A large size aerosol container (10′) dispensing a fluent material. A generally cylindrical can body (12′) is fabricated from a steel sheet and has a relatively thin sidewall thickness of between 0.004 inches and 0.010 inches depending upon the weight of the steel sheet from which the container is made. The can body has beads (30) formed at regular intervals substantially its length. The beading adds structural strength to the container so the container is not damaged by handling during manufacture of the container, will not collapse during vacuum filling, and cannot be crushed by hand before the container is filled. The container can withstand a vacuum of at least 23 inches of Mercury without collapsing. A valve assembly (14′) includes a spray valve (20) for dispensing the fluent material stored in the container. The container is filled with the fluent material and a propellant stored in the container under pressure.

This invention relates to aerosol containers, and more particularly to a 2 piece or 3 piece thin walled, non-barrier type aerosol container.
Thin wall, non-barrier type, aerosol containers are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,317 to Diamond et al., and its reissue Re 35,843. It is a feature of containers built in accordance with the teachings of these patents that the sidewall of the container has a relatively thin thickness. In the Diamond et al. patent and its reissue, the container wall thickness is said to be on the order of 0.004-0.005 inches (0.102 mm-0.127 mm).
In un-pressurized containers, it is often possible to distort the sidewall of the container. The Diamond et al. patents, for example, refer to the sidewall being deflected by as much as ¼ inch, if a force of as little as 5-10 pounds is applied to the can prior to filling. Additionally, the can, when empty, is said to be easily crushable by hand pressure. However, the cans can be pressurized in a manner so that at 130° F. (54.4° C.), for example, the pressure does not exceed 120-130 psig. Further, the cans will not burst at one and one-half times this pressure (180 psig). However, the cans cannot be vacuum filled at a vacuum level greater than 18 inches of Mercury because if they are, the container will collapse.
While there are a number of advantages to a container having thin sidewalls (lower material costs, for example), current thin wall can constructions have drawbacks as well. For example, during handling of the container prior to its being filled, even a moderate amount of force can distort or crush the container. This renders the container unusable and adds to the manufacturing cost. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that moderate amounts of force can be inadvertently applied to the container at any of a number of different points during the handling and manufacture process, even though the process is substantially automated.
There is a further problem with larger size containers such as are used for insecticides, wasp and hornet sprays, household starch, household products, etc. Examples of these larger size containers are those referred to in the industry as a 211×612, 211×713, 211×804, 214×714, and 214×804 size containers. These containers are made from steel sheets weighing from eighty to eighty-five pounds (80-85 Lbs) per base box. Smaller size aerosol containers are, for example, made from a steel sheet weighing approximately seventy-three to seventy-five pounds (73-75 Lbs) per base box. Since the steel sheets are all of the same size, the heavier sheets are thicker than the lighter weight sheets. Use of a thicker sheet is necessary to prevent damage to the container caused by handling during manufacture of the container, container collapse during vacuum filling, and crushing by hand before the container is filled. The larger cans are more susceptible to damage not only because they are heavy, but also they have significantly greater exposed area to which unwanted and/or unintended forces can be applied.
It would be advantageous therefore to provide a thin wall aerosol container; however, one which, when unfilled, is not easily distorted and rendered unusable. The container will, when filled, withstand substantial forces without distorting, and meets Department of Transportation (DOT) standards in this regard.

Beaded thin wall large aerosol container


Disclosed is a rear lateral arm for lowering the body of a vehicle which includes a mechanism which can be adjusted to compensate for the excessive negative camber associated with such lowering. The adjustment mechanism is in the form of a modified turnbuckle built into the lateral arm. The turnbuckle allows adjustment of the horizontal distance between the vehicle chassis and the wheel mount, thereby allowing adjustment of the camber of the rear wheels. After a suitable adjustment has been made, locking nuts are engaged to prevent further movement of the turnbuckle.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to vehicle suspension systems, and more particularly to a new vehicle-lowering, adjustable rear lateral arm.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For well over a decade, there has been an ever increasing popularity of light utility sport trucks and related vehicles. With this popularity has come the desire to customize such small trucks and automobiles. It is particularly popular to customize the suspensions of popular vehicles in order to bring the bodies of such vehicles closer to the ground. Over the years, numerous front and rear suspension systems have been developed to "drop" the vehicle down closer to the ground.
There are numerous ways to modify the rear suspension system of a vehicle in order to lower the rear end. One such method is the use of a modified lateral arm which, instead of being straight, includes an elbow-like bend. This bend allows the rear vehicle height to be lowered by up to 11/2 inches.
One of the most significant drawbacks to the use of rear lateral arms is the effect on the camber of the rear wheels. In particular, vehicle-lowering rear lateral arms cause excessive negative camber: the distance between the tops of the two rear wheels is made significantly shorter than the distance between the bottoms of those same wheels. Such excessive negative camber may cause excessive and uneven wear on the rear wheel tires, especially on the inside corners thereof. Negative camber may result in rubbing of the tire against the vehicle fender. It may also affect turning, stopping and overall handling of the vehicle.
It is therefore desirable to provide a mechanism for lowering the rear of a vehicle without causing excessive negative camber.

Adjustable vehicle-lowering rear lateral arm


A supporting structure for a plant or flower box, or the like, fits over the top edge of a wall, room divider, or similar device. The supporting structure includes an elongated plate and a pair of L-shaped members, each member having a flange which depends below the elongated plate. The space between the two dependent flanges fits over and embraces the top edge of a room divider or the like. The other flange of each L-shaped member lays against the elongated plate which may be attached to the bottom of the box. In one embodiment, the L-shaped members have a flange which fits through a selected one of a plurality of spaced parallel slots formed in the elongated plate and is held in place at least in part by the weight of the box. In another embodiment, the bottom of a U-shaped member is secured to an elongated plate, with no adjustment of the space between a pair of flanges formed by open arms of the U-shaped members which slip over and embrace the top of a wall of known thickness. In yet another embodiment, the two L-shaped members have different lengths so that a greater range of space adjustments may be made by reversing the positions of the L-shaped members relative to the elongated plate. In this embodiment, the elongated plate has optional mounting bolt holes for securing the L-shaped members, which are each provided with an elongated slot in a horizontal leg to receive a mounting bolt. In each embodiment, a screw extends through one of the dependent flanges in order to tighten a grip on the wall.

Interior designers, florists, and the like, often wish to place objects on top of structures, such as free standing walls, or room dividers. These room dividers may have any of many different widths. For example, a conventional wall having 2.times.4 studs with wallboard on opposite sides may be, say, five or six inches thick. A prefabricated room divider supplied by a furniture company may be any thickness, such as two or three inches thick, for example. Other examples of room dividers and similar devices may have many other thicknesses.
As a result of these and other considerations, in the past, an interiorscaper, for example, might use a number of brackets if he wishes to mount a plant or flower box on the top of a partition. However, this approach creates potential problems. Normally, a number of tools may be required to assemble the brackets or support. The assembly of brackets and other supporting structure may be labor intensive, expensive and unsightly.
Among other considerations is the need for greater strength in the supporting brackets. For example, one of the conventional limitations has been the weight which could be supported by the brackets. To keep weight at a minimum, interiorscapers would place small grow pots in a planter, which restricted planter arrangements. With brackets having greater weight supporting capabilities, the separate grow pots can be eliminated and larger plants can be planted directly into the planter. All of this improvement in weight supporting capabilities should be accomplished without sacrifice of adjustability, ease of assembly, and the like.
Accordingly, there is a need for an unobtrusive, supporting structure which almost anyone may assemble. Also, the need is to provide a support which is adjustable to fit across the top of almost any wall, room divider, or the like.

Support for mounting containers without requiring tools


An electrical connector assembly comprises a flexible flat cable and a coupler. The flexible flat cable has a tip. A plurality of conductors is provided on a section of the tip between ends thereof. The coupler includes a first holding member mated with a second holding member. The flexible flat cable is positioned between the first and second holding members. The coupler is arranged behind the tip such that both sides of the tip are exposed. The coupler has a width longer than the section of the tip provided with the conductors.

An FFC typically has a film-like flexibility and is provided with a plurality of conductors (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-37654). The FFC is connected to an electrical connector, which is mounted on a substrate or the like. To connect the FFC to the electrical connector, a tip of the FFC is inserted into an FFC receiving opening in the electrical connector, which is provided with a plurality of contacts. Because the tip of the FFC is soft due to its flexibility, it is difficult to confirm whether the tip of the FFC is fully inserted into the electrical connector. This is problematic in that when the tip of the FFC is only partially inserted into the electrical connector, the electrical connector assembly can still pass a continuity test. This type of electrical connection, however, is likely to become disconnected when the electrical connector and/or the FFC is subjected to vibrations or impacts during shipment. In addition, the partially inserted FFC is prone to crosswise insertion relative to the electrical connector, which can cause faulty electrical connections between the FFC and the electrical connector. Further, after the tip of the FFC is fully inserted into the electrical connector, if the FFC is extracted by a force exerted only on one end of the FFC in a direction of width, a faulty electrical connection can occur.
In order to solve the above-identified problems, it has been proposed that a coupler be attached to the FFC before the tip of the FFC is inserted into the electrical connector (see Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 11-329620 and 2000-268904). In the above examples, the tip of the FFC is strengthened by providing a rigid member across the FFC that enables the operator to recognize when the tip of the FFC is completely inserted into the electrical connector. Additionally, the presence of the coupler prevents crosswise insertion of the FFC into the electrical connector.
In these examples, however, the portion of the FFC which is supported by the rigid member is thicker because of the presence of the rigid member. Thus, in order for the FFC to be received in the electrical connector, the FFC receiving opening must be formed with an increased height. Increasing the height of the FFC receiving opening, however, causes the electrical connector to have a greater overall height, which is contrary to the current demand for electrical connectors with decreased heights and smaller mounting areas.

