-volatile memory device has low durability and low high-temperature reliability.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same


A polypeptide factor derived from the thermophilic eubacterial species Thermus thermophilus has universal protein expression-assisting activity. The polypeptide factor has been named the CzrB protein active in full length or truncated form has the potential to act as a universal protein expression-assisting molecule which can increase the yields of all heterologous proteins produced in E. coli by a mechanism that is independent of the protein being expressed.

The production of heterologous proteins in bacterial hosts such as the bacterium Escherichia coli (hereinafter referred to collectively as E. coli and exemplified by E. coli except where otherwise expressly stated) is a powerful tool in the generation of many important biotechnological and medical products. This technique involves inserting the DNA encoding the product in question into an E. coli cell and using the cell to convert the genetic information into a functional protein.
Research over the past 20 years has demonstrated the ability of E. coli to serve as the expression host for a wide variety of proteins from numerous sources, ranging from other Gram-negative bacteria to mammalian proteins.
Improvements to the basic technology include the development of secretion mechanisms, whereby polypeptides are exported to the periplasmic space or the extracellular medium, as required for their folding and/or activity. The periplasmic space is of particular interest to the biotechnologist in terms of heterologous protein production in E. coli, due to its oxidising environment. This allows the formation of disulfide bonds, which are essential for correct folding and activity of many mammalian proteins of medicinal and/or biotechnological interest, such as antibody molecules.
Other improvements to fundamental expression systems in E. coli include greater control of expression of heterologous proteins, and novel peptide tags encoded on expressed molecules to facilitate their detection and purification.
Due to its extensive genetic and biochemical characterisation, E. coli is frequently the organism of choice for heterologous protein production experiments. E. coli also exhibits simple fermentation pathways and has a short doubling time, which is also advantageous. Furthermore, the nutritional (and sterility) requirements of E. coli are uncomplicated, relative to higher organisms.
A major disadvantage of E. coli as an expression host, however, is the fact that the yields attainable with this organism are relatively low, while it frequently also exhibits difficulties in synthesising proteins derived from eucaryotic sources. These difficulties can take the shape of an inability to carry out particular post-translational modifications of the translated polypeptide or, more fundamentally, an inability of the E. coli cellular machinery to fold the peptide in the first place. In instances such as the latter, the available solutions have been to translate the polypeptide in E. coli, followed by refolding in vitro—a time-consuming and highly inefficient process—or to switch expression host to a higher organism which can carry out the expression efficiently, but with the concomitant loss of advantages of E. coli, as outlined above.
While E. coli carries out the process of gene expression and protein production very efficiently with its own, natural proteins, it is considerably less productive when expressing proteins from other species. This is most likely due to an inability to correctly fold the translated polypeptide, or to successfully transport it to the appropriate subcellular compartment for assembly or folding. Such a deficiency may result from the E. coli "synthetic machinery" being unable to recognise or act upon heterologous proteins due to differences in such proteins relative to E. coli's native proteins. Alternatively, it may reflect an inability on the part of the host cells to express genes at the high levels demanded in such biotechnological experiments due to saturation of its normal gene expression and/or protein synthetic machinery. In such a scenario, the expressed protein typically forms large, insoluble aggregates consisting of multiple copies of the protein, which is non-functional and may be destroyed by the normal cellular machinery.
Furthermore, expression of heterologous genes in E. coli appears to frequently subject the cells to severe stress, leading to damage to the outer membrane of the host E. coli cell and leaking of the contents of the cell into the culture medium. This is typically followed by cell death via lysis of the E. coli cells.
This response of E. coli to expression of foreign genes has important implications for its potential in the production of a wide variety of heterologous proteins. With some foreign genes, E. coli has been found to be incapable of producing any functional protein; in cases in which E. coli folds the translated protein inefficiently or is overly stressed as a result of its expression, yields of the heterologous protein are dramatically reduced.
Researchers have attempted to overcome these problems with heterologous protein production in three main ways: i) genetic modification of the protein being expressed to improve its production in E. coli; ii) manipulation of the growth environment in order to reduce the stress on the expressing bacteria; and iii) co-expression in E. coli of natural folding-assisting molecules, termed chaperones, to improve production of the heterologous protein.
Genetic modification has proved successful with a number of proteins (Knappik, A. and Plückthun, A. (1995) Prot. Eng. 8:81-89; Wall, J. G. and Plïckthun, A. (1999) Prot. Eng. 12:605-611) but remains severely limited by the fact that solutions to expression problems that result from mutagenic modification are likely to be highly specific for the particular protein being expressed—whereas solutions that could be applied to all heterologous proteins expressed in E. coli would eliminate the need for labour-intensive, highly time consuming mutagenic studies to be repeated for each protein being produced.
Manipulation of the growth environment, for example, by modifying nutrients and temperature, has been shown to have a mildly positive effect in a number of cases, but would ultimately be expected to improve expression of reasonably efficiently expressed proteins rather than being able to overcome serious difficulties of expression or folding of specific proteins. The approach that appears to offer most hope in terms of a generally applicable solution is that of co-expressing folding assisting molecules that will enable the host E. coli cells to correctly express any or all heterologous proteins, without the need for further optimisation. To date, no single molecule has been identified, however, that improves the production of all heterologous proteins studied and, thus, again the difficulty arises of having to individually optimise expression for each heterologous protein.
Thus, a generally applicable solution to expressing traditionally "difficult" proteins in E. coli would make a highly significant contribution to the field of heterologous protein production.

