A writeboard according to an embodiment of the invention includes plural display cells capable of controlling light within a visible-light spectrum, the display cells being arranged over a display surface of the writeboard. The writeboard also typically includes plural memory cells coupled with the display cells, and plural first receivers arranged with the display cells and the memory cells over the display surface. The first receivers typically are configured to receive transmitted writing information and to communicate the transmitted writing information to corresponding memory cells for storage. Corresponding display cells thus may be selectively activated in accordance with the transmitted writing information.

Blackboards, whiteboards, and other display surfaces (collectively "writeboards") are often used to convey information to a group of people, such as students or meeting participants. Such writeboards are typically used with a marking implement and an eraser. In the case of a blackboard, the marking implement may be chalk and the eraser may be a composite fiber block. For whiteboards, the marking implement may be a dry erase marker, and the eraser a foam or fiber block adapted to remove dry erase markings from the whiteboard surface.
Current writeboards have certain disadvantages. For example, retaining information printed on such writeboards may require manual copying. In certain embodiments, while information written on a writeboard may be scanned or captured electronically, such systems do not provide for subsequently displaying that information with the writeboard once it has been removed from the writeboard. Additionally, markings on such boards may be difficult for all students in a classroom, or participants in a meeting room to observe. Thus, based on the foregoing, alternative writeboard approaches may be desirable.


A resin MMF/reimplantation kit is provided with a dental arch bar that includes an elongated pliable splint and a plurality of attachment members. The pliable splint includes an interiorly facing side surface and an exteriorly facing side surface. The pliable splint includes a curable component that cures from a moldable state to a rigid state in less than one minute upon being activated. The attachment members can be ether partially embedded in the pliable splint or can be separate from the pliable splint until after the pliable splint is attached to the patient's teeth.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to reconstructive oral surgery due to facial trauma. More specifically, the present invention relates to a resin MMF/reimplantation device (e.g., an intermaxillary fixation device) that used in restoration and healing of maxillo-mandibular injuries such as temporary fixation of teeth and/or jaw segments.
Background Information
Sometimes a person fractures his or her jaw or mandible. Jaw fractures often occur because of interpersonal trauma or fights, motor vehicle accidents and sporting injuries or falls. Typically, jaw fractures require treatment, and surgery is often recommended. There are two main systems that are in use today for immobilizing a person's jaw. The first main system uses metal arch bars (e.g., Erich arch bars that are made of fully annealed stainless steel) which are typically to temporarily attach to the patient's teeth by circumdental wires, while the second main system uses maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) screws.
In order to reduce and stabilize jaw fractures (intermaxillary fixation) with arch bars, the patient's teeth are wired together using arch bars to immobilize the jaw. In particular, two or more arch bars are attached to the patient's teeth by circumdental wires. The arch bars are cut to the appropriate lengths and are secured by the circumdental wires which are looped tightly around the teeth. The upper and lower jaws are drawn together by tightening inter-arch wires that are looped around hooks carried on each arch bar.
In order to stabilize jaw fractures (intermaxillary fixation) with MMF screws, the patient's teeth are wired together using MMF screws that are screwed into patient to immobilize the jaw. The upper and lower jaws are drawn together by tightening wires that are pulled through holes in MMF screws and then tightened.
This conventional wiring procedures using arch bars or MMF screws requires high levels of advanced medical and dental training. Moreover, these two procedures are potentially very traumatic to the patient. Both arch bars and MMF screws are very irritating to patient's natural intraoral soft tissue and can cause damage and infection. During placement of conventional arch bars, the patient's gums are typically penetrated or pierced in an iatrogenic manner during wiring with circumdental wires. During placement of MMF screws, bore holes are created in the jaw using an osteotome that can result in tooth root damage. As circumdental wires are sharp and easily penetrate surgical gloves, their use places the surgeon at risk of blood born pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis. Additionally, conventional procedures that utilize circumdental wires or MMF screws are also very time consuming for both the wiring procedure and the removal procedure. Also removal of the arch bars can be very painful for the patient.
In view of the problems in these conventional wiring procedures, alternative procedures have been developed in which the arch bars are directly bonded to the patient's teeth without using circumdental wiring. However, these directly bonded arch bars do not provide for a simplified and efficient manner in which the arch bars may be secured or stabilized to the teeth prior to the adhesive drying. This may prevent the arch bars from staying stationary during the adhesive process. Additionally, many of these arch bars are manufactured using a metal mesh, in which the application of the metal mesh proves to be difficult to achieve high bonding strength to the patient's teeth.
One example, an arch bar that is directly bonded to the patient's teeth without using circumdental wiring is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,188. This patent discloses an arch bar that includes a plurality of ligature hooks and a metallic mesh layer on the back surface of the arch bar. The metallic mesh layer forms an adhesive bonding attachment structure for attaching the arch bar to the tooth enamel. Other examples of arch bars that are directly bonded to the patient's teeth without using circumdental wiring are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,202 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,955.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Singer-Domanski resin MMF/reimplantation device


Vending machines designed specifically for the sale and provision of large and potentially unusually shaped items, such as sporting goods, including an electronic system for the selection and sale of the vended items. In some examples, the vending machine includes multiple product storage areas designed for holding and vending varied goods such as hockey sticks, hockey stick blades, and related accessories, with each area separate and made accessible by the electronic system as appropriate based upon the purchased products selected by a user.

The present disclosure relates generally to vending machines that automatically dispense hockey equipment. In particular, vending machines that dispense hockey sticks and replacement blades for attachment to sticks are described.
Known hockey vending solutions are not entirely satisfactory for the range of applications in which they are employed. Because hockey is a fast paced contact sport, hockey players regularly need to replace their equipment during play. In particular, players often need to replace sticks or stick blades when they become damaged during play. As a result, there exists a need for hockey players to have quick, consistent access to replacement equipment when playing.
Playing locations often operate hockey pro shops that provide players with replacement equipment. Staffing and operating hockey pro shops, however, is both expensive and burdensome. In particular, it is often difficult to staff hockey pro shops during the early morning or late at night. As a result, it is difficult to provide consistent access to replacement equipment at all of the times in which players are commonly playing. Thus, there exists a need for automated hockey equipment vendors that provide consistent access to equipment without needing to operate a hockey pro shop.
Some existing vending machines are currently used to dispense hockey supplies. Often, however, repurposed vending machines originally designed to vend drinks and/or snacks are used to sell small hockey accessories. While such machines are suitable for selling select small hockey supplies, such as mouth guards, they are ill-suited for selling larger unwieldy items, such as replacement sticks and blades. As a result, maintaining a pro shop is the only practical means by which hockey playing locations are able to vend one piece hockey sticks and stick blades. Thus, there exists a need for an automated means by which hockey playing locations can vend hockey sticks and stick blades.
Further, the storage in repurposed vending machines is not designed specifically for dispensing hockey equipment. As a result, repurposed vending machines are limited in the selection of items they are able to store and provide to customers.
Thus, there exists a need for vending machines that improve upon and advance the design of known hockey equipment vending solutions. Examples of new and useful hockey equipment vending machines relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below.


Various embodiments are described herein for an electrode assembly for a stacked-cell battery. The electrode assembly comprises a first active material layer; a first current collector layer adjacent to and in electrical contact with an outer surface of the first active material layer; a tab element having an end lead portion and a second lead portion, the end lead portion being in electrical contact with at least one of the first active material layer and the first current collector layer, and the second lead portion extending away from the end lead portion and being substantially adjacent to a surface of at least one of the first active material layer and the first current collector layer and is adapted to provide an electrical connection to the electrode assembly; and an insulative layer covering an inner contact area of the second lead portion to electrically insulate this portion of the tab element.

