The present invention describes a linear polyester resin comprising a di-epoxide monomer and a di-acid monomer useful in energy curable lithographic inks. The linear polyester resin exhibits a number average molecular weight less than 20,000. The present invention also describes an energy curable lithographic ink formulation including the linear polyester resin. The ink exhibits improved print density, print contrast, water window and rheological (total body) characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the present invention is directed to novel, linear polyester resins. The present invention also is directed to energy curable lithographic inks and coatings including the novel, linear polyester resins. The present invention is further directed to articles of manufacture printed with lithographic inks or coatings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Energy curable lithographic inks have been used for many years in printing and graphic art technologies. The commercial appeal of using energy curable lithographic inks stems from its improved physical and chemical resistance properties post-cure. For example, in commercial application when lithographic images are printed and cured on substrates such as cartons or cardboard problems associated with ink scratching and flaking can be reduced and/or eliminated during downstream substrate folding processes.
Considerable resources have been spent by ink manufacturers to improve the overall characteristics of energy curable lithographic inks. Properties including but not limited to dot gain, water window and misting are of particular importance to lithographic inks. Dot gain commonly is defined as the mechanical increase in half tone dot size which occurs as the image is transferred from the plate to the blanket of a printing device, and ultimately transferred onto paper. Larger dot gain values, e.g., unintended spreading, may result in poor image quality. Water window commonly is defined as an ink's tolerance of water or fountain solution. Wide water window values are indicative of an ink's ability to sustain high print density. Alternatively, narrow water window values are indicative of low print density. Low print density inks cause toning, piling, scumming, and excessive dot gain.
Misting is another problem associated with lithographic inks. Misting is defined as the expulsion of small ink droplets from printing nips due to high printing speeds and low ink structure. Misting poses health and clean-up problems contrary to good manufacturing practices (GMPs). Namely, ink droplets form aerosol which ultimately migrates onto printing equipment or other sensitive areas in a print room. In addition, ink droplets in the form of aerosol may unintentionally be inhaled by employees causing unforeseen health concerns.
Regarding energy curable lithographic ink formulations, monomers or oligomers such as epoxy acrylates and polyester acrylates have been employed for improving certain print characteristics. For example, Bisphenol-A epoxy acrylates and their analogues, have been used in low performance inks to improve tack and misting. Tack is defined as the measured separation force in an ink film required for proper transfer and printing onto a substrate. For high performance inks, polyester acrylates and their analogues are most often employed becomes of their lower viscosities and higher functionalities. While acrylate monomers or oligomers are useful in reducing misting, they have proven ineffective in obtaining wide water windows, e.g., low water or fountain solution tolerance. This is attributed to their reactivity which poses stability concerns for ink formulations based on their polarity and solubility profiles.
To control misting and dot gain, gelled or structured varnishes (resins) have been employed in energy curable lithographic inks. Gelled varnishes are produced from resins reacted with chelating agents such as aluminum alkoxides and include coordinated covalent and hydrogen bonds. However, gelled resins are often incompatible with reactive acrylate-based monomers and oligomers. Namely, the polar properties of acrylates cause a breakdown of hydrogen bonding structures in gelled varnishes. To compensate, the gelled varnishes typically are enhanced with very high levels of gellant. However, poor flow and transfer qualities arise in energy curable lithographic inks resulting in handling difficulties. The gellants may also cause poor ink printability attributed to low water emulsification properties.
According to the inventors, there is still a need in the art for a novel polyester resin which improves printing properties of energy curable lithographic ink formulations. There is also a need in the art for energy curable lithographic ink formulations exhibiting wide water window values, improved print contrast, improved print density, and improved rheology (body) characteristics.

Linear polyester resins and improved lithographic inks


The present invention provides a rolling roller for rolling steel sections and that can have the roller width changed while not having a drive mechanism for changing the roller width provided to the rolling roller itself, thereby having a simple structure that facilitates exchange, and also provides a rolling mill suitable for use with such a rolling roller. The rolling roller has rolling wheels on a roller shaft and a sleeve and that engage the sleeve with respect to the roller shaft. In addition, the sleeve and the roller shaft are tightened and engaged at a place other than the inner side of the roller wheel and oil injection to the place of tightening and engagement is performed via hydraulic fluid supply paths formed inside the roller shaft.

The present invention relates to a rolling roller so-called (flat roller) that can adjust the roll width, which means gap of the shoulder of the rolling wheel portion, so as to roll flat steel, and also relates to a rolling mill provided with the rolling roller.
Rolling mills for rolling steel have a horizontal roller that comprises a roller shaft and sleeves that engage with the outer side of the roller shaft. Such a configuration makes it possible to roll H-section steels that have different web heights since the position of the sleeve in the axial direction can be changed to alter the roll width, which means the gap between the shoulder of the rolling wheel provided to the sleeve and the shoulder of the rolling wheel provided to the roll shaft, or the gap between the shoulders of each of the rolling wheels of two sleeves.
One example of such a conventional rolling mill is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 17310-1986. In this example, the adjustment of the position of the sleeve in the direction of the shaft requires means for moving the sleeve and fixing it with respect to the roll. This rolling mill is provided with hydraulic blocks (so-called hydraulic cylinders) at distal end portions of the roll shaft and these blocks are also linked to the sleeves on the roller shaft to move and fix it.
In addition to this, some rolling mills have an adjustment screw and a rotational drive mechanism built into the rolling roller so that the position of the sleeve in the axial direction can be adjusted by turning the screw to feed the sleeve.
However, the conventional rolling mill disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 17310-1986 has the problems described under a) and b) below.
a) It is necessary for a hydraulic block that adjusts the position of the sleeve to be large and have a high output and to be provided on the rolling roller. During rolling, a significant rolling reaction, which can reach the order of several tons when large H-sections are being rolled, acting from the material being rolled and in the direction of the shaft, in other words, the direction of thrust, is applied to the sleeve and this force is a force that moves the sleeve with respect to the roller shaft. A significant output to resist this force is therefore necessary. PA1 b) In addition to the rolling roller which assembled to the rolling mill and used therefor, it is also necessary to include a spare rolling roller. When there is wear and the like of the roller surface, the rolling roller that is assembled to the roller shaft and the sleeve and other parts must be taken from the fixed housing as it is, the rolling mill placed in standby and another rolling roller brought in to replace it. It is necessary from the point of view of productivity that this replacement work should be performed quickly and so a hydraulic block provided on the roller shaft must be assembled beforehand at a required place. This means that large-scale hydraulic blocks are necessary in large numbers and this requires additional cost, and there is also a considerable maintenance load as the replacement work becomes complex and involves much time.
On the other hand, when there is a position adjustment screw between the sleeve and the roll shaft, it is necessary to have a complex mechanism in order to drive the screw. That mechanism must also be incorporated into the rolling roller itself and so must also be exchanged when the rolling roller is exchanged and this also involves a significant cost and maintenance load.