Flat cable coupler and electrical connector assembly


A low dielectric constant film having silicon-carbon bonds and dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less, preferably about 2.5 or less, is provided. The low dielectric constant film is deposited by reacting a cyclic organosilicon compound and an aliphatic organosilicon compound with an oxidizing gas while applying RF power. The carbon content of the deposited film is between about 10 and about 30 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms, and is preferably between about 10 and about 20 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the fabrication of integrated circuits. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for depositing dielectric layers on a substrate and the structures formed by the dielectric layer.
2. Background of the Invention
Semiconductor device geometries have dramatically decreased in size since such devices were first introduced several decades ago. Since then, integrated circuits have generally followed the two year/half-size rule (often called Moore""s Law), which means that the number of devices that will fit on a chip doubles every two years. Today""s fabrication plants are routinely producing devices having 0.13 xcexcm and even 0.1 xcexcm feature sizes, and tomorrow""s plants soon will be producing devices having even smaller geometries.
In order to further reduce the size of devices on integrated circuits, it has become necessary to use conductive materials having low resistivity and to use insulators having low dielectric constants (k less than 4.0) to reduce the capacitive coupling between adjacent metal lines. One such low k material is spin-on glass, such as un-doped silicon glass (USG) or fluorine-doped silicon glass (FSG), which can be deposited as a gap fill layer in a semiconductor manufacturing process. Other examples of low k materials include silicon dioxide and polytetrafluoroethylene which are all commercially available. However, the continued reduction in device geometries has generated a demand for films having even lower k values.
Rose et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,884) discloses a method of depositing an insulator wherein a cyclic organosilicon compound, octamethylcylcotetrasiloxane (OMCTS), is partially fragmented to form both cyclic and chain structures in the deposited film. However, partially fragmenting cyclic precursors is difficult to control. Therefore, there is a need for a controllable process for making low dielectric constant materials that would improve the speed and efficiency of devices on integrated circuits.
The present invention provides a method for depositing a low dielectric constant film having a dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less, preferably about 2.5 or less. In one aspect, a cyclic organosilicon compound and an aliphatic organosilicon compound are reacted with an oxidizing gas at conditions sufficient to deposit a low dielectric constant film on the semiconductor substrate. The cyclic organosilicon compound comprises at least one silicon-carbon bond. The aliphatic organosilicon compound comprises a silicon-hydrogen bond or a silicon-oxygen bond. A sufficient amount of the aliphatic organosilicon compound is added to the cyclic organosilicon compound to provide a dielectric constant at least 5% lower than a dielectric constant obtained by omitting the aliphatic organosilicon compound.
In another aspect, a method for depositing a low dielectric constant film comprises flowing a cyclic organosilicon compound and an aliphatic organosilicon compound into a reaction zone at a volume ratio between about 1:4 and about 4:1, and reacting the compounds with an oxidizing gas while applying RF power to deposit a film having a dielectric constant of about 3 or less, preferably about 2.5 or less. The cyclic organosilicon compound comprises at least three silicon atoms and from one to two alkyl groups bonded to each silicon atom. The aliphatic organosilicon compound comprises at least one hydrogen or at least one alkoxy group bonded to at least one silicon atom. In another aspect, both the cyclic organosilicon compound and the aliphatic organosilicon compound comprise at least one silicon-hydrogen bond.

CVD plasma assisted lower dielectric constant sicoh film


A hose and fitting assembly includes a hose of a first thermoplastic polymer material having an end portion with an inner surface and an outer surface and a fitting of a second polymer material for connection with an external point of use. The fitting has a central tubular projection with an axial fluid passageway. The central tubular projection has an inner wall which defines the fluid passageway and an outer wall, at least partly integrally coupled to the inner surface of the end portion of the hose. The hose and fitting assembly includes a reinforcement member of a third polymer material at the periphery of the end portion of the hose for restraining radial deformations of the hose and providing the assembly with a good mechanical and/or hydraulic sealing capability. A method of making such assembly.

Hose and fitting assemblies are known, specifically in the field of household appliances, industrial applications and gardening, which comprise a flexible hose of a thermoplastic polymer material and a fitting, also made from a polymer material, which is integrally associated thereto. The fitting is designed for connection to an external point of use, such as a tap, for transfer of liquids and various fluids.
An example of these prior art assemblies is disclosed in European patent EP-B1-1108937 by the same Applicant.
One drawback of these prior art solutions is that they do not provide an adequate mechanical and/or hydraulic sealing capability of the assembly.
In terms of mechanical features, inner pressure and wear can cause radial expansions and deformations to various extents at the coupling until a "burst", i.e. mechanical failure thereof occurs.
Also, in terms of hydraulic features, fluid leakages and dripping may occur, thereby causing flooding and increasing costs.
These drawbacks become even more serious with material ageing and wear.

Integral pipe and fitting assembly of polymer material, and method of making same


The disclosure provides data storage devices, methods, and apparatuses including, among other things, a NAND feature through which software may define logical die groups. Moreover, these logical die groups are indexed and operated with indexed single commands, which is selective-multi-casting to specific dies. In one implementation, a data storage device includes a NAND memory and a controller. The NAND memory including a plurality of dies. The controller is coupled to the NAND memory and configured to generate an index by assigning each die of the plurality of dies to one logical group of a plurality of logical groups, and create the plurality of logical groups in the NAND memory by sending one or more command sequences to the NAND memory that groups the plurality of dies into the plurality of logical groups based on the index that is generated.

This application relates generally to data storage devices, and more particularly, to a data storage device including a controller and NAND memory that reduce software overhead bottlenecks.
Storage capacity of data storage devices across segments (e.g., SSDs, microSD cards, and USB drives) is continually increasing over time, which means the number of dies inside these data storage devices is also continually increasing over time. To achieve maximum performance, the dies are ideally working in parallel to each other. However, the software controlling these data storage devices takes a certain amount of time (referred to herein as "software overhead") to issue an operation (e.g., a read operation or a write operation) for each die.

Overhead reduction in data transfer protocol for data storage devices


The present invention is directed to novel nucleotide and amino acid sequences of Porcine Parainfluenza Virus Type 1 (“PPIV-1”), including novel genotypes thereof, all of which are useful in the preparation of immunogenic compositions and vaccines for treating and preventing disease in swine.

Respiratory disease is a major health concern to the United States swine industry due to poor growth performance, increased antimicrobial use, and added vaccination costs. Several viruses play a role in the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) and most often include porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and influenza A virus (IAV). However, diagnostic investigations have demonstrated that clinical respiratory disease in swine is often polymicrobial involving coinfections with different viruses and bacteria. Specific respiratory pathogens in swine can also be regarded as primary agents capable of causing disease as a single infection or may be classified as secondary pathogens that are considered opportunistic infections when they occur as a coinfection with a primary agent. Pathogens of minor significance include the Paramyxoviridae family consisting of several genera that may contribute to porcine respiratory disease (PRD) in specific geographic regions but uncommon in the United States. Among these, porcine rubulavirus and Nipah virus have been documented in affected pig populations playing a significant role in porcine respiratory disease. In addition to the Nipah virus, Menangle virus and Newcastle disease virus have also been detected in swine. Pigs are the primary reservoir of porcine rubulavirus and cross-species transmission of paramyxoviruses from host to swine have been documented. A new Paramyxovirus detected in swine in Hong Kong and now the United States was designated porcine parainfluenza virus type 1 (PPIV-1) (taxonomic name Porcine Respirovirus type 1) and has been regarded as a potential respiratory pathogen in nursery and grow-finish pigs.
Parainfluenza virus is a member of the Paramyxoviridae family, subfamily Paramyxovirinae, and the genus Respirovirus. This genus consists of five recognized species: bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3), human parainfluenza virus 1 (HPIV-1), human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV-3), Sendai Virus (SeV), Simian virus 10, and PPIV-1.
Parainfluenza viruses are rarely detected in pigs. There are reports of swine experiencing respiratory disease and demonstrating neurological clinical signs from a herd in the United States that was infected with a parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV-3), although its ability to consistently cause clinical disease or its pathogenic potential has not been confirmed. Another Paramyxovirus belonging to the species parainfluenza virus type 5 (PIV-5) was isolated from the lung of swine experiencing respiratory illness in Korea in 2013, although again, the significance of detecting this virus was not confirmed. A report from Hong Kong in 2013 also described a parainfluenza virus belonging to the family Respirovirus that was detected and sequenced from samples collected from deceased swine. PPIV-1 has also been detected in veterinary diagnostic labs in the United States. Although previous evidence suggests PPIV-1 may cause clinical respiratory disease, little is known about its epidemiology or role as a pathogen in the PRDC.

Porcine parainfluenza virus type 1 isolates and immunogenic compositions therefrom

Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.


A replaceable key structure includes a key holder and a circuit board. The key holder is disposed above a circuit board. The key holder is formed with a mounting slot for selectively receiving a first key module or a second key module therein. A magnetic sensor and a contact connector are disposed on the circuit board positionally corresponding to the mounting slot of the key holder. The first key module has a shaft, and a magnetic element disposed on the bottom of the shaft. The magnetic sensor can output an analog signal when the magnetic element approaches. The second key module has a trigger switch which has two electrical terminals disposed on the bottom surface of the second key module. When the second key module is installed in the mounting slot, the electrical terminals can be electrically connected to the contact connector.

