A vector having a region encoding a cold shock protein gene mRNA-origin 5′-nontranslated region, characterized in that the 5′-nontranslated region has a mutation having been transferred therein so as to change the distance of the stem structure formed by the region.

Techniques for production of useful proteins using genetic engineering are widely used nowadays. Among these, expression systems using Escherichia coli as a host are the most commonly used expression systems. Many proteins have been produced using recombinants. A so-called expression vector is generally constructed and used for the production of useful proteins using recombinants. In the expression vector, a gene of interest is placed under the control of a promoter which is recognized by an RNA polymerase. Exemplary promoters used for expression vectors for Escherichia coli as a host are lac, trp, tac, gal and ara promoters. Expression vectors that utilize promoters other than those directly recognized by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase include the pET-system (Novagen). The pET-system utilizes a promoter recognized by an RNA polymerase from bacteriophage T7 which infects Escherichia coli (see J. Mol. Biol., 189:113–130 (1986); Gene, 56:125–135 (1987)). In case of the pET-system, T7 RNA polymerase is expressed in Escherichia coli, a gene of interest placed downstream of T7 promoter in an expression vector is transcribed by T7 RNA polymerase, and the protein of interest is synthesized using the translation system of the host.
However, if a protein of interest is expressed at a high level using one of many Escherichia coli expression systems including the pET-system, the protein of interest may form an insoluble complex called inclusion body in many cases. As a result, the amount of the protein of interest in its active form is greatly reduced. It has been reported for several polypeptides that active polypeptides were obtain by solubilization and refolding of inclusion bodies. The recovery rates are generally low in many cases. In addition, appropriate refolding conditions need to be examined for each protein of interest. Thus, a system for directly expressing an active protein in Escherichia coli has been desired.
It is considered that inclusion bodies are formed as a result of the following. An intermediate of a translated polypeptide chain prior to folding into its proper conformation is interwound with another polypeptide chain due to intermolecular interaction to form a huge insoluble complex. In such a case, it is known that the expression level of a protein in its active form is increased by culturing recombinant Escherichia coli cells at a temperature lower than the conventional one 37° C. (20 to 30° C.). It is supposed that this is because the slow translation by ribosome provides a sufficient time for the intermediate to be folded into its proper structure, and the slow action of intracellular proteolytic enzyme under the low-temperature conditions increases the stability of expressed active protein. Thus, attention has been paid to a method in which recombinant Escherichia coli cells are cultured under low-temperature conditions as being useful for producing a protein that forms inclusion bodies.
If a culture temperature for Escherichia coli cells during the logarithmic growth phase is lowered from 37° C. to 10–20° C., growth of the Escherichia coli cells is temporarily arrested, during which expression of a group of proteins called cold shock proteins is induced. The proteins are classified based on the induction level into two groups: a group I (10-fold or more) and a group II (less than 10-fold). Proteins in the group I include CspA, CspB, CspG and CsdA (see J. Bacteriol., 178:4919–4925 (1996); J. Bacteriol., 178:2994–2997 (1996)). Since the expression level of CspA (WO 90/09447) reaches 13% of the total cellular protein 1.5 hours after temperature shift from 37° C. to 10° C. (see Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:283–287 (1990)), attempts have been made to utilize the promoter for the cspA gene for production of a recombinant protein at a low temperature.
Regarding a system for expressing a recombinant protein under low-temperature conditions using the cspA gene, the following effectiveness has been shown in addition to the above-mentioned highly efficient transcription initiation by the promoter for the gene at a low temperature.
(1) If mRNA that is transcribed from the cspA gene and capable of being translated does not encode a functional CspA protein (specifically, if it encodes only a portion of the N-terminal sequence of the CspA protein), such mRNA inhibits expression of other Escherichia coli proteins including cold shock proteins for a long period of time. During this period, the mRNA is preferentially translated (J. Bacteriol., 178:4919–4925 (1996); WO 98/27220). This phenomenon is called LACE (low temperature-dependent antibiotic effect of truncated cspA expression) effect.
(2) A sequence consisting of 15 nucleotides called a downstream box is located 12 nucleotides downstream of the initiation codon of the cspA gene. The translation efficiency under low-temperature conditions is made high due to this sequence.
(3) A 5′-untranslated region consisting of 159 nucleotides is located between the transcription initiation site and the initiation codon in the mRNA for the cspA gene. This region has a negative effect on the expression of CspA at 37° C. and a positive effect under low-temperature conditions.
In particular, the phenomenon as described in (1) above suggests the feasibility of specific expression of only a protein of interest utilizing the cspA gene. Thus, it is expected that the system can be applied to production of highly pure recombinant proteins or preparation of isotope-labeled proteins for structural analyses.
It is known that it may be difficult to culture an Escherichia coli cell containing an expression vector to a level at which the cell can be subjected to induction, or even construction of an expression vector may be impossible if expression control of the promoter for the gene is incomplete and the gene product is harmful to the host (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,169).
Modification of the expression vector has been tried using the 5′-untranslated region of the cspA gene in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, to further increase the gene expression efficiency, and to readily obtain the expressed product (WO 99/27117). Modification by introducing an operator for making the expression control strict or by introducing a mutation into the 5′-untranslated region for increasing the gene expression level is disclosed therein.


The present invention relates to a psyllium husk containing intermediate product and a process to prepare intermediate product. The psyllium husk containing intermediate product contains a cooked-extruded mixture of from about 84 to 96% of psyllium husk, up to about 8% of oil or fat, up to about 10% of cereal bran, up to about 10% of vegetable binder, and up to about 1.5% of a stabilizer against oxidation. The invention also relates to a ready-to-eat cereal product containing psyllium husk containing the intermediate product and a process for manufacturing the ready-to-eat cereal product.

