An alignment device for aligning a liquid crystal display device-use substrate is a rubbing device provided with a rubbing roller, the rubbing roller being composed of a rotary roller and a rubbing cloth, the rubbing cloth being provided around the circumferential surface of the rotary roller. The rubbing device carries out alignment by rotating the rubbing roller so as to rub an alignment film formed on the surface of the liquid crystal display device-use substrate, in a specific direction with piles provided on the rubbing cloth. One of the directions of the pile lines of the rubbing roller provided around the rotary roller is tilted to the rotation direction of the rotary roller. With this arrangement, "irregular display with stripes" occurring to a liquid crystal display device is restrained, which is caused by uneven strength of touches of the piles to the alignment film, such uneven strength of touches resulting from positions of the piles which are provided in the rubbing cloth provided in the rubbing roller.

A primary task in producing conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) devices was to make a greatest possible contrast, since a greater monochromic contrast was demanded. However, as LCD devices have been incorporated in multimedia apparatuses recently and the quality of picture of personal computer software has been enhanced due to CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) or the like, to achieve regularity of display in half tone, that is, how to obtain half tone display without irregularity, has become an important task. The quality of such half tone display is greatly affected by alignment of liquid crystal, and one of factors causing irregular alignment of liquid crystal is an irregular alignment operation on an alignment film. The following description will depict the conventional alignment operation.
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device-use substrate is composed of a glass substrate, transparent electrodes provided on the glass substrate, and an alignment film which is laminated over the glass substrate so as to cover the transparent electrodes. In the process of producing such an LCD device-use substrate, a rubbing device is adopted as an alignment device. As shown in FIG. 9, such a rubbing device is provided with a rubbing roller 30 having a rotary 30a and a rubbing cloth 31. The rubbing cloth 31 is provided with innumerable piles P thereon, and is provided on the circumferential surface of the rotary roller 30a. An LCD device-use substrate is provided near the rubbing roller 30, so that the surface of the alignment film is rubbed in a specific direction by rotating the rubbing roller 30. With such an arrangement, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in the rubbing direction. Generally, such an operation for rubbing an alignment film in a specific direction is called an alignment operation.
The rubbing cloth 31 is formed by interweaving pile material composed of filament bunches into foundation warp and weft yarns, each bunch being composed of several tens of filaments. The piles P are cut at a uniform length. Thus, the rubbing cloth 31 is arranged so that filaments densely touch the LCD device-use substrate. As shown in the figure, usually a rectangular rubbing cloth is attached to the circumferential surface of the rotary roller 30a, with the edges of the rubbing cloth 30a parallel with the edges of the rotary roller 30a's circumferential surface.
Other methods of providing a rubbing cloth around the rotary roller are disclosed in the Japanese Publication for Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. 2-33030/1990 and the Japanese Publication for Laid-Open Patent Application No. 54-40652/1979.
According to the Japanese Publication for Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. 2-33030/1990, as shown in FIG. 10, a rubbing cloth 33 in a ribbon form is spirally wound around the circumferential surface of the rotary roller 32a, so that the edges of the rubbing cloth 33 where piles P are not provided is tilted to the rotation axis of the rotary roller 32a. This was invented in the light of the following problem arising from the arrangement of the rubbing roller 30 shown in FIG. 9. Since the junction part of the rubbing clothes 31, with a width of 1 through 2 millimeters, does not have piles P, an alignment operation with use of the rubbing roller fails to align a part of the alignment film which corresponds to the junction part having no piles P. Therefore, a linear unaligned region is formed with every rotation of the rubbing roller 30.
According to the Japanese Publication for Laid-Open Patent Application No. 54-40652/1979, rubbing cloth material such as a cotton cloth or an abrasive cloth is cut out into a diamond shape. The rubbing cloth thus cut out is fixed around a circumferential surface of a rotary roller with cushion material such as sponge therebetween, so that the junction part of the rubbing cloth is tilted to the rotation axis direction of the rotary roller. This was invented so as to solve the following problem. If the rubbing cloth is rectangular, the joint part of the rubbing cloth is provided in parallel with the rotation axis direction of the rotary roller. Therefore, when the rubbing roller rotates and rubs an alignment film, it likely causes a linear unaligned portion. The above-described arrangement attempts to solve this problem by dispersing, in the oblique direction, such a defect caused by the junction part.
With the arrangement of the rubbing roller 30 shown in FIG. 9, however, the piles P unevenly touch the alignment film due to the positions of the piles P on the rubbing cloth 31. As a result, an LCD device, incorporating the LCD device-use substrate to which an alignment operation has been carried out with the rubbing device having the rubbing roller 30, tends to have irregularity in the display when the LCD device is in the ON state. To be more specific, the display has long and thin stripes running in the rubbing direction (hereinafter such irregularity caused in the display due to the uneven alignment is referred to as "irregular display with stripes"). This leads to irregularity in half tone display. Thus, this arrangement presents a problem of low quality concerning display.
The following description will discuss the cause of the problem, referring to FIG. 4 which explains the present invention. A rubbing cloth is formed by interweaving pile material composed of bunches of filaments F into foundation warp and weft yarns and cutting the piles at a uniform length, each bunch being composed of several tens of filament. The several tens of filaments F, composing one pile, flare out from the root to the end. Therefore, when the filaments F have the same length, the touch of the peripheral part of one pile P is weaker than that of the central part of the pile P. The difference between the strengths of their touches corresponds to the difference between the apparent length L.sub.2 of the peripheral part of the pile P and the length L.sub.1 of the central part of the pile P, namely, L.sub.1 -L.sub.2.
Therefore, with the rubbing roller 30 arranged so that the rubbing cloth 31 is cut out into a rectangular shape in the same size as that of the circumferential surface of the rotary roller 30a and is fixed therearound with the edges of the rubbing cloth 31 in parallel with the edges of the circumferential surface of the rotary roller 30a, the piles P are parallel and orthogonally lined with respect to the rubbing roller 30. With this arrangement, during an alignment operation, the central parts of the piles P touch the alignment film in lines at certain intervals. As a result, the surface of the alignment film is aligned unevenly, due to the difference in the strengths of the touches of the piles P's central and peripheral parts. When an LCD device is produced through such an alignment operation, the "irregular display with stripes" due to the uneven alignment is observed when the LCD device is in the ON state, as shown in FIG. 11(a), 11(b), or 11(c).
The uneven alignment seriously affects the super twisted nematic (STN) LCD device in particular, since the display quality of the STN LCD device greatly depends on the alignment condition. When characteristics are enhanced so as to achieve high-quality display with the improvement of the quality of picture, the irregularity in the half tone display, that is, stripes irregularly appearing on the display, tends to stand out, thereby causing the yield to fall.
Note that although the Japanese Publication for Laid-Open Utility Model Application 2-33030/1990 and the Japanese Publication for Laid-Open Patent Application 54-40652/1979 disclose a method of providing the rubbing cloth around the rotary roller with a tilt, they mention nothing except simply providing them with a tilt. They mention nothing about the relation between the direction of the piles' lines on the rubbing cloth and the rotation direction of the rubbing roller. Therefore, the arrangements disclosed in the above-mentioned publications by no means solve the above-described problem.
On the other hand, the Japanese Publication for Laid-Open Patent Application 2-22624/1990 discloses still another arrangement. According to the arrangement, during a rubbing operation, the rotation axis direction is tilted at an angle falling in the range of .+-.1.degree. through .+-.45.degree. to the orthogonal direction of the moving direction of the LCD device-use substrate. When the end of each pile on the rubbing cloth is split, it tends to cause irregular alignment, which results in comparatively strongly aligned linear portions and comparatively weakly aligned linear portions, and the described arrangement intends to prevent such a phenomenon. However, in this case, since the rotation direction of the rubbing roller 34 and the moving direction of the LCD device-use substrate 35 differ, the surface of the alignment film is curvedly rubbed as shown in FIG. 12(a), thereby causing an inconvenience that the twist angles of the liquid crystal slightly vary. Note that when the rubbing roller 34 rotates in the moving direction of the LCD device-use substrate 35 as shown in the FIG. 12(b), the rubbing is carried out straight in the moving direction, and the twist angles of the liquid crystal are not adversely affected.