The Q factor and electric field pattern (radiation pattern) for a cavity made from a donor-type point defect 4 as is illustrated in FIG. 1 were simulated by the FDTD method. The simulation parameters were configured by selecting silicon for the slab 1; and setting approximately 1.55 μm, which is generally used in optical communications, for the wavelength λ; 0.42 μm for the lattice constant a; 0.6a for the slab 1 thickness; and 0.29a for the predetermined sectional radius of the through-holes 2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cavities and channel add/drop filters employing photonic crystals, and in particular to improvements in the characteristics of cavities and channel add/drop filters based on two-dimensional photonic crystals.
It should be understood that in the present specification, the significance of the term "light" is meant to also include electromagnetic waves that relative to visible light are of longer as well as shorter wavelength.
2. Description of the Background Art
Along with advances in wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical communication systems in recent years, the importance of ultrasmall add/drop filters and channel filters in which enlarged capacity is being targeted is on the rise. In this area, then, attempts are being made to develop extraordinarily small-scale optical add/drop filters by employing photonic crystals. In particular, with photonic crystals novel optical properties can be realized by exploiting artificial periodic structures in which a crystal-lattice-like periodic refractive index distribution is artificially imparted within the parent material.
One important feature of photonic crystals is the presence of photonic bandgaps. With photonic crystals having three-dimensional refractive index periodicity (3D photonic crystals), perfect bandgaps in which the transmission of light is prohibited in every direction can be formed. Among the possibilities with these crystals are the local confinement of light, control of spontaneous emission, and formation of waveguides by the introduction of line defects, wherein the realization of ultrasmall photonic integrated circuits can be anticipated.
Meanwhile, studies into uses for photonic crystals having a two-dimensional periodic refractive-index structure (2D photonic crystals), are flourishing because the crystals can be manufactured comparatively easily. A periodic refractive-index structure in 2D photonic crystals can be formed by, for example, arranging in a square-lattice or triangular-lattice geometry air rods perforating a high-refractive-index plate material (usually termed a "slab"). Alternatively the structure can be formed within a low-index material by arranging, in a 2D-lattice geometry within it, posts made of a high-refractive-index material. Photonic bandgaps can be produced from such periodic refractive-index structures, enabling the transmission of light traveling in an in-plane direction (direction parallel to both the principal faces of the slab) to be controlled. Waveguides, for instance, may be created by introducing line defects into a periodic refractive-index structure. (See, for example, Physical Review B, Vol. 62, 2000, pp. 4488–4492.)
FIG. 12 illustrates, in a schematic oblique view, a channel add/drop filter disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. 2001-272555. (In the drawings in the present application, identical reference marks indicate identical or equivalent parts.) The channel add/drop filter in FIG. 12 exploits a 2D photonic crystal having, configured within a slab 1, cylindrical through-holes 2 of identical diameter (ordinarily occupied by air) formed at the vertices of a 2D triangular lattice. In a 2D photonic crystal of this sort, light is prohibited from propagating in an in-plane direction within the slab 1 by a bandgap, and in the direction normal to the plane (direction orthogonal to the two principal faces of the slab) is confined due to total internal reflection occurring at the interface with the low-refractive-index clad (air, for example).
The photonic crystal in FIG. 12 contains a waveguide 3 consisting of a straight line defect. This straight-line defect 3 includes a rectilinearly ranging plurality of lattice points adjoining each other, with the through-holes 2 missing in these lattice points. With light being able to propagate through defects in the 2D photonic crystal, the straight-line defect can be employed as a linear waveguide. With linear waveguides, the spectrum of wavelengths in which light can be transmitted at low loss is comparatively broad; consequently light in a wide range of wavelength containing signals in a plurality of channels may be propagated through them.
It will be appreciated that the width of straight-line defects as waveguides can be altered variously in accordance with the requested characteristics. The most typical waveguide is obtained, as described above, by leaving through-holes missing in one row in lattice-point line. Nevertheless, waveguides can also be created by leaving through-holes missing in a plurality of neighboring rows in the lattice-point lines. Moreover, a waveguide is not limited in width to integral multiples of the lattice constant, but may have an arbitrary width. For example, it is possible to create a waveguide having a width of choice by relatively displacing the lattice on either side of a linear waveguide to the distance of choice.
The photonic crystal set out in FIG. 12 also contains a cavity 4 consisting of a point defect. The point defect 4 contains a single lattice point, and through that lattice point a through-hole that is of large diameter as compared with the other lattice points is formed. A defect in this way containing a relatively large-diameter through-hole is generally termed an acceptor-type point defect. On the other hand, a defect in which a through-hole is missing in a lattice point is generally termed a donor-type point defect. The cavity 4 is disposed adjacent the waveguide 3, within a range in which they can exert on each other an electromagnetically reciprocal effect.
In a 2D photonic crystal such as that illustrated in FIG. 12, if light 5 containing a plurality of wavelength ranges (λ1, λ, . . . λi, . . . ) is introduced into the waveguide 3, light that has the specific wavelength corresponding to the resonant frequency of the cavity 4 is trapped in the cavity and while resonating in the interior of the point defect, light 6 of wavelength λi is emitted in the normal direction, in which the Q factor originating in the finite thickness of the slab 1 is small. This means that the photonic crystal in FIG. 12 can be employed as a channel drop filter. Conversely, by shining light into the point defect 4, in the direction normal to the slab 1, light of wavelength λi that resonates within the cavity 4 can be introduced into the waveguide 3. This means that the photonic crystal in FIG. 12 can also be employed as a channel add filter. It will be appreciated that the transfer of light between either the waveguide 3 or the cavity 4 and the exterior can be made to take place by proximately disposing an optical fiber or an optoelectronic transducer in the vicinity of the waveguide end faces or the vicinity of the cavity. Of course, in that case a collimating lens (collimator) may be inserted in between either the waveguide end face or the cavity, and the optical-fiber end face or the optoelectronic transducer.
In a an optical add/drop filter such as that illustrated in FIG. 12, by appropriately configuring the spacing between the waveguide 3 consisting of the line defect and the cavity 4 consisting of the point defect, the ratio of optical intensities in a specific wavelength that is transferred between the waveguide and the cavity can be controlled. Also in FIG. 12, since no asymmetry is introduced with respect to the point defect 4 in the direction normal to the slab 1, light is output in both vertical directions from the point defect 4; but it is possible to make the output of light be in only one or the other vertical direction by introducing asymmetry in the point defect 4 in the plane-normal direction. An example of a mechanism that can be utilized to introduce this sort of asymmetry is a method in which the diameter of the point defect 4, which is round in section, is made to vary continuously or discontinuously along the thickness of the slab. With further regard to FIG. 12, although the channel add/drop filter in the figure contains only a single cavity, it will be readily understood that by disposing along the waveguide a plurality of cavities differing from one another in resonant wavelength, optical signals in a plurality of channels can be added/dropped.
With the Q factor of a cavity employing an acceptor-type point defect such as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined-Pat. App. Pub. No. 2001-272555 being around 500, the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) in the peak-wavelength-including light output from a cavity of this sort is around 3 nm.
However, using multi-channel signals for WDM communications at about 100 GHz with a wavelength-peak spacing of approximately 0.8 nm is being investigated. This means that with a cavity such as disclosed in Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. 2001-272555, the largeness of the Q factor is insufficient, and with the 3-nm FWHM, the cavity is totally inadequate for separating from one another multi-channel signals whose peak-wavelength spacing is approximately 0.8 nm. In short, there is a need to raise the Q factor of cavities employing 2D photonic crystals, to reduce the FWHM of the peak-wavelength spectra they output.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Two-dimensional photonic crystal cavity and channel add/drop filter