The present invention relates to a psyllium husk containing intermediate product, a process for manufacturing the intermediate product, a ready-to-eat cereal product containing the intermediate product, and a process for manufacturing the ready-to-eat cereal product.
Psyllium is well known mucilaginous material obtained from the seeds of plants in the Plantago genus. Psyllium has found extensive use in bulk laxatives.
EP0105195 (Searle) discloses a process for sanitizing psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid by exposure to moist heat under elevated pressure in an extruder.
WO9507632 (Kellogg) discloses a ready-to-eat cereal having superior organoleptic properties that contains from about 6 to 19% by weight of extruded pre-wetted pure psyllium.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,298 (Kellogg) discloses a ready-to-eat cereal product obtained by admixing a precooked bulk cereal ingredient with an intermediate product which preferably contains about 75% psyllium and forming the mixture into shaped cereal pieces which contain about 2 to 30% by dry weight psyllium.
EP0144644 (Procter and Gamble) discloses an expanded high fiber bar made by a process comprising dry mixing about 10 to 80% by weight of psyllium mucilloid, about 10 to 30% by weight percent expander, and further dietary fiber from a grain source and extruding the mixture with water at a temperature of from 150 to 200xc2x0 C.
There remains a need, however, for improved products that contain psyllium.
The invention relates to a psyllium husk intermediate composition that includes a cooked-extruded mixture of psyllium husk in an amount of from about 84 to 96 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate composition, oil or fat in an amount of up to about 8 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate composition, cereal bran in an amount of up to about 10 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate composition, vegetable binder in an amount of up to about 10 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate composition, and a stabilizer against oxidation in an amount up to about 1.5% by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate composition.
The oil or fat may be present in an amount of from about 3 to 8 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate composition, the cereal bran may be present in an amount of from about 2 to 10 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate composition, and the vegetable binder may be present in an amount of from about 2 to 10 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate composition. The cereal bran may be wheat, barley, oat, rice bran, corn bran, bran concentrate, or a mixture thereof. The vegetable binder may be flour, starch, maltodextrin, a vegetable gum, or a mixture thereof. The stabilizer is preferably a phosphate such as disodium phosphate. Also, the psyllium husk intermediate composition may further include one or more additives selected from the group consisting of vitamins, minerals, sodium chloride, and antioxidants.
The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a psyllium husk containing intermediate composition. The process involves combining and mixing 84 to 96 parts by weight psyllium husk, up to 8 parts by weight of an oil or fat, up to 10 parts by weight of a cereal bran, up to 10 parts by weight of a vegetable binder, up to 1.5 parts by weight of stabilizer against oxidation, and from about 24 to 45 parts by weight of water to form a mixture; cooking-extruding the mixture for from about 5 to 50 seconds at a temperature of from about 130xc2x0 to 220xc2x0 C. and a pressure of from about 10 to 18 MPa, to provide a strand or rope of expanded thermoplastic mass; cutting the strand or rope of expanded thermoplastic mass into pieces, and drying the pieces. The process may also include a step of rolling the cut pieces before they are dried to flake them. The pieces may be dried to a residual water content of from about 1 to 4 percent by weight of the psyllium husk containing intermediate composition.
The invention also relates to a ready-to-eat cereal product that contains agglomerated particles and/or flakes of the psyllium husk containing intermediate product of the invention, one or more cereal products, and milk solids coated with a syrup that includes sugar and an oil or fat. The one or more cereal products may be one or more of the whole grain, the germ, the bran, the flour, or starch derived from corn oats, whole wheat, barley, rice, and rye. The milk solids may be one or more of skim milk powder or demineralized whey. The sugar may be one or more of sucrose, dextrose, or fructose. The oil or fat may be one or more of palm kernel fat and coconut fat. The psyllium husk containing intermediate product may be present in an amount of from about from about 20 to 50 parts by weight of the ready-to-eat cereal, the one or more cereal products may be present in an amount of from about 20 to 50 parts by weight of the ready-to-eat cereal, the milk solids may be present in an amount of from about 5 to 15 parts by weight of the ready-to-eat cereal, the sugar may be present in an amount of from about 15 to 40 parts by weight of the ready-to-eat cereal, and the oil or fat may be present in an amount of from about 10 to 30 parts by weight of the ready-to-eat cereal.
The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a ready-to-eat cereal product of the invention. The method includes the steps of mixing particles and/or flakes of the psyllium husk containing intermediate product of the invention, one or more cereal products, and milk solids to provide a dry mixture; mixing sugar, oil or fat, and water to provide a syrup base; mixing the dry mixture and syrup base to form an agglomerated mass; and drying the agglomerated mass to provide the ready-to-eat cereal product. The dry mixture and syrup base may be mixed in a ratio of from about 1:2 to 2:3. The syrup base may include sugar in an amount of about 15 to 40 parts by weight of the syrup, oil or fat in an amount of about 10 to 30 parts by weight of the syrup, water in an amount of about 8 to 30 parts by weight of the syrup. The sugar base may also include sodium chloride in an amount of from about 0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight of the syrup. The agglomerated mass may be dried to a residual water content of from about 1 to 4 percent by weight of the agglomerated mass. The process may further include reducing the size of the agglomerated mass to a size of from about 5 to 15 mm.
It has surprisingly been found that it is possible to provide a cooked-extruded psyllium husk containing intermediate product which comprises from about 84 to 96 percent by weight psyllium husk and which is suitable for manufacturing a ready-to-eat cereal end product that may be eaten as such or may be added to a light meal such as a muesli or a yogurt, for example.
Any form of psyllium husk may be used in the psyllium husk containing intermediate product. It is generally believed by those of ordinary skill in the art that the active ingredient of psyllium is the psyllium seed gum, which is located primarily in the seed husk. Thus, the ground seed husk is primarily used as the source of psyllium, however, the whole seed as well as the dehusked seed may be used. Preferably, the psyllium husk is in powdered form.
The psyllium husk containing intermediate product comprises up to about 8 percent oil or fat. Preferably the psyllium husk containing intermediate product comprises at least 1 to 7 percent and more preferably at least 2 to 5 percent oil or fat. The oil or fat may be any oil or fat that acts as lubricating agent in the cooking-extruding process. Preferably, the oil of fat is butter oil vegetable, or a mixture thereof.
The term xe2x80x9ccereal bran,xe2x80x9d as used herein means the external part of the cereal grain that is rich in fiber. The psyllium husk containing intermediate comprises up to about 10 percent cereal bran. Preferably at least about 1 to 9 percent cereal bran and more preferably at least about 2 to 8 percent cereal bran is used. Any cereal bran may be used in the psyllium husk containing intermediate product. Preferably, the cereal bran is wheat, barley, oat, rice bran, corn bran, bran concentrate, or a mixture thereof. The most preferred cereal bran is oat bran because it is rich with soluble fiber
The term xe2x80x9cvegetable binder,xe2x80x9d as used herein means any flour or starch. Generally, the type that typically forms the inner part of a cereal grain is used. The psyllium husk containing intermediate product comprises up to about 10 percent vegetable binder. Preferably the psyllium husk containing intermediate product comprises at least about 1 to 8 percent, more preferably at least about 2 to 6 percent of vegetable binder. Vegetable binders suitable for use in the psyllium husk containing intermediate product include, but are not limited to, flour, especially a cereal or carob seed germ flour; a starch, especially a native starch from wheat, barley, rice, tapioca, potato and/or corn; maltodextrin; a vegetable gum such as gum arabic, guar gum and/or gum carrageenan; or a mixture thereof.
A stabilizer against the effects of oxygen is also used. Preferably disodium phosphate is present in the psyllium husk containing intermediate as the stabilizer. The amount of stabilizer is up to about 1.5 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate intermediate, preferably at least about 0.25 percent and more preferably at least about 0.5 percent by weight of the psyllium husk intermediate.
The psyllium husk containing intermediate product may further comprise additional additives including, but not limited to vitamins, minerals, sodium chloride, antioxidants, and mixtures thereof. These are utilized in conventional amounts.
Preferably, the psyllium husk containing intermediate product is prepared by first mixing together the powdery components to obtain a dry mix and then mixing together the dry mix with the liquid or fluid components. The dry mix and liquid mix may be mixed together in the first mixing section of a traditional food extruder, preferably a twin screw extruder. The resulting mixture may then be cooked in subsequent sections of the extruder where the mixture is heated, compressed, and sheared so that it forms a cooked thermoplastic mass. The thermoplastic mass is then extruded through the openings of a die provided for at an end of the extruder. The extruder may be a single screw or twin screw extruder. The die may have, for example, one or more circular openings having a of from about 2 to 5 mm in diameter. The thermoplastic mass is extruded through the die into an open space at ambient temperature and at atmospheric pressure.
Typically, the extruded strand of thermoplastic mass expands to a significant amount when exiting from the die. The expansion, however, is restricted by providing the oil or fat in the mixture to be cooked-extruded.
The extruded strand of expanded thermoplastic mass may be cut into pieces with a cutter having two or more blades rotating adjacent to the die openings, for example. The resulting pieces may be flaked by rolling, namely by passing the cut pieces between a pair of rollers, before being dried. The pieces may be dried to a residual water content of from about 0.5 to 6 percent, preferably about 0.75 to 5 percent, and more preferably about 1 to 4 percent by weight. The pieces may be dried by any method available to those or ordinary skill in the art, including, but not limited to, drying on a belt dryer, with hot air.
The psyllium husk containing intermediate product may be used to prepare a ready-to-eat cereal product. The ready-to-eat cereal product comprises agglomerated particles and/or flakes of psyllium husk containing intermediate product, one or more cereal products, and milk solids which are coated with a syrup comprising sugar and vegetable oil or fat to agglomerate the particles and cereal products.
The term xe2x80x9ccereal product,xe2x80x9d as used herein, means any bulk cereal ingredients well known to those of ordinary skill in the art including, but not limited to, whole grain products such as corn, oats, whole wheat, barley, rice, and rye; grain components such as the germ and/or bran of any of the aforementioned grains, the flours of these grains, and starches derived therefrom. Any edible component of the grain is included within the term cereal product. The further cereal product may be a cooked-extruded, expanded, or flaked cereals.
The term xe2x80x9cmilk solids,xe2x80x9d as used herein, means the solids obtained from animal or vegetable milk. These milk solids are easily obtained by removal of the liquid phase of the milk. Typically, the solids of cow milk are used although those derived from soy ,ilk are also suitable. Preferably, the milk solids are a skimmed milk powder, a demineralized whey powder, or a combination thereof.
The ready-to-eat product may comprise, in parts by weight, from about 10 to 60 parts, preferably about 20 to 50 parts of psyllium husk containing intermediate product; from about 10 to 60, preferably about 20 to 50 parts of one or more cereal products; from about 2 to 20, preferably about 5 to 15 parts of milk solids; from about 10 to 50, preferably about 15 to 40 parts of sugar; and from about 5 to 40, preferably about 10 to 30 parts of vegetable oil or fat.
The sugar and vegetable oil or fat are the main components of the syrup that is used to agglomerate the particles and/or flakes of psyllium husk containing intermediate product, the one or more cereal products, and the milk solids with each other.
Preferably, the sugar is sucrose, dextrose, fructose, or a mixture thereof.
Preferably, the vegetable oil or fat is a relatively high melting fat or blend of vegetable oil or fat. Representative, vegetable oil or fat that is useful in the ready-to-eat product of the invention include, but are not limited to, palm kernel fat, coconut fat, or a mixture thereof.
The syrup may further comprise one or more additional additives including, but not limited to flavors and aromas such as vanillin, antioxidants, sodium chloride, and emulsifiers such as soya lecithin, for example.
The ready-to-eat cereal product may be prepared by preparing a dry mixture of particles and/or flakes of psyllium husk containing intermediate product, one or more cereal products, and milk solids; agglomerating the particles and/or flakes by mixing the dry mixture with a syrup base comprising sugar, vegetable oil or fat, and water to produce agglomerates of a ready-to-eat cereal product; and drying the agglomerates.
The syrup base may be prepared by mixing together from about 10 to 50, preferably about 15 to 40 parts of sugar; from about 5 to 40 parts, preferably about 10 to 30 parts of vegetable oil or fat; and from about 6 to 30 parts, preferably 8 to 24 parts of water. One or more additional additives including, but not limited to flavoring and aromas such as vanillin, antioxidants, sodium chloride, and emulsifiers may also be added to the syrup base. For example, from about 0.1 to 2 parts, preferably about 0.5 to 1.5 parts of sodium chloride may be added to the syrup base.
Any means readily available to those of ordinary skill in the art may be used to mix the dry mixture of particles and/or flakes with the syrup base including, but not limited to a screw mixer of the helical spring type with an axial sprinkling nozzle or a coating drum.
Preferably, the dry mixture and the syrup are combined in a proportion of from about 1/3 to 2/5 syrup with about 3/5 to 2/3 dry mixture.
The resulting agglomerated product may be dried to a residual water content of from about 0.5 to 6 percent, preferably about 0.75 to 5 percent, and more preferably about 1 to 4 percent by weight. The agglomerated product may be dried by any method available to those or ordinary skill in the art, including, but not limited to, drying on a belt dryer, with hot air.
The agglomerates may be reduced in size by passing through a sieve. The sieve may have a mesh size of from 5 to 15 mm, for example.
The resulting ready-to-eat product may be packaged in a package that provides protection against humidity, such as a packing made from a film of aluminum foil, for example.