Mobile devices are extensively used in everyday life. These mobile devices are powered by batteries that are in most cases rechargeable but in other cases can be disposable. It is important in both of these cases that these batteries have a high capacity so that they last a long time before having to be recharged or replaced as the case may be. However, mobile devices, such as handheld devices, have limited space for batteries. Therefore, it is important for batteries to be designed in a space-efficient manner to provide a suitable amount of charge.

Method of reducing tabbing volume required for external connections


The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides having tripeptide aminopeptidase activity. The invention also relates; to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequences as well as recombinant methods for producing the polypeptides.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides having tripeptide aminopeptidase activity. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequences as well as recombinant methods for producing the polypeptides.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tripeptide aminopeptidases (EC 126.96.36.199) are exopeptidases which catalyze the removal of unsubstituted tripeptides from the N-terminus of peptides, oligopeptides or proteins. Tripeptide aminopeptidases may be unspecific in cleaving any tripeptide sequence from the N-terminal end, or specific in cleaving specific types of tripeptide sequences.
The isolation of microbial genes encoding tripeptide aminopeptidases have been reported previously. For instance, Butler et al. disclose the cloning and expression of a Streptomyces lividans tripeptide aminopeptidase gene (1995, Applied and Environmental Microbiology 61:3145-3150). Mierau et al. disclose the cloning and expression of a Lactococcus lactis tripeptide aminopeptidase gene (1994, Journal of Bacteriology 176: 2854-2861).
It is an object of the present invention to provide isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides have tripeptide aminopeptidase activity.

Nucleic acids encoding polypeptides having tripeptide aminopeptidase activity


The primary sun visor is co-existent with a low profile thin member, known as a recessed tray, which is independent from the headliner substrate and is thinner than the headliner substrate it replaces. The recessed tray contains an integrally molded center support and outboard bezel area. The primary sun visor vanity mirror lamps have been removed and integrated into the recessed tray. The recessed tray retains both the primary and auxiliary sun visors.

This invention relates generally to sun visors for automotive vehicles and, more specifically, to a sun visor assembly with a thin packaging profile.
Automotive vehicle manufacturers place high importance on environmental issues such as fuel efficiency standards. In recent years auto makers have designed automobiles with aerodynamic exterior shapes which have a low coefficient of drag to achieve increased fuel efficiency and lower wind noise. These more aerodynamic designs often involve a lower vehicle roof. The front header panel, attached to the front edge of the roof metal, is accordingly moved downward and rearward. A lower vehicle roof, however, negatively impacts the styling and packaging of the interior components.
Traditionally, sun visors in automotive vehicles are positioned below an inner roof trim piece, known as the headliner, which covers the bottom of the front header as well as the roof sheet metal. The headliner usually consists of a compression molded fiberglass substrate which can be compressed below the front header. Located beneath the headliner cloth is often a secondary sun visor, known as an auxiliary sun visor, which is stowed against the headliner surface in its unused position and can be rotated from the headliner forward to the windshield and back again. The primary sun visor is, in turn, located below the auxiliary sun visor and can be rotated forward toward the windshield or can be rotated in an outward direction to block sunlight from entering the side window. Primary sun visors often contain illuminated vanity mirrors which are usually the thickest dimensional item on the sun visor. Thus, this entire sun visor assembly can become quite large from the front header to the bottom of the primary sun visor; this reduces the occupants' head room and may encroach upon their upward viewing through the windshield.
Furthermore, a rotatable elbow located at the outboard end of the primary sun visor is mounted to the sheet metal with screws or quick-connect type fasteners and currently the headliner is covered by a trim bezel known as an outboard bezel. The opposite end of the primary sun visor, closest to the center line of the vehicle, is often mounted to a center support through a releasable roller which holds the sun visor when stowed or rotated downward. When an auxiliary sun visor is part of the vehicle, it is mounted by a pivot means to both the outboard bezel and to the center support. The many part tolerances involved often create inconsistent center support efforts, and aesthetic gapping or interference problems may occur between all of these parts.
Another method consists of a cloth covered formed pressboard retainer with metal bracketry to retain preassembled primary sun visors and a center lamp. This assembly covered the front portion of the headliner and was screwed to the front header. Not only was this device quite heavy, thick and expensive, it neither retained an auxiliary sun visor nor used remote lighting. Moreover, significant tolerance and appearance benefits could not be realized with this assembly since very little part integration was present.

Low profile sun visor system with remote lighting


Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating communication of encoded data, formed of a systematic part and a non-systematic part, in a radio communication system. Systematic parts of the encoded data are assigned by an assignor to transmit antennas that are associated with communication channels exhibiting better, or best, communication quality levels. Determinations are made of communication conditions to rank the transmit antennas, thereby permit appropriate assignments of the encoded data to transmit antennas. Feedback is provided by the receiver that receives the transmitted data. The feedback information includes, or is formed responsive to, detections and other measurements at the receivers.

A communication system provides for the communication of data between communication stations, of which at least one of the communication stations forms a sending station and another of the communication stations forms a receiving station. The sending and receiving stations are interconnected by way of a communication channel upon which data, originated at, or otherwise provided to, the sending station is communicated to the receiving station.
A wide variety of different types of communication systems have been developed and deployed. And, such communication systems are regularly utilized to effectuate many different types of communication services. As a result of technological advancements, new types of communication systems have been developed and installed. Additional technological advancements shall likely permit the development and deployment of additional types of communication systems providing additional, and improved, communication services to be effectuated.
Radio communication systems are exemplary of communication systems that have benefited from technological advancements and of which infrastructures thereof have been deployed and regularly utilized through which to effectuate various types of communication services. Radio communication systems differ with conventional, wireline communication systems in that the communication channel that interconnects sending and receiving stations operable therein is defined upon a radio link extending between the communication stations. That is to say, a communication path extending between the sending and receiving stations of a radio communication system includes, along at least a portion thereof, a radio link upon which the communication channel is defined. A wireline connection is thereby obviated for the portion of the communication path that, instead, is defined upon the radio link.
Use of a radio communication system through which to communicate provides various advantages. The installation and deployment costs, for example, of a radio communication system are generally less than costs required to install and deploy a corresponding wireline communication system. And, a radio communication system can be implemented as a mobile communication system in which one, or more, of the communication stations operable therein are permitted mobility, forming, as a result, a mobile communication system.
Many modern radio communication systems make use of digital communication techniques. When digital communication techniques are used, data that is to be communicated is first placed into digitized form and then, typically, formatted into data packets or frames, according to a selected formatting scheme. Once formatted, the data is modulated and transduced into electromagnetic form for communication on the radio communication channel to a receiving station. Once delivered at the receiving station, the receiving station operates to demodulate the data and recreate the informational content thereof.
If the information is communicated in a distortion-free environment, the values of the data, when received at the receiving station identically correspond in value with the values of the data when transmitted by a sending station. But, because no communication system is distortion-free, the values of the data, when received at the receiving station differ with the corresponding values of the data when sent by the sending station. If the values differ significantly, the informational content of the data cannot be recreated at the receiving station.
Communication conditions on the radio communication channel adversely affect the communication of the data. For instance, multipath communication conditions cause the data to fade during its communication upon the radio communication channel. Multipath transmission conditions are sometimes referred to as fading conditions. Fading of the data alters the values of the data, or portions thereof, such that, when detected at the receiving station, the values of the data differ with corresponding values when sent by the sending station.
Various manners are used by which to attempt to compensate for the distortion caused by fading. For instance, by increasing the diversity of the data, the likelihood that the informational content of the data can be recovered at the receiving station is increased.
Time diversity, for instance, is one type of diversity that is sometimes utilized to compensate for the effects of fading. When time diversity is utilized, time redundancy is introduced into the data. By introducing time redundancy, loss of portions of the data during its communication upon a fading channel is less likely to prevent the informational content of the data to be recovered. Fading sometimes is time-variant. And, the increased redundancy permits the loss of portions of the data due to fading of such portions less likely to prevent recovery of the informational content of the data.
Space diversity is another type of diversity that is also sometimes increased also to compensate for the effects of fading. Space diversity, typically, refers to the utilization of more than one transmit antenna at a sending station at which to transduce data into electromagnetic form for communication to a receiving station. The antennas are separated by selected by selected separation distances to provide selected levels of correlation between the data transmitted at the separate ones of the antennas. The separation distances between the antennas are generally selected to ensure that the data communicated at the respective ones of the antennas achieve at least a selected level of uncorrelation so that fading occurs in uncorrelated manners.
Space diversity is also provided at a receiver through the use of multiple receive antennas, also spaced apart by selected separation distances.
Communication systems that utilize space diversity at both the transmitter, i.e., the sending station, and the receiving station, i.e., the receiver, are sometimes referred to as being a MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) communication system. The number of receive antennas in such a system is generally, albeit not necessarily, at least as great as the number of transmit antennas formed at the transmitter. Each transmit antenna and receive antenna pair defines a separate channel that exhibits different fading conditions. The level of fading exhibited on the different channels is sometimes significant, particularly when the separate transmit and separate receive antenna transducers are highly uncorrelated. That is to say, communication conditions on a channel defined by a particular transmit and receive antenna pair might well be relatively better than communication conditions on another of the channels defined by another of the transmit and receive antenna pair.
Multiple input, multiple output communication system also advantageously provide for relatively high throughput rates as separate data can be communicated upon the different channels defined by the different ones of the transmit antenna and receive antenna pairs. As radio communication systems, such as cellular communication systems increasingly are used to effectuate data intensive communication services, MIMO implementations shall increasingly be utilized. For instance, in a CDMA 2000 communication system that provides for 1xEV-DV communication services, high data rate communication services shall be provided.
Various proposals have been set forth for MIMO implementations for use in a CDMA 2000/1xEV-DV communication system. A so-called per antenna rate control (PARC) system has been proposed by which to communicate independent data streams, albeit encoded at different ones of the transmit antennas. In this proposed implementation, side information regarding channel strengths is provided. Based upon this information, a radio base station tailors a data rate and a modulation order for each transmit antenna.
If any additional manners could be provided by which to enhance the system capacity in an MIMO system, yet further improvements in the communication in data intensive communication services would be facilitated.
It is in light of this background information related to communications in a radio communication system having a transmitter that includes multiple transmit antennas that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Apparatus, and associated method, for assigning data to transmit antennas of a multiple transmit antenna transmitter