A waste water treatment apparatus which is compact, and excellent in durability, has a high treatment performance and can stably operate for a long time is provided. In a waste water treatment apparatus at least comprising a waste water treatment tank in which a carrier particle immobilizing a microbe is charged and decomposing and eliminating an organic matter and/or an inorganic matter contained in a waste water, and a membrane module for filtrating a water to be treated which flows out from said treatment tank, a non-permeating water not passing thorough the membrane module is returned and circulated to said treatment tank. In a waste water treatment apparatus at least comprising a waste water treatment tank in which a carrier particle immobilizing a microbe is charged and decomposing and eliminating an organic matter and/or an inorganic matter contained in a waste water, a carrier immobilizing a microbe is an acetalized polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waste water treatment apparatus for efficiently treat a waste water containing an organic matter and/or an inorganic matter. More particularly, the invention relates to a compact waste water treatment apparatus constituted by at least a waste water treatment tank comprising a denitrification tank and/or a nitrification tank to which a carrier particle immobilizing a microbe is charged and a membrane module, and a waste water treatment apparatus comprising at least a waste water treatment tank for decomposing and eliminating an organic matter and/or an inorganic matter contained in the waste water, in which a carrier formed by immobilizing a microbe to an acetalized polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel is charged to said waste water treatment tank.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, an organic waste water including a nitrogenous substance such as a waste water in a farm village, a waste water for domestic use, an urban sewage, a waste water in a fish farming, and a waste water in various kinds of industries has been generally treated in accordance with an activated sludge method for purifying a polluted sludge by using an aerobic microbe and an anaerobic microbe. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a waste water 1 is flowed into an anaerobic filtration tank 32, next, an oxidation of a BOD component and a nitrification of a nitrogenous substance by means of a nitrifying bacteria are performed under an aerobic condition in an aerobic filtration tank 33, a part of a treated water flowing out from the aerobic filtration tank 33 is circulated to the anaerobic filtration tank 32, a denitrification and elimination is performed by using denitrifying bacteria under an anaerobic condition, in the remaining flowing water from the aerobic filtration tank, the polluted sludge is settled and separated in a precipitation tank 34, and thereafter, a supernatant liquid 26 is discharged.
In the case of the conventional activated sludge method, a residence time of the waste water in an aeration tank is designed to be six to eight hours, however, an amount of the waste water recently tends to increase in correspondence to a variation of the industry and life, so that when a large amount of waste water is going to be treated in accordance with the activated sludge method by using the conventional treatment tank, an abnormality such as a bulking is generated because a residence time becomes short, and a satisfactory treatment can not be performed. Accordingly, in order to correspond to the treatment of a large amount of waste water, a new apparatus is required, so that a vast ground and an expensive building cost are required.
On the contrary, in view of elimination of a nitrogen, the conventional nitrogen elimination is performed by a treatment method constituted by introducing a water to be treated to the denitrification tank and the nitrification tank in the order, returning and circulating a part of the nitrified water flowing out from the nitrification tank to the denitrification tank, and sending the remaining nitrified water to a final precipitation pool, or a treatment method constituted by introducing to the nitrification tank and the denitrification tank in the order, and sending all amount of the denitrified water flowing out from the denitrification tank to a final precipitation pool. At this time, in the nitrification tank, a Kjeldahl nitrogen is oxidized to a nitrite nitrogen or a nitrate nitrogen, and in the denitrification tank, a nitrite nitrogen or a nitrate nitrogen is converted to a gaseous nitrogen so as to be eliminated, however, in these methods, it is general to eliminate a nitrogen by nitrifying and denitrifying by means of an activated sludge.
Even in the case that the waste water is treated by such a nitrogen eliminating method, a total residence time in the nitrification tank and the denitrification tank requires twelve to twenty-four hours on the basis of the flowing-in water, so that in a conventional sewage treatment plant having a purpose of only eliminating the BOD and designed to have a residence time of about six to eight hours, the residence time is insufficient and a satisfactory elimination of a nitrogen can not be performed. In order to correspond to a treatment of a lot of water, in the same manner as mentioned above, a new treatment apparatus is required, so that a vast ground and an expensive building cost are required.
On the contrary, in order to shorten a time for a treatment and make a treatment stable and a high level, with the object of increasing a concentration of a microbe within the waste water treatment tank and increasing a residence time of the microbe, a method of and an apparatus for treating by using a microbe carrier have been developed. As an example of this kind, in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 59-16516, there is disclosed a fluidized bed biological treatment method and an apparatus therefor which is structured such as to eliminate an organic matter contained in the waste water by fluidizing the carrier, and in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 63-52556, there is disclosed a method of biologically treating a waste water by charging a carrier in which an activated sludge is inclusively immobilized to a polymeric carrier in a waste water treatment tank and making them contact under a aerobic condition.
As another example, in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 1-37988, Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 2-7716, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 4-310298, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 7-68282 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 7-68287, there is disclosed a method of and an apparatus for treating a waste water using by charging a carrier in which a denitrifying bacteria and a nitrifying bacteria is inclusively immobilized to a polymeric carrier in an anaerobic filtration tank and an aerobic filtration tank.
In recent years, a consideration of making a waste water treatment apparatus compact by charging a carrier in which a microbe is attached and increased to a treatment tank has been promoted, so that granules such as various kinds of ceramics and plastics and a honeycomb construction body serving as a carrier have been developed. As a carrier used for a waste water treatment, an increase of a water content, an excellence of a permeability with respect to an oxygen and a substrate, and an increase of an affinity with an organism are required. In this view, there has been known a hydrogel obtained by, for example, a method of partially dehydrating a freezing portion after charging a polyvinyl alcohol aqueous solution (hereinafter, a polyvinyl alcohol is called PVA for short) into a mold (Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 58-36630), a method of gelling by bringing a PVA aqueous solution into contact with a saturated boric acid aqueous solution ("Journal of Japan Sewage Works Association", Vol.23, p41(1986); "Journal of Water and Waste", Vol.30, p36 (1986)), a method of defrosting a freezing after a mixed aqueous solution of a PVA and a sodium alginate is brought into contact with a calcium chloride aqueous solution so as to spheroidize (Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 64-43188), and a method of acetalizing by formaldehyde (Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 7-41516).
On the contrary, in correspondence to a development of a membrane separating technology, a frequency of using a separating membrane has been increased for the purpose of increasing a quality of a treated water. As an example, in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 64-5960, there is disclosed a waste water treatment apparatus for performing a filtration treatment by communicating a hollow fiber membrane module with a bottom surface of a treatment tank, and in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 64-9071, there is disclosed a waste water treatment apparatus for performing a filtration treatment by arranging a hollow fiber membrane module above a treatment tank.
Further, a system for efficiently performing a waste water treatment by circulating a water to be treated is also considered, for example, in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 64-9074, there is disclosed a waste water treatment apparatus structured such that in a treatment tank comprising an anaerobic filtration tank and an aerobic filtration tank having a membrane module above aeration means, a part of a treated water from the aerobic filtration tank is returned to the anaerobic filtration tank.
However, in any of these, since the membrane module is provided within the treatment tank, the settling sludge treated by the polymeric carrier tends to be attached to the surface of the membrane and the portion between the hollow fiber membrane bundles, thereby clogging the pores of the membrane a load of a waste water flow amount can not be set to be a high value, so that a compactification of the apparatus has been limited. Further, a crack and a breakage have been easily generated by a geometrical effect of an attachment of a settling sludge to a membrane surface, a vibration by an air for an aeration and a collision of a carrier particle.
On the contrary, in a system of circulating a water to be treated, there is also disclosed an apparatus in which a membrane module is provided in an outer portion of a treatment tank, for example, in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 6-45035, there is disclosed a waste water treatment method constituted by at first treating a waste liquid in a bioreactor (I) using a denitrifying bacteria, next treating in a bioreactor (II) using a BOD oxidizing bacteria and a nitrifying bacteria, further introducing the treated liquid to a membrane separation apparatus, and respectively circulating a non-permeating liquid not passing through the membrane and a permeating liquid passing through the membrane to said bioreactor (II) and the bioreactor (I).
Further, in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 4-200697, there is disclosed a treatment apparatus for an organic waste water constituted by a circulating type organism treatment apparatus comprising an air lift type fluidized tank performing a treatment by fluidizing granulous microbe carrier and an expansion type fluidized tank, and a ultrafiltration membrane apparatus, and pressing a part of or all of the circulating water from the ultrafiltration membrane apparatus into a bottom portion of the expansion type fluidized bed.
However, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 6-45035, although the membrane module is disposed in the outer portion of the treatment tank, a concentration of a floating activated sludge containing a nitrifying bacteria is high, so that there is a disadvantage that the membrane is still easily closed. Further, in the treatment apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 4-200697, although a part of or all of the circulating water from the ultrafiltration apparatus is pressed into the bottom portion of the expansion type fluidized tank (the denitrification tank), the flow amount is limited in such a manner that the microbe carrier does not overflow, so that there is a disadvantage that a fluidity of the carrier is insufficient and a denitrification performance is deteriorated. Further, in the case that a circulating amount of the liquid is much, a concentration of a dissolved oxygen in the tank becomes high, so that the denitrification performance is deteriorated.
Each of the waste water treatment apparatus using the membrane mentioned above is useful for making the apparatus compact at a certain degree, however, in this kind of apparatus, as a combined purification tank is represented, a structure which is significantly compact, has an excellent durability and can increase a quality of the water to be treated has been required, but there has been yet no waste water treatment apparatus which satisfied the above points.
Further, in the waste water treatment, a bad smell is frequently generated, and this is pointed out as a new problem on environment. In the conventional waste water treatment method using the carrier, although a waste water treatment performance is sufficient, a bad smell can not be removed, so that a countermeasure such that a bad smell treatment apparatus is independently provided has been required. Accordingly, also in view of a bad smell, a carrier which does not make the apparatus big and is economically advantageous is desired.


A computer system is provided that utilizes a buffer construct to manage memory access operations to a region of memory. The buffer construct may correspond to a data item or structure that represents a region of memory. Each task may control the buffer construct exclusively of other tasks, so that the region of memory that is represented by the buffer construct is only available to the controlling task. Another task that requires access to the region of memory must wait until the controlling task makes the buffer construct available. The controlling task makes the buffer construct available only when DMA or other memory access operations that are in progress become complete. In this way, the buffer construct acts as a token that synchronizes each of the concurrent tasks execution and ensures mutually exclusive access to the common region of memory.

Many solutions exist to capture parallelism in systems that use multiple processing resources, such as dedicated processing elements. Typically, conventional approaches require a programmer to manually identify and map the threads and memory region locks that are required to be performed. Such manual approaches are often error-prone, and inefficient. As many parallel computing environments rely on direct memory access (DMA) operations, conventional systems have high potential for creating conflicts amongst tasks and operations that require access to a common region of memory.