A power backup system includes a temporary power supply system and a power source switch unit. The power backup system is connected to at least one regular power supply system. In the event that output power of the regular power supply system is abnormal the power source switch unit is connected to the temporary power supply system and output of the regular power supply system. When the regular power supply system is in normal operation it is selected to provide power to drive loads. In the event of power interruption, unstable voltage or abnormal operating condition of the regular power supply system an action to switch power supply system takes places to select the temporary power supply system to maintain power supply and keep the loads to function for a selected time period.

Power interruption or unstable power could cause abnormal system shutdown or data damage of computer equipments, or even cause damage of the equipment and result in huge loss. To prevent such a situation from occurring the power supply of conventional computer equipments usually is connected to an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). The UPS provides power to allow the power supply to continuously maintain computer operation so that the computer equipments can get a time window to perform normal storing and machine shutdown. Refer to FIG. 1 for the structure of a conventional UPS and a coupling power supply. When city power is in a normal condition to provide power the power supply has an AC power input end 11 to receive AC power. The AC power passes through a front end commutation unit 12 and a power factor correction unit 13 and is transformed by a transformer 14 regulated by at least a switch 17 controlled by a pulse width control unit 15, and is output through a rear end commutation unit 16. The conventional UPS 60 also is connected to the city power which passes through an AC/DC converter 601, a charge circuit 604, a battery 605, a voltage boosting circuit 603 and a DC/AC converter 602. The input AC power is converted to DC power to charge the battery 605. In the event that the city power is not available the battery 605 outputs DC power which goes through voltage boosting and transformation to become AC power to be delivered to the AC power input end 11 of the power supply so that when blackout or unstable power occurs the power supply still can rely on the power provided by the UPS 60 to function for a selected time period. The conventional structure relies on the power supply to deliver output power. However, abrupt change or unstable of voltage often causes damage of the power supply. If the power supply is damaged because of abnormal input power, it cannot support and drive loads in a normal way even if the UPS has started operation to substitute the city power as the power source for the power supply. Hence there is still room for improvement on the conventional structure in terms of providing normal power supply output in the event of an abnormal condition happened to the power.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A fuel cell system for removing sulfur compounds adsorbed on the surfaces of a catalyst. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell in which a plurality of unit cells, each having an electrolyte membrane held between electrode catalyst layers, are stacked, and a control device for recovering catalytic activity of the electrode catalyst layers by increasing an amount of water discharged from the electrode catalyst layers to a predetermined amount or more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell system and in particular to a fuel cell system using a solid polymer membrane as an electrolyte membrane.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a general fuel cell system, after power general performance is decreased due to impurities in a fuel cell, the polarities of the fuel cell are reversed to draw out a current and to move and discharge impurity ions from an electrolyte membrane (refer to, for example, Japanese patent No. 3475869).


A plurality of switches are arranged in a distributive manner on a distribution line connected to a power distribution substation, and the switches are connected respectively to fault detection relays. Each of the fault detection relays includes a memory circuit for holding a voltage resulting from a ground fault on the distribution line, and the time constants of the memory circuits are set to become greater in an ascending order from the power outlet of the distribution line. Owing to difference in the time constants, there are differences in the holding voltage of the memory circuits resulting from intermittent ground faults which precede a full ground fault. By utilizing the differences of holding voltage, the switch closest to the full ground fault as viewed from the power outlet of the distribution line is the first to open the circuit.

This invention relates to a power distribution line protection system, and more particularly to a protection and coordination method of a fault detection relay provided at the power outlet from a substation to a distribution line and fault detection relays arranged on the distribution line in the protection system.
In order to quickly discriminate an affected section from sound sections of a distribution line upon occurrence of a fault on the distribution line, conventionally "section switches for automatic detection of the affected section" has been used (e.g., "Denki Kogaku Handbook (Electric Engineering Handbook)" published by the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, February, 1988, page 1264). According to this handbook, after all section switches are opened upon occurrence of the fault, they are automatically closed one after another at preset time intervals. At the moment the fault detection relay installed at the power outlet from a substation to the distribution line involved in the fault detects the fault, a relevant breaker at the power outlet of the distribution line opens. From the section switch which was closed just before the above-mentioned operation, the section that the fault exists can be identified. This is generally called the time delayed sequential circuit closing system. The time delayed sequential circuit closing system is also disclosed in "Haiden Gijutsu Sougou Manual (General Manual for Power Distribution Technology), first edition, Ohm-sha, pp. 462-467.
According to the conventional time delayed sequential circuit closing system, there is a possibility that some sound section can be involved in the power service interruption caused by the fault, and time of (the number of switches having the time delayed sequential circuit closing function).times.(circuit closing interval (e.g., in minutes)) is required for completing the power transmission up to the end of the distribution line. A resulting problem is that the power failure time is longer for the areas closer to the end of the distribution line. If the number of switches with the time delayed sequential circuit closing function is reduced to shorten the power interruption time, a protected section (power-interrupted section) will become longer. The time delayed sequential circuit closing system has a problem that the sound sections may suffer power interruption time twice, that is, a power interruption when a fault occurs and a power interruption when the affected section is detected.

Power distribution line protection system


A low resistance high current sense resistor is formed on a semiconductor die using conventional semiconductor processing techniques. The resistor die has one or two resistive layers which are photolithographically divided into a plurality of series and parallel resistor sections connected to first and second main terminals. First and second sense terminals are connected across one or a pattern of plural ones of the resistors to produce an output related to the current between the main terminals. Fusible links permit the trimming of the final resistance value.

This invention relates to a novel electrical resistor structure and process for its manufacture and more specifically relates to a high accuracy, low resistance resistor made with semiconductor device processing techniques.
High current demand equipment such as welders, motors and the like are commonly provided with control circuits which are packaged in compact modules. Such modules commonly use surface mounted semiconductor components. It is necessary for the control function to measure the current drawn by the apparatus being controlled. A very low value current sensing resistor, for example, 1.0 milliohms could be used for this application with such apparatus drawing 10""s of amperes which flow through the current sensing resistor. Conventionally such resistors are comprised of an accurately configured layer of a low resistance material such as well know manganin or aluchrom alloys having a low temperature coefficient of resistance to insure accuracy over a given working temperature range. These devices are commonly separately housed externally of the module and use separate resistor-making technology.
It would be desirable to produce a precise low resistance value, high wattage resistor which can be made in accordance with compatible semiconductor device type technology and could be mounted with power semiconductor die within a module.
A low resistance high current sense resistor, for example, about 1 milliohm and about 10 watt, and having an accuracy of from 1 to 10%, and capable of surface mounting in a high power control module is provided. The device is made using standard semiconductor processing techniques and materials, and can employ fuse links to enable the accurate trimming of the resistor value. More specifically, a standard silicon wafer of the kind used for the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as diodes, MOSFETs, IGBTs, and thyristors and the like is processed, using traditional wafer fabrication techniques, and is diced at the end of the processing to define individual resistor die.
During the processing, the top surface of the wafer is first oxidized to produce a thin silicon dioxide layer. Thereafter, a xe2x80x9cresistivexe2x80x9d layer of any desired material, for example aluminum, titanium or a thermally stable alloy such as manganin is deposited atop the oxide layer. The resistive layer is then photolithographically processed to etch a pattern in the resistive layer to define laterally spaced and distributed resistor regions and electrode regions to define a lateral current path through the resistive layer, having the desired resistance values. The bottom surface of the semiconductor wafer is then metallized with a standard conductive electrode, for example, a traditional chromium, nickel, silver trimetal. In a first embodiment of the invention, the wafer is then diced to define a plurality of identical die suitable for surface mounting on a module heat sink such as a patterned conductive plate, for example an IMS board, along with power semiconductor die.
Conventionally, a low value, high accuracy current sense resistor will have copper terminals which are several hundred microns thick to ensure independence of the final resistor value from the precise location of lead wires on the terminal area. However, copper layers that thick are not compatible with standard semiconductor manufacture. In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention a novel multi-terminal arrangement is provided, employing multiple thin aluminum layers.
Further, in the second embodiment of the invention, and in order to more accurately trim the resistance value of the resistor, the resistive layer may receive a second silicon dioxide layer on the top thereof and a second resistive layer of the same or a different material than the first layer. The second resistive layer is patterned to define a larger number of parallel resistors which make selective, and fusible connections to the underlying resistive layer. The current path along the interconnected first and second resistive layers can then be adjusted by fusing the connection links by applying fusing potentials to selected links.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

