The invention is directed at a method for welding a composite material and to welded structures thus prepared. The method includes a step of contacting a substrate material with a composite material, wherein the composite material includes a pair of spaced apart steel sheets and a core layer between the sheets; the volume of the core layer is about 25 volume % or more, based on the total volume of the composite material; the core layer includes a plurality of steel fibers arranged in one or more masses of fibers that extend the thickness of the core layer so that the core layer is in electrical communication with the steel sheets; and the steel fibers have a cross sectional area perpendicular to the length of the fibers from about 1×10−5 mm2 to about 2.5×10−2 mm2.

There has been considerable interest in reducing the weight of vehicles and articles used in transportation. This has resulted in a continued search for new lightweight materials, such as composite materials including a metallic layer and a polymeric polymeric layer. Desirably, such materials may offer one or more benefits such as reduced weight, increased stiffness to weight ratio, reduced cost, and the like.
For many applications, it is also desirable for such composite materials to be weldable (i.e., capable of being welded using electrical resistance welding). It has been generally recognized that sandwich composite materials including an insulating polymeric layer are difficult to weld, making them unsuitable for such applications. Attempts to improve the weldability of the composite material have included the addition of conductive fillers in a powder form to the polymeric layer so that the electrical conductivity of the polymeric layer is increased. To compensate for the poor conductivity of the polymer, relatively high levels of conductive powders have been thought necessary. Composite materials including a conductive powder unfortunately have generally poor mechanical properties and generally poor drawability.
Additionally, such material generally requires special equipment for processing (e.g., fabricating, welding, stamping, drawing, and the like). Additionally, it is desirable for a material to have improved weldability, such as may be characterized by a generally high weld current range, by the capability of being welded to a broad range of substrates (preferably using some or all of the same weld parameters), or both.
There continues to be a need for a material that overcomes one or more, or even all of the above. For example, there continues to be a need for a composite material having light weight, increased stiffness to weight ratio, reduced cost, improved weldability, good mechanical properties, good drawability, capable of being processed using existing infrastructure, or any combination thereof.
For welding certain structures, such as thicker section composite materials, articles requiring closely spaced welds, and the like, there may be additional difficulties with welding the composite material. As such, there also has continued to be a need for new welding processes for welding thicker section composite material.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Processes for welding composite materials and articles therefrom


An insulated gate bipolar transistor comprises an insulation film (7) formed on a channel region (6) and a gate electrode (8) formed on the insulation film (7). The end portion of the gate electrode (8) has recesses so that the gage electrode (8) covers part of the channel region (6) at a predetermined rate. The rate may be made small to increase a channel resistance so that an excessive current at the time of load short-circuiting can be suppressed. In place of the recesses, a step structure may be provided. Further the gate electrode (8) may cover part of the channel region (6) without providing the recesses.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insulated gate bipolar transistor (referred to as IGBT below) and, more particularly, to an IGBT having an increased latch-up breakdown voltage and short-circuit breakdown voltage.
Description of the Background Art
FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a structure of a conventional IGBT, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along the line A-A' of FIG. 1A. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, an N.sup.+ type buffer layer 2 is formed on a P type semiconductor substrate 1, and an N.sup.- type semiconductor layer 3 is formed on the N.sup.+ type buffer layer 2. A plurality of striped P type well regions 4 are selectively formed on the N.sup.- type semiconductor layer 3 by double diffusion. On each P type well region 4, two striped N.sup.+ type emitter regions 5 are selectively formed. Regions 6, which are located in the vicinity of portions of the surface of each P type well region 4 between the surfaces of the N.sup.- type semiconductor region 3, and each N.sup.+ type emitter region 5 are defined as channel regions. Gate insulation films 7, are provided on the channel regions 6, and gate electrodes 8 are formed thereon. Insulation films 9 are provided to cover the gate electrodes 8, and an emitter electrode 10 is formed thereon to electrically connect both with the P type well regions 4 and N.sup.+ type emitter regions 5. A collector electrode 11 is formed on the back surface of the P type semiconductor substrate 1. The plan view in FIG. 1A exhibits a state before the formation of the insulation films 9 and emitter electrode 10.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an equivalent circuit of a cell of the IGBT. An N channel MOSFET 12 is formed in the vicinity of the channel regions 6. An PNP transistor 13 is formed of the P type semiconductor substrate 1, N.sup.- type semiconductor layer 3 and P type well region 4, and an NPN transistor 14 is formed of the N.sup.- type semiconductor layer 3, P type well region 4 and N.sup.+ type emitter region 5.
Electrons flow from the N.sup.+ type emitter regions 5 to the N.sup.- type semiconductor layer 3 through inversion layers formed in the channel regions 6 by applying a plus potential to the gate electrodes 8 while applying a plus potential to the collector electrode 11 and a minus potential to the emitter electrode 10. An electron current flowing in such a manner is represented by I.sub.e in FIG. 2. Holes of minority carriers are injected into the N.sup.- type semiconductor layer 3 from the P type semiconductor substrate 1. Some of the holes disappear by recombining with the aforementioned electrons and the remainder flow in the P type well regions 4 as a hole current I.sub.h. In this way, the IGBT functions basically as a bipolar transistor and, therefore, has an advantage that, as compared with a conventional power MOSFET, a lower ON state voltage and a larger current capacity can be implemented because the conductivity of the N.sup.- type semiconductor layer 3 is increased by virtue of a conductivity modulation.
On the other hand, as will be apparent from the equivalent circuit in FIG. 2, the IGBT cell has a parasitic PNPN thyristor structure formed of the PNP transistor 13 and NPN transistor 14. When both the transistors 13 and 14 are activated and the sum of current amplification factors .alpha..sub.1 and .alpha..sub.2 of the transistors 13 and 14 become equal to 1, the parasitic thyristor is conductive and latch-up occurs. With regard to its structure, the thickness of the N.sup.- type semiconductor layer 3 serving as a base of the PNP transistor 13 is very large as compared with a carrier diffusion length, and hence .alpha..sub.1 has a relatively small value. Additionally, the NPN transistor 14 can not be easily turned on because its base and emitter are short-circuited. Hence, the latch-up does not occur in the normal operation, and the IGBT cell functions as a composite device of the n channel MOSFET 12 and the PNP transistor 13. In such a case, since the base current of the PNP transistor 13 is controlled by the n channel MOSFET 12, it becomes possible that the main current I.sub.C flowing from the collector electrode 11 is controlled by a control signal applied to the gate electrodes 8. The following relation holds EQU I.sub.C =I.sub.E =I.sub.e +I.sub.h ( 1)
where I.sub.E is a current flowing in the emitter electrode 10.
However, when the main current I.sub.C is increased due to any external cause such as load short-circuiting, the electron current I.sub.e and hole current I.sub.h are increased. Then, when the hole current I.sub.h exceeds a certain value, the NPN transistor 14 becomes conductive because of the voltage drop in resistance R.sub.B in the P type well regions 4, and its current amplification factor .alpha..sub.2 is increased. This causes .alpha..sub.1 +.alpha..sub.2 =1 to be satisfied, so that the parasitic thyristor becomes conductive. Thus, the IGBT is latched up. In such a state, the main current I.sub.C in the IGBT can hardly be controlled by the control signal applied to the gate electrodes 8, and therefore an excessive main current I.sub.C flows without limitation. Even if the IGBT is not latched up, the IGBT may be destroyed by a thermal breakdown since a large main current I.sub.C continues to flow. Accordingly, with regard to the conventional IGBT, it is desired to increase its latch-up breakdown voltage and short-circuit breakdown voltage.

