A method of ejecting ions to be analyzed from a quadrupole ion trap in which a trapping field is created by one or more RF voltages applied to one or more electrodes of the trap, the method comprising the steps of cooling the ions to be analyzed within the quadrupole ion trap until the ions are thermalized, reducing the amplitude of one or more RF voltages applied to the quadrupole ion trap and applying the reduced amplitude RF voltages for one half cycle after the one or more RF voltages have reached a zero crossing point, turning off the RF voltages applied to the quadrupole ion trap, and ejecting the ions to be analyzed from the quadrupole ion trap.

Quadrupole ion traps operated with radio-frequency (RF) potentials (also known as Paul traps) are used in mass spectrometry for accumulating ions and for ejecting pulsed packets of ions into a mass analyzer. Suitable mass analyzers include time-of-flight (TOF), electrostatic trap (EST), and Fourier Transform mass spectrometers (FT-MS). TOF mass spectrometers include linear TOF, reflectron TOF and multireflection TOF. EST mass spectrometers include orbital traps such as Kingdon traps, a type of which is marketed as ORBITRAP™ by the applicant and which utilizes image current ion detection and Fourier Transform signal processing. FT-MS mass spectrometers include ORBITRAP™ mass analyzers and ion cyclotron resonance mass analyzers.
In many cases, the quadrupole ion trap must eject a packet of ions within a short time duration, the packet containing ions of a wide range of mass-to-charge ratios (m/z). The pulse duration should be uniformly small over the whole range of m/z.
In quadrupole ion traps the ions are confined by RF fields which are induced by the RF potentials which are applied to one or more trap electrodes. In 3D quadrupole ion traps one or more RF potentials are applied to one or more of a ring electrode and two end cap electrodes. Typically in linear quadrupole ion traps, four generally parallel rod electrodes have two opposite polarity RF waveforms applied, one to each pair of opposing rods.
Quadrupole ion traps for ejection to a mass spectrometer usually operate with a gas introduced into the trap volume, and collisions between ions and the gas molecules cause the ions to lose energy progressively with each collision and thereby cool to approximately the gas temperature, which may be room temperature, or lower in cryogenic traps, and the ions are said to be thermalized. This serves to reduce the spread in velocities in the direction of ejection, and hence reduce the range of times at which ions of the same m/z reach the mass spectrometer, and in some cases its detector. This range of times directly limits the mass resolving power of a TOF mass spectrometer, for example, and hence should be as small as possible.
Once the ions have undergone enough collisions with the gas to cool all the ions within the desired mass range sufficiently, the ions are ejected from the quadrupole ion trap. In the 3D quadrupole ion trap, ions are ejected through a small aperture in one of the end caps. In the linear ion trap, ions are ejected either from one end of the linear trap generally along its axis (axial ejection), or orthogonal to the trap axis through one of the gaps between the rod electrodes, or through a slot formed in one of the rod electrodes (orthogonal ejection). Orthogonal ejection is preferable because the ion packet is then smaller in the direction of ejection. To eject the ions, either an ejection potential is applied across the trap in addition to the RF trapping potentials, or the RF trapping potentials are turned off and an ejection potential is applied.
In some cases one or more RF trapping potentials are turned off when they reach a zero crossing point. As used herein in relation to applied RF potentials, the term "zero crossing point" refers to a time at which the (time-varying) RF potential is momentarily at zero potential, either during passage from a positive potential to a negative potential, or during passage from a negative potential to a positive potential. Where two RF potentials are applied to an ion trap, those potentials are typically at opposite phases from each other. Hence when one RF potential reaches a zero crossing point, so does the other RF potential, but one RF potential is passing from a positive potential to a negative potential and the other RF potential is passing from a negative potential to a positive potential.
Ejected ions are introduced into a mass analyzer and travel within the analyzer along an analyzer flight path. Ions of different m/z travel the analyzer flight path either traversing a distance to a detector in different times, or undergoing oscillatory motion within the analyzer at different frequencies. The analyzer flight path may be linear, comprise linear portions, or may be curved or comprise curved portions. In order to travel along the analyzer flight path the ions must be injected into the analyzer along an injection trajectory. As used herein the term "analyzer injection trajectory" refers to the injection trajectory which ions must follow in order to enter the analyzer so that they subsequently travel along the analyzer flight path. It will be understood by the skilled person that the analyzer injection trajectory and the analyzer flight path are finite volumes of space within which ions travel though they may be represented as lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,917 describes the simultaneous application of opposite polarity extraction potentials of similar magnitude to the two end caps of a 3D quadrupole ion trap in order to eject ions in a collimated beam. The beam was then post-accelerated for use in a TOF mass spectrometer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,666 describes the simultaneous application of opposite polarity extraction potentials of different magnitudes to the two end caps of a 3D quadrupole ion trap, without post-acceleration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,244 describes a 3D quadrupole ion trap and an electronic arrangement with switches in which the RF trapping voltage is turned rapidly to zero and extraction voltages are applied to the end cap electrodes at nearly the same time as the RF potential is terminated. In this arrangement the RF trapping voltage may be terminated at any chosen part of the RF cycle by operation of the switches. On terminating the RF trapping potential, the RF trapping potential actually present on the ring electrode of the ion trap approaches zero with a time constant determined by the capacitance between the electrodes of the trap and the internal resistance of the switches. This time constant is small enough to prevent the ions escaping from the ion trapping region. However the problem of abrupt stopping the RF voltage in the moment of its maximal span still remains unresolved because of considerable capacitance of the trap's electrodes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,250,600 describes a 3D quadrupole ion trap in which the RF trapping potential is terminated in a way which minimizes the spatial spread of ions within the trap at the time the ejection potential is applied. The ions within the trap move under the influence of the RF field within the trap, moving from a larger volume of space within the trap to a smaller volume as a function of the phase of the RF potential applied to the trap ring electrode. The RF trapping potential is terminated at a time when ions of a given polarity are converging or have converged to the smaller volume and the ions are ejected from the trap from a smaller volume within the trap thereby minimizing the variation in starting positions of the ejected ions. The RF trapping potential is terminated at a zero crossing point, i.e. at a time at which the time-varying potential is momentarily at zero potential. Due to the various electronic components connected to the trap, the RF potential could not, in this arrangement, be terminated instantaneously, and a time delay between the attempted termination of the RF potential and the application of the ejection pulse was provided. It is explained that during this time period the ions do not experience a trapping effect and may move freely and disperse, and having a large time delay is not recommended.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,256,397 describes a 3D quadrupole ion trap in which the RF trapping voltage applied to the ring electrode is terminated at a predetermined phase and an ejection potential is applied across the end cap electrodes after a predetermined time period, the predetermined phase and the predetermined time period being chosen such that the actual potential on the ring electrode is the same after the predetermined time period irrespective of the amplitude of the RF voltage when it is terminated. By this means a time at which the ejection potential is applied may be found so that the actual voltage on the ring electrode is the same regardless of the m/z range trapped (which is determined by the amplitude of the RF trapping potential applied) and the time delay during which no quadrupole field exists within the trap and in which ions may disperse is minimized.
US patent application 2014/0008533 describes a 3D quadrupole ion trap in which a single phase RF trapping voltage is applied to both end cap electrodes, and is switched down shortly before a zero crossing point at which the ion cloud spatially contracts. A DC extraction potential is then applied to at least one of the two end cap electrodes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,878 describes a linear multipole ion trap with orthogonal ejection of ions. The multipole may be of various forms including hexapole, quadrupole and distorted quadrupole arrangements. For ion ejection the RF trapping potential is terminated at a zero crossing point and ejection potentials are applied to various electrodes to create an approximately uniform field within a portion of the trap.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,498,571 and 8,030,613 describe an electrical circuit including a switched shunt to short out a secondary winding of the RF voltage driver to rapidly switch off the RF trapping potential. A DC ejection potential may then be applied with or without a time delay for axial or orthogonal ejection from a linear quadrupole trap. The RF trapping potential is rapidly switched off at a zero crossing point.
When an extraction field Ex is applied to an ion trap, there is necessarily a variation in potential induced within the trap volume, there being a potential gradient in the direction of ejection for ions of a chosen polarity. Accordingly, ions at different spatial locations within the trap which are at different locations on the potential gradient will undergo differing potential changes on travelling to the entrance of the mass analyzer. The spatial spread δx in the direction of the axis of extraction, x, within the ion trap, produces a kinetic energy spread when the ions arrive at the mass analyzer, δK=q·Ex·δx, where q is the charge on the ions. As described above, prior art methods of ion extraction have given consideration to reducing the spatial spread of ions within the trap at the moment of ejection, notably as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,250,600, and this reduces the kinetic energy spread of the ions which arrive at the mass analyzer.
However, a temporal or time-of-flight focus may be formed, where ions which were farthest from the mass analyzer at the moment the ion ejection field was applied undergo the largest potential drop and thus have the highest kinetic energy, subsequently overtaking ions which were closest to the mass analyzer at the moment the ion ejection field was applied. A temporal focus may be formed to coincide with a desired location within a mass spectrometer, and may be imaged to another location, such as a detector plane in a TOF mass spectrometer, for example. Where a temporal focus is formed, the temporal spread of ions at the temporal focus is not dominated by the initial spatial spread δx in the direction of the axis of extraction, x, within the ion trap, but instead is predominantly determined by the initial velocity spread in the direction of the axis of extraction δvx of the ions in the trap.
Typically ions have a spread in velocities ranging from −δvx/2 to +δvx/2 at the moment the extraction field is applied. If a first ion has a velocity −δvx/2 it travels away from the mass spectrometer for a period of time, it takes a time δt=m·δvx/q·Ex to travel away, turn around and come back to its initial location. Meanwhile a second ion starting from the same position with velocity +δvx/2 has progressed towards the mass spectrometer. The time difference δt between these two ions cannot be compensated for in practice as the ions possess no characteristics by which they may be distinguished from one another, being of the same energy and originating from the same point, and δt represents the dominant temporal spread of the ions at a temporal focus. The time difference δt is called the turn-around time (for obvious reasons). This temporal spread directly limits the mass resolving power which may be obtained by the mass spectrometer, according to tTOF/2·δt, for a TOF mass spectrometer, for example, where tTOF is the total time of flight from the ion starting point within the ejector to the detector of the spectrometer.
Hence where a temporal focus is formed, it is desirable not to extract ions in a way which minimizes their spatial spread δx within the ion trap, as taught in some of the prior art noted above, but instead to minimize their velocity spread δvx within the trap at the moment of ejection.
It has been suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 7,897,916 that additional velocity spread may be induced in the ions if upon applying the extraction field the RF trapping field has not stabilized, and that it is important to rapidly terminate the RF trapping field to very low levels in order to minimize this effect. However as already discussed it is difficult practically to suppress the RF trapping field if it is terminated at any time other than when the RF potential is at a zero crossing point.
In a RF quadrupole ion trap containing a buffer gas, where the ions have been thermalized due to collisions with the gas molecules, the ion ensemble is known to oscillate in phase with the RF potential applied to the trap electrodes, for a wide range of m/z. Phase space volume is conserved and when the ions are confined to their minimum extent in one direction they possess their maximum velocity spread in that direction (the ion trajectories are crossing over one another). Conversely, when the ions are at their largest spatial extent in one direction, they possess the minimum velocity spread in that direction. In a linear quadrupole ion trap, when the RF potential on the x rods is at a maximum positive voltage, ions of a positive polarity are at their largest spatial extent in x and at this time the ions possess their minimum velocity spread in x. However whilst this is the most desirable moment at which to eject the ions, to provide the lowest velocity spread in the x direction, the RF potentials applied to the rods are at that moment at a maximum, which may be several thousand volts, and as already described, it is difficult practically to terminate rapidly the potentials on the rod electrodes when the voltages are at a maximum due to the capacitance of the trap electrodes.
European Patent 1302973 describes a 3D quadrupole ion trap in combination with an orthogonal ejector and a TOF mass spectrometer. Ions are ejected from the quadrupole ion trap which contains a buffer gas (sometimes called a collision gas) to cool the ions by multiple collisions, and the ions travel into a region of higher vacuum for subsequent orthogonal acceleration. A high acceleration potential is only applied to the orthogonal ejector, and this reduces the number of high energy collisions between the sample molecular ions and gas molecules, thereby reducing the dissociation of the sample ions. The m/z range of ions admitted to the mass spectrometer is limited by the spread of velocities in the direction of ejection from the trap, and two means for reducing the velocity spread of ions were described: (1) increasing the ejection field within the trap during the time of ejection; (2) varying an electric field in the region between the trap and the orthogonal ejector. Due to the use of an orthogonal extractor, the velocity spread in the direction of ejection from the trap does not affect the mass resolution of the TOF mass spectrometer, rather, the velocity spread in the direction of the time of flight in the spectrometer is a limiting factor. No means for limiting this were described.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,897,916 describes a linear quadrupole ion trap with orthogonal ejection of ions through a slit in one of the rod electrodes to a TOF mass analyzer. In one embodiment the trap is interfaced directly to the TOF mass analyzer; in another embodiment the trap supplies ions to an orthogonal ejector which sends ions into the TOF mass analyzer. The ion trap is driven with a so-called "digital drive" in which the potentials applied to the electrodes are not sinusoidal, but are rapidly switched DC potentials, switched between negative and positive values with equal time for each value providing a square wave drive with 50% duty cycle. Immediately prior to ejection the time period of the switched square wave is increased and an extraction pulse is then applied shortly after. The trapping potentials may be arranged so that one phase is applied to one pair of opposing rod electrodes and the opposing phase is supplied to the other pair of opposing rod electrodes, or alternatively only one phase may be employed, connected to only one pair of opposing rod electrodes and the other pair of opposing rod electrodes are at 0V until an extraction pulse is applied to them. In the latter case, the switched trapping potential is continuously applied to the pair of rod electrodes during the ejection phase, only the switching time period is increased prior to ejection. Ejection of ions was matched to the phase for which the energy spread of ions in a desired direction was at a minimum. The desired direction was varied depending upon the embodiment: where ions were ejected directly from the trap to the TOF mass spectrometer, the desired direction was in the direction of ejection from the trap, as this was the direction of time-of-flight in the TOF mass spectrometer; where the ions were ejected from the trap to an orthogonal ejector the desired direction was orthogonal to the direction of ejection from the trap, to generally be aligned with the direction of time-of-flight in the TOF mass spectrometer. Due to the use of stepped DC trapping potentials, the electric field within the quadrupole ion trap was constant during the period of ion ejection, albeit at a high amplitude. However use of a square or rectangular waveform has practical difficulties, since it necessarily involves abrupt switching of large voltages very rapidly. Practical realization of this approach is difficult because any abrupt switching of the RF voltage involves re-charging of the capacitance formed by the trap's electrodes. Unlike the case of sinusoidal waveform in an RF tank, the electric energy stored in the capacitance in not recuperated by a magnetic coil but must be dissipated. Voltage 'ringing' also is very difficult to avoid.
In view of the above, the present invention has been made.


