A process for melting scrap metal for producing steel which includes the steps of combining a quantity of scrap metal containing steel and at least about 0.25 percent by weight of scrap rubber in an electric arc furnace. Energy is then applied to the quantity of steel and scrap rubber in the furnace to start the combustion of the scrap rubber to add additional heat for melting the scrap metal containing steel.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to the manufacturing of steel in a furnace and more particularly to the manufacturing of steel from scrap metal in an electric arc furnace using scrap automotive tires as an auxiliary heat supplying source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Scrap automotive tires present an environmental problem and recycling is practically nonexistent. Tires do not degrade in landfills and when stockpiled, create a major fire hazard that is impossible to extinguish once ignited. Since they have about the same heating value as coke, 15,000 BTU's per pound, a tire weighing about 20 pounds has approximately 300,000 BTU's. The scrap automotive tires are so plentiful that they have a near zero cost. At the present time, scrap automotive tires are being used as fuel or auxiliary fuel in a variety of operations such as cement kilns, coal fired generators and other applications wherein a controlled firing rate is used. In such instances, it is often necessary to shred the scrap automotive tires prior to using in a furnace. Also, when the scrap automotive tires contain steel belts, it is often necessary to remove the steel belts. In some instances whole rubber tires have been used but such use required equipment changes that reduced the cost advantages. In the manufacturing of steel from scrap metal, some of the steel mills add coke or coal to the scrap metal that is melted in a furnace such as an electric arc furnace.
An Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) is not an ordinary furnace in any sense of the word. It is a vessel for melting steel and providing metallurgical processing. It is believed that the EAF is the best choice for use of the tires, or as it is often referred to, tire derived fuel ("TDF"), as it can overcome all of the specific problems associated with the steel belts and beads when using TDF.
Tires are sometimes used as a fuel or supplemental fuel in the generation of electric power. Because of the problems created by the steel in the TDF they are not widely used or accepted as a fuel by electric utilities. Whether or not tires are used, the electric power has to be converted to higher voltages, transmitted to the steel mill and then converted back into heat by the electric arc. By using tires directly as energy in the steel furnace all of the losses in transmission and conversion are eliminated.
Because of the problems created by the steel belts and beads, the amount of tires now being used is not large enough to consume the amount of tires generated each year as scrap. TDF is the largest use for scrap tire disposal but the amount of tires scraped each year far exceeds the number that can be consumed by all of the various outlets combined. A large portion are shredded and buried in landfills. Only the steel industry, as a very large consumer of energy, has the capability to consume tires in an amount approaching that of the rate of disposal. Therefore, it should be noted that not only does the burning of tires for fuel increase the efficiency of the EAF, it also provides a unique solution for disposing of tires in an environmentally sound method. It provides an alternative to wasting and squandering valuable energy at a time when energy is becoming more scarce and costly. Furthermore, even when the steel industry decides to reuse the steel belts from the tires, the tires are stripped or shredded to remove the rubber to access the steel belts. Much of the rubber is then discarded, which provides only a limited solution to the problem of the waste rubber. There is therefore a need for a process which will utilize both the steel and the rubber found in most tires, and which does so in an efficient and productive manner.
In the EAF, coal or coke is added to the scrap charge as a source of chemical energy but also as an additional source of carbon for the steel being manufactured. The addition of rubber reduces or eliminates the need for coal or coke as a carbon source for steel chemistry requirements.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of melting scrap metal using scrap rubber.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of melting scrap metal using scrap rubber which includes the steps of combining a quantity comprising scrap metal containing steel and at least about 0.25 percent by weight of scrap rubber, forming a bundle of the combined scrap metal and scrap rubber, placing the bundle in an electric arc furnace and applying energy to the quantity in the furnace to start the combustion of the scrap rubber to add additional heat for melting the scrap metal containing steel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of melting scrap metal using scrap rubber which will use various types of scrap rubber, including chopped, shredded and even whole tires baled and unbaled, both with the steel belt included and without.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of melting scrap metal using scrap rubber in which the pollution emitted from the steel plant is greatly reduced, because, specifically, when scrap rubber tires are added to the melting steel, the carbon monoxide emissions that normally occur from the arc furnace are greatly reduced.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of melting scrap metal using scrap rubber which includes a separate burning container for the tires which is in fluid transmission connection with the furnace such that the heat produced by the burning tires in the container is transferable to the furnace without adding impurities caused by the introduction of steel belts from the tires.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of melting scrap metal using scrap rubber which is safe, efficient and environmentally sound in use.

Method of melting a mixture of scrap metal using scrap rubber


A hydraulic tappet-clearance compensating arrangement having no check valve includes an outer cylinder formed with a cup tappet and a piston axially displaceable in the outer cylinder and forming a pressure chamber therein. The outer cylinder is formed with a through-hole and a channel axially positioned so that a flow connection for the pressure medium is provided between the pressure chamber and a reservoir only during the base circle phase of the valve-operating cam and a flow connection is provided between the reservoir and a pressure medium supply only outside the base circle phase of the cam.

This invention relates to a hydraulic tappet-clearance compensating arrangement for cam-controlled valve lifters.
Conventional hydraulic tappet-clearance compensating arrangements, which are used at various locations in actuators for valve lifters for intake and exhaust valves in internal combustion engines, include a check valve which normally has a movable valve body such as a ball with a compression spring acting on it. This conventional check valve design takes up a relatively large amount of space in the tappet-clearance compensating arrangement whereas, for reasons of limited space and for the purpose of reducing the moving masses of the valve actuator, the tappet-clearance compensating arrangement should be especially compact. Even when a departure has been made from the ball valve design for the check valves in hydraulic tappet-clearance compensating arrangements, as, for example, in the arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,990 by the use of a discoid valve member, the check valve, which is loaded against spring resistance by the pressure of a pressure medium normally diverted from the oil supply of the engine, provides an element of uncertainty. Therefore, a design for a hydraulic tappet-clearance compensating arrangement which does not use such a check valve would be advantageous.
German Patent No. 28 43 918 describes a design for a hydraulic tappet of a valve actuator for an internal combustion engine wherein the check valve is provided by a spring-loaded sealing element which is forcibly actuatable by an additional track designed on the cam. Specifically, this arrangement provides a cup-shaped spring-loaded tappet piston surrounding a reservoir for pressure medium and disposed between two piston-like end pieces which are axially displaceable in an outer cylinder, defining a pressure chamber which accommodates a compression spring between the end of the tappet piston on one side and one of the end pieces on the other. Accordingly, in this arrangement, all of the parts accommodated by the outer cylinder, i.e., the end pieces and tappet piston, are carried within the outer cylinder and are axially displaceable relative thereto. In the wall of the tappet piston and in the outer cylinder, there are provided recesses and through-holes which, on the one hand, establish a connection between the reservoir and the pressure-medium supply at all positions of the outer cylinder with respect to the parts accommodated by it and, on the other hand, ensure a connection between the reservoir and pressure chamber only at a selected relative axial position of the tappet piston with respect to the outer cylinder. This relative axial position between the tappet piston and outer cylinder is established by an additional cam track which displaces the outer cylinder against spring resistance relative to the piston during the base circle phase of the cam. The additional cam track is shaped so that, outside the base circle phase of the cam, the spring resistance displaces the outer cylinder relative to the piston, which is disposed in the path of the transmission of force between cam and valve, into a relative axial position in which the flow connection is interrupted.
As demonstrated by this explanation of the conventional arrangement, it is not very suitable for mass production because of its incorporation of many components which must be movable relative to one another while preserving tightness and because of its complicated cam shape.

Hydraulic tappet-clearance compensating arrangement for a cam-controlled valve lifter


A software development platform, used to develop software applications substantially free of the need to write code. The platform includes a visualizable computer executable modeling language for the definition of software solutions. The platform also includes a visual modeling system comprising a visual modeling tool for users to develop software solutions using the modeling language, and a runtime engine software program that automatically executes the defined software solutions. The visualizable computer executable modeling language system enables defining each application by a set of: process models, each of which may contain any number of sub process model; input and output slots; data models, each of which may contain any number of sub data models; and flow rules applicable to connect pairs of slots, data models and sub-data models, thereby defining both data flow and process flow, wherein the sets of process models, slots, data models and flow rules are arranged in a structural hierarchy conforming to a set of rigid composition rules.