Electronic equipment, such as computers, game consoles and multimedia players, are usually equipped with a keyboard as an input device. The keyboard usually has a plurality of key modules for inputting texts, or function keys for inputting operation instructions.
Conventional key modules of the keyboard are generally divided into mechanical keyboards or membrane keyboards. The key module of either type of keyboard usually has a trigger switch, and when a keycap of the key module is pressed, the trigger switch enters a closed-circuit state. Alternatively, when the keycap of the key module is not pressed, the trigger switch is in an open-circuit state.
Since all the conventional key module of keyboards can only output a digital signal by the trigger switch, the conventional key module is only suitable for outputting texts or producing a digital control signal. When a user uses a keyboard to process a game, the key module of the keyboard can only process actions such as controlling directions, inputting commands, or pulling a trigger. Alternatively, when a user uses a keyboard to operate a software, the keyboard can only process actions such as inputting text or numbers, moving the cursor, or inputting a control command by function keys.
However, many games need to be processed with analog signals, such as for batting a ball, controlling the throttle of flying games or racing games, or jumping a height, and the conventional keyboard cannot process the above-mentioned controls. An additional gamepad or a specialized game controller must be used to process the above-mentioned actions.
In addition, computer image editing or beautification software usually have many commands or functions needing fine adjustments or fine scale controls, such as image exposure value, transparency, tone, and saturation. However, the available keyboards only can provide digital control, and additional equipment is needed, such as a mouse or a gamepad, to support the processing of the above-mentioned commands or functions.
For the reasons outlined above, the key module of the conventional keyboard can only output digital signals, so that the control functions in games or software are limited. Therefore, how the drawbacks associated with the conventional keyboard can be addressed through structural or manufactural improvements has become an important issue in the art.


A method and computer system for efficiently accessing resources in a multiprocessor computer system. Multiple resources are grouped into nodes and system resource descriptors are maintained as data structures. The method incorporates traversing a data structure to efficiently allocate resources within a grouping of nodes. Each node in the system is assigned a node identifying number. This number identifies a node location within a multiprocessor and is used to determine latency between nodes, either through an average latency table or a system interconnect connection table. The data structure comprises secondary data structures therein for storing processor, bus, memory and shared cache information. The data structure includes pointers to each of the secondary data structures. In addition, each node or grouping of nodes may include subnodes. As such, the system provides for a method of recursively accessing additional data structure levels for each level of nodes and/or subnodes in the system. In addition to the data structure and the secondary data structure, the system includes a memory map in the form of a data structure. This data structure stores information as to which node a given block of memory address space is located in. In addition, there is a flag for each memory block indicating whether the memory address is parity or error correcting code (ECC), or neither parity nor ECC protected. This flag is in the form of two bits for indicating the level of memory protection provided to a specific block of memory address. Accordingly, storing the system architecture information in a data structure format provides for an efficient method of accessing system resources and determining latency for specific processes and access patterns.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a multiprocessor computer system and method for enhancing system performance. More specifically, the system provides for efficient allocation of system resources by determining latency between resources.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multiprocessor systems by definition contain multiple processors, also referred to herein as CPUs, that can execute multiple processes or multiple threads within a single process simultaneously in a manner known as parallel computing. In general, multiprocessor systems execute multiple processes or threads faster than conventional uniprocessor systems that can execute programs sequentially. The actual performance advantage is a function of a number of factors, including the degree to which parts of a multithreaded process and/or multiple distinct processes can be executed in parallel and the architecture of the particular multiprocessor system at hand. The degree to which processes can be executed in parallel depends, in part, on the extent to which they compete for exclusive access to shared memory resources.
The architecture of shared memory multiprocessor systems may be classified by how their memory is physically organized. In distributed shared memory (DSM) machines, the memory is divided into modules physically placed near one or more processors, typically on a processor node. Although all of the memory modules are globally accessible, a processor can access local memory on its node faster than remote memory on other nodes. Because the memory access time differs based on memory location, such systems are also called non-uniform memory access (NUMA) machines. In centralized shared memory machines, on the other hand, the memory is physically in one location. Centralized shared memory computers are called uniform memory access (UMA) machines because the memory is equidistant in time for each of the processors. Both forms of memory organization typically use high-speed caches in conjunction with main memory to reduce execution time.
The use of such architecture to increase performance is not restricted to NUMA machines. For example, a subset of processors in an UMA machine may share a cache. In such an arrangement, even though the memory is equidistant from all processors, data can circulate among the cache-sharing processors faster (i.e., with lower latency) than among the other processors in the machine. Algorithms that enhance the performance of NUMA machines can thus be applied to any multiprocessor system that has a subset of processors with lower latencies. These include not only the noted NUMA and shared-cache machines, but also machines where multiple processors share a set of bus-interface logic as well as machines with interconnects that "fan out" (typically in hierarchical fashion) to the processors.
At boot time, the firmware of a NUMA computer system stores and uses information describing a system's processor, nodes, memory and other devices. However, the firmware does not include information pertaining to the relative proximity of resources within the system. In a multiprocessor computer system, each node may access information and resources from other nodes in the system. However, it is more expensive from a time perspective to acquire information from resources on a remote node than to access resources in the same node. The time required to access resources is known as latency. Accordingly, a method of storing system resource location within the system in conjunction with a method of efficiently accessing such resources is desirable for improving operating efficiency.

Numa system resource descriptors including performance characteristics

International Business Machines Corporation


There is described a demand valve for a breathing apparatus with a “first breath” mechanism, wherein a demand valve is held closed by resiliently latching an operating diaphragm of the valve in a position wherein the valve is closed. The diaphragm is resiliently biased towards opening the valve, and the resilient latch is arranged to exert sufficient force so as not to be overcome by the resilient bias alone, but so as to be overcome by the combination of the resilient bias and a predetermined pressure difference across the diaphragm caused by sub-ambient pressure within the facepiece of the breathing apparatus.