Insulated gate bipolar transistor and method of fabricating the same


A logical data model is generated based on business rule metadata, data source characteristics, and cleansing, transformation, and householding metadata. A physical data model and extraction and loading routines are generated from the logical data model. A physical database design (PDD) and data description language (DDL) are created for constructing a data warehouse. The data warehouse is constructed according to the PDD and DDL. Data is moved from the data source to the system database for cleansing, transforming, and householding. The data is then loaded into the data warehouse.

The present invention relates generally to the generation of a logical data model (LDM) and a physical data model (PDM) of a data base, and more particularly, to a generalized LDM and corresponding tool for maintaining correspondence between the LDM and PDM. The present invention also relates to using a physical database design and data description language created from the PDM to construct a data warehouse.
The manual creation and population, or loading, of a data warehouse with data from varied data sources is known. Also known are automatic routines for loading data into a data warehouse, as described below. Prior approaches required duplication of effort and data to create new LDMs, new PDMs, new extraction routines, and new loading routines for every customer. Upwards of 80% of the time is spent creating and recreating LDMs, PDMs, and extraction and loading routines under prior approaches.
A prior approach for creating and populating a data warehouse using LDMs and PDMs is illustrated by the flow chart, generally designated by reference numeral 100, in FIG. 1. A description of the prior approach as shown in FIG. 1 follows. Beginning at step 102, a subject matter expert (SME) provides business rules to a modeler.
The SME, or domain expert, is a person with intimate knowledge of the particular area or topic for which the data warehouse is being constructed. The modeler is a person knowledgeable about transforming or creating representations of business rules in a data model. Business rules express the constraints on business operations in the real world.
In step 104, the modeler converts the business rules, received from the SME in step 102, into a logical data model using a data modeling tool, such as ERwin available from Platinum Technology, Inc. Other similar data modeling tools include PowerDesigner available from Sybase, Inc. and System Architect available from Popkin Software and Systems. After the modeler has converted the business rules into data structures in the LDM in step 104, the modeler produces a PDM using a data modeling tool, such as ERwin, in step 106.
The PDM of step 106 is produced in accordance with the LDM of step 104, regardless of intervening changes to the LDM occurring between the end of step 104 and the completion of step 106. In other words, changes made to the LDM while step 106 is in progress are not necessarily reflected in the final PDM of step 106.
In step 108, a data information analyst (DIA) determines data sources for a necessary attribute list (NAL). The NAL is developed by the DIA based on the DIA""s domain knowledge and the LDM. The NAL includes those fields required by the system in order to operate properly and answer the business-related questions of the user.
In response to the NAL determination of step 108 and the PDM production of step 106, the DIA produces a cross referenced source-target data list in step 110. The source-target data list produced in step 110 cross references data sources for the NAL, identified in step 108, to fields or objects in the PDM.
After the DIA produces the source-target data list, an extract specialist determines a method of operating on a chosen source system to obtain formatted data in step 112. The source system includes the data to be converted and moved into the data warehouse. The extract specialist causes the data from the source system to be converted to the data format needed by the loading effort.
The loading effort is performed by any one of several available utilities for populating the data warehouse. Some example utilities include FastLoad, MultiLoad, and Tpump available from the NCR Corporation.
The FastLoad utility loads empty tables in the data warehouse with data collected from channel and network attached clients. FastLoad can be executed from any client platform, mainframe, UNIX(copyright) or Windows NT(copyright) system. Data splitting, data conversion, data movement and data loading are all automatic and are all performed in parallel. FastLoad is fully restartable, enabling the data load process to automatically begin loading from the last transient journal checkpoint simply by re-executing the job.
The MultiLoad utility or MLOAD handles loading, updating and deleting data in existing tables as a single, integrated process with the MultiLoad utility. MultiLoad handles extremely large data volumes requiring updates and deletes. MultiLoad enables rapid acquisition of host data with rapid block-level application of data into tables. Large inserts, deletes, updates, and upserts against empty or populated tables and data maintenance on multiple tables are performed simultaneously. MultiLoad executes on a variety of client platforms, in a fail safe mode and is fully recoverable with an inherent checkpoint design.
The TPump utility handles loading near real-time data into the data warehouse. TPump inserts, updates and deletes data in the data warehouse in a continuous fashion. TPump uses row hash locks instead of table level locks thereby enabling users to run queries while TPump is working.
Once the method for obtaining formatted data is determined in step 112, the formatted data is extracted from the source system and communicated to a database management system in step 114, e.g., the Teradata Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) available from the NCR Corporation.
In step 116, the cleansing, transforming, and householding specification is generated by the DIA. The cleansing routines selected by the DIA eliminate or fix bad records from the data, for example eliminating records without values in required fields. The transforming routines deal with changing the data type, math, and semantics of the data. Householding routines perform filtering of records to appropriately group together similar records. For example, householding routines are able to group together many services provided to a single user and identify them in relation to the user. In this manner, using a telephone example, even though a person may use differing telephone services (long distance, calling card, local and toll calls) all of the services are identified as related to the same individual.
Execution of the cleansing, transforming, and householding operations on the data in the database management system occurs in step 118.
In step 120, the data is converted into loadable format for eventual loading into the data warehouse using either the MLOAD, FastLoad, or TPump utilities of the Teradata RDBMS.
Construction of the data warehouse occurs in step 122 using SQL code generated by the ERwin model from step 106. In this step, the tables and fields of the data warehouse corresponding to the PDM are instantiated within the database management system.
Once the data warehouse has been constructed in step 122 and the data converted into loadable format in step 120, the data warehouse is loaded with the data in step 124 using either the MLOAD, FastLoad, or TPump utilities. Since much of the information required for creation and population of the data warehouse is not stored in the database management system, the manual and human intensive steps making up flowchart 100 must be repeated for each and every iteration or modification of the data warehouse. This results in a large amount of duplicated data and work effort for each iteration.
Currently, the information required for creation and population of the data warehouse is stored on paper or in the knowledge-base of the individual worker. This can be problematic if changes are necessitated and either the worker is no longer available or the papers are not available or are disorganized. In either situation, reproducing or modifying the data warehouse is difficult. Therefore, there is a need in the art to achieve reproducibility of the creation and population of a data warehouse.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to decrease the amount of effort and duplication of data and work effort during the creation and population of a data warehouse.
Another object of the present invention is to be able to reproduce the creation and population of a data warehouse automatically.
The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of several specific embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method of generating a logical data model, physical data model, extraction routines and load routines


A laser welding method includes emitting two laser beams along a weld line from an upper surface side of a workpiece, the two laser beams being transmitted through different optical fibers and having in-focus spot diameters of 0.3 mm or larger; emitting the laser beams such that a leading laser beam of the two laser beams and a trailing laser beam of the two laser beams are each inclined toward a direction in which welding proceeds at an incident angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the workpiece, the leading laser beam being ahead of the trailing laser beam on the upper surface of the workpiece in the direction in which welding proceeds, the trailing laser beam being behind the leading laser beam; and setting the incident angle of the leading laser beam to be larger than the incident angle of the trailing laser beam.