Originally computers utilized low level technical notation and encoding. Gradually, more visually oriented and intuitive computer interfaces were developed. Such developments included the video monitor, use of icons and object-orientation incorporated in Visual Basic™, Visual C++ and Java™. The development of graphical user interfaces for developers began to reshape the programming process.
The concept of an application framework means that programmers start with working application code and basic user interface elements in place. Application development frameworks attempt to enable more simplified processing of information through the various levels of computer systems, so that application experts are not required to have programming skills in order to take a significant role in the development process.
Objects are software components made up of data elements and functions to manipulate these data elements. These can model virtually any real-world property of people, computers and systems, as well as abstract numbers and geometrical designs. Objects are often defined by creating "classes" that define the structure and behavior of object.
Objects can be designed to hide, or encapsulate, all, or a portion of, their internal data structure and internal functions. Object oriented programming (OOP) also allows a programmer to create an object that is a part of another object.
A common approach for software development is the use of modeling languages such as the Unified Modeling Language (UML) for the design phase, and the use of source code of a high-level computer language for writing the previously designed programs. This approach results in a slow implementation process and suffers from maintenance problems due to the gap between the descriptive nature of the modeling language used for the design and the language required for the programming, where source code is used. In addition, currently known modeling languages, such as UML, are themselves very complicated languages, the learning and mastering of which takes a very long time.
Another alternative is the use of distinct tools for the definition of process flows and for data manipulation. According to this approach, different problems will be solved differently, by different tools. This approach results in high system complexity and maintenance problems resulting from the separation of business logic across different systems. Typically, this hybrid approach is not used to completely implement new systems, but rather provides a hybrid solution for integrating between working systems. Integration of the working systems is performed by automatic sequencing, i.e. adding process logic invoking the working systems in a predefined order, and by providing data transformations, i.e. data manipulation elements that translate messages and data structures from a certain format to another.
Systems for visually defining executable process logic have been around for years. An important class of such systems is Workflow Management systems. Workflow Management systems began as systems for the management of manual work, and later evolved to handle automatic processes as well. Systems for visually defining executable data manipulation logic have also been around and have been used for application integration, e.g. mapping tools.
Recently, these two categories of Workflow and data manipulation have been converged into a new category called Business Process Management (BPM). BPM systems typically embody the aforementioned hybrid approach. The segregation that exists in these systems between the process logic and the data manipulation logic actually makes them inadequate for creating applications from scratch. BPM systems are not meant for complete definition of new applications, but are rather used for adding the "business process" layer on top of the "conventional" (hand-coded) applications.
Developments in the art include U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,548 by Williams, "System and Methods for Visual Programming Based on a High-Level Hierarchical Data Flow Model," issued Dec. 15, 1998. The assignee is Borland, who launched one of the first PC development environments, Turbo Pascal®, which made possible the commercial development of PC applications.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,548, a user constructs a program by selecting one or more components from a library, which displays components in a tabbed palette. Using a visual editor of the system, the user may drill-down into the internals of a component for modifying its logic. The user connects various components via the component "ports", which allow access to properties of the component. Components of the system may be nested within other components to an arbitrary level. Thus, high-level component manipulations are performed "visually," as illustrated in FIGS. 1-9B. However, detailed manipulations are achieved through standard programming techniques, as illustrated in FIGS. 10A-25B. The user must be a skilled programmer, as well as an application expert.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,699 by Zhang et al, "Code Node for a Graphical Programming System Which Invokes Execution of Textual Code," is also a hybrid visual/programming tool, wherein the graphical program is operable to invoke execution of textual code. U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,273 by Sturges, "Programmable Interpretive Virtual Machine," discloses an interpreter for a linear command stream. No visual application development is provided.
US20020138819A1 patent application by Hills, "Computer Programming Language to Describe and Encapsulate a Computer as a Set of Classes and Objects," that describes an object-oriented programming language method, encapsulates the structure and behavior of all software-visible objects making up a digital computer, as well as any abstract object normally described by an object-oriented programming language. The language disclosed is also a visual/programming hybrid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,537 by Gryphon et al., "Workflow model language," issued May 15, 2001, discloses a modeling system for the visual presentation of business applications. It describes a systematic methodology for describing the business logic of systems by a visual modeling language capable of representing elements of the application in progressively finer levels of detail. The language disclosed is meant to serve multiple people specifying and designing together the functionality of a software system, and the design components can be visualized using drawing tools like VISIO or by drawing diagrams manually. U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,537, however, does not eliminate the need to implement the designed application, although it claims to describe business processes and business information in enough detail to construct a software implementation of a business model, if desired.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and a method that overcomes the limitations of the prior art, and provides for replacement of the need to write source code.

Method, a language and a system for the definition and implementation of software solutions by using a visualizable computer executable modeling language


A method for forming a DRAM capacitor that uses a sacrificial layer to form a gear-teeth mold for producing a storage electrode having a highly increased surface area. The mold in a sacrificial layer is formed by first depositing alternating layers of two different insulating materials on a dielectric layer, and then patterning the sacrificial layer to form an opening using a conventional method. Next, a wet etching operation is performed using an etchant having a high etching selectivity between the two insulating layers. Hence, sunken slots are formed in the insulating layers that have a higher etching rate than its adjacent insulating layers, thus obtaining a gear teeth cross-sectional profile. Finally, the mold in the sacrificial layer is used for forming the storage electrode.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing integrated circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of fabricating dynamic random access memory (DRAM) capacitor that utilizes the difference in etching rate between two types of material for the same etchant.
2. Description of Related Art
As the microprocessor of a computer becomes more powerful, the amount of software programs that can be run inside a computer increase exponentially. Consequently, the amount of memory space necessary for storing data must also be increased, and high efficient memory capacitors are in great demand. As the level of integration of DRAMs increases, DRAM cells are now constructed from just one transfer field effect transistor and a storage capacitor. FIG. 1 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a DRAM cell. A DRAM is normally constructed from an array of these cells. A binary bit is stored in the capacitor C of each cell. In general, when the capacitor C is uncharged, a logic state of "0" is defined. On the other hand, when the capacitor C is fully charged, a logic state of "1" is defined. A capacitor C has an upper electrode (cell electrode) 100 and a lower electrode (storage electrode) 101 with a layer of dielectric 102 sandwiched between the two to provide the necessary dielectric constant. In addition, the capacitor C is coupled to a bit line (BL), and reading and writing to and from the DRAM memory is achieved by charging or discharging the capacitor C. Charging and discharging of the capacitor is carried out through the control of a transfer field effect transistor (TFET). The source terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to the bit line BL while the drain terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to the capacitor C. The transfer transistor is switched on or off through a selection signal coming from a word line WL, which is connected to the gate terminal of the transfer transistor. Hence, whether the capacitor C is connected to the bit line allowing for charging or discharging of the capacitor depends upon the selection signal passed to the gate terminal.
A conventional DRAM having storage capacity smaller than one megabits (Mbits) has two-dimensional capacitors, commonly referred to as a planar type of capacitor. However, a planar type capacitor occupies lots of substrate area, and so is unsuitable for high level integration. Highly integrated DRAM circuits, for example, those having a storage capacity larger than about four Mbits, need three-dimensional capacitors. Three-dimensional capacitor constructs include the stacked type and the trench type.
Compared with a planar type of capacitor, a stacked type or a trench type of capacitor is able to provide the same capacitance to a capacitor despite a dimensional reduction. However, when the scale of integration for memory devices is further increased, for example, DRAM memory that can store up to 64 Mbits, even a simple three-dimensional capacitor construct is not enough.
One method of further increasing the surface area of the lower electrode, hence increasing the capacitance of a capacitor, is to develop horizontal extensions and then stacking them one over the other as in a fin-type of stacked capacitor. Description of this type of design appears in an article by Ema et al. with the title "3-Dimensional Stacked Capacitor Cell for 16M and 64M DRAMs" published in International Electron Devices Meeting, pp 592-595, December 1988, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,783, U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,810 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,787.
Another method is to allow the electrode and the dielectric film of the capacitor to extend vertically up to form a vertical structure called a cylindrical stacked capacitor. Description of this type of design appears in an article by Wakamiya et al. with the title "Novel Stacked Capacitor Cell for 64 Mb DRAM" published in Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers, pp 69-70, 1989, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,688.
Yet, in the near future, the trend for integrating more and more devices into a wafer will continue on, and the dimensions of a DRAM cell will shrink still further. As anybody familiar with the technologies may understand, shrinking of memory cell dimensions will lead to a further reduction in the capacitance of its capacitor. One consequence of this is the production of more soft errors due to an increased effect by alpha rays. Therefore, people engaged in the semiconductor industry are still searching for ways to increase the capacitance of a capacitor when the available area is reduced.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need provide an improved method of fabricating DRAM capacitor.