Alignment device and rubbing cloth for alignment with respect to liquid crystal display device-use substrate, and method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device


The memory cell has transistors that are arranged three-dimensionally. Vertical MOS transistors are arranged on the sidewalls of semiconductor webs, and a plurality of transistors are arranged one above the other on each sidewall. The transistors that are arranged one above the other on a sidewall are connected in series.

Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the semiconductor technology field and pertains, in particular, to memory cells. Memory cells are used in broad technological fields. The memory cells include not only read-only memories, referred to as ROMs, but also programmable memories, referred to as PROMs (programmable ROMs).
Memory cell configurations on semiconductor substrates are distinguished by the fact that they permit random access to the information stored in them. They contain a multiplicity of transistors. In the course of the reading operation, it is ascertained whether or not a current flows through a given transistor. A current flow through the transistor or blocking of the transistor are in this case assigned the logic states 1 or 0. The storage of the information is usually effected by using MOS transistors whose channel regions have a doping that corresponds to the desired blocking property.
German published patent application DE 195 10 042 A1 discloses a memory cell configuration with MOS transistors arranged in rows. In each row, the MOS transistors are connected in series. In order to increase the storage density, adjacent rows are in each case arranged alternately on the bottom of strip-type longitudinal trenches and between adjacent strip-type longitudinal trenches on the surface of the substrate. Source/drain regions which are connected to one another are constructed as a coherent doped region. That memory cell configuration can be read out by driving it row-by-row.
That memory cell configuration is distinguished by the fact that the area requirement which is necessary for the memory cells has been reduced from 4 F.sup.2 to 2 F.sup.2, where F is the minimum structure width of the photolithographic process used for the fabrication. However, it is disadvantageous that a further increase in the number of memory cells per unit area is not possible in this case.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,852 describes the arrangement of MOS transistors one above the other in order to increase the packing density. In order to make contact with transistors of this type, use is made of buried, doped layers which are correspondingly structured and are connected to metallic contacts.

Memory cell configuration and method for its fabrication


The present invention relates to polypeptide having a primary structure of amino acid sequence shown by Sequence List Sequence No. 1 and DNA encoding for the polypeptide. The polypeptide is obtainable by following steps (1)-(3):. Step (1): extracting small granule fraction of homocytes of horseshoe crab with a buffer containing protein denaturing agent and chelating agent, PA1 Step (2): subjecting said extract to reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography, PA1 Step (3): eluting by concentration gradient elution with a hydrophobic organic solvent.. Also, the polypeptide is produced by chemical synthesis. The polypeptide has similar chemical structure to defensin and is useful as gargles, disinfectants, antiseptics or antimicrobials.

Horseshoe crab has a type of hemocytes in the body and the hemocytes are filled with two kinds of large and small granules having different densities. The large granules contain a body fluid coagulation factor and an anti-lipopolysaccharide factor, and the small granules contain antimicrobial substances such as tachyplesin. The inventors of the present invention isolated six proteins, S1-S6, from hemocytes of horseshoe crab as components of small granules (Shigenaga, T. et al., J. Biochem., 114, 307-316 (1993)).
In addition, a group of peptides having antimicrobial activity and generally called defensins were isolated from cellular granules of neutrophils and macrophages of mammals such as human being, rabbits, guinea pigs and rats, and their total amino acid sequences are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,902. The growth stimulant effect on epidermal cells and fibroblast cells of defensins were disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,902 in addition to the antimicrobial activity against Gram negative and positive bacteria and fungi. Defensins are basic peptides having about 30 amino acid residues with common components of six cysteine residues and three disulfide bonds.
No polypeptide isolated from the hemocytes of horseshoe crab having similar amino acid sequence with those of defensins has been reported. Furthermore, no nucleotide sequence corresponding to the amino acid sequence of polypeptide of the present invention has been known.
The inventors of the present invention further investigated the S5 peptide fraction in the isolated components of small granule fractions of hemocytes of horseshoe crab and determined its total amino acid sequence. The amino acid sequence has a similar structure in the C-terminal with that of known defensins. The antimicrobial activity of S5 peptide fraction was further investigated and S5 peptide fraction was found to have potent antimicrobial activities against Gram positive and negative bacteria and fungi, and accomplished the present invention.

Polypeptides, and preparation and DNA encoding thereof


A method of analyzing particles of a material which include a constituent is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of exposing particles of the material to x radiation having a range of x-radiation energies, detecting x-radiation intensities at two different energy levels transmitted through the particles, and determining the concentration of the constituent in particles from the detected intensities.

Various methods and devices are available for analysing materials.
The selection of a particular method or device depends on, amongst other requirements, the quantity of the material that may be analysed in a given time.
For example, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a valuable tool in materials characterization, but sample analysis is a slow process. Typically, samples of the material must be prepared thin enough to be electron beam transparent. Although a high degree of information may be obtained by TEM analysis, the number of samples that can be prepared and analysed in a single day is very limited. Additionally, the cost of TEM analysis is prohibitive.
High through-put analysis methods and devices are required where large volumes of materials need to be characterized. An example of such an application is waste recycling where glass, for example, needs to be differentiated from metals and plastics.
Another example involves characterizing mined materials. In this regard, one method of analysing particles of as-mined material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,964 to Slight.
The method involves passing as-mined material through a field of x-radiation at two energy levels in a gap between an x-radiation generating source and a series of x-radiation detectors and determining the intensity of x-radiation that is transmitted through the mined material.
Data on the intensity of transmitted x-radiation at one energy level is obtained at the detectors and is used, in conjunction with a known x-radiation absorption coefficient for a known material, to determine a nominal thickness for the known material. The determined thickness is then used, in conjunction with data obtained at the detectors of transmitted x-radiation at the other energy level, to calculate an x-ray absorption coefficient for the ore. The calculated coefficient is compared against the known coefficient of the known material at the other energy level. If the calculated x-radiation absorption coefficient corresponds with the known coefficient for the known material, the mined material is identified as the known material. If the calculated x-radiation absorption coefficient does not correspond with the known coefficient for the known material, the process is repeated with alternative x-radiation absorption coefficients for other known materials until a match is found.
The claimed advantage of this approach is that the thickness of a particle is removed from consideration in characterizing the material.
The applicant has recognized that the problem with this approach is that the method disclosed in Slight is limited and in practice impossible to implement. Specifically:    1. Slight assumes mono-energy x-radiation beams which in practice are not available or possible, and ignores the impacts of beam hardening and beam scattering which make an accurate assessment of characterization not possible.    2. Use of a pulse height analyser is not possible to operate on particles passing the detector counter at speeds of greater than 1 m/s. Hence, this greatly limits the through-put capacity of the method.    3. The embodied designs of pulsing energy levels from a single energy source, sequentially positioned energy sources or sequentially positioned detection counters do not ensure the same section and orientation of a particle is analysed at each energy level. This introduces analysis errors, and is particularly evident in high speed/high through-put applications as changes in particle position, orientation and trajectory are more pronounced.
In addition, the applicant has recognized that Slight does not disclose how the concentration of constituents of the material can be determined from the analysis method disclosed by Slight.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method of analysing materials.

