A disinfectant comprising the following (a), (b), (c) and (d), but no other microbicidal disinfecting agents intended for microbicidal disinfection:    (a) 40 to 90% (w/w) of ethanol, isopropyl alcohol or a mixture thereof;    (b) 0.1 to 2% (w/w) of lactic acid;    (c) 0.01 to 2% (w/w) of citric acid; and    (d) 0.001 to 0.1% (w/w) of a zinc-containing compound which releases zinc ion in solution, relative to the whole disinfectant.

It is known that addition of an organic acid to a lower alcohol such as ethanol enhances a microbicidal activity of ethanol preparations for food preservation.
For example, the patent literatures 1 and 2 individually disclose ethanol preparations for food preservation comprising ethanol, and an organic acid or a salt thereof, etc. The patent literatures 3 and 4 individually describe that microbicides comprising an alcohol such as ethanol and an organic acid can be used for hand wash and hand disinfection. The patent literature 5 discloses a sanitizing hand cleanser that can be used without water, comprising about 60 to 90% by weight of an organic alcohol, about 5 to 35% by weight of one or more silicone-based materials, about 5% by weight or less of one or more humectants, about 12% by weight or less of one or more additives for maintaining the skin pH, and one or more thickeners at such a concentration that the viscosity of the cleanser is within the range of 100 to 10,000 cp at about 25° C. The patent literature 6 discloses an alcohol preparation for reducing a population of microorganisms at low temperature, which is used for refrigerated or frozen foods, etc. and which comprises ethyl alcohol and phytic acid as essential ingredients.
Such ethanol preparations have a microbicidal activity, but the above literatures do not teach the activity of the preparations against viruses.
The patent literature 7 describes a method for disinfection, comprising contact with a 0.05 to 3% by weight aqueous solution of citric acid to inactivate a hepatitis virus B. In this method, lactic acid, malic acid and/or tartaric acid may be further added to the above solution. The patent literature 8 discloses a broad spectrum virucide comprising at least 70% by weight of ethanol and/or propanol, and 0.5 to 5% by weight of a short chain organic acid. The virucide in question has a short chain organic acid especially with 2 to 6 carbon atoms and is effective against a wide range of viruses, such as polioviruses, vaccinia viruses, SV40-viruses and adenoviruses. The literature also describes that this virucide can be used for hand disinfection as an example of its application.
The patent literature 9 discloses a virucidal disinfectant comprising an effective amount of a salt of metals belonging to alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, earth metals, and/or metals of the first, second or third secondary group of the periodic system of elements (transition element), in the form of an aqueous or alcoholic solution. In the Examples, the disinfectant was examined for its effectiveness against polioviruses, adenoviruses, vaccinia viruses and SV40 tumor viruses. The patent literature 10 discloses a method for reducing a population of a microorganism, comprising contact, at 5° C. or lower, with an aqueous alcoholic salt solution comprising 70 to 80 wt % alcohol; an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, zinc or a mixture thereof; a chloride or a phosphate; and the like, and the method reportedly showed a virucidal effect against adenoviruses etc., below the freezing point.
However, the virucides according to the patent literatures 7 to 10 are not satisfying enough to provide a fast-acting and persistent effect.
The patent literature 11 discloses a composition comprising (a) a divalent zinc salt as an essential ingredient, and optionally (b) an disinfecting alcohol, (c) an antimicrobial agent, and (d) an organic acid, wherein the composition has a pH of 5. This literature also discloses a method for reducing a bacteria and virus population, comprising contacting hands etc. with the composition for 30 seconds to achieve a log reduction of at least 4 against an acid-labile virus. The patent literature 12 discloses an anti-irritant composition comprising two or more water-soluble organic salts of zinc at concentrations of 0.1 to 2% (w/w), wherein the anti-irritant composition further comprises water, an alcohol and one or more agents selected from the group consisting of a gelling agent, a thickener, a hydrophilic or hydrophobic polymer, an emulsifier and an emollient. However, the composition according to the patent literature 11 or 12 also has room for improvement of its fast-acting and persistent effect.
The patent literature 13 discloses a pre-surgical disinfecting composition comprising a C1-6 alcohol in an amount of at least about 50 mass % based on the total mass of the disinfecting composition; an acid selected from an inorganic acid, an organic acid and a mixture thereof; and a cationic oligomer or polymer, wherein the composition provides a log kill of greater than about 3 in less than about 3 minutes against resident and transient skin flora. The patent literature 13 also discloses that the composition may further comprise a transition metal compound such as a zinc compound as an auxiliary antimicrobial agent. However, this composition also has room for improvement of its fast-acting effect.    Patent Literature 1: JP-A 3-168075    Patent Literature 2: JP-A 63-22171    Patent Literature 3: JP-A 11-5734    Patent Literature 4: JP-A 2002-253188    Patent Literature 5: JP-A 2004-107667    Patent Literature 6: JP-A 7-298862    Patent Literature 7: JP-B 3761199    Patent Literature 8: JP-A 63-14702    Patent Literature 9: JP-W 7-504175    Patent Literature 10: U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,553    Patent Literature 11: WO2006/062845    Patent Literature 12: JP-W 2005-524634    Patent Literature 13: JP-A 2007-211012

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An integrated test method for testing the operation of an electrical power converter powered by an on-board power supply network and using field-oriented control to control a three-phase electric motor for a thrust reverser of a turbojet of an aircraft is provided. The method includes: receiving an order to initiate the integrated test; controlling the converter from a current setpoint defined from a non-zero in-phase component and a zero quadratic component; measuring the currents delivered on each of the three outlet phases of said converter; determining in-phase and quadratic components of the three phase currents previously measured; comparing these components with the in-phase and quadratic components of the current setpoint; and sending a notification concerning the malfunctioning or the functioning of the thrust reverser as a function of the result of the comparison.

The invention relates to an integrated test method for testing the operation of the electrical control system for reversing thrust of an aircraft turbojet.
In an aircraft, the architecture of electric thrust reversers generally relies on an electrical converter of variable drive speed, or power controller, coupled to an electric motor driving an actuator system for actuating a thrust reverser.
The electrical converter transforms the electrical power supply of the aircraft to produce as output mechanical torque on a drive shaft and thereby deliver mechanical power to the entire linkage responsible for reversing thrust.
The operation of that electrical converter cannot be tested in flight. More precisely, it is not possible at present to test the operation of such an electrical converter prior to making use of thrust reverser. The main and logical reason is that activating thrust reversers in flight is prohibited since it generates reverse thrust and a loss of speed at an inappropriate instant.
Thus, at present, potential unavailability of the electrical converter of the actuator system can be detected in flight only at the moment when the reversal function is required. The pilot thus becomes aware of a malfunction only at the time of activating thrust reversal while landing.

Integrated test method for testing the electrical operation of a thrust reverser of an aircraft turbojet, and an associated system


The present invention relates to compositions and methods for enhancing bioavailability of health-promoting substances, such as pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements. The subject invention utilizes an adjuvant composition comprising one or more microbial-produced biosurfactants and/or isoforms thereof, to enhance bioavailability of health-promoting substances and to reduce the effective dosage that is required.