System and method for using a shared buffer construct in performance of concurrent data-driven tasks


An Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath has a pH about 2.0 to 9.0 and comprises Bi3+ ions, Sn2+ ions, complexing agent (I) and complexing agent (II). Complexing agent (I) can be (a) aliphatic dicarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-3 carbon atoms, (b) aliphatic hydroxymonocarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-3 carbon atoms, (c) aliphatic hydroxypolycarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-4 carbon atoms, (d) monosaccharides, polyhydroxycarboxylic acids produced by partially oxidizing the monosaccharides, and their cyclic ester compounds, and (e) condensed phosphoric acids. Complexing Agent (II) can be (s) ethylenediamineteraacetic acid (EDTA), (t) nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and (u) trans-1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CyDTA).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath, and more particularly to an Sn-Bi alloy plating bath which does not erode a piece to be plated, and has a high stability.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the electronic industrial field, Snxe2x80x94Pb alloy platings have been widely used for soldering electrodes. In recent years, there have been anxieties about the influence of the Pb contained in the Snxe2x80x94Pb alloy platings which may be exerted over the environment. Sn alloy platings which to not contain Pb have been demanded. Therefore, greater attention has been paid to Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy platings, which have a low melting point and excellent soldering properties.
Many of Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating baths have a strong acidity, namely, pH 1.0 or lower, in order to dissolve large amounts of bismuth. Since a large part of the electronic components pieces to be plated are composites containing ceramics, glass, ferrite, and so forth, there has been the problem that the electronic components become eroded by such high strong acidic baths, causing the deterioration of their characteristics.
For the purpose of improving the problem of the eroding properties, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-340994 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-138782 disclose Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating baths containing various complexing agents and having a pH of 2.0-9.0. Bismuth ions and tin ions are stabilized in the baths by addition of the complexing agents. As a result, plating baths within the range of from weak acidity to neutral are realized. However, these plating baths have problems of stability, and should be improved further to be used industrially.
The present invention is directed to a Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath which is stable enough to use continuously in the electronic industrial field and a method of plating using the Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath. The Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath has a pH of about 2.0 to 9.0 and comprises Bi3+ ions, Sn2+ ions, a complexing agent (I) and a complexing agent (II).
The complexing agent (I) is selected from the group consisting of (a) aliphatic dicarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-3 carbon atoms, (b) aliphatic hydroxymonocarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-3 carbon atoms, (c) aliphatic hydroxypolycarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-4 carbon atoms, (d) monosaccharides, polyhydroxycarboxylic acids produced by partially oxidizing the monosaccharides, and their cyclic ester compounds, and (e) condensed phosphoric acids.
The complexing agent (II) is selected from the group consisting of (s) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), (t) nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and (u) trans-1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CyDTA).
The Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath has a pH of about 2.0 to 9.0 and comprises Bi3+ ions, Sn2+ ions, complexing agent (I) and complexing agent (II).
Preferably, the concentration ratio of complexing agent (II) in mol/l to the Bi3+ ions in mol/l is at least about 10, the concentration ratio of complexing agent (II) in mol/l to the Sn2+ ions in mol/l is at least about 1, and the concentration ratio of complexing agent (I) in mol/l to the Sn2+ ions in mol/l is at least about 0.1.
According to the present invention, electronic components pieces made of ceramics, glass, ferrite or the like, can be plated at a high cathode current density without eroding the electronic components. The plating bath of the present invention has a high bath stability and can be used for a long time without the bath decomposition occurring.
As a result of the intensive examination by the inventors of the present invention, it has been found that the stability of a bath in the weak acidic range can be remarkably enhanced by adding to the bath a complexing agent (I) selected from the below-described (a) through (e) and a complexing agent (II) selected from the aminocarboxlic acids of the below-described (s) through (u) as complexing agents for the plating bath. The practical application of the Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath enables avoidance of eroding electronic component pieces to be plated made of ceramics, glass, ferrite or the like, and it can be used at a relatively high cathode current density and has an excellent bath-stability.
For complexing agent (I), (a) aliphatic dicarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-3 carbon atoms, (b) aliphatic hydroxymonocarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-3 carbon atoms, (c) aliphatic hydroxypolycarboxylic acids having alkyl groups of 1-4 carbon atoms, (d) monosaccharides, polyhydroxycarboxylic acids produced by partially oxidizing the monosaccharides, and their cyclic ester compounds, and (e) condensed phosphoric acids can be employed.
For complexing agent (II), (s) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), (t) nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and (u) trans-1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CyDTA) can be used.
Preferable examples of (a)-(e) as the complexing agent (I) are described below. As the aliphatic dicarboxylic acids (a) having alkyl groups of 1-3 carbon atoms, malonic acid, succinic acid or the like; as the aliphatic hydroxymonocarboxylic acids (b) having alkyl groups of 1-3 carbon atoms, glycolic acid, lactic acid or the like; as the aliphatic hydroxypolycarboxylic acids (c) having alkyl groups 1-4 carbon atoms, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid or the like; as the monosaccharides, the polyhydroxycarboxylic acids produced by partially oxidizing the monosaccharide, and their cyclic ester compounds (d), gluconic acid, glcoheptic acid, xcex4-gluconic lactone, or the like; and as the condensed phosphoric acids (e), pyrophosphoric acid, tripolyphosphoric acid or the like, are exemplified.
In the present plating bath, preferably, the concentration ratio of complexing agent (II) (mol/l)/Bi3+ (mol/l) is at least about 10, the concentration ratio of complexing agent (II) (mol/l)/Sn2+ (mol/l) is at least about 1, and the concentration ratio of complexing agent (I) (mol/l)/Sn2+(mol/l) is at least about 0.1. With the above-described concentration ratios, a plating bath which has a high bath stability and which can be used at a high current density can be realized.
The standard electrode potential (Bi3+/Bi E0=+0.215 V) based on the standard hydrogen electrode with respect of the oxidation of Bi, is nobler than the standard electrode potential (Sn4+/Sn2+E0=0.154 V) based on the standard hydrogen electrode at which Sn2+ is oxidized to Sn4+. Therefore, in a Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath, Bi3+ is reduced with Sn2+ so that the decomposition of the bath, such as the deposition of Bi, readily occurs. Accordingly, it is important for the purpose of stabilizing the bath to select the kinds and ratios of complex ions to be in the bath. The order of magnitude of the complex stability constants between Sn and Bi with the complexing agent (I) and the complexing agent (II) used in this invention is
complexing agent (II)xe2x80x94Bi greater than  complexing agent (II)xe2x80x94Sn greater than  greater than
complexing agent(1)xe2x80x94Bi greater than  complexing agent (I)xe2x80x94Sn.
The ratios of the respective complex ions to be produced in the bath are determined by this relationship between the magnitudes of the complex stability constants, and the concentration ratios of the respective metals to the complexing agents. A complex having a higher complex stability constant is formed precedently, and the formed complex has a higher stability.
In the composition of the plating bath of the present invention, substantially the total amount of Bi3+ forms a complex with complexing agent (II) precedently. The complexing agent (II) remaining, not coordinated to Bi3+, then forms a complex with Sn2+. The Sn2+ remaining and not forming the complex with complexing agent (II) then produces a complex with the complexing agent (I). Accordingly, three kinds of complexes, namely, the complexes of complexing agent (II) with Bi, complexing agent (II) with Sn, and complexing agent (I) with Sn, are mainly formed. The complex of complexing agent (II)xe2x80x94Bi has a very high stability since the complexing agent (II) has a much higher complexing power as compared with complexing agent (I). Therefore, Bi3+ can be prevented from being reduced with Sn2+, that is, the decomposition of the bath can be prevented.
If complexing agent (II) only is used in this plating bath, without complexing agent (I), a large part of the complexes of complexing agent (II) with Sn and complexing agent (II) with Bi are deposited as the complex salts, since the solubilities are low. Accordingly, the metal ion concentrations in the bath can not be increased, and thereby, it is difficult to use the bath at a high current density. On the other hand, by using complexing agent (I) together with complexing agent (II) as in the present invention, the solubilities of the complexes of complexing agent (II) with Sn and complexing agent (II) with Bi are enhanced. As a result, the metal ion concentrations in the bath can be increased so that the bath can be used at a high current density.
For the above-described reasons, the preferable concentration ratio of complexing agent (II) (mol/l)/Bi3+ (mol/l) is at least about 10, the concentration ratio of complexing agent (II) (mol/l)/Sn2+ (mol/l) is at least about 1, and the concentration ratio of complexing agent (I) (mol/l)/Sn2+ (mol/l) is at least about 0.1, in the plating bath of the present invention. When the concentration ratio of complexing agent (II) (mol/l)/Bi3+ (mol/l) is less than about 10, the required amount of the Bi salt can not be dissolved since the solubility of the Bi salt is low, and moreover, the complex of complexing agent (II)xe2x80x94Bi can not be formed with stability, that is, the stability of the bath can not be attained. Further, when the concentration ratio of complexing agent (II) (mol/l)/Sn2+ (mol/l) is less than about 1, the ratio of the complex of complexing agent (I)xe2x80x94Sn having a low stability is increased and the stability of the bath can not be attained. Moreover, when the concentration ratio of complexing agent (I) (mol/l)/Sn2+ (mol/l) is less than about 0. 1, the metal ion concentrations in the bath can not be increased since the solubilities of the complexities of complexing agent (II)xe2x80x94Sn and complexing agent (II)xe2x80x94Bi are low. Therefore, it is difficult to use the bath at a high current density. As regards the metal ion concentrations of the plating bath, the concentration of Sn2+ is about 0.1-0.5 (mol/l), preferably about 0.2-0.4 (mol/l), and that of Bi3+ is about 0.005-0.2 (mol/l), preferably about 0.01-0.1 (mol/l).
The pH of the Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath of the present invention is preferably about 2.0-9.0. The reason is that when the pH is less than about 2.0, the acidity is extremely strong so that electronic components made of ceramics, glass, ferrite or the like as pieces to be plated are eroded. When the pH is higher than about 9.0, the stability of the complexes is reduced. Therefore, the stability of the bath is deteriorated and the eroding properties for the electronic components are increased.
As a supply source of Sn2+, publicly known ones can be used in this invention. For example, tin sulfate, tin chloride, tin sulfamate, tin methansulfonate, tin oxide, tin hydroxide or the like, alone or in mixtures, may be used. As a supply source of Bi3+, publicly known ones may be used. For example, bismuth sulfate, bismuth chloride, bismuth sulfamate, bismuth methansulfonate, bismuth oxide, bismuth hydroxide or the like may be added solely or mixed appropriately. For the complexing agent (I) ion and the complexing agent (II) ion, their publicly known supply sources can be used, respectively. Acids, alkali metal salts ammonium salts, divalent tin salts, trivalent bismuth salts, or the like, may be added solely or mixed appropriately. When a divalent tin salt and a trivalent bismuth salt are supplied with complexing agent (I) ion and/or complexing agent (II) ion, Sn2+ and Bi3+ which are the pair ions for complexing agent (I) ion and complexing agent (II) ions, respectively, constitute a part of the concentrations of Sn2+ and Bi3+, respectively, and are included with respect to the above-described amount of the metal ions.
Further, a conductive salt may be added to the plating bath of the present invention to improve the conductivity of the plating bath. As the conductive salt, publicly known salts may be used. For example, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate or the like may be added solely or as a mixture. Further, a pH buffer may be added to the plating bath of the present invention to reduce the variation of the pH of the bath. As the pH buffer, publicly known ones may be used. For example, the alkali metal salts, the ammonium salts or the like of boric acid and phosphoric acid may be added solely or appropriately mixed. A brightener may be added to the plating bath of the present invention in addition to the above-described components. As the brightener, nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylenealkylamines, alkylnaphthols or the like, amphoteric surfactants such as lauryldimethylaminoacetic acid betaine, imidazolinium betaine or the like, and cationic surfactants such as dodecyltrimethylammonium salt, hexadodecylpyridinium salt, or the like, and anionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene alkylether sulfates, alkylbenzenesulfonates or the like may be used. In order to prevent the oxidation of Sn2+, an anti-oxidant may be added. As the anti-oxidant, publicly known ones may be used. For example, hydroquinone, ascorbic acid, catechol, resorcin or the like may be added.
The Snxe2x80x94Bi alloy plating bath of the present invention can be advantageously applied when electronic components such as chip capacitors, chip resistors, chip coils or the like are plated. As the anode, for example, Sn metal, Bi metal, Snxe2x80x94Bi alloys, titanium or carbon plated with platinum, or the like may be used. The bath temperature is about 10-50xc2x0 C., preferably about 25-30xc2x0 C. The cathode current density is about 0.1-3.0 A/dm2.