A reversible heat-sensitive recording medium has a substrate where a reversible heat-sensitive recording layer and a protective layer are successively formed on top of it. The reversible heat-sensitive recording layer is formed by a reversible heat-sensitive recording material including a leuco dye and a color developing/reducing agent. The color developing/reducing agent is a combination of two kinds of color developing/reducing agents, one with a high color developing ability and the other with high image preservation and stabilization capabilities. The two agents are combined at a ratio between 1:4 to 4:1. Thus a reversible heat-sensitive recording material with a fine color developing ability and high image preservation and stabilization capabilities can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reversible heat-sensitive recording material, especially to which causes superior color development and high stabilization of an image.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, heat-sensitive recording materials are obtained by forming on a substrate a heat-sensitive recording layer composed mainly of a usually colorless or light-colored, electron-donating leuco dye and an electron-accepting developer. On heating with a thermal head, laser beams or the like, the leuco dye and the developer react with each other to give a printed image.
When an image is once formed in such heat-sensitive recording material, it is impossible to erase the image and newly form another image on the spot. Therefore, in order to record further information, there is no choice but to record the information in a part of the heat-sensitive recording material where an image has not been formed. Consequently, while the heat-sensitive recording material is limited in the area of its heat-sensitive recording portion, the amount of information that the material is capable of recording is limited.
On the contrary, there is known a reversible heat-sensitive recording material comprising a leuco dye and an agent used both as developer and tone reducer (it will be referred to as "color developing/reducing agent" in the following) which causes color development or achromatization of the leuco dye on heating. One example of such color developing/reducing agent would be an amphoteric compound having an acidic group capable of allowing the leuco dye to develop a color and a basic group capable of achromatizing the leuco dye thus colored. The color development or the achromatization is carried out by causing the color-developing action of the acidic group or the achromatization action of the basic group, respectively, by controlling the heat energy. This method, however, does not allow complete switching between the color development reaction and the achromatization reaction by virtue of heat energy control alone. Since the two reactions occur at a certain ratio at the same time, sufficient coloring density can not be obtained and complete achromatization can not be executed. Thus sufficient image contrast can not be attained. Another possible disadvantage is that the basic group has achromatizing action also on a colored portion at ordinary temperature, so that the color density of the colored portion is unavoidably decreased with the lapse of time.
On the other hand, other kinds of such color developing/reducing agents have been developed, in which one example would be a phenolic compound or a phthalic acid compound having a long chain alkyl group. However, there is not yet known an agent for both color development and tone reduction which is superior in its ability of coloring and stabilizing an image. On using a color developing/reducing agent which is capable of a high image stability, there would be only a small difference obtained between the color density and the achromatization density because when improving the color density, an insufficient achromatization should be expected. On the other hand, on using a color developing/reducing agent with a high coloring capability, it might happen that the image is erased while being preserved, especially in a humid atmosphere.