In general, bioavailability can refer to the rate and extent to which a substance reaches and enters a desired body system of a living organism, and can be effective therein. Specifically, bioavailability in the context of pharmacology is a measure of the rate and extent to which a drug reaches a site of action. In the realm of nutrition, bioavailability for food and dietary supplements can be defined as the proportion of an administered substance (or ingested substance) capable of being absorbed by the body and which is then available for use or storage in the body. Furthermore, bioavailability can also be the measure by which certain substances from the environment enter a living organism.
The bioavailability of a substance can play an important role in its usefulness for a living organism, and can change based on a variety of factors. For example, the bioavailability of ingested substances can be affected by the solubility of the substance, the rejection of the substance by the epithelium, or the speed at which the substance enters through the layers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Substances with low solubility may not have a sufficient retention time, as they are incapable of penetrating either through the cells or the tight junctions between the cells of the GI tract. Thus, most, if not all of the substance is released from the body, unabsorbed and unused.
In addition to solubility, rejection of the substance is another factor affecting bioavailability. For example, many substances can be rejected by P-glycoprotein 1, a protein of the cell membrane that pumps foreign substances out of cells. More formally, it is an ATP-dependent efflux pump with broad substrate specificity. This pump is thought to have evolved as a defense mechanism against harmful substances, but can serve as an obstacle in many cases when a foreign, yet desirable, substance is sought to be introduced into the body. It is broadly distributed and expressed in the cells of a variety of organs, including the intestinal epithelium, where it pumps, for example, xenobiotics, back into the intestinal lumen; in liver cells, where it pumps substances into bile ducts; in the cells of the proximal tubule of the kidney, where it pumps substances into the urine-conducting ducts; and in the capillary endothelial cells composing the blood-brain barrier and blood-testis barrier, where it pumps substances back into the capillaries.
Pharmaceuticals, supplements and nutrition are important aspects of leading a healthy life; however, the dosage or amount of certain health-promoting substances that must be administered to a subject is often far greater than is actually needed to have a desired effect. This is because evolutionary obstacles hinder the bioavailability of certain compounds and nutrients from reaching a desired site of action, for example, through epithelial cells and through the blood-brain barrier.
Thus, there is a need for compositions and methods that are capable of enhancing the bioavailability of a broad range of pharmaceuticals, supplements, nutrients and other health-promoting substances that are administered to a subject.

Compositions for enhancing bioavailability of pharmaceuticals, supplements and ingested substances


Methods and apparatus for ensuring protection of transferred content. In one embodiment, content is transferred while enabling a network operator (e.g., MSO) to control and change rights and restrictions at any time, and irrespective of subsequent transfers. This is accomplished in one implementation by providing a premises device configured to receive content in a first encryption format and encodes using a first codec, with an ability to transcrypt and/or transcode the content into an encryption format and encoding format compatible with a device which requests the content therefrom (e.g., from PowerKey/MPEG-2 content to DRM/MPEG-4 content). The premises device uses the same content key to encrypt the content as is used by the requesting device to decrypt the content.

1. Technology Field
The disclosure relates generally to the field of data and content distribution and delivery via a content distribution or other network. In one exemplary aspect, the disclosure relates to the delivery or transfer of content in a protected manner.
2. Description of Related Technology
A wide range of services and functions including e.g., digital programming (movies, etc.), digital video-on-demand (VOD), personal video recorder (PVR), Internet Protocol television (IPTV), digital media playback and recording, as well high-speed Internet access and IP-based telephony (e.g., VoIP), etc. are available for delivery to consumers at their premises for reasonable prices or subscription fees. Other services available to network users include access to and recording of digital music (e.g., MP3 files), as well local area networking (including wire-line and wireless local area networks or WLANs) for distributing these services throughout the user's premises, and beyond.
The foregoing services and functions may be provided to the user via a wide variety of different equipment environments including, inter alia, cable modems, Wi-Fi hubs, WMANs (such as e.g., WiMAX networks), Ethernet hubs, gateways, switches and routers, computers, servers, cable set-top boxes, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), cellular telephones/smartphones (including e.g., LTE-enabled networks), tablet computers (including so-called "phablets"), and portable digital music devices. Additionally, the foregoing may be provided by one or more vendors or service providers including e.g., a cable service provider (e.g., MSO), cellular service provider (CSP), wireless service provider (WSP), VoIP service provider, music download service, Internet service provider (ISP), PSTN telephone service, etc., and/or content may be distributed between devices in any of the foregoing networks.
As the number of devices and providers increases, there is an increased need to provide integration across multiple delivery platforms and networks. Specifically, movement of content delivered by these services within the user's premises (and/or outside the premises, such as between networks) is often substantially frustrated, largely due to concerns relating to protection of valuable (e.g., copyrighted) content, and surreptitious reproduction and distribution thereof. Such unauthorized reproduction and distribution not only detracts from the network operator's revenue and commercial viability, but also that of the content source (e.g., movie studio, recording studio/artist, etc.).
Various methods have heretofore been employed by network operators in order to attempt to frustrate surreptitious access to, and copying and distribution of, valuable content. For example, conditional access (CA) technologies have been utilized for such purposes. Additionally, symmetric or asymmetric encryption technologies, such as those in accordance with the Data Encryption Standard (DES) technique or Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) may be used to secure content delivery. So-called "trusted domains" and digital rights management (DRM) solutions have also been utilized for this purpose. Each of these techniques is now described in greater detail.
Conditional Access
Conditional access (CA) technologies are typically incorporated into content-based networks, such technologies including the digital encoding of various types of data including audio and video programming and music. Conditional access can generally be defined as the control of when and how a user may view and use the associated programming or information. Different types of conditional access may be desirable in a network delivery system in order to, e.g., accommodate improvements in the technology over time, as well as different conditional access attributes such as security and category of programming or user access level.
A variety of traditional methods of conditional access exist including, e.g., "PowerKey", NDS, and DigiCipher. A generalized conditional access model is also provided by the well-known DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) Specification TS 101 197 V1.2.1 (02/02), DVB SimulCrypt; Part 1: "Head-end architecture and synchronization", and TS 103 197 V1.2.1 (02/02): "Head-end Implementation of SimulCrypt", each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIG. 1a illustrates an exemplary prior art architecture 200 for providing content to a plurality of consumer premises equipment (CPE) via e.g., an HFC network using a conditional access scheme. Specifically, the network 100 distributes PowerKey protected content to the CPE. In order to access the content, each CPE utilizes the so-called "CableCard" plug-in security module access technology (also known as "a point-of-deployment (POD) module"). See, e.g., the CableCard-Host interface specification, which defines the interface between a digital cable receiver or STB (Host device) and the CableCard device provided by the MSO/cable operator. CableCard was developed to satisfy certain security requirements, and to allow retail availability of host devices, e.g., set-top boxes, digital cable ready televisions, DVRs, personal computers (PCs), integrated digital televisions, etc., for receiving cable services. The CableCard, comprising a PCMCIA device, can be inserted into a host device, allowing a viewer to receive cable systems' secure digital video services, e.g., pay-per-view (PPV) TV, electronic program guides, premium subscription channels, etc.
Specifically, the CableCard contains conditional access functionality, as well as the capability of converting messages to a common format. Thus, the CableCard provides a cable operator with a secure device at the subscriber premises, and acts as a translator so that the host device needs to understand a single protocol, regardless of the type of the network to which it is connected.