This invention relates to demand valves for breathing apparatus, whereby breathable gas, stored under pressure, is supplied to a face-piece, hood or helmet at a rate according to the respiratory requirements of the wearer, whilst at the same time maintaining a super-ambient, or positive, pressure within the face-piece, hood or helmet so as to prevent any inward leakage of ambient atmosphere.
Positive pressure demand valves for breathing apparatus are well known and employ a variety of mechanisms to control the flow of gas to the wearer according to his requirements, such mechanisms being actuated by movement of a pressure responsive diaphragm having an outer face exposed to ambient pressure and an inner face exposed to pressure within the face-piece such that, when the wearer inhales, causing a drop in pressure within the face-piece, the diaphragm moves inwards, actuating the valve mechanism to admit gas to the face-piece at a rate proportional to the pressure drop. When inhalation ceases, equilibrium is restored and the valve closes. In order to maintain a small positive pressure within the face-piece, the valve is biased open, typically by means of a spring bearing against the outer face of the diaphragm such that a superambient pressure of, say, 2 millibar within the face-piece is required to move the diaphragm outwards against the spring and thus close the valve. The wearer's exhaled breath is vented from the face-piece to the surrounding atmosphere through a simple non-return valve which is biased closed with a spring so as to only open when pressure within the face-piece exceeds ambient pressure by, say, 4 millibar. Thus it may be seen that pressure within the face-piece is continuously maintained at a level of between, say, 2 and 4 millibar above that of the surrounding atmosphere and, by this means, any leakage due to damage or imperfect sealing of the face-piece can only be outwards, so preventing any ingress of ambient atmosphere to the face-piece.
It may be seen that, with this arrangement, the demand valve cannot close unless the face-piece is effectively sealed and thus some means must be provided whereby the supply of gas to the face-piece may be interrupted when the face-piece is not being worn, in order to prevent significant loss of breathing gas through the demand valve. In some cases, the supply of gas to the demand valve may simply be isolated by closing a suitable valve provided for that purpose. However, there are circumstances when this expedient is not practicable or is inconvenient to the wearer and, for this reason, the demand valve may incorporate what is commonly referred to as a "first-breath" device.
The "first-breath" device is a mechanism which may be manually set to hold the demand valve in a closed state so that no gas may pass through it until such time that a significant sub-ambient pressure is sensed within the face-piece by the pressure responsive diaphragm of the demand valve, whereupon inward force applied by the diaphragm overcomes, or releases, the mechanism and restores the demand valve to its normal positive pressure operation. Sub-ambient pressure within the face-piece would normally only result from inhalation by the wearer with the face-piece effectively sealed. Thus the initial inhalation (or "first breath") taken by the wearer, trips the mechanism and releases the demand valve from the "closed" state, returning it to normal positive pressure operation.
In readiness for using the breathing apparatus, the wearer manually sets the first-breath mechanism to close the demand valve, and connects the gas supply thereto. The wearer may then either keep the face-piece to hand, ready for donning, or may don the face-piece with the demand valve disconnected from it and breathe ambient air through the demand valve connection port until the demand valve is re-connected, or may breathe ambient air through a separate manually opened breathing port in the face-piece, in all cases without any loss of breathing gas. As soon as the face-piece is sealed, either by attaching the demand valve or by closing the breathing port, the wearer's first inhalation will operate the first-breath mechanism and thereafter the demand valve will supply breathing gas to the wearer according to his requirements, at the same time maintaining a positive or superambient pressure within the face-piece.
The present invention provides a simple and reliable First-Breath mechanism for breathing apparatus demand valves.
One aspect of the invention provides a demand valve operated by a diaphragm movable between a first position in which the valve is closed and a second position in which the valve is open to supply gas to a user, the diaphragm being retainable in the first position by a resilient latch which is releaseable by a force produced by a predetermined pressure differential across the diaphragm.
The demand valve includes setting means for moving the diaphragm to the first position, preferably in the form of a setting lever pivoted to the housing of the valve and engageable with the diaphragm. The resilient latch may operate between the setting lever and the housing, and may comprise a detent fixed on the housing and a resilient element mounted to or forming part of the setting lever.
One embodiment of this aspect of the invention provides a demand valve for a breathing apparatus having a pilot valve operated by a pivoting pilot lever, and a first-breath mechanism comprising a resilient latch operable to hold the pilot valve closed against its normal opening bias, but arranged to release the pilot lever when sub-ambient pressure is present in the facepiece of the breathing apparatus.
A further aspect of the invention provides a breathing apparatus incorporating such a demand valve.
Referring now to FIG. 1, the demand valve comprises a cylindrical body 1 having a flat end face 2 into which is formed an annular recess 3. At the center of the recess 3 projects a substantially cylindrical nozzle or jet 4, the end face of which is level with end face 2. A bore 5 links the jet 4 with a radially-extending inlet bore 6.
Received in the inlet bore 6 is a tubular inlet stem 7 which is free to rotate within the inlet bore and which has as its outer end formed a barbed stem 8 for connection to a supply hose. Alternative connection means for connecting a supply hose may be used instead of the barbed stem 8, such as a threaded or bayonet connection. An annular seal 9 is housed in a groove extending around the inlet stem 7. Close to the inner end of the stem, the stem has a portion of reduced diameter so as to form an annular chamber 10 between the stem and the inlet bore 6 and to define a flange 11 at the inner end of the stem. The flange 11 is formed with a number of openings 12 providing communication between the chamber 10 and the circular face of the flange.
Adjacent to the face of the flange there is a resilient valve disc 13, the periphery of which seals against the wall of the inlet bore 6 in the body. The centre of the valve disc is penetrated by a metering orifice 14. Between the valve disc and the end face of the inlet bore, there is positioned a dished supporting disc 15 which, with the valve disc 13, forms a conical or domed chamber 16, this chamber 16 being in communication with the bore 5 and the jet 4, by means of channels in the supporting disc. Alternatively, the end of the lateral bore itself may be made concave so as to form the chamber 16, as is shown in FIG. 2.
A port 17 in the body communicates between the annular chamber 10 and an outlet bore 18 which houses a pair of wire screens 19 and 20, which are spaced apart and secured within the outlet bore 18 by means of tight fitting rings 21 and 22. A port 23 through the body communicates between the area 24 behind the first screen 19 and end face 2. The valve body 1 is adapted, by means of a groove 25 or by other suitable attachment means, such as a screw thread or bayonet fitting, to connect in a leak tight manner to a corresponding attachment means on the face-piece.
A pilot lever 26 has two projections 27 which engage end face 2 and a third projection 28 which is in contact with the face of jet 4, the lever being held in this position by means of a spring wire form 29 located in a groove 30 in the lever and having its ends secured in holes 31 in the body. A ridge 32 across the groove in the lever, upon which the wire form bears, ensures that the force applied by the wire form is substantially evenly applied to the projections upon which the lever stands, even if that part of the wire form which passes through the groove is not parallel to surface 2. The lever is so shaped that it can be tilted to a limited degree about the axis defined by the two projections 27 in contact with face 2 such that, when so tilted, the third projection 28 is moved away from the jet 4. Situated above the lever is a flexible diaphragm 33 having a rigid central plate 34 and a flexible sealing bead 35 around its periphery so shaped as to fit into and seal in a groove formed in a rim surrounding end face 2.
The diaphragm 33 is urged into contact with the pilot lever 26 by means of a biasing spring 36, having one end in contact with the diaphragm and the other end retained in a recess in an adjusting screw 37 threaded into a central boss in a rigid cover 38. The end of the pilot lever 26 remote from the jet 4 is positioned centrally of the diaphragm 33, so that downward movement of the diaphragm (as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2) will rock the pilot lever to open the jet 4. A vent hole 39 in the adjusting screw, or elsewhere in the cover, admits ambient pressure to the region above the diaphragm. The cover 38 has an arched cut-out 40 which engages with a groove or step 41 around the inlet stem 7 so as to retain the inlet stem in the lateral bore of the body and allow the stem to rotate. The cover 38 is secured to the body 1 by screws 42 or by other appropriate securing means.
In operation of the demand valve breathable gas under pressure enters the valve from a supply hose, passes through the tubular inlet stem 7, urging the resilient valve disc 13 away from the flange 11 of the inlet stem, allowing gas to pass through the openings 12 in flange 11 to the annular chamber 10 and thence to port 17 and the outlet bore 18 and finally to the face-piece. At the same time, a small continuous flow of gas passes through the metering orifice 14 in the valve disc 13 into the domed chamber 16 behind the disc, from whence it can escape through the axial hole 5 in jet 4, the lever 26 being held in a tilted position by the biasing spring 36 bearing against the diaphragm, such that the projection 28 on the lever is held away from the jet 4. The small flow of gas from the jet escapes freely from the area under the diaphragm through port 23 to the outlet bore 18.
Flow of gas from the outlet bore 18 causes pressure to rise within the face-piece, since the escape of air from the facepiece is controlled by a spring loaded exhalation valve. The pressure increase is communicated via port 23 to the area under the diaphragm 33 where it urges the diaphragm upward (as seen in the Figures) against the biasing spring 36. This movement of the diaphragm releases pressure on the end of the pilot lever 26 remote from the jet 4, allowing the pilot lever to rotate under the influence of the spring wire form 29 to bring projection 28 closer to, the jet 4. As the projection 28 approaches the jet 4, the flow of gas from the chamber 16 is progressively restricted until the outflow of gas is less than the flow through the metering orifice 14, and pressure in the chamber 16 rises due to the continuous inflow of gas to the chamber through the metering orifice 14 in the resilient valve disc 13. The increased pressure in the chamber 16 urges the resilient valve disc 13 back against the flange 11 on the inlet stem, thus obstructing the openings 12 in the flange and preventing further flow of gas to the outlet bore 18.
Any subsequent reduction in pressure within the face-piece will cause the diaphragm 33 to move inwards under the influence of the biasing spring 36, thus tilting the pilot lever to once again open the jet 4, allowing pressure within the chamber 16 to fall such that the valve disc 13 will be urged away from the face of flange 11 by the pressure of the incoming gas, allowing a flow of gas through the openings 12 to the outlet and hence to the face-piece. The outlet screens 19 and 20 serve to diffuse the flow of gas out of the valve and also to provide the desired degree of pressure feedback via port 23 to the area under the diaphragm.
A preferred embodiment of a First-Breath mechanism according to the present invention is seen in FIGS. 5 to 8, and comprises of a modified demand valve cover 38 in which is fixed a cylindrical post 43 projecting towards the upper face of the diaphragm 34. The post 43 has a shank 43a which terminates in a head 43b of a larger diameter than the shank 43a, the head having oppositely-facing conical surfaces. Divergent detent surfaces 43c face away from the diaphragm 34, while convergent cam surfaces 43d face towards the diaphragm 34.
A resilient arm 44 formed from spring wire has two parallel legs joined at one of their respective ends by a cross bar 45, and is retained in the cover 38 by a retaining member 46, such that the arm 44 is free to rotate about the axis of the cross bar 45, but is restrained from movement in any other direction. Each leg of the resilient arm 44 is generally "L" shaped, having a short portion 44a adjacent the crossbar 45 and a longer portion 44b at a right angle to the short position 44a.
A resilient button 47 is mounted to the cover 38 and has a rigid insert 48, formed with a flat end face 48a. The insert 48 is movable radially inwardly of the valve by depressing the button 47, and release of the button 47 allows it to spring back to its original position, retracting the insert 48. When the button 47 is depressed, the end face 48a of the insert bears against the shorter portions 44a of the legs of the resilient arm 44 rotating the arm 44 about the axis of the cross bar 45 and forcing the longer portions 44b of the legs of the resilient arm 44 over the conical head 43b of the post 43. When released, the resilient button returns to its original position, clear of the arm 44. The gap between the leg portions 44a of the resilient arm 44 is approximately the same as the diameter of the shank 43a of the post 43 so that the leg portions 44b must spread apart as they are forced over the conical cam surfaces 43d of the head of the post and will then spring back again as they pass over the conical detent surface 43c of the head to lightly grip the shank 43a of the post.
The free ends of the leg portions 44b of the resilient arm 44 lie between the upper face of the central part 34 of the diaphragm 33 and the underside of a flange 42a formed on a circular cup 42 which is fixed to the central part 34 of the diaphragm 33 such that, as the leg portions 44b of the arm 44 are forced over the head of the post 43 by depressing the button 47, as previously described, the ends of the leg portions 44b engage the underside of flange 42a and lift the diaphragm 33 clear of the pilot lever 26, as shown in FIG. 5. The diaphragm 33 will remain held in this position until sufficient force is applied to pull the leg portions 44b of the spring clip back over the conical detent surface 43c of the head 43b of the post 43. The force required to release the arm 44 is arranged to be substantially greater than the force applied by the positive pressure biasing spring 36 by selecting the diameter and material 5 of the wire forming the resilient arm 44. With the diaphragm thus held in this position, the pilot lever 26 closes the jet 4 and the valve disc 13 closes the openings 12 so that no gas will flow to the outlet bore 18.
In FIG. 5 the diaphragm 34 is shown parallel to the face 2 of the body of the demand valve. It will be appreciated that due to the spring 36 pressing centrally in the cup 42, and the arm 44 engaging the peripheral flange 42a of the cup, the diaphragm may tilt and contact the pilot lever 26. In the arrangement of FIG. 5, the edge of the rigid part 34 of the diaphragm will contact the pilot lever 26 at a point between the projections 27 and the projection 28, and will thus not cause projection 28 to lift away from jet 4. It will be appreciated that contact between the diaphragm 33 and that part of the pilot lever to the right (in the Figure) of the projections 27 should be avoided if the diaphragm is tilted when the arm 44 engages the post 43.
When the face-piece is sealed, the wearer's initial inhalation will create a substantial drop in pressure within the face-piece, drawing the diaphragm 33 inwards with sufficient force to pull the leg portions 44b of the arm 44 over the detent surfaces 43c of the head 43b of the post 43, thus allowing the diaphragm to again make contact with the pilot lever 26 and open the valve to admit gas to the face-piece, as shown in FIG. 6. In this position, the arm 44 is free to rotate about the axis of the cross bar 45 and thus does not interfere with subsequent movement of the diaphragm. The mass of the arm is small and so has no significant effect upon the operation of the demand valve.
It will be understood that a First-Breath mechanism according to the present invention may vary somewhat in the details of its construction from the preferred embodiment here described. For example, the flanged cup 42 nay be replaced by a bracket or saddle 49 as shown in FIG. 9. Also, the post 43 may be rectangular in cross-section rather than cylindrical as described. The means provided to manually rotate the arm 44 and so lift the diaphragm, may take the form of a lever or a spring loaded plunger or other device, rather than a resilient button as shown, and may be operated by rotating, pressing or pulling. It is also foreseen that detent surfaces 43c of the post 43 may be replaced by a pair of detent surfaces which engage the leg portions 44b to resiliently compress them together rather than spread them as the arm 44 engages the detent. Moreover, the arm 44 may comprise a single resilient portion 44b which engages the post 43 on one side only, the arm 44 being deflected resiliently as it passes over cam surface 43d and detent 43c.
Furthermore, the resilient latching between the arm 44 and the cover 38 may be achieved by a resilient latching element fixedly mounted to the cover which engages a rigid swinging arm 44.
In a yet further alternative embodiment, the resilient button 47 may be replaced by a latching element which is operable to latch the insert 48 in its position engaging the arm 44. In such an arrangement, the arm 44 will engage a detent on the diaphragm to hold the diaphragm away from the pilot lever, and the insert 48 will be held in its "pushed in" position by a resilient latch which is overcome by the wearer's first breath.
In a further development, a manual release arrangement may be included to disengage the arm 44 from the detent post 43. Such an arrangement may include, for example, a movable pushrod extending through the rigid cover 38 and engageable with the arm 44 or with the diaphragm to move the arm or diaphragm downwards as seen in FIG. 5 to disengage the arm 44 from the post 43. Such an arrangement could also function as a selectively-operable override to the pilot operation of the valve seen in FIG. 5, by moving the diaphragm sufficiently to open the jet 4. The manual release may be used if a malfunction of the engagement between the arm 44 and the post 43 prevents the wearer's inhalation from lowering the pressure within the facemask sufficiently for the pressure difference across the diaphragm alone to release the latch, or if the vent 39 becomes obstructed and ambient pressure no longer acts on the outer face of the diaphragm.