Reversible heat-sensitive recording material with high color development and image stabilization capabilities


A vehicle front portion structure having a storage portion for facilitating maintenance for a vehicle front portion includes a first storage portion that includes a bottom portion extending in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, left and right walls extending upwardly from the bottom portion, a ceiling portion connecting the left and right walls and a back wall closing the respective backs of the bottom portion, left and right walls and ceiling portion. The first storage portion is provided with a maintenance opening formed to be spanned among the back wall, a left wall continuous with the back wall and the bottom portion continuous with the back wall, and with the lid body which covers the maintenance opening in an attachable and detachable manner. A key cylinder arrangement structure for a vehicle is provided that can significantly enhance operability of a key cylinder while preventing tampering or theft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a front portion structure of a vehicle equipped with a light device provided on a front cowl covering a vehicle body and to an improvement in a key cylinder arrangement structure for a vehicle provided with a key cylinder that mechanically enables a start or operation of the vehicle when an electronic key system does not establish authentication.
2. Description of Background Art
A front portion structure of a vehicle is known wherein a front cowl covering a vehicle body is provided on a front portion of the vehicle body that is equipped with a light device and a leg shield having a storage portion for storing an article therein is provided between the light device and a seat on which a rider sits. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112313 (FIGS. 14 and 15).
In FIG. 14 of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112313, a first article storage portion 191 for storing an article therein is disposed on the left of the leg shield 158. A second article storage portion 192 is disposed on the right of the leg shield 158. A storage case 193 is detachably provided in the first article storage portion 191 disposed on the left side. An end wall 197a of the first article storage portion 191 is provided with a maintenance window 201, which is covered by a detachable lid 202.
In FIG. 15 of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112313, when maintenance work is carried out, the storage case 193 of the first article storage portion 191 is pulled out and the lid 202 covering the maintenance window 201 is removed to open the maintenance window 201. Thereafter, maintenance work such as replacement of a bulb 171a of a headlight 171 is performed by passing a hand through the maintenance window 201.
In addition, the second article storage portion 192 disposed on the right of the vehicle is not provided with an opening. When maintenance such as the replacement of a right-hand bulb is performed, it is necessary to remove a whole storage recess portion 214 attached to the leg shield 158.
Even if the end wall of the second article storage portion 192 on the right side of the vehicle is provided with an opening, the position of the bulb axis of a lamp device may not be aligned with the position of the maintenance opening. Thus, in such a case, since an individual's hand cannot reach a bulb, it is sometimes difficult to perform maintenance including bulb replacement for the front portion of the vehicle.
In addition, a vehicle is known wherein an electronic key system that enables a start or operation of a vehicle when authentication is established between a portable transmitter and a receiver and with a leg shield for shielding the front of the legs of a rider sitting on a seat and the leg shield is provided with a key cylinder that enables a start or operation of the vehicle when the electronic key system does not establish authentication. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112313 (FIG. 18).
In FIG. 18 of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112313, a leg shield 158 shielding the front of the legs of a rider is provided with a second article storage portion 192. The second article storage portion 192 includes a storage recess portion 214 for storing articles and a lid member 215 provided to be able to open and close the storage recess portion 214 in directions of arrows of the figure via a pivot shaft 216.
A key cylinder lock 236 having a key hole 238 is disposed at the storage recess portion 214 in such a manner that the key hole 238 faces the inner lateral surface of the storage recess portion 214.
As described above, the key cylinder lock 236 is disposed on the inner lateral surface of the storage recess portion 214 to provide a structure hard to be tampered. However, it is difficult to identify the key hole of the key cylinder with the rider mounting on the vehicle. There is room for improvement.


This invention relates to molding compositions comprising:. (a) from about 15 to about 85 percent by weight of a polyamide having an inherent viscosity of about 0.6 to about 2.5 dl/g,. (b) from about 15 to about 85 percent by weight of a copolyester, having an inherent viscosity of about 0.5 to about 1.0 dl/g, comprising repeat units of terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol, and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, and PA0 (c) from about 5 to about 30 percent by weight of a combination of at least two impact modifiers are selected from the group consisting of maleated and unmaleated ethylene-propylene rubbers wherein at least one said impact modifier is maleated.

Polyesters and polyamides are both widely used thermoplastic injection molding materials. Compatible blends of these polymers would be very useful since they would allow a designer to develop materials with specific properties in areas such as strength, toughness, chemical resistance and cost. Polyester/polyamide blends are generally incompatible, however, as evidenced by low impact strengths. Low impact strengths preclude the use of these blends in many large, structural parts. While impact modifiers well known in the art may be used to improve impact strength, they generally do not improve the impact strengths of polyester/polyamide blends. In particular, blends of polyamides and copolyesters based on terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol, and cyclohexanedimethanol are not usually used for injection molding applications since they usually have low impact strengths.
Other attempts have been made to improve the impact strengths of polyester/polyamide blends. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,534 describes the use of a copolyesteramide in minor amounts for improvement of the impact strength of polyester/polyamide blends. Also, D. Gilmore, J. Kirkpatrick, and M. J. Modic describe the use of mixtures of unmodified and maleated styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) rubbers in Nylon 6, Nylon 66, polyphenylene-ether/propylene blends, polyphenylene-ether-Nylon 66 blends and polypropylene/Nylon 66 blends to improve impact strength as reported in Proceedings of ANTEC, (1990), pp. 1228-1233.

Polyester/polyamide blends with improved impact resistance


The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer-implemented methods for providing an integrated testing framework within a database system for testing database code. An example method includes identifying a test script associated with a database, identifying an expected result to be produced by the test script, the expected result stored in an expected results table in the database, executing the test script within the database, where executing the test script produces an actual result, and comparing, within the database, the actual result produced by the test script with the expected result from the expected results table to determine a success condition associated with the execution of the test script.

Modern databases generally allow users to create software code within the database. This code is generally written in a programming language supported by the database, and may also include stored procedures, triggers, applications, programs, scripts, or any other suitable name. The code may provide functionality for use within the data retrieval functions of the database, for example, allowing data processing, formatting, or other operations to be performed directly within a query.
Software developers generally author test scripts to test code to ensure it functions as intended. For example, a software developer may create a test script for a function that performs the addition of two numbers that passes the function the numbers "1" and "2" as parameters and ensures that the function returns the correct results (e.g., "3").


A connector assembly includes a connector connected to a number of cables, and a cable management member pivotably attached to the connector. The cable management member includes a pressing plate for binding the cables.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a connector assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Connectors for a computer or a server are connected to cables and electrically connected to other components. However, the cables adjacent to the connectors usually need to be pressed down or constrained in order to assemble covers or other structures to enclose the components, which is inconvenient.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


Multi-flute endmill having a cutting edge rake face formed from a side of a rotation axis to a peripheral side in a radial direction, and having an end cutting edge rake face. A peripheral cutting edge rake face adjacent to the end cutting edge rake face forms a face different from the end cutting edge rake face and serves as the rake face of a corner edge. An intersection between a convex ridge line is located in a boundary between the rake faces of the end cutting edge and peripheral cutting edge. A convex ridge line is located in a boundary between the end cutting edge rake face and a bottom surface of the flute is moved into the side of the rotation axis in the radial direction with respect to a boundary between the flank face of a corner edge and the flank face of the end cutting edge.

A thin-walled impeller (bladed wheel), blade or the like used in a rotating machine device such as a turbine or a supercharger is manufactured through the following cutting processing steps: a difficult-to-cut alloy member (raw material) made of a Ni-based heat-resistant alloy, a stainless steel or a titanium alloy is fixed onto the rotation axis of a machine tool, then multi-axis control is performed while a cutting tool such as an endmill is being rotated and rough processing, semi-finish processing and finish processing are performed on this alloy member.
Since in the finish processing of the cutting processing steps, it is necessary to perform the finish processing such that the surface of the alloy member is curved, a ball endmill, a taper ball endmill or a radius endmill having a cutting edge formed with a peripheral cutting edge, a corner edge and a end cutting edge is conventionally used. In particular, a solid-type radius endmill (hereinafter also referred to as a "multi-flute endmill") that has a large number of cutting edges at the tip of the main body of the tool, for example, six or more cutting edges is gradually used.
As a conventional technology on a multi-flute endmill, there is a form in which as shown in FIG. 11, a large number of cutting edges are provided, and between the adjacent cutting edges in the rotation direction R (peripheral direction) of the endmill, a gash 7 close to the center in the radial direction (rotation axis) and a flute 8 close to the periphery are provided so as to discharge chips (see Patent Document 1). FIG. 11 specifically shows an example shown in FIG. 8 of Patent Document 1.
It is thought that in the example (Patent Document 1) shown in FIG. 11, the flute 8 is formed on the backward side in the rotation direction R on the peripheral side in the radial direction of the gash 7 formed on the forward side in the rotation direction R of the end cutting edge 6, the flutes 8 are continuously formed on the gashes 7, and thus chips are unlikely to be stayed on the gashes 7, with the result that the effect of enhancing the discharge of the chips cut by the end cutting edge 6 is obtained.
An example of the endmill, other than Patent Document 1, in which the flute is formed close to the periphery in the radial direction of the gash formed close to the center in the radial direction is shown in FIG. 12 (see Patent Document 2). FIG. 12 shows FIG. 2 in Patent Document 2. In this example, chip discharge grooves 4 corresponding to the flutes in Patent Document 1 are formed continuously close to the periphery in the radial direction of the gash 7, and between the chip discharge groove 4 and the gash 7, a concave portion 10 forming the rake face 11 of a corner edge 12 is formed (paragraphs [0017] and [0018]), with the result that the gash 7 and the chip discharge groove 4 communicate with each other through the concave portion 10.
In Patent Document 2, the corner edge 12 in the shape of a segment is formed up to the start point Q of a end cutting edge 9 on the center side in the radial direction beyond the tip P of the segment, and an intersection line L that is formed from the start point Q to the back end portion side of the endmill and that partitions the concave portion 10 is located on the center side in the radial direction with respect to a straight line parallel to a center axis passing through the tip P, so that it is possible to discharge chips produced by the corner edge 12 from the rake face 11 of the cutting edge without the chips being passed around to the rake face 8 of the end cutting edge (paragraphs [0019]-[0024]).