The present invention is a tire derimming device adapted to separate the rubber portion of a tire from its rim and ring. The derimming device generally comprises a power actuator that contacts and bends the rim until the bead pops from the rim and the rim falls out of the tire thereby separating the rim from the ring. The device further comprises a shearing assembly for cutting the rubber portion of the tire into multiple pieces after the rim has been removed from the tire.

The invention relates to the field of tire derimming and tire shredding devices. More specifically, the invention relates to a tire derimming device capable of derimming split rim tires and/or non-split rim tires, and then shredding the derimmed tire.
Tire derimming machines that deform metal rims to remove them from the tires mounted thereon have been in use for a number of years by junk yards and resource reclamation facilities. In the case of smaller automobile tires, the job is burdensome but not generally dangerous to the operator. However, where the much larger and heavier truck tires are concerned, there is a real danger of physical injury to the operator due to the split rim component of the tire that can eject from the tire at a high rate of speed causing serious injury or even death.
Large truck tires have a heavy bead in order to support the heavy loads carried by the trucks. The heavy bead does not allow the rubber tire to be removed from the rim without damage to the tire. Split rims solve this problem by allowing the heavy beaded tire to be removed from the rim without having to use damaging force to pull the tire over the bead. The split rims consist of a two part removable ring on the outside rim that allows the tire to be removed from the rim when the ring is removed from the rim. The split rim (also called a ring) is under a considerable amount of pressure and is therefore dangerous to remove because the ring is barely held by the rim and therefore can fly off of the tire at a high rate of speed if it is not properly aligned. Many people have been injured and killed by ejected rings while changing truck tires. Mechanic's shops that work on split rim tires usually do so inside of a small metal cage due to the danger that the ring may be ejected from the rim.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,968 discloses a tire derimming device that has a vertically actuated power cylinder which pushes the metal rim out from the center of the tire. One problem with this device is that it does not work on split rim tires because the downward force of the power actuator does not separate the rim from the ring. Therefore, the rim and ring tear through and are ejected from the tire while the rim and ring are still combined. As discussed above, the ring is delicately combined with the rim under pressure, and, therefore, the ring could forcibly eject from the rim even after they are pushed through the tire by the power actuator.
Applicant is not aware of any device that provides a simple and easy method for derimming semi-truck tires mounted on split rims. Therefore, there is a need for a tire derimming device that is capable of safely separating the tire, ring, and rim of a split rim tire.


This invention provides antioxidant cyclic salen-metal compounds, compositions of such antioxidant cyclic salen-metal compounds having superoxide activity, catalase activity and/or peroxidase activity and methods of using such antioxidant cyclic salen-metal compositions to treat or prevent a disease associated with cell or tissue damage produced by free radicals, such as superoxide.