In FIG. 1a, the same PowerKey protected content (Content A) may therefore be sent to multiple CPE. Each CPE can then use its CableCard to access the content.
However, the requirement for a CableCard is comparatively tedious and expensive, especially given the recent trend toward home networking techniques which enable content transfer to and use on all of a user's devices (including personal computers, laptop and notebook computers, tablets, smartphones, etc.).
Moreover, the prior art PowerKey approach described above has no authentication entity or "proxy" that can authenticate CPE or other connected devices in anticipation of providing download services, no video (media) provisioning system, and hence by nature is highly localized.
"Trusted Domains"
Another related approach for content protection comprises the creation and enforcement of a "trusted domain" or TD. Specifically, such a trusted domain (TD) comprises an area (physically or virtually) within which programming or other content is protected from unauthorized access, distribution and copying. For example, in a cable network, a trusted domain may include not only the network portion where programming content traditionally is secured by, and within total control of, a cable operator (including, e.g., the headend, HFC delivery network, etc.,) but also user devices or CPE at subscribers' premises which are capable of receiving and securely storing programming content.
Using the trusted domain approach, the network operator can guarantee certain subscriber access, distribution, and usage policy enforcement with respect to content held within the domain. For example, a digital representation of a movie held within an operator's TD (e.g., on a hard drive of a user device) cannot be distributed over the Internet, wireless network, etc. in viewable form, and cannot become a source for duplication of multiple viewable copies.
Accordingly, a home network on which content may be transferred may be created; however, additional mechanisms are needed to ensure protection of the content within the trusted domain. One exemplary approach of implementing a trusted domain, described in co-owned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0047957 filed Dec. 7, 2004 and entitled "Technique For Securely Communicating Programming Content", now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,312,267, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, comprises using two cryptographic elements (e.g., encryption keys), associated with a user and his/her client device(s), respectively, that control access to content stored in the client device(s) within the domain. For example, the content stored in the client device may be encrypted using a private or secret key in accordance with the Data Encryption Standard (DES) or Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithms. When the encrypted content is transported from the client device to another device within the domain associated with the same user (or other common parameter or feature), the second device needs the cryptographic element (e.g., the secret key) to decrypt the encrypted content. To that end, the second device also receives from the source device an encrypted version of this secret key. The latter is generated by encrypting the secret key using a second and distinct cryptographic element (e.g., a public key in accordance with a public key algorithm) associated with the subscriber. The second device provides the encrypted version of the secret key to a remote apparatus, e.g., in a headend, where the secret key is recovered based on at least the encrypted version of the secret key and data relating to that user or client device. The second device then receives from the head-end another encrypted version of the secret key, which is generated by encrypting the recovered secret key using a third cryptographic element (e.g., a public key in accordance with a public key algorithm) associated with the second device. Based on at least this second encrypted version of the secret key, the secret key can be recovered in the second device to decrypt the encrypted content.
However, generally speaking, any "trusted domains" that might be established are not extendable beyond the CPE on the client side of the delivery network.
Digital Rights Management (DRM)
Another approach used to control the distribution and use of protected content within a content-based network is to employ so-called digital rights management (DRM). For example, Media rights management systems such as the Microsoft Windows® Media Digital Rights Manager (DRM), may be used.
FIG. 1b illustrates an exemplary prior art network for transfer of content using DRM techniques. As shown, the network generally comprises a content server in communication with a plurality of client devices (CPE 1, CPE 2, etc.) via a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network.
First content, Content A-1 is provided to a first CPE (CPE 1), upon request therefor. The digital media or content is encrypted and locked with a "license key" that is particular to the requesting device (DRM License 1). The license key is stored in a license file or other data structure which is distributed separately from the media or content to the requesting device. A user can obtain the encrypted media file from a content server (such as by, e.g., receiving it in a broadcast, downloading it from a web site, purchasing it on a physical media, etc.). To play the digital media file, the user must acquire the license file including the license key for that media file from a DRM server. The user acquires the license key by accessing a pre-delivered license (which includes license terms or policies). Alternatively, when the user plays the file for the first time, a procedure is invoked for retrieving the license via a network connection or other delivery mode (e.g., the Internet). After obtaining the license with the license key, the user is able to access the media file according to the rules or rights specified in the license policies.
It is noted that, in FIG. 1b, the system operator (e.g., MSO) provides a means for encrypting the requested content with the device-specific license key to create the secured content file (Content A-1). The requesting CPE (CPE 1) will require the DRM license (DRM License 1) to access the content in the file as discussed above. In order to ensure that the requesting device and/or user is entitled to access the content, an association or data record is generated and maintained at a database at the network headend. Upon request for the DRM license, the DRM server determines whether the user/device is entitled to access prior to providing the DRM license thereto.
The DRM license includes rights of the devices and/or users, the rights determine aspects of the playback, copying, transfer, etc. of the content. The content source may set the usage rules and policies for licensing the content. When the user/device requests the DRM license from the DRM server, such as via a trusted software client, the rights particular to that user are utilized. The trusted client retrieves the content file and the content key, which it uses to then access the content.
As illustrated in FIG. 1b, when a second CPE (CPE 2) requests the same content (Content A), the content server provides content encrypted with a content key specific to the second device thereby creating a Content A-2 version of the requested content. Likewise, the DRM server will provide CPE 2 with DRM License 2 for accessing the protected content.
However, as previously noted, existing DRM technologies utilize device-specific encryption/decryption keys. Such DRM-based systems are accordingly incompatible with the previously referenced home networking models, as the transfer thereon would result in either (i) content that is not usable at the receiving device (due to failure to possess the appropriate license key or file), or (ii) simply a transfer of the content in an unprotected form.
Moreover, similar to CA technologies, the DRM approach described above has no authentication entity or "proxy" that can authenticate CPE or other connected devices in anticipation of providing download services, no video (media) provisioning system, and hence by nature is highly localized.
Various other technologies have demonstrated an ability to transfer content within a home network; however, such systems either do not use any DRM content protection, or utilize in-home DRM license generation for content protection. For example, the Motorola Televation™ device receives PowerKey signaling, and securely translates the rights and restrictions of that content from the PowerKey signaling to an Internet Protocol Rights Management-Home Network (IPRM-HN)/SecureMedia in-home DRM license. However, as discussed herein, in-home DRM license generation requires sharing sensitive information with the in-home device. Therefore, this mechanism dilutes the security of the DRM system, and may threaten the protection of the content.
Accordingly, improved apparatus and methods for distributing digital services to (and within) a user's premises are needed. Such improved apparatus and methods would ideally provide protection of content within the user's premises network, as well as outside of the premises network and across other networks.
In addition, the improved apparatus and methods would ideally enable content transfer within a given premises network in accordance with the rights established for the specific content, user, and/or rendering or storage device, without diluting or otherwise compromising the security of the transferred content.