Laser welding can have high-energy density and can achieve a large depth of penetration and high speed welding. Thus, laser welding is expected as a high-efficiency welding method. Since the laser welding causes melting at extremely localized points, the effect of heat applied to a workpiece (for example, a thin steel sheet, a thick steel plate, a stainless steel plate, or a stainless steel sheet) is small and distortion or deformation is slight, leading to a high-quality weld joint. Thus, the laser welding has practically been used in the field of thin steel sheets such as automobile thin steel sheets on an assembly line of members of framework or automobile bodies. Also in the field of thick steel plates, practical use of laser welding has seriously been considered since the weldable plate (sheet) thickness is increased as a result of current commercial sales of highly efficient laser welding machines that can perform optical fiber transmission at high power.
In the laser welding, however, a workpiece rapidly melts because a high-energy density laser beam is converged by an optical component and emitted to a weld portion. Thus, the molten metal may scatter around as spatter from the formed molten weld pool. If the scattered spatter adheres to the workpiece, the external appearance of the weld portion is spoiled. Furthermore, if spatter adheres to a guard glass or an optical component such as a lens, properties of a laser beam such as a focusing property or irradiance level are changed and the performance of the laser welding becomes unstable.
If a large amount of spatter is generated, the amount of molten metal in the molten weld pool decreases, thereby making welding defects such as undercut or underfill (i.e., depression) more likely to occur. The occurrence of undercut or underfill brings about reduction in strength of the weld portion.
In view of these problems, Patent Literature 1, for example, discloses a technology of preventing spatter from scattering into a laser working head by using a laser working head having a double-pipe nozzle configuration and forming a shielding curtain from assist gases ejected from an external nozzle of the head.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a technology of preventing underfill and spatter from occurring by feeding a filler wire to a weld portion subjected to laser welding while swinging the filler wire.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a technology of preventing spatter from adhering to a laser working head and a workpiece by ejecting a fluid sideways to a space between a laser working head and a workpiece.
Patent Literature 4 discloses a technology of preventing spatter from adhering to an optical component or a workpiece by blowing a gas sideways from a position near the workpiece toward spatter scattering from a molten weld pool formed by being irradiated with a laser beam.


A phosphor blend comprises at least two phosphors each selected from one of the groups of phosphors that absorb UV electromagnetic radiation and emit in a region of visible light. The phosphor blend can be applied to a discharge gas radiation source to produce light sources having high color rendering index. A phosphor blend is advantageously includes the phosphor (Tb,Y,LuLa,Gd)x(Al,Ga)yO12:Ce3+, wherein x is in the range from about 2.8 to and including 3 and y is in the range from about 4 to and including 5.

The present invention relates to phosphor blends for use in discharge lamps. In particular, the present invention relates to phosphor blends useful for achieving high color rendering index ("CRI") in mercury discharge lamps. The present invention also relates to high-CRI fluorescent lamps.
A phosphor is a luminescent material that absorbs radiation energy in a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and emits energy in another portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Phosphors of one important class are crystalline inorganic compounds of very high chemical purity and of controlled composition to which small quantities of other elements (called "activators") have been added to convert them into efficient fluorescent materials. With the right combination of activators and host inorganic compounds, the color of the emission can be controlled. Most useful and well-known phosphors emit radiation in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in response to excitation by electromagnetic radiation outside the visible range. Well-known phosphors have been used in mercury vapor discharge lamps to convert the ultraviolet ("UV") radiation emitted by the excited mercury vapor to visible light. Other phosphors are capable of emitting visible light upon being excited by electrons (used in cathode ray tubes) or X rays (for example, scintillators in X-ray detection systems).
The efficiency of a lighting device that uses a phosphor increases as the difference between the wavelengths of the exciting radiation and that of the emitted radiation narrows. In low-pressure mercury discharge lamps (also commonly known as fluorescent lamps), excited mercury atoms in the discharge, upon returning to the ground state, mainly emit UV radiation having wavelength of 254 nm (about 12% of the emitted radiation having wavelength of 185 nm). Ideal phosphor for mercury discharge lamps should absorb the 254 nm and 185 nm strongly and convert the absorbed radiation efficiently. Effort, therefore, has been expended to produce phosphors for these lamps to be excited by radiation having wavelengths as close to 254 nm as possible. Three or four phosphors are typically included in a low-pressure mercury discharge lamp to provide white light that simulates sunlight. Different blends of phosphors can produce fluorescent lamps with different color temperatures. The color temperature of a light source refers to the temperatures of a blackbody source having the closest color match to the light source in question. The color match is typically represented and compared on a conventional CIE (Commission International as I'Eclairage) chromaticity diagram. See, for example, "Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology," Vol. 7, 230-231 (Robert A. Meyers (Ed.), 1987). Generally, as the color temperature increases, the light becomes bluer. As the color temperature decreases, the light appears redder. Typical incandescent lamps have color temperature of about 2700 K while fluorescent lamps have color temperature in the range of 3000-6500 K. When the point representing the light source is not exactly on the black body locus of the CIE chromaticity diagram, the light source has a correlated color temperature, which is the temperature on the black body locus which would give nearly the same color to the average human eye.
In addition to color temperature, color rendering index ("CRI") is another important characteristic of the light source. CRI is a measure of the degree of distortion in the apparent colors of a set of standard pigments when measured with the light source in question as opposed to a standard light source. CRI depends on the spectral energy distribution of the emitted light and can be determined by calculating the color shift; e.g., quantified as tristimulus values, produced by the light source in question as opposed to the standard light source. Under illumination with a lamp with low CRI, an object does not appear natural to the human eye. Thus, the better light sources have CRI close to 100. Typically, for color temperatures below 5000 K, the standard light source used is a blackbody of the appropriate temperature. For color temperatures greater than 5000 K, sunlight is typically used as the standard light source. Light sources having a relatively continuous output spectrum, such as incandescent lamps; typically have a high CRI; e.g., equal to or near 100. Light sources having a multi-line output spectrum, such as high pressure discharge lamps, typically have a CRI ranging from about 50 to 80. Fluorescent lamps typically have a CRI in the range of 75-85. Typically, fluorescent lamps have higher color temperature, but lower CRI than incandescent lamps. In general lighting applications, it is desirable to provide light sources having color temperature in the range of 4000-6000 K; i.e., in the range of color temperature of fluorescent lamps. Thus, it is very desirable to provide fluorescent lamps that have higher CRIs and still maintain higher color temperature than that of typical incandescent lamps. In addition, there is a continued need to provide phosphor compositions that are excitable in the region near 254 nm and emit in the visible range such that they may be used flexibly to design light sources having tunable properties, such as color temperatures and CRI.