High current sense resistor and process for its manufacture


A water-cooled compressor housing assembly for a turbocharger includes a compressor housing that defines an open-ended cavity extending axially downstream into the compressor housing, and a separately formed cover that is affixed to the compressor housing so as to close the open end of the cavity and thereby define a coolant passage for a liquid coolant to be circulated through. A coolant inlet and a coolant outlet are provided for supplying coolant into and exhausting coolant from the coolant passage. The compressor housing has a simplified geometry that is manufacturable by sand casting without needed a sand core for the coolant passage, or by die casting.

This application relates generally to turbochargers for internal combustion engines, and relates more specifically to compressor housing assemblies for turbochargers. In particular, this application relates to compressor housings that include a coolant passage for circulation of a liquid coolant through the housing to cool it.
An exhaust gas-driven turbocharger is a device used in conjunction with an internal combustion engine for increasing the power output of the engine by compressing the air that is delivered to the engine's air intake to be mixed with fuel and burned in the engine. A turbocharger comprises a compressor wheel mounted on one end of a shaft in a compressor housing and a turbine wheel mounted on the other end of the shaft in a turbine housing. Typically the turbine housing is formed separately from the compressor housing, and there is a center housing connected between the turbine and compressor housings for containing bearings for the shaft. The turbine housing defines a generally annular chamber that surrounds the turbine wheel and that receives exhaust gas from the engine. The turbine assembly includes a nozzle that leads from the chamber into the turbine wheel. The exhaust gas flows from the chamber through the nozzle to the turbine wheel and the turbine wheel is driven by the exhaust gas. The turbine thus extracts power from the exhaust gas and drives the compressor. The compressor receives ambient air through an inlet of the compressor housing and the air is compressed by the compressor wheel and is then discharged from the housing to the engine air intake.
The compressor can compress the air to a level as much as four (or more) times the ambient pressure. As regulatory bodies impose more and more stringent limits on emissions from internal combustion engines, turbochargers are increasingly being required to operate at higher and higher compressor pressure ratios. As a result, the temperature of the air discharged from the turbocharger compressor is being pushed higher and higher, and correspondingly the temperature of the compressor housing is being pushed to higher and higher levels. Therefore, there is an increasing need for cooling the compressor housing, typically by providing a coolant passage within the compressor housing for circulating engine coolant through the compressor housing.
Conventionally, compressor housings are formed by sand-casting. Providing a coolant passage in the compressor housing requires the use of a sand core within the sand mold to create the passage. The necessary geometries of the coolant passage are tending to become more and more complex as packaging constraints on turbochargers grow more stringent and cooling efficiency targets creep higher and higher. This can cause difficulties in shooting the sand into the mold box so that the sand fully fills all the spaces.
There is therefore a need in the art for solutions to the problem of forming water-cooled compressor housings that can meet the packaging constraints and cooling efficiency targets that are desired.

Water-cooled centrifugal compressor housing assembly, and turbocharger incorporating same


The disclosure discloses a method for Device to Device (D2D) resource pool measurement and reporting. A User Equipment (UE) measures a D2D resource pool, and sends measurement information of the D2D resource pool. The disclosure also discloses another method, Evolved Node B (eNodeB), UE and storage medium for D2D resource pool measurement and reporting.

Along with development of wireless multimedia services, requirements on high data rate and user experience increasingly grow, so that higher requirements on system capacity and coverage of the conventional cellular network are proposed. Requirements on knowing about and communicating with interested persons or things nearby also gradually increase along with prevailing of applications such as a social network, short-distance data sharing and local advertising. The conventional cell-based cellular network has obvious limitations in terms of supporting high data rate and Proximity Service (ProSe), and under such a requirement background, the D2D technology representative of the future communication development direction emerges. Application of D2D technology may reduce burden of the cellular network, reduce battery power consumption of User Equipment (UE), increase data rate, improve robustness of a network infrastructure, and well meet requirements on the abovementioned high-data rate service and ProSe.
D2D technology usually includes D2D discovery technology and D2D communication technology. Before D2D discovery or D2D communication, D2D UE is required to acquire a corresponding radio resource at first. Two resource allocation manners may be adopted for both the D2D discovery resource and the D2D communication resource. The first resource allocation manner is competition-based resource acquisition, and the second resource allocation manner is allocation of specialized resource to UE by an Evolved Node B (eNodeB).
Specifically, the first resource allocation manner is usually that an eNodeB or a system pre-allocates a D2D resource pool. D2D UE participating in D2D discovery or D2D communication monitors the resource pool and acquires a D2D sending resource in a competition manner. The first resource allocation manner is mainly used for D2D UEs outside coverage of the cellular network, and may also be used for D2D UEs within the coverage of the cellular network. The D2D UE within the coverage of the cellular network uses a D2D completion resource pool configured by the serving cell, and the D2D UE outside the coverage of the cellular network uses a pre-configured D2D competition resource pool. The second resource allocation manner is that the eNodeB allocates a proper D2D resource to D2D UE according to a request of the D2D UE, and the second resource allocation manner is only applicable to the D2D UE within the coverage of the cellular network.
During D2D discovery or D2D communication, the network side is required to maintain the D2D competition resource pool for the competition-based resource acquisition manner, and the completion resource pool is used for D2D UEs in a specific range for resource competition. However, in a conventional art, the network side may not learn about the practical use condition of the D2D competition resource pool, thereby causing the problems of relatively higher D2D resource competition failure rate, relatively lower radio resource utilization rate, radio resource waste and the like.

Method, equipment and storage medium for device to device (D2D) resource pool measurement and reporting


A light-emitting package structure is provided, including an encapsulant, an light-emitting component embedded the encapsulant and having a light-emitting side and a non-emitting side opposing the light-emitting side, a dam embedded and exposed from the encapsulant, and a phosphor layer covering the light-emitting side and the dam. The non-emitting side has a plurality of electrodes. Since the heat generated by the phosphor layer can be transmitted to an outside region of the light-emitting package structure through the dam, the etiolation of the encapsulant can thus be prevented. A method of fabricating the light-emitting package structure is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor packages, and, more particularly, to a light-emitting package.
2. Description of Related Art
With the booming development in the electronic industry, electronic products gradually become compact in form, and the research for the functionality pursuits for high performance, high functionality, and high processing speed. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are variously employed in electronic products that require lighting due to their advantages of long lifecycle, small volume, high shock resistance, and low power consumption. Therefore, the application of LEDs becomes popular in industry, various electronic products, and appliances.
FIG. 1A is a sectional view of an LED package 1 according to the prior art. The LED package 1 has a substrate 10, a reflection cup 11 formed on the substrate 10 and having an opening 110, and an LED component 12 disposed in the opening 110 and electrically connected to the substrate 110 by a plurality of wires 120. A phosphor powder layer 130 is attached to the surface of the LED component 12, and then the LED component 12 is covered by an encapsulant 13.
However, in the LED package 1 of the prior art, since the phosphor powder layer 130 is close to the LED component 12, the phosphor powder layer 130 will be heated up and the light-emitting efficiency of the LED component 12 is affected.
FIG. 1B is a sectional view of another LED package 1′ according to the prior art. In the LED package 1′, the phosphor powder layer 130 is attached to the encapsulant 13, such that the phosphor powder layer 130 is away from the LED component 12. Therefore, the light-emitting efficiency is not affected.
However, in the LED package 1′ of the prior art, since the phosphor powder layer 130 is away from the LED component 12, the heat accumulated on the phosphor powder layer 130 cannot be dissipated to a region outside the LED package 1′.
Therefore, how to overcome the problems in the prior art is an issue desired to be solved.