Apparatus and methods for content transfer protection


A synthetic polynucleotide and a method are disclosed for selectively expressing a protein in a target cell or tissue of a mammal. Selective expression is effected by replacing at least one existing codon of a parent polynucleotide encoding a protein of interest with a synonymous codon to produce a synthetic polynucleotide having altered translational kinetics compared to the parent polynucleotide. The synonymous codon is selected such that it has a higher translational efficiency in the target cell or tissue relative to one or more other cells or tissues of the mammal.

This invention relates generally to gene therapy. More particularly, the present invention relates to a synthetic polynucleotide and to a method for selectively expressing a protein in a target cell or tissue in which at least one existing codon of a parent polynucleotide encoding the protein has been replaced with a synonymous codon. The invention also relates to production of virus particles using one or more synthetic polynucleotides and the method according to the invention.
While gene therapy is of great clinical interest for treatment of gene defects, this therapy has not entered into mainstream clinical practice, at least in part because selective delivery of genes to target tissues has proven extremely difficult. Currently, viral vectors are used, particularly retroviruses and adenovirus, which are to some extent selective. However, many vector systems are by their nature unable to produce stable integrants and some also invoke immune responses thereby preventing effective treatment. Alternatively, xe2x80x9cnakedxe2x80x9d DNA is packaged in liposomes or other similar delivery systems. A major problem to be overcome is that such gene delivery systems themselves are not tissue selective, whereas selective targeting of genes to particular tissues would be desirable for many disorders (e.g., cancer therapy). While use of tissue specific promoters to target gene therapy has been effective in some animal models it has proven less so in man, and selective tissue specific promoters are not available for a wide range of tissues.
The current invention has arisen unexpectedly from recent investigations exploring why papillomavirus (PV) late gene expression is restricted to differentiated keratinocytes. In this regard, it is known that PV late genes L1 and L2 are only expressed in non-dividing differentiated keratinocytes (KCs). Many investigators including the present inventors have been unable to detect significant PV L1 and L2 protein expression when these genes are transduced or transfected into undifferentiated cultured cells, using a range of conventional constitutive viral promoters including retroviral long terminal repeats (LTRs) and the strong constitutive promoters of CMV and SV40.
PV L1 mRNA can however be efficiently translated in vitro using rabbit reticulocyte cell lysate, suggesting that there are no cellular inhibitors in the lysate interfering with translation of L1. The major difference between the in vitro and in vivo translation systems is that L1 comprises the dominant L1 mRNA in in vitro translation reactions, while it constitutes a minor fraction among the cellular mRNAs in intact cells.
In vivo, PV late proteins are not produced in undifferentiated KC. However, they are expressed in large quantity in highly differentiated KC. The mechanism of this tight control of late gene expression has been poorly understood, and searches by many groups for KC specific PV gene transcriptional control proteins have been unrewarding.
Blockage of translation of L1 mRNA in vivo has been attributed to sequences within the L1 ORF (Tan et al. 1995, J. Virol. 69 5607-5620; Tan and Schwartz, 1995, J. Virol. 69 2932-2945). By using a Rev and Rev-responsive element of HIV, such inhibition could be overcome (Tan et al. 1995, supra) . Accordingly, the inventors examined whether removal of putative xe2x80x9cinhibitory sequencesxe2x80x9d in the L1 ORF would allow production of L1 protein in undifferentiated cells. Deletion mutagenesis of BPV L1 to remove putative inhibitory sequences and expression of resultant deletion mutants in CV-1 cells revealed surprisingly that despite expression of L1 mRNA, L1 protein could not be detected.
In view of the foregoing, it has been difficult hitherto to understand how papillomaviruses produce large amounts of L1 protein in the late stage of their life cycle using this apparently xe2x80x9cuntranslatablexe2x80x9d gene. The present inventors have discovered the mechanism by which L1 protein is expressed in the late stage of the life cycle of this virus, and have also discovered a method of general application whereby polynucleotides can be designed or modified in order to effect selective expression of a protein in a target cell or tissue.
Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of constructing a synthetic polynucleotide from which a protein is selectively expressible in a target cell of a mammal, relative to another cell of the mammal, said method comprising:
selecting a first codon of a parent polynucleotide for replacement with a synonymous codon which has a higher translational efficiency in said target cell than in said other cell; and
replacing said first codon with said synonymous codon to form said synthetic polynucleotide.
Preferably, said first codon and said synonymous codon are selected by:
comparing translational efficiencies of individual codons in said target cell relative to said other cell; and
selecting said first codon and said synonymous codon based on said comparison.
A translational efficiency of a codon may be determined by any suitable technique. In a preferred embodiment, the translational efficiency of a codon is measured by:
introducing into said target cell and into said other cell, a synthetic construct comprising a reporter polynucleotide fused in frame with a tandem repeat (e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 or more) of said individual codon, wherein said reporter polynucleotide encodes a reporter protein, and wherein said synthetic construct is operably linked to a regulatory polynucleotide; and
comparing expression of said reporter protein in said target cell and in said other cell to determine the translational efficiency of said individual codon in said target cell relative to said other cell.
Preferably, the above method is further characterized by:
introducing the synthetic construct into a progenitor cell of a cell selected from the group consisting of said target cell and said other cell; and
producing said target cell from said progenitor cell, wherein said cell contains said synthetic construct.
Suitably, this method is further characterized by:
introducing the synthetic construct into a progenitor cell of a cell selected from the group consisting of said target cell and said other cell; and
growing an organism or part thereof from said progenitor cell, wherein said organism comprises said cell containing said synthetic construct.
The above method may be further characterized by the step of introducing the synthetic construct into an organism or part thereof such that said synthetic construct is introduced into said target cell or said other cell.
Preferably, said synonymous codon corresponds to a reporter construct from which the reporter protein is expressed in said target cell at a level that is at least 110%, preferably at least 200%, more preferably at least 500%, and most preferably at least 1000%, of that expressed from the same reporter construct in said other cell.
In an alternate embodiment, the translational efficiency of a codon is compared by measuring the abundance of an iso-tRNA corresponding to said individual codon in said target cell relative to said other cell.
Preferably, said synonymous codon corresponds to an iso-tRNA which is in higher abundance in the target cell relative to said other cell.
Preferably, selecting said first codon and said synonymous codon comprises:
measuring abundance of different iso-tRNAs in said target cell relative to said other cell; and
selecting said first codon and said synonymous codon based on said measurement, wherein said synonymous codon corresponds to an iso-tRNA which is in higher abundance in said target cell than in said other cell.
Advantageously, said synonymous codon corresponds to an iso-tRNA that is present in said target cell at a level which is at least 110%, preferably at least 200%, more preferably at least 500%, and most preferably at least 1000%, of the level that is present in said other cell.
Alternatively, the step of selecting may be characterized in that a synonymous codon according to the invention is selected from the group consisting of (1) a codon used at relatively high frequency by genes, preferably highly expressed genes, of a said target cell or tissue, (2) a codon used at relatively high frequency by genes, preferably highly expressed genes, of the mammal, (3) a codon used at relatively low frequency by genes of a said one or more other cells or tissues, and (4) a codon used at relatively low frequency by genes of another organism.
The step of selecting may be characterized in that a first codon according to the invention is selected from the group consisting of (a) a codon used at relatively high frequency by genes, preferably highly expressed genes, of a said one or more other cells or tissues, (b) a codon used at relatively low frequency by genes of a said target cell or tissue, (c) a codon used at relatively low frequency by genes of the mammal, and (d) a codon used at relatively high frequency by genes of another organism.
In a preferred embodiment, the method further includes the step of selecting the first codon and the synonymous codon such that said protein is expressed from said synthetic polynucleotide in said target cell or tissue at a level which is at least 110%, preferably at least 200%, more preferably at least 500%, and most preferably at least 1000%, of that expressed from said parent polynucleotide in said target cell or tissue.
Preferably, the other cell is a precursor cell of the target cell. Alternatively, the other cell may be a cell derived from the target cell.
In another aspect, the invention provides a synthetic polynucleotide constructed according to any one of the above methods.
Suitably, said synonymous codon(s) are selected from the group consisting of gca (Ala), cuu (Leu) and cua (Leu), when said target cell is a differentiated cell, and more preferably when said target cell is a differentiated keratinocyte.
Synonymous codons for higher level expression of a protein in an undifferentiated cell, preferably an undifferentiated keratinocyte, are suitably selected from the group consisting of cga (Arg), cci (Pro) and aag (Asn).
Synonymous codon(s) are preferably selected from the group consisting of aga (Arg), cgg (Arg), tgc (Cys), gga (Gly), ggc (Gly), ccg (Pro), cga (Pro), aca (Thr), acg (Thr), and act (Thr), when said target cell is an undifferentiated cell, and preferably an undifferentiated epithelial cell.
Suitably, the first codon is selected from the group consisting of agg (Arg), tgt (Cys), ggg (Gly), ggt (Gly), ccc (Pro), cct (Pro), and acc (Thr), when said target cell is an undifferentiated cell, and preferably an undifferentiated epithelial cell.
In yet another aspect, the invention resides in a method for selectively expressing a protein in a target cell or tissue of a mammal, said method comprising:
replacing a first codon of a parent polynucleotide encoding said protein with a synonymous codon to produce a synthetic polynucleotide having altered translational kinetics compared to said parent polynucleotide, such that said protein is expressible in said target cell, but such that said protein is not substantially expressible in another cell of the mammal; and
introducing into a cell selected from the group consisting of said target cell and a precursor of said target cell, said synthetic polynucleotide operably linked to a regulatory polynucleotide. The protein is thereby selectively expressed in said target cell.
Preferably, said synonymous codon has a higher translational efficiency in said target cell than in said other cell.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method of expressing a protein in a target cell from a first polynucleotide, said method comprising:
introducing into a cell selected from the group consisting of said target cell and a precursor of said target cell, a second polynucleotide encoding an iso-tRNA, wherein said second polynucleotide is operably linked to a regulatory polynucleotide, and wherein said iso-tRNA is normally in relatively low abundance in said target cell and corresponds to a codon of said first polynucleotide. The protein is thereby expressed in the target cell.
In a further aspect, the invention extends to a method of producing a virus particle in a cycling eukaryotic cell, wherein said virus particle comprises a protein necessary for assembly of said virus particle, and wherein said protein is not expressed in said cell from a parent polynucleotide at a level sufficient to permit virus assembly therein, said method comprising:
replacing a first codon of said parent polynucleotide with a synonymous codon to produce a synthetic polynucleotide having altered translational kinetics compared to said parent polynucleotide, such that said protein is expressible from said synthetic polynucleotide in said cycling eukaryotic cell at a level sufficient to permit virus assembly therein; and
introducing into a recipient cell selected from the group consisting of said cycling eukaryotic cell and a precursor of said cycling eukaryotic cell said synthetic polynucleotide operably linked to a regulatory polynucleotide, wherein said recipient cell comprises said protein necessary for assembly of said virus particle. The protein is thereby expressed and said virus particle is produced in said cycling eukaryotic cell.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a virus particle in a cycling cell, wherein said virus particle comprises at least one protein necessary for assembly of said virus particle, wherein said protein is not expressed in said cell from a parent polynucleotide at a level sufficient to permit virus assembly therein, and wherein a codon of said parent polynucleotide is rate limiting for the production of said protein, said method comprising introducing into said cell a polynucleotide capable of expressing therein an iso-tRNA specific for said codon. The virus particle is thereby produced in the cycling cell.
The invention also includes cells, vectors, and viruses made by any of the methods described above, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more such cells, vectors, and viruses together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Nucleic acid sequence and methods for selectively expressing a protein in a target cell or tissue