MITSUBISHI HITACHI TOOL ENGINEERING, LTD.


A computer implemented method for energy or resource management of a human-machine interface comprises the following steps carried out by computer hardware components of the human-machine interface: determining a level of attention of a user of the human-machine interface to the human-machine interface; and setting an energy and/or resource utilization related setting of the human-machine interface based on the determined level of attention.

Electric power in various devices, for example vehicles, is a limited resource, which is more cumbersome to refill than fossil fuel. For example, while a car may be refueled with gasoline or diesel in a view seconds, charging of an electric vehicle takes in the order of hours. Furthermore, while fuel stations for gasoline or diesel are available virtually anywhere, charging of electric vehicles may require specific charging infrastructure which is not widely available.
Furthermore, current drawbacks are not only related to the energy use, but total system (depreciation) cost may be driven at least to a similar amount by hardware resource cost. There are more and more high resolution displays, and driving them all the time with highest graphics capability may consume a high amount of energy and may utilize high hardware resources (for example memory bandwidth of CPU (central processing unit), GPU (graphics processing unit), and RAM (random access memory) data throughput), which is a reasonable cost factor of computing systems. To summarize, we see increasing cost for CPU, GPU, connectivity bandwidth and the system's energy consumption.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems which reduce consumption of electric energy and/or computing and graphics processing.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for energy or resource management of a human-machine interface


A device includes a tubular element, and a cutter spring-biased relative to the tubular element. In an unloaded configuration the cutter is displaced relative to the tubular element by a displacement distance, and when the cutter is in a loaded configuration the displacement distance is reduced. A first structure is longitudinally fixed relative to the cutter and rotationally engaged relative to the tubular element. A length of the first structure extends proximally in the unloaded configuration. A second structure is longitudinally displaceable relative to the first structure. In the loaded configuration, a driver engages and rotates both the first and second structures, and thus the tubular element and cutter together. Once the cutter breaks through the bone, the cutter spring-biased into the unloaded configuration, resulting in disengagement of the first structure from the driver to prevent rotation of either the tubular element or the cutter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to dental implants. More particularly, this invention relates to tools for the removal of maxillary bone for access to, dissection of and elevation of the subantral membrane of the maxillary sinus for osseous regeneration in order to increase the bony support structure for a dental implant, and for receiving a dental implant.
2. State of the Art
Dental implants have been used in dentistry for about twenty years. They offer a tremendous benefit to patients by allowing the replacement of missing teeth. The success of a dental implant is based on a variety of factors including: surgical technique, health of the patient, operator skill and, to a significant part, sufficient bone for the placement and integration of the dental implant. To that end, dental implants are commonly used in the anterior lower jaw, as this region provides sufficient bone quantity, quality and strength to support and hold the dental implant. However, the replacement of the maxillary teeth have presented a considerable challenge because after the loss of maxillary teeth the quality and quantity of the remaining supporting bone may be insufficient to properly and reliably support the dental implant.
More particularly, the maxillary complex is a three-dimensional bone structure composed of alveolar bone and basal bone. The maxillary teeth, and more specifically the teeth roots, are imbedded in the alveolar bone. The top of the maxillary complex forms the floor of the maxillary sinus and is covered by a thin diaphanous membrane known as the subantral or Schneiderian membrane (referred to herein as the "subantral membrane"). Once a tooth is removed from the maxillary complex, the surrounding alveolar bone is frequently resorbed because of the lack of physical stimulation and support of the teeth. This leads to a loss of bone mass and a corresponding reduction in the effective height and thickness of the bone of the maxillary complex, which if not remedied limits the potential use of the dental implant.
To overcome the deficiency of insufficient vertical bone mass of the maxillary complex, several surgical techniques have been developed to increase available bone mass for the placement of dental implants. These techniques augment the bone deficient region with a filler or regenerative material made of natural and/or artificial (synthetic) materials (collectively, 'bone graft material'). Such material is placed on the roof of the maxillary structure under the subantral membrane so that it does not interfere with the function of the maxillary sinus. Collectively, these procedures are known within the dental profession as "sinus elevation procedures" with the goal of increasing the vertical height available for placement of dental implants. What makes these techniques unique from other techniques, such as distraction osteogenesis, is that the bone is increased within a body cavity, i.e., the maxillary sinus cavity.
Bone augmentation of the maxillary sinus requires careful bone removal and delicate dissection of the subantral membrane from the floor of the sinus. If the membrane is not properly dissected from the bone, bone augmentation may not occur, or may not be sufficient. Unintentional perforation of the subantral membrane may also lead to undesirable short and long-term consequences. If the perforation is large, for example, several millimeters in diameter, the surgeon must either abort the procedure or must use some means of removing or containing the bone graft material on the floor of the sinus to encourage new bone growth. Typically, a collagen membrane patch is used to repair the perforation and contain the bone graft material on the floor of the sinus. A lack of integrity of the membrane can also lead to the migration of bone graft materials leading to long-term chronic infections. Therefore, the maintenance of membrane integrity is of utmost importance during the elevation of the membrane to allow placement of bone graft materials with a goal of increasing bone mass in the maxilla.
A commonplace sinus elevation procedure requires a window into the maxillary sinus from a lateral and superior approach to the floor of the sinus. Great care must be taken during the entry to the sinus as it is critical not to perforate the subantral membrane that lines the sinus cavity. Most patients and dental surgeons acknowledge that entrance into the maxillary sinus utilizing a lateral window approach (also known as the Caldwell-Luc procedure) is an invasive procedure. This technique is fraught with many risks and complications because of the limitations of healing potential in the maxillary sinus. In spite of these risks many patients undergo this procedure because of the strong desire to replace missing maxillary teeth with dental implants.
An alternative procedure described by Dr. R. B. Summers approaches the maxillary sinus from the alveolar ridge utilizing solid cylindrical osteotomes. It is a more conservative approach and is less invasive. The technique vertically lifts the subantral membrane from the floor of the maxillary sinus via an infracture of the bony floor. The infracture can be performed using solid cylindrical osteotomes with specific diameters that are vertically advanced toward the maxillary sinus producing a mechanical lifting action on the membrane. Bone graft material is then placed into this space for bone augmentation. The bone graft materials are actually used to raise the subantral membrane. While this technique is safer than the lateral window approach, an overzealous use of an osteotome during the procedure can result in the perforation of the subantral membrane with disadvantages discussed above.
Thus, in prior art techniques, advancing a bone cutter through the maxillary bone with insufficient control or feedback may result in tearing or ripping of the subantral membrane. Overcoming these previous limitations in the technique of sinus elevation will reduce infection, bleeding, swelling, pain, suffering and failure when using dental implants in the maxillary sinus.

Maxillary bone cutting system, kit, and method of using the same


A light table having a table top surface fabricated of translucent or transparent polymer material, one surface being of a smooth and planar configuration, while the alternative surface may include a series of integral sockets, and into which various light blocks or game pieces may insert, and be built up into structured configurations. The smooth table top surface may be used with planar light transmitting pieces, tinted to various colors, be either translucent or transparent in configuration, and through their combination can provide both pleasure through their usage, and a source of education to the child regarding light and its transmission and color mixing to attain various coloration. The light blocks may be fabricated as fiber optics, and scintillating fiber optics, or of translucent material, to enhance the transmission of light emanating from the illuminating lamps provided within the interchangeable table top surfaces of this invention. The light table may incline.