One embodiment sets forth a technique for scheduling the execution of ordered critical code sections by multiple threads. A multithreaded processor includes an instruction scheduling unit that is configured to schedule threads to process ordered critical code sections. A ordered critical code section is preceded by a barrier instruction and when all of the threads have reached the barrier instruction, the instruction scheduling unit controls the thread execution order by selecting each thread for execution based on logical identifiers associated with the threads. The logical identifiers are mapped to physical identifiers that are referenced by the multithreaded processor during execution of the threads. The logical identifiers are used by the instruction scheduling unit to control the order in which the threads execute the ordered critical code section.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to multi-threaded program execution and, more specifically to hardware scheduling of ordered critical code sections of a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional parallel processing architectures support the execution of multiple threads. Particular operations that are performed during the execution of a program using a conventional parallel processing architecture may require synchronization of the multiple threads. Barrier instructions (or fence instructions) are used to synchronize the execution of multiple threads during execution of such a program. A scheduling unit within the parallel processing architecture recognizes the barrier instructions and ensures that all of the threads reach a particular barrier instruction before any of the threads executes an instruction subsequent to that particular barrier instruction.
While a barrier instruction ensures that multiple threads are synchronized, some sections of code have other constraints during execution. For example, execution of some sections of code needs to be serialized with only one thread executing the section at a time rather than allowing the threads to execute the section in parallel. In some cases, the different threads executing the section of code should be executed in a particular order, i.e., the code section is ordered critical.
An example of ordered critical code is code that performs hidden surface removal operations where each thread is assigned to process a particular graphics primitive that is being rendered. The graphics primitives should be processed in the same sequence for each pixel so that visual artifacts are not produced in the rendered images. Thus, the threads assigned to each graphics primitive also should be executed in that same sequence or order for an ordered critical code section so that the graphics primitives will be processed in the same sequence for each pixel.
Another example is code that implements one processing stage of a larger pipeline, where each stage performs certain calculations on a sequence of input items. Some of the input items may potentially get discarded, while others may require further processing by the subsequent stages. In the latter case, a corresponding output item is appended into a particular queue, chosen from a set of queues according to the type of processing that is required. Furthermore, the pipeline must maintain item ordering, so that the output items appended into each queue are in the same order as their corresponding input items. Code implementing this behavior efficiently using one embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated below in Appendix A.
Controlling the execution order of different threads that each execute an ordered critical code section necessitates control of the execution circuitry by the program for each thread. Specifically, each thread is configured by program instructions to monitor the order in which other threads are executed and ensure that the threads execute the ordered critical code section in a particular order.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved technique for scheduling the execution of threads for ordered critical code sections in a multithreaded processor.

Hardware scheduling of ordered critical code sections


A universal linker structure is provided, in which a functional group and activating leaving group are placed on a tether, allowing the placement of an electrophile at the end of any nucleic acid sequence. The electrophile on the tether can react with a second nucleic acid carrying a nucleophile when the two nucleic acids are hybridized near one another, resulting in release of the leaving group, and creation of a functional change. The linker can be designed to destabilize the ligation product without slowing the rate of reaction. This lowers product inhibition, and the target DNA or RNA can become a catalyst for isothermally generating multiple signals for detection. This enhanced signal is demonstrated in solution experiments and in solid supported assays. The universal linkers of the present invention are simple and inexpensive to prepare, and can be appended to any polynucleotide in automated steps on a standard DNA synthesizer.

The detection of specific nucleic acid sequences is immensely useful in molecular medicine. The possibilities for useful detection and quantitation of specific genes and gene products are nearly endless. Genotyping methods are of interest for prenatal diagnosis; as well as detecting changes in genotype associated with disease, for example during oncogenesis. Genotyping methods also find use in pharmacogenomics, to determine an individual's profile for drug metabolism, including the likelihood of adverse reactions and responsiveness to treatment. Other important areas of research include analysis of mRNA for expression, alternative splicing and SNP variation. In addition to analysis of expression, and of sequence polymorphisms, there is significant interest in simply determining whether a target sequence is present in a sample, for example in the detection and identification of microbial species in clinical and environmental samples.
Fast, simple and accurate methods of detecting and analyzing the presence or absence of nucleic acids, which may differ by as little as one nucleotide from others, are of great interest. In some cases, the nucleic acids may be present in minute quantities or concentrations, which underscores the need for high sensitivity as well. Many methods of detecting the presence of nucleic acid sequences are known in the art, including Northern and Southern blots, microarray hybridization, and the like. These methods have typically relied on hybridization kinetics between the target and probe species, coupled with varying temperature and ionicity to provide specificity. However, there are some significant drawbacks to these methods in terms of specificity and sensitivity.
A number of laboratories have investigated the use of nonenzymatic fluorescence based approaches for RNA or DNA detection, relying on the formation of bonds, hybridization of fluorescent oligonucleotides, or changes in secondary structure to detect genetic sequences. For example, see Xu and Kool (1997) Tetrahedron Lett. 38:5595-5598; Paris et al. (1998) N.A.R. 26:3789-3793; Okamoto et al. (2003) JACS 125:9296-9297; Tyagi and Kramer (1996) Nat. Biotech. 14:303-308; Kuhn et al. (2001) Antisense Nucleic Acid Drug Dev. 11:265-270; and International Patent application WO 2004/010101. Also of interest are U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,903 (Gryaznov); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,013 (Letsinger).
Self-ligation reactions have been developed for sequence detection, where the chemistry for joining two short oligonucleotide probes is incorporated into the ends of the probe molecules themselves. Such self-ligation reactions can be highly selective for single nucleotide differences in the target molecule. See, for example, Xu and Kool (2000) JACS 122:9040-9041; Xu et al., (2001) Nat. Biotech. 19:148-152; Ficht et al. (2004) JACS 126:9970-9981; and Gryaznov and Letsinger (1993) JACS 115:3808-3809. In a recent advance, the chemistry for ligation was activated by a group that acted both as leaving group and as fluorescence quencher, thus enabling the probes to become fluorescent in the presence of a complementary target (Sando and Kool (2002) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124 (10): 2096-2097).
Previously described self-ligation reactions have also had some limitations, however. The rate of reaction can be significantly slower than enzymatic ligations. In addition, prior art methods have placed the DNA end activation directly on a terminal T nucleoside, which would require the synthesis of four different modified nucleosides for application to all sequences. Finally, ligation reactions typically yield only one signal per target molecule, because the ligation product is stably bound to the target, and therefore does not readily dissociate.
While nonenzymatic approaches can offer advantages in cost, simplicity, and in vivo utility, they have not thus far provided for appreciable amplification of signals, which is useful in detecting target sequences present at low concentrations or in low numbers. Structures of suitable probes that address this issue, and provide for simplified probe preparation, are described herein.
Other Publications
Strategies for using pairs of modified oligonucleotides to generate amplified products or signals have been described. Ma and Taylor, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2000, 97, 11159-11163; Ma and Taylor, Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2001, 9, 2501-2510; and Brunner et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 12410-12411 have described the combination of a hydrolysis catalyst on one oligonucleotide with a leaving group (in the form of an ester) on the other, resulting in the release of multiple leaving groups for each targeted complementary strand of DNA. Those approaches have generated ca 3-35 turnovers. The former has reported the generation of fluorescence signals, albeit without the demonstration of turnover (Ma and Taylor, Bioconjugate Chem. 2003, 14, 679-683). None of these approaches rely on ligation.
Ligations of amino-conjugated oligonucleotides have been investigated by Luther et al., Nature 1998, 396, 245-248 and by Zhan and Lynn, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 12420-12421. The former approach requires denaturation cycles for turnover. The latter strategy isothermally generates as much as >50 turnovers in ligation, but it requires a separate reagent (borohydride), and it is not clear how the approach could generate easily detectable signals, such as those provided by the present invention.
Ficht et al., supra. developed peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes that ligate by native chemical ligation; such probes have not been demonstrated to undergo turnover, nor do they generate fluorescent signals. RNA-detecting ribozymes are well documented to undergo turnover (Wang and Sen, J. Mol. Biol. 2001, 310, 723-734; Komatsu et al., Biochemistry 2002, 41, 9090-9098); however, a recent example of a DNAzyme designed to generate fluorescence signals in detection of an RNA documented only 4 signals per target (Sando et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 15720-15721).