Embodiments of the present invention relate to a resource configuration method, a terminal device, and a base station, the embodiments are applicable for V2X. The method includes: obtaining, by a terminal device, at least one of configuration information of a first resource, configuration information of at least one set of synchronization resources, time domain period information, bitmap information, configuration information of a reserved resource, and configuration information of a time division duplex TDD system; and performing, by the terminal device, the D2D data transmission based on the bitmap information and the second resource. The terminal device may determine the quantity of reserved subframes and the time domain location of the reserved subframe based on information sent by a base station or preconfigured information, and further accurately perform the D2D data transmission by using the second resource based on the bitmap information.

In recent years, people pay more attention to the Internet of Vehicles. Road traffic safety and reliability are improved and traffic efficiency is enhanced through vehicle-to-vehicle communication or communication between a vehicle and a roadside unit. An Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) includes Internet of Vehicles technologies such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-road communication. A transmission technology used in the ITS includes a Long Term Evolution-Vehicle (LTE-V) transmission technology. The LTE-V usually uses a device-to-device (D2D) communication mode.
As shown in FIG. 1, there are two scenarios for vehicle-to-vehicle communication in an LTE-V system: in coverage (IC) and out of coverage (OOC). In an OOC scenario, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is used as an LTE-V synchronization source. In an IC scenario, a base station or a GNSS is used as an LTE-V synchronization source. In addition, a terminal device may also be used as a synchronization source. In the IC or OOC scenario, if the terminal device can neither receive a signal of the GNSS nor receive a signal of the base station, the terminal device may be used as a synchronization source and send a synchronization signal. The synchronization source is used by a vehicle terminal to obtain timing synchronization. The timing synchronization is implemented between vehicle terminals by configuring a synchronization resource of the LTE-V system to send a synchronization subframe.
In the LTE-V system, the synchronization resource may be sent by the base station, or preconfigured. In the IC scenario, there is usually only one set of synchronization resources. The vehicle terminal may receive a synchronization source signal sent by the base station or the GNSS. The vehicle terminal sends synchronization information to another vehicle terminal device by using the synchronization resource of the LTE-V system. For example, a terminal device V2 in FIG. 1 sends synchronization information to a terminal device V3. In the OOC scenario, there are usually two sets of synchronization resources. When the vehicle terminal device cannot receive the synchronization source signal sent by the GNSS, for example, the terminal device V3 in FIG. 1 may receive, by using one set of synchronization resources, the synchronization information sent by the terminal device V2, and the terminal device V3 may send the synchronization information to a terminal device V4 and/or a terminal device V5 by using the other set of synchronization resources. In each set of synchronization resources, synchronization signals have a fixed period. For example, the synchronization period is 160 ms. If two sets of synchronization resources are configured, the two sets of synchronization resources have different time offsets. Therefore, the two sets of synchronization resources are time-division. An out-of-coverage user receives a synchronization signal on one set of synchronization resources, and sends the synchronization signal on the other set of synchronization resources.
In the LTE-V system, a synchronization subframe is not used for data transmission. Therefore, a subframe that is of a resource pool and that can be used for LTE-V data transmission is a system subframe other than the synchronization subframe, and a configuration of the resource pool is indicated by using a bitmap. A length of the bitmap is 16 bits, 20 bits, or 100 bits. Each bit in the bitmap indicates whether a subframe in the resource pool is available. A period of a system frame number (SFN) or a direct frame number (DFN) includes 10240 subframes. If a quantity of remaining subframes other than the synchronization subframe is not an integral multiple of the bitmap length, a bitmap indication goes beyond an SFN period boundary or a DFN period boundary. Consequently, the indication is blurred. Therefore, in the LTE-V system, a specific quantity of subframes are reserved, and these reserved subframes are not used for LTE-V data transmission. In this way, subframes other than the synchronization subframe and the reserved subframes in the LTE-V resource pool can be represented by using an integral multiple of a bitmap, to avoid a case in which an indication is blurred because the bitmap indication goes beyond the SFN period boundary or the DFN period boundary. As shown in FIG. 2, 201 represents a synchronization subframe in an SFN or a DFN, 202 represents subframes other than the synchronization subframe in the SFN or the DFN and may also be understood as an LTE-V resource pool, and 203 represents indication blurring because a bitmap indication goes beyond an SFN period boundary or a DFN period boundary.
However, currently, how to enable a terminal device to determine a location of a reserved subframe and accurately transmit data by using an LTE-V resource pool based on a bitmap is not correspondingly discussed in the prior art.

Resource configuration method, terminal device, and base station


A zoom lens of the invention has three lens groups. In the zoom lens, magnification change is performed by moving only one lens group among the three lens groups, and focus adjustments is performed by moving one of a first lens group and a second lens group counted from an enlargement conjugate side among the three lens groups. In addition, the zoom lens is approximately telecentric on reduction conjugate side thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens and an image projection apparatus having the zoom lens which are, for instance, suitable for a liquid crystal projector apparatus that magnifies and throws an image displayed by an image display element, such as a light valve, onto a screen.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a liquid crystal projector has been widely used in a conference, presentation, or the like as an image projection apparatus that throws an image of a personal computer or the like onto a large screen, thereby allowing people to view the image.
There is a demand that an optical system applied to the liquid crystal projector is capable of projecting an image whose brightness is uniform and luminance is high, so it is desired that a pupil on a liquid crystal display element (reduction conjugate) side is located at infinity, that is, the pupil is so-called telecentric.
Conventionally, as a large-aperture and high-resolution projection lens for the liquid crystal projector, various zoom lenses have been proposed which are capable of compensating for various aberrations by arranging five or six lens groups under an appropriate refractive power condition (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-70306).
Among the zoom lenses, a projection zoom lens for a liquid crystal projector is known which is composed of six lens groups that are a first lens group having negative refractive power, a second lens group having positive refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, fourth lens group having negative refractive power, a fifth lens group having positive refractive power, and a sixth lens group having positive refractive power that are arranged in this order from an enlargement conjugate side that is a screen side to a reduction conjugate side that is a display image side, with the second lens group, the third lens group, and the fifth lens group being moved at the time of magnification changing (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-108900).
Also, an optical-correction-type zoom lens is known which is composed of two groups that are a first lens group having negative refractive power and a second lens group having positive refractive power that are arranged in this order from an object side (enlargement conjugate side) to an image side (reduction conjugate side), with magnification changing being performed by moving only the second lens group (U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,303).
Generally, in a liquid crystal projector that uses a liquid crystal panel as an image display element, it is important that a bright projection optical system is used and no shading exists. For instance, when the projection optical system is not image-side telecentric, brightness unevenness occurs and image quality is adversely affected. In addition, in recent years, there has been a demand for miniaturization of a projection lens resulting from miniaturization of the whole of a projector apparatus.
A multi-group optical system where a projection optical system is composed of multiple lens groups and the multiple lens groups are moved at the time of magnification changing is advantageous in terms of aberration compensation, but there is generally a problem in that the construction of the projection optical system becomes complicated and an increase in size is inevitable.
Also, the zoom lens proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,303 B as a simple lens construction is a zoom lens for a compact camera. Therefore, the reduction-side telecentricity of the zoom lens is not sufficient for a liquid crystal projector. In addition, the F-value of the zoom lens is around 10, so it is not necessarily possible to provide brightness sufficient for the projector.