This invention relates generally to a light table, and more specifically to a table that incorporates illumination means within its table top surface, projects that transmitted light through the table top and in cooperation with a series of light block pieces, can project colored images to the table user, which normally comprises children at play within a nursery or day care setting, or in a school, and the invention may also be used, in smaller forms, within the home.
Various types of tables, for use at play, even within a nursery, have been developed in the prior art. For example, as can be seen from the disclosure within U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,270, invented by the same applicant herein, a base panel is disclosed, in the form of a table, and which panel includes a series of bores therein, which are arranged at precise locations, and into which various building blocks may be inserted, and built upon, to the pleasure and education of the children, particularly within a nursery. This concept of utilizing a table, for application of building blocks thereto, is known in the art, and has normally been a means for attaining and maintaining the interest of children, particularly within an activity center, such as at the day care, school and nursery locations.
Other examples of activity type tables, in the prior art, are also shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,081, to Nayak, which discloses a play table and activity center, comprising a table top, containing a plurality of recesses, and to which individual game segments may be plied. Another example of a game type table, in this particular instance apparently for use as a light weight foldable tray, is disclosed in the patent to Montgomery, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,781.
Various types of game pieces, for use for application as a plurality of connecting blocks, is shown in the United States patent to Larws, U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,535, identified as toy blocks dimensioned and configured for plural connections. A base element to which toy blocks may be applied, is shown in another patent to Larws, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,904, disclosing a base element for the production of panels for a toy construction system. Block configurations that may be assembled into socketed building blocks, is disclosed in another patent to Larws, U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,496. The application of plate elements, incorporating plug means, for securement within a base plate, is shown in the early United States patent to Zander, U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,727. Finally, building block assemblies are shown in the German patent No. 1,140,500. A Lego Company also has various connectable devices that may be built into structures through interengaging components.
The current invention takes the concept of formulating building blocks, into a system for assembly, to a further dimension, by constructing a light table, into which one or more energized light fixtures, mounted within either a transparent, but preferably translucent, table top, for projecting light through the upper surface of the table top, and then applying various light block sets, or game pieces, to the surface, either for laying flush thereon, and projecting light through the various planar like pieces, to illuminate and project their colors, whereby the light pieces may also be laid one upon the other, for showing how different colors may be blended, to provide yet a further coloration, as is so well known in the art. In addition, the light table top surface may also include a series of perforations therein, or a plurality of bores or sockets, and into which various light block pieces may be inserted, and built one upon the other, with the game pieces further incorporating the additional dimension of either being fiber-optic, or scintillating fiberoptic, so the transmitted light can extend through the game pieces, even when connected together, to project either a white or colored illuminated end, to the final game piece, as is also known in the art through the usage and application of fiber optics. In addition, translucent type of game pieces may be employed, and which may be applied to an illuminated table surface, which may be a flat configured table surface, or a socket type surface, in order to provide illumination to the applied pieces.


Along a row of spindles of a ring-spinning machine, an underwind-residue remover is displaceable by a belt whose belt stretches are horizontal and lie one above the other over the length of the machine. The underwined-residue remover has a shank guided along a rib at a track for the remover alongside a row of spindles and the track has a foot extending horizontally from the rib and overlain by the stretches of the belt. The stretches of the belt have loops connecting them at opposite ends and a roller arrangement about which the respective loop passes.

Underwind-residue removers can be provided in a ring-spinning machine, for example, for removing the yarn or thread residue in the underwind region below the bobbin-receiving portion of the spindles of such machines.
In DE 41 40 049, for example, a spinning machine with a traveling cleaner and underwind-residue remover is known in which with the aid of a single wire or cable a connection is made between the traveling cleaner disposed ahead of the spindle row and the movable underwind-residue remover behind the spindle row.
DE 42 31 737 describes a system in which the underwind-residue remover is displaceable in a guide rail or track which can lie behind the spindle row and whereby the underwind-residue remover is connectable with a traveling cleaner by a synchronizing drive system. In all cases, the tractive element which was used to displace the underwind-residue removal had to pass through the creel and had to be matched to the different configurations of the creels which were used. The tractive element generally was disposed in the open since the housing of the tractive element was very expensive and difficult to achieve. There thus was a considerable risk of injury to operating personnel. For guiding the tractive element, space had to be provided which could not be occupied by other machine parts and frequently, therefore, this complicated the construction of the machine.

Ring-spinning machine with traveling underwind-residue remover


Aspects of the invention include providing cognitive contact assistance with dynamically generated contact lists for messages. Providing cognitive contact assistance includes performing by a processor, prior to a message created by a user being sent to a user interface of an intended recipient of the message: identifying content of the message; dynamically generating a contact list based at least in part on the content; and augmenting the message with the contact list. The augmented message is sent to the user interface of the intended recipient of the message.

Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to using computer systems for electronic communication, and more specifically to cognitive contact assistance with dynamically generated contact lists for messages.
On a day to day basis, a typical worker may work on two or three different projects, each having different project teams. Switching from one project to another requires finding the materials relevant to the next project as well as finding the contacts associated with the next project. This is not always an easy task, especially as the number of ongoing projects increase. It can be difficult to keep track of contact lists of people who support particular projects and/or people having particular expertise. When working on a particular project, an employee may have to contact many different people including people that they work with on a regular basis, people that they may have not been in contact with for a long time, and people that they have not been in contact with in the past.
Accordingly, while computer systems for providing electronic communications are suitable for their intended purposes, what is needed are computer systems having certain features of embodiments of the present invention.

Cognitive contact assistance with dynamically generated contact lists for messages

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A magnetoelectric device includes at least one reluctance component, at least one damping capacitor, and a switching circuit. The reluctance component includes a capacitive and inductive magnetic core unit having a loop-shaped first segment and a second segment connected to the first segment, and at least one coil wound around and loosely coupled to the magnetic core unit. The damping capacitor cooperates with the coil to form a resonant circuit. The switching circuit makes and breaks electrical connection between the coil and a DC power source so that an eddy current flowing through the resonant circuit may be generated for storing energy in the damping capacitor.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electric device, and more particularly to a magnetoelectric device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional transformer 1 including an E-shaped magnetic core and an I-shaped magnetic core. A primary coil 11 and a secondary coil 12 are wound around and tightly coupled to the E-shaped magnetic core. In general, the conventional magnetic core is made of a single material, such that there must be an air gap between the magnetic cores for preventing magnetic saturation, resulting in negative magnetic damping effect and limiting output electrical energy. In addition, the counter-electromotive force at the output terminal OUT may directly impact the input terminal, resulting in great loss of eddy current. As a result, even if the conventional transformer 1 has high conversion efficiency, it can only be used for transmission or transfer of electrical energy.

Magnetoelectric device capable of storing usable electrical energy


A surface light source device using light emitting diodes, the device including: a housing having a top opening to emit light; a light emitting diode board disposed on an inner bottom surface of the housing, the board on which a plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged; and a color conversion laminate formed by depositing a plurality of phosphor-mixed resin layers containing phosphors, the layers disposed at a top of the opening of the housing and providing light having different wavelengths.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface light source device using light emitting diodes (LEDs), and more particularly, to a surface light source device using LEDs having a color conversion structure capable of providing high efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, due to low-power driving and excellent light efficiency, semiconductor light emitting diodes (LEDs) are generally applied as liquid crystal display (LCD) backlight, vehicle light, and home lighting. However, LEDs emit light with a limited wavelength. Therefore, it is required a method of obtaining white light needed in surface light source.
There has been a method of providing a light source by combining LEDs having different wavelengths, respectively, complementary to each other. For example, there may be provided an LED assembly obtained by mixing LEDs emitting red, blue, and green light, respectively. On the other hand, LEDs emitting single-wavelength light may be provided as a light source. In this case, desired white light may be obtained by using a phosphor for wavelength conversion.
FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional white light surface light source device 10 using a phosphor.
Referring to FIG. 1, the white light surface light source device 10 includes a housing 11 having an open top surface and an LED board 12 disposed in the housing 11. A plurality of blue LEDs 15 is arranged on the LED board 12 to be electrically driven.
A color conversion layer 17 including a yellow emitting phosphor such as YAG(Y3Al5O12):Ce is disposed at a top of the housing 11. The color conversion layer 17 provides yellow light Y by converting a part of blue light B emitted from the LEDs 15. The yellow light Y is mixed with blue light B′ that is not converted, thereby finally emitting desired white light.
However, generally, a combination of a yellow emitting phosphor such as YAG:Ce and a blue LED shows low color rendering properties. That is, since a wavelength of the white light obtained by using the yellow emitting phosphor is distributed only in blue and yellow, there is a limitation on embodying desired natural white light due to low color rendering properties.

Surface light source device using light emitting diodes


A surgical system including: (1) a thermoplastic, body absorbable, bodily tissue fixation plate having a plurality of formations and a plurality of through-bores arranged in alternating relation along with plate; (2) body absorbable fasteners adapted for insertion into the through-bores to secure the plate to underlying bodily tissue; and (3) heating apparatus including a wand having a heating tip of a configuration adapted to substantially matingly cooperate with the formations to facilitate heating and bending of the plate into conformance with the underlying bodily tissue.