Sn-Bi alloy plating bath and method of plating using the same


A manually operated dispenser of the type containing a diaphragm at the bottom of the bottle, such that when the diaphragm is compressed a quantity of fluid is dispensed above the bottle through a spout. This invention uses a unique diaphragm shaped like a blister, that is integrated into the bottle bottom with a slide-pin allowing the blister diaphragm to move up and down, but not side to side. The diaphragm seals to the bottle bottom during dispensing, but when the diaphragm is substantially compressed, the seal self breaks as the diaphragm edge expands radially from the diaphragm axis over bumps on the bottle bottom allowing the diaphragm to refill. At the fluid output of the spout is a channel valve nozzle that channels the fluid into a stream when the fluid flows, but when the fluid is not being dispensed, prevents fluid from flowing back into the bottle.

1. Field of Invention
This invention is related to the countertop small manually operated fluid dispensers used for hand creams, lotions, soaps, etc. commonly found in household kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.
2. Prior Art
Most of these dispensers are of the type where a spout, mounted on the cap of a bottle containing fluid, is depressed by the thumb and a relatively small quantity of fluid from the bottle is dispensed through the spout into the fingers of the same hand; that is, a one handed manual dispenser. Fluids include soap, hand cream, and skin lotion. Some of these devices are used to dispense food condiments such as mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc. In this case, the fluid is commonly dispensed directly onto food, onto a plate of food, or on a side dish. These dispensers have been very popular because they are less messy and more sanitary than removing fluid by squeezing a tube, by dipping an opened jar with serving utensils or with fingers (cold cream for example).
Typical examples of today's dispensers are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,488,185 to Beranger et al, and 6,929,156 to Petit et al. This is based on inspection of dozens of popular dispensers sold today. These modern dispensers are very complex requiring 12 to 15 precision parts for a pump using a piston/cylinder system, at least two check valves, and a means of venting the bottle to prevent a vacuum from forming in the bottle as the volume of fluid is removed. These pumps are becoming prohibitively expensive and these dispensers can add up to 30% to the price of the fluid. Many fluids are now offered in either a pump dispenser (for a few dollars more) or a cheaper squeeze tube.
Because these pumps and valves are placed just under the cap of the fluid container, the output check valve is far from the end of the spout and fluid is always left in the spout to dry out, or to become contaminated with germs in the case of multiple users. The fluid will also run out of the spout if the bottle is tipped. In addition, this pump must suck fluid through a tube that has its open end near the bottom of the bottle. This leaves the user having to throw out (or bottom fish for) the last ounce of fluid. In other words, the suction is lost when the pump starts to suck air when the bottle is not completely empty.
The U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,702,147 to Brown (1955) and 3,409,184 to Stengle (1968) use a different type of pump than the piston/cylinder pump. The pumps of both patents use a collapsible volume (diaphragm) at the bottom of the fluid bottle that pushes rather than sucks the fluid through to the top spout. Unfortunately Brown's dispenser, which is fully integrated into the fluid bottle, is as complex as today's dispensers. This integration would clearly limit the bottle style. Precision parts are still required for sealing the collapsible volume into the bottom of the bottle, and two check valves are required. The spout and tube are left filled with fluid that can dry and clog the spout. The fluid will also spill out if the bottle is tipped. The long thin channel required to input fluid to the diaphragm would delay the reset of the diaphragm as it expands back into natural shape and would be problematic for more viscous fluids like lotions or creams. This wait time would frustrate the user. The flexing of the hemispherical thick-walled diaphragm is rather extreme, which would prematurely tear or rupture over time. The design of the diaphragm is critical (especially if the properties change with time), because if it does not reset, the pump will fail. In all, this dispenser offers no advantage over current dispensers.
Stengle's device (U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,184) has the simplicity we are looking for, but unfortunately it does not have the quality of today's dispenser. Stengle uses a bellows for the collapsible volume with holes at the bottom pleat to introduce the fluid into the bellows. The holes are closed against the bottom of the bottle when the bellows begins to expand (reset) and wide open when the bellows starts to compress (when the spout is pushed down). This is 180 degrees out of phase for an efficient pump. Most of the fluid will move out of the holes rather than up the connecting tube/spout when the bellows is compressed, and the fluid cannot easily move into the bellows until the bellows expands. The long wait time for the bellows to reset would be similar to Brown's U.S. Pat. No. (2,702,147). The volume of fluid dispensed (if any) would depend on how fast the user compresses the bellows. Because the fluid in the connecting tube and spout drains back into the bellows between dispensing, drying in the spout is not an issue unless the fluid is viscous. But the user must re-fill the tube and spout volumes with each compression of the bellow before fluid exits the spout, which results in a significant delay before the fluid is dispensed. This also means the volume dispensed would depend on the height of the fluid level in the fluid bottle. Venting of the bottle is done through the spout which will partially fill the bellows with air, thus making the pump even less efficient. Fluid will also run out if the bottle is tipped. In addition, from Applicants' experience, without the diaphragm/bellows being integrated to the bottom of the bottle, the bellows will slide around and tip the spout in different directions. In all, this dispenser would be considered to be of poor quality by the user.


A metering device for the precision feeding of a liquid, such as, for example, an oil lubricant. The device has a fluid supply chamber with a working medium such as oil and which in turn is in open communication with a metering chamber also containing the medium fluid. A fluid pumping piston passes through the supply chamber and then into the metering chamber. Upon entering the metering chamber, the pumping piston passes through an annular flexible seal of generally U-shaped cross section that has a pair of axially extending lips which act, respectively, along the piston and the metering chamber to thereby form a one-way valve therebetween. The piston forces the fluid out of the metering chamber and the volume displaced by the piston can be adjusted by adjusting the axial position of the metering chamber and thereby vary the extent to which the pumping piston enters the metering chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metering device for the precision feeding of a liquid such as an oil lubricant, for example.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Examples of the prior art relating to these devices are U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,578, issued Nov. 15, 1988, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,584, issued Nov. 15, 1988. These patents utilize a compound, two-piston arrangement including a lost motion connection therebetween and having numerous and complicated parts. It is necessary for the devices of those two patents to ensure that the piston that ultimately delivers the fluid extends past the plane of the end of the liquid chamber so as to ensure that the air is completely dispelled from the liquid.