A light emitting device, including a light emitting element, and a resin layer that has been screen printed to coat said light emitting element is provided. The resin layer is formed from a curable silicone resin composition, which includes (i) an organopolysiloxane with a polystyrene equivalent weight average molecular weight of at least 5×103, (ii) a condensation catalyst, (iii) a solvent, and (iv) a finely powdered inorganic filler. The uniformity of the film thickness is excellent, thus resulting in little color irregularities during light emission from the light emitting element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting device that can be used in a liquid crystal backlight, an illumination light source, and various types of indicators, displays and traffic signal lights, and relates particularly to a light emitting device in which the light emitting element is coated with a silicone resin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In light emitting devices that use a light emitting element such as an LED, the light emitting element is typically coated with a phosphor-containing layer, or a transparent resin layer that functions as a lens or the like. Conventionally, epoxy resins have been used as the material for these coating layers, but recently, silicone resins have begun to attract attention, as a result of their superior levels of heat resistance.
However, with short wavelength LEDs such as blue LEDs and ultraviolet LEDs now being developed, the resin layer now requires a tougher material that is not only capable of withstanding heat generation, but is also able to withstand this type of high energy, short wavelength light. Previously proposed silicone resins have been addition curable resins that use a hydrosilylation reaction, meaning the proportion of silethylene linkages within the cured product is high. Because silethylene linkages are prone to cleavage by light or heat, the main skeleton within the cured product is prone to deterioration, and the resin is prone to bleed-out of low molecular weight, fluid, oily silicone. As a result, the mechanical strength of the cured product falls, and the resin is more likely to become brittle and prone to heat deformation. Furthermore, the low molecular weight silicone components that bleed out can cause a variety of faults. In addition, if the resin reaches this state, then color irregularities and tone variation are more likely to occur during light emission, meaning the color tone characteristics of the light emitting element may be affected.
Conventionally, application of a sealing resin to a light emitting element has been conducted using a method in which the resin is dripped onto the light emitting element. However, the uniformity of the film thickness of a resin layer formed using this method is poor, which can cause color irregularities during light emission. In order to overcome the drawbacks associated with this type of dripping method, screen printing methods are now starting to be used. In a screen printing method, the resin used should exhibit ready separation from the metal mask during printing, and superior adhesion to the light emitting element following curing, but a resin material that adequately satisfies these requirements is, as yet, still unknown.

Light emitting device with silicone resin layer formed by screen printing


DNA encoding core+1 polypeptides of hepatitis C virus (HCV), nucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and methods for using the nucleotides and the encoded polypeptides are disclosed.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important etiologic agent of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism of carcinogenesis by HCV is poorly understood. Although liver cirrhosis caused by the virus may be of primary importance in triggering the malignant transformation of hepatocytes, recent evidence suggested that some HCV proteins have transforming capacities and thus can be implicated in the pathogenesis of HCC (Ray et al., 1996; Sakamuro et al., 1995).
The HCV genome is a plus-stranded RNA about 10 kb in length that encodes a single polyprotein of 3009–3010 amino acids processed co- or post-translationally by both cellular and viral proteinases to produce at least 10 mature structural and non-structural viral proteins. The structural proteins are located in the amino terminal quarter of the polyprotein, and the non-structural (NS) polypeptides in the remainder (for a review see Houghton, 1996). The genome organization resembles that of flavi- and pestiviruses, and HCV is now considered to be a member of the Flaviviraidae family (Miller and Purcell, 1990; Ohba et al., 1996).
The gene products of HCV are, from the N-terminus to the C-terminus: core (p22), E1 (gp35), E2 (gp 70), NS2 (p21), NS3 (p70), NS4a (p4), NS4b (p27), NS5a (p58), NS5b (p66). Core, E1, and E2 are the structural proteins of the virus processed by the host signal peptidase(s). The core protein and the genomic RNA constitute the internal viral core and E1 and E2 together with lipid membrane constitute the viral envelope (Dubuisson et al., 1994; Grakoui et al., 1993; Hijikata et al., 1993). The NS proteins are processed by the viral protein NS3, which has two functional domains: one (Cpro-1), encompassing the NS2 region and the N-terminal portion of NS3, which cleaves autocatalytically between NS2 and NS3, and the other (Cpro-2), located solely in the N-terminal portion of NS3, cleaves the other sites downstream NS3 (Bartenschalger et al., 1995; Hijikata et al., 1993).
One of the characteristics of HCV is its high degree of genetic heterogeneity in vivo, manifested both in the generation of viral quasi-species and in the continuous emergence of neutralization escape mutants (Shimizu et alk., 1994). This poses an obstacle to the development of a broadly reactive HCV vaccine based on antibody reactivity to the envelope glycoproteins (Chien et al., 1993).
Although alpha interferon has been shown to be useful for delaying the development of HCC in chronically infected HCV patients (Nishiguchi et al., 1995), a highly effective therapeutic agent has not yet been developed to control this important infection and to prevent HCC development. For these reasons, there is a considerable need for the development of a detailed understanding of HCV proteins, which should clarify the mechanisms by which HCV induces hepatocyte transformation. Such an understanding may lead to effective means to treat or control the infection, as well as aid in the diagnosis of HCV infection in humans.

Nucleic acids and new polypeptides associated with and/or overlapping with hepatitis C virus core gene products


Provided herein are methods for the treatment of type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or obesity, or of appetite suppression, or for mitigating insulin resistance, or for reducing an undesirably high fasting serum glucose level, or for reducing an undesirably high peak serum glucose level, or for reducing an undesirably high peak serum insulin level, or for reducing an undesirably large response to a glucose tolerance test in synergistic combination with metformin. Treatment is effected with a combination therapy of metformin and a peptide with a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 17, SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22, SEQ ID NO: 23, and SEQ ID NO: 24 administered to a patient.

Field of the Invention
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to mimetics of calcitonin, and more particularly to their use in the treatment of various diseases and disorders, including, but not limited to diabetes (Type I and Type II), excess bodyweight, excessive food consumption and metabolic syndrome, the regulation of blood glucose levels, the regulation of response to glucose tolerance tests, the regulation of food intake, the treatment of osteoporosis and the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Description of the Related Art
Worldwide, there are about 250 million diabetics and the number is projected to double in the next two decades. Over 90% of this population suffers from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is estimated that only 50-60% of persons affected with T2DM or in stages preceding overt T2DM are currently diagnosed. T2DM is a heterogeneous disease characterized by abnormalities in carbohydrate and fat metabolism. The causes of T2DM are multi-factorial and include both genetic and environmental elements that affect β-cell function and insulin sensitivity in tissues such as muscle, liver, pancreas and adipose tissue. As a consequence impaired insulin secretion is observed and paralleled by a progressive decline in β-cell function and chronic insulin resistance. The inability of the endocrine pancreas to compensate for peripheral insulin resistance leads to hyperglycaemia and onset of clinical diabetes. Tissue resistance to insulin-mediated glucose uptake is now recognized as a major pathophysiologic determinant of T2DM. Type I diabetes is characterised by a loss of the ability to produce insulin in response to food intake and hence an inability to regulate blood glucose to a normal physiological level.
A successful criterion for an optimal T2DM intervention is the lowering of blood glucose levels, which can be both chronic lowering of blood glucose levels and increased ability to tolerate high glucose levels after food intake, described by lower peak glucose levels and faster clearance. Both of these situations exert less strain on β-cell insulin output and function.
The physical structure of bone may be compromised by a variety of factors, including disease and injury. One of the most common bone diseases is osteoporosis, which is characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures, particularly of the hip, spine and wrist. Osteoporosis develops when there is an imbalance such that the rate of bone resorption exceeds the rate of bone formation. Administering an effective amount of an anti-resorptive agent, such as calcitonin, has shown to prevent resorption of bone.
Inflammatory or degenerative diseases, including diseases of the joints, e.g. osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), and including inflammation that results from autoimmune response, e.g. lupus, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or multiple sclerosis (MS), can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. Cartilage that covers and cushions bone within joints may become degraded over time thus undesirably permitting direct contact of two bones that can limit motion of one bone relative to the other and/or cause damage to one by the other during motion of the joint. Subchondral bone just beneath the cartilage may also degrade. Administering an effective amount of an anti-resorptive agent, such as calcitonin, may prevent resorption of bone.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Peptide analogs for treating diseases and disorders


A method of synthesizing a control system which provides for ideal properties of zero error in both transient and steady state with respect to both input command and external disturbance in an inherently adaptive/self-tuning manner as no parameters of the object under the control are needed to be known wherein the control system utilizes a Control Basic Building Block (CBBB) consisting of an inner positive voltage feedback loop within an outer negative voltage feedback loop incorporating prescribed stabilization circuits for maintaining system stability.

In control system theory and practice it is of interest to provide as good control as possible in terms of providing as small error as possible with respect to both input command and external disturbance. As ultimate control should result in a zero error in both transient and steady state. Furthermore, the control algorithm should ultimately provide for an adaptive/self-tuning control system operation because the parameters of the system under the control may in general change, as it often happens in practice. Clearly, none of the presently known control techniques and/or algorithm provide for such an ultimate control and in such an ultimate manner except the synthesis methods described in the U.S. patents of these two same inventors which provide some of the ideal properties described above for some classes of the systems under the control. The referred U.S. patents are U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,674 of December 1989 ("Synthesis of Load-Independent Switch-Mode Power Converters"), U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,134 of October 1990 ("Synthesis of Load-Independent AC Drive Systems"), U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,174 of November 1990 ("Parameter-Free Synthesis of Zero-Impedance Converter"), U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,620 of December 1990 ("Current-Free Synthesis of Parameter-Free Zero-Impedance Converter"), U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,001 of February 1991 ("Synthesis of Drive Systems of Infinite Disturbance Rejection Ratio and Zero-Dynamics/Instantaneous Response"), U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,770 of March 1991 ("Synthesis of Improved Zero-Impedance Converter"), U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,998 of May 1991 ("Synthesis of Zero-Impedance Converter"), U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,125 of May 1991 ("Synthesis of Load-Impedance DC Drive System"), U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,958 of May 1991 ("Generalized Synthesis of Control Systems of Zero-Order/Instantaneous Response and Infinite Disturbance Rejection Ratio"), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,872 of July 1991 ("Current-Free Synthesis of Improved Parameter-Free Zero-Impedance Converter"). While the U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,958 above describes a generalized synthesis method based on a state-space approach, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,885,674, 4,967,134, 4,973,174, 4,990,001, 5,001,770, 5,013,998, and 5,020,125 describe synthesis methods based on algorithms incorporating both current feedback loop and voltage feedback loops, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,980,620 and 5,034,872 describe synthesis methods based on algorithms using three voltage feedback loops.