Perhaps the most well known and widely used bodily tissue fixation systems typically employ metallic hardware, e.g., plates, screws, rods and the like, formed of biocompatible, corrosion resistant metals such as titanium and stainless steel. While such systems are generally effective for their intended purposes, they possess a number of inherent shortcomings. For example, for some surgical treatments it is not feasible to remove the hardware once it is implanted. As a result, the patient must permanently carry within his body substances foreign to his natural bodily tissue. In other situations wherein it is desirable or necessary to remove the hardware, a second surgical operation is required to perform such removal. Further, when using metallic fixation plates, to secure severed bone material, or the like, the inherent rigidity of the plates does not readily permit the plates to be adequately bent so as to closely conform to bone areas of small radii of curvature, such as cranial and facial bones, particularly those of children. As a consequence, optimum restraint of the bones against relative movement is not always achieved and the strength and/or appearance of the mended area, when healed, may not be entirely satisfactory.
In efforts to overcome some of the encumbrances of metallic bodily tissue fixation systems, an assortment of body absorbable bodily tissue fixation hardware and systems have been proposed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,905,680, 4,903,691, 4,539,981, 4,523,591, German Patentschrift DE 39 143 163, European Patent No. 0 260 222 and WIPO 90/07304.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,905,680 and 4,903,691 describe, in particular, bone fixation plates formed of body absorbable plastic material provided with a plurality of bores through which fasteners such as screws are inserted whereby the fasteners enter the bone to fasten the plate across a severed or fractured bone area in order to fixate the bone to promote stabilization during healing thereof. Although satisfactory for use in fixing severed bone areas of generally linear configuration (such as the elongated bones of the limbs) the bone plates taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,680, by being relatively rigid similar to the previously discussed metallic plates, are not particularly well adapted to securing severed bone areas which may have small radii of curvature such as cranial and facial bones, especially those of a small child. That is to say, the plates cannot readily be brought into close conformance with highly curved bone areas whereby those areas may be effectively restrained against relative movement as is required to achieve rapid, sturdy and non-disfiguring mending of the bone.
German Patentschrift DE 39 143 163 discloses a bone fixation system comprising a body absorbable thermoplastic plate which is reinforced by carbon fibers and heated by an electromagnetic radiation heating means to cause the plate to soften and conform to the severed bone being repaired. Upon satisfactory conformance of the plate to the bone, the plate is then secured to the bone by suitable screws, or the like. While this system may serve to effectively restrain the bones being fixated from relative movement, two of the preferred means it may employ to heat the plate, i.e., either an infrared or a microwave radiation generator, if not cautiously operated, can cause irradiation of surrounding bodily tissue to a degree sufficient to overheat and thereby destroy the tissue. Moreover, the microwave or infrared generator heats the entire plate at once, which may not always be desired or necessary and which could render the plate too liquefied and structurally incoherent to be of any practical use, unless the surgeon exercises vigilant and continuous monitoring of the physical status of the plate during heating thereof. Also, the carbon fiber used for reinforcing the plate may not be fully biocompatible with and absorbable by the patient's body.
German Patentschrift DE 39 143 163 also teaches that the heating means may heat electrically conductive fibers in the plate by induction heating. Again, however, great care must be exercised so as not to heat the plate to a degree which would destroy its structural integrity and efficacy.
European Patent No. 0 260 222 teaches the concept of securing severed bone segments together by means of covering the severed area with flexible, body-absorbable plastic material and securing the material to the bone segments via body absorbable fasteners such as screws or rivet-like members. Aside from providing limited restraint against relative movement of the bone segments, the system taught therein requires bores of several millimeters to be provided in the bone to receive the fasteners. Such large diameter bores and fasteners may be acceptable for many bone repair situations but, due to their size, they limit the practical application of the system essentially to repair of relatively large bones. In fact, the screws are of such dimensions that they require a central longitudinal passage of sufficient size to internally receive along the full length thereof an elongated screwdriver shaft to drive the screw into the bone. The presence of the central longitudinal passage thus necessarily requires the screw to be of an unacceptably large diameter for small bone repair operations. The screw is further provided with a plurality of transverse flow passages in communication with the central passage so as to enable the necessary body fluid to enter the interior of the screw and effect decomposition of the screw not only from the exterior but the interior thereof as well. Hence, because of the physical dimensions of the screws, without the existence of the interconnected longitudinal and transverse passages, the time required for decomposition of the screws would be substantially increased, perhaps undesirably prolonging the bone healing process.
An advantage exists, therefore, for a body-absorbable bodily tissue fixation plate whereby the plate (such as a bone fixation plate) can be molded to closely conform to the shape of the bodily tissue being fixated. Such plate should be thermoplastic and readily bendable through the application of a series of spot heatings at predetermined sites thereon via appropriate heating apparatus without potentially sacrificing the physical integrity of the plate.
A number of apparatus for localized heating applications are known. One such device is the conventional hand-held, electrical resistance soldering iron commonly used to solder small-scale electrical or mechanical connections. The primary disadvantage of this sort of device, if it were somehow attempted to be utilized in a surgical operation of the type contemplated herein, is that its elongated heating element, which operates at high temperature along the entire length thereof, is quite likely to come into contact and burn the skin or other biological tissue of the patient and possibly the operator, particularly if the surgery is being performed in a rather deep surgical incision.
In this connection, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,494,364 and 4,074,110 describe heating apparatus for, inter alia, cauterizing biological tissue in surgical operations. The heating apparatus disclosed in these references include heating wands having tips that are heated by electrical resistance in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,364 and conduction in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,110. In each of these patents, the wands include housings which do not lend themselves well to working in either deep incisions or small scale operations because their bulk precludes clear vision of the area being treated. U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,364 describes, for example, a heating wand housing having an outer diameter of approximately three-eighths of an inch, which, as will be appreciated later herein, is over three times the diameter of the heating wand of the present invention.
Moreover, the heating tips taught by these references saliently project from their respective wands and are substantially (as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,364) or entirely (as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,110) uninsulated. As a consequence, biological tissue in the vicinity of the treatment area is exposed to a material risk of being inadvertently damaged by the heating tips.
High frequency radiation heating apparatus may also be used for localized heating. However, if such apparatus are used to heat materials in close proximity to living tissue, the surrounding living tissue behaves like a dielectric heating material, i.e., the energy generated by the high frequency heating apparatus is diffused three-dimensionally throughout the surrounding body tissue at a rate and magnitude of heat transference which are related to the dielectric constants of the body tissue. Consequently, such methods and apparatus are quite difficult to control in terms of preventing tissue burn in delicate surgical operations.
Ultrasonic heating apparatus represent yet another potential means for localized heating. However, ultrasonic heating apparatus suffer from related disadvantages as those attendant to infrared or microwave radiation heating apparatus (discussed hereinabove in connection with German Patentschrift DE 39 143 163). That is to say, the thermoplastic plate and/or the biological tissue in the immediate vicinity of the treatment area, if the ultrasonic energy is not carefully controlled, may rapidly become exposed to an energy level sufficient to overheat and destroy the plate and, possibly, the immediately surrounding biological tissue.
Laser heating apparatus have achieved wide acceptance as surgical apparatus for cauterizing biological tissue. The heating energy produced by a specific laser is related to the type of element or compound whose atoms are stimulated to produce the laser beam. For example, a CO.sub.2 laser produces a beam in the infrared range having a wavelength of approximately 10.6 .mu.m, an Nd:YAG laser produces a beam also in the infrared range and has a wavelength of approximately 1.06 .mu.m, and an Argon laser produces a yellowish green to blue beam of approximately 0.455 .mu.m-0.515 .mu.m.
In surgical applications, laser energy is typically applied to the biological tissue being treated in short bursts rather than a continuous beam because the high intensity of most surgical laser beams is such that, if continuously applied, the laser light would eventually vaporize the area being treated.
The surgeon would have to invest a great deal of time and effort in becoming and remaining skilled in how to effectively apply the laser energy to the desired areas of the plastics contemplated to be employed by the present invention without overexposing the plastics or the surrounding bodily tissue to the intense laser energy. Further, laser equipment is somewhat unattractive from the perspectives of cost, maintenance and storage.
Surgical laser heating apparatus, even if hand-held are also rather cumbersome to use in that they normally require a complex system of mirrors and/or fiber optic cables contained in a bulky housing, thereby rendering it difficult to accurately direct the laser energy to the desired treatment area, particularly if the area being treated is deep within the patient's body. Additionally, surgical laser apparatus are expensive and they are normally rather difficult to sterilize.
Cauterizing forceps whose opposed tongs are connected to sources of electrical potential are also known. In the operation of these devices, a quantity of biological tissue is grasped by the tongs and high frequency electrical energy is conducted between the tongs through the biological tissue to selectively cauterize the tissue. As noted previously, however, control of the diffusion of the high frequency energy is difficult and tissue in the vicinity of the grasped tissue may become unintentionally cauterized by this procedure, especially if the forceps are inserted into a relatively deep surgical incision.
Additionally, cauterizing forceps are not effective in heating plastic because plastic is a poor conductor of electricity. A frequency generator in the gigahertz range would normally be required in order to produce the energy sufficient to heat absorbable plastic bone fixation plates of the types contemplated herein, but the expense such a generator would be prohibitive since the present cost of such equipment ranges from about thirty thousand to about fifty thousand U.S. dollars. Moreover, the frequencies produced by a gigahertz frequency generator could cause interference with other electrical equipment operating in the vicinity of the generator.
An advantage thus exists for a hand-held heating apparatus adapted for highly localized heating, particularly for surgical treatment applications, that is easily handled and sterilizable, that will not burn or otherwise damage biological tissue in the vicinity of the treatment area, and that can be accurately monitored and controlled.