Universal linker compositions for the release or transfer of chemical agents from a polynucleotide

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


The present invention provides a remote notification device in electronic communication with a user's personal communication device that alerts the user that the personal communication device is receiving an incoming telecommunications signal. A user who is not in operable contact with the communication device is alerted to the incoming call, message, or page by the remote notification device, which is in operable contact with the user, and alerts the user with a suitable indication (e.g., visual, audible, and/or tactile). The remote notification device preferably permits the user to not alter his or her desired appearance in social situations. The remote notification device is easily concealable or integral to an article of clothing, piece of jewelry, piercing, or accessory that the user desires to wear or carry independent of the desire to be notified of incoming calls, messages, or pages.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of personal communication devices such as cellular phones and pagers, and in particular to the field of remote notification devices that alert users of personal communication devices of incoming calls, messages, or pages.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern personal communication devices, such as cellular phones and pagers, typically alert users of an incoming call, message, or page with some sort of signal. These signals generally take the form of an audible ring, a vibration, a visual signal such as a light, or some combination of the foregoing. These signals typically originate from the cellular phone or pager itself. In most social situations, this type of notification is adequate, as the user is within sight of, able to hear, or in physical contact with their cellular phone or pager.
The balance of this statement of the problem will be stated in terms of an incoming call to a cellular phone, though the concepts apply equally to a pager or other personal communication device, such as a conventional cordless phone.
People in loud, crowded places such as bars or dance clubs are often neither within sight of, able to hear, nor in physical contact with their cellular phone. For example, for reasons of preference, style, protection of the phone, security, and convenience, women at crowded bars often prefer to keep their cellular phones in their purses rather than in a pocket or on a table or the bar. These women often cannot see their cellular phone because it is contained within an opaque purse. Nor can these women hear their cellular phone ring, due to ambient noise from such sources as music and other patrons. And these women are obviously not in physical contact with their cellular phones while those phones are in their purses, hence the vibrate option on their cellular phone is incapable of notifying them of the incoming call. As a result of this decision to place their cellular phone in their purses, many women miss many incoming calls. This causes inconvenience, disruption to social lives, and has the potential to render these women unreachable in important and emergency situations. There is a need for a device to alert these cellular phone users to the fact that their cellular phone is currently receiving an incoming call.
Cellular phones are well known. Furthermore, there are certain devices in the art remote from cellular phones that alert users to an incoming call. These devices typically take the form, however, of an earpiece or headset designed to allow the user to receive and conduct a phone call without holding the phone to the user's ear. The purpose of these devices is to free the user's hands for other tasks such as driving a car, working at a computer, taking notes, or handling documents. An example of this type of device is the JABRA®Earsetâ, described at http://www.jabra.com/products/earset.htm. While these devices do free their users from having to be within sight, able to hear, or in physical contact with their cellular phones, they do not meet the needs that are met by the present invention.
The cellular phone users for which the present invention was conceived typically women at loud, crowded bars and clubs do not want to wear an earpiece or a headset while socializing. On the occasions that women go to bars and clubs, they design their appearance by selecting certain clothes, jewelry, shoes, makeup, and other accessories. Among the reasons that women choose to keep their cellular phones in their purses is the fact that they often choose not to wear clothes that would provide a pocket adequate for a cellular phone. Furthermore, even if they choose to wear an outfit having such a pocket, they would rather not keep their cellular phone in the pocket, for reasons of comfort and appearance. In short, aesthetics are important, and the appearance of the earpieces and headsets described above are aesthetically undesirable in the social situations for which the present invention is designed. While it is important to solve the problem of missed calls, it is also important to provide an incoming-call remote notification device that does not disrupt women's desired appearance.
There is a need for a device that alerts a cellular phone user of an incoming call, message, or page in situations where the user is neither in sight of, able to hear, nor in physical contact with their cellular phone, without negatively impacting the user's desired appearance.

User-based signal indicator for telecommunications device and method of remotely notifying a user of an incoming communications signal incorporating the same


An apparatus for extracting a vaporizable substance, from a material containing such substance, comprises an irradiation chamber for irradiating the material with electromagnetic radiation to vaporize the substance. The substance may comprise water and the material is dehydrated. The electromagnetic radiation comprises microwaves. The irradiation is conducted in the near-field range of the electromagnetic radiation. In one aspect, the electromagnetic radiation within the waveguide evanescently couples with the material.

The dehydration of various materials by exposure to microwave radiation at reduced atmospheric pressures is well studied. See, for example, M. Zhang et al, "Trends in Microwave Related Drying of Fruits and Vegetables", Trends in Food Science & Technology, 17 (2006), 524-534 (the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference). In general, a reduction in atmospheric pressure reduces both the boiling point of water and the oxygen content of the atmosphere. Vacuum microwave dehydration, VMD, processes may accordingly permit dehydration to occur in the absence or reduction of oxygen, and without exposing the material that is being dehydrated to significantly elevated temperatures, thereby yielding dried products that may have better physical, organoleptic and/or chemical qualities as compared with dried products obtained using other known dehydration processes such as hot air convection or freeze drying. VMD processes may also be relatively quick and energy-efficient as compared with many other dehydration processes. Temperature and/or oxygen sensitive materials of the sort that are known to be amenable to drying by VMD include, but are not limited to, food products such as fruits, vegetables, berries, herbs, meats, fish, seafood, dairy products, prepared foods, seeds, grains, roots and tubers, as well as a wide variety of agricultural feed products, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products, dietary supplements, synthetic organic compounds, and the like.
As is well known, VMD may be carried out as a batch or continuous process, and a typical VMD apparatus will comprise at least a vacuum chamber (in which an input material is dehydrated into an end product), a source of microwave radiation, and associated sensing equipment (e.g. infra-red detectors) and control equipment (e.g. a programmable logic controller, "PLC") to monitor the status of the product during the dehydration procedure and to make desired or necessary adjustments. For example, such monitoring may include monitoring the surface temperature of the material (such as by using infrared detection) or surface texture (e.g. wrinkling). In continuous VMD processes, the apparatus will also typically comprise input and output means such as air locks that permit the input material and end product to enter and exit the vacuum chamber, respectively, without disrupting the vacuum level, and a conveying means (e.g. a conventional conveyor belt) to convey the material through the vacuum chamber between the input and output ends.
It has generally been established in relation to known VMD processes that a higher microwave field strength will have a greater effect (as measured over the complete drying cycle) on increasing the rate of dehydration than does a deeper vacuum. A primary focus of current state of the art VMD apparatus and process engineering has accordingly been to maximize the intensity of microwave radiation that can be applied to the material being dried.
In keeping with the general objectives of maximizing microwave field intensity while controlling the temperature gain of the material being dried, the microwave emitters (e.g. magnetrons) of current VMD apparatuses are typically located outside of the vacuum, or irradiation chamber where they may be operated under atmospheric conditions (and protected from the conditions within the chamber). The microwave radiation generated by the emitters enters the vacuum chamber through one or more microwave-transparent windows typically after being conveyed through one or more waveguides. Various microwave waveguides are known in the art. Non-gas dielectric waveguides include microstripline, coaxial, and stripline types. However, such dielectric waveguides convert some of their energy into heat (i.e. are "lossy"), and typically cause microwave fields to be established on the outside surfaces of the waveguide. For most microwave applications, this results in microwave radiation interacting with anything that happens to be near the dielectric waveguide. For these reasons, the waveguides used to convey microwaves from the emitter to the irradiation chamber are generally also maintained outside of the chamber. Such placement serves to reduce the occurrence of high voltage standing waves caused by reflection of microwaves, which may lead to arcing within the waveguide. Thus, in typical known microwave dehydration apparatuses and methods, the material to be dehydrated is generally subjected to microwave radiation in the far-field region.
In general, as is known in the art, the power density in the electromagnetic far-field region is reduced as the square of the distance from the source. However, within the near-field region (i.e. a distance that is within about one wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation, but possibly extending so far as to include a transition zone ending within about two wavelengths), very high electromagnetic fields that do not decrease as the square of the distance may occur. This enables relatively high field strengths to be developed within the near-field region.
There exists a need for an improved apparatus and/or method for dehydrating materials, such as food products and the like, using microwave radiation that overcomes at least one of the deficiencies known in the art.