Polypeptide factor from a thermophilic eubacterial species and use thereof in the production of functional, heterologous proteins in an expression host


A field frame switching apparatus for a finder in which an elongated standard visual field, a narrow-width visual field and a laterally-elongated visual field can be selected. A pair of narrow-width visual-field-forming light-interception frames are provided with vertical light-interception walls which are adapted to block out the right and left ends of the standard visual field. A pair of laterally-elongated visual-field-forming light-interception frames are provided with lateral-light-interception walls are adapted to block out the upper and lower ends of the standard visual field. An operation member is adapted to move the narrow-width visual-field-forming light-interception frames in a first direction toward a narrow-width field-frame-forming position in which the vertical light-interception walls are located within the standard visual field frame and in a second direction toward a laterally-elongated field-frame-forming position. An association movement mechanism moves the lateral-light-interception walls of the laterally-elongated field forming light-interception frames into or from the standard visual field frame. The invention also discloses an operation apparatus for the field frame switching apparatus, and an operation apparatus for a rotary operation member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for switching a visual field frame of a view finder of a camera, an operation apparatus therefor, and an apparatus for actuating a rotary operation member having a neutral position.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known APS (Advanced Photo System) camera using a self-advancing type of film cartridge, the picture plane size can be switched among a standard picture plane (high-vision size ratio of approximately 9:16), a narrow-width picture plane (classic size ratio of approximately 2:3) in which the lateral width of the standard field of view is reduced by partly interrupting the right and left sides of the standard picture plane, and a laterally-elongated picture plane (panoramic size ratio of approximately 1:3) in which the vertical length of the standard picture plane is reduced by partly interrupting the upper and lower sides of the standard picture plane. In such a camera, upon photographing, an object image is formed on a film at the standard picture plane size and data on the selected picture plane size for each frame of the film is magnetically recorded. The process to imprint the object image into each frame of selected picture plane size is carried out at the development stage or a stage subsequent thereto in accordance with the magnetically recorded data. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a light intercepting mechanism in a light path of a photographing optical system of the camera in order to vary the lengthwise-crosswise ratio of the picture plane size. However, it is necessary to indicate the selected picture plane size in the finder in order to make it possible for a photographer to determine the composition. To this end, a field frame switching device is provided in the finder optical system.
For example, to realize a mechanical device for switching the (visual) field frame, a pair of L-shaped light-interception members can be provided opposed to form a laterally-elongated rectangular field frame, wherein the L-shaped light-interception members are moved in directions parallel with the major and minor sides of the rectangular field frame to define the narrow-width field of view corresponding to the classic size or the laterally-elongated field of view corresponding to the panoramic size, with respect to the standard field of view corresponding to the high vision size. However, in this arrangement, since the L-shaped light-interception members are moved in orthogonal directions, it is necessary to provide spaces substantially identical in size to the width of the light-interception members in the lengthwise and crosswise directions, so that the latter can be retracted and accommodated in the spaces. Moreover, a drive mechanism and a support mechanism to move and support the light-interception members in the lengthwise and crosswise directions are complicated.
Furthermore, since the finder field frame switching mechanism is complex, the incorporation of the same into the camera is troublesome. In particular, in an APS camera, since three different sizes of picture plane are possible, as mentioned above, the field frame switching mechanism is more complex and hence, it takes more time to assemble the camera than a normal camera.
In addition to the foregoing, in the above-mentioned field frame switching mechanism, if the movable light-interception members are directly connected to an external operation device, when the light-interception members are moved by the external operation device, a mal-function of the light-interception members may occur due to the assembling error. To prevent this, there is a `play` (tolerance) provided between the operation device and the light-interception members. It is preferable in view of the facilitation of the assembling operation that the play be large since camera components become small as the camera becomes compact. However, the play provided between the light-interception members and the operation device causes the following problems:
In an APS camera, since the light-interception members are moved to narrow the width of the picture plane or laterally-elongated the picture plane with respect to the standard picture plane (neutral position), it is necessary to provide a holding means for holding the light-interception members at the neutral position. If the neutral position holding means is provided on the movable light-interception members, the structure is complicated, thus resulting in a deteriorated assembling operation. Therefore, the neutral position holding means is usually located on the operation device. For instance, a dial member which can be externally rotated is provided with a click stop mechanism, so that the light-interception members can define predetermined sizes of the field frame corresponding to a plurality of click positions of the dial member. However, since there is play between the operation device and the light-interception members and there is no mechanism which holds the light-interception members at the neutral position, there is a possibility that the positional deviation of the light-interception members takes place. Moreover, if the neutral position holding means is composed only of an engagement mechanism such as a click stop mechanism, the positional deviation of the light-interception members occurs due to the error in the holding means. Also, an error in the amount of play between the operation device and the light-interception members must be taken into account to precisely move the light-interception members from the neutral position to a predetermined position in the forward or reverse direction.
The above-mentioned problem can be applied not only to the field frame switching mechanism of the finder, but also, for example, to the rotary operation member which has a neutral position and predetermined angular positions on opposite sides of the neutral position in the forward and reverse directions. Namely, if the rotary operation member and the operation device are assembled with a tolerance therebetween, it is difficult to obtain the correct neutral position and the correct angular positions.