Method and apparatus for analysing a material


A seed mat provides an optional lower plastic mesh layer overlain by a lower scrim layer overlain by a seed layer optionally containing biodegradable beneficiating additives overlain by a fiber layer optionally overlain by an upper scrim layer with the fiber layer or upper scrim layer, if present, overlain by an upper plastic mesh layer. The mat is formed on a conveyor by 1) creating the fiber layer on the conveyor; 2) creating the upper scrim layer, if optioned, by placing dry cellulosic tissue over the fiber layer, wetting the tissue, applying vacuum beneath the fiber layer to consolidate the tissue on the underlying fiber layer and drying; and 3) extruding an upper plastic mesh layer on the fiber layer or the upper scrim layer if present. The mat then is turned upside down on the conveyor and 4) the seed layer and desired additives are deposited on the then upper surface of the fourth fiber mat layer; 5) the lower scrim layer of dry cellulosic tissue is placed in the same manner as the upper scrim layer; 6) the lower plastic net layer, if optioned, is extruded on the surface of the scrim layer; and 7) the finished mat is removed.

1. Related Applications
There are no applications related hereto heretofore filed in this or any foreign country.
2. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to multilayered seed mats having reinforcing mesh layers formed by plastic extruded in place on the mat and thin biodegradable scrim layers consolidated in place on the mat.

Seed mat and process for formation thereof


The present disclosure provides antisense oligonucleotides, compositions, and methods that target ATP7B exon 6 or a flanking intron, thereby modulating splicing of ATP7B pre-mRNA to increase the level of ATP7B mRNA molecules having exon 6, e.g., to provide a therapy for Wilson disease. The present disclosure provides an antisense oligonucleotide including a nucleobase sequence at least 70% complementary to an ATP7B target sequence in exon 6, a 5′-flanking intron, a 3′-flanking intron, or a combination of exon 6 and the 5′-flanking or 3′-flanking intron.

Wilson disease is a fatal copper homeostasis disorder, typically diagnosed in patients between the ages of 5 and 35, leading to hepatic and neurologic symptoms due to free copper accumulation. The prevalence of Wilson disease is estimated to be 1 in 30,000 individuals. Impaired hepato-biliary excretion of copper may be caused by defects in the trans Golgi copper transporter ATP7B in liver hepatocytes. ATP7B is required for transport of copper from the cytoplasm to the endomembrane compartment, which is followed by the release of copper into the bile via vesicular transport from the Golgi and/or loading of copper onto apoceruloplasmin (CP) for bloodstream transport. Free copper accumulation causes direct oxidative damage to biomolecules (DNA, lipids, mitochondria) and oxidative damage/stress triggering apoptosis.
Present treatment guidelines for Wilson disease recommend an initial treatment with chelating agents, which sequester free copper and lead to its excretion, followed by maintenance treatment with chelating agents or zinc salts, which block intestinal absorption. Initial treatment with chelating agents (2-12 months) is traditionally required to remove excess copper from patients. Worsening liver condition can cause increased copper release from dead hepatocytes, as such, maintenance treatment may only be started when a stable liver condition is achieved. Maintenance treatment with zinc salts, however, is complicated by adherence difficulties and gastrointestinal side effects. Adverse effects due to chelation therapy further causes discontinuation in 20-30% patients. Chelation therapy is associated with immune reactions, reduced wound healing, neutropenia or thrombocytopenia, lymphadenopathy, proteinuria and nephrotoxicity, long-term liver iron accumulation, and spikes in free copper resulting in neurological damage.
An ATP7B mutation associated with Wilson disease is a single base pair change in exon 6 from adenosine to cytosine causing a corresponding change in amino acid 645 from methionine to arginine (M645R): chr13:52535985:A:C [hg19/b37]; NCBI Reference Sequence NG_008806.1 (SEQ ID NO: 1):g.546461>G; NM_0053.3 (ATP7B):c.19341>G (p.Met645Arg). The M645R mutation is presumed to result in partial to complete loss-of-function based on genetic evidence and compound heterozygotes with a truncating variant typically have Wilson disease onset between ages 4-15.
Recent analysis of the M645R mutated ATP7B protein, expressed using a cDNA-encoding plasmid, indicated that the mutant protein has similar capability to uptake copper in microsomal fractions of sf9 insect cells expressing only the mutant protein, whereas all other pathogenic mutations tested showed a decrease in capability. Further research found a similar result, with the M645R mutated ATP7B protein having no biochemical defect in numerous cellular assays.
Previous analysis of the M645R and associated mutations may have failed, however, to consider the effect of such a mutation on splicing. Splicing is a natural biological mechanism that occurs within human cells. Splicing may be used to process the primary messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) that is transcribed from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), before the mRNA is translated into protein. Splicing may involve removing one or more contiguous segments of mRNA (introns) to conjoin the remaining segments (exons), delimited by pairs of 5′ splice sites and 3′ splice sites. Alternative splicing, which may be the splicing together of different combinations of exons, may result in multiple mRNA transcripts from a single gene.
Certain human genetic diseases (e.g., caused by genetic aberrations, such as point mutations), may be caused by aberrant splicing. As such, there is a need for a splicing mediator to treat diseases that are caused by aberrant splicing.

Oligonucleotide therapy for Wilson disease


A stylus for an electrographic position location apparatus is disclosed. In one embodiment, the stylus includes a writing element that is retractable. The stylus may have a proximal end and a distal end. A conductive annular structure may be at the proximal end of the stylus.

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/457,981, filed on Jun. 9, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,068,262, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
A number of electrographic position location apparatuses have been described. One such apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,176 to Ohara et al. The apparatus that is described in Ohara et al. includes a lower base portion and a pivotal back structure upon which a book rests. The back structure contains electronics. A video monitor is in communication with electronics in the back structure. A stylus is used to select images on open pages in the book and some response is then seen on the video monitor.
While the apparatus described in Ohara et al. is useful, a number of improvements can be made. For example, the apparatus described in Ohara et al. does not use a writing element. Writing is necessary for learning how to write letters and numbers. Writing is also an important tool for teaching a child a complex subject such as math. For example, many students cannot learn math without writing down equations and numbers. Accordingly, it would be difficult to teach someone a subject such as math and writing using the apparatus described in Ohara et al.
Students have learned about subjects such as math using traditional learning tools such as books, paper, pencils, and personalized instruction. While such learning tools are effective, they are not fun, engaging, or interactive.
Accordingly, it would be desirable if traditional learning tools such as pencils, pens, paper, and/or books could be used in a more interactive way that can be entertaining, educational and engaging for students.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems.


Disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a Smad6-derived peptide as an active ingredient. Having ability to specifically bind to Pellino-1, the Smad6-derived peptide is effectively useful in the treatment of the sepsis mediated by excessively activated TLR. The peptide effectively reduces the expression of inflammatory cytokines, protects cells from sepsis-induced apoptosis, and exhibits high bacterial clearance in animal models of sepsis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the therapy of sepsis or septic shock comprising a Smad6-derived peptide as an active ingredient, and a method for treating sepsis or septic shock using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome that occurs in response to a pathogenic process in which, when Gram-negative bacteria infect the body, the toxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a cell wall constituent, excessively activates the immune system, with a side effect in severe cases of causing the body to go into shock. Sepsis is a serious disease, and a major cause of death among patients hospitalized with serious illnesses, with a mortality rate of 30%. In spite of great advances in medical technology, sepsis is often caused by infections which occur following surgical operations, and this happens all around the world. In addition, bacterial infection in people with weak immune systems, such as infants and the elderly, may be especially liable to develop sepsis. For example, neonatal sepsis is known to affect 3 in 1,000 mature infants, with a 3- to 4-fold increase in attack rate for immature infants. Upon the onset of sepsis, the treatment thereof generally rests on antibiotics. If bacteria grow too excessively due to the absence of proper treatment, or if bacteria are highly resistant to antibiotics, the sepsis cannot be effectively treated with antibiotics alone.
Like this, with the increasing advent of pathogens resistant to antibiotics, the treatment thereof has emerged as a very important and pressing task, but proper therapeutics have not yet been developed thus far (Weikert, L F Clin., Chest Med., 17, pp 289-305, 1996).
TGF-β (Transforming growth factor-β) is a cytokine that controls various physiological processes including cell growth, cell differentiation, apoptosis, cell migration, the production of extracellular matrix (ECM), vascularization, and embryogenesis in the body. The mature TGF-β protein dimerizes to produce a 25 KDa active molecule. TGF-β signaling begins with the binding of secreted, active TGF-β to a serine/threonine receptor kinase on the cell membrane. There are two classes of TGF-β receptors: type I and type II. The TGF-β binds to a constitutively active, type II receptor dimer, which phosphorylates and recruits a type I receptor dimer, forming a heterotetrameric complex with the ligand. In the TGF-β signaling pathway, Smad act as a transcription factor which transduces extracellular signals from TGF-β to the nucleus. When phosphorylated by a type II receptor, the type I receptor phosphorylates and activates Smad proteins, which, in turn, accumulate in the nucleus wherein they act in cooperation with other transcription factors to participate in the regulation of downstream gene expression (Masague J, Seoane J, Wotton D. Genes Dev 19:2783-2810, 2005).
In response to TGF-β, cells exhibit various activities which vary depending on the type of cells or the situation of stimuli, such as stimulated or inhibited growth, apoptosis, differentiation, etc. For example, TGF-β stimulates epithelial cells to actively proliferate, causing oncogenesis (Siegel P M, Massague J. Nat Rev Cancer 3: 807-821, 2003). Cytokines in the TGF-β family bind to various type I and type II receptors. Up to date, there are seven known type I receptors, called ALK (activin receptor-like kinase), and five type II receptors. TGF-β ligands utilize ALK5 and TR-2 receptors in most cells.
There are eight known Smad proteins, which can be divided into three classes: Receptor-activated Smads (R-Smad) which include Smad1, Smad2, Smad3, Smad5, and Smad8; Common mediator Smad (Co-Smad which includes only Smad4; and Inhibitory Smads (I-Smad) which include Smad6 and Smad7. On the whole, the TGF-β/Activin/Nodal group is mediated by Smad2 and Smad3 while the BMP/GDF/MIS group takes advantage of Smad1, Smad5, and Smad8 in the R-Smad. When bound to a ligand, the type I receptors directly phosphorylate the SSXS motif in the carboxyl tail of R-Smad, and the phosphorylated R-Smad, in turn, interacts with the Co-Smad, Smad4 and translocates into the nucleus where they bind to the Smad-binding element (SBE) on the DNA (Shi Y, Wang Y F, Jayaraman L, Yang H, Massague J, Pavletich N P. Cell 94: 585-594, 1998). Often, SBE acts as a binding site for other transcription factors so that the Smad regulates gene expression in cooperation with the other transcription factors. In contrast to R-Smad and Co-Smad, I-Smads (Smad6 and Samd7) have no carboxyl termini which can be phosphorylated by type I receptors, and downregulates the TGF-signaling. One of the most well known responses of cells to TGF-β is growth arrest. TGF-β induces cell growth arrest in epithelial cells, endothelial cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Stimulation of TGF-β transduces the signals at any phase of the cell cycle, and also induces G1 arrest in the cell cycle (Massague J, Gomis R R. FEES Lett 580: 2811-2820, 2006). In epithelial cells, TGF-β stimulation induces the transcription of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors such as p21Cip1/WAF1 and p15lnk4b to activate anti-proliferative reactions, which leads to G1 arrest in the cell cycle. In addition, TGF-β inhibits the transcription of the pro-growth transcription factor c-Myc and the differentiation inhibitors ld1, ld2, and ld3. Also, TGF-β is known to induce various apoptotic reactions.
As reviewed above, TGF-β ligands and their signaling mediators, Smads, are not only involved in physiological activities such as cell growth, embryogenesis, and differentiation, but also play an important role in oncogenesis, fibrosis, and the onset and progression of various diseases. Factors and systems capable of controlling the signaling pathway, and detection methods thereof are now being actively studied.
However, any therapeutic effects that Smad6 in the TGF-β signaling pathway may have on sepsis or septic shock have yet to be discovered.

Composition for treating sepsis or septic shock comprising the peptide originated from the Smad6


For distributing a user image corresponding to the user position in a virtual space, the invention provides a method of fetching the user image taken with a video camera into the main body of a computer (S1), judging the user position in the virtual space (S2), setting a large quantization coefficient in case of an office view (S3) but setting a small quantization coefficient and an even smaller quantization coefficients for a face area in other cases (S4), then compression encoding the image data with the designated quantization coefficient ((S5) and transferring the image data to a host server apparatus 12 through a network (S6). The user terminal receives images of other users from the host server apparatus (S7), expands the image data (S8) and displays the image data on a display apparatus 44 (S9).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image distribution system, a method and a program therefor, and more particularly to an image distribution system in a virtual system formed on a computer network, a method and a program therefor.
2. Related Background Art
In organizations such as business firms, associations or public bodies, it is customary that an office space is secured by possession or by renting as the work space for employed laborers (hereinafter called workers) to be engaged in office works, marketing works or technical works not requiring a large facility, and the workers arrive and gather at the office space by public transportation or by private cars by a work start time and execute group work within the predetermined work time. Such office space is equipped with telephones, copying machines, facsimiles, computers, computer networks etc. for improving the efficiency of various works.
In the history of human beings, the habit of such group work is a relatively new phenomenon adopted for the efficient operation of the factories since the industrial revolution. In recent years, the drawbacks resulting from such group work such as conjection in commuting and air pollution caused by the increase of the private cars have become apparent, while the group work is becoming not essential for the organizations and for their workers as a result of availability of the communication infrastructure such as internet and of various communication technologies. Therefore the attention is being directed to the concept of dispersed work in which the workers belonging to an organization executes their jobs at their homes or in arbitrary locations close thereto whereby the objective of the organization is attained as a whole.
In general, for realizing the dispersed work in an organization such as a business firm, there is adopted a method of utilizing a room of the home of each worker as a working space (called home office), connecting plural home offices in distant locations by a communication channel and utilizing home-use communication terminals such as a telephone set and a facsimile apparatus and a communication application system. In this manner there is secured the communicating means among the workers. The communication channel can be composed, for example, of a public telephone network, an ISDN network or an internet exclusive line, and the communication application system can be composed of an e-mail system, a www (worldwide web) or a video conference system.
The worker may also utilize a satellite office or a telecottage prepared by the organization or the local community to which the worker belongs or, in case of a sales job or a maintenance job, the seat of a private car or a public transportation vehicle, to be used for visiting the customer, as a temporary office (called mobile office).
For the purpose of smoothly realizing such dispersed work, there have been proposed various system. FIG. 18 shows a client image in a multi-spot video conference provided by White Pine Software Inc., U.S. This system realizes, on personal computers, a real-time conference utilizing images among workers in distant locations.
The mutual exchange of the images among the dispersed workers through such system allows to realize so-called interactive awareness system thereby avoiding isolated or secluded feeling of the workers and stimulating active communication among the workers.
However, since the purpose of use is different in case the video conference system is utilized as a main communication tool and in case it is utilized as an interactive awareness system, the transmitted image results in various limitations in relation to the communication band and the convenience of use if the conventional system is applied for such purpose. More specifically, the user is required to adjust the camera setting and the compression parameter according to the function to be utilized.