This invention discloses live-attenuated feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and recombinant vectors for producing them, useful as vaccines and therapeutic agents against FIV and diseases associated with virulent FIV infection. In the recombinant vectors and FIVs, one or more genes, or part of the gene(s), responsible for FIV pathogenesis have been completely or partially rendered nonfunctional, e.g., by full or partial deletion or mutagenesis. These anti-FIV vaccines may be given to susceptible hosts in the form of infectious virus or cloned DNA.

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is an exogenous retrovirus of the Lentivirus genus and is associated with a fatal acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-like disease in domestic cats. FIV is similar in genetic organization and virion morphology to other members of the genus lentivirinae, including: human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1, HIV-2), simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), visna-maedi virus (VMV), equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV), and bovine immunodeficiency-like virus (BIV) {Clements, J. E., et al., Seminars in Virology, 3:137-146 (1992); and Shacklett, B. L., et al., Virol., 204:860-867 (1994)}. Both HIV and FIV cause a fatal syndrome in their respective hosts. This syndrome is characterized by generalized lymphadenopathy and increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections.
Biological FIV-PPR and isolates of molecular clones of FIV-pF34 (the molecular proviral clone of the latter is termed pF34) are described in Talbott, R. L., et al., PNAS (USA), 86:5743-5747 (1989). The molecular clone FIV-pF34 infected Crandell feline kidney (CrFK) and G355-5 cell lines, but replicated less efficiently in feline peripheral blood leukocytes (Id.). In contrast, the PPR clone productively infected the primary feline peripheral blood leukocytes but not CrFK or G355-5 cells (Id.). The isolate of another molecular clone, FIV-pPPR (the molecular proviral clone is termed pPPR) was reported in Phillips, T. R., et al., J. Vir., 64(10):4605-4613 (1990). The two viral isolates (pPPR and pF34) show more than 85% sequence homology {Sparger, E. E., et al., Virol., 187:165-177 (1992)}.
Lentiviruses have complex genomes which encode structural proteins (e.g., Gag, Pol, and Env) as well as regulatory proteins (e.g., Tat, Rev) and accessory proteins (e.g., Vif, Nef, Vpr, Vpx, Vpu) (Id). FIV has been shown to encode a rev gene and a vif gene, but appears to lack genes corresponding to tat, nef, vpr, vpx, and vpu (Id).
Tomonaga, et al., reported that mutation of a short conserved region designated open reading frame A (ORF-A) in FIV clone TM-2 produced a virus that replicated with delayed kinetics in feline lymphoid cell lines and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) {Tomanaga, K., et al., J. Virol., 67:5889-5895 (1993)}. Shacklett, et al., supra, made three mutations in the vif gene of molecular clone FIV-pF34: (i) deletion of 223 bp from the central portion of the gene; (ii) site-directed mutation of a conserved N-terminal basic region; and (iii) site-directed mutation of a conserved C-terminal motif. FIV proviruses containing each of these mutations were tested for replication following transfection into two feline adherent cell types, CrFK and G355-5. All three vif mutants produced very little cell-free virus or viral protein in both cell types (Id.).
The long terminal repeat (LTR) of a retrovirus contains sequence elements that constitute a promoter for controlling viral gene expression in infected cells. The FIV LTR was found to contain an element (i.e., a potential AP-1 site) upstream from the TATA box which was required for responses to T-cell activation signals. In addition, transcription directed by the LTR responded to an inducer of intracellular cyclic-AMP (c-AMP) (i.e., forskolin). Mutagenesis studies revealed that a potential ATF site, also known as a c-AMP response element (CRE) is required for activation by either forskolin or dibutyryl c-AMP.
FIV LTR mutations affecting the first AP4 site, AP1 site, ATF site, or NF-KB site resulted in decreased basal promoter activity of LTR as measured in various cell lines in transient expression assays using plasmids containing the viral LTR linked to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene {Sparger, E. E., et al., Virol., 187:165-177 (1992)}. Miyazawa, T., et al., deleted sequences of 31 bp containing putative AP-1 and AP-4 binding sequences in the U3 region of FIV LTR {Miyazawa, T., et al., J. Gen. Virol., 74:1573-1580 (1993)}. The mutated LTR was introduced into an infectious molecular clone of FIV and the replication rate and the cytopathogenic activity of the mutant were compared with those of the wild type in two feline CD4-positive T lymphoblastoid cell lines. Miyazawa, T., et al., found that the rate and activity of the mutant were almost the same as those of the wild type. Miyazawa, T., et al., concluded that the 31 bp fragment was important for achieving maximal expression of the FIV genome, but not required for the replication of FIV in feline T lymphocytes.
It has been long recognized that DNA of molecularly cloned DNA viruses can be highly infectious in vivo, but the infectious nature of retroviral DNA in vivo has not been generally appreciated. See, for example, the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,589,466 and 5,152,982. However, Myrick, K. V., et al., found that intact SIVmac could be isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes of three of four Macaca fascicularis monkeys which were inoculated, intramuscularly, with SIVmac proviral DNA. Letvin, N. L., et al., Nature, 349:573 (1991). Infectious virus was also detected in the spleens of mice after injection with cloned chimeric murine retroviral DNA of FrCas.sup.E. Portis, J. L., et al., J. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 5:1272-1277 (1992). A plasmid containing an unpermuted genome of FB29, flanked by two LTRs, was infectious when injected as supercoiled DNA (without excision of the viral genome). Id.
Ulmer, J. B., et al., injected plasmid DNA encoding influenza A nucleoprotein into the quadriceps of BALB/c mice. This resulted in the generation of nucleoprotein-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and protection from a subsequent challenge with a heterologous strain of influenza A virus, as measured by decreased viral lung titers, inhibition of mass loss, and increased survival. Ulmer, J. B., et al., Sci., 259:1745-1749 (1993). RNA and DNA expression vectors containing genes for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, luciferase, and .beta.-galactosidase were separately injected into mouse skeletal muscle in vivo. Protein expression was readily detected in all cases, and no special delivery system was required for these effects. Wolff, J. A., et al., Sci., 247:1465-1468 (1990).
The preparation of vaccines to protect feline hosts against FIV infection is discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,275,813 and 5,510,106 and in Hosie (1994) Br. Vet. J. 150:25-39.

Recombinant live feline immunodeficiency virus and proviral DNA vaccines

The Regents of the University of California


A payload adapter consists of a body that when hollow includes a plurality of stiffeners—radial and/or circumferential—or alternatively a core for carrying shear loads. The body may include a first annular face sheet, a second annular face sheet and a plurality of stiffeners connecting between the first annular face sheet and the second annular face sheet. The combination of the annular hollow body and the plurality of stiffeners or the same face sheets combined with an in-filled core results in an axial frequency and a lateral (pitch) frequency for the payload adapter that provides superior vibration isolation. Constrained layer damping is incorporated into the design for additional vibration attenuation.