Apparatus for switching visual field frame of view finder, operation apparatus therefor, and apparatus for acturating rotary operation member having neutral position


A finger training device that includes a grip portion that is rotatable with respect to a roller-supporting forked portion, wherein the forked portion can be bent with respect to the longitudinal direction of the grip portion and wherein a slidable finger frame is incorporated in the grip portion in an extendable and retractable manner. As a result of this construction, the grip portion is movable at various angles within a predetermined range relative to the rollers. Because of the presence of the finger frame, the device will not slip off the hand of a user when the gripping fingers are moved or the relative position of the palm of the hand with respect to the moving fingers is changed. The finger frame prevents the device from separating from the hand even if the grip portion comes off the palm of the hand.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable finger training device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The applicant has described a finger training device in Japanese Patent Publication No. 38456/1977 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,548, which is a translation thereof. This finger training device comprises a grip portion that can be gripped by one hand; a forked portion with two spaced arms that extend from the grip portion in a lateral direction; a pair of juxtaposed rollers rotatably supported by these arms and disposed substantially in parallel with the grip portion; and meshing gears fixed to these rollers whereby rotation of one of the rollers in one direction causes synchronous rotation of the other roller in the opposite direction. The device is used for training fingers by gripping the grip portion with at least two fingers and applying at least one of the other fingers to the rollers, so as to cause the rollers to rotate in opposite directions.
It has been known that intentional movement of fingers stimulates the brain and enhances the faculty of memory, such as by repetitively writing the spelling of a word. Further, from the viewpoint of cerebral physiology, it is understood that such movement of fingers may afford rehabilitative effects to physically handicapped or advanced-age persons and may be effective for training the fingers of a person lacking sufficient grasping power. The above-described device is therefore useful toward these ends.
It is also well known that when a large number of pyramid-shaped projections is provided on the periphery of the rollers of the finger training device and applied to points physiologically susceptible to stimulation, such application enhances blood circulation in the body and is effective in maintaining or improving health. For example, stimulation of physiologically active spots on fingers and toes will enhance the circulation of blood through the brain and internal organs, thus enhancing their functions, and is very effective in preventing aging.
However, the configuration of the above-described finger trainer and spot-stimulator does not allow the training of fingers while changing the angle of the grip portion and wrist with respect to the fingers. In addition, I found that the device may accidentally slip off a user's hand if the grip portion is gripped with a weak force. The present invention is directed at correcting these shortcomings.


An irradiator includes an elongated housing having an interior recess opening outwardly along a longitudinal length of the housing. A plurality of generally planar relatively thin ribs are supported within the recess substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the housing and define laterally spaced substantially symmetrical contour surfaces operative to support reflector members. The ribs are readily interchangeable to support reflector members so as to establish generally parabolic, semi-circular or elliptical reflector profiles. A pair of lamp holder assemblies are supported within the housing recess for supporting a source of light energy, such as an elongated ultraviolet light bulb, intermediate the contour surfaces to enable focused or nonfocused irradiation of energy. In one embodiment, shutters as provided to substantially preclude irradiation when in closed positions.

The present invention relates generally to light energy irradiators, and more particularly to an irradiator having novel structural components that provide improved cooling of light energy reflector surfaces without diminishing the efficiency of the light energy source and which enable relatively inexpensive manufacture of custom sizes for various applications.
Light energy irradiators for obtaining relatively intense energy radiation are well known and find many applications in research, manufacturing and the medical field. For example, researchers, test engineers and production engineers use ultraviolet ("UV") irradiators in such diverse applications as curing of photopolymer paints, inks and coatings; photoactivation of UV sensitive adhesives; photoresist activation; and graphic arts exposure, etc. Light energy irradiators find application in the dental field for curing polymers and the like. Typically, the known irradiators utilize a light energy source, such as a fluorescent or mercury vapor lamp, or a cal rod, designed to produce light energy radiation in the 185-1200 nanometer range. The light energy source is conventionally supported adjacent a reflector surface operative to provide either a focused or nonfocused optical configuration. For example, when used for curing, a reflector system having an elliptical profile reflector surface provides a focused optical configuration wherein the light energy is concentrated into a narrow beam on the curing surface. Elliptical reflector systems find particular application in curing fast moving films such as printing inks carried on a conveyor.
A reflector system having a semi-circular or parabolic profile reflector surface provides a nonfocused optical configuration wherein the light energy acts over a relatively wide area. This optical configuration permits one or more irradiators to be positioned either across or parallel to the direction of movement of a curing surface for greater exposure time, and finds particular application in curing thicker, slow-moving films such as sensitive adhesives.
In utilizing irradiators having either focused or nonfocused optical configurations, many applications require a custom size irradiator. Irradiators are known that employ extruded aluminum housings having parabolic or elliptical reflector surfaces formed integrally on the housing, such as a polished reflector surface, or having concave parabolic or elliptical support surfaces formed on the housing and on which are mounted reflector sheets, such as polished aluminum, to provide the desired optical reflector configuration. A significant problem with prior irradiators having optically polished reflector surfaces formed either integrally on an extruded aluminum housing or defined by mounted reflector sheets is that the reflector surfaces deteriorate over time and are difficult and expensive to replace. Prior irradiators have also employed quartz housings having integral concave elliptical or parabolic light energy reflector surfaces formed thereon. A coating may be put on either the quartz or aluminum reflector surfaces so that only selected wavelengths are reflected, with the non-reflected wavelengths being absorbed by the quartz or aluminum housing. This can result in similar heat problems as the quartz and aluminum housings become heated by the non-reflected wavelengths.
In manufacturing prior light energy irradiators, it has been a conventional practice to make a number of different size housings for use in standard size irradiators. If a custom size is required, that is, a size other than a standard production size, the various components must be specially made. This is a time consuming process and relatively expensive. Thus, a light energy irradiator that can be readily custom made to different length sizes and reflector surface configurations at relatively low cost and which overcomes the heat problems experienced with prior irradiators would provide substantial economic and operational advantages over the prior known light energy irradiators.


A method of making a mechanically stable, fiber having an inclusion of ion-conducting material which includes the steps of coating a single-crystal or polycrystalline .alpha.-alumina fiber with a zirconia or a hexaluminate precursor, optionally heating the coated fiber to dry the coating, when the coating is applied as a suspension or sol, heating the coated fiber to a temperature of about 1000.degree. to 1800.degree. C. to promote the growth of alpha-alumina toothlike extensions in the coating and epitaxial formation of the zirconia or hexaluminate on the sides of the extensions, embedding the fiber in an .alpha.-alumina matrix material, and heating the resulting fiber-matrix composite to react and texture the coating and densify the assembly.