Image distribution system, and image distribution method and program therefor


This invention relates to novel compositions and methods of use by which the compositions of this invention are applied topically to one or more body parts of at least two individuals who bring said body parts into contact with the other individual and, when said body parts come into contact with each other, permit the formulations to interact and thereby achieve an unexpected sensation to each individual.

Personal lubricant have been sold for decades for the purposes of treating vaginal dryness, for promoting ease of engaging in intimate physical relations and for lubricating diagnostic devices for insertion into body orifices. However, for the last quarter century personal lubricants have achieved an entirely new role in enhancing and making more pleasurable sexual experiences. Personal lubricants have become perceived as a great means to help set the mood for intimate experiences and enhance intimacy. Current personal lubricants may be used by either or both the partners to achieve this goal.
New and more recent additions to this product line are safe, non-irritating warming products that generate warmth when they come into contact with moisture. Examples of such warming personal lubricants are set forth in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,408 as well as copending patent applications U.S. Ser. Nos. 10/390,511, 10/389,871, 10/696,939, 10/697,353, 10/697,838, 10/847,082 and 10/847,083, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
As intimacy enhancement gains increased focus, substantial number of lubricant products are appearing on the market that work by increasing sensitivity in both males and females by imparting tingling, cooling, numbing or additional unique sensation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,825 B2 of Scholz et al. entitled "Skin Cleansing Gel Having a Heating Effect" describes compositions containing at least 5% by weight of dispersed water-soluble salts with a negative enthalpy of solution, which will release heat upon mixing with water. The compositions also contain anionic, zwiterionic and nonionic surfactants. Such compositions, however, are unsuitable for personal lubricant use as they would be irritating to the delicate mucous membranes of the body.
Japanese Patent Application Number 2-311408, of Akiyama et al., entitled "Gelatinous Compositions for the Skin" sets forth compositions that may contain 0-20% water; solvents such as lower alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol, propyl alcohol, or organic ethers such as ethyl carbitol, ethyl cellulosolve, chloroform, isopropyl myristate and isopropyl palmitate; and a polyhydric alcohol such as propylene glycol, glycerin, diglycerin and dipropylene glycol. These compositions warm by interacting with water but are unsuitable as personal lubricants because of their irritation potential.
Spanish Patent Number ES2, 074,030 by Manuel Roig Carreras et al., entitled "Self-heating Vehicle Compositions That Can Be Used in Topical Treatments" discusses liquid or semisolid compositions that generate heat by means of an in situ mixing of similar amounts of an aqueous portion (W) consisting mainly of water or an aqueous gel and an organic portion (O) consisting mainly of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylene glycol or polyethylene glycol. Carreras et al. describes the compositions as being contained in two isolated compartments with adjacent openings that permit simultaneous exit of two parts of self-heating compositions. The compositions of this invention may not be suitable for use as personal lubricants because the DMSO is not suitable for human use and the temperature of the compositions when combined may be too elevated to be safe and comfortable in personal lubricant applications.
The novel compositions and methods of this invention are intended to provide novel sensations to the skin of at least two individuals without being unduly irritating and which interact to provide novel or more intense sensations than each would experience absent the exposure, combination and interaction of the initially-applied compositions to each.

Complementary personal lubricant compositions


Exemplary embodiments include an uninterruptible power supply including: at least two inputs in operable communication with a plurality of switches; a plurality of AND gates in operable communication with the plurality of switches; a plurality of NOR gates in operable communication with the plurality of switches; a plurality of inverters in operable communication with an output of the NOR gates; a plurality of light emitting diodes in operable communication with the plurality of inverters and the plurality of AND gates, the light emitting diodes operable for signaling a condition of one of the plurality of inputs; and an output in operable communication with the light emitting diodes, wherein each of the inputs is connected to an uninterruptible power supply, the uninterruptible power supply signals a condition to the uninterruptible power supply controller, and the uninterruptible power supply controller signals the condition to the output if the condition is signaled by all uninterruptible power supplies connected to the uninterruptible power supply controller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power supply apparatus and methods of operation thereof, and more particularly, to uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) and methods of operation thereof.
2. Description of Background
UPSs are commonly used to provide conditioned and/or auxiliary power to electronic equipment that provides critical functions, such as computer systems, telecommunications systems and medical equipment. Typically, UPSs can provide AC power from a backup source, such as a battery, generator or fuel cell, in the event that a utility power supply fails or becomes degraded.
A single UPS may be used to provide backup power to a large number of devices, for example, servers, monitors, coffee makers, refrigerators and the like. When the utility power is lost or becomes degraded, the UPS may provide power to all of these devices from the backup source. Conventional UPSs may include one or more load segments, i.e., groups of receptacles that can be independently controlled. Typically, power can only be removed from devices being powered by the UPS by turning off the UPS or by removing power from all of the devices plugged into a load segment. Furthermore, to conserve the amount of power used from the backup power source, devices, such as computers or servers, may be placed in a standby mode during a power loss. For example, operating systems running on servers may enter a reduced power state, but some power will still be supplied to the servers from the backup source. Thus, the devices in standby mode may still be drawing some power from the backup source. Furthermore, once the primary power source is restored, each of the devices placed in standby mode may have to be awakened manually before service can be fully restored. This can be quite time consuming if the UPS is used to provide power to an entire office building housing hundreds of servers, all of which were put in standby mode during the power loss.
Currently, pieces of information technology equipment (ITE) or data center infrastructure equipment (DCIE) are able to communicate with multiple UPSs. However, the communication between the ITE or DCIE and the UPSs implement an OR condition rather than an AND condition. The OR condition means the ITE or DCIE is notified if one UPS signals a condition and reacts to it regardless of the status on the second UPS. What is needed is a system that allows the ITE or DCIE to communicate with two UPSs and requires both UPSs to signal a condition before alerting the ITE or DCIE.

Uninterruptible power supply controller and method

International Business Machines Corporation


A detection system for anaerobic micro-organisms involves the addition to a nutrient medium for the micro-organisms of an indicator species which is electrochemically reducible, soluble in the nutrient medium and consumed by the micro-organisms during growth. Two electrodes are immersed in the nutrient medium and changes in an electrical property of the nutrient medium are monitored. A preferred indicator species is riboflavin.