Light-emitting package structure and method of fabricating the same


Systems and methods control abrading operations of an abrading machine by sensing characteristics of an abrading article installed on the abrading machine. When a problem is discovered by sensing the article, appropriate actions may be taken. As one example, the abrading article may be sensed to determine whether the abrading article has been installed with an abrasive side facing the wrong direction. An alert allows an operator to reinstall the article. As another example, the abrading article may be sensed to determine whether splicing tape is present to hold two pieces of abrading tape together. The article may be advanced until the splicing tape is beyond an abrading zone. As another example, the abrading article may be sensed to determine whether the abrading article has stopped moving while the article drive is advancing because the article has broken. An alert allows an operator to repair the break. As yet another example, the abrading article may be sensed to determine whether it is the appropriate grade. An alert allows the article grade to be corrected.

Abrading operations such as micro-finishing are often a vital step when manufacturing products. Abrading operations refer to the application of an abrasive to a workpiece. Abrading operations are typically performed to create a finer finish and/or to remove defects from a workpiece. As used herein, the term "workpiece" means a substrate whose surface is to be modified. Abrasive articles have long been used to grind, dimension, clean, polish, or otherwise refine the surface of substrates (workpieces). Suitable workpieces include but are not limited to those of metal, wood, plastic, composite, ceramic, and/or combinations. For example, many components of engines must be abraded to ensure proper operation and eliminate engine failures that would otherwise be caused. Camshafts, crankshafts, and transmission shafts are examples of such engine components. These engines are employed in automobiles, trucks, agricultural equipment, ships, boats, etc.
These abrading operations are performed by an abrading machine that utilizes an abrading article as an abrasive. The abrading article may be of various forms depending upon the particular purpose of the abrading operations. Abrasive articles generally fall into but are not limited to three categories: bonded abrasives, nonwoven abrasives, and coated abrasives. All of these categories contain abrasive particles secured in a binder. The term "abrasive particle" means a particle having sufficient hardness to alter the surface of a workpiece. The term "abrading" means the activity or process by which a workpiece is modified by inducing relative motion between an abrasive article and the workpiece. The term "coated abrasive backing" means the sheet-like member onto which abrasive particles are adhered by a binder. Examples of an abrading article include film, paper, or cloth having an abrasive coating on at least one side and abrading articles also include structured abrasives such as the Trizact abrasive from 3M of St. Paul, Minn. The classification of the abrasive coating is indicated by a grade assigned to the abrading article such that the abrading article is selected for a particular abrading operation by reference to its grade. As used herein, abrading article includes all grades or abrasiveness.
In regards to engine components finishing, typically the abrading article extends from a reel or winder at a source area of the abrading machine, through an abrading zone where a workpiece that is to be abraded is positioned, and then onward to a collection area. The abrading article is applied by the machine to the workpiece within the abrading zone as the workpiece rotates or otherwise moves in relation to the article. The abrading article is advanced by the machine as portions of the abrading article become worn. Eventually, the amount of abrading article on the reel or winder at the source area is depleted and a new reel or winder of article must be installed such as by splicing the new article to the end of the previous article.
Installing the article on this type of abrading machine is a largely manual task that is vulnerable to human error. One example of an error is installing the article with the abrasive side facing the wrong direction so that the abrasive is never brought into contact with the workpiece. This can occur because it can be difficult to distinguish the abrasive side from the non-abrasive side. When this occurs, any workpiece that is abraded with the article is not abraded properly and may be faulty as a result. Furthermore, if the error is not detected, many workpieces may be improperly abraded until the article is depleted and another reel is installed. Furthermore, the next several reels may be installed backwards as well if the installer does not realize a mistake has been made.
When the new article is spliced onto the end of the existing article, the connection of the two ends is often done using splicing tape. Splicing tape creates the potential for improper abrading due to the area of the article where the splicing tape is present being applied to the workpiece. Thus, an operator must ensure that the splicing tape is advanced beyond the abrading zone prior to the article being applied to the workpiece, and this presents another instance where human error may lead to faulty workpieces.
Another issue that occurs on occasion results from the abrasive article breaking when being applied to a workpiece. When this occurs, any subsequent attempts to abrade workpieces will fail because the article is no longer properly held in place on the workpiece by the machine. An operator must intervene by halting the abrading machine and re-feeding the article through the machine prior to the abrading operations continuing. Conventional systems attempt to detect a broken article by utilizing a mechanical flag in contact with the article that moves when the article moves and that breaks a beam of light once moved to register whether the article has moved. However, this flag system is prone to errors due to residue causing the flag to resist movement and due to the flag occasionally requiring an increment of movement to break the beam that is larger than the appropriate increment of article movement. Accordingly, the operator must continue to monitor the machines to determine whether the article has broken, and this also presents an instance where human error may lead to faulty workpieces and/or inefficiencies.
Abrading often involves multiple stages, where the workpiece is moved from one abrading machine to the next with each abrading machine applying a finer grade abrading article to the workpiece. Abrading machines in close proximity often utilize different grades of article, and the operator who installs the article must install the correct grade on a particular machine to maintain the proper sequence of abrading. This situation gives rise to yet another opportunity for human error to result in faulty workpieces due to the operator installing the improper grade of article.
What is desired in the industry is an increased user friendly system for finishing workpieces, including engine components.

System and method for detecting abrasive article orientation


Excessive fuel is dumped by ejection under a pressurized outflow velocity from an aircraft during flight as jets in a direction parallel to air stream flow relative to the aircraft, from a rearwardly facing exit opening of a fuel jettison device mounted on the lower surface of the aircraft, with the exit fixedly spaced below the lower aircraft surface a short distance to avoid the Coanda effect while reducing or eliminating fuel and fuel mist impingement on aircraft surfaces.

The dumping of excessive fuel from an aircraft before landing may be necessary as a safety measure. Heretofore such dumping of fuel by ejection of fuel jets from the aircraft resulted in extensive fuel mist impingements on aircraft surfaces, such as the lower tail surface portions thereof. Attempted solutions to such fuel mist impingement problem heretofore involved aircraft flight at a low angle of attack, such as seven degrees (7°). However surface impingement still occurred because of the directional swerve of emerging fuel jets from the aircraft. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide for ejection of fuel from aircraft during flight with reduced or eliminated fuel mist surface impingement while avoiding other disadvantages associated with prior attempted impingement problem solutions.

Aircraft excessive fuel dumping ejection parallel to flight direction

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


The present invention relates to a web trading system and method for performing financial transactions securely over a public data network, such as the Internet, using a web browser as the user interface. The financial transactions are offered, for example, by a financial institution to its customers at the institution's web site. They include transactions such as foreign currency exchange, currency and money market trades, and warrant trades. The web trading system and method provide secure communication protocol between the Internet user interface and a virtual private network (VPN) of a financial institution to enable implementation of trading applications by the financial institution's application servers across the VPN. Security for the financial transactions is provided by the web trading systems and software downloaded to the customer's personal computer (PC) and includes encryption, authentication, authorization, message and transaction integrity capabilities, registration authority, handshake protocol, and firewalls.

Financial institutions, such as banks, have a number of trading applications, such as applications for trading foreign exchange products. Typically, such trading applications are deployed over private networks, as opposed to the Internet using a web browser for the user interface. For example, the user interface that is the current implementation for products, such as foreign currency exchange products, is deployed through a private network, such as a virtual private network (VPN), as distinguished from the Internet.
Financial institution customers, however, want to have services, such as foreign currency exchange products, delivered through the Internet or web and to have the services available without having to access the financial institution's private network. The customers want to be able to view and actually interact with the application or service through a web browser over the Internet. At the same time, the customers want assurance that the financial transactions which they perform over the Internet are secure.


A battery module including a unit cell assembly including two or more battery cells or unit modules; a left case coupled to a left side of the assembly, the left case provided at a left outer side thereof with a first fastening groove extending parallel to a longitudinal direction of the battery module such that a sensing assembly is fastened into the first groove, the left case being provided at opposite ends thereof with second fastening grooves formed parallel to a height direction of the battery; and a right case coupled to a right side of the assembly, an external input and output terminal oriented to a front of the battery, the right case provided at a right inner side thereof with a plurality of fixing grooves formed parallel to a longitudinal direction of the assembly such that the assembly is fastened and fixed into the fixing grooves is provided.