Phosphor blends for high-CRI fluorescent lamps


The present invention provides a carriage to transport a ladle and to transfer molten metal into equipment for pouring (hereafter, transfer carriage) whereby the investment cost can be reduced by having the equipment made compact, and the temperature of the molten metal can be maintained high, and the cycle time can be reduced, because the time to transport the molten metal can be less. Further, the present invention provides a transportation line for transporting the molten metal. This line requires a smaller space for its installation. The transfer carriage of the present invention comprises a transportation means that runs along the rails for transporting a ladle; a shifting means disposed on the transportation means, which shifting means moves in the direction that is perpendicular to the rails for transporting a ladle; a lifting mechanism attached to a pillar set upright on the shifting means, a tilting means disposed at a lifting member of the lifting mechanism; and a ladle-holding member that is supported by the tilting means at the axis of the tilting means, which member is tilted by the tilting means, and which can hold or release a receiving ladle, wherein the carriage transfers the molten metal in the receiving ladle into the ladle for pouring.

Conventionally, in a foundry a cast product is manufactured by a process where molten metal that is melted in melting works is at first transported to pouring works, and there the molten metal is poured into a mold. A ladle is used as a container that transports the molten metal. There was a method to transport a ladle wherein the ladle first received the molten metal from the melting works and then it was transported by a crane to the pouring works where the molten metal was supplied to the equipment for pouring of the pouring works. (See Paragraph 0002 of Patent Document 1.)

Carriage to transport a ladle and to transfer molten metal into equipment for pouring and transportation line for transporting molten metal


The fishing tip-up has an upright support and a swinging arm pivotally mounted to the top of the support. A forward segment of the arm pivots downward and toward the support when the rear segment pivots upward. The swinging arm is adapted to support a fishing line which extends downward into a fishing hole from the forward segment and to which a bait is attached for attracting a fish. When a fish strikes, the forward segment pivots downward when a force greater than a predetermined value is applied to the fishing line. The predetermined value is adjustable. A magnet is provided in the rear segment of the swinging arm and keeps a reed switch in the support open until a fish strikes. At that time, the rear segment swings up and away from the support with resulting separation of the magnet from the reed switch and concurrent closing of the switch. When the reed switch is closed, a light illuminates.

Fishermen typically prefer to have a number of Locations in which to fish so that if fish are not striking in one location, the fishermen can move to others until they find one where the fish do strike. If the fishermen are in boats, they have a wide choice of locations while if they are fishing from shore they have a more limited choice, but they can still move if fishing from one location proves fruitless. Ice-fishing however is another matter. Extensive preparations are necessary before an ice fisherman can begin to fish. He must usually erect an enclosure to protect himself from the wind, sleet and snow, he must provide heat in the enclosure if the weather is very cold, he must drill a number of holes in the ice and so on. Once the ice fisherman has completed his preparations, he cannot move without a great deal of inconvenience. He must undo the preparations he has already made at his present location and repeat them at a new location. A great deal of time is required for him to do so and in practice once he has set up at one location he does not move.
To increase the odds of catching fish while ice fishing, fishermen will spread their lines out as far possible to cover a wide area. To do so, they will install an un-manned tip-up outside the enclosure and remain in the enclosure and fish from there while keeping their eye on the tip-up. Ice-fishing is best at dawn and dusk at a time when the light is dim or there is total darkness. At such time, a tip-up is very difficult to see even when it is not more than 10 feet from an enclosure. Blowing snow and fog may also contribute to limited visibility. Lanterns may be used to illuminate the tip-up but they draw heavily from a battery since they must remain on continuously. In cold weather, batteries generally perform poorly and the light from a lantern that remains continuously on becomes dim in a relatively short period of time.
Tip-ups that are commercially available have various means for overcoming this problem. One such tip-up has a pin which is released when the device is activated by a strike. When the pin is released, a siren sounds and lights flash. However the pin can become frozen in cold weather and not release at the time of a strike. Other known tip-ups continuously draw from a battery which soon runs down in cold weather. Still others delay the sounding or displaying of a signal when a fish has struck the bait.
In general, the effectiveness of most of the tip-ups that are commercially available falls off in cold weather when they are exposed to adverse weather conditions. Freezing rain, snow and ice can form around the release points of signals such as flags, sirens and lights and prevent the devices from reacting when there is a strike. On occasion, winds can set off the devices as can small fish which may nibble at the bait and cause the tip-ups to react. Until the devices are re-set, they do not react later when there is a genuine strike.

Fishing tip-up with multiple, selectable magentic sensor targets


A first synchronization signal is used by a master base station and a remote base station in a digital cordless communication system. The master base station generates a second synchronization signal. The second synchronization signal is used to transfer information over a transmission medium between the master base station and the remote base station. The master base station generates the first synchronization signal from the second synchronization signal. Information is transferred over the transmission medium between the master base station and the remote base station using the second synchronization signal. The remote base station generates the first synchronization signal from the second synchronization signal. The first synchronization signal is utilized by the master base station and the remote base station for digital cordless communication.

The present invention concerns the field of digital communication and pertains particularly to efficient generation within a remote base station of a synchronization signal for a cordless communication system.
A cordless telephone system generally includes a fixed part, which connects a telephone network to one or more base stations. Base stations are generally connected to a fixed part by wires, or may be integrated directly with the fixed part. For example, a system may include a master base station and several remote base stations connected by a wire highway to the master base station. Each base station communicates with one or more portable parts, typically a handset, via a radio frequency (RF) signal link. For example, the cordless system may be included in a private branch exchange (PBX) and utilize a cordless telephone system in accordance with the Digital European Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) Common Interface.
For example, the base stations may be connected together using an data highway operating in accordance with a voice coding algorithm such as an Adaptive Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM) highway. An ADPCM highway utilizes four wires to connect the base stations. For each base station, one wire carries a synchronization signal (ADPCM.FS), one wire carries a clock signal (ADPCM.CLK), one wire carries data in to the base station (ADPCM.DIP) and one wire carries data out from the base station (ADPCM.DOP).
When a system includes more than one base station which utilize the DECT common interface, each base station must transmit messages in synchronization with a system wide DECT frame synchronization signal. In order to assure proper synchronization, the DECT frame synchronization signal is forwarded by a master source to each remote base station over a dedicated wire.

Efficient generation within a remote base station of a synchronization signal for a cordless communication system