Apparatus and methods are known for the detection of growth of micro-organisms using a sterile nutrient medium in which are placed two electrodes (anode and cathode). The growth of a micro-organism placed in the nutrient medium can be detected by measuring the changing potential between the electrodes. It has been observed that when growth of the micro-organisms reaches a particular stage the potential shows a marked change, e.g. a steep fall.
In our British Patent Specification No. 2142433 the applicants have described an apparatus by which the growth of micro-organisms in a plurality of samples can be monitored electrochemically, by monitoring the potential difference developed galvanically between two electrodes of different metals, e.g. gold and aluminium, in contact with the samples.
Further, in the applicants' British Patent Application Publication No. 2211615 there is described a method of detecting micro-organisms in a cell in which an electrical D.C. input is applied across the two electrodes while maintaining constant current or constant potential conditions in the cell, and monitoring either voltage or current respectively in the cell against time. While these and other similar systems have been used successfully for detection of micro-organisms, the underlying mechanism giving rise to monitorable electrical changes has not hitherto been fully understood.
It has been discovered by the present inventors that the underlying mechanism involves the reduction of free dissolved oxygen at the cathode in the transfer of electrical charge between the electrodes. Whilst for aerobic samples using gold and aluminium electrodes there is a measurable potential of the order of 400-500 mV in the absence of micro-organisms, falling to 200-300 mV with the growth of micro-organisms and consumption by them of the dissolved oxygen, for anaerobic cells the initial measurable potential is extremely low or even zero because of the absence of dissolved oxygen. With this condition it is on the face of it impossible to use the known electrochemical detection techniques for anaerobic organisms.
The present invention has been developed to enable the above-described electrochemical detection techniques to be used for anaerobic organisms.

Electrochemical detection of growth of micro-organisms


A fragrance dispensing shower head apparatus includes a shower head including proximal and distal end portions and a central bore extending therebetween. The proximal end portion has a threaded inner surface. The shower head further includes a wire-mesh screen traversing water flow such that foreign debris can be sustained upstream of the distal end portion. A mechanism is included for ejecting a quantity of the fragrance into the bore and includes a plurality of reservoirs for holding the fragrance. The reservoirs introduce the fragrance adjacent to the distal end portion and have substantially similar shapes.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a shower head and, more particularly, to a fragrance-dispensing shower head.
2. Prior Art
The use of shower heads is well known in the prior art. Such shower heads are generally used to dispense water in a steady stream onto a person in the shower for bathing. Typical shower heads however, do not provide a way to dispense alternate fluids therethrough, such as fragrant oils and lotions. Thus, a person must expend extra time and effort to apply these fluids manually to themselves.
It is often desirable to mix with a stream of water, liquids or dissolved particulate matter in order to benefit from the combination or mixture produced by the liquid and the water. This may be advantageous when, for example, a person is showering, and creams or conditioners are desired to enhance skin care, hair care etc. By introducing a steady and consistent amount of liquid or dissolved particulate matter into the water stream, an even and consistent application may be achieved much more readily than if the liquid is used in concentrated form and applied by the hands.
It has been proposed in the past to mix bath oil with water passing through a shower head by aspirating it into the shower line at a point upstream of the head. These systems, to date, have not found wide acceptance because they are extremely sensitive to water flow rate and rely on the differential between atmospheric pressure and the pressure of the flowing water at the point of aspiration. This differential can be quite small at low flow rates. In addition, the line constriction required to produce good aspiration objectionably limits the maximum delivery rate of the shower line. Furthermore, the current available systems are prone to clogging.
Accordingly, a need remains for a fragrance-dispensing shower head in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a shower head that is practical, efficient, provides considerable time savings, is easy to install and durable. Such a fragrance-dispensing shower head provides a person with a quick and effortless way to cleanse the body, as well as releases fragrant oils onto the body. The shower head further advantageously eliminates the need for separate bars of soap, bottles of liquid soap or lotion, or washcloths, which tend to clutter a shower stall. The oils dispensed by the shower head lift a person's mood, dispel negative emotions, and create a romantic atmosphere. Such a fragrance-dispensing shower head will be appreciated by not only homeowners, but may also find application in gyms, health clubs, hotels, hospitals, nursing homes and motels.


A method may include receiving a user request to view a channel to which the user does not currently subscribe. Customer information regarding the user and marketing rules regarding a plurality of combination offers that include the channel may be obtained. A number of combination offers from the plurality of combination offers may be determined based on the customer information and the marketing rules. One or more of the determined combination offers may be provided to the user. A user request to purchase a selected one of the provided combination offers may be received. The channels included within the selected combination offer may be provisioned based on the user request.

Television viewers have access to an ever-growing amount and variety of content. Examples include broadcast television content and non-broadcast television content (often referred to as "cable" television content). Examples of cable television content may include pay movie channels, regional and national sports channels, foreign language channels, etc. Viewers may subscribe to desired non-broadcast content by communicating with their television provider.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasound probe which has ultrasound transducers transmitting ultrasonic waves, receiving an ultrasonic echo reflected by a subject, and outputting a reception signal according to the received ultrasonic echo; an image producer which produces a B-mode image and an M-mode image from the reception signal output from the ultrasound transducers; and a boundary detector which detects a blood vessel anterior wall boundary in the B-mode image using a time phase of the M-mode image corresponding to the B-mode image.

The present invention relates to an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which is suitable for measuring an elastic modulus of a vascular wall, and in particular, to an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which can automatically detect a blood vessel anterior wall boundary from a B-mode image.
An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus using an ultrasound image has hitherto been put into practical use in the field of medicine.
In general, this type of ultrasound diagnostic apparatus has an ultrasound probe (hereinafter, referred to as a probe) and a diagnostic apparatus body. Ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the probe toward a subject, an ultrasonic echo from the subject is received by the probe, and a reception signal is electrically processed by the diagnostic apparatus body to produce an ultrasound image.
Ultrasonic waves are transmitted toward a blood vessel, a cardiac wall, or the like, an ultrasonic echo therefrom is received, and a reception signal is analyzed to obtain the displacement of a vascular wall or the like. The elastic modulus of the vascular wall, the cardiac wall (heart muscle), or the like is measured from the displacement.
For example, JP 10-5226 A describes a technique in which ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received with respect to an object moving in synchronization with the heartbeats (cardiac pulsation) to obtain a reception signal of an ultrasonic echo, the instantaneous position of the object is determined using the amplitude and phase of the reception signal, and the large-amplitude displacement motion of the vascular wall based on the heartbeats is tracked, thereby obtaining the elastic modulus of the blood vessel.
Specifically, the motion velocity waveform of minute vibration of the vascular wall is obtained on the basis of the sequential position of the vascular wall, the tracking trajectory of each of the sections at a predetermined interval in the depth direction in the vascular wall is obtained, and a temporal change in thickness of each section is calculated to obtain the elastic modulus of the blood vessel.
Similarly, JP 2010-233956 A describes an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which obtains the displacement of a blood vessel or the like from a reception signal of an ultrasonic echo obtained when ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received with respect to an object moving in synchronization with the heartbeats, and obtains an elastic modulus from the displacement.
In this ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, a B-mode image and an M-mode image are produced using a reception signal obtained from an object, such as a blood vessel. Blurring due to hand or body movement is detected from the reception signal of the M-mode image, and the positional variation of the probe and the subject is detected using the reception signal of the M-mode image where the blurring is detected. The accuracy of the reception signal is determined from the detection result, and the displacement of the object is obtained using the reception signal of the M-mode image whose accuracy is determined to be high, and the elastic modulus of the vascular wall or the like is measured from the displacement.
Such measurement of the blood vessel elastic modulus or the like in an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus is normally performed by selecting the position in the azimuth direction on the B-mode image, at which the M-mode image is displayed, using a display line (line of interest) or the like, displaying and analyzing the M-mode image of the selected display line, and detecting the shift or moving velocity of the vascular wall.
As described in JP 2010-233956 A, in the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, the anterior wall of the blood vessel is detected with difficulty compared to the posterior wall (deep side) of the blood vessel. For this reason, in many cases, the analysis is performed using the blood vessel posterior wall.