Recently, a secondary battery, which can be charged and discharged, has been widely used as an energy source for wireless mobile devices. In addition, the secondary battery has attracted considerable attention as a power source for electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), which have been developed to solve problems, such as air pollution, caused by existing gasoline and diesel vehicles using fossil fuels.
Small-sized mobile devices use one or several battery cells for each device. On the other hand, middle or large-sized devices, such as vehicles, use a middle or large-sized battery module having a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to each other because high power and large capacity are necessary for the middle or large-sized devices.
Preferably, a middle or large-sized battery module is manufactured so as to have as small a size and weight as possible. For this reason, a prismatic battery or a pouch-shaped battery, which can be stacked with high integration and has a small weight to capacity ratio, is usually used as a battery cell of the middle or large-sized battery module. In particular, much interest is currently focused on the pouch-shaped battery, which uses an aluminum laminate sheet as a sheathing member, because the pouch-shaped battery is lightweight, the manufacturing cost of the pouch-shaped battery is low, and it is easy to modify the shape of the pouch-shaped battery.
Meanwhile, in order for the middle or large-sized battery module to provide power and capacity required by a specific apparatus or device, it is necessary for the middle or large-sized battery module to be configured to have a structure in which a plurality of battery cells is electrically connected to each other in series and the battery cells are stable against external force.
Consequently, in a case in which a middle or large-sized battery module is configured using a plurality of battery cells, a plurality of members for mechanical fastening and electrical connection between the battery cells is generally needed and, as a result, a process for assembling the mechanical fastening and electrical connection members is very complicated. Furthermore, there is needed a space for coupling, welding, or soldering the mechanical fastening and electrical connection members with the result that the total size of the system is increased. The increase in size of the system is not preferred in the aspect of the spatial limit of an apparatus or device in which the middle or large-sized battery module is installed. Moreover, the middle or large-sized battery module must be configured to have a more compact structure such that the middle or large-sized battery module can be effectively installed in a limited inner space, such as a vehicle.
In addition, the battery cells constituting the middle or large-sized battery module may be secondary batteries which can be charged and discharged. Consequently, a large amount of heat is generated from the battery cells during operation of the battery cells. If the heat, generated from the battery cells, is not effectively removed therefrom, deterioration of the battery cells is accelerated. According to circumstances, the battery cells may catch fire or explode. For this reason, it is required to efficiently dissipate heat from the battery cells. To this end, it is necessary to provide a flow channel. However, such a flow channel increases the size of the battery module.
In relation to this issue, structures of some conventional middle or large-sized battery modules will hereinafter be described.
Japanese Registered Patent No. 3355958 discloses a middle- or large-sized battery module including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a limited space, such as a vehicle, configured to have a structure in which protrusions defining a coolant flow channel are formed at the outside of each battery cell, such that a coolant cools the battery cells while the coolant passes through each stacked battery group after the coolant is introduced into gaps defined between the battery groups, in order to prevent reduction in cooling efficiency of the coolant which may be caused when, in a state in which the temperature of the coolant increases as the coolant passes through one stacked battery group, the coolant passes through another stacked battery group. The battery cells used in this patent are alkaline batteries such as nickel-metal hydride batteries. External shapes of the alkaline batteries exhibit high mechanical strength. Consequently, plates are disposed at opposite sides of a stack constituted by a plurality of battery cells and the plates are fixed by bands to configure a middle or large-sized battery module.
The battery cells disposed in the above patent has an advantage in that the battery cells can be easily stacked due in terms of external shapes thereof in addition to the structural characteristics to improve cooling efficiency. However, the battery cells disposed in the above patent has a disadvantage in that the battery cells have large volume and weight due to external shapes to provide high mechanical strength.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-050616 discloses a middle or large-sized battery module installed in a large-sized vehicle, such as a bus, configured to have a structure in which the battery module includes a lower rack in which two battery packs are disposed and an upper rack in which two battery packs are disposed, a stand member of the lower rack and a stand member of the upper rack are suspended from a body of the vehicle via a suspension member of the lower rack and a suspension member of the upper rack, the stand members exhibit high strength, and the suspension members exhibit low strength, thereby improving safety of the battery module against external force applied to the battery module due to a vehicle crash.
In the above-described middle or large-sized battery module, a plurality of racks is used to improve safety of the vehicle when a vehicle crash occurs. However, two complicated racks are provided to install a total of four battery packs with the result that volume and weight of the battery module are increased. Consequently, it is technically difficult to configure the battery module such that the battery module has a compact structure.
Meanwhile, a battery module assembly is a structural body constituted by combining a plurality of battery cells and, therefore, safety and operational efficiency of the battery module assembly are greatly lowered when some of the battery cells suffer from overvoltage, overcurrent, or overheating. For this reason, means to sense and control such overvoltage, overcurrent, or overheating are needed. Consequently, voltage sensors, temperature sensors, etc. are connected to the respective battery cells to check and control operational states of the battery cells in real time or at predetermined intervals. Installation or connection of such sensing means and control means very complicate a process of assembling the battery module. Furthermore, a plurality of wires is needed to install or connect the sensing means and the control means with the result that a short circuit may occur in the battery module.
In particular, voltage sensing must be performed at electrical connection regions, such as series connection regions. As a result, a battery module or a battery module assembly manufactured by connecting a plurality of battery cells may have a very complicated structure as a whole.
Therefore, there is a high necessity for a battery module, the structure of which is compact, structural stability of which is high, and which is configured such that a sensing assembly can be efficiently assembled while solving the above problems.
In addition, there is a high necessity for a battery module assembly which can be configured using a plurality of battery modules with high assembly efficiency.

Battery module and battery assembly comprising the same


A method for measuring the amount of glycosylated protein comprising the steps of decomposing glycosylated proteins with protease, causing a redox reaction between the decomposed products and an Amadori compound oxidoreductase, and determining the redox reaction so as to measure the amount of glycosylated proteins, wherein the decomposition with the protease is carried out in the presence of at least one substrate selected from the group consisting of metalloporphyrin, cytochrome and diaphorase.

Glycosylated proteins (e.g. glycosylated albumin) in blood consist of glucose and blood protein (e.g. albumin) bonded by non-enzymatic covalent bonds. Aldehyde groups of glucose and amino groups of protein are responsible for the covalent bonds. Glycosylated albumin or the like in blood reflects the blood sugar level of a certain period in the past. Consequently, the measured value of glycosylated albumin has recently been noted as an important index for diagnosis and observation of conditions of diabetes.
Examples of the methods for measuring the amount of glycosylated proteins include high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, immunoassay, chemical method (NBT test), dye-binding methods, enzymatic methods, and the like. Above all, the enzymatic method employing an Amadori compound oxidoreductase such as fructosyl amino acid oxidase (FAOD) makes it possible to measure the amount of glycosylated proteins more accurately and promptly than the other methods.
The method for measuring the amount of glycosylated proteins by the use of FAOD is performed as follows. First, the glycosylated proteins are treated with protease so as to decompose them into peptides or amino acids, because FAOD acts with difficulty on large proteins or long peptides. Then, the decomposed products are treated with FAOD.
Thus, by measuring the amount of hydrogen peroxide produced by the treatment with FAOD by electric method or enzymatic method, the concentration of glycosylated protein can be determined.
As the enzymatic method for measuring the hydrogen peroxide, there is, for example, a method in which peroxidase (POD) and a substrate generating color by oxidation are used to determine the degree of color generation of the substrate.
In the method for measuring the amount of glycosylated proteins by the enzymatic method, there is a problem in that even if the glycosylated proteins are treated with protease beforehand, short peptides capable of being a substrate for an Amadori compound oxidoreductase cannot sufficiently be produced. In particular, protease acts only with difficulty on glycosylated proteins contained in blood. In order to avoid this problem, an improvement method has been suggested in which glycosylated proteins are treated with protease in the presence of POD before the treatment with the oxidoreductase (WO 96/34977). According to this improvement method, the short peptides capable of being the above-mentioned substrate can be produced effectively. Moreover, it is not clear why the glycosylated proteins are well decomposed if they coexist with POD during the treatment with protease.
However, this improvement method has the following problem. Since POD itself is a glycosylated protein and decomposed with protease to produce a substrate for the oxidoreductase, the results of the method are less reliable.

Method for the determination of glycosylated proteins


A device and method are disclosed for determining whether or not an individual's blood coagulation time is in a normal or abnormal range, and is particularly suitable for measuring prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time coagulation values. The device includes a housing with an area for receiving a sample, a capillary channel or elongated area with an absorbent material, and a gradient heater. Liquid crystal and a coagulation agent can be disposed within the device to mix with a sample added to the device. The mixture passes along the capillary channel or absorbent material and stops moving when the sample has clotted. Due to the gradient heater and liquid crystal, the mixture may or may not change color, depending upon whether the individual has a an abnormally short, normal, or abnormally long clot time.