A procedure which comprises a second step of pressing of the Salvia Hispanica L. seeds with temperature control modifying the ratio between the polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants contained as well as obtaining an expeller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention consists of a procedure to obtain a product consisting in a flour which has a high content of stabilized, polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially Ω3, the product and sub-product obtained and the method for it to be incorporated as a dietary supplement.
With the purpose of making the present invention comprehensible in order that it should be put into practice easily, a precise description will be provided in the paragraphs hereunder regarding a preferred way of performing it.
The whole of it bearing a purely illustrative nature, not restrictive to the invention, however and the components of which may be selected among several equivalent ones without, on account of the former, moving away from the principles of the invention established in the present documentation.
2. Prior Art
A growing awareness about taking care of our health has led investigators to establish the importance which fatty acids, dietary fiber and natural antioxidants have upon a healthy diet.
Knowing that polyunsaturated or essential fatty acids cannot be synthesized by our body, efforts have been doubled in pursuit of incorporating them to our daily diet.
Aware that the incorporation of such acids in our bodies stands as a determining factor to reduce cholesterolemia and any risks of heart disease, which also play a major role in the development of the nervous and immunological systems and help towards a healthy development of pregnancy and child growth, it is due to this that several products containing them have been studied, and it has been established that one of the greatest populations of polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically Ω3
fatty acids is found in flax seeds.
Nevertheless, efficient extraction processes call for the use of solvents, which, on the other hand, have not turned out to be efficient in totally detoxifying the fatty acids obtained from the seeds of such plants.
Furthermore, as a result of the investigations carried out, it has been established that flax seeds show other inconveniences which do not make their use advisable for human consumption, such as their content of cyanoglycosides and other components which antagonize with Vitamin B6.
To this respect, we know that low levels of vitamin B in our blood have a major connection with heart disease.
On the other hand, flax seeds lack all kinds of natural antioxidants, something which is translated into a quick decomposition of their fatty acids.
It is precisely the oxidation of fats which has become the greatest concern among consumers and businessmen alike, since this is what determines not only the appearance of off flavors and smells (mainly a rancid or a fish-like smell), but also, in addition, it favors aging processes as well as the development of degenerative diseases which are normally associated with aging, such as: brain dysfunction; deterioration of the immune system; cataracts; heart disease and cancer.
Other sources of polyunsaturated, fatty acids, especially
Ω3 fatty acids which are currently being used, are those coming from
sea products such as fish and algae; nonetheless, the use of such sources does present several setbacks.
Indeed, among their major inconveniences we should point out the one related to the predatory effect on natural stocks; the need of counting with special preservation and storage conditions, as well as their contamination levels, mainly due to heavy metals, something which is worrying and which has been steadily growing.

Procedure to obtain a product consisting in a partially low-fat flour with a high content of stabilized, polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially Ω

Abstract: The procedure comprises a third step in which the expeller obtained is let to cool until it reaches room temperature and a fourth step in which the expeller, at room temperature, is entered into a disc-driven mill to obtain different particle sizes of a partially low-fat flour with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially Ω3 type.


Disclosed is a chimeric antigen receptor comprising an antigen binding domain; a hinge region; a transmembrane domain; a costimulatory domain; and a cytoplasmic signaling domain.

T cells (hereinafter, in the present specification, this is sometimes referred to as "CAR−T cells") expressing chimeric antigen receptors (hereinafter, in the present specification, this is sometimes referred to as "CARs") mean recombinant T cells in which a gene coding a receptor recognizing a cancer cell surface antigen specifically expressed on the surface of the cancer cell is introduced into the T cell to kill the cancer cell. Dr, Zelig Fshhar, et. al., who is a chemist and an immunologist of the Weizmann Instritute of Science in Israel, had succeeded in making T cells provided with chimeric antigen receptors, by obtaining a theory that when T cells with a receptor binding to an antigen specifically expressed in a cancer call is artificially made, an immune response occurs, targeting only to the cancer cell, so as to kill the cancer cell, and then reported this fact in PNAS in 1989.
However, CAR−T cells produced in the early stage, i.e. the 1st generation CAR−T cells used only CD3ζ as a signaling domain, but its therapeutic effect was insignificant, and also, there was a disadvantage that the duration time was short. Thus, efforts have been made to improve the reactivity of the CAR−T cells, and as a result, 2nd generation CAR−T cells in which a costimulatory domain (CD28 or CD137/4-1BB) and CD3ζ are combined were produced, wherein the number of CAR−T cells present in the body was significantly increased as compared to the number of the 1st generation CAR−T cells. Meanwhile, the 2nd CAR−T cells used one type of the costimulatory domain, and CAR−T cells using two types of the costimulatory domain are referred to 3rd generation CAR−Ts. Most of the recent studies focus on the 2nd generation and 3rd generation CAR−T cells. Meanwhile, regarding methods for treating cancers using the CAR−T cells, there was a report that when cytotoxic T cells transformed to recognize CD19 were injected into three patients with end-stage chronic lymphoid leukemia (CCL), leukemia was completely treated in two of the patients, and the condition was continued for about 10 months (N. Engl J Med 2011; 365:725-733 Aug. 25, 2011, Sic. Transl. Med 2011 Aug. 10; 3(95):95ra73). The CAR−Ts used herein correspond to the 2nd generation, and use 4-1BB as the costimulatory domain and CD3ζ as the signaling domain. The antigen binding domain of the CAR−T cells recognizes CD19, which is found on the surface of the leukemia cancer cells, as an antigen.
In addition, there was a report that when patients with acute leukemia were treated by administering CTL019, 27 of the 30 patients had experienced complete remission, 67% of all patients experienced complete remission for 2 years, and 78% of the patients were survived for 2 years. Given that the subject patients were relapsing or refractory patients, this result was very surprising (N Engl j Me-d 2014; 371:1507-1517, Oct. 16, 2014).
At present, for therapeutic methods using various CAR−T cells, clinical tests on various hematologic cancers such as lymphoma, myeloma, etc. have been conducted, and it is expected that CAR−T will become available as an available medicine in the market. Since cancer treatment using CAR−T cells is a self-derived method, this product could not be mass-produced; however, this is patient-specific treatment, so its therapeutic effect is incomparably higher than the existing anticancer drugs.

Chimeric antigen receptors, and T cells in which chimeric antigen receptor is expressed