Pumped fluid metering device for the precise feeding of a fluid


Methods of diagnosing whether an epithelial tissue is an abnormal tissue by determining an expression pattern for PML in the epithelial tissue; determining an expression pattern for nuclear bodies in the epithelial tissue; determining SUMO-1 colocalization and comparing the expression pattern for PML and the expression pattern for nuclear bodies with a control are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for diagnosing whether a subject has mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia, Type A severe dysplasia, Type B severe dysplasia, cervical squamous cell carcinoma, or poorly-differentiated cervical squamous cell carcinoma, by determining an expression pattern for PML, an expression pattern for nuclear bodies, and SUMO-1 colocalization and determining whether the sample is consistent with expression patterns expected for mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia, Type A severe dysplasia, Type B severe dysplasia, cervical squamous cell carcinoma, or poorly-differentiated cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods of detecting PML-containing NBs and proteins therein for cytodiagnostic staging of neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma. Specifically, the present invention relates to methods of diagnosing the different stages of cervical neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women worldwide and is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women in developing countries. Worldwide, there are approximately 500,000 new cases per year of which 15–20,000 cervical cancers are diagnosed in the United States. Moreover, abnormalities of the precancerous disease of the cervix occur in an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 women each year in the United States.
Cervical squamous cell carcinomas originate from a multilayered cervical epithelium and develop progressively over the course of years. See DiSaia, P J and Creasman, W T (1993) CLINICAL GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY, 4th ed. Mosby Year Book pp. 1–36; and Singer, A (1976) THE CERVIX London: The Whitefriars Press Ltd. pp. 87–104. The tissue goes through a spectrum of hyperplastic changes classified clinically as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), ranging from CIN I (mild dysplasia), followed by CIN II (moderate dysplasia) to CIN III (severe dysplasia), where it may eventually result in invasive cervical cancer. The molecular mechanisms that regulate the induction and progression of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remain an unsolved problem of great clinical relevance. The main risk factors for cervical cancer include human papilloma virus infection, multiple sexual partners, long-term cigarette smoking, immunosuppression, and the use of oral contraceptive. See Brisson, J, et al. (1994) America Journal Epidemiology 140:700–710; Lowy, D R, et al. (1994) PNAS USA 91:2436–2440; and Zur Hausen, H (1991) Virology 184:9–13.
The promyelocyte (PML) protein was identified first in the pathogenesis of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). See Lin, R J, et al. (1999) Trends In Genetics 15:179–183; and Ruggero D, et al. (2000) Bioessays 22:827–835. This type of leukemia is categorically characterized by a chromosomal translocation t(15;17), which fuses the PML gene to the retinoic acid receptor α (RARα). See de Thé, H, et al. (1990) Nature 347:558–561; Borrow, J, et al. (1990) Science 249:1577–1580; Longo, L, et al. (1990) J Exp Med 172:571–575; Kakizuka, A, et al. (1991) Cell 66:663–674; de Thé, H, et al. (1991) Cell 66:675–684; Goddard, A D, et al. (1991) Science 254:1371–1374; Pandolfi, P P, et al. (1991) Oncogene 6:1285–1292; Weis, K, et al. (1994) Cell 76:345–356; and Ruggero, D, et al. (2000) Bioessays 22:827–835. In normal cells, PML is found in discrete nuclear structures known as nuclear bodies (NBs) or PML oncogenic domains (PODs). See Dyck, J A, et al. (1994) Cell 76:333–343; Koken, M H, et al. (1994) EMBO J. 13:1073–1083; and Weis, K, et al. Cell 76:345–356. In APL cells, PML is displaced and presents in a microspeckled pattern. This altered pattern is thought to cause the disruption of the normal function of PML. See Lin, R J, et al. (1999) Trends In Genetics 15:179–183.
While a host of studies exist in the literature, a defined function has yet to be assigned to PML and its corresponding nuclear body. See Ruggero, D, et al. (2000) Bioessays 22:827–835. Studies on the biologic function of PML demonstrate that PML acts in a variety of cellular processes including apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and transcriptional regulation. See Mu, Z M, et al. (1994) Molecular and Cellular Biology 14:6858–6867; Le, X F et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271:130–135; He, D, et al. (1997) Cancer Res. 57:1868–1872; Le, X F, et al. (1998) Oncogene 16:1839–1849; Mu, Z M, et al. (1997) Carcinogenesis 18:2063–2069; Doucas, V, et al. (1993) PNAS USA 90:9345–9349; and Vallian, S, et al. (1998) Oncogene 16:2843–2853.
PML expression is modulated by multiple stimuli including viral infection, γ-irradiation, estrogen, and interferon. See Ruggero, D, et al. (2000) Bioessays 22:827–835; Maul, G G, et al. (1993) J. Gen. Virol. 74:2679–2690; Maul, G G, et al. (1994) J. Gen. Virol. 75:1223–1233; Lavau, C, et al. (1995) Oncogene 11:871–876; Mueller, S and Dejean, A (1999) J. Virology 73:5137–5143.
PML is overexpressed in distinct pathological situations that are associated with stimulated transcription and cell hyperactivity, such as in inflammatory and tumorous states. See Lavau, C, et al. (1995) Oncogene 11:871–876; Gambacorta, M, et al. (1996) Am. J. Pathology 149:2023–2035; and Maul, G G, et al. (1995) J. Cellular Biochem. 59:498–513. While the amount of PML is low in normal tissues, an increase in PML expression is observed immumohistochemically in tumors of various origins. See Koken, M H, et al. (1995) Oncogene 10:1315–1324.
Further, it was found that PML is covalently modified by a small polypeptide called SUMO-1, which triggers targeting of PML to its corresponding NBs. See Sternsdorf, T, et al. (1997) J. Cell Bio. 139:1621–1634; Duprez, E, et al. (1999) J. Cell Science 112:381–393; Kretz-Remy, C and Tanguay R M (1999) Biochem. Cell Bio. 77:299–309; and Zhong, S, et al. (2000) Blood 95:2748–2752. SUMO-1 is an ubiquitin-like protein with significant sequence homology to ubiquitin. See Hodges, M, et al. (1998) Current Bio. 8:749–752. Several substrates for SUMO-1 have been reported. See Zhong, S, et al. (2000) blood 95:2748–2752; Desterro, J M, et al. (1998) Mol. Cell Bio. 2:233–239; Saitoh, H, et al. (1998) Current Bio. 8:121–124; Gostissa, M, et al. (1999) EMBO J. 18:6462–6471; and Rodriguez, M S, et al. (1999) EMBO J. 18:6455–6461.
SUMOylation plays a role in multiple vital cellular processes such as oncogenesis, cell cycle control, apoptosis and response to viral infection. Conjugation to SUMO-1 is thought to be a prerequisite for PML to maintain the nuclear body and for subsequent localization of other protein components of the body. In contrast, it has been shown that SUMO-1 modification of PML is not necessary for PML to target the NB. See Ishov A M, et al. (1999) J. Cell Bio. 147:221–233. PML is degraded in cells infected by several viruses. See Everett, R D, et al. (1994) EMBO J. 13:5062–5069; Anh, J H, et al. (1998) Mol. Cell Bio. 18:4899–4913; and Ahn, J H, et al. (1999) J. Virology 73:10458–10471. Infection by a number of DNA viruses triggers the reorganization of the NBs, suggesting an important role for the NBs in the viral infection process. The ability of viral proteins to specifically abrogate the covalent SUMO-1 modification of PML and SP100 is directly linked to their capacity to disassemble NBs. The biological significance of the destruction of the body in viral infection is still unclear.
Immunocytochemical studies to assist in the diagnosis of the progression or extent of the disease are prevalent in the clinical setting, as is the case of breast cancer. To date, while some markers for cervical neoplasia have been reported, their expression is not a footprint for a particular stage of the disease. See Litvinov, S V, et al. (1996) American Journal of Pathology 148:865–875; Skyldberg, B, et al. (1999) J. Nat'l Cancer Inst. 91:1882–1887; Vassallo, J, et al. (2000) International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 71:45–48; and Klaes, R, et al. (2001) Internat'l J. of Cancer 92:276–284. Immunohistochemical detection of PML expression as a marker for disease progression has focused mainly on hematopoietic malignancies, particularly APL. Although reports on PML in other solid tumor cancers have been documented, neither systematic mapping of the changes in PML throughout the progression of the cancer from CIN to SCC has been performed; nor, has a correlation to its colocalization with SUMO-1. See Saitoh, H, et al. (1998) Current Biol. 8:121–124; and Terris, B, et al. (1995) Cancer Res. 55:1590–1597. These studies also relied on immunohistochemical findings that are graded on the presence or absence of a colorimetric substrate in the nucleus. No spatial or quantitative information at the molecular level of the PML-containing NBs can be acquired from these data.
Thus, a need still exists for methods of detecting PML-containing NBs and methods of diagnosing the different stages of cervical neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods of cytodiagnostic staging of neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma

The Regents of the University of California


A safety system for an automatic door including an ultrasonic sensor installed in a rotary frame to detect motion of the rotary frame in order to stop operation of an automatic door in order to prevent injury from the door.