Molecular oxygen is an essential nutrient for nonfacultative aerobic organisms, including, of course, humans. Oxygen is used in many important ways, namely, as the terminal electronic acceptor in oxidative phosphorylation, in many dioxygenase reactions, including the synthesis of prostaglandins and of vitamin A from carotenoids, in a host of hydroxylase reactions, including the formation and modification of steroid hormones, and in both the activation and the inactivation of xenobiotics, including carcinogens. The extensive P-450 system uses molecular oxygen in a host of important cellular reactions. In a similar vein, nature employs free radicals in a large variety of enzymic reactions.
Excessive concentrations of various forms of reactive oxygen species and of free radicals can have serious adverse effects on living systems, including the peroxidation of membrane lipids, the hydroxylation of nucleic acid bases, and the oxidation of sulfhydryl groups and of other sensitive moieties in proteins. If uncontrolled, mutations and/or cellular death result.
Biological antioxidants include well-defined enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, selenium glutathione peroxidase, and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase. Nonenzymatic biological antioxidants include tocopherols and tocotrienols, carotenoids, quinones, bilirubin, ascorbic acid, uric acid, and metal-binding proteins. Various antioxidants, being both lipid and water soluble, are found in all parts of cells and tissues, although each specific antioxidant often shows a characteristic distribution pattern. The so-called ovothiols, which are mercaptohistidine derivatives, also decompose peroxides nonenzymatically.
Free radicals, particularly free radicals derived from molecular oxygen, are believed to play a fundamental role in a wide variety of biological phenomena. In fact, it has been suggested that much of what is considered critical illness may involve oxygen radical ("oxyradical") pathophysiology (Zimmerman, J. J. (1991) Chest 100:189S). Oxyradical injury has been implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary oxygen toxicity, adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis syndrome, and a variety of ischemia-reperfusion syndromes, including myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiopulmonary bypass, organ transplantation, necrotizing enterocolitis, acute renal tubular necrosis, and other disease. Oxyradicals can react with proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and other biological macromolecules producing damage to cells and tissues, particularly in the critically ill patient.
Free radicals are atoms, ions, or molecules that contain an unpaired electron (Pryor, W. A. (1976) Free Radicals in Biol. 1:1). Free radicals are usually unstable and exhibit short half-lives. Elemental oxygen is highly electronegative and readily accepts single electron transfers from cytochromes and other reduced cellular components; a portion of the O2 consumed by cells engaged in aerobic respiration is univalently reduced to superoxide radical (i.e., .O2−) (Cadenas, E. (1989) Ann. Rev. Biochem. 58:79). Sequential univalent reduction of .O2− produces hydrogen peroxide (ie., H2O2), a hydroxyl radical (i.e., .OH), and water.
Free radicals can originate from many sources, including aerobic respiration, cytochrome P-450-catalyzed monooxygenation reactions of drugs and xenobiotics (e.g., trichloromethyl radicals, i.e., CCl3., formed from oxidation of carbon tetrachloride), and ionizing radiation. For example, when tissues are exposed to gamma radiation, most of the energy deposited in the cells is absorbed by water and results in scission of the oxygen-hydrogen covalent bonds in water, leaving a single electron on hydrogen and one on oxygen, thereby creating two radicals, i.e., H. and .OH. The hydroxyl radical, i.e., .OH, is the most reactive radical known in chemistry. It reacts with biomolecules, sets off chain reactions and can interact with the purine or pyrimidine bases of nucleic acids. Indeed, radiation-induced carcinogenesis may be initiated by free radical damage (Breimer, L. H. (1988) Brit. J Cancer 57:6). In addition, the "oxidative burst" of activated neutrophils produces abundant superoxide radical, which is believed to be an essential factor in producing the cytotoxic effect of activated neutrophils. Reperfusion of ischemic tissues also produces large concentrations of oxyradicals, typically superoxide (Gutteridge and Halliwell (1990) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 283:223). Moreover, superoxide can be produced physiologically by endothelial cells for reaction with nitric oxide, a physiological regulator, forming peroxynitrite, i.e., ONOO− which may decay and give rise to hydroxyl radical, .OH (Marletta, M. A. (1989) Trends Biochem. Sci. 14:488; Moncada, et al. (1989) Biochem. Pharmacol 38:1709; Saran, et al. (1990) Free Rad. Res. Commun. 10:221; Beckman, et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (U.S.A.) 87:1620). Additional sources of oxyradicals are "leakage" of electrons from disrupted mitochondrial or endoplasmic reticular electron transport chains, prostaglandin synthesis, oxidation of catecholamines, and platelet activation.
Oxygen, though essential for aerobic metabolism, can be converted to poisonous metabolites, such as the superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, collectively known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Increased ROS formation under pathological conditions is believed to cause cellular damage through the action of these highly reactive molecules on proteins, lipids, and DNA. During inflammation, ROS are generated by activated phagocytic leukocytes. As described above; during the neutrophil "respiratory burst," superoxide anion is generated by the membrane-bound NADPH oxidase. ROS are also believed to accumulate when tissues are subjected to ischemia followed by reperfusion.
Many free radical reactions are highly damaging to cellular components, i.e., they crosslink proteins, mutagenize DNA, and peroxidize lipids. Once formed, free radicals can interact to produce other free radicals and non-radical oxidants such as singlet oxygen (1O2) and peroxides. Degradation of some of the products of free radical reactions can also generate potentially damaging chemical species. For example, malondialdehyde is a reaction product of peroxidized lipids that reacts with virtually any amine-containing molecule. Oxygen free radicals also cause oxidative modification of proteins (Stadtman, E. R. (1992) Science 257:1220).
Aerobic cells generally contain a number of defenses against the deleterious effects of oxyradicals and their reaction products. Superoxide dismutases (SODs) catalyze the reaction:2.O2−+2H+- - ->O2H2O2which removes superoxide and forms hydrogen peroxide. H2O2 is not a radical, but it is toxic to cells and it is removed by the enzymatic activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Catalase catalyzes the reaction:2 H2O2- - ->2 H2O+O2and GSH-Px removes hydrogen peroxide by using it to oxidize reduced glutathione (GSH) into oxidized glutathione (GSSG) according to the following reaction:2 GSH+H2O2- - ->GSSG+2 H2OOther enzymes, such as phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PLOOH-GSH-Px), converts reactive phospholipid hydroperoxides, free fatty acid hydroperoxides, and cholesterol hydroperoxides to corresponding harmless fatty acid alcohols. Glutathione S-transferases also participate in detoxifying organic peroxides. In the absence of these enzymes and in presence of transition metals, such as iron or copper, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide can participate in the following reactions which generate the extremely reactive hydroxyl radical, i.e., .OH−:.O2−+Fe3+- - ->O2+Fe2+H2O2+Fe2+- - ->.OH+OH−+Fe3+
In addition to enzymatic detoxification of free radicals and oxidant species, a variety of low molecular weight antioxidants, such as glutathione, ascorbate, tocopherol, ubiquinone, bilirubin, and uric acid, serve as naturally-occurring physiological antioxidants (Krinsky, N. I. (1992) Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 200:248–54). Carotenoids are another class of small molecule antioxidants and have been implicated as protective agents against oxidative stress and chronic diseases. Canfield, et al., (1992) Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 200:260, summarize reported relationships between carotenoids and various chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, cataract, and cancer. Carotenoids dramatically reduce the incidence of certain premalignant conditions, such as leukoplakia, in some patients.
In order to prevent the damaging effects of free radicals and free radical-associated diseases, great efforts have been made to develop new antioxidants that are efficient at removing dangerous oxyradicals, particularly superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, and that are inexpensive to manufacture, stable and possess advantageous pharmacokinetic properties, such as the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and penetrate tissues. Most recently, Malfroy-Camine, et aL have achieved this goal with their unexpected discovery that members of a class of compounds that were originally described as epoxidation catalysts, the so-called salen-metal complexes, also exhibit potent superoxide dismutase activity and/or catalase activity and, thus, function effectively as catalysts for free radical removal both in vitro and in vivo (see, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,403,834, 5,834,509, 5,696,109 and 5,827,880, all of which issued to Malfroy-Camine, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference). Prior to this discovery, the salen-transition metal complexes had only been described and used as chiral epoxidation catalysts for various synthetic chemistry applications (see, Fu, et al. (1991) J. Org. Chem. 56:6497; Zhang, W. and Jacobsen, E. N. (1991) J. Org. Chem. 56:2296; Jacobsen, et al. (1991) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113:6703; Zhang et al. (1990) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 112:2801; Lee, N. H. and Jacobsen, E. N. (1991) Tetrahedron Lett. 32:6533; Jacobsen, et al. (1991) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113:7063; Lee, et al. (1991) Tetrahedron Lett. 32:5055).
Malfroy-Camine, et al. have now found that salen-metal complexes are also useful as potent antioxidants for various biological applications, including their use as pharmaceuticals for the prevention and/or treatment of free radical-associated diseases. Pharmaceutical formulations, dietary supplements, improved cell and organ culture media, improved cryopreservation media, topical ointments, and chemoprotective and radioprotective compositions can now be prepared with an effective amount or concentration of at least one antioxidant salen-metal complex. In addition, Malfroy-Camine, et al. have found that salen-metal complexes can also be used to partially or totally arrest the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. For instance, antioxidant salen-metal complexes can be used for the treatment and prophylaxis of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, etc. Other uses for such salen-metal complexes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,403,834, 5,834,509, 5,696,109 and 5,827,880.
Although the contributions of Malfroy-Camine, et al. have revolutionized the field of antioxidants that are useful in the prevention and treatment of free radical-associated diseases, it would still be advantageous if salen-metal compounds having increased stability could be developed. The present invention fulfills this and other goals.

Cyclic salen-metal compounds as scavengers for oxygen radicals and useful as antioxidants in the treatment and prevention of diseases


A dense, smooth, ductile, hard, highly reflective, corrosion-resistant, temperature resistant, and wear-resistant crystalline alloy of nickel, cobalt and boron. The alloy is epitaxially electrodeposited on an activated substrate using a pulsed square wave current. The epitaxial deposition occurs in an electrolytic bath containing nickel ions, cobalt ions, complexing agents, and an amino borane compound at a moderately low pH level and moderate temperature. An insoluble, solid catalyst, preferably palladium, causes the alloy to diffuse into the surface of the substrate and become bonded by a polar-covalent bond to it. Implements coated with the alloy, as well as plating solutions and methods for making the alloy are also disclosed.