A composition including at least one steroid chosen from DHEA and/or a biological precursor and/or a chemical or metabolic derivative of the latter, characterized in that it additionally comprises at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester of such an alcohol. The invention also relates to the cosmetic and dermatological uses of this composition, in particular for preventing or treating chronological or actinic ageing and canities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition including at least one steroid chosen from DHEA and/or a biological precursor and/or a chemical or metabolic derivative of the latter and at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester of such an alcohol, to uses of the composition and to a process for dissolving the abovementioned steroid by means of at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester of such an alcohol.
2. Description of the Background
DHEA or dehydroepiandrosterone is a natural steroid produced essentially by the corticoadrenal glands. Exogenous DHEA, administered topically or orally, is known for its ability to promote keratinization of the epidermis (JP-07 196 467) and to treat dry skin by increasing the endogenous production and the secretion of sebum and by thus strengthening the barrier effect of the skin (U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,556). DHEA is also described for the treatment of the symptoms of the menopause (U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,671) and in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis (U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,923). The use of DHEA has also been suggested in the treatment of obesity and diabetes (WO 97/13500) or of cardiovascular diseases (U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,671) and in the treatment of some cancers, such as ovarian cancer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,347), uterine cancer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,872,114) or breast cancer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,671).
In point of fact, DHEA only dissolves with difficulty in aqueous and aqueous/alcoholic media, which limits its formulation in cosmetic or dermatological compositions applied topically or orally. It thus has a tendency to recrystallize or to decompose. The result of this is a loss in effectiveness of these compositions to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon the degree of recrystallization and/or of decomposition, which goes against the desired objective. In addition, this recrystallization or decomposition can modify the overall stability of these compositions and their appearance, which can dissuade the consumer from using them.
Accordingly, the need thus remains to dissolve DHEA, and its precursors and/or derivatives presenting the same recrystallization difficulties, in a physiologically acceptable solubilizing agent.
The Inventors has now found, surprisingly, that these compounds can be easily dissolved in Guerbet alcohols and esters thereof.
The alcohols referred to as Guerbet alcohols are 2-alkylalkanols corresponding to the following general formula (II):
in which R denotes the same saturated aliphatic group.
These alcohols are generally obtained by condensation, at high temperature and in the presence of alkaline catalysts, of two aldehyde molecules to form an aldol, followed by elimination of water. Because of their branched structure, these compounds are liquid at extremely low temperatures. In addition, because of their high molecular weight, they are not very irritating and not very volatile and have good lubricating properties. Finally, their saturated aliphatic chain confers on them very good stability with respect to high temperature oxidation.
These advantageous properties explain why these compounds are currently used in a great many applications and in particular as emollients and conditioning agents in highly varied cosmetic compositions. Some of them have also been disclosed as solubilizing agents for active agents, such as 5-(n-octanoyl)salicylic acid, caffeic acid, kojic acid (EP 0 679 388) and retinol (EP 0 646 371 and EP 0 666 076). However, to the knowledge of the Inventors, the use of Guerbet alcohols for dissolving DHEA, a biological precursor thereof, or a chemical or metabolic derivative thereof has never been described.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a composition including at least one steroid chosen from DHEA and/or a biological precursor and/or a chemical or metabolic derivative of the latter, characterized in that it additionally comprises at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester of such an alcohol.
Thus, one embodiment of the present invention is a composition, comprising:
(A) at least one steroid selected from the group consisting of DHEA, a biological precursor of DHEA, a chemical derivitive of DHEA, and a metabolic derivative of DHEA, and
(B) at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester thereof.
The present invention also provides a method of preventing or treating chronological or actinic ageing comprising applying the composition of the invention to skin.
The present invention also provides a method of preventing or reducing the papery appearance of the skin, and/or for improving the homogeneity of the color of the skin and/or for lightening the skin and/or reviving the radiance of the complexion, and/or for treating wrinkles and fine lines, and/or for combating cutaneous slackening, and/or for combating or preventing atrophy of the skin, and/or for combating dryness of the skin, comprising applying the composition of the invention to skin.
The present invention also provides a method of cosmetic treating the scalp comprising applying the composition of the invention to the scalp.
The present invention also provides a method of preventing or treating canities comprising applying the composition of the invention to the scalp.
The present invention also provides a method of preparing the composition of the invention by combining (A) and (B).
The present invention also provides a method of preparing the composition the invention by comprising mixing (A) with (B).
The present invention also provides a method of solubilizing a steroid selected from the group consisting of DHEA, a biological precursor of DHEA, a chemical derivitive of DHEA, and a metabolic derivative of DHEA in a composition containing the steroid, comprising incorporating into the composition an amount of at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester thereof effective to solubilize the steroid in the composition.
The present invention also provides a process for dissolving at least one steroid chosen from DHEA and/or a biological precursor and/or a chemical or metabolic derivative of the latter comprising the stage which consists in mixing the steroid with at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or with an ester of such an alcohol. The mixing can be carried out under cold conditions, at ambient temperature or under hot conditions, for example at 75xc2x0 C., generally with stirring.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description.
According to a preferred embodiment, the process for preparing the composition of the invention additionally comprises the successive stages consisting in: (a) adding, to the mixture obtained above, a composition comprising compounds capable of forming lamellar phases, so as to obtain an oily phase; (b) optionally, mixing this oily phase with an aqueous phase, to prepare an emulsion; (c) subjecting the oily phase obtained according to stage (a) or the emulsion obtained according to stage (b) to a high pressure homogenization, so as to obtain a composition comprising oily globules coated with lamellar phases; and (d) optionally, adding at least one gelling agent to the composition obtained according to stage (c).
This is because the Inventors have discovered that the formation of oily globules coated with lamellar phases, also referred to as xe2x80x9coleosomesxe2x80x9d, such as disclosed in applications EP-0 641 557 and EP-0 705 593, both incorporated herein by reference, makes it possible to slow down the crystallization of the compositions according to the invention. The compounds capable of forming lamellar phases which can be used for implementing the above process are thus disclosed in particular in the two abovementioned patent applications. They generally comprise the combinations of a lipophilic surfactant, such as a polyol ester, with a hydrophilic surfactant, such as a polyoxyalkylenated polyol ester, and a fatty acid and/or an ionic amphiphilic lipid. The oleosomes generally have a mean diameter of less than 200 nm.
DHEA has the following formula (I):
The DHEA which can be used according to the invention is available from, for example, Akzo Nobel.
The term xe2x80x9cbiological precursorsxe2x80x9d of DHEA is refers to compounds which are converted in vivo to DHEA. Particular examples of biological precursors of DHEA include xcex945-pregnenolone, 17xcex1-hydroxypregnenolone and 17xcex1-hydroxypregnenolone sulfate, without this list being limiting.
The term xe2x80x9cDHEA derivativesxe2x80x9d refers to both the metabolic derivatives and the chemical derivatives of DHEA. Mention may in particular be made, as metabolic derivatives, of xcex945-androstene-3, 17-diol and in particular 5-androstene-3xcex2, 17xcex2-diol, xcex944-androstene-3, 17-dione, 7-hydroxy-DHEA (7xcex1-hydroxy-DHEA or 7xcex2 hydroxy-DHEA) and 7-keto-DHEA, which is itself a metabolite of 7xcex2-hydroxy-DHEA, without this list being limiting.
7xcex1-Hydroxy-DHEA is, with 5-androstene-3xcex2, 17xcex2-diol, a major metabolite of DHEA obtained by the action of 7xcex1-hydroxylase on DHEA. 7xcex2-Hydroxy-DHEA is a minor metabolite of DHEA obtained by the action of 7xcex2-hydroxylase on DHEA. The 7-hydroxy-DHEA which can be used in the composition of the invention is preferably 7xcex1-OH-DHEA. A process for the preparation of this compound is described in particular in patent applications FR-2 771 105 and WO 94/08588, both incorporated herein by reference. However, 7xcex2-OH-DHEA is also suitable in the composition according to the present invention.
Mention may in particular be made, as chemical derivatives, of DHEA salts, in particular water-soluble salts, such as DHEA sulfate. Mention may also be made of esters, such as esters of hydroxycarboxylic acids and of DHEA, disclosed in particular in U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,537, incorporated herein by reference, or other esters, such as DHEA salicylate, acetate, valerate (or n-heptanoate) and enanthate. This list is obviously not limiting.