The invention relates to measuring whether blood coagulation times are in a normal range or not, and more particularly for measuring PT (prothrombin time) and aPTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) coagulation values to produce qualitative or quantitative results. The invention is a lightweight, portable, disposable device which can give immediate results at a hospital patient's bedside, or can be used for patient self-monitoring in a home setting.
Current trends in the diagnostics industry are full laboratory automation, and point-of-care testing. Full laboratory automation for thrombosis/hemostasis is exemplified by the MDA-180 (Organon Teknika, Durham, N.C.) where, e.g., samples from patients all over a hospital are delivered to a central location where the automated apparatus is located. Patients' blood samples are placed into the machine, after which a variety of assays are performed and results reported. The results are then sent/transmitted back to the area where the patient is located for interpretation by the doctor.
Point-of care testing, on the other hand, though complementary to full laboratory automation, involves smaller devices, often handheld devices with disposable components, which can give results at the patient's bedside (or at home, if the device is for home use). In point-of-care testing, rather than sending a blood sample to a central location for testing, a sample of blood can be placed in a small device at the patient's bedside (or at a location near the patient) so that a test result can be available more quickly. This savings in time can be crucial when the point-of-care testing is for a thrombotic or hemophiliac condition.
In the long run, the trend is for testing devices to become more simple, more portable and more flexible in use. In the coagulation field, rapid technology-driven change is transforming the market for products used in monitoring the coagulation status in heart patients and others treated with anti-coagulant therapy. Also, with managed healthcare resulting in shorter hospital stays, the desirability increases for testing that does not require the use of the central laboratory, and for devices that can be used at home, thus allowing patients to be discharged from the hospital more quickly.
Furthermore, with regard to point-of-care testing in a home setting, studies have shown that self testing can improve patient treatment when compared to the lack of self monitoring of coagulation therapy. Numerous studies have indicated that more frequent PT testing increases the effectiveness and safety of anticoagulant therapy. Effectiveness is measured by a low incidence of thromboemboli, that is, blood clots which can result when the therapeutic dosage is too low. Safety is measured by few or no bleeding incidents, which can occur when the therapeutic dose is too large. With self testing at home, the therapeutic dosage can more easily be kept within a safe range thus improving the treatment of the individual undergoing anticoagulant therapy.

Blood coagulation monitoring device with liquid crystal and gradient heater


Photosensor circuit includes: a photoelectric conversion element; a first MOS transistor for converting a current signal into a voltage signal, a first capacitor element; a second capacitor element; a second MOS transistor for controlling charge transfer from the first capacitor element to the second capacitor element; and a control section for supplying gate voltages and drain voltages to the first and second MOS transistors. The control section performs initial setting and voltage control such that the charge transfer can be carried out efficiently for setting of the gate voltages and drain voltages to be supplied the first and second MOS transistors. Time length of the charge transfer is set so as not to exceed 100 μsec.

Among various types of photosensor circuits that implement individual pixels of MOS-type image sensors are a type presenting linear output characteristics in response to variation in intensity (or illuminance) of incident light, and a type presenting logarithmic output characteristics in response to variation in intensity of incident light. The following paragraphs outline these types of photosensor circuits and explain their characteristics in terms of an S/N ratio, dynamic range, afterimage, sensitivity in a low-intensity light condition, etc.
FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example construction of the photosensor circuit presenting linear output characteristics. The photosensor circuit 101 of FIG. 16 includes a photodiode PD provided as a photosensor element (i.e., photoelectric conversion element) for detecting incident light (light signal) L1 and converting the detected incident light L1 into an electrical signal. The photodiode PD includes a capacitor C1 that is implemented with parasitic capacitance (including floating or stray capacitance of wiring). The photosensor circuit 101 further includes a MOS transistor Q1 for charging and discharging the capacitor C1, a MOS transistor Q2 for amplifying a terminal voltage of the capacitor C1, and a MOS transistor Q3 for selectively outputting the amplified terminal voltage (Vout) as a pixel signal. Resistor R is connected to a drain terminal of the MOS transistor Q3.
Given voltages V1 and V2 are applied, by a voltage controller 102, to a gate terminal G1 and drain terminal D1, respectively, of the MOS transistor Q1. Further, given voltages V3 and V4 are applied, by the voltage controller 102 (and a pixel selection circuit etc.), to a gate terminal G3 of the MOS transistor Q3 and outer terminal T1 of the resistor R, respectively. Generation timing at which the voltages V1-V4 are generated via the voltage controller 102 is instructed by a timing signal generation section 103.
The photosensor circuit 101 behaves as follows. The gate voltage V1 of the MOS transistor Q1 is switched to a high level at predetermined initialization timing with the drain voltage V2 of the MOS transistor Q1 kept at a high level, so that an electrical charge remaining in the capacitor C1 of the photodiode PD is discharged to the drain of the MOS transistor Q1. Then, the gate voltage V1 is switched to a low level (0 volt) to turn off the MOS transistor Q1. After that, the capacitor C1 of the photodiode PD is caused to store an electrical charge. Terminal voltage produced in the capacitor C1 by the electrical charge storage is applied to a gate of the transistor Q2. Then, once the MOS transistor Q3 is turned on upon lapse of a predetermined light exposure time in the photodiode PD, a light signal is output, as the voltage Vout, from a drain of the MOS transistor Q3.
In the aforementioned photosensor circuit 101, a photoelectric current flowing through the photodiode PD is controlled by a discharge current of the charge stored in the capacitor C1 of the photodiode PD. Thus, the output voltage Vout, which is a sensor output of the photosensor circuit 101, presents linear output characteristics proportional to the discharge current. Because the photosensor circuit 101 arranged in the aforementioned manner can control the sensor output on the basis of the light exposure time, it can function as part of a storage-type image sensor. However, because the output voltage Vout is proportional to the intensity of the incident light L1, it would get saturated when strong-intensity light is input, and thus, the photosensor circuit 101 can not achieve a wide dynamic range.
Photosensor circuit similar in construction to the aforementioned photosensor circuit 101 is disclosed, for example, in JP-2000-329616 A.
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example construction of the photosensor circuit of the type presenting logarithmic output characteristics. In FIG. 17, elements substantially identical to the above-described elements of FIG. 16 are indicated by the same reference characters as in FIG. 16 and will not be detailed to avoid unnecessary duplication. The photosensor circuit 201 of FIG. 17 includes a MOS transistor Q21 in place of the MOS transistor Q1, and the MOS transistor Q21 has a gate electrically connected to its drain. Photodiode PD, capacitor C1, MOS transistors Q2 and Q3, resistor R and other circuit elements are identical to those described above in relation to FIG. 16. In the photosensor circuit 201, a sensor current of the photodiode PD is converted, by the MOS transistor Q21, into a sensor voltage having logarithmic characteristics in a weak inversion state.
In the photosensor circuit 201, the gate of the MOS transistor Q21 is electrically connected to its drain as noted above so that a drain voltage and gate voltage are set at a same predetermined voltage level, and the MOS transistor Q3 is turned on so that the light signal is detected as the output voltage Vout. High-level gate voltage is supplied, by the voltage controller 102, to the gate terminal G3 of the MOS transistor Q3.
The photosensor circuit 201 can achieve a wide dynamic range by virtue of its logarithmic output characteristics. However, with the photosensor circuit 201, where a photoelectric current flows via the channel of the MOS transistor Q21, it is not possible to improve the S/N ratio by increasing the light exposure time as achieved by the storage-type image sensor. Therefore, the photosensor circuit 201 would present a poorer sensitivity in a low-intensity light condition than the storage-type image sensor implemented by the aforementioned photosensor circuit 101. Further, when the current flowing to the MOS transistor Q21 is of a low level, the photosensor circuit 201 tends to produce an unwanted afterimage because impedance of the channel of the MOS transistor Q21 increases.
Example of the photosensor circuit of the presenting logarithmic output characteristics is disclosed in JP-2000-329616 A.
As noted above, the photosensor circuit of the type presenting linear output characteristics can not achieve a wide dynamic range because its detection signal is proportional to the intensity of incident light and gets saturated when strong light is input. Further, the photosensor circuit of the type presenting logarithmic output characteristics presents a poor sensitivity in a low-intensity light condition, and, when the current flowing to the MOS transistor Q21 is of a low level, it tends to produce an afterimage due to an increased impedance of the channel of the MOS transistor Q21.

Photosensor circuit presenting linear and logarithimic output characteristics and image sensor using the same


A plunger includes a lever, a pipe, a rod passed through an axial hole of the pipe, a covering member, and a spring; the rod will be upwards displaced when the lever is pivoted upwards; the rod has a passage therein, and a head at an upper end for connection with an air pump; the covering member has a neck, and an outlet on a lower side; the pipe is inserted in the neck; two airtight rings are secured on an inner side of the neck; the rod is normally biased to a lowermost position by the spring; the lower end of the rod will block the outlet, and the passage will communicate with inside of the covering member when the rod is in lowermost position; when the lever is pivoted upwards, high-pressure air will escape through the outlet to push a blockage in a drain tube of a sink.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a high pressure plunger for use on drain, sink, and toilet, more particularly one, which is structured in such a way as to be suitable for use together with an air pump to get rid of a blockage with high-pressure air.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A simplest conventional plunger includes a handle, and an inverted rubber bowl joined to a lower end of the handle. A blockage in a pipe is loosened, and got rid of by means of exerting suction and air pressure on the blockage repeatedly with the plunger. However, suction and air pressure producible with the plunger isn't very great, and it is possible that a blockage remains in a pipe after having been slightly moved with the plunger.
The inventor of the present invention taught an improvement on a plunger, and was granted U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,301 for making this improvement. The plunger includes an upper base, a pressure ball under the upper base, a correlative tubular shaft extending vertically through the pressure ball, a handle pivotally connected with an upper end of the correlative tubular shaft, a connecting rod connects to the correlative shaft, and a lower end stopper threadedly connected with the lower end of the connecting rod. The pressure ball can store air supplied by an air pump or compressor through an air inlet. The handle can be operated to move the correlative tubular shaft away from the upper opening of the connecting rod, thus letting the air stored in the pressure ball flow through the correlative shaft, the connecting rod and the lower end stopper into a clogged pipe or drain for clearing passage with a large force of pressured air.
However, because air stored in the pressure ball will travel a long distance through a narrow passage before it flows through the lower end stopper, and because the opening of the lower end stopper is small, the plunger still can't get rid of a blockage in a pipe or toilet effectively.