Payloads, such as satellites or spacecraft, which are mounted on launch vehicles, are subject to severe vibrations during flight. These vibrations are induced by multiple sources from liftoff to the instant of final separation from the launch vehicle. The dynamic mechanisms include ignition and operation of the rocket engines, transient vectoring forces at the nozzles, separation of rocket stages, aerodynamic effects and acoustic phenomena. The vibrations are often associated with severe quasi-static loads caused by axial thrust. The frequency content of the vibrations generally extends from 10-20 Hz to several kHz. The amplitude of the vibrations tends to be more severe in certain frequency bands and this is usually a function of the type of rocket motor being used. There is one class of commonly used solid rocket motors that generates high vibrations in the 50-60 Hz range.
A direct result of the severe vibrations generally experienced by payloads is that fatigue damage and failure can be incurred by sensitive payload components. Extensive engineering effort is normally expended to insure that this phenomenon is fully understood and avoided.
The mounting of the payload to the launch vehicle is usually done by attaching the lower spacecraft interface to the forward end of the rocket. Thus, the payload is normally cantilevered at the front of the launch vehicle. This configuration leads to axial components of the interface forces between the payload and vehicle even in the presence of purely lateral loads. These components are additive to those caused by the axial loads and vibrations. This observation underlines the importance of the axial load transfer at the interface and a great deal of attention has traditionally been given to this.
A rigid connection at the payload/vehicle interface has been widely used in the past, especially for vehicles with very robust payloads. In situations where a few sensitive components are to be used in the payload, these components are sometimes attached using individual vibration isolation mount systems. This approach is not cost or weight efficient for a fragile payload and the concept of complete payload isolation is now widely adopted in such situations.
Complete payload vibration isolation schemes generally use a flexible payload/vehicle interface. When the natural frequency of the payload vibrating on the flexibility of the interface is significantly lower than the frequency of the vibrations being transmitted through the vehicle to the interface, the payload is essentially isolated. The real challenge in the design of a satisfactory complete payload vibration isolation system is to satisfy two competing requirements. First, a payload mounting frequency low enough to achieve good isolation is required. Secondly, it is important to avoid the problematic interaction of the low frequency payload modes of vibration with the low frequency primary bending modes of the vehicle. The first requirement drives the payload frequency down while the second drives it up.
The difficulty of satisfying the two competing requirements is best understood with reference to specific example frequencies. In cases where it is desirable to isolate 55 Hz vibrations the axial payload mode must be less than 39 Hz to get any attenuation at all. A frequency of about 25 Hz would be desirable, as this would achieve a vibration transmissibility of only approximately 27%. The 25 Hz value is a lower bound of the acceptable frequency range because of interaction problems with rocket axial modes of vibration for a broad range of launch vehicle designs. Therefore, for these rockets, the payload isolation frequency in the axial mode of vibration should be in the 25-39 Hz range.
The lateral modes of vibration of the payload make the frequency requirements even more difficult to satisfy. Problematic interaction with bending modes of the rocket leads to a common requirement that the payload lateral mode of vibration should be greater than approximately 15 Hz. The lateral and axial modes of vibration of the payload are generally closely coupled for typical adapter designs. It is noted that if discrete springs are used to introduce flexibility into the payload mounting system it is difficult to avoid having the bounce mode higher than three times the lateral frequency. This ratio of three is applicable for geometries where the mounting circle has a diameter approximately equal to the height of the payload center of gravity above this circle. Thus, a 15 Hz lateral mode may well be associated with an axial frequency of 45 Hz which is clearly too high to achieve attenuation of the 50-60 Hz vibrations. These vibrations may well be amplified for such a system rendering the concept of discrete-spring vibration isolation infeasible for the frequencies cited.
A parameter that has significant bearing on the performance of a vibration isolation system is damping. Typically the higher the damping the greater is the vibration attenuation. It is therefore desirable to incorporate damping features into the design of an isolation system.
Accordingly, there is a need for payload mounting adapter that avoids the high axial-to-lateral frequency ratio inherent in the commonly used discrete spring isolation concepts, provides a convenient and integral mounting scheme without resorting to add-on devices such as springs or flexures, and leads to cost and weight savings.


The invention relates to a method for the preparation of cannabidiol and an intermediate for the preparation of cannabidiol, wherein two intermediates are obtained, namely a silylated olivetol and a silylated olivetol (2) and brominated olivetol (4) which are stable, storable and which do not have undesirable properties or byproducts.

For the production of drugs based on a chiral active ingredient, it is important to prepare them as enantiomerically pure as possible during synthesis. Since different enantiomers of a chiral active ingredient can have very different pharmacological effects, even slight contamination of the chiral active ingredient with the undesirable enantiomer can lead to very significant side effects in the patient that are no longer acceptable, even with a strict indication. Since a pharmacological catastrophe in the 1960s, when an active ingredient known as thalidomide was administered to pregnant women, it has been known that different enantiomers of the otherwise same substance can have very different effects. Research into this catastrophe revealed that the desired sedative effect is attributed to the (+)-(R)-enantiomer, but the teratogenic effect is attributed to the (−)-(S)-enantiomer. The peculiarity of this active ingredient is that both enantiomers convert into each other during metabolism within about eight hours by racemizing. Other chiral drugs that are metabolized in the body without prior racemization can also show very different efficacy profiles.
For the production of chiral active ingredients, different synthesis strategies are therefore pursued in order to obtain enantiomerically pure active ingredients. Three main routes are being pursued.
A first route starts from an enantiomerically pure chiral substance from which the desired molecule is synthesized. This synthesis route requires synthesis routes that suppress or at least do not promote racemization of an intermediate desired in the synthesis strategy. During synthesis, the one chiral center or even the chiral centers are no longer changed or converted by an enantioselective step. The control of such synthesis strategies is often not easy and necessary intermediate steps may cause the chiral center to racemize.
A second route to enantiomerically pure synthesis is through the preparation of the racemate, in which the racemate is separated into its enantiomers by the use of chiral auxiliaries. Chiral auxiliaries may include chromatographic methods in which the stationary phases of the chromatographic column are themselves enantiomerically pure and consist, for example, of biologically derived material. Methods which follow this synthesis strategy accept a yield of less than 50% from the outset, because at least 50% is lost as an enantiomer of a substance. If the undesired enantiomer can be racemized by using conditions more extreme than those used in the synthesis, the pure enantiomer could be obtained by continuous separation of the desired enantiomer from an always newly racemized waste product of the enantiomer separation. As a rule, such a route is economically very expensive, because the separation and racemization of a product in the cycle can be obtained with ever lower yields per cycle. Even if the racemate is recycled, one has to rely on very substantial use of chiral auxiliaries, which usually require economically significant economic resources.
Finally, a third route leads to the use of enzymes of biological origin, which generate the desired enantiomerically pure product from a prochiral intermediate by enantioselective conversion. Provided that the selected enzyme can be used at a site where the new, enantiomeric product is formed from a prochiral center of the intermediate with high selectivity, this route is often a preferred synthesis route. In fact, however, not every synthesis strategy is suitable for the use of known enzymes. A further complication, which is not uncommon, is that the prochiral center is reactive for the use of the enzyme and can therefore react spontaneously, i.e. without enzymatic catalysis, and racemize in the method. The racemic product is thus entrained past the enzymatic catalysis into the final product, where it detracts from the desired enantiomeric excess (ee).
A newer pharmacological agent, that is chiral, is cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabidiol is a barely psychoactive cannabinoid from the female hemp. Medicinally, it has anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and anti-nausea effects. Other pharmacological effects, such as an antipsychotic effect, are being researched at the time of this application. Since CBD is believed to exert a variety of desirable effects in the human body when administered appropriately, efforts are being made to produce CBD synthetically whenever possible to keep it impurity-free.
In international patent application WO 2017011210 A1, a method for the preparation of dibromoolivetol is taught. However, dibromoolivetol In the method taught there, bromination with elemental bromine is carried out at low temperature. Both the handling of elemental bromine and the performance of the reaction at low temperature make the method not only unsafe to handle, but also still quite expensive in transferring the production method to the pilot plant scale or even larger scale.

Method for the preparation of cannabidiol


A crawler crane includes: a seating switch that detects whether an operator is in a driver seat; a turn angle potentiometer that detects the turn position of a boom; and a controller. The controller is provided with a boom turn restriction control unit for performing a boom turn-restricting control whereby the boom is not allowed to turn within a predetermined angular range above the driver seat on the basis of the output from the turn angle potentiometer. The boom turn restriction control unit includes a restriction-canceling unit that cancels the boom turn-restricting control performed by a turn-restricting unit if a preset restriction-canceling condition is met. The boom turn restriction control unit cancels the boom turn-restricting control if the seating switch does not detect an operator. Ease of operation and work can thus be improved in a remote operation mode and the like.

One known example of a mobile crane is a small mobile crane in which a boom of a crane apparatus turns above a driver seat, the seat being in a fixed position. In a small mobile crane provided with a driver seat that has no roof, a turn restriction mechanism is provided as a safety mechanism so that the boom does not turn above the head of an operator sitting in the driver seat and performing operations.
The turn restriction mechanism restricts the boom to be unable to turn in a predetermined angular range directly above the driver seat. Because the boom is unable to turn directly above the driver seat, the turning boom is prevented from colliding with the operator sitting in the driver seat, and objects do not fall onto the operator from the boom. Patent Document 1 proposes a crane vehicle provided with an action-restricting apparatus for a crane boom.
A mobile crane could also be provided with outriggers in order to set up the mobile crane stably in the ground at a work site. When outriggers are extracted at a site such as one with uneven ground, some outriggers might remain raised off the ground. With the outriggers extracted, the mobile crane could have a tilted orientation, as a whole.
A mobile crane is provided with, as safety mechanisms, a mechanism that detects all of the outriggers being not raised up but in contact with the ground when the outriggers are extracted, and a mechanism that controls the crane vehicle body so as to be supported in a horizontal orientation by the outriggers. Patent Document 2 proposes an outrigger automatic extraction apparatus provided with a mechanism that prevents the outriggers from rising when extracted and controls the crane vehicle body so as to be in a horizontal orientation.