Zoom lens and image projection apparatus having the same


The invention relates to a method and a device for the conducting/distributing air and light, particularly in a building, or the like. The air and light are conducted along the same transport path. That transport path may be a single duct having a light inlet and an air inlet to it and having ports at intervals along the duct, through which ports light may pass and air may pass. An air flow generating fan, or the like, may communicate with the duct for moving air through the port out of the duct or moving air through the port into the duct, or natural air flow past the duct may be used. The light source may be natural or artificial. Mirrors in the duct may be used to control brightness.

The present invention relates to a method for conducting/distributing of air and light, particularly in a building, or the like.
It is known to conduct or distribute air either in natural flow or as mechanical ventilation by a system of ducts in order to aerate or ventilate different rooms of a building or for other reasons.
It is also known to conduct or distribute light, as daylight or artificial light by reflecting systems, for instance, to use daylight for illuminating large depths of rooms.

Method and device for conducting/distributing air and light

LTG Lufttechnische Gesselschaft mit beschrankter Haftung


A battery pack including a plurality of battery modules; a tray including an interior space where the plurality of battery modules are positioned; a plurality of I-type beam frames traversing an upper surface of the tray to partition spaces where the plurality of battery modules are positioned; and a plurality of heatsinks disposed between the battery modules and the I-type beam frames and mounted to recessed portions formed at both side of a column that forms a height of the I-type beam frames to absorb heat from the battery modules.

Unlike a primary battery which is not rechargeable, a secondary battery refers to a battery capable of charging and discharging and is used as a power source for an energy storage system (ESS), an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) as well as small advanced electronic devices such as a mobile phone, a PDA and a notebook computer.
Secondary batteries widely used at the preset include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, nickel zinc batteries and the like. An operating voltage of the unit secondary battery cell, namely a unit battery cell, is about 2.5V to 4.2V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, a plurality of battery cells may be connected in series to configure a battery pack. In addition, depending on the charge/discharge capacity required for the battery pack, a plurality of battery cells may be connected in parallel to configure a battery pack. Thus, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack may be variously set according to the required output voltage or the demanded charge/discharge capacity.
For example, when a plurality of battery cells are connected in series or in parallel to configure a battery pack, it is common to configure a battery module composed of a plurality of battery cells first, and then configure a battery pack by using a plurality of battery modules and adding other components. In other words, the battery module refers to a component where a plurality of secondary batteries are connected in series or in parallel, and the battery pack refers a component where a plurality of battery modules are connected in series or in parallel to increase capacity and output.
Meanwhile, in a battery pack of a multi battery module structure, it is important to easily discharge heat generated from each battery module. If the heat of the battery module generated during charging and discharging is not effectively removed, heat accumulation may occur, resulting in deterioration of the battery module and causing ignition or explosion. Thus, a high-output large-capacity battery pack essentially requires a cooling device for cooling the battery modules included therein.
In addition, in the case of an electric vehicle, unexpected shocks and vibrations may be applied to the battery pack during operation. In this case, the electrical connection between the battery modules may be broken, or the pack case supporting the battery modules may be deformed. Thus, in particular, the battery pack for an electric vehicle is required to have sufficient durability against external shocks and vibrations. To solve this problem, a crash beam is often used to increase the mechanical stiffness of the battery pack. Here, the crash beam may refer to a beam-like structure that is installed at a tray constituting the battery pack case. The tray including the crash beam has a high impact resistance and is not easily deformed by external shocks or vibrations.
However, even though the mechanical rigidity of the battery pack is improved by installing the crash beam, in this case, the space available for loading battery modules is reduced as much. Further, if the essential cooling device configuration such as a heatsink is further added, the volume ratio or the energy density of the battery pack including the heatsink is lowered. As described above, even though it is not easy to enhance the mechanical stiffness and the energy density of the battery pack at the same time, in the battery-related industries, the demand on a battery pack capable of satisfying all of structural safety, cooling performance and high energy density is recently increasing more and more.

Battery pack having crash beam structure


The invention provides a comprising one or more ethylene interpolymers, and wherein the interpolymers, or the composition, has a melt viscosity from 1 to 30,000 cP at 177° C., and wherein at least one ethylene interpolymer has an Rv from 0.3 to 0.99. The invention further provides a composition comprising at least one low molecular weight (LMW) ethylene interpolymer, and at least one high molecular weight (HMW) ethylene interpolymer, and wherein the composition has a melt viscosity from 1 to 30,000 cP at 177° C., and wherein the sum of the Rv from the low molecular weight interpolymer and the high molecular weight interpolymer is from 0.3 to 2. The invention further provides for processes of making such compositions, processes for functionalizing the interpolymer(s) of such compositions, and articles comprising at least one component prepared from an inventive composition.

Low molecular weight hydrocarbon polymers are widely used in a variety of applications, such as, in printing inks, processing aids, mould release agents, candles, polishes, and particularly, in coatings and adhesives. In particular, highly crystalline polymers are attracting increasing interest for admixing with other components to produce abrasion-resistant printing inks. These polymers are also used for paint flatting, and for the preparation of emulsifiable waxes for cleaning materials. An important application is in hot melt systems, particularly, hot melt coatings and hot melt adhesives. In general, paraffin waxes or microcrystalline waxes are used in such hot melt applications, but paraffin waxes and soft microcrystalline waxes both have relatively low melting points. Hard microcrystalline waxes have higher melting points, but are relatively expensive and have high viscosity. In some systems they also give rise to incompatibility problems.
International Publication No. WO 03/087178 discloses an article of manufacture, which comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl aromatic monomer having a molecular weight less than 15,000. Preferably, the copolymer is characterized by a backbone having a first and second terminal end groups. The first terminal end group is a methyl group, and the second terminal end group is a vinyl group, and the ratio of the terminal methyl group to the terminal vinyl group is 0.8:1 to 1:0.8.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,757 discloses an oil-soluble fuel and lubricating oil additive, comprising at least one terminally unsaturated ethylene/α-olefin polymer of 300 to 20,000 number average molecular weight, substituted with mono- or dicarboxylic acid producing moieties. The terminal unsaturation comprises terminal ethenylidene unsaturation.
International Publication No. WO 2004/031292 discloses a thermoplastic composition comprising the following: (i) from 1 to 99 percent, by weight, of the total composition, of at least one thermoplastic copolymer, for example, a styrene block copolymer, and (ii) from 1 to 99 percent, by weight, of the total composition, of at least one homogeneously branched ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer, for example, an ethylene/1-octene having a density less than, or equal to, 0.899 g/cc, and a Brookfield viscosity of greater than 500 cP (350° F.).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,224 discloses a copolymer comprising units of an unsaturated dicarboxylic monomer and an ethylene/α-olefin macromer. The macromer is an unsaturated ethylene/α-olefin polymer comprising units from ethylene and at least one α-olefin represented by the formula CH2═CHRa, where Ra is a C1-C18 linear alkyl group or a C3-C18 branched alkyl group. The ethylene/α-olefin polymer has a number average molecular weight from about 500 to 100,000, and at least 30% of the unsaturation in the ethylene/α-olefin polymer is terminal vinylidene.
The copolymer has a carbon-carbon backbone, and contains succinic groups and hydrocarbyl groups. The copolymer can be derivatized by reaction with nucleophilic reactants, including monoamines, polyamines, monoalcohols, polyols, amino alcohols, reactant metal compounds and mixtures thereof. The derivatized copolymers can be post-treated with one or more post-treating agents.
International Publication No. WO 2004/035680 discloses highly filled polymer compositions comprising a low molecular weight ethylene and/or alpha olefin homopolymers and copolymers, or blends thereof, and filled with high concentrations of fillers or additives.
International Publication No. WO 2005/100501 discloses an article comprising a functional component, a tackifier, and an olefin polymer. The olefin polymer comprises one or more C3 to C40 olefins, and optionally, one or more diolefins, and less than 5 mole of ethylene, and has a Dot T-Peel of 1N or more, an Mw of 100,000 or less, a branching index (g′) of 0.95 or less, measured at the Mz of the polymer. The functionalization component is selected from functionalized polymers, functionalized oligomers or beta nucleating agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,816 discloses a composition comprising a high molecular weight, branched component, and a low molecular weight, branched component. Some of the disclosed polymer compositions are characterized by a substantial absent of amyl or methyl branches, and a melt strength (MS) that satisfies the following relationship: MS≧x/l2+y.
International Publication No. WO 2002/36651 discloses propylene ethylene copolymers with an ethylene content between 8 and 32 mole percent, and grafted with maleic anhydride and a peroxide. Additional polyolefin-based compositions are disclosed in WO 2005/111145.
There remains a need for lower molecular weight ethylene polymers with the appropriate balance of viscosity and crystallinity for use in coatings, adhesives and other applications. Also, there is a need for functionalized lower molecular weight ethylene polymers with the appropriate balance of viscosity, vinyl content and crystallinity for improved adhesion and other applications. At least some of these needs and others have been met by the following invention.