The present invention relates to a method of making alumina fibers having continuous tubular inclusions of ceramic material, which impart improved strength and ionic conductivity at high temperatures.
It is well known that beta-aluminas possess the property of ion conductivity. Beta-aluminas have long been used as solid electrolytes in sodium-sulfur batteries. We have discovered a method for preparing alumina fibers with a continuous inclusion of material having ionic conductivity, such that the conductive inclusion is insulated from the surrounding environment.
One object of the present invention is to produce continuous tubular inclusions of ceramic material in an alumina fiber so that the resulting fiber is useful as a mechanically stable high-temperature sensor for various ionic species, or as ionic conductors or fiber optic waveguides.
This and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Method of forming tubular inclusions in single crystal alumina

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A safety receptacle includes a base (10) formed with a circular depression (11) and two opposite cavities (18) one at a side of the depression, two conducting members (19) each fitted into a respective one of the cavities of the base, a rotary head (20) being a tubular member formed with a top having two parallel slots (20), a pair of opposite flanges (24) extending outwardly from two opposite sides of the tubular member, a block (28) depending downwardly from a central portion of a lower side of the top, and two vertical slots at two opposite sides of the tubular member, a positioning member (17) having an upper end fixedly fitted in the block of the rotary head and a lower end engaged with the recess, two terminals (22) each inserted into a respective one of the vertical slots along the two legs and provided with an inwardly extending tongue (221) , and a cover (30) fixedly mounted on the base and having a circular opening for receiving the top of the rotary head, whereby rotation of the plug (40) through 90 degrees causes movement of terminals (22) into engagement with conducting members (19) and movement of pin (141) into a hole in blade (41) to lock the plug in position thereby making the receptacle unable to conduct electricity until a predetermined operation has been performed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to an improved safety receptacle and in particular to one which will not conduct electricity until a predetermined operation has been performed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The numerous hazards presented by conventional electrical receptacles are well known and documented. This is because children, emboldened by curiosity, may attempt to insert metal objects such as hairpins or nail files into the slots in the front face of the receptacle. Should the child thereby contact the line side of the outlte, he may receive a serious, even a fatal shock. Various safety receptacles have been devised to rectify these problems. However, all of the attempts heretofore made have resulted in devices having certain drawbacks. One approach which has been taken in several prior art devices involves the addition of a sliding plate, either to the cover or to the receptacle itself. The sliding plate is provided with slots for receiving the male blades of an electrical cap. These slots are normally nonaligned with the receptacle slots and a double motion is required to insert the cap. Hence, the user is required to perform a double movement in order to insert the cap, thereby making it difficult to perform under conditions of low illumination. The other drawback is that a child could accidentally or purposely uncover both slots with a single instrument.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved safety receptacle which can obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.


A method for packaging a multi-chip module includes the steps of: connecting connection terminals of a tape of an anisotropic conductive adhesive film, on which a circuit is patterned to bond pads of the chip by applying an adhesive on the tape, applying an adhesive on an upper surface of the chip, folding the tape and attaching the folded tape to the upper surface of the chip and forming a plurality of ball terminals on a lower surface of the tape, the ball terminals being electrically connected to the connection terminals of the tape. An individual chip scale package may be manufactured by repeating the above steps.

A semiconductor packaging technology for protecting a chip formed on a silicon wafer from external environment and connecting the chip to circuit components and a substrate has been developed remarkably. Recently, an insert mount package such as a dual in-line package (DIP) is nearly unused, but other surface mount packages such as a small outline package (SOP), a quad flat package (QFP), a thin small outline package (TSOP) and a paper thin package (PTP) are prevalently used as a semiconductor packaging technology.
Meanwhile, semiconductor devices have a tendency toward miniaturization and large integration; and, as a result, a packaging technique to modularize the surface mount package is continuously investigated.
However, there exists a difficulty in realizing miniaturization and large integration of the surface mount package module. Therefore, a chip scale package is required, in which a package miniaturized to have almost the same dimensions as a chip to be mounted therein.