A surgical head clamp is provided including an essentially U-shaped retaining clip (1) with two holder arms (3, 4), running towards the same side in the plane thereof at the ends of a connecting bar (2). The arm ends (5, 6) of the holder arms have mandrel holders (11) mounted adjustably in bearings that are coaxial to one another. The mandrel holders may be provided with one or more said holding mandrels (12), whereby a first mandrel holder is pivotably fastened at a bearing part (15) of the one arm end (6), which bearing part is adjustable around a common bearing shaft (9), and a second mandrel holder (11) can be adjusted by means of a threaded spindle (10) in a bearing bore (7) of the other said arm end (5). The second mandrel holder (11) includes a guide shank (50) that is provided with a socket bore (54) on the front side, which is mounted coaxially to the bearing shaft (9) in a spring-mounted manner in a axial bore (61) of the threaded spindle (10). The threaded spindle (10) is provided with an external thread and is adjustably mounted in a smooth cylindrical bearing bore (7) of the other arm end (3). The external thread is embodied as a ball thread (23), which has an arcuate-segment profile, with which two balls (24, 25) mesh as contact elements. The balls are arranged in a diametrically opposed, axially fixed manner in the wall (28) of the bearing bore (7) and are held in contact with the ball thread (23) by an adjustable locking lever (35) in the locked position thereof, and which can be brought out of contact with the threaded spindle (10) in another position in order to make the threaded spindle (10) freely displaceable in its said bearing bore (7).

A head or skull clamp of this type, in which the one holder arm has a two-arm mandrel holder, which is rotatable in an axial bore of the holder arm by means of a special bearing device and can be fixed in different rotated positions, has already become known from DE 694 11 621 T2 (=EP 0 623 318 B1). The two-arm mandrel holder is mounted in a fork-shaped holding device to pivot about a pivot axis running transversely to the bearing shaft.
A single mandrel opposing the two-arm mandrel holder is mounted in a threaded spindle, which is inserted in the opposite holder arm coaxially to the bearing shaft of the two-arm mandrel holder. The threaded spindle can be adjusted axially by rotating by means of a rotary knob designed as a knurled disk, such that the distance of this single mandrel from the two mandrels of the two-arm mandrel holder is variable and can be adjusted to the patient's head to be fixed in each case. The single mandrel can be mounted in a spring-mounted manner in the threaded spindle in the axial direction.
In this prior-art head clamp, the connecting bar connecting the two holder arms, lying in a common plane, has a two-part design and can be lengthened or shortened in its direction of extension, such that a coarse change in distance is possible between the single mandrel and the two mandrels of the two-arm mandrel holder.
A bracket provided with a toothed ring, by means of which the entire head clamp can be fastened at a frame in various pivoting positions, is provided at one part of the connecting bar. In this case, the axis of the toothed ring, about which the entire head clamp can be pivoted and fixed in the one or other pivoting direction, runs at right angles to the common bearing shaft of the threaded spindle and of the bearing of the two-arm mandrel holder.
However, it has arisen in practice that two-arm mandrel holders on the top side opposite the single mandrel are not optimal for all applications, and that the two-part design of the connecting bar, by means of which the coarse distance adjustment can be made, brings with it an awkward handling as well, which requires improvement.
Other head clamps have also become known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,835,861, 4,169,478 and 5,254,079. In these as well, only one two-arm mandrel holder is provided on the side opposite the single mandrel, respectively. The connecting bar has a two-part design for the coarse distance adjustment. In this case, a part of the connecting bar is provided with sawtooth-like locking teeth, with which a locking member provided with locking teeth, meshes in a spring-mounted, detachably locking manner.
In all these head clamps, the mandrel holder of the single mandrel is mounted in the cylindrical cavity of a threaded spindle in the form of a piston that is displaceable against spring pressure and is provided on the front side with a socket bore for receiving the single mandrel. On the front side facing away from the single mandrel, a stop screw is screwed into the holder shank, whose head with a supporting disk lies against the front surface of a knurled gripping part. Thus, an axial quick adjustment with abolishing of the threaded contact is not possible.
Head clamps, in which the hollow spindles, into which the mandrel holders are axially displaceably mounted against spring pressure by means of threaded contacts, have external locking teeth, with which detachable locking elements mesh in a fixed manner, have become known from DE 197 18 535 C2 and DE 20 2004 006 726 U1. By loosening the locking elements, the hollow spindles are freely displaceable in their bearing bores.

Gottfried Storz Medizintechnik GmbH & Co. KG


A retaining ring for use with a shaft is provided. The retaining ring is in shape of a thin plate and includes a plurality of pedal-like portions with any two adjacent pedal-like portion being connected to each other by a deformable connection portion. The plurality of pedal-like portions defines a channel at the center of the retaining ring for passage of the shaft. As the shaft enters the channel, the connection portion deforms in response.

As well known in the arts, a precision motor is usually provided in a data reading apparatus, e.g. a compact disc player. In general, this motor, as shown in FIG. 1, includes rotor members and stator members. The rotor members include a shaft 10, a rotor 12 and the magnet 14 therein. During operation, above mentioned three members proceed the high speed rotation along the axis of the shaft 10. The stator members include the coils 16, a base plate 17, a circuit board 18, a bush 19, a rear cap 15 and a pivot plate 13.
During operation of the motor, to prevent the detachment of rotor from the stator, in general, a retaining ring 11 is provided at the end of the shaft 10. This retaining ring 11 may attach to the shaft 10 by press fit relationship. Or, alternatively, by an engagement approach, the retaining ring 11 is engaged with a corresponding groove on the shaft 10.
Typically, the aforementioned shaft 10, rotor 12, magnet 14, coils 16, base plate 17, circuit board 18, bush 19 are first assembled together. Afterwards, the retaining ring 11 is disposed at the end of the rotor. In succession, the rear cap 15 is assembled to the pivot plate 13 such that the rear cap 15 is in press-fit with the base plate 17.
The retaining ring 11 may be in form of "C" shape with a narrow slot thereon. Alternatively, the retaining ring 11 may be in form of a press-fit closed ring. Due to the existence of the retaining ring 11 touching against the bushing 19 as the shaft 10 is pulled by an external force, the shaft 10 will not be pulled out of the motor. However, the retaining ring 11 is in high speed rotation together with the shaft 10. Therefore, should a small amount of eccentric phenomenon with regard to the weight distribution of the retaining ring 11 exists, adverse effect is imposed over the high speed rotation of the shaft 10.