Apparatus and method for dehydration using microwave radiation


A method of processing a call in which two or moreindependent application may simultaneously process a call. Upon detection of an event indicating that one or more of the applications are inapplicable, the inapplicable applications are simply discontinued.

This invention relates to a call processing system, more particularly, to a method of processing a call that may be one of many types. In a preferred embodiment the invention is utilized to process a call comprising either a fax call or a voice call so that a human caller will be immediately answered without delay when there is a voice call.
Presently, many new techniques (e.g., CT media), have been developed to provide integrated call services in a single call processing system. It is very common that a single call processing system provides at least both voice call and fax services. In such a system, usually there is a detecting program running to assess the type of a call (i.e., to decide whether the call is a fax request or a human voice call). After the type of the call is deduced, the call is handed off to a proper call processing application which will answer and process the call. Usually the process for assessing the type of the call will last several seconds. This is not too bad if the call is a fax request, but it can be annoying if it is a voice call since the caller has to wait for several seconds before getting an answer.
In order to answer a call immediately, an integrated call processing application is used which is capable of processing both a voice call and a fax call. However, this call processing application needs to be aware that the call may be a voice or fax call. Therefore, the application is cumbersome and expensive as compared to single-functional processing applications. The problem is even greater with respect to calls that may be processed by more than two applications.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method of processing a call in which two or more different call processing applications may simultaneously operate on a single call. The applications have no knowledge of each other. During the processing of the call, if it is determined that one or more of the applications is inapplicable to the type of call in question, then that application drops out. The technique avoids the delay typically encountered until the type of call is determined.
In an exemplary system that does voice and fax calls, it is no longer necessary to answer the call and wait while a detection algorithm determines if there is a voice or fax call. In accordance with the invention, a voice processing application always runs immediately after the call is received, regardless of whether the call is a fax call or a voice call. A detecting application runs simultaneously to detect whether there is a fax tone in the call while the voice processing application is answering the call by playing prompts. If a fax tone is heard by the detecting application, the call is switched from the voice processing application to a fax processing application, and the latter will answer the call while the former drops out. If there is no fax tone detected, the voice processing application simply continues its work without awareness of what other applications are doing. Thus, if the caller is a human being, he will be immediately and continuously answered by the voice processing application and does not have to wait for several seconds when the system is assessing the type of the call.
Furthermore, separate call processing applications may be used, one for processing voice calls, the other for processing fax calls. The separate applications may be from different vendors, and may operate totally independently of each other. No single application needs to be capable of processing both fax and voice calls. By independent applications, we mean applications that may operate without knowledge of each other, even on different hardware if desired.
In one embodiment, the voice processing application is a Integrated Voice Response (IVR) application. A FaxDetector application may be used both to receive a call and to detect a fax tone in the call.


An apparatus is provided which comprises: a package substrate, an integrated circuit device coupled to a surface of the package substrate, a first material on the surface of the package substrate, the first material contacting one or more lateral sides of the integrated circuit device, the first material extending at least to a surface of the integrated circuit device opposite the package substrate, two or more separate fins over a surface of the integrated circuit device, the two or more fins comprising a second material having a different composition than the first material, and a third material having a different composition than the second material, the third material over the surface of the integrated circuit device and between the two or more fins. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

As computing devices continue to get smaller and more powerful, thermal management solutions need to evolve to meet new challenges. Active thermal solutions, such as an electric fan, for example, are generally not feasible in an ultra-small system with very constrained dimensional requirements. Therefore, passive thermal solutions, including natural convection in the system and the use of thermally conductive material coupled with integrated circuit devices to dissipate heat, are necessary to prevent devices from overheating. While the power demands, and therefore heat generation, of ultra-small systems continues to increase, critical temperature limits, which are not to be exceeded, in integrated circuit devices are generally unchanged at around 100 degrees Celsius.
Conventionally, solutions for passive thermal conduction for integrated circuit devices in ultra-small systems have included thermally conductive over-mold material or placement of a dummy die in contact with the base die. However, thermally conductive over-mold material may not have sufficiently high thermal conductivity to prevent overheating in devices that have power demands exceeding 4 Watts and a dummy die in contact with the base die may pose reliability issues due to mechanical warpage. Therefore, there is a need for device packages with passive thermal solutions that can protect devices from overheating with increasing power demands and do not risk mechanical warpage.

Coupled cooling fins in ultra-small systems


The invention relates to a lubricating composition comprising a base oil of lubricating viscosity, a hydroxy-substituted dithiocarbamate, an organo-molybdenum compound, and optionally a phosphorous source.

Dithiocarbamates have been known for some time. Examples of various structurally different dithiocarbamates are disclosed in the following patents:
3,407,2225,693,5984,885,3654,125,4795,902,7763,867,3595,686,3974,836,9424,758,3623,509,0512,710,8725,789,3574,927,5525,629,2723,356,7025,840,6644,957,6434,876,3755,759,9654,098,705
Examples of hydroxy-substituted dithiocarbamates are disclosed in the following references and patents: Zh. Org. Khim. (1991), 27(1), 161–170; Zh. Org. Khim. (1988), 24(2), 286–291; Z. Chem. (1987), 27(1), 24–25; Zh. Org. Khim. (1985), 21(6), 1173–1176: Neftekhim (1983), 23(3), 409–412; Neftepererab. Neftekhim. (Moscow) (1983), (1), 20–22; U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,222; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,359.
Examples of commercially available dithiocarbamates include Vanlube(R)® 7723, a methylenebis(dibutyldithiocarbamate), Molyvan® A, a molybdenum oxysulfide dithiocarbamate, Molyvan® 822, an organo molybdenum dithiocarbamate, Vanlube® AZ, a zinc diamyldithiocarbamate, Vanlube® 71, a lead diamyldithiocarbamate, Vanlube® 73, an antimony dialkyldithiocarbamate, and Vanlube® 732, a dithiocarbamate derivative, all obtained from R. T. Vanderbilt Company, Inc.
There are many examples in the patent literature showing the use of molybdenum additives as antioxidants, deposit control additives, anti-wear additives and friction modifiers, including:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,672U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,587U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,526WO 95/07966U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,381U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,246U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,807WO 95/07964U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,073U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,862U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,065WO 95/07963U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,684U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,438U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,491WO 95/27022U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,307U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,678U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,748EP 0 447 916 A1U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,813U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,256U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,880WO 95/07962U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,657U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,867U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,641EP 0 768 366 A1U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,600U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,654U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,851U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,779U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,945U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,364U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,993U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,741U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,858U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,277U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,627U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,374U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,996U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,271U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,464U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,983U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,857U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,729U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,901U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,848U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,122U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,840U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,343U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,279U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,119U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,633U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,149U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,672U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,822U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,295U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,387U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,773U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,152U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,843U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,195U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,194U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,720U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,781U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,683U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,757U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,258U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,473U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,705U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,345EP 0 874 040 A1EP 0 822 246 A3EP 0 768 366 A1WO 00/08120WO 95/07963 A1WO 95/07964 A1WO 95/07965 A1WO 95/07966 A1WO 95/27022 A1WO 96/19551 A1
Examples showing the use of a combination of molybdenum and other ashless dithiocarbamates are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,438; U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,858; WO 96/37585, and EP 0874040 A1.
Studies have suggested that emissions systems can be deactivated as a result of contamination from compounds derived from the engine oil. Other studies have suggested that emissions system durability may be improved by using lubricants containing high metal/phosphorus ratios. Reducing the level of phosphorus in the engine oils has also been suggested as a means of prolonging the efficiency of the catalytic converter. The phosphorus in engine oils originates primarily from zinc dithiophosphates (ZDDP's), which are used to prevent wear and control oxidation. Over the years ZDDP's have demonstrated reliable anti-wear and antioxidant effectiveness. Most engine builders would not recommend engine oils which contain substantial reductions from today's ZDDP levels without extensive proof in the laboratory and the field that wear protection is acceptable. Commercial engine oils meeting API SJ requirements usually contain approximately 0.10 wt. % phosphorus derived from ZDDP. A substantial reduction in ZDDP's, which may be required for catalytic converter durability, would result in significantly higher engine wear and oil oxidation. To compensate for the use of less ZDDP in engine oils, supplemental wear and oxidation inhibitors are required.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Lubricant composition containing phosphorous, molybdenum, and hydroxy-substituted dithiocarbamates


aPL analogs that (a) bind specifically to B cells to which the aPL epitope binds and (b) lack T cell epitope(s), methods preparing and identifying said analogs and methods of treatment using said analogs are disclosed.