Method for packaging a multi-chip module of a semiconductor device


A slant plate type compressor having a capacity or displacement adjusting mechanism includes a housing for a cylinder block provided with a plurality of cylinders and a crank chamber. A piston is slidably fitted within each of the cylinders and is reciprocated by a drive mechanism which includes a slant plate having a surface with an adjustable incline angle. The incline angle of the slant plate, and thus the capacity of the compressor, is controlled according to the pressure differential between the crank chamber and the suction chamber. The pressure in the suction chamber is controlled by a valve control mechanism which is disposed in a passageway linking the crank chamber and the suction chamber. An internally controlled safety valve device prevents an abnormal pressure differential between the crank and suction chambers. The internally controlled safety valve device is provided within the valve control mechanism, thereby obtaining an easily manufactured slant plate type compressor having a durable and reliable capacity adjusting mechanism with a safety valve device.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a refrigerant compressor, and more particularly, to a slant plate type compressor, such as a wobble plate type compressor, with a variable displacement mechanism which is suitable for use in an automotive air conditioning system.
2. Description of The Prior Art
Slant plant type piston compressors including variable displacement or capacity adjusting mechanisms for controlling the compression ratio of a compressor in response to demand are generally known in the art. For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-134181 discloses a wobble plate type compressor including a cam rotor driving device and a wobble plate linked to a plurality of pistons. Rotation of the cam rotor driving device causes the wobble plate to nutate and thereby successively reciprocate the pistons in the corresponding cylinders. The stroke length of the pistons and thus the capacity of the compressor may be easily changed by adjusting the slant angle of the wobble plate. The slant angle is changed in response to the pressure differential between the crank chamber and the suction chamber.
In the above-mentioned Japanese Utility Model Application Publication, the crank chamber and the suction chamber are linked in fluid communication by a first path or passageway. A valve mechanism is disposed in the first passageway in order to control fluid communication between the crank and suction chambers by the opening and closing of the first passageway. The valve mechanism generally includes a pressure sensing device for sensing pressure in the suction chamber, a solenoid, a plunger and a valve member fixedly connected to both the pressure sensing device and one end of the plunger. The solenoid receives two external signals, one of which represents the heat load on an evaporator of a cooling circuit and another of which represents the amount of demand for accelerating an automobile.
The valve member opens and closes the first passageway in response to changes in the suction chamber pressure so as to change the crank chamber pressure relative to the suction chamber pressure. This then results in a change in the angular position of the wobble plate so that the capacity displacement of the compressor is adjusted and a control point of the suction chamber pressure is maintained at a predetermined constant value.
The solenoid induces various electromagnetic attraction forces responsive to changes in the two external signals to thereby change the axial position of the plunger. This then changes the control point of the suction chamber pressure from predetermined maximum to predetermined minimum values.
The compressor further includes a second passageway, separate from the first passageway, which communicates between the crank chamber and the suction chamber. A safety valve device, including a ball member and a coil spring elastically supporting the ball member, is disposed in the second passageway. The safety valve device opens and closes the second passageway in response to changes in the pressure differential between the crank chamber and the suction chamber. The second passageway is opened when the pressure differential between the crank chamber and the suction chamber exceeds a predetermined value. Therefore, when communication between the crank chamber and the suction chamber is blocked for a long time period due to trouble in the valve mechanism, thereby causing an abnormal rise in the crank chamber pressure because of blow-by gas leaking past the pistons in the cylinders as the pistons reciprocate, the second passageway is opened to forcibly and quickly reduce the crank chamber pressure and thereby prevent an abnormal pressure differential between the crank and suction chambers. As a result, excessive friction between internal component parts of the compressor caused by abnormal pressure differential between the crank chamber and the suction chamber can be prevented.
In this prior art embodiment, however, since the second passageway is separate from the first passageway, the process of forming the second passageway and the process of disposing the safety valve device in the second passageway are additional steps required during the manufacturing of the compressor. Accordingly, the manufacturing process for the compressor is complicated. Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide a compressor having a variable displacement control mechanism which can be easily manufactured and which can prevent an abnormal pressure differential between the crank and suction chambers.

Slant plate type compressor with variable capacity control mechanism


Disclosed are various embodiments for integrating an email client with hosted applications. An email is received from an email client. An image that is a component of the email is identified and sent to an optical character recognition (OCR) service. Extracted text is received from the OCR service. A request for an action object is then sent to a connector for an application, the action object representing a potential action that could be performed with the application based on the extracted text from the OCR service. The action object is then sent to the email client, which is configured to display a prompt allowing a user to perform the action represented by the action object.

Users often interact with software or platforms hosted by third parties. Such services are often referred to as software-as-a-service (SAAS) or as a platform-as-a-service (PAAS). Moreover, these services often send notifications to a user when an action needs to be performed, such as through an email. For example, a bug, issue, or problem report tracker may send regular emails to a user notifying them when a new issue has been created or when an update to an existing issue has been submitted. As another example, a customer relationship manager (CRM) service may send emails to remind a user to take some action (e.g., respond to a customer) or to notify a user that information stored by the CRM service has changed (e.g., contact information for a primary point of contact with a customer has been updated). However, switching tasks from an email client to the SAAS or PAAS application can take a significant amount of time and can be cumbersome in certain contexts, such as a user working on a mobile device where multi-tasking is limited.

Integration of an email client with hosted applications


The traditional method of pressing CFx, screen and SVO sheet assembly results in an electrode that is cupped and not flat. This results in the reduction of the effective volumetric energy density of the electrode or the addition of a process step of flattening of the cathode if at all possible. The new method of assembly effectively eliminates the cupping behavior and produces a flat electrode. In addition, the physical density of the cathode is also increased.

This invention relates to the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy. In particular, the present invention relates to an electrode for a lithium electrochemical cell. The electrode comprises a first cathode active material of a relatively low energy density but of a relatively high rate capability and a second active material having a relatively high energy density but of a relatively low rate capability. The first and second active materials are short circuited to each other by contacting the opposite sides of at least one perforated current collector. Alternately, the electrode can comprise spaced apart first and second perforated current collectors, the second active material being at an intermediate position with the first active material contacting the opposite, and outer current collector sides.
A preferred form of the cell has the electrode as a cathode connected to a terminal lead insulated from the casing serving as the negative terminal for the anode. The present electrode design is useful for powering an implantable medical device requiring either a medium rate power source or a high rate discharge application. Suitable implantable medical devices include cardiac pacemakers, cardiac defibrillators, neurostimulators, drug pumps, hearing assist devices, and the like.
In any event, the electrode needs to be relatively flat to minimize the occupied internal volume and maximize cell energy density. The problem is that contact pressing two disparate active materials onto opposite sides of a current collector by traditional methods often provides an electrode that is cupped. This is undesirable as it results in there being different impedance at the electrode periphery where spacing with the counter anode material is relatively close in comparison to the center of the electrode where inter-electrode spacing is greater. Cupping also adversely reduces the cell's effective volumetric energy density and frequently necessitates the addition of a remedial process step for flattening the electrode, which is not always successful.