The present disclosure relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a brain disease, more particularly to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a brain disease, which contains a miR-485-3p inhibitor, and a method for screening an agent for preventing or treating a brain disease, which includes a step of measuring the expression level of miR-485-3p. Because the composition for treating a brain disease, which contains a miR-485-3p inhibitor, can restore the ELAVL2 protein unlike the exiting therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's disease, which are limited only to alleviating symptoms by inducing decreased expression of amyloid beta 42, the present disclosure can fundamentally treat various diseases caused by decreased expression of ELAVL2, such as Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, mental retardation, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, etc. Therefore, the present disclosure is useful for treating brain diseases including Alzheimer's disease fundamentally.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. 75% of patients with dementia have Alzheimer's disease. In most cases, Alzheimer's disease begins in people over 65 years of age, although it can occur earlier in rare cases. In the United States, about 3% of the population aged 65-74 years, about 19% of the population aged 75-84 years, and 50% of the population aged over 85 years suffer from this disease. In Korea, according to a recently reported study on a rural region, about 21% of the population aged over 60 years in the rural region showed dementia, and 63% of them had Alzheimer's dementia. In 2006, 266,000 people around the world had the disease. It is expected that the disease will occur in one out of every 85 people in 2050.
The treatment of Alzheimer's disease has recently focused on the fact that Alzheimer's disease may be caused by impaired cholinergic signaling and transmission in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus (Bartus et al., Science. 217(4558): 408-14 (1982) and Coyle et al., Science. 219(4589): 1184-90 (1983)).
Because these regions of the brain are associated with memory and intelligence, functional deficit in these regions may cause loss of memory and intelligence. Although the process of impairment in neuronal signaling is still controversial, senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) are considered as main pathological causes.
In particular, development of senile plaques due to the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) is a notable feature of this disease, and Alzheimer's disease can be confirmed by post-mortem examination (Khachaturian, Arch. Neurol. 42(11): 1097-105 (1985)).
As a way of treating Alzheimer's disease, a method of increasing the amount of acetylcholine to inhibit the impairment of cholinergic signaling or causing acetylcholine to act more effectively on transmission of neuronal cells has been proposed. Thus, patients with Alzheimer's disease use a variety of compounds for increasing the activity of acetylcholine.
Currently, the most effective way is to rapidly decompose acetylcholine in synapses, thus inhibiting the activity of acetylcholinesterase that prevents neuronal signaling. These inhibitors (e.g., tacrine, donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine) are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are currently available on the market as Alzheimer's disease medications. Despite their effectiveness in preventing further destructive progress of this disease, they are not used to cure the disease.
Some compounds are aimed at improving the general state of neurons and maintaining aged cells in good function. For example, some drugs such as NGF or estrogen act as neuroprotecting agents to delay neurodegeneration, and other drugs such as antioxidants decrease cell damage caused by oxidation of cells resulting from normal aging.
Alzheimer's disease becomes serious as the amyloid beta peptide is accumulated in the neuritic space. It is thought that the progress of Alzheimer's disease can be delayed by reducing the accumulation of amyloid beta. In addition, amyloid precursor protein (APP) is considered to play a role in combination with proteinases in cells, such as α-, β- and γ-secretases. However, because the process of amyloid beta formation has not been fully elucidated scientifically, it is not yet possible to control the formation of amyloid beta.
It is not certain how the accumulation of amyloid beta acts on neuronal signaling. Abnormally cleaved APP induces amyloid beta generation, and plaque formation is induced by the accumulation of amyloid beta in the neuritic space. Thus, various factors involved in this cleavage reaction (e.g., inflammation reaction, etc.) increase the phosphorylation of tau protein, and also increase the accumulation of paired helical filaments (PHF) in combination with NFT, resulting in damage to the nerve. All these factors induce dysfunction of the nerve and, ultimately, accelerates the progress of Alzheimer's disease to dementia.
ELAVL2, or ELAVL-like neuron-specific RNA binding protein 2, is a type of nELAVL2. nELAVL2 is an RNA-binding protein expressed specifically in the brain and is known to be associated with neurodegenerative diseases. As a result of conducting high-throughput RNA sequencing using brain tissue after post-mortem of patients with Alzheimer's disease, it was found out that ELAVL2 was expressed with low levels.
In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,219 discloses a composition for treating Alzheimer's disease containing 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone, etc., U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,097 discloses a composition for treating Alzheimer's disease containing para-amidinophenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride or ebelactone A, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,861 discloses a composition for treating Alzheimer's disease containing bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane.
Recently, the development of therapeutic agents using a microRNA inhibitor is being attempted. WO 2013/045652 (Apr. 4, 2013) discloses a treatment of epilepsy using a miR-134 inhibitor, and WO 2015/025995 (Feb. 26, 2015) discloses treatment of epilepsy using a miR-203 inhibitor. In addition, European Patent Registration No. 2436784 (Sep. 11, 2013) discloses diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer using miR-203.
Although the development of therapeutic methods to reduce the effect of Alzheimer's disease is carried out actively, temporary improvement of symptoms is the current strategy. In conclusion, the current treatment of Alzheimer's disease is just focused on improvement of symptoms instead of slowing or reversing the progress of the disease. Despite the biological knowledge about the disease, clinical application is still not successful.
Thus, the inventors of the present disclosure have made efforts to develop an agent for preventing or treating brain diseases including Alzheimer's disease. As a result, they have confirmed that the inhibition of miR-485-3p expression or the inhibition of interaction between miR-485-3p and ELAVL2 leads to inhibition of A1342 production, inhibition of APP expression or inhibition of tau protein phosphorylation, thereby being useful in treating brain diseases, and have completed the present disclosure.
The information described in the Background section is only to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and the information forming the prior art already known to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs may not be included.

Uses for prevention or treatment of brain diseases using microRNA


The SRAM cell 1 includes inverters 10, 20, N-type FETs (Field Effect Transistors) 32, 34, 36, 38, word lines 42, 44, and bit lines 46, 48. A gate width W2 and gate length L2 of the FETs 32, 34, 36, 38 are equal to a gate width W3 and gate length L3 of the FETs 12, 22, respectively. In particular, in this embodiment, a gate width W4 and gate length L4 of the FETs 14, 24 are also equal to W2 (=W3) and L2 (=L3), respectively. Namely, the SRAM cell 1 is designed in such a manner that W2=W3=W4, and L2=L3=L4.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor storage device.
2. Related Art
Semiconductor storage devices of the related art are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H11-7776. As shown in FIG. 5, the semiconductor storage device disclosed in the same document is equipped with an SRAM cell constructed from six transistors 101 to 106. Namely, in addition to four transistors 101 to 104 constituting a latch circuit, the SRAM cell also has two pass transistors 105, 106 provided between the latch circuit and bit lines on either side. Further, a semiconductor storage device with pass transistors provided doubly is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H8-7574.
Typically, in a SRAM cell, in order to obtain the necessary cell ratio, it has been necessary to carry out design in such a manner that the power (current-drive power) of pass transistors is lower than that of drive transistors, namely, N-type FETs (Field Effect Transistors) constituting a latch circuit. Here, "cell ratio" is the power ratio of a drive transistor and a pass transistor. Adjustment of the cell ratio can be carried out, for example, by adjusting the threshold voltages of these transistors. However, in this case it is necessary to introduce impurities under different conditions for a pass transistor and a drive transistor and manufacture of a semiconductor storage device therefore becomes complex.
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, adjustment of the cell ratio can be carried out by adjusting the gate length and the gate width of these transistors. The same drawing is a plan view of the SRAM cell corresponding to the circuit of FIG. 5. In the same drawing, a gate length L2 of the pass transistors 105, 106 is designed to be larger than a gate length L3 of the drive transistors 102, 104. Further, a gate width W2 of the pass transistors 105, 106 is designed to be smaller than a gate width W3 of the drive transistors 102, 104.


A method of limiting the spread of the norovirus within a cruise ship comprising: identifying a surface within a common area of a cruise ship that passengers are likely to touch; and applying a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof to the surface. The common area can be an elevator and the surface an elevator button. The common area can be a stairway and the surface a handrail. The common area can be a casino. The common area can be a dining room. The common area can be a walkway and the surface a handrail. The silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof can be 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride. Applying the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof to the surface comprises applying a solution including the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof and a solvent.

The norovirus is a virus that causes gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which includes the stomach and the small intestine. Symptoms of gastroenteritis include stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Norovirus spreads very quickly and easily, including by touching objects that have the norovirus present.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of outbreaks of gastroenteritis on cruise ships has increased since 2001, because of increased presence of the norovirus. The CDC even has implemented a Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) to help cruise ships curtail outbreaks of gastroenteritis. Despite this effort, twelve cruise ships reported an outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by the norovirus in 2015. Eleven cruise ships similarly reported in 2016.
After some outbreaks, the cruise ship may undertake extensive cleaning and disinfecting. The cruise ship owners bear the cost of the cleaning and disinfecting as well as the down time.

Method of limiting the spread of norovirus within a cruise ship


An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium and includes: A mechanically oscillatable unit, which executes mechanical oscillations in a direction and which is secured at a seating. Included is an exciting/receiving unit, which excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to mechanical oscillations and which receives the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit; and a control/evaluation unit, which controls the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit and which determines and/or monitors the process variable. At least one compensating mass is provided, which is mechanically coupled with the mechanically oscillatable unit and which is embodied and/or secured in such a manner that it executes mechanical oscillations in a direction, wherein the direction of the oscillations of the compensating mass are essentially perpendicular to the direction of the oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit.

Such apparatus includes typically a mechanically oscillatable unit which executes mechanical oscillations in at least one direction and which is secured at a seating; an exciting/receiving unit which excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations and which receives the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit; and a control/evaluation unit which controls the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit and which, with the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit, determines, i.e. ascertains, and/or monitors the process variable. The process variable can be, for example, a fill level, or, in the case of liquids as the medium, also, e.g. density or viscosity. Other process variables are, however, likewise possible.
Such an apparatus is disclosed, for example, in patent DE 39 31 453 C1. The principle of measurement of the fill level with such measuring devices is that the oscillations of a mechanically oscillatable unit, e.g. an oscillatory fork, depend on whether the unit is covered by the medium or not. The covering decreases e.g. the amplitude. Conversely, when the amplitude increases, it can be concluded that the medium has fallen below the fill level, as determined by the dimensions of the sensor and the location of the installation. Simultaneously, in the case of covering, however, the density and viscosity of the medium can also be determined. For this it is, e.g., necessary to evaluate, besides amplitude and frequency, also the phase between the exciting signal and the received (response-)signal.
The mechanically oscillatable units are usually so constructed that, as much as possible, no reaction forces and moments arise in the region of the seating (usually involving a membrane, or diaphragm) of the mechanically oscillatable unit on the measuring device. This can usually be accomplished in the case of the above-mentioned oscillatory fork by providing both oscillatory rods with equal mass moments of inertia and stiffnesses, especially thus both tines should be secured equally and as much as possible symmetrically on the membrane. If both tines oscillate with opposite sense with reference to one another, then the forces and moments exactly cancel and no reaction forces and moments act on the seating, respectively on the membrane. In this way, preventing oscillatory energy lost through the seating is prevented. Problematic, however, is the case in which the oscillatory rods are not arranged perpendicularly on the seating, but instead are slightly inclined away from, or toward, one another. The oscillatory fork is thus, quasi, spread apart or pressed together. In this case, axial forces arise parallel to the axis of symmetry of the tines. Since these forces are directed in the same direction, they do not cancel, but instead act on the seating and are consequently coupled to the environment, a fact which can lead to a loss of energy.

Apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable


A self-righting tee ball stand with a base, an adjustable length ball support stanchion and a flex connector joining the base and stanchion to easily yield when the stanchion is struck and to cause the stanchion to return to an upright orientation. The flex connector includes a two-piece rigid outer housing containing a helical spring encased in a cylindrical bellows.

This invention relates to a tee ball stand. More specifically, this invention relates to a tee ball stand which is self-righting to a vertical orientation in the event the ball holding structure is inadvertently struck instead of the ball itself.
Tee ball stands are characteristically used in the process of teaching young children to hit a ball with a bat. A ball is placed on the end of a pole near the youngster who can then strike at the stationary ball by swinging a bat instead of the more difficult task of attempting to hit a moving ball. With limited experience or limited coordination, the youngster may occasionally strike the pole holding the ball, rather than the ball itself. This can be expected as part of the learning process. As a result, various solutions have been proposed for the safety of the child and for repositioning the tee ball stand in the event of inadvertent and errant bat swings.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,045,462, 6,551,204 and 7,226,372 all relate to either flexure or tilting of the vertical ball support pole by some yielding mechanism. Owen U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,307 discloses a helical spring as a shock absorbing element which directly connects the base and the ball support pole of the tee ball stand.
In practice, however, the latter mentioned solution suffers from a number of drawbacks for young children. With the spring member of Owen directly interposed in the ball support member as a shock absorbing element, it is too strong to effectively yield when struck by a bat wielded by a youngster who will still feel the shock of impact through the bat. If, on the other hand, the spring member of Owen is a weaker spring so the youngster will not feel the shock of impact, then the spring will not serve to be self-righting when struck by an errant bat swing.
Therefore, a need remains in the field of youth sports for a safe tee ball stand that will easily yield when struck and still be self-righting in such situations. The primary objective of this invention is to meet this need.


An apparatus and method to reinforce doors against windstorm. The apparatus includes a bar, and at least one bar bracket with a bar aperture sized to admit the bar, at least one pair of opposed ears, and an ear aperture in each ear. At least one bar bracket is mounted to an existing door hinge using a bracket fastener through a pair of ear apertures and a hinge bore in the hinge. Shims may be installed between the bar and the door and/or wall. The method includes the steps of removing a hinge pin from an existing hinge, positioning a bar bracket on the hinge such that the hinge is disposed between a pair of ears, inserting a bracket fastener through the ear bores and the hinge bore, and inserting a bar through at least one bar aperture. The bar may then be shimmed in place.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to door reinforcements, and in particular to an apparatus and method to reinforce doors against windstorm.
2. Background of the Invention
Windstorms cause huge amounts of damage to buildings every year. These windstorms may be hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, or other meteorological phenomena which give rise to winds sufficiently high so as to endanger structures.
An important strategy in the fight against windstorm damage is to prevent breach of the building itself. Breaches may occur through windows or doors, or other vulnerable building feature, and allow wind to enter the structure. If wind forces its way into a structure, it can cause high enough internal building pressure so as to literally blow the roof off the building. Another possibility is that the high pressure inside a building caused by a building breach can blow out windows or building doors.
The loss of part or all of a roof, doors, and/or windows creates a path for the entry of rain, which may be driven virtually horizontally due to the high winds associated with windstorms. This rain can cause extensive water damage in the interior of a structure, and is an undesirable side effect of the initial breach. Thus, while an initial breach through a door or window may be relatively minor, it can be the first link in a chain of events which culminates in catastrophic damage to the structure itself, including but riot limited to extensive water damage, loss of roof, and eventually, even building collapse.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method to reinforce doors against windstorm, whereby an initial breach through the door, along with attendant undesirable side effects, may be avoided.

Apparatus and method to reinforce doors against windstorm


A process for producing a roux-like binding agent for foodstuffs. Fine particles of farinaceous material are transported into an enclosed particle coating zone where a molten, high-melting point fat is sprayed, in the form of fine droplets, onto the particles to coat them. At the same time, the coated particles are cooled to a temperature below the melting point of the fat using chilled gas. The coated particles are flowable and disperse readily in hot water.

Binding agents or, as they are sometimes known, thickeners form the base of many dried food products such as sauces, soups and gravies. These dried food products usually contain other ingredients such as dried vegetables, meat extracts, yeast extracts, sugars, salt, fats, oils and the like but it is the binding agent that usually gives the food, once re-hydrated, its consistency and creamy sensory appeal. The idea is for the binding agent to simulate the roux used in traditional cooking.
Like roux, the binding agents are usually prepared from a starch material and a fat. The starch material is usually in the form of a flour of some sort; particularly wheat flour although other flours are used. Now-a-days the fat is usually a hardened vegetable fat. The starch material and the fat are combined, often dehydrated, and then added to the remaining ingredients of the dried food product. However, severe problems have arisen in providing a binding agent which, when hot water is stirred into the dried food product, does not result in lumping or clumping. If the product is intended as an "instant food", it is important that the dried food product re-hydrate rapidly upon the addition of hot water without lumping or clumping.
The problem was addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,824. This patent describes a process in which a high melting point fat is first heated to above its melting point (for example to 70.degree. C.). A flour is then mixed in to provide a dough containing about 55% to 80% flour. The dough is then transported to a cooling tank where it is allowed to cool under controlled conditions. In particular, the dough undergoes cooling so that a constant temperature decrease occurs at least while the dough is at a temperature between 35.degree. C. and 15.degree. C. Cooling in this manner causes the fats to undergo crystal structure modifications and results in a product which contains less than 50% liquid fat when at a temperature of 20 to 35.degree. C. The cooled dough is then run through a cooling roller to form it into a thin sheet. The dough is then scraped off in the form of flakes. The flakes are then added to dried foodstuffs as the binding agent. The binding agents produced by this process provide the dried foodstuffs with good re-hydration properties. However, the binding agents contain relatively high amounts of fatty material in order for them to be processed through the cooling roller. In certain cases, for example if the binding agent is to be used for low fat products, this may be disadvantageous.
Another approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,551. This patent describes a process in which a high melting point fat is heated to melt it and the melt is then mixed with a starch material, particularly wheat flour, to form a homogeneous dough. A small amount of water is then mixed in. The dough is then heated to a temperature above 90.degree. C. and maintained at the elevated temperature, under continuous mixing, until the moisture content reduces to below 7%. The dough is then cooled to room temperature and ground up to form a free-flowing, dehydrated, binding agent. The binding agent is described to disperse readily in boiling water without the formation of lumps. The disadvantage of this process is that it requires heating to above 90.degree. C., in many cases for long periods. This makes the process expensive.
Yet another process is described in British patent 1478843. In the process described in this patent, an agglomerated starch is coated with an edible fat of high melting point in a planetary mixer or bowl chopper. The process has the advantage of being simple and no heating or cooling is required. Also the fat content of the binding agent may be low; for example about 20% by weight. However the binding agent is not made up of well formed particles and the flowability of the binding agent is low.
Therefore there is a need for a binding agent for foodstuffs which is flowable, readily dispersible in water, which may contain relatively low amounts of fatty materials, and which may be produced by a process not requiring the use of high temperatures.


The present invention refers to non-human transgenic mammals, preferably rodents, or mice, which comprise a mutation in the gene encoding for the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2).