Antiphospholipid antibodies occur in autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) as well as in association with infections and drug therapy. APS is characterized by one or more clinical features such as arterial or venous thrombosis, thrombocytopenia and fetal loss. APS may be primary or it may be associated with other conditions, primarily SLE. (PHOSPHOLIPID-BINDING ANTIBODIES (Harris et al., eds., CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., 1991) ; McNeil et al. ADVANCES IN IMMUNOLOGY, Vol. 49, pp. 193-281 (Austen et al., eds., Academic Press, San Diego, Calif., 1991)). Approximately 30-40% of patients with SLE have aPL, however, 50% of patients with aPL antibodies do not have SLE. This 50% may have other autoimmune rheumatic diseases, miscellaneous conditions or they may have been subjected to drug therapy, particularly chlorpromazine. In one study of 70 patients, 26 males and 44 females, with primary APS (PAPS) but no evidence of SLE, the following features were observed: deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in 31; arterial occlusion in 31, particularly stroke or transient ischemia; myocardial infarctions in 15; recurrent fetal loss in 24; thrombocytopenia (TCP) in 32; 10 had a positive Coombs' test; Evans' syndrome in 7; anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) in 32, but less than 1:160 in 29; and antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) in approximately 24. (McNeil et al., supra.). Estimates vary but in about 5% of all stroke patients, aPL antibodies are thought to be an important contributing factor.
Transient aPL antibodies, such as those detected in a VDRL test, occur during many infections. Approximately 30% of patients possessing persistent aPL antibodies have suffered thrombic event. The presence of aPL antibodies defines a group of patients within SLE who display a syndrome of clinical features consisting of one or more of thrombosis, TCP, and fetal loss. The risk of this syndrome in SLE overall is around 25%; this risk increases to 40% in the presence of aPL antibodies and decreases to 15% in their absence. Because aPL antibodies appear to be directed at phospholipids in plasma membranes, it has been postulated that they may exert direct pathogenic effects in vivo by interfering with hemostatic processes that take place on the phospholipid membranes of cells such as platelets or endothelium. In patients with PAPS, the fact that aPL antibodies appear to be the only risk factor present is further evidence that these antibodies have a direct pathogenic role. Induction of PAPS by immunizing mice with human anticardiolipin antibodies is the best evidence yet that aPL antibodies are directly pathogenic (Bakimer et al. 1992 J. Clin. Invest. 89:1558-1563; Blank et al. 1991 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 88:3069-3073).
It is now generally accepted that aPL antibodies recognize an antigenic complex comprised of .beta..sub.2 -glycoprotein I (.beta..sub.2 -GPI) and negatively-charged phospholipid, e.g., cardiolipin (McNeil et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:4120-4124; Galli et al. (1990) Lancet i:1544-1547). .beta..sub.2 -GPI is a minor plasma glycoprotein found free and in association with lipoprotein lipids where it is also known as apolipoprotein H (apo H). It consists of five independently folding domains referred to as Sushi or short consensus repeat domains that resemble similar domains in other proteins. .beta..sub.2 -GPI has been reported to undergo antigenic and conformational changes upon binding phospholipid (Wagenkneckt et al. (1993) Thromb. Haemostas. 69:361-365; Jones et al. (1992) Proc. 5th Intl. Symp. Antiphospholipid Antibodies (Abstract S5)). The fifth domain of .beta..sub.2 -GPI is the site of lipid binding as well as the site recognized by aPL antibodies (Hunt J. and S. Krilis, (1994) J. Immunol. 152:653-659; Lauer et al. (1993) Immunol. 80:22-28). The pathological mechanism for aPL is unknown (McNeil et al., supra). Most explanations invoke endothelial cell function or platelet involvement (Haselaar et al. (1990) Thromb. Haemostas. 63:169-173). These explanations suggest that following blood vessel endothelial cell injury or platelet activation, the exposure or transbilayer migration of anionic phospholipid to the plasma-exposed surface may lead to .beta..sub.2 -GPI-binding and trigger aPL antibody formation.
aPL antibodies may be directly prothrombotic by reducing prostacyclin formation (Vermylen, J. and J. Arnout (1992) J. Clin. Lab. Med. 120:10-12); by direct interference with the action of coagulation proteins; or by blocking the ability of .beta..sub.2 -GPI to inhibit the intrinsic blood coagulation pathway, platelet prothrombinase activity, and ADP-mediated platelet aggregation (Arvieux et al. (1993) Thromb. Haemostas. 60:336-341).
A major new tool in medicinal chemistry in the search for lead compounds has been the advent of combinatorial libraries providing vast molecular diversity. Molecular diversity may arise from chemical synthesis or from biological systems (Scott., J. K. RATIONAL DRUG DESIGN (CRC Press, Weiner, D. B. and W. V. Williams, eds., Boca, Raton, Fla., 1994); Moos et al. (1993) Ann. Reports Med. Chem. 28:315-324). By displaying random peptides on the surface of filamentous phage, epitope libraries containing hundreds of millions of clones for probing by clinically significant antibodies have been created (Scott, J. K. and G. P. Smith (1990) Science 249:286-390; Cesareni, G. (1992) FEBS Lett. 307:66-70). Such phage libraries are prepared by incorporating randomized oligonucleotide sequences into the phage genome, usually the pIII gene, which encode unique peptide sequences on the surface of each phage. Following sequential rounds of affinity purification and amplification, those phage that bind antibody are propagated in E. coli and the binding peptides identified by sequencing the corresponding coding region of viral DNA. In most cases, subsequent study will involve corresponding synthetic peptides after establishing their ability to bind antibody. Phage-based libraries have been used to mimic discontinuous epitopes (Luzzago et al. (1993) Gene 128:51-57; BaLass et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 90:10638-10642). The potential plasma instability of peptide-based drugs has been successfully overcome by N-terminal blocking or by the judicious use of amino acid analogs (Powell, M. F. (1993) Ann. Reports Med. Chem. 28:285-293).
At present there is no selective, immunospecific therapy for patients showing high titers of aPL antibodies. In many cases use of drugs such as aspirin, steroids, and warfarin has proven to be largely inadequate (PHOSPHOLIPID-BINDING ANTIBODIES (Harris et al., eds., CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., 1991); McNeil et al., supra)). Synthetic mimotope peptides, characterized by (i) the inability to activate T cells while (ii) retaining the ability to bind immune B cells, are used to tolerize in an antigen-specific manner. This technology is disclosed in co-owned, co-pending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 08/118,055, filed Sep. 8, 1993, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,454, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. As disclosed in the application and patent cited above, B cell tolerance entails administering such peptides conjugated to multivalent, stable, non-immunogenic valency platforms in order to abrogate antibody production via B cell anergy or clonal deletion after cross-linking surface immunoglobulin.
Although the exact molecular nature of the target epitopes recognized by aPL antibodies is unknown, the use of peptides derived from epitope libraries will allow for the construction of successful tolerogens. B cell tolerogens for the treatment of human systemic lupus erythematosus-related nephritis have also been disclosed in co-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,276,013 and 5,162,515 which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

APL immunoreactive peptides, conjugates thereof and methods of treatment for APL antibody-mediated pathologies


A simple and versatile door support system holds a door by attaching to top and bottom edges. The system allows the two visible door faces and the two visible door edges to be painted at one time, and may be converted to hold a door horizontally or to transport a door. The system includes four support blocks which mount to corners of top and bottom surfaces of the door. The blocks have mounting features for mounting to the door, and attachment features for attaching one or more attachments. A rod attachment may be connected to each of the four blocks to support the door horizontally, and a pair of support shoes may be attached to two of the blocks to support the door vertically or on an edge. Casters may be attached directly to the blocks, or indirectly to the blocks (e.g., to the attachments), to transport the door.

The present invention relates to a support for doors, and more particularly to a simple low cost support which allows all four visible sides of a door to be painted, and which support may be converted to facilitate transportation of doors.
Typical construction or remodeling projects generally require that a number of doors be painted. Doors have four visible surfaces comprising two door faces and two door edges which are visible when the door is hung. Various methods have been used to support doors for painting, including leaning a door against a wall or supporting a door on it's side using wood clamps. Unfortunately, such methods do not allow all the visible door surfaces to be painted at once, and substantially increases the time required to paint the doors.
A door rack system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,758 for "Multiple Object Paint Rack System," which attaches at the mid points and near the bottoms of the visible door edges. The rack of the '758 patent minimizes the unpainted areas of the door, and allows several doors to be transported on a single base. Unfortunately, the rack of the '758 patent requires attachment to visible edge, and is a fairly substantial structure not likely to be purchased by an individual for personal use.
A rotisserie like structure for suspending a door between saw horses is described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,470 for "System and Method for Treating Object Surfaces". Metal plates are provided which attach to the top and bottom edges of the door, and not to any of the four visible surfaces. Cylindrical shafts attach to the plates, which shafts rotate in supports attached to the saw horses. Although the system of the '470 patent allows all four visible surfaces of a door to be painted, little versatility is provided, and the doors are not easily moved while attached to the rotisserie.
A door painting rack is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,130 for "Door Painting Rack," which vertically supports one or two doors. The door is supported by a bottom bracket which the bottom edge of the door rests on, and a top pin which is biased against the door top edge by a spring. Although the rack of the '130 patent provides access to all four visible sides on the door, the assembly is rather complex and likely to be expensive. Therefore, the rack is unlikely to be purchased for a single use or for limited personal use.