This invention relates to the epitaxial electrodeposition of an alloy which is remarkably dense, hard, ductile, reflective, and resistant to heat, corrosion, and wear, as deposited. More particularly, this invention relates to an alloy containing nickel, cobalt, and boron (Ni-Co-B), and the electrodeposition of the alloy on a substrate at low pH and moderate temperature to form a tenacious bond with the substrate.
The epitaxial deposition of a metal alloy by an electrochemical process or chemical reduction on a surface of a substrate to modify surface characteristics of the substrate for functional or decorative purposes is well known in the art. Prior art systems disclose Ni-B, Co-B, Ni-Co, Ni-Fe, Co-Fe, Ni-Co-Fe, and Ni-Co-Tl-B alloys which are deposited on substrates to make them hard and corrosion resistant. The patent literature discloses an ongoing effort to produce such coatings which are still harder and more corrosion resistant.
The electrolytic deposition processes produce substantial amounts of sludge, which foul the plating baths and require their replacement at intervals. It has been recognized that increasing the life of the plating bath is highly desirable for both economic and environmental reasons.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,045,334 to Berzin discloses a plating bath comprising nickel sulfate, ethylene diamine, sodium hydroxide, and sodium borohydride to produce a nickel-boron alloy by an electroless procedure. Berzin substitutes cobalt chloride for nickel sulfate to produce a cobalt-boron alloy. Berzin adds a sequestering agent to the bath to prevent precipitation of insoluble metal hydroxides or basic salts. The sequestering agent comprises amines or ammonia.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,418, to Firestone, et al, discloses electrolytic deposition of a Ni-Co-Fe alloy. The Firestone et al process uses an acidic bath comprising nickel, cobalt, and iron sulfates, soluble saccharin, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium chloride, and boric acid. Deposition occurred at low temperatures (20.degree. C.) in the presence of a magnetic field to produce a magnetic film.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,922, to Simienko et al discloses electrolytic deposition of a nickel-cobalt-iron alloy on a substrate. Simienko discloses an acidic plating bath comprising nickel and cobalt sulfates, nickel chloride, and ferrous ammonium sulfate. Additives are placed in the bath to control various parameters of the bath and plating process: potassium chloride is added to control magnetic hysteresis characteristics of the film; saccharin is added to control the uniformity of the coating, and boric acid is added as a buffer. As in the Firestone, et al patent, Simienko plates the substrate under a magnetic field to produce a ferromagnetic alloy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,709 to Harbulak discloses electrolytic plating of binary and ternary alloys of nickel, cobalt, and iron. As in the prior patents, the Harbulak patent discloses a bath comprising combinations of nickel, cobalt, and iron salts with boric acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,041to McComas discloses depositing on a substrate a quaternary alloy of nickel, cobalt, thallium and boron. The deposition is preferably electroless, but may be electrolytic, using a nickel anode and the substrate as the cathode, and using a fifty amp per square foot DC current. The electroless coatings comprise hard, amorphous nodular deposits of metal alloy in a somewhat softer metal alloy matrix. The mass composition of the coating has a ratio of nickel to cobalt of from about 45:1 to 4:1, the preferred compositions having a ratio of at least 5:1. The coating is heterogeneous in thickness cross-section, having higher cobalt concentrations at the interface of the coating and substrate. With heat treatment at 375.degree. F. to 750.degree. F., the nodules showed crystalline domains of metal borides dispersed in the amorphous metal alloy matrix. The heat-treated coatings are reported to have Knoop hardness values between about 1230 and 1300.
None of these prior patents discloses the production of a ternary alloy of nickel, cobalt, and boron or a plating bath which produces such an alloy. None uses a pulsed square wave current to control the plating process or a solid catalyst to promote epitaxial deposition of a Ni-Co-B alloy on a substrate. None of the systems disclose bonding the alloy to the substrate.

Nickel-cobalt-boron alloy, implement, plating solution and method for making same


An ultrasonic actuator includes: a piezoelectric element 10 for generating various kinds of vibrations having different vibration directions; a driver element provided on the piezoelectric element 10 and actuated in accordance with the vibration of the piezoelectric element 10 to output driving force toward a certain driving direction; feeding electrodes 8 provided on the piezoelectric element 10 and electrically connected to the piezoelectric element 10; and feeding-supporting parts 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B and 9A abutting the feeding electrodes to elastically support the actuator body and serving as feeding terminals for supplying a voltage to the feeding electrodes 8.

A conventional ultrasonic actuator is shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a piezoelectric element of the conventional ultrasonic actuator and FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the same.
A piezoelectric element 100 is supported by five supporting parts 101A, 101B, 101C, 101D and 101E. The piezoelectric element 100 includes four quadrant electrodes 102a, 102b, 102c and 102d provided on a surface of the piezoelectric element 100 and an overall electrode (not shown) formed to cover the entire area of an opposite surface of the piezoelectric element 100.
A wire 104a is connected to the electrode 102a by a solder 105a and to the electrode 102c by a solder 105c. A wire 104b is connected to the electrode 102b by a solder 105b and to the electrode 102d by a solder 105d. Further, a wire 104g is connected to the overall electrode. A voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 100 through the wires 104a, 104b and 104g.
A driver element 102 is provided on the top surface of the piezoelectric element 100 and a head of the driver element 102 is in contact with a movable object 103. The head of the driver element 102 is pressed onto the movable object 103 by the supporting part 101C. As a result, friction between the head of the driver element 102 and the movable object 103 is increased such that the vibration of the piezoelectric element 100 is surely transmitted to the movable object 103 via the driver element 102.
Hereinafter, how to operate the ultrasonic actuator is briefly explained.
FIGS. 23, 24 and 25A to 25D are conceptual diagrams illustrating the vibration modes of the piezoelectric element.
With the wire 104g connected to ground, a sinusoidal reference voltage of a certain frequency is applied to the wire 104a and a voltage having a phase shifted by 90° or −90° relative to the reference voltage is applied to the wire 104b. Accordingly, the piezoelectric element 100 is induced to vibrate in a second-order mode of bending vibration shown in FIG. 23 and a first-order mode of stretching vibration (so-called longitudinal vibration; hereinafter may be referred to as longitudinal vibration) shown in FIG. 24.
Resonance frequencies of the bending and stretching vibrations are determined by the material and shape of the piezoelectric element 100. When the two resonance frequencies are set almost equal and a voltage having a frequency near the set frequency is applied, the piezoelectric element 100 is induced to vibrate in a second-order mode of bending vibration and a first-order mode of stretching vibration in a harmonious manner. Thus, the shape of the piezoelectric element 100 varies sequentially in the order shown in FIGS. 25A to 25D.
As a result, the driver element 102 provided on the piezoelectric element 100 makes an elliptical motion as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the page surface. That is, the bending and stretching vibrations of the piezoelectric element 100 are combined to cause the elliptical motion of the driver element 102. Due to the elliptical motion, the movable object 103 supported by the driver element 102 moves in the direction of an arrow A or B. Thus, the function of the ultrasonic actuator is achieved.
Now, a node of the vibration of the piezoelectric element will be explained.
As shown in FIG. 24, a node of the stretching vibration is the center of the piezoelectric element in the lengthwise direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 23, a node of the bending vibration is the center of the piezoelectric element in the lengthwise direction and parts of the piezoelectric element apart from the center by 35 to 40% of the length of the piezoelectric element, though which are displaced depending on the shape of the element.
Specifically, when the stretching and bending vibrations take place in a harmonious manner, a common node will only be the center of the piezoelectric element in the lengthwise direction.
As known prior art documents related to the invention of the present application, for example, we note Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H08-237971 and Patent Literature 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-69851.


According to some embodiments, a Gigabit Ethernet link is maintained with a link partner using less than four channels. Embodiments may also establish the Gigabit Ethernet link using four channels, determine that the link is idle, and terminate communication with the link partner over at least one of the four channels.