A strained crystalline layer having a tensilely strained SiGe portion and a compressively strained SiGe portion is disclosed. The strained crystalline layer is epitaxially bonded, or grown, on top of a SiGe relaxed buffer layer, in a way that the tensilely strained SiGe has a Ge concentration below that of the SiGe relaxed buffer, and the compressively strained SiGe has a Ge concentration above that of the SiGe relaxed buffer. The strained crystalline layer and the relaxed buffer can reside on top a semi-insulator substrate or on top of an insulating divider layer. In some embodiments the tensile SiGe layer is pure Si, and the compressive SiGe layer is pure Ge. The tensilely strained SiGe layer is suited for hosting electron conduction type devices and the compressively strained SiGe is suited for hosting hole conduction type devices. The strained crystalline layer is capable to seed an epitaxial insulator, or a compound semiconductor layer.

Today's integrated circuits include a vast number of devices housed in a semiconductor. Smaller devices are the key to enhance performance and to increase reliability. As devices are scaled down, however, the technology becomes more complex and new methods are needed to maintain the expected performance enhancement from one generation of devices to the next. In this regard the semiconductor that has progressed the farthest is the primary semiconducting material of microelectronics, silicon (Si), or more broadly, to Si based materials. Such a Si based material of importance for microelectronics is the silicon-germanium (SiGe) alloy.
One of the most important indicators of potential device performance is the carrier mobility. There is great difficulty in keeping carrier mobility high in devices of deeply submicron generations. A promising avenue toward better carrier mobility is to modify slightly the semiconductor that serves as raw material for device fabrication. It has been known, and recently further studied, that tensilely or compressively straining semiconductors have intriguing carrier properties. A Si layer embedded in a Si/SiGe heterostructure grown by UHV-CVD has demonstrated enhanced transport properties, namely carrier mobilities, over bulk Si. In particular, a 90–95% improvement in the electron mobility has been achieved in a strained Si channel NMOS in comparison to a bulk Si NMOS mobility. (NMOS stand for N-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor transistor, a name with historic connotations for Si Field-Effect-Transistors (FET). PMOS stands for P-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor transistor).
Germanium (Ge) has attractive hole carrier properties. It is for this reason that the SiGe alloy is an advantageous material for hole conduction type devices. The band structures of Si and Ge, and of the SiGe alloy, as well, are such that the hole transport, primarily hole mobility, improves if the materials are under compressive strain.
Ideally, one would like to have integrated circuit such that the electron conduction type devices, such as NMOS, NMODFET are hosted in a strained Si or SiGe material, while the hole conduction type devices, such as PMOS, PMODFET are hosted in a compressed Ge or SiGe material. NMODFET stands of N-Modulation Doped FET. (PMOS and PMODFET stand for the corresponding P type devices.) The term of hosting a device in a certain material, or layer, means that the critical part of the device, that which is mainly sensitive to carrier properties, such as, for instance, the channel of MOS devices, is residing in, composed of, housed in, that certain material, or layer.
The great difficulty lies in producing materials of tensilely strained Si, or SiGe, together with compressively strained SiGe, or Ge, that are of high enough crystalline quality, namely practically free of dislocations and other defects, that can satisfy the exceeding demands of microelectronics applications. Such crystalline material quality is usually referred to as microelectronics quality. For defects, microelectronics quality means a density below about 105/cm2. Fabricating tensilely or compressively strained microelectronics quality SiGe layers by themselves is exceedingly difficult, but having them side by side in the same crystalline layer, ready to host the respective devices adds even more complications.
If one achieves a materials of sufficiently good quality, with high carrier mobilities in the of form thin layers, the underlying substrate may be a source of defects that eventually find their way into the good quality material on the surface as a result of device fabrication or integration. An additional potential area of concern is the interaction of a semiconducting substrate with active devices on the surface. The underlying semiconducting substrate may introduce features which could limit the harvesting of the full advantage that a superior strained device layer can bestow. Often today's state of the art devices operate in a semiconducting layer which is separated from the semiconducting substrate by an insulating layer. This technology is commonly knows as SOI technology. (SOI stands for Si-on-insulator.) The standard method of producing SOI materials is called the SIMOX process. It involves the implantation of very high doses of oxygen ions at high energy into the semiconductor, and upon annealing, the oxygen forms an oxide layer under the surface of the semiconductor. In this manner one has a top semiconductor layer separated from the bulk of the substrate. However, the SIMOX process has many of its own problems that makes it unsuitable for the production of high mobility strained layers.