An automatic door, which is usually a glass door, is automatically opened when a person's approach is detected or when a person pushes an opening switch, which is often in the form of a push switch, installed on a column disposed beside the automatic door.
The automatic door, which is automatically opened, is spaced apart from a doorframe at an interval (hereinafter, referred to as a 'gap'). Outside cold air is often introduced into a warm interior through the gap or a contact portion between the automatic door and the doorframe even when the automatic door is closed. The cold air decreases an indoor temperature.
In addition, in the case of a single or two automatic doors, when a person, an animal, or an obstacle (hereinafter, referred to collectively as an 'object') gets jammed while the automatic door is being closed, impact is applied to the object.
Like doors of an elevator, an object, particularly, a person's hand or finger may get jammed in a gap while the automatic door is moving. Because the finger may be injured in this case, the operation of the automatic door needs to be stopped immediately after the finger or object gets jammed in the gap. However, the current automatic door rarely has this function.
In addition, because the automatic door mostly has transparent glass, which makes it difficult for a person to recognize, with the naked eye, a state in which the automatic door is moving. As a result, it is difficult to prevent a person from colliding with the moving automatic door or inhibit a person's finger from getting jammed.


Exposure verification is applied to exposure data indicating a pattern to be exposed by a charged particle beam. If an error point is extracted from the exposure data by the exposure verification, the values of coefficients are modified and exposure data is regenerated taking into consideration the coefficients whose values have been modified. Thus, exposure data is re-generated by changing each of the coefficient values within its appropriate range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for generating exposure data to expose a resist film formed on a multi-layered semiconductor substrate by a charged particle beam.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lately, in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, such as a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI) and the like, it is desired to form a very fine pattern. Thus, currently a charged particle beam is usually used for pattern generation exposure. It is common to use an electron for a charged particle.
By charged particle beam exposure, a part of charged particles inputted to a resist film is forward-scattered, a part of the particles that have transmitted the resist film are backward-scattered and it is inputted the resist film again. Thus, even when a charged particle beam is inputted to one point on the resist film, an area exposed by the charged particle is not only one point, but it also covers its neighborhood (proximity effect). Therefore, exposure data indicating the exposure pattern of a charged particle beam is usually formed by applying proximity effect correction to layout data indicating a pattern to be formed on the resist film in order to optimize the amount of exposure or dimensions of an exposure pattern (Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2005-101501, 2003-149784 and H11-8187).
With the recent fine semiconductor devices, the form of an exposure pattern for expose a semiconductor substrate has become fine and also its multi-layer structure has become complex. The backward scatter intensity of exposure to such a semiconductor substrate can be calculated with high accuracy by simulation based on a physical model (for example, simulation by a Monte Carlo method). However, actually it takes a very long time to calculate the intensity. Thus, it is desired to calculate the intensity in a shorter time while realizing higher accuracy.
As publicly known, the scatter of a charged particle varies depending on its material. In the prior art disclosed by Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-101501 (hereinafter "patent reference 1"), scatter distribution depending on a distance is prepared as a coefficient a and the backward scatter intensity of each area is calculated by an area density method. If intensity in an area (i, j) is expressed Fbi, j, the Fbi, j is finally calculated as follows.
                              Fb                      i            ,            j                          =                              ∑            l                                                        ∑              m                                                                                E                                          n                      -                      1                                                                                (                                                                  i                        +                        l                                            ,                                                                        j                          +                          m                                                ;                        i                                            ,                      j                                        )                                                  ·                                  α                                                            i                      +                      l                                        ,                                          j                      +                      m                                                                                Q                                                      i                    +                    l                                    ,                                      j                    +                    m                                                                                (        1        )
In the above equation, αi+1, j+m, Qi+1, j+m and En−1 (i+1, j+1; i, j) represent pattern density in an area (i+1, j+m), the amount of exposure applied to an area (i+1, j+m) and a charged particle intensity coefficient indicating the degree of influence on an area (i+1, j+m) of the amount of exposure applied to an area (i, j), respectively.
The charged particle intensity coefficient En−1 corresponds to the coefficient a. The coefficient a can be calculated using a reflection coefficient R, which is a ratio indicating the reflection of a charged particle on a layer, and a transmission coefficient T indicating its ratio of transmitting through the layer prepared by each material. Thus, the backward scatter intensity Fbi, j taking the material of each layer into consideration can be calculated to realize high accuracy. This exposure data can also be appropriately generated in high accuracy.
In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, a factor of accuracy degradation due to a multi-layer structure, such as unevenness in thickness of lower layers, due to non-uniformity of chemical machine polish (CMP) or the accuracy error in dimensions of the pattern of a lower layer, sometimes occur. Stored energy distribution to the resist film varies depending on such a factor. Each value of the coefficients R and T varies depending on the occurrence and the degree of such a factor. Thus, an error occurs in the backward scatter intensity Fbi, j which is calculated according to equation (1). The influence of the error has a tendency to increase due to fine semiconductor devices. Therefore, in even wholly appropriate exposure data, an inappropriate point (poor resolution point) is easily detected by exposure verification. Thus, in the generation of exposure data, including exposure verification, it is also important to take such a factor of accuracy degradation into consideration.
In the prior art disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2003-149784 and H11-8187, the amount of calculation is reduced by limiting a point for calculating stored energy including backward scatter intensity as an evaluation point.

Exposure data generation method and device, exposure data verification method and device and storage medium


A multiplexer/demultiplexer for routing different wavelength signals between a common pathway for conveying a plurality of the signals, and individual pathways for separately conveying the signals includes a reflective diffraction grating with reduced polarization sensitivity for dispersing the signals. The grating includes facets that are oriented for reducing efficiency variations within a transmission bandwidth and that are shaped for reducing differences between the diffraction efficiencies in two orthogonal directions of differentiation.

Optical communication systems include devices, referred to as multiplexers, that route different wavelength signals from individual pathways into a common pathway and other devices, referred to as demultiplexers, that route the different wavelength signals from the common pathway back into the individual pathways. Often, the only difference between these devices is the direction of light travel through them.
The multiplexer/demultiplexer designs gaining widest acceptance are based on planar spectrographs containing phased arrays or reflective diffraction gratings. Within these devices, two optical mechanisms are used for routing the optical signals between the common and individual pathways--dispersion and focusing. Dispersion angularly distinguishes the different wavelength signals, and focusing converts the angularly distinguished signals into spatially distinguished signals.
For example, a focusing mechanism can be arranged to form discrete images of the common pathway in each wavelength of the different optical signals. The dispersing mechanism relatively displaces the images along a focal line by amounts that vary with the signal wavelengths. The individual pathways are arrayed along the focal line in positions aligned with the displaced images of the different wavelength signals. Thus, each different wavelength signal forms a discrete image of the common pathway in a different position along the focal line, and the individual pathways are located coincident with the image positions of the different wavelength signals.
The dispersing and focusing functions can be performed by phased arrays or reflective diffraction gratings. The phased arrays include a set of intermediate pathways (e.g., waveguides) that progressively vary in length to relatively incline wavefronts of different wavelength signals within a free spectral range. Confocal couplers connect the common and individual pathways to opposite ends of the intermediate pathways. Reflective diffraction gratings have a grating pattern that disperses the different wavelength signals at different diffraction angles and an overall shape that focuses the different wavelength signals in different positions along a so-called Rowland circle. Both the common and the individual pathways include inner ends located along the Rowland circle.
For small numbers of channels conveying different wavelength signals, the phased arrays work quite well but become more and more unwieldy with larger numbers of channels. Reflective diffraction gratings better accommodate large numbers of channels but are generally less efficient. One part of the problem is due to imperfections in the grating surface, and another part of the problem is due to polarization sensitivity.
Both problems can be reduced by enlarging grating pitch. However, the grating pitch is limited by other requirements of the design including wavelength dispersion, which decreases with increasing pitch. Additional dispersion can be obtained by increasing the diffraction order, but this decreases the free spectral range and increases efficiency variations between the different wavelength signals. Accordingly, efficiency improvements have been limited by competing design requirements.
The polarization of optical signals tends to fluctuate in optical communication systems, and the polarization sensitivity of the reflective diffraction gratings can cause large variations in transmission efficiency. Such large efficiency fluctuations lower signal-to-noise ratios of optical transmissions and require compensating amplification to avoid the loss of information.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,588 to Nicia et al. proposes to solve this problem in a multiplexer/demultiplexer by converting unpolarized light into substantially linearly polarized light before reaching a reflective diffraction grating. However, the conversion requires a special optical device formed by two prisms separated by a polarizing filter. The special device adds cost and complexity, and its use requires the focusing function to be performed by another optical element in advance of the reflective diffraction grating.