Power consumption is a substantial factor in the design of computing devices. Reducing power consumption of a computing device may reduce the cost of heat dissipation systems within the device and may also reduce the cost of energy needed to operate the device. The usefulness of locally-powered devices often relates to their ability to function for extended periods using a single mobile power source. Consequently, a decrease in the power consumption of these devices may lead to a direct increase in their functionality.

Network idle protocol with reduced channels


Method and apparatus for jet printing, e.g. of textile fabrics, are disclosed. Metered quantities of fluid, e.g. dye, are supplied in a succession of discrete small quantities through capillaries in boards which can be angled relatively to a moving fabric for fineness of spacing. Multiple boards extend across the fabric path and the capillaries pass the dye on computer command to print any desired pattern. Each row of boards can replace a conventional printing screen in a multicolour printing machine.

In EP-A1-0,306,568 are disclosed a method and apparatus for applying liquid medium to web or sheet material, particularly for patterning material such as woven or tufted web material such as carpet fabric and tiles. The apparatus comprises a row of jets each of which is controlled by an electro-mechanical valve. The material is passed beneath the jets which fire discrete liquid droplets directly at the material when the valves open and close under the control of a computer. Several such rows can be provided to apply multiple colours.
The jets comprise hollow needles or capillary tubes which have a bore diameter of from 0.2 mm to 2 mm and operate to fire the liquid in pulses of 0.5 to 15 milliseconds, the duration being varied to match other parameters such as the pressure of the liquid and its viscosity, the speed of passage of the material and the extent of the area desired to be covered by each pulse.
While the apparatus as is described in EP-A1-0,306,568 is eminently suitable for the printing of patterns such as are appropriate to carpets and carpet tiles and at reasonable speeds in comparison to other, conventional ways of patterning such items, it is not readily capable of being adapted to printing fine detail such as is required on apparel fabrics and some household fabrics for curtains, upholstery and the like, nor to operate at speeds commensurate with conventional methods for colouring such fabrics.

Method and apparatus for delivering metered quantities of fluid


A semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structure and a method for fabricating the semiconductor -on-insulator hetero-structure include a crystalline substrate and a dielectric layer located thereupon having an aperture that exposes the crystalline substrate. The semiconductor-on -insulator hetero-structure and the method for fabricating the semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structure also include a semiconductor layer of composition different than the crystalline substrate located within the aperture and upon the dielectric layer. A portion of the semiconductor layer located aligned over the aperture includes a defect. A portion of the semiconductor layer located aligned over the dielectric layer does not include a defect. Upon removing the portion of the semiconductor layer located aligned over the aperture a reduced defect semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structure is formed.

The invention relates generally to semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structures. More particularly, the invention relates to reduced defect semiconductor layers within the context of semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structures.
Semiconductor structures typically comprise semiconductor substrates within and upon which are formed semiconductor devices, such as but not limited to resistors, transistors, capacitors and diodes. The semiconductor devices are connected and interconnected using patterned conductor layers that are separated by dielectric layers.
As semiconductor technology has advanced, semiconductor substrate materials have also evolved from generally conventional predominantly silicon containing semiconductor materials (i.e., greater than 50 atomic percent silicon) to include alternative semiconductor materials, such as predominantly germanium containing semiconductor materials (i.e., greater than 50 atomic percent germanium), as well as compound semiconductor materials. For example, predominantly germanium containing semiconductor materials and compound semiconductor materials are desirable insofar as predominantly germanium containing semiconductor materials and compound semiconductor materials often provide a higher carrier mobility in comparison with predominantly silicon containing semiconductor materials.
As an adjunct to the evolution of predominantly germanium containing semiconductor materials and compound semiconductor materials within semiconductor fabrication, there has also evolved semiconductor-on-insulator substrates in comparison with bulk semiconductor substrates. Semiconductor-on-insulator substrates are desirable within the semiconductor fabrication art in comparison with bulk semiconductor substrates insofar as semiconductor-on-insulator substrates provide superior semiconductor device isolation. In conjunction with different semiconductor materials for a base semiconductor substrate and a surface semiconductor layer within a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate a further evolution within semiconductor fabrication involves the fabrication of semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structures.
Although predominantly germanium containing semiconductor materials and compound semiconductor materials are thus desirable within the context of semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structures within the semiconductor fabrication art, predominantly germanium containing semiconductor materials and compound semiconductor materials within the context of semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structures are nonetheless not entirely without problems. In that regard, predominantly germanium containing semiconductor materials and compound semiconductor materials within the context of semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structures are often difficult to fabricate absent crystalline defects, such as but not limited to stacking (i.e., misfit) dislocation defects and threading dislocation defects.
Thus, desirable within semiconductor fabrication are methods and materials that provide for reduced defect (i.e., less than 10e6 defects per square centimeter and more preferably less than 10e5 defects per square centimeter, and still more preferably less than less than 10e4 defects per square centimeter) predominantly germanium containing layers and compound semiconductor layers within semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structures.

Reduced defect semiconductor-on-insulator hetero-structures

International Business Machines Corporation


In a node (14) which is for use in an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) network and which is supplied with user cells, the node includes a failure detecting section (11) for detecting a failure which is occurred in the ATM network such that no user cell is supplied to the node. The node further includes a band detecting section (12) for detecting, as a detected band, a transmission path band used in transferring the user cells immediately before occurrence of the failure. Connected to the failure detecting section and the band detecting section, a producing section (13) produces, when the failure detecting means detects the failure, OAM (Operation: Administration and Maintenance) cells at a production rate increased within a range such that the detected band is not exceeded. The OAM cells are for use in transferring information indicative of occurrence of the failure.