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT; OMIM: 604772) is a highly malignant cardiac disease manifesting in childhood and adolescence. It is characterised by adrenergically-mediated bidirectional or polymorphic ventricular tachycardia leading to syncope and/or sudden cardiac death1, 2. Based on previously reported linkage data that had mapped the disease to chromosome 1q42-433, we reported that the gene for the autosomal dominant variant of CPVT was RyR2; i.e. the gene encoding for the cardiac isoform of the ryanodine receptor4. The first family in which a RyR2 mutation was identified was affected by a highly malignant form of the disease that was resistant to beta-blockers; the mutation present in the family (R4497C) is a hot spot that we subsequently identified in other CPVT patients unrelated to the first kindred. The R4497C mutation has been extensively investigated in different in vitro models that demonstrated that it causes abnormal release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum5-8. It has been therefore inferred that arrhythmias may develop as a consequence of this defect of intracellular calcium handling. However, experimental evidence linking this mutation to the development of life threatening arrhythmias is still lacking. The cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) is a large tetrameric intracellular calcium (Ca2+) release channel located in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) that has a pivotal role in excitation-contraction coupling. In response to a small intracellular Ca2+ influx through the L-type voltage dependent Ca2+ channels, RyR2 releases from the SR the large amount of Ca2+ that is needed to elicit contraction of the cardiac cell. However, in addition to such a tightly regulated physiological process, RyR2 may also release Ca2+ in response to SR and luminal calcium overload, which may occur under pathological conditions such as physical and emotional stress, digitalis toxicity and heart failure. In such instances RyR2 may become a crucial player for the development of life-threatening arrhythmias.
Previously, we reported that mutations in the gene encoding for RyR2 cause the autosomal dominant form of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT)4. Shortly after, other groups confirmed this finding and reported novel RyR2 mutations in patients affected by CPVT9. More than 20 RyR2 mutations have been reported in the literature10.
The first mutation that we identified in an Italian CPVT family leads to the replacement of arginine at position 4497 with a cysteine. Since this mutation was associated with a very typical CPVT phenotype it has been selected by several authors for their in vitro studies aimed at the functional characterization of RyR2 mutants. Jiang, D. et al., in6 were the first to investigate the R4496C mouse equivalent of the R4497C human mutation. They suggested that when expressed in HEK293 cells the mutation enhances the basal channel activity and the propensity for spontaneous calcium release at rest and in response to caffeine. More recently, the same authors further elaborated their results and proposed that the R44967C (or its murine homolog R4496C), as well as other RyR2 mutations identified in CPVT families, increase the sensitivity of RyR2 channels to luminal [Ca2+] thus facilitating the spontaneous release of Ca2+ from the SR5. George et al7 investigated the same mutation by expression in HL-1 cardiac myocytes. At variance with what was suggested by Jiang et at5 based on their studies in HEK 293 cells, George et al.7 reported that the R4496C mutant presents no enhancement of basal activity but they confirmed that after exposure to the RyR agonist caffeine or to beta adrenergic stimulation, calcium release was significantly augmented in the mutant channels. George et al also showed that the dissociation of the FKBP12.6 protein from the mutant was similar to that observed in the WT RyR2 thus challenging the hypothesis advanced by Wehrens et al8 who proposed that the enhanced calcium release observed in the mutant during beta adrenergic stimulation was caused by the excessive dissociation of the RyR2:FKBP12.6 complex. Overall, although disagreement exists on the mechanisms by which the R4496C mutation sensitizes the RyR2 channel to agonists, three independent groups have confirmed that upon caffeine and beta adrenergic stimulation RyR2R4496C channels respond with an augmented calcium release.
The large amount of data reported in the last few years suggest that RyR2-R4497C (or its murine homolog R4496C) is a kind of prototype among RyR2 mutation very suitable to study the mechanisms cardiac arrhythmias due to intracellular Ca2+ handling abnormalities.
Here we report on a conditional knock-in mouse model carrier of the R4496C mutation that is the mouse equivalent of the human mutation R4497C. The aim of the present work is to generate an animal model of CPVT allowing to better characterize the clinical phenotype, the pathogenetic mechanisms and to gather insights on possible novel therapies of CPVT and RyR2-mediated arrhythmogenesis in general.

Transgenic animal model for catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) and use thereof

Abstract: Transgenic animals carrying the amino acid change R4496C in the RyR2 protein show a phenotype similar to that of Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT) (OMIM: 604772). Further provided are methods for using these animals as in vivo model of Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia and RyR2 dependent arrhythmias, in drug screening and for understanding the molecular basis of RyR2 dependent arrhythmias.


High quality factor (Q) spiral and toroidal inductor and transformer are disclosed that are compatible with silicon very large scale integration (VLSI) processing, consume a small IC area, and operate at high frequencies. The spiral inductor has a spiral metal coil deposited in a trench formed in a dielectric layer over a substrate. The metal coil is enclosed in ferromagnetic liner and cap layers, and is connected to an underpass contact through a metal filled via in the dielectric layer. The spiral inductor also includes ferromagnetic cores lines surrounded by the metal spiral coil. A spiral transformer is formed by vertically stacking two spiral inductors, or placing them side-by-side over a ferromagnetic bridge formed below the metal coils and cores lines. The toroidal inductor includes a toroidal metal coil with a core having ferromagnetic strips. The toroidal metal coil is segmented into two coils each having a pair of ports to form a toroidal transformer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to integrated circuit inductors and transformers, and methods for making thereof, and more particularly, to spiral and toroidal inductors and transformers having high quality factor Q.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many digital and analog components and circuits have been successfully implemented in silicon (Si) based integrated circuits (ICs). Such components include passive devices, such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
Implementing high quality factor (Q) inductors that operate at high radio frequencies (RFs) remain problematic in silicon based very large scale integration (VLSI) IC semiconductor chips. For microwave and wireless communications applications, it is desirable to integrate inductors and transformers monolithically on bulk silicon (Si), silicon-on-insulator (SOI), or silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) chips. For these applications, considerable innovation is necessary before adequate values of inductance (L), as well as high quality-factor (Q), are obtained. The quality-factor (Q) is given by equation (1): EQU Q=.omega..sub.0 L/R (1)
where,
.omega..sub.0 =center or resonant angular frequency of oscillation; PA1 L=inductance; and PA1 R=resistance. PA1 1. R. Naster et al., "Method for Fabricating Silicon-on-Sapphire Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits", U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,470 (1983); PA1 2. R. Stengel and C. Nejdl, "Planar Inductors", U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,100 (1985); PA1 3. R. Scranton and D. Thompson, "Capacitive Sensing Employing Thin Film Inductors", U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,087 (1987); PA1 4. J. Bhagat, "Miniature Inductor for Integrated Circuits and Devices", U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,317 (1991); PA1 5. N. Andoh et al., "Inductive Structures for Semiconductor Integrated Circuits", U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,357 (1992); PA1 6. A. Hubbard, "Integrated Circuit Inductor", U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,659 (1993); PA1 7. I. Saadat and M. Thomas, "Process for Making Microcomponents Integrated Circuits", U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,988 (1994); and PA1 8. C. Ahn et al., "A Fully Integrated Planar Toroidal Inductor with a Micromachined Nickel Iron Magnetic Bar", IEEE Trans. Compon. Packag. Manuf. Technol. A 17,463 (1994).
Most structures and methods used for fabricating high Q inductors and transformers in hybrid circuits, monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), or discrete applications (e.g., at larger dimensions, with better metals, on lossless substrates, etc.) are not readily compatible with silicon VLSI processing. The following references discuss conventional high Q inductor fabrication methods:
Conventional inductors and transformers on silicon, which have strictly planar structures and are fabricated with conventional silicon fabrication processes and material, suffer from several limitations. First, conventional aluminum interconnect technology has a relatively high metal resistivity and limited metal thickness, both of which lead to a relatively high resistance of the spiral coil. The high resistivity R lowers the quality factor Q, as seen from equation (1). Second, magnetic fields are strongly coupled to the Si substrate, which is a lossy conductor with large skin depth. Induced currents in the Si substrate act to oppose those in the spiral coil of the inductor and thus reduce the inductance L. Furthermore, energy is dissipated by the high resistivity of the Si substrate, which further decreases the quality-factor Q.
To date, Q values for inductors made by conventional methods are significantly below those achievable on a printed circuit board, or on gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates with gold (Au) metalization. Another problem is that high inductance values (L), as are required in RF chokes for example, require a large silicon chip area. The large area requirement prevents miniaturization of chips. In addition, physically large RF chokes cannot operate at high frequencies, where the short wavelengths necessitates physically small and miniature components.
To overcome some of the limitations of spiral inductors, toroidal inductors are used. Conventional multilevel interconnect technology allows fabrication of solenoidal or toroidal inductor structures instead of an inductor having a spiral configuration. Toroidal inductors have the benefit of confining the magnetic flux, thereby minimizing substrate losses. However, conventional integrated toroidal inductors have comparably small inductance and Q values for a given silicon area, relative to the planar spiral inductor configuration. This is because the area enclosed by wire windings of conventional toroidal inductors is small due to the limit in vertical dimensions of the thin films used in conventional VLSI processing.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need for high Q inductors and transformers suitable for integration in IC chips, such as VLSI IC chips.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method of coating a substrate is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate; depositing an infrared reflecting layer over at least a portion of a substrate; depositing a primer layer over at least a portion of the infrared reflective layer; depositing a dielectric layer over at least a portion of the primer layer; and depositing an absorbing layer, wherein the absorbing layer is deposited either under the infrared reflective layer or over the dielectric layer, wherein the absorbing layer comprises an alloy and/or mixture of (a) a metal having an index of refraction at 500 nm less than or equal to 1.0 and (b) a material having a ΔG°f of greater than or equal to −100 at 1000° K. The metal can be silver and the material can be tin.

Privacy glass, defined as glass which has a low visible transmittance (i.e., less than or equal to 50%), can be used in a variety of applications such as automotive applications and architectural applications. There are generally no limitations regarding where privacy glass can be incorporated in a building. In some automotive applications, privacy glass can only be incorporated in the rear window and rear sidelights due to the regulations imposed in the United States and some other countries.
Typically, a substrate, either coated or uncoated, that will be used as privacy glass is highly absorbtive or is highly reflective in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, the privacy glass can comprise an uncoated, tinted glass substrate with good absorptive properties in the visible region. In the alternative, the privacy glass can comprise a coated, clear glass substrate with high reflectivity in the visible region. In another alternative embodiment, the privacy glass can comprise a laminated product formed, for example, with a tinted substrate and a clear, coated substrate.
The present invention provides a novel coating that can be used to transform a glass substrate into privacy glass. The coated substrate of the present invention exhibits reduced visible reflectance, which is aesthetically desirable, while providing solar reflection in the infrared region on at least one side of the substrate which reduces the heat load.