Flat and high-density cathodes for use in electrochemical cells


A bicycle shift operating device is provided with a support structure, a take-up unit and a shift positioning mechanism. The support structure has an inner wire fixing part. The take-up unit includes a rotating body mounted on the support structure to rotate about a first axis, and an inner wire routing pulley mounted on the rotating body to move with the rotating body about the first axis and to rotate independently of the rotating body about a second axis that is offset from the first axis of the rotating body. The shift positioning mechanism is operatively coupled to the take-up unit to selectively hold the take-up unit in one of a plurality of shift positions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to bicycle shift operating device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bicycle shift operating device with an increased cable stroke relative to the amount of actuation of the operating member.
2. Background Information
Bicycling is becoming an increasingly more popular form of recreation as well as a means of transportation. Moreover, bicycling has become a very popular competitive sport for both amateurs and professionals. Whether the bicycle is used for recreation, transportation or competition, the bicycle industry is constantly improving the various components of the bicycle. One component that has been extensively redesigned is the bicycle transmission system.
The bicycle transmission system typically includes front and rear shift operating devices that operate front and rear derailleurs to laterally shift a chain between front and rear sprockets, respectively. The front and rear sprockets are usually coupled to the front crank and the rear wheel, respectively, such that the pedaling force from the rider is transferred to the rear wheel via the chain. Depending on the position of the chain on the front and rear sprockets, a variety of gear ratios can be provided.
In the past, shift operating devices have been utilized that include one or more levers that are pivoted in order to wind and unwind an inner wire of a control cable. Alternatively, rotating hand grips have also been utilized as shift operating devices to wind and unwind the inner wire of the control cable. Two shift operating devices are typically provided on multi-speed bicycles. Typically, one shift operating devices is a front shifting mechanism, while the other shift operating devices is a rear shifting mechanism. Each shift operating device is usually connected to an inner wire of a control cable. The inner wires of the control cables extend from the front and rear one shift operating devices to the front and rear derailleurs to shift the chain over the various front and rear sprockets, respectively. Typically, a takeup wheel or member is used to wind and unwind the inner wire about its peripheral edge. Some derailleturs require a longer cable stroke than other derailleurs. Thus, as the cable stroke of the derailleur becomes longer, then the takeup wheel becomes larger. While these prior shifting devices work well, it is desirable to make the bicycle shift operating devices relatively compact as possible. However, when the cable take up unit becomes smaller, then the amount that the operating member of the shift operating device must be moved becomes larger for the same transmission system. In other words, if the cable take up unit becomes small, then the stroke of the operating member becomes larger making it more difficult to operate.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved bicycle shift operating device. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


A sensor system for determining at least one environmental condition within pharmaceutical packaging comprising a base sheet with at least one pocket formed therein, a lid sheet having a pocket portion, the pocket portion being disposed proximate the pocket when the lid sheet is bonded to the base sheet; and a microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor disposed proximate the pocket portion.

Pharmaceutical packaging, such as sealed pockets, blister strips, disks and packs, for doses of medicaments or pharmaceutical compositions in the form of powders, tablets or capsules are well known in the art. As applied in dry powder inhaler technology, the pharmaceutical packaging (e.g., blister strips) generally comprise a base having cavities, pockets or open "blisters" adapted to receive a pharmaceutical composition (e.g., inhalable dry powder), a lid that encloses the opening of each cavity or blister, and an adhesive or bonding layer disposed therebetween to effect a seal.
It is further well known that pharmaceutical compositions, and in particular, inhaled dry powders, must be maintained in a hermetic environment to maintain a high degree of physical stability in particle size. Only particles having a specific narrow range of aerodynamic diameter size will deposit in the desired location in the pulmonary system. For instance, a particle for local treatment of respiratory conditions such as asthma will have a particle size of 2–5 μm. Particle to particle agglomeration, shifting the particle size outside of this range, will cause the particle(s) to deposit away from the target region of the lung. Such agglomeration has been associated with moisture ingress into the pharmaceutical packaging (i.e., blister). Particle sizes, either in aerodynamic or geometric measures, referred to herein relate to a particles effective particle size. Effective particle size denotes the apparent particle size of a body without distinction as to the number of individual particles which go to make up that body, i.e., no distinction is made between the single particle of given size and an agglomerate of the same size which is composed of finer individual particles.
Similarly, exposure of a pharmaceutical composition to high temperatures can, and in many instances will, undermine the stability and, hence, efficacy of the pharmaceutical composition. Accordingly, it is important to closely monitor the environmental conditions to which a pharmaceutical composition is exposed to ensure that the pharmaceutical composition's physical and chemical stability has not been degraded.
Various prior art sensing devices and systems have been employed to monitor environmental conditions proximate pharmaceutical packaging and/or compositions. However, in general, the noted devices and systems are not suitable for monitoring environmental conditions "inside" pharmaceutical packaging, and in particular, blister packs.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,416 discloses a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device that detects the presence of moisture. Surface acoustic waves are transmitted through a delay path that is attenuated by the presence of condensation. Unfortunately, SAW devices are extremely sensitive to temperature, pressure, and vibration or other physical conditions. Compensating for these factors increases the complexity and cost and generally renders SAW sensors unsuitable for use in pharmaceutical packaging.
There are also numerous drawbacks associated with the magnetoacoustic sensors disclosed in Jain, et al., "Magnetoacoustic remote query temperature and humidity sensors" Smart Mater. Struc. 9(2000), pp. 502–510. The most significant drawback is that the disclosed sensors are too large for incorporation into conventional pharmaceutical packaging and cannot be easily reduced in size, since size reduction substantially changes the resonant and interrogation frequencies, as well as the amplitude of the generated signal. Further, the mass changing, moisture sensitive materials disclosed by Jain, et al. would yield unsatisfactory results since they do not exhibit enough mass change when incorporated with a smaller sensor.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a highly efficient, cost effective means for determining environmental conditions within a multitude of pharmaceutical packaging and, in particular, pharmaceutical packaging having limited internal space.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a microelectromechanical (MEMS) system and method for determining at least one, preferably, a plurality of environmental conditions within pharmaceutical packaging.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a remote sensor system and method for determining the temperature profile within pharmaceutical packaging.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a remote sensor system and method for determining the humidity profile within pharmaceutical packaging.