Low molecular weight ethylene interpolymers, methods of making, and uses thereof


The invention relates to a method and device for diagnosing deviations in a single cylinder lambda control in an internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders and an exhaust gas sensor designed as a broadband lambda sensor, wherein a pump current is evaluated by means of a pump cell and the pump current is used at least temporarily for an individual cylinder lambda control. According to the invention, a pump voltage or a pump voltage change is determined via the pump cell in addition to the pump current and the value is transmitted to a diagnosis apparatus. Deviations in the single cylinder lambda control can thus be better diagnosed without additional material expense according to the invention, which provides advantages in particular in respect of tightened rulemaking in on-board diagnosis. A preferred application of the method is the use in internal combustion engines having multi-bank exhaust systems.

The invention relates to a method and device for diagnosing deviations in a single cylinder lambda control in an internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders and an exhaust gas sensor designed as a broadband lambda sensor, wherein a pump current is evaluated by means of a pump cell and said pump current is used at least temporarily for an individual cylinder lambda control.
A lambda control in combination with a catalytic converter is today the most effective emission control method for the Otto engine. The use of a three-way or selective catalytic converter is particularly effective. This kind of catalytic converter has the capacity to degrade hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides up to more than 98% in the event that the engine is operated in a range of approximately 1% around the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio whereat λ=1. The lambda value thereby indicates how far the actual, present air-fuel mixture deviates from the value λ=1, which corresponds to a mass ratio of 14.7 kg air to 1 kg gasoline theoretically necessary for complete combustion, i.e. the lambda value is the quotient from the air mass supplied and the theoretically required amount of air. In the case of excess air, λ>1 (lean mixture). In the case of excess gasoline, λ<1 (rich mixture).
When a lambda control is being performed, the exhaust gas is measured and the fuel quantity supplied is immediately corrected in accordance with the measurement result by means of a fuel injection system.
Lambda probes are used as detecting elements, which can be designed on the one hand as a so-called two-point lambda probe or discrete-level sensor and on the other hand as a continuous lambda probe or broadband lambda probe. The effect of these lambda probes is based in a manner known per se on the principle of a galvanic oxygen concentration cell with a solid state electrolyte. The characteristic curve of a two-point lambda probe has a sharp drop in the probe voltage at λ=1. For that reason, a two-point lambda probe, which is usually mounted directly behind the exhaust manifold, essentially allows only for the distinction between rich and lean exhaust gas. On the other hand, a broadband lambda probe permits the exact measurement of the lambda value in the exhaust gas over a wide range around λ=1. Both types of lambda probe consist of a ceramic sensor element, a protective tube as well as cables, a plug and the connections between these elements. The protective tube consists of one or a plurality of metal cylinders having openings. Exhaust gas enters through said openings by means of diffusion or convection and travels to the sensor element. The sensor elements of the two types of lambda probes vary thereby in the construction thereof.
The sensor element of a two-point lambda probe consists of an oxygen ion-conductive electrolyte, in the interior of which a cavity filled with a reference gas is situated. The reference gas comprises a certain constant oxygen concentration but otherwise no oxidizing or reducing constituents. In many cases, the reference gas is air. Electrodes, which are connected to plug contacts via cables, are mounted on the outside of the electrolyte which is in contact with the exhaust gas as well as on the inside of the cavity. According to the Nernst principle, an electrical voltage occurs across the electrolyte, denoted below as Nernst voltage which is determined by the concentration of oxidizing and reducing exhaust gas components in the exhaust gas and in the reference gas. If besides oxygen there are no oxidizing or reducing exhaust gas components in the exhaust gas, the Nernst voltage is described by the equationUNernst=URef−UAbgas=(R*T/4*F)*In(p02,Ref/p02,Abgas)
In this equation, URef stands for the electrical potential on the reference gas side, UAbgas for the potential on the exhaust gas side, p02,Ref and p02,Abgas for the oxygen partial pressure in the reference gas or respectively the exhaust gas, T for temperature, R for the general gas constant and F for the Faraday constant. The Nernst voltage can be tapped via the plug contacts and represents the signal of the two-point lambda probe.
The sensor element of a broadband lambda probe has an aperture on the surface, through which exhaust gas enters. A porous layer adjoins the inlet aperture, said exhaust gas diffusing through said porous layer into a cavity. Said cavity is separated from the external exhaust gas by an oxygen-ion conductive electrolyte material. Electrodes, which are connected to plug contacts via cables, are situated on the outside of the electrolyte as well as on the side of the cavity. The electrolyte situated between them is denoted as a pump cell. In addition, a reference gas having a certain constant oxygen concentration is situated in the interior of the sensor element, separated from the cavity by the same electrolyte material. An additional electrode, which is also connected to a plug contact, is situated in contact with the reference gas. The electrolyte between said additional electrode and the cavity side electrode is denoted as the measurement cell.
According to the Nernst principle, an electric voltage is applied across the measurement cell, which is referred to below as measurement voltage and is determined by the concentration of oxidizing and reducing exhaust gas components in the cavity and in the reference gas. Because the concentration in the reference gas is known and invariable, the dependence on the concentration in the cavity is reduced.
In order to operate the lambda probe, said probe must be connected via the plug to an evaluation unit, which, e.g., is situated in an engine control device. The measurement voltage is detected by the electrodes and transmitted to the evaluation unit. A control circuit is located in the control unit, said control circuit maintaining the voltage across the measurement cell to a set point value by a so-called pump current being driven through the pump cell. Because the current flow in the electrolyte takes place by means of oxygen ions, the oxygen concentration in the cavity is influenced. In order to maintain the measurement voltage at a constant level during steady-state operation, exactly as much oxygen has to be pumped out of the cavity during operation with a lean air-fuel ratio (λ>1) as diffuses through the diffusion barrier. On the other hand, during operation with a rich air-fuel ratio (λ<1) so much oxygen has to be pumped into the cavity that the diffusing, reducing exhaust gas molecules are compensated. While taking into account the fact that the oxygen balance in the cavity is maintained at a constant level by the pump current controller, a linear connection between the diffusion current, and thereby the pump current, and the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas results from the diffusion equation. The pump current is now measured in the evaluation unit and transmitted to the main computer of the engine control device. It follows from that which is stated above that the pump current represents a linear signal for the oxygen balance in the exhaust gas. The connection between the lambda value and the oxygen balance is in fact non-linear, as the following equation proves.i)C02,Abgas=(1−1/λ)C02,Air  (2)
The curvature of the curve is however sufficiently small in the region which is relevant for the engine control in order to permit an exact determination of the lambda value from the pump current.
Broadband lambda probes are, for example, known from the German patent publication DE 10 2005 061890 A1 as well as from the German patent publication DE 10 2005 043414 A1, wherein the publication DE 10 2005 061890 A1 describes the design of a broadband lambda probe, in which provision is made according to the invention for the use of certain chemical elements during the construction thereof.
In internal combustion engines comprising two or more cylinders, which discharge the exhaust gas into a exhaust manifold, the pipes of which open into a common exhaust pipe, the lambda values of the individual cylinders can vary either due to different air charges caused, for example, by pressure surges in the intake manifold or due to different fuel quantities caused, for example, by tolerances of the injection valve or due to a combination of both causes. Such individual cylinder lambda fluctuations can adversely affect the performance of the engine as described below.
If, for example, a three-way catalytic converter is installed in the exhaust gas pipe and the exhaust gas from the individual cylinders is unevenly distributed across the cross section of the catalytic converter, a satisfactory conversion of the exhaust gas is not possible. In a catalyst segment which is exposed to lean exhaust gas, the oxidizing exhaust gas components cannot be converted; whereas in a catalyst segment which is exposed to a rich exhaust gas, the reducing exhaust gas components cannot be converted. In addition, the efficiency decreases and the fuel consumption thereby increases if a complete combustion of the fuel does not take place in a cylinder operated with a rich air-fuel ratio. Furthermore, incompletely combusted fuel from the cylinders operated with a rich air-fuel ratio and excess air from the cylinders operated with a lean air-fuel mixture can after-react in the exhaust pipe. Energy is thereby released which can lead to a thermal overstressing of and even to damage to the components installed in the exhaust gas system, in particular the catalytic converter.
It is therefore desirable in a closed control circuit to not only adjust the mean lambda value of all the cylinders to a set point value but also said mean lambda value of each individual cylinder. Such a method is denoted below as an individual cylinder lambda control. In addition, the American on-board diagnostics regulations (OBD) for the model year 2011 require a detection of individual cylinder lambda fluctuations, which is also referred to below as out-of-tune diagnostics or fuel trim diagnostics.
Single cylinder lambda controls are already known from prior art. Thus, the German patent publication DE 102 60 721 A1, for example, describes a method and a device for diagnosing the dynamic properties of a lambda probe, which is used at least temporarily for an individual cylinder lambda control. The method is thereby characterized in that at least one manipulated variable of the lambda control is measured and compared with a predefinable maximum threshold. In the event of the maximum threshold being exceeded, the dynamic behavior of the lambda probe is evaluated as being insufficient with regard to usability for the individual cylinder lambda control.
Prior art or respectively the subject matter of earlier patent applications uses the lambda signal of a two point lambda probe or a broadband lambda probe for an out-of-tune diagnostics or an individual cylinder lambda control. In so doing, a number of difficulties arise.
One difficulty is that the relevant frequencies of the lambda signal are damped. A significant damping is caused by the protective tube. This problem relates to both two point as well as broadband lambda probes. In the case of a broadband lambda probe, still further damping effects can in fact be added, namely as a result of the diffusion barrier and as a result of the pump current regulator depending on the design thereof. All of the damping effects act in a cumulative way. Frequencies in the actual lambda value created by individual cylinder fluctuations can be damped in a speed range around 2000 rpm by over 50% by means of the diffusion barrier. At higher rotational speeds, the damping continues to increase. The signal-to-noise ratio worsens which impairs the out-of-tune diagnosis as well as the individual cylinder lambda control. Viewed in terms of damping, a two point lambda probe can therefore have advantages with respect to a broadband lambda probe in the range around λ=1.
A broadband lambda probe has however also advantages with respect to a two point lambda probe. One advantage is that a lambda control with a broadband lambda probe can constantly adjust the mean lambda to a set point value. In contrast, the typical method used with a two point lambda probe, the so-called two point control, causes an oscillation in the lambda probe signal and thus adjusts only the mean value over time to the set point value. The individual cylinder lambda fluctuations are superimposed by the much stronger oscillations resulting from the control intervention such that the detection is impaired.
In addition, a method is known, in which an observer algorithm for the individual cylinder lambda values is supported by the measured value of a broadband lambda probe. Because the observer algorithm is based on the model of the system, which has the individual cylinder lambda values as input variables and the lambda mean value as output variable, said algorithm will be referred to below as the model supported method. An important parameter for the observer algorithm is the operating point dependent dead time of the lambda probe. The method is thereby impaired in that the dead time varies with production bandwidth and ageing. In order to resolve this difficulty, a dead time adaption method is described, which is however likewise afflicted with disadvantages. An active fuel adjustment is thereby required for the adaption. In addition, said adaption can only insufficiently depict a possible operating point dependency of the dead time variation.