The steroids specifically mentioned above are included within the group of the compounds corresponding to the formula (II):
where
R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group,
R2 is a xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH3 radical or a hydroxyl group,
or R1 and R2 together form an oxo group,
R3 is a hydrogen atom or a xe2x80x94CORxe2x80x2 radical, where Rxe2x80x2 represents a saturated or unsaturated and linear, cyclic or branched C1-C12 hydrocarbonaceous radical which is optionally hydroxylated or an aryl radical which is optionally hydroxylated, and either
R4 represents a hydrogen atom and R5 and R6 together form a bond, or
R4 and R5 together form a bond and R6 represents a hydrogen atom, and their salts.
The term xe2x80x9chydrocarbonaceous radicalxe2x80x9d is understood to mean, for example, alkyl radicals, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl and dodecyl radicals, and alkylene radicals, in particular vinyl or allyl radicals.
The term xe2x80x9caryl radicalxe2x80x9d is preferably understood to mean the benzyl radical.
The composition according to the present invention includes, as solubilizing agent for the abovementioned steroids, at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms and preferably from 16 to 20 carbon atoms or an ester of such an alcohol. These ranges for the number of carbon atoms include all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 14, 18, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34 carbon atoms.
Mention may be made, as 2-alkylalkanols suitable for use in the present invention, of: butyloctanol, pentylnonanol, hexyldecanol, octyldecanol, isostearyl alcohol, octyldodecanol, undecylpentadecanol, dodecylhexadecanol, tetradecyloctadecanol, hexyldecyloctadecanol, decyltetradecanol, tetradecyleicosanol, and cetylarachidol.
All these compounds are commercially available, from Condea Vista under the tradename Isofol(copyright), from Exxon Chemical under the name Exxal(copyright) or from Jarchem under the name Jarcol(copyright). Use may also be made of the compound available from Henkel under the tradename Eutanol G. Mention may also be made of the mixture of isocetyl, isostearyl and isoarachidyl alcohols available from Condea under the tradename Isofol 18T(copyright). It is preferable in particular to use 2-octyldodecanol.
Mention may be made, as esters of these alcohols, of an ester of 2-hexyldecanol and of an acid chosen from: palmitic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid and isostearic acid, an ester of 2-butyloctanol and of an acid chosen from thiodipropionic acid and trimellitic acid, 2-decyltetradecyl isostearate, octyldodecyl octanoate and octyldodecyl meadowfoamate, which is an ester of octyldodecanol and of fatty acids derived from Limnanthes alba germ oil, available from Fanning Corporation under the tradename Meadowester gme. The acid may have 8 to 18 carbon atoms. This range includes all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 10, 12, 14, AND 16 carbon atoms.
The concentration of steroids in the composition according to the invention is preferably between 0.001% and 20% by weight, preferably between 0.01 and 10% by weight, more preferably between 0.1 and 3% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition. These ranges include all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 0.002, 0.005, 0.02, 0.05, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 5, 8, 12, and 15% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition.
The amount by weight of 2-alkylalkanol or of an ester thereof is preferably equal to, more preferably is at least twice as great as, the amount by weight of steroids. The amount of 2-alkylalkanol or of an ester thereof advantageously represents from 0.01% to 25%, better still from 1 to 15%, of the total weight of the composition. These ranges include all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 0.02, 0.05, 0.2, 0.5, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 5, 8, 12, 18, 20, and 22% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition.
The composition according to the invention can be provided in any pharmaceutical dosage form normally used for a topical application on the skin, in particular in the form of an oily solution, of an oil-in-water or water-in-oil or multiple emulsion, of a silicone emulsion, of a microemulsion or nanoemulsion, of an oily gel, of a liquid, pasty or solid anhydrous product, or of a dispersion of oil in an aqueous phase in the presence of spherules, it being possible for these spherules to be polymeric nanoparticles, such as nanospheres and nanocapsules, or better still lipid vesicles of ionic and/or nonionic type.
This composition can be more or less fluid and have the appearance of a white or colored cream, of an ointment, of a milk, of a lotion, of a serum, of a paste, of a foam or of a gel. It can optionally be applied to the skin in the form of an aerosol. It can also be provided in the solid form, for example in the form of a stick. It can be used as a product for caring for and/or as a product for making up the skin or as a hair product, for example as a shampoo or conditioner.
As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the composition of the invention can also comprise the adjuvants customarily used in the cosmetic and dermatological fields, such as hydrophilic or lipophilic gelling agents, hydrophilic or lipophilic active agents, preservatives, antioxidants, solvents, fragrances, fillers, screening agents, pigments, odor absorbers and coloring materials. The amounts of these various adjuvants are those conventionally used in the fields under consideration, for example from 0.01 to 20% of the total weight of the composition. This range includes all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 5, 8, 12, and 15% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition.
These adjuvants, depending upon their nature, can be introduced into the fatty phase, into the aqueous phase, into the lipid vesicles and/or into the nanoparticles. These adjuvants and their concentrations must be such that they do not harm the advantageous properties of the steroids according to the invention.
When the composition according to the invention is an emulsion, the proportion of the fatty phase can range from 5 to 80% by weight and preferably from 5 to 50% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition. These ranges include all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 10, 15, 20, 25, 35, 40, 60, and 75% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition. The fatty substances, the emulsifiers and the coemulsifiers used in the composition in the form of an emulsion are chosen from those conventionally used in the field under consideration. The emulsifier and the coemulsifier are preferably present in the composition in a proportion ranging from 0.3 to 30% by weight and preferably from 0.5 to 20% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition. These ranges include all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 1, 2, 5, 10, and 25% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition.
In addition to solubilizing agents based on 2-alkylalkanols and on their esters, use may be made, as fatty substances which can be used in the invention, of oils and in particular mineral oils (liquid paraffin), oils of vegetable origin (avocado oil, soybean oil), oils of animal origin (lanolin), synthetic oils (perhydrosqualene), silicone oils (cyclomethicone) and fluorinated oils (perfluoropolyethers). Use may also be made, as fatty substances, of fatty alcohols, such as cetyl alcohol, fatty acids, waxes and gums and, in particular, silicone gums.
Mention may be made, as emulsifiers and coemulsifiers which can be used in the invention, of, for example, esters of fatty acid and polyethylene glycol, such as PEG-100 stearate, PEG-50 stearate and PEG-40 stearate; esters of fatty acid and of polyol, such as glyceryl stearate, sorbitan tristearate and the oxyethylenated sorbitan stearates available under the tradenames Tween(copyright) 20 or Tween(copyright) 60, for example; and mixtures thereof.
Mention may in particular be made, as hydrophilic gelling agents, of carboxyvinyl polymers (carbomer), acrylic copolymers, such as acrylate/alkyl acrylate copolymers, polyacrylamides, polysaccharides, natural gums and clays and mention may be made, as lipophilic gelling agents, of modified clays, such as bentones, metal salts of fatty acids and hydrophobic silica.
Use may in particular be made, as active agents, of depigmenting agents and keratolytic and/or desquamating agents.
In the event of incompatibility, the active agents indicated above and/or the steroids according to the invention can be incorporated in spherules, in particular ionic or nonionic vesicles and/or nanoparticles (nanocapsules and/or nanospheres), so as to isolate them from one another in the composition.
According to an alternative form of the invention, the composition can be adapted to oral administration. In this case, it can be provided in the form of syrups, of suspensions, of solutions or of emulsions.
The composition according to the invention finds an application in particular in the prevention and treatment of signs of chronological or actinic ageing and in the treatment of some pathologies.
The present invention thus also provides for the cosmetic use of the composition mentioned above for preventing or treating chronological or actinic ageing, in particular:
for preventing or reducing the papery appearance of the skin, and/or
for improving the homogeneity of the color of the skin and/or for lightening the skin and/or reviving the radiance of the complexion, and/or
for treating wrinkles and fine lines, and/or
for combating cutaneous slackening, and/or
for combating or preventing atrophy of the skin, and/or
for combating dryness of the skin.
The present invention also provides for the use of this composition for the cosmetic treatment of the scalp, in particular for preventing or treating canities.
The present invention also relates to the use of the abovementioned composition for manufacturing a preparation intended to tone down pigmentary blemishes.
The present invention also provides for the use of the abovementioned composition for manufacturing a preparation intended for the treatment of canities.
In all of these embodiments, the composition according to the invention and/or the preparation obtained from the latter comprises an effective amount of steroid, sufficient to produce the desired effect, and a physiologically acceptable medium.
The composition can be applied for the desired effect using techniques well-known to those skilled in the art.