Microelectromechanical system and method for determining temperature and moisture profiles within pharmaceutical packaging


An automatic focusing device, in which a focus lens is driven for tracking an object-in-motion to obtain an in-focus state, based upon a focus prediction that is executed from repeated distance measurements. Tracking is executed only when it is determined a predetermined number of consecutive times that the object-in-motion is moving at a speed that is larger than a predetermined value.

The present invention relates to an automatic focusing device that is employed in, for example, a photographic camera.
In recent years, a camera equipped with an AF (automatic-focus) function is on the increase, and, on single lens reflex cameras with interchangeable lens as well, the AF function has become indispensable. In general, in single lens reflex cameras, a so-called phase difference detecting method is adopted for automatic focusing. The AF with the phase difference detecting method is executed with steps such as the following:
Firstly, a pair of object images with a spatial parallax are projected, respectively, on a pair of photosensitive units, such as a CCD (charge coupled device), etc., and the light amount received by the respective photosensitive unit is integrated in terms of time. Then, according to the phase differential of two object images on respective photosensitive units, the distance differential between the sensing element (film equivalent plane) and the imaging plane (focus position) of the photographing lens with respect to a photographing object, and the direction thereof (defocus amount/defocus direction) are calculated.
From the calculated defocus amount and direction, drive amount of a motor necessary to drive the photographing lens to make the imaging plane coincident with the film equivalent plane is obtained, based upon which the focus lens is driven along the optical axis thereof. The number of pulses applied to the motor in the above operation is obtained according to the following formula: EQU P=Kv.times.D
where,
P is the number of pulses applied to the motor, PA1 D is the defocus amount, and PA1 Kv is a so-called lens-movement-amount conversion coefficient (K value) which is a coefficient representing the relation between the defocus amount and the number of pulses to drive the motor as necessary to make the defocus amount zero, and is the value inherent to the respective lens.
FIGS. 30 through 32 explain a conventional AF system, as above described. In each drawing, "object image position" indicates the imaging plane of the photographing lens with respect to the photographing object with the position of the focus lens taken as a reference, and "focusing position" is the film equivalent plane, also with the position of the focus lens taken as a reference.
In FIG. 30, as a result of a distance measurement executed at time 0, assume that the distance differential between the focusing position and the object image position, i.e., the defocus amount is detected as D0. Then, to make the defocus amount DO zero (0), the lens is driven. When the photographing object is stationary or standing-still, the focusing position becomes consistent with the object image position by the results of the driving of the lens. Under this state, interrupting processing of release ON is executed, and an exposure starts after elapse of a release-time-lag t2 which is, the time required for mechanical operations for mirror ascent and stopping down of aperture. During exposure, as illustrated in FIG. 30, the focusing position and the object image position remain consistent with each other.
However, when the object is moving (more particularly, moving in the lens drive direction), even if integration and computation are once carried out during its movement, as the object keeps moving while the lens is being driven according to the results of such integration and computation, further integrations, computations and resulting lens drives must be repeatedly executed to keep the focusing position and the object image position consistent.
FIG. 31 shows the case wherein a photographing object is moving from a remote field to a near field at constant speed. The amount of movement of the object image position becomes larger as the object is closer to the photographing lens.
Assume that the distance differential between the object image position and the focusing position, i.e. the defocus amount, at point 1 is D1. When the lens is driven by an amount corresponding to D1 and after elapse of time t1, defocus amount D2 is obtained at point 2. In the same manner, the lens is driven for the amount corresponding to D2, and after the elapse of time T2, defocus amount D3 is obtained at point 3. Here, the focusing position at point 2 corresponds to the object image position at point 1, and, since the object keeps moving while time T1 elapses, the defocus amounts would be: EQU D1<D2<D3.
Thus, the defocus amount gradually increases each time when the distance measurement is executed, while the object is moving towards the photographing lens at a constant speed; Therefore, the lens drive can not sufficiently follow the movement of the object image position.
In order to overcome the above problem, above delay should be prevented by predicting the amount of the movement of the object image position from the start of integration to the completion of the computed lens drive, with which the lens is additionally driven. More particularly, the speed of movement of the object image position is checked to determine whether it is larger than a predetermined speed. If larger, the amount of movement is predicted from the object image speed for driving the lens to follow the predicted movement of the object image position, i.e., for executing a tracking lens drive.
However, if whether the tracking lens drive is to be executed is determined only depending upon the object image speed, the determination becomes unstable near the predetermined speed due to a dispersion of the distance measurement data. Moreover, even if the object temporarily moves or if another object crosses the photographing object which is standing-still, the tracking lens drive is executed despite the fact that it is unnecessary.


A recombinant protein capable of constituting a recombinant L-methionine .gamma.-lyase or a variant thereof, a recombinant oligomeric enzyme, preferably tetrameric enzyme, consisting of the recombinant protein, a DNA molecule encoding the same, an expression vector containing the DNA molecule, a host cell harboring the expression vector, a method of preparing the recombinant L-methionine .gamma.-lyase, and anti-tumor agent comprising the recombinant L-methionine .gamma.-lyase or a variant thereof are provided.