Method of coating a substrate with a coating composition having solar properties


[Object] To effectively improve torque of a motor, the maximum rotation rate in driving with no load, and output at a high rotation rate, while suppressing torque ripple, noise, or vibration of the motor.

Regarding a brushless motor, there is known a method of adjusting induced voltage for each phase into a trapezoidal wave in which an odd-order harmonic is superimposed on a fundamental wave, thereby improving output and efficiency as compared to the case of using a fundamental wave alone.
Patent Document 1 proposes a method of adjusting induced voltage for each phase into a trapezoidal wave in which an odd-order harmonic is superimposed, thereby improving torque.
In this document, induced voltage adjustment means superimposes a third-order harmonic on induced voltage having a sine waveform which is a fundamental wave, thereby adjusting induced voltage for each phase into a trapezoidal waveform.
As a result, the shape of a part surrounded by a characteristic curve of induced voltage for each phase with respect to a rotor rotation angle, and the horizontal axis (rotation angle), becomes a shape that is flattened and broadened as compared to the case of a characteristic curve based on a fundamental wave alone, whereby motor generated torque increases.
Patent Document 2 describes that induced voltage of a motor is set to have a waveform containing a third-order harmonic, whereby motor output can be improved as compared to the case of sine wave, while vibration and noise are reduced.

Abstract: [Solution] A brushless motor 301 has an armature iron core 310 wound with armature windings including plural winding sets 311 and 312 each of which includes multi-phase windings. Voltage application means 302 applies voltages to the plural winding sets. Control means 303 calculates a voltage command for the plural winding sets, and controls the voltage application means based on the voltage command. The control means 303 controls the voltage application means 302 so that induced voltages generated in the plural winding sets by rotation of the brushless motor have a trapezoidal waveform and a phase difference between the voltages for the plural winding sets becomes a value that reduces torque ripple caused by the induced voltages.


The flatness measuring equipment can highly precisely measure flatness of a surface of a large-sized planar member, e.g., an abrasive plate. In the equipment, an elongated member is provided above and parallel to the surface of the planar member to be measured. A movable member is provided to the elongated member and capable of moving along the elongated member. A distance sensor, which is provided to the movable member, measures distance between the movable member and the surface of the planar member. A laser beam source emits a laser beam, at a fixed level, toward the movable member. A light receiving sensor detects a variation of a level of the movable member with respect of the fixed level of the laser beam.

The present invention relates to a flatness measuring equipment, more precisely relates to a flatness measuring equipment capable of highly precisely measuring flatness of a surface of a large-sized planar member, e.g., an abrasive plate of an abrasive machine, which abrades silicon wafers.
In an abrasive machine, a planar member to be abraded, e.g., a silicon wafer, is mounted on an abrasive plate, whose surface must be a highly flat face. Since the flatness of the surface of the abrasive plate directly influences abrading accuracy of the silicon wafer, the surface of the abrasive plate must have high flatness. When the abrasive plate is manufactured, the flatness of the surface is precisely measured to have predetermined flatness.
A conventional method of measuring flatness of an abrasive plate is shown in FIG. 4. A plurality of dial gauges 12 are provided to a bar member 10 with predetermined separations. Steel balls 13 are respectively fixed, on a bottom face of the bar member 10, at both ends of the bar member 10. With this structure, the bar member 10 is supported by the steel balls 13. Projected length (nearly equal to diameter) of the steel balls 13 are designed to be equal to a standard projected length of sensing needles of the dial gauges 12.
The flatness of the surface of the abrasive plate 14 is measured by the steps of: mounting the measuring equipment on a flat standard base, which is made of a ceramic, etc.; resetting the dial gauges 12 zero; mounting the measuring equipment on the abrasive plate 14 to be measured; and measuring the flatness of the abrasive plate 14 by reading measured values of the dial gauges 12. Note that, the flatness can be measured by a laser displacement sensor, a contact displacement sensor, etc. instead of the dial gauges 12.
In the conventional methods, the rigid bar member 10 is spanned over the planar member to be measured, and the bar member 10 is used as a standard level means for measuring the flatness of the planar member. However, the flat standard base for adjusting the dial gauges, etc. usually has about 1 xcexcm of error in level, and the bar member 10 for setting the standard level and the dial gauges, etc. also have errors about 1 xcexcm. Thus, errors about 1-2 xcexcm cannot be avoided in the conventional flatness measuring equipments.
These days, in the field of manufacturing semiconductor devices, a required accuracy of abrading silicon wafers is 0.2 xcexcm. In this case, flatness of silicon wafers cannot be measured by the conventional flatness measuring equipments.
Further, large-sized abrasive machines, which include, for example, 5 m-abrasive plates, are used now. Thus, large-sized flatness measuring equipments are required. In the large-sized flatness measuring equipment, length of the bar member must be longer and longer, so deformation of the bar member, which is caused by its own weight, cannot be ignored. Further, a large-sized flat standard base, which must be highly precisely manufactured, is required. Namely, it is impossible to highly precisely measure flatness of the large-sized planar member by the conventional flatness measuring equipments.
An object of the present invention is to provide a flatness measuring equipment, which is capable of highly precisely measuring flatness of a surface of a large-sized planar member.
Namely, the flatness measuring equipment of the present invention comprises:
an elongated member being provided above and parallel to a surface of a planar member to be measured;
a movable member being provided to the elongated member and capable of moving along the elongated member;
means for measuring distance between the movable member and the surface of the planar member, the measuring means being provided to the movable member so as to measure the distance at positions where the movable member is located;
means for emitting a laser beam, at a fixed level, toward the movable member on the elongated member; and
means for detecting a variation of a level of the movable member with respect of the fixed level of the laser beam.
With this structure, the true distance between the standard level and the surface of the planar member can be known by detecting the variation of the level of the movable member, which is moved along the elongated member. Even if the elongated member is long and deformed by its own weight, said true distance can be known, so that highly rigidity is not required to the elongated member and it can be manufactured easily.
In the equipment, the detecting means may be a light receiving sensor. And, the light receiving sensor may be a plurality of photo sensitive cells or a CCD camera.
In the equipment, the measuring means may be a non-contact distance sensor.


An exposure apparatus includes a beam splitter for splitting light from a light source into first and second beams, a spatial light modulator, arranged in an optical path for the first beam, for modulating a phase distribution of the first beam, a beam coupler for coupling the first beam with the second beam, a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of the spatial light modulator onto a substrate using light from the beam coupler, and a controller for supplying a modulation signal to the spatial light modulator, wherein the spatial light modulator has a one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally arranged pixels, each pixel has plural reflective elements, and the reflective elements in the same pixel displace in the same direction simultaneously.

The present invention relates to maskless exposure that forms a pattern on a photosensitive agent applied substrate and manufactures highly integrated devices. The present invention is applicable to manufacturing of a semiconductor device (such as an IC), an imaging device (such as a CCD), a communication device (such as an optical waveguide, and a magnetic head.
A projection exposure apparatus has been conventionally used to expose a mask pattern onto a substrate on which a photosensitive agent is applied, so as to manufacture a semiconductor device, a liquid crystal panel, and the like. However, as finer processing to the mask pattern and larger mask sizes are demanded with the improved integration and increased area of the device, an increase of the mask cost becomes problematic. Accordingly, the maskless exposure that dispenses with the mask for exposure has called attentions.
One exemplary, attractive maskless exposure is a method for projecting a pattern image onto a substrate using a phase-modulation type spatial light modulator ("SLM"). The SLM is a parallel-connected type device, and the number of pixels per unit time may possibly be increased enormously. In particular, a so-called deformable mirror device ("DMD") type SLM that changes a surface shape of a reflector, modulates the light, and is suitable for an exposure apparatus, because the DMD provides a high contrast, works at a relatively short wavelength, and is stable to the environment. The phase modulation manner needs a minute displacement of a mirror, such as about a quarter of the wavelength of the light, and works at a high speed. Prior art of the phase-modulation type SLM include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,841,579, 5,486,851, 5,311,360 and 6,133,986, Japanese Patent Application, Publication No. 6-102459.
Disadvantageously, the conventional maskless exposure that utilizes the phase-modulation type SLM has difficulties in providing a high throughput and a high resolution with a simple structure. For example, use of a diffraction grating type modulation pattern called a grating light valve ("GLV") makes complex the SLM's structure. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,841,579 and 5,311,360.
A large Schlieren optics is needed to convert a light phase pattern into a light intensity pattern and project the light intensity pattern onto the substrate (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,486,851 and 6,133,986), but use of the Schlieren optics makes complex the optical system. In addition, a fine lens array is needed in addition to the Schlieren optics (U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,986), and it is difficult to manufacture and mount the fine lens array having excellent imaging performance with small aberrations and dispersions.

Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method