Diffraction grating with reduced polarization sensitivity


A method for manufacturing a profile member for a suspended ceiling system, comprising forming a sheet metal material into an elongate T-shaped profile member with a web having two web side walls and a pair of oppositely disposed flanges projecting from a bottom portion of the web, and laser welding the elongate T-shaped profile member for providing a laser weld joint extending in a longitudinal direction of the T-shaped profile member and joining the two web side walls to each other. The step of laser welding comprises alternatingly performing a first operation and a second operation, the second operation being different from the first operation, whereby a laser weld joint is provided comprising along its extension alternating welded first sections associated to the first operation and second sections associated to the second operation. The present invention also relates to an elongate profile member provided with a laser weld joint.

A suspended ceiling system in a room or in another accommodation may serve a variety of purposes. One purpose of having a suspended ceiling system may be to conceal an underside of a space, such as another room, which is located above the room. Another purpose may be to provide improved noise absorption and/or noise attenuation in and outside of the room. The resulting plenum space located between the suspended ceiling and a main ceiling of the room may further be utilized to accommodate e.g. wiring, piping, as well as devices related to heating, ventilation, and air condition.
Typically, the suspended ceiling consists of a plurality of ceiling tiles which are fitted into a supporting grid of profile members which is mounted in the main ceiling.
A profile member may be formed from a sheet of metal into the shape of an inverted T. The profile member may comprise a web having two web side walls and a pair of oppositely disposed flanges projecting from a bottom portion of the web. A reinforcing bulb may be formed at a top portion of the web.
It is desirable to keep the weight of the profile member as low as possible while still ensuring sufficent mechanical strength.
The strength and rigidity of the profile member may be improved by joining the the two web side walls to each other. Thus, a profile member having two web side walls joined together may be made of a relatively thin sheet of metal and still have sufficient mechanical strength.
The two web side walls may be joined in different ways, such by riveting or screwing.
Alternatively, the web side walls may be joined by gluing as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,718, or by stitching as disclosed in EP2964850.
Attempts of joining the web side walls by welding have also been made, for instance by laser welding as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,919.

Profile member and method for manufacturing thereof


An electrical wiring device, such as a GFCI duplex receptacle, includes a light source for lighting a selected area and a photo sensor to detect ambient light conditions and to actuate a light source when the ambient light conditions are below a predetermined level. The light source is preferably at least two LEDs having an associated light conducting member functioning as a light pipe that extends between the respective LED and the front face of the electrical wiring device. Each light conducting member has an inclined face extending through an opening in the cover of the wiring device to project a light beam at an inclined angle with respect to the front face of the wiring device. The light conducting members are independently rotatably mounted in the wiring device so that the user can manually rotated the light conducting member to direct the light beam to a selected area.

Various nightlights have been proposed and commonly used for providing low-level illumination of areas sufficient to enable a user to walk or move safely about an area. Nightlights are commonly used in bathrooms, and particularly hotel bathrooms, to illuminate the area, such as a floor, for people unfamiliar with the surroundings.
Lights have also been incorporated into electrical receptacles as indicators and to identify the location of the receptacle at low ambient light levels. These devices generally provide sufficient light to locate the electrical receptacle but do not provide sufficient light to illuminate the area around the electrical device.
One example of an electrical device having a light incorporated in the electrical device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,862,350 to Richter et al. This patent discloses a receptacle having a light along at least one side edge as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. A duplex electrical device is disclosed having a light in the housing and a translucent cover coupled to the front face that is flush with the front face and adjacent the duplex user-accessible interface. The cover is disclosed as extending along the front face between each of the electrical components and between the apertures. Other embodiments include an electrical device having a translucent cover over a light where the cover extends along at least ¼ the length of the front face. Another embodiment discloses an electrical device having two translucent covers extending adjacent the buttons of each GFCI where each cover extends over the light source and the light sensor. This patent further discloses an electrical device having a housing in the form of a single gang electrical enclosure, at least one additional housing and at least one additional electrical component in the additional housing.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0039086 to Jansen et al. discloses a GFCI receptacle having a nightlight. An electrical device has a light source to direct a peak radiation pattern along an axis and a light pipe having an angled surface. The light pipe is a lens that extends along the side edge of the receptacle as shown in FIG. 1C and has an angled surface that reflects the light through the front face as shown in FIG. 15.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,469 to Barton discloses an electrical device such as a switch or receptacle having a light source. The device has a power sensing and control means. This patent also discloses a method of providing safety lighting by concealing the lighting device. The method includes the steps of combining a light source with a conventional wiring device, controlling the on-off state and conveying light from the light source through a visible surface area of the wiring device by a lens or transparent material and where the device is concealed behind a standard cover plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,118,235 to Barton is a continuation-in-part of the '469 patent and discloses a lighting device having a housing with an electrical device, a light source to emit light through a visible surface of the housing and protruding through the cover plate, and a power-signal means to adjust the power level to energize the light source. The housing can have a surface area visible through a conventional cover plate window, a light source visible through the surface area, a power supply and a signal means to activate the signal means by a predetermined condition. A nightlight function is controlled by a light sensor.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,194,368 to Weeks et al. is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,989,489 to Savicki. This patent relates to a GFCI device with a center light having a protective assembly to prevent AC power from being accessed and a light assembly covering a substantial portion of the width.
While the prior devices have generally been suitable for their intended purpose, there is a continuing need in the industry for improved lighting devices and electrical receptacles. The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,805,469; 7,118,235; and 7,862,350 and Publication No. 2012/0039086 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

Lighted electrical device and receptacle


Received data representing voice information is subjected to Viterbi decoding to correct an error in the received data. Thereby, the received data is decoded into second data. A path metric is calculated to determine the second data during the Viterbi decoding. A decision is made as to whether or not at least one error is present in the second data by referring to a cyclic redundancy check code in the second data. The second data is discarded when it is decided that at least one error is present in the second data. A decision is made as to whether or not the calculated path metric exceeds a threshold value. The second data is discarded when it is decided that the path metric exceeds the threshold value. The second data is converted into sound when it is decided that at least one error is not present in the second data and that the path metric does not exceed the threshold value.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of data processing which includes error correction in, for example, digital communications. This invention also relates to an apparatus for data processing which includes error correction.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to use a CRC (cyclic redundancy check) code in detection of errors in data. According to some data communication formats, a stream of data representing voice information or audio information is divided into frames, and the data is transmitted frame by frame.
In the transmitter side of a known voice-data communication system, "m" bits of CRC code words (that is, error detection code words) are added to every "k" bits of first data representing voice information, so that the first data is converted to second data. Then, error correction code words are added to every "k+m" bits of the second data, and thereby the second data is converted to third data. The third data is transmitted frame by frame. Every frame of the third data contains "k+m" bits of the second data and the corresponding error correction code words.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 3-286623 discloses a sequence of processes implemented by a voice-data receiver side. In Japanese application 3-286623, received data is processed frame by frame. Specifically, every frame of the received data is subjected to a decoding process in response to error correction code words. An error or errors in every frame of the received data can be detected in the decoding process. If an error or errors in the present frame of the received data are detected in the decoding process, the present frame of the received data is discarded. In this case, the present frame of new data is generated by interpolation using the previous frame of the received data, or the present frame of muting data is generated. The present frame of the new data or the muting data is used by a voice recovering process. On the other hand, if any error in the present frame of the received data is not detected in the decoding process, the present frame of the decoding-resultant data is subjected to error detection using CRC code words. If an error or errors in the present frame of the decoding-resultant data are detected during the error detection, the present frame of the decoding-resultant data is discarded. In this case, the present frame of new data is generated by interpolation using the previous frame of the decoding-resultant data, or the present frame of muting data is generated. The present frame of the new data or the muting data is used by the voice recovering process. On the other hand, if any error in the present frame of the decoding-resultant data is not detected during the error detection, the present frame of the decoding-resultant data is used by the voice recovering process. The present frame of the new data, the muting data, or the decoding-resultant data is converted by the voice recovering process into original voice used as output voice.
Generally, some of errors in data can not be sensed by typical error detection using CRC code words. Accordingly, such errors tend to remain in the data converted into output voice. These errors cause noise in the output voice.

Method and apparatus for error correction

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.