Method and device for diagnosing deviations in a single cylinder lambda control


A lightweight structure for space application is deployable from a compact bundle of interconnected struts into a plurality of tiled substantially rectangular bays. Each bay preferably comprises four or six hinged strut members having substantially rectangular cross sections, such that a solar or other suitable blanket may be compactly nested within the bundled struts. In one aspect of the invention, the blanket is attached to two opposed strut members of a six-member strut bundle, such that the blanket is unfolded during deployment of the strut bundle into a substantially rectangular bay. In another aspect of the invention, the blanket is attached to, and held against, a single strut in a strut bundle. After the strut bundle is deployed into a substantially rectangular bay, the blanket is spread across the bay via a cable mechanism or other deployment mechanism.

The present invention relates generally to structures that are deployable in space, and specifically to structures and methods that are used to deploy areas of flat films, membranes, or blankets.
Deployable array structures for use on spacecraft, satellites, and the like, have been developed in many forms. Generally, solar array structures consist of a plurality of rigid honeycomb panels, which are flat-folded for storage along one dimension, like an accordion pleat, and are extendable outwardly from a spacecraft in a simultaneous or sequential manner. One example of such a configuration of panels is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,791.
A number of existing technologies used in space require deployment of large flat areas or "blankets," such as photovoltaic (PV) blankets, membrane synthetic aperture radar (SAR) blankets, and electromagnetic (e.g., sunlight) shield blankets. The art of deployable space structures is most highly developed for solar arrays utilizing photovoltaic elements, which are the most common applications for deployable space structures.
Existing approaches to deploying a photovoltaic blanket are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,738. These existing systems typically deploy blankets in one direction using one or more linear deploying booms, which spread out parallel structure beams or plates between which the blankets may be tensioned. These systems generally stow into a volume characterized in one dimension as approximately the width of the deployed array.
Power requirements for modern spacecraft have been rapidly increasing in recent years. As a result, increasingly larger-area solar arrays have been developed to meet these power needs. As the number and size of solar array panels is increased, the mass moment of inertia of the corresponding systems is also increased. This increase in mass moment of inertia is detrimental to array design and to spacecraft performance.
In response to these problems, systems that fold in two directions have been developed to counteract the detrimental growth in inertia brought about by larger-area arrays. An example of such a deployment using rigid panels is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,096. These types of systems generally include panels that fold out linearly from the spacecraft, in an accordion fashion, and also laterally to obtain a lower aspect ratio and thus produce a lower mass moment of inertia.
The mass moment of inertia of the system may also be reduced by minimizing the overall mass of the deployable array structure, which in turn reduces the cost for launch. One problem resulting from existing blanket array structures is that they do not permit efficient tiling of individual blankets to produce a large array that satisfies modern power requirements. Further, existing array structures are designed specifically for deploying solar blankets, and thus are not suitable for use in deploying other types of flexible blanket members, such as synthetic aperture radar blankets, and electromagnetic shielding blankets (e.g., sun shield blankets).
Thus, there is a need for a readily deployable, lightweight, modular frame structure that allows for practical incorporation of flexible blanket assemblies, particularly solar blankets. Additionally, there is a need for an array structure that is compactly stowable, and that provides an optimal deployed aspect ratio for the system.

Structures including synchronously deployable frame members and methods of deploying the same