This invention relates to an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) signal switching apparatus and, in particular, to a switching reference in switching ATM virtual paths (VP""s: Virtual Paths) and ATM virtual channels (VC""s: Virtual Channels) in order to obtain high reliability for the ATM network formed by the signal switching apparatus. This invention relates also to a device and a method for transferring failure information as the switching reference in the ATM network.
For convenience of description, VP switching alone will be described hereinafter. VC switching is carried out in a manner similar to the VP switching.
in the prior art, the following methods are known.
(1) VP AIS (Alarm Indication Signal) Based Switching Method
Upon occurrence of a line failure, a path failure (for example, an STS-1 path failure), or a failure in a VP itself, a VP AIS is inserted downstream. At a receiving end, detection of the VP AIS is used as a switching reference (i.e., switching trigger).
The above-mentioned method is described also in T1.X1.5/96-044 Alcatel Contribution xe2x80x9cATM UP Uni-Ring Fault Reconfigurationxe2x80x9d. An AIS based switching method itself has been generally practiced in a SONET (Synchronous Optical Network). In this method, the path failure is transmitted via a Path AIS and the detection thereof is used s the switching trigger. A UPSR (Unidirectional Path Switched Ring) of the SONET adopts this method (GR-1400-CORE Issue 1, Bellcore March 1994).
(2) PM (Performance Monitoring) Based Switching Method
By PM carried out at a VP terminating point, the status of the VP is detected.
It is used as a switching reference (switching trigger). This method is also described in T1.X1.5/96-044 Alcatel Contribution xe2x80x9cATM VP Uni-Ring Fault Reconfigurationxe2x80x9d.
(3) Switching Message Based Switching Method
There is a method of switching in response to notification or delivery of a switching message. For example, in a SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) network, protection using K1 and K2 is widely used. As an application of the above-mentioned scheme to an ATM, there is a method of delivering the message by the use of OAM (Operation: Administration and Maintenance) cells.
JP-A No. 157942/1992 entitled xe2x80x9cFault Announcing Cell Generating Apparatusxe2x80x9d discloses a method of regenerating fault announcing cells for notification. In T1.X1.5/96-044, T1X1.5/96-087, and T1S1.5/96-087, Alcatel contribution entitled xe2x80x9cATM VP Uni-Ring Fault Reconfigurationxe2x80x9d a method of transmitting VP Segment Status/Link Status messages by the use of regenerated cells is proposed.
JP-A No. 235983/1993 entitled xe2x80x9cVirtual Path Switching Apparatus and Switching Methodxe2x80x9d describes a technique of detecting a fault by path monitoring means, propagating a switching control signal on a spare channel to maintain a capacity, and thereafter performing the switching operation, although a practical propagation scheme is not described in detail.
JP-A No. 287539/1992 entitled xe2x80x9cAlarm Transfer Method and Transfer System in an ATM Networkxe2x80x9d describes an alarm transfer method in which the failure is restricted to a link failure and all VPI""s (Virtual Path Identifiers) accommodated in a link in question are dealt with. The VIP""s are recognized from a VPI management table. For each of the VPI""s, a cell containing alarm information is formed and delivered.
Problems in the switching operation triggered by the VP AIS are:
(1) It is difficult to insert the VP AIS for VP""s up to 4096 at maximum (for VC""s, much greater). In addition, insertion must simultaneously be carried out at a high speed.
(2) This means that new OAM cells are inserted. It is therefore necessary to newly assign the OAM cells to a transmission path band currently used. In those cases where user cells are completely lost, such as Line LOS (Loss of Signal), the insertion of VP AIS as the OAM cells results in no problem. However, in those cases where the user cells are not lost, for example, in the case of B2 errors, the insertion of the VP AIS may suppress the ban allotted to the user cells.
(3) The use of the OAM cells inevitably result in a disadvantage of slow message transmission. The insertion of the VP AIS requires at least 500 msec before the first insertion takes place. Subsequent insertion is carried out at a rate of 1 cell/1 second (GR-1248-CORE Issue 1, Bellcore August 1994).
Accordingly, when the switching operation is performed in response to the detection thereof, several seconds are required taking a VP AIS detection guard time into consideration. Thus, the switching operation is very slow.
Problems in the switching operation triggered by the VP PM are:
(1) Up to 30 VP PM cells are simultaneously monitored at maximum (GR-1248-CORE Issue 1, Bellcore August 1994). Thus, the objects to be switched are restricted in number to 30.
(2) The insertion of the VP PM cells is carried out at a rate of 1 cell/128 cells (depending upon the case, 1 cell/256 cells, 1 cell/512 cell, 1 cell/1024 cells) (GR-1248-CORE Issue 1, Bellcore August 1994). Therefore, switching by this approach requires a long switching time.
Problems in the switching operation in response to the switching message in the OAM cells are:
(1) Communication is required to transmit the message between nodes. This requires insertion of new OAM cells and complicated message processing for those OAM cells, As a result, a processing circuit has a corresponding increase in scale.
(2) Since the new OAM cells are inserted, these OAM cells are newly assigned to a transmission path band currently used. This may suppress the band allotted to the user cells. Generally, the number of bits required in generation of n cells for 4096 VP""s is calculated by nxc3x97 53xc3x978xc3x974096=n=1.7 Mbit.
In case of generation of n cells per one second, the band required is calculated as nxc3x9753xc3x978xc3x974096= nxc3x971.7 Mbps.
(3) Delivery of the switching message requires message recognition and communication. This requires additional processing time which will result in slow switching.
The slow switching is considered as follows.
The insertion of VP PM cells prescribed in GR-1248-CORE is carried out at a rate of 1 cell/128 user cells. For low-frequency errors, small cell loss, and misinsertion, no trouble is caused if the switching operation takes a slightly longer time resulting in no serious influence imposed upon the application. On the other hand, upon occurrence of serious failure such as Line LOS, the switching operation must be performed as soon as possible. Accordingly, a problem arises if the same approach is applied and the switching time is uniformly delayed.
The above-mentioned methods have critical disadvantages such as increased scale of the processing circuit related to the switching operation, longer processing time, suppression of the band allotted to the user cells, and slower switching.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device and a method which is capable of transferring, in an ATM network, failure information as a switching reference at a high speed.
It is another object of this invention to overcome various disadvantages including increase in scale of a processing circuit related to switching, a long processing time, and suppression a band allotted to user cells.
Other objects of this invention will become clear after reading the following description.
A node, to which this invention is applicable, is used in an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) network and is supplied with user cells. The node includes a failure detecting section for detecting a failure which has occurred in the ATM network such that no user cell is supplied to the node.
According to a first aspect of this invention, the node comprises: band detecting means for detecting, as a detected band, a transmission path band used in transferring the user cells immediately before occurrence of the failure; and producing means connected to the failure detecting means and the band detecting means for producing, when the failure detecting means detects the failure, OAM (Operation: Administration and Maintenance) cells at a production rate increased within a range such that the detected band is not exceeded. The OAM cells are for use in transferring information indicative of occurrence of the failure.
According to a second aspect of this invention, the node comprises: band memorizing means for preliminarily memorizing, as a memorized band, a transmission path band used in transferring the user cells immediately before occurrence of the failure; and producing means connected to the failure detecting means and the band memorizing means for producing, when the failure detecting means detects the failure, OAM (Operation: Administration and Maintenance) cells at a production rate increased within a range such that the memorized band is not exceeded, the OAM cells being for use in transferring information indicative of occurrence of the failure.
A node to which a third aspect of this invention is applicable is for use in an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) network and is supplied with a succession of monitoring objects which is one of a succession of VP""s (Virtual Paths) and a succession of VC""s (Virtual Channels). The node includes performance monitoring means for carrying out performance monitoring on a predetermined number of the monitoring objects among the succession of monitoring objects.
According to the third aspect of this invention, the node comprises: dividing means for dividing the succession of monitoring objects into a succession of object blocks, each object block comprising the predetermined number of the monitoring objects, the dividing means successively delivering the objects blocks to the performance monitoring means.
A method to which a fourth aspect of this invention is applicable is for transferring information indicative of occurrence of a minor failure which is detected in a node of an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) network and which is occurred in the ATM network such that user cells are allowed to continuously flow in the ATM network.
According to the fourth aspect of this invention, the method comprises the step of: using, in the node, bits of the user cells in transferring the information so that the information is informed without addition of new cells and without preventing communication of user information of the user cells.
A method to which a fifth aspect of this invention is applicable is for transferring information indicative of occurrence of a minor failure which is detected in a node (14) of an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) network and which is occurred in the ATM network such that user cells are allowed to continuously flow in the ATM network.
According to the fifth aspect of this invention, the method comprises the step of: producing, in the node, new cells using a different transmission path band which is different from a transmission path band used in transferring the user cells, the new cells being for use in transferring the information.