An innovative system and method for achieving high precision clock recovery, i.e. reconstruction of the clock signal having the same frequency, over a packet switched network. The proposed method utilizes a minimum network delay approach, which overcomes the problems caused by delay variation of the network and filters out network jitter, such as noise jitter and other “singular” anomalies causing latency deviations. Minimum network delay is defined herein as the time delay in which a packet remains in the network under assumption that all transmission queues through which the packet passes are empty.

Clock recovery is defined to be the reconstruction of timing information from digital data over packet switched networks. A packet switched network comprises various interfaces and layer protocols, whereas clock synchronization is usually maintained between physical connected interfaces and not maintained end-to-end. Hence, an accurate clock mechanism must be provided for services that require end-to-end clock synchronization (e.g. CES, Voice, Video, etc.) as well as for an end-to-end transmission of accurate timing information (e.g. cellular G3 applications).
The clock recovery mechanism over packet switched networks involves two basic procedures—generation of packets at the local site and reconstruction of the clock signal at the remote side. The first procedure generates packets carrying relevant information of the source clock (at the local side). These packets are transmitted to the remote side over the packet switched network. At the second procedure, reconstruction of the clock signal is obtained from the received information at the remote side.
A major problem in trying to synchronize a clock over a non-synchronized network while achieving a high precision clock accuracy is to compensate for delay variation or, in other words, to filter out network jitter affecting arriving packets. The delay in the network is a superposition of passive and active network factors. Passive network factors, such as fiber and cable, are usually constant physical factors, wherein their variation is very small and therefore can be neglected. However, active network factors, such as switches and routers, produce delay with significant variation that must be filtered out.
Several approaches known in the art are provided for clock recovery, trying to overcome the problem caused by delay variation.
IEEE 1588 standard refers to a precision clock synchronization protocol for networked measurement and control systems. This standard defines a protocol enabling precise synchronization of clocks in measurement and control systems implemented with technologies such as network communication, local computing and distributed objects. The protocol enables heterogeneous systems that include clocks of various inherent precision, resolution and stability to synchronize. The protocol further supports system-wide synchronization accuracy in the sub-microsecond range with minimal network and local clock computing resources.
The IEEE 1588 standard was developed for test equipment that is located on the same LAN. Therefore, packets are transmitted within the same network equipment, while assuming that a one-way direction of a specific packet equals exactly half the round trip delay.
This protocol enables transmission of the time stamp from the master unit to the slave unit. The slave unit takes an individual timestamp when receiving the packet and immediately re-transmits the packet back to the master unit. The master unit measures the round trip delay, thus assuming that each direction equals half the round trip delay. Based on this value, the master unit then instructs the slave unit on how to synchronize its clock.
However, it is not necessarily correct to assume that the round trip delay is comprised of two equal timed delays, wherein the time delay from a local site to a remote site equals the time delay from the remote site to the local site. For example, in networks that are asymmetrical in their nature, e.g. HFC or point-to-multipoint Ethernet radio networks, the time delay from the central site to a remote site does not equal the time delay from a remote site to the central site. This assumption becomes even more questionable when the network utilization reaches its capacity level.
The traditional approach to filter out network jitter calculates the average delay using statistical estimation. However, the main drawback of this approach is that the statistical estimation depends on active network utilization factors, consequentially presenting unstable average delay calculations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,073 discloses a circuit and method for synchronizing a service clock at a destination node with a service clock at a source node for circuit emulation service over a packet network. The method includes receiving data packets from a source node of the destination node. At the destination node, the method removes from the data packets residual time-stamp (RTS) values that were created at the source node based on information received from the service clock at the source node. RTS values are stored in memory at the destination node. The method determines a majority count and a minority count of RTS values over a period of time from the RTS values stored in memory. The method further uses the majority and minority counts to set the frequency of a service clock at the destination node for use in receiving data packets.
Yet another method for overcoming delay variation provides an adaptive clock, in which the receiver buffers incoming traffic and compares the level of the buffer with a local clock. The level of the buffer is used to control the frequency of the clock, so that the clock controlling the destination node buffer must operate at a frequency precisely matched to that of the service signal input at the source node in order to avoid buffer overflow or underflow and resulting loss of data. However, this method suffers from significant limitations revealing inaccurate results, and is therefore less efficient.
The prior art using such a method for clock recovery in a packet network include U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,328 to Nichols et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,683 to Jay. This method is further disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,073 to Nichols.
The first Nichols patent receives data packets at a destination node. The data packets are then stored in a buffer. The data packets are read out of the buffer by using a locally generated clock. The fill level of the buffer is monitored over a first period of time. A relative maximum fill for the buffer is identified during the first period of time. Further, the relative maximum fill level is used to control the frequency of the locally generated clock so as to control the rate at which data is read out of the buffer.
The Jay patent discloses a data communication network, in which a system clock rate can be inferred at a receiver by measuring the data rate during successive periods. This information is used to adjust or adapt a receiver output clock to the inferred system clock. To adapt a receiver buffer output clock frequency to the buffer input clock frequency, the level of the buffer is periodically monitored. If the fill level is greater than an upper threshold, the output clock frequency is incremented. If the fill level is less than a lower threshold, the output clock frequency is decremented. A count is maintained of the number of successive adjustment operations performed while the fill level overflows the range bounded by the thresholds. When the fill level returns to the bounded range, a number of reverse frequency adjustments are performed, thereby reducing oscillations.
Since a high precision clock recovery over a packet switched network is crucial for applications that require high accuracy clock at remote locations, it would be desirable to provide a system and method obtaining an accurate reconstruction of the clock having the same frequency in packet networks.

System and method for high precision clock recovery over packet networks


Disclosed is a method for preparing crystalline small pore molecular sieves, said method comprising (a) preparing a reaction mixture comprising (1) at least one active source of an oxide of a tetravalent element or mixture of tetravalent elements, (2) optionally at least on active source of an oxide of a trivalent element or mixture of trivalent elements, (3) at least one active source of an alkali metal, (4) seed crystals capable of forming the small pore molecular sieve, (5) a structure directing agent capable of forming the small pore molecular sieve, and (6) an amount of water that is not substantially in excess of the amount required to cause and maintain crystallization of the small pore molecular sieve; and (b) heating said reaction mixture at crystallization conditions for sufficient time to form crystallized material containing crystals of the small pore molecular sieve.

Molecular sieves are a commercially important class of crystalline materials. They have distinct crystal structures with ordered pore structures which are demonstrated by distinct X-ray diffraction patterns. The crystal structure defines cavities and pores which are characteristic of the different species.
Molecular sieves identified by the International Zeolite Associate (IZA) as having the structure code CHA are known. For example, the molecular sieve known as SSZ-13 is a known crystalline CHA material. It is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,538, issued Oct. 1, 1985 to Zones, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,538, the SSZ-13 molecular sieve is prepared in the presence of N,N,N-trimethyl-1-adamantammoniumcation which serves as a structure directing agent ("SDA"), also known as on organic template.
Molecular sieves having the, IZA structure code AEI are also known, the zeolite known as SSZ-39 being an example. Zeolite SSZ-39 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,370, issued Sep. 28, 1999 to Zones et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,851, issued Sep. 24, 1996 to Miller, discloses a method for preparing a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite from a reaction mixture containing only sufficient water so that the reaction mixture may be shaped if desired. In the method, the reaction mixture is heated at crystallization conditions and in the absence of an external liquid phase, so that excess liquid need not be removed from the crystallized material prior to drying the crystals. U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,851 is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Preparation of small pore molecular sieves


API associations among a plurality of service application programming interfaces may be identified by analyzing service API call logs, which contain data associated with invocation of the plurality of application programming interfaces by a plurality of applications, wherein sets of APIs that are determined to be called together are identified. For a set of service APIs, a plurality of applications that invoke the APIs in the set is identified. A sequence of API calls by an application in the plurality of applications is identified, wherein multiples sequences of APIs are identified, one sequence of API calls identified respectively for one application in the plurality of applications. An application pattern is determined based on the multiple sequences of service APIs.

A developer may program computer applications using a plurality of service application programming interfaces (APIs). An application pattern may be discovered by analyzing applications that developers have created and identifying reusable configurable composition of service APIs, for example for replicable business scenarios. In an API centric application, the composition of services represents an orchestration and provides a perspective in the application pattern. In the current approach to creating an application pattern, experts create a pattern based on existing applications.

International Business Machines Corporation