Cosmetic composition containing a steroid and a 2-alkylalkanol or an ester thereof


A method for producing a carbon material, the method including a step of performing a carbonization treatment by heating an organic polymer material to a temperature higher than 400° C. in a non-oxidizing atmosphere containing a gaseous substance (A) composed of at least one of acetylene and an acetylene derivative.

Since carbon materials, such as carbon fibers, have excellent mechanical strength, they are extremely useful as industrial materials and the like such as automobile members, aerospace materials, materials for sports and leisure, and pressure vessels, and the demand is increasing. Further, they are expected to be used in a wider range of fields in the future.
In general, a carbon fiber is obtained by performing a flame-resistant treatment by heating a precursor fiber formed by bundling precursor filaments composed of polyacrylonitrile or the like in a flame-resistant furnace filled with an oxidizing atmosphere, and then performing a carbonization treatment by heating the obtained flame-resistant fiber in a carbonization furnace filled with an inert atmosphere such as nitrogen (for example, Patent Document 1).

Carbon material and production method for same


An electrochemical apparatus having a plurality of ceramic electrochemical cells, a plurality of gas feed members and a plurality of gas discharge members. The electrochemical cell has a first electrode contacting with a first gas, a solid electrolyte layer and a second electrode contacting with a second gas. A gas flow channel for flowing the first gas therethrough, a first through hole and a second through hole are provided in the electrochemical cell. The gas feed member is inserted into the first through hole, the gas discharge member is inserted into the second through hole. The adjacent gas feed members are airtightly coupled to each other thereby forming a gas feed channel, and the adjacent gas discharge members are airtightly coupled to each other thereby forming a gas discharge channel.

A plurality of cells must be laminated (stacked) in order to obtain a high power output since the voltage per fuel cell is approximately 1 V. For this reason, how the number of laminated cells can be increased to obtain the high power output in a reduced size becomes an issue that needs to be solved.
In WO 2007/029860 A1, especially in FIG. 14, a fuel flow channel is formed, for example, inside a fuel electrode of a ceramic electrochemical cell, in which a solid electrolyte film and an air electrode film are formed on the fuel electrode. Then, after providing a gas feed port and a gas discharge port to a cell itself, a plurality of the cells are directly laminated to form a stack. In the course of constructing the stack, the gas feed port of each of the adjacent cells are arranged so as to continue to each other, thereby forming a gas feed channel, while a gas discharge port of each cell is arranged so as to continue to each other, thereby forming a gas discharge channel.


Storage stable multiple emulsions of a polar phase A1, a nonpolar phase B and a polar phase A2, or of a nonpolar phase B1, a polar phase A and a nonpolar phase B2, employ particulate solids smaller than 1 μm to stabilize the resulting A1/B/A2 or B1/A/B2 multiple emulsions against coalescence, with the proviso that surface-active substances are present only up to a maximum concentration of less than 0.1 times the critical micelle concentration of the surface-active substances in phase A, A1, A2. The multiple emulsions have numerous uses including controlled release of active substances from a dispersed phase.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to multiple emulsions, to their production, and to their use.
2. Background Art
Emulsions require the immiscibility of two phases. Emulsions can therefore be formed if two phases, phase A and phase B, are not completely miscible with one another. Typically, phase A is an aqueous phase, and phase B is an oily phase. Accordingly, it is possible to produce water-in-oil (w/o) and oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions.
Conventional emulsions consist of a water phase and an oil phase and one or more surface-active substances. Typically, surface-active substances are low molecular weight substances which contain one or more polar groups and also contain one or more nonpolar groups. Emulsions which are stabilized by means of particles were described for the first time by Pickering: J. CHEM. Soc., 1907, 91, 2001.
For some applications, multiphasic emulsions ("multiple emulsions") are desirable. The first experiments for the preparation of multiple emulsions were described by Matsumoto et al., J. COLL. INTERF. SCI., 1976, 57, 353. A problem with multiple emulsions is their instability toward coalescence.
Multiple emulsions using polymeric surfactants have been described in DE 41 36699 A1 and DE 33 39 056 C2. The processes disclosed, however, are complex, costly, perturbation-sensitive, and lead to high-viscosity systems. Multiple emulsions using gelling agents in the internal phase have been described in DE 196 38 729 A1. The process disclosed is based on imparting thixotropy to and thickening of the internal aqueous phase, which significantly restricts its applicability.
Multiple emulsions consist of    (1) a phase X, which is present as an emulsion in a    (2) phase Y, this phase X-in-phase Y emulsion (X/Y) being present    (3) in turn as droplets in a further phase Z as an emulsion:    Phase X-in-phase Y-in-phase Z (Phase X/Phase Y/Phase Z).
In practice, two principal possibilities for multiple emulsions arise from this:
Possibility I: (A/B/A′).
Multiple emulsions consisting of (1) a phase A which is present in emulsified form in a (2) phase B, this phase A-in-phase B emulsion (A/B) is present (3) in turn as droplets in a further phase A′: phase A-in-phase B-in-phase A′ (A/B/A′).
Possibility II: (B/A/B′).
Multiple emulsions consisting of (1) a phase B which is present in emulsified form in a (2) phase A, this phase B-in-phase A emulsion (B/A) is present (3) in turn as droplets in a further phase B′: phase B-in-phase A-in-phase B′ (B/A/B′).
In practice, with phase A as the aqueous phase and phase B as the oily phase, it is possible to prepare multiple emulsions in the form of    (I) water-in-oil-in-water emulsion (w/o/w)    or in the form of    (II) oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion (o/w/o).
The stabilization of multiple emulsions known hitherto requires the use of low molecular weight oligomeric or polymeric emulsifiers or surface-active substances which stabilize the various w/o and o/w interfaces. However, multiple emulsions known hitherto suffer from coalescence and sedimentation, lack shear stability, and possess inadequate storage stability, leading to loss of their properties, lending them unsuitable for their intended applications.
It has hitherto been impossible to prepare multiple emulsions having long-term stability with feasible expenditure. For example, to date, no simple and universal process has been described which facilitates the preparation of multiple emulsions with long-term storage stability and shear stability.
Multiple emulsions are of great technical interest. They are, for example, of key technical importance in applications which require a "controlled release" function. Controlled release means the controlled and slow release of (I) active ingredients dissolved in polar aqueous phase or (II) active ingredients dissolved in nonpolar oily phase, and is of great interest in a wide variety of applications in pharmacy, medicine, agrochemistry, foodstuffs and animal feeds, in cosmetics, and in chemical catalysis.