High speed transfer of failure information in an ATM network


A slide track mounting or a contact brush mounting for a sliding contact assembly comprises insulators having a surface structure that is a combined microstructure and nanostructure. Thereby an accumulation of dirt and abraded particles from contact brushes on the insulators is substantially reduced. This allows creep paths to be shortened and periods between maintenance operations for cleaning to be prolonged.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to sliding contact assemblies, in particular slip-rings and also slip-conductors as used for contacting transmission of electric signals or energy between movable parts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For satisfactory performance of slip-rings and also slip-conductors, hereunder summarily designated by the generic term "sliding-contact assemblies," it is absolutely essential to ensure or maintain an electrical insulation during operation. Sliding-contact assemblies frequently have the problem of contamination which is detrimental to the insulation. Sliding-contact assemblies are frequently of a size that does not permit their being completely encapsulated. Thus, it is hardly possible to completely enclose a slip-conductor having a length of many meters. Similarly, this is possible only with large outlay in the case of slip-rings that frequently are manufactured to have diameters of more than one meter. An ingress of dust and dirt into the sliding-contact assembly must therefore be expected. A far greater problem is usually posed by contamination generated within the sliding-contact assembly itself. Contact brushes are frequently made of conductive material compositions using graphite and metals such as silver, for example. When these contact brushes slide along the slide-tracks during operation, they are continually slightly abraded. The abraded matter passes into the surroundings in the form of a fine dust. This dust possesses a relatively high conductivity, as do the contact brushes, and frequently leads to an impairment of the insulation after a short period of operation.
Thus, when sliding-contact assemblies are designed, the insulating spaces between the slide-tracks and between the contact brushes, as prescribed by the applicable safety regulations, must be maintained. In fact, however, substantially larger insulating spaces, in particular creep paths, are provided in order to maintain the insulation even at given levels of contamination. The demands made on the creep paths then lead to designs requiring high outlay, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,976. Disadvantages of large spaces or barriers of this kind between the slide tracks are the large requirements of space and the high manufacturing cost. At the same time, periods between maintenance operations during which the insulation must be cleaned are usually necessarily short . Cleaning methods of this kind involve relatively large outlay and are time-consuming because the abraded matter usually adheres to the surface very strongly.
In order at least to render difficult an entry of dust through gaps in a closed casing, DE 100 11 999 A suggests providing a dust trap or dust barrier. The surface of this is provided with a specially configured microstructure on which dust adheres particularly well. With this, a migration of the dust into the casing can be prevented effectively. A dust barrier of this kind is unsuitable for use in slip-rings or slip-conductors, because the dust is already being created by brush abrasion inside the assembly itself, and does not first have to migrate into this from the outside. A surface of this kind, on which dust is preferably deposited, would even lead to a more rapid accumulation of matter abraded from the brush, and therewith to an even more rapid deterioration of the insulation.
In DE 10118351 so-called self-cleaning surfaces are disclosed in which the self-cleaning effect, similar to that of the know lotus-effect, is based on water drops running off from the surface and carrying away the dirt lying on the surface. Self-cleaning of this kind only operates on surfaces that regularly come into contact with water. This is the case, for example, with surfaces that are exposed to the weather, and therefore regularly come into contact with rain water. Similarly, self-cleaning would be possible with surfaces that can be washed clean with water. In order for the described self-cleaning effect to operate, it is insufficient for the surfaces to be wiped with a damp cloth. Rather than this, drops must be able to form on the surface. Mechanical cleaning, for example with a damp cloth, may lead to damaging the surface, and also to the dirt particles being pressed into the surface, so that it can no longer be cleaned by the self-cleaning effect. Especially with electrical or electronic instruments and systems in which sliding-contact devices are used, a cleaning under running water is out of the question from the start. Even only damp cleaning, which in any case would not lead to the self-cleaning effect, cannot be performed in many cases because of a sensitivity of the surfaces to corrosion.
In DE 10219958 an electrical sliding contact arrangement is disclosed in a general form. Screen surfaces of electrically conducting material are provided between the slide tracks.
DE 2539091 discloses a sliding contact arrangement in which the slide tracks are mounted on electrically insulating material.
In WO 03/072849 a self-cleaning substrate surface is disclosed which is configured as a double structure having an overlying fine structure of 1-250 nm.


An object of the present invention is to provide a safe, convenient and efficient method for coating fine particles with lipid membrane.

It has widely known that a drug is enclosed in fine particles to enhance the effect of the drug, and that the fine particles include, for example, liposome, fat emulsion, etc. Their clinical applications are carried out mainly by injections, particularly by intravascular administration. The fine particles administered to blood vessel have been known to interact with blood components and, as a result of the interaction, the fine particles themselves or the drug is destructed (disintegrated), or the fine particles are opsonized whereupon they are removed from the blood (they are removed as an extraneous substance by a reticuloendothelial system). In order to prevent that removal, modification of liposome with polyethylene glycol, for example, has been studied [Stealth Liposomes, ed. by D. D. Lasic and F. Martin, CRC Press Inc., Florida, 93-102 (1995)].
Further, in order to deliver a nucleic acid such as oligonucleotide, DNA and RNA to target cells, a complex of a nucleic acid with liposome comprising lipid containing cationic lipid (hereinafter, referred to as cationic lipid liposome), a basic polymer such as poly-L-lysine and polyamideamine have been frequently used. However, it has been known that, when a complex of cationic lipid liposome with a nucleic acid is intravenously administered, it is quickly distributed from blood to liver, lung, etc. [Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1281, 139-149(1996); J. Controlled Release, 41, 121-130(1996)]. On the other hand, S. Li, et al. has reported that, when mouse serum is contacted with a cationic lipid liposome/DNA complex, an increase in the size of the complex, aggregation, disintegration of liposome, and release and disintegration of DNA has taken place [Gene Therapy, 5, 930-937 (1998); Gene Therapy, 6, 585-594 (1999)]. In order to solve those problems, modification of cationic lipid liposome with polyethylene glycol was studied, and O. Meyer, et al. prepared a complex of oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) with cationic lipid liposome containing polyethylene glycol phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE) [J. Biol. Chem., 273, 15621-15627 (1998)]. However, when it was contacted with a 50% aqueous solution of human plasma for 4 hours, 35% of ODN were dissociated. In order to reduce the dissociation, D. Stuart and T. Allen previously dissolved the cationic lipid liposome in chloroform, mixed the resulting solvent with an aqueous ODN solution and methanol, and transferred a cationic lipid liposome/ODN complex to chloroform layer, and subjecting to centrifugal separation. They further took out the chloroform layer, added thereto PEG lipid, neutral lipid and water to form W/O emulsion. They have tried to enclose ODN inside the liposome completely by forming the W/O emulsion in a manner similar to a reverse phase evaporation method of F. Szoka, et al. [Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1463, 219-229(2000)]. In recent years, however, the use of chloroform is not considered to be desirable in view of safety. Further, D. McPhail, et al. prepared a vesicle-in-vesicle where chitosan vesicle is placed in liposome by adding a vesicle suspension (chitosan vesicle) of palmitoylchitosan and cholesterol to a thin layer of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol [Int. J. Pharmaceutics, 200, 73-86 (2000)]. However, there is no description about the enclosing efficiency and, when guessed from the preparation method, the enclosing efficacy was presumed to be as low as about a few percent, which is presumed to cause a problem in its practical use. From such viewpoints as well, convenient and highly efficient enclosure of fine particles by closed vesicle is very useful when application to medical treatment is aimed.
Further, there are some cases where many peptides and proteins which are useful in medical care are quickly decomposed in living body by enzyme or the like or are removed from living body as a result of generation of an antibody by frequent administrations, whereby their effect is no longer exerted. Therefore, with an object of enhancing the stability of those peptides and proteins in living body, it has been attempted to enclose them into liposome. As the means of enclosing them into liposome, there have been known, for example, a liposome preparation method by Bangham, et al. [J. Mol. Biol., 13, 238 (1965)], an ethanol injection method [J. Cell Biol., 66, 621 (1975)], a French press method [FEBS Lett., 99, 210 (1979)], a freeze-thaw method [Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 212, 186 (1981)], a reverse phase evaporation method [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 75, 186 (1981)], a pH gradient method (Japanese Patent No. 2,572,554; Japanese Patent No. 2,659,136; etc.) and the like. For low-molecular compounds, a pH gradient method is appropriate and improved method thereof has been devised as well. However, with regard to peptides and proteins, invariably efficient enclosing has not been achieved yet and, in the case of fluorescence-labeled insulin, it was enclosed to an extent of about 5 to 40% but no insulin was enclosed at all [Int. J. Pharmaceutics, 179, 85-95 (1999)]. In order to enhance the therapeutic effect by peptides and proteins, it is in demand to develop a method whereby peptides and proteins are efficiently enclosed within closed vesicles.

Method of coating fine particles with lipid film

Abstract: There is provided a method for coating fine particles with lipid membrane, characterized in that, the rate of a polar organic solvent in an aqueous solution containing the polar organic solvent where the fine particles are dispersed and lipid is dissolved, is decreased.