L-methionine .gamma.-lyase (EC 188.8.131.52) is an enzyme which requires pyridoxal phosphate as a co-enzyme and catalyzes .alpha., .gamma.-elimination and .gamma.-replacement of L-methionine or its derivatives and also .alpha., .beta.-elimination and .beta.-replacement of S-substituted L-cysteine or its derivatives Tanaka, H. et al., Biochemistry, 16, 100-106 (1977)!. This enzyme has been isolated and purified mainly from Pseudomonas putida and its physicochemical and enzymological properties have already been shown Nakayama, T. et al., Anal. Biochem., 138, 421-424 (1984)!. There have been some researches reporting the mechanism of enzymatic reaction catalyzed by L-methionine .gamma.-lyase Esaki, N. et al., FEBS Lett., 84, 309-312 (1977); Nakayama, T. et al., Biochemistry, 27, 1587-1591 (1988), and the like!. The references which have been provided so far are all related to L-methionine .gamma.-lyases purified from natural source such as bacteria belonging to genus Pseudomonas. Thus, there are no references describing or suggesting the preparation of a recombinant enzyme by means of genetic engineering.
Recently, it has been suggested that naturally occurring L-methionine .gamma.-lyase purified from a culture of P. putida may have an anti-tumor activity WO94/11535, Publication date, May 26, 1994).
To develop a therapeutically applicable and useful drug, a substance to be used as an active ingredient should be pure or essentially free from undesirable contaminants, for example, proteins or the like by which the substance is naturally accompanied, and can be produced on a large scale so as to meet the demands. Accordingly, the establishment of a method of preparing L-methionine .gamma.-lyase or its variants with essentially the same enzymatic activity by means of recombinant DNA technique must contribute to the development of useful anti-tumor agents.
WO95/17908 has revealed production of L-methionine .gamma.-lyase using gene recombinant technique, and describes the DNA sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence L-methionine .gamma.-lyase. However, the document shows neither any primers for isolating the DNA encoding L-methionine .gamma.-lyase nor any source from which the DNA comes.


A batting tee and/or hitting training device is provided that includes a platform, a support extending upwardly from the platform and a holder disposed on the support opposite the platform for holding the ball to be hit. The holder includes a lower tubular member and an upper ball-retaining portion that are integrally formed with one another.

In the past a variety of different types of devices have been developed to provide an individual with the opportunity to practice hitting a ball, such as a sports ball, that is thrown at the individual. To enable a beginner to develop the necessary muscle memory to hit a moving ball, the training devices often enable the individual to hit a ball positioned in a stationary position on the training device.
These devices can take many forms and often are constructed with a platform placed on the ground, a support extending upwardly from the platform and a ball holder disposed on the support opposite the platform. The device is utilized by placing the device on a flat surface where the individual can take the necessary stance for hitting a ball, placing the ball on the holder and allowing the individual to swing the bat or other implement at the ball located in a stationary position on the holder.
However, while capable of allowing an individual to practice swinging the bat to hit the ball in a stationary position on the device, these prior art devices normally include multiple pieces in their construction that can must be connected to one another to form the device. In particular, in prior art devices the holder for the ball is formed separately from the support to hold the ball over the support, with the holder disposed at a top end of the support. As a result, the holder requires a connection between the holder and the top end of the support to maintain the proper position of the holder on the support.
The connections between the pieces or components are created by various types of mechanisms that are formed separately from the components and hold the components in the orientation required for the proper operation of the device.
However, during normal use of the device, the parts forming the connections can become worn or broken preventing the device from being used properly. Further, during normal use any of the connections required to engage all of the components of the device with one another can readily become separated, requiring the components to be reconnected before proper use of the device can continue. This is particularly the case when the components of the prior art devices are struck by inaccurate swings by the individual that cause the connections between the components to become separated or damaged, such as when the holder is struck below the ball, thereby damaging the connection between the holder and the support and separating the holder from the support.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a batting tee/training device that includes a more robust construction that can more readily withstand damage between the holder and the support while providing a stable location fir supporting the ball to be hit thereon.


A centrifugal blower assembly includes a scroll wall and at least one sidewall. The scroll wall is coupled to the at least one sidewall such that the scroll wall and the at least one sidewall at least partially define a blower chamber. The centrifugal blower assembly also includes an air stream splitter coupled to the scroll wall. The air stream splitter includes a base member fixedly coupled to the scroll wall and positioned within the blower chamber and a spline member extending a varying distance from the scroll wall and perpendicularly from the base member. An outer surface of the airstream splitter contacts an inner surface of the scroll wall.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to a housing for a centrifugal fan, and more specifically, to methods and apparatus for uniform airflow distribution within a centrifugal fan.
Centrifugal fans or blowers are commonly used in the automotive, air handling and ventilation industries for directing large volumes of forced air, over a wide range of pressures, through a variety of air conditioning components. In a known centrifugal blower, air is drawn into a housing through one or more inlet openings by a rotating wheel. This air is then forced around the housing and out an outlet end. Known centrifugal blowers generate a high speed, non-uniform airflow that may produce undesirable whistling, tonal noise, or broadband noise as air travels through the blower housing. This noise may be caused by pressure changes within the airflow generated by portions of the airflow at different pressures interacting with each other or with a portion of the blower. The pressure variances in known blowers may be caused by turbulence in the airflow or airflow recirculation.
In at least some known centrifugal blowers, airflow recirculation may be caused by the mixing of an airflow entering the blower in an axial direction that is parallel to the axis of rotation of the blower wheel and the airflow within the blower that flows in a radial direction perpendicular to the same axis. Recirculating airflow generally has a swirling component that may generate undesirable flow structures, such as eddies or vortices, within the airflow. These vortices, in combination with the swirling recirculating flow, cause a non-uniform airflow within the blower housing and at the blower outlet that generates undesirable noise and facilitates inefficient operation of the centrifugal blower.
Moreover, as the airflow is exhausted from known blowers and enters a downstream conditioning component, it continues in the generally circumferential path it followed while inside the blower and tends to impact the sides of the downstream component, causing further undesirable noise and losses in the airflow. Additionally, the impact of the airflow on the component creates undesirable flow structures downstream of the blower that has an undesirable affect in upstream blower performance.

Centrifugal blower assembly and method for assembling the same