Dual strain-state SiGe layers for microelectronics


A method and computer program product comprising an algorithm adapted to execute a method of identifying the spatial coordinates of a sustaining source of fibrillatory activity in a heart by computing a set of point-dependent dominant frequencies and a set of point-dependent regularity indices for a set of products of point-dependent unipolar discrete power spectra and point-dependent bipolar discrete power spectra, derived by spectral analyses of corresponding unipolar and bipolar cardiac depolarization signals simultaneously acquired from a set of points of the heart. A maximum dominant frequency is selected whose associated coordinates identify the point of the sustaining source of fibrillatory activity. The magnitude of the regularity index is interpreted to verify the identification of the spatial coordinates of the sustaining source of fibrillatory activity. When indicated, surgical intervention is directed to the spatial coordinates of the sustaining source of fibrillatory activity.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a method and algorithm for spatially identifying sources generative of cardiac fibrillation, and in particular, atrial fibrillation.
2. Related Art
2a. Atrial Fibrillation: Epidemiology, Incidence and Prevalence
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently occurring sustained cardiac rhythm disturbance ("arrhythmia") in humans. AF may be intermittent or paroxysmal, or it may be a stable arrhythmia that may last for many years. One to two million Americans have chronic AF. Epidemiologic studies have shown that the prevalence and incidence of AF doubles with each advancing decade beyond 50 years of age. Although not usually considered a life-threatening arrhythmia, AF has been associated with a two-fold increase in total and cardiovascular mortality. Factors that may increase mortality in AF include age, mitral stenosis, aortic valve disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and congestive heart failure.
Clinically, AF is often categorized as:
[i] paroxysmal—generally characterized by predominant sinus rhythm with intermittent episodes of AF;
    [ii] chronic—persistent or permanent AF;    [iii] acute—an episode of AF with an onset within 24 to 48 hours of diagnosis; and,    [iv] lone—variably defined, but generally considered to occur in the absence of cardiac disease.
The most clinically important consequences of AF are thromboembolic events and stroke. A four-fold to six-fold increased risk of stroke (15-fold in patients with a history of rheumatic heart disease) makes this arrhythmia one of the most potent risk factors for stroke in the elderly and the most common cause of cardiogenic stroke. The risk of stroke in nonvalvular AF varies with age and with the presence of concomitant cardiovascular disease and other risk factors for stroke. Most strokes associated with AF appear to be caused by cardiac emboli, presumably formed in fibrillating atria.
The presence of persistent rapid ventricular rates in association with AF may lead to impairment of ventricular function by a mechanism similar to that of tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy. This condition may be reversible. Improved ventricular function has been reported after complete atrioventricular (AV) node ablation, medical control of ventricular rate, or achievement of sinus rhythm. Evidence for development of atrial myopathy has also been reported in patients with AF in the absence of valvular disease. Mechanical and electrical cardiac remodeling could also promote further propensities toward AF and thromboembolism.
The most common underlying cardiovascular diseases associated with AF are hypertension and ischemic heart disease. Valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes have been shown to be independent risk factors for AF. Other associated conditions include pulmonary embolism, thyrotoxicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, pericarditis, neoplastic disease, and the postoperative state. The cardiac rhythm of a normal heart may be precipitated into AF by excessive alcohol, stress, drugs, excessive caffeine, hypoxia, hypokalemia, hypoglycemia, and systemic infection.
Morbidity attributable to AF also includes limitation in functional capacity from symptoms of palpitations, fatigue, dyspnea, angina, or congestive heart failure.
2b. Normal Cardiac Electrophysiology
The heart is a blood pumping organ consisting of four chambers—two atria and two ventricles. The normal function of the heart depends on the periodic and synchronized contraction of the walls of its four chambers. The walls of the heart are comprised of millions of cells called cardiomyocytes, whose interiors are maintained at a transmembrane potential difference voltage of about 70 millivolts relative to the external environment; i.e., the cardiomyocytes are in a state of relative voltage polarization. The synchronized mechanical contraction of the walls of the heart's chambers is triggered by the sequential and coordinated depolarization of their cardiomyocytes. The measured aggregate manifestation this depolarization of the resting transmembrane potential difference in cardiomyocytes is called an action potential or depolarization impulse.
The normal propagation of every cardiac action potential starts spontaneously at a region of the heart's right atrium ("RA") known as the sino-atrial ("SA") node, from which the action potential spreads throughout both atrial walls, causing their synchronous contraction, and toward a region known as the atrio-ventricular ("AV") node. From AV node, the action potential propagates as a depolarization wave front into a specialized conduction system known as the His-Purkinje system, whose terminal branches conduct the action potential into the walls of the right and left ventricles.
The normal propagation of the action potential's wave front of depolarization in the walls the atria and the ventricles is relatively continuous and uninterrupted. The normal contraction of the heart accompanying the propagation of the depolarization wave front is called normal sinus rhythm ("NSR"). NSR depends on normal propagation of the action potential, which must always originate at the SA node, as opposed to some other ectopic focus of origin, and must always spread from the SA node precisely in the foregoing sequence of transmission to the AV node, and thence to and through the His-Purkinje conduction system.
2c. Electrophysiology of Atrial Fibrillation
Certain self-sustaining, irregular and non-physiologically sequential depolarization impulses ("arrhythmias") may arise from one or more ectopic (non-SA node—either pacemaker or reentrant) foci and either impair or eliminate the normal contracting rhythm of the heart, thereby impairing or destroying the heart's capacity to pump blood. Atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation are two such arrhythmias.
During atrial fibrillation ("AF"), multiple depolarization wave fronts are generated in the atria, giving rise to vermiform atrial contractions responding to depolarization wave fronts that often have frequencies in excess of 400 cycles per minute. This rapid, disordered atrial activation results in loss of coordinated atrial contraction, with irregular electrical conduction to the AV node and His-Purkinje system, leading to sporadic ventricular contractions.
On the surface electrocardiogram ("ECG"), AF is characterized by the absence of visible discrete P waves or the presence of irregular fibrillatory waves, or both, and an irregular ventricular response.
Sustained AF depends on the uninterrupted aberrant periodic electrical activity of at least one discrete primary ectopic focus, hereinafter called a sustaining source of fibrillatory activity ("SSFA") that may behave as a reentrant circuit. The reentrant circuit is established by the interaction of propagating wave fronts of cardiac depolarization with either an anatomical or functional obstacles, i.e., tissue regions of variable refractoriness or excitability acting as intermittent conduction blocks, in a region of the heart, such as, for example the right atrium ("RA") or the right ventricle ("RV") in a process called "vortex shedding." These reentrant circuits act as sources ("mother rotors") that generate high-frequency depolarization wave fronts ("mother waves") emanating in rapid succession that propagate through both atria and interact with anatomic or functional obstacles acting as intermittent conduction blocks and maintaining the overall fibrillatory activity. Some of these anatomic or functional obstacles become secondary ectopic foci themselves generative of aberrant depolarization daughter wavelets having lower frequencies.
Some of these daughter wavelets may attenuate in amplitude and undergo decremental conduction. Others may be annihilated by collision with another daughter wavelet or a boundary; and, still others conduct circuitously to create new vortices of depolarization. The end result is the fragmentation or fractionation of the secondary depolarizing wave fronts emanating from these reentrant circuits into multiple independent daughter wavelets, giving rise to new wavelets, and so on—in a perpetual, globally aperiodic pattern that characterizes fibrillatory conduction.
Sustained AF is a function of several factors, including a nonuniform distribution reentrant circuits having relatively brief refractory periods over a sufficiently large area of cardiac tissue with the concomitant fractionation of a mother wave into a large number of independent daughter wavelets, possibly also having low conduction velocities.
2d. Atrial Fibrillation: Therapeutic Approaches
Radiofrequency ("RF") ablation of atrial tissue by application of energy through cardiac catheters has become a major therapeutic method for atrial fibrillation in patients. The RF ablation procedure consists of beneficially altering the electrical properties of cardiac tissue in the vicinity of the ablating catheter tip. The extent to which tissue is altered depends on the power and duration of the application, as well as on the characteristics of the tissue itself. For a typical RF ablation, a power of 20–40 Watts is delivered for 6–10 minutes to create an altered substrate in a cardiac volume with a radius of about 5 mm around the catheter tip.
The efficacy of RF ablation is suboptimal because of imprecise localization of tissue hosting the AF sources that are targeted. This situation prevails because methods for mapping sources of fibrillation rely on educated guesswork based upon subjective inferences from clinical electrophysiological data and vague identification criteria. Extensive ablation sufficient to modify cardiac tissues can cure many types of AF, but it exposes the patient to a higher risk of complications and to unacceptable fluoroscopy exposure times; on the other hand, more selective ablation that targets localized ectopic foci is safer, but may be less likely to effect a permanent cure of the AF, which may be become prone to recurrences. Accordingly, there is a need for improved targeting of RF ablation and other surgical interventions that seek to neutralize AF.
The present invention comprises an automated method for the detection and spatial identification of sources of fibrillation that is far more rapid and reliable than prevailing methods. Accordingly, the present invention may be expected to substantially reduce the duration of RF ablation and improve the success rate of the procedure by providing real-time spectrally guided RF ablation in patients.

Method and algorithm for spatially identifying sources of cardiac fibrillation

The Research Foundation of State University of New York


A level-shift circuit translates a control signal to a level-shifted output. The level-shift circuit includes a pulse generator circuit for providing Set and Reset pulses based on the control signal and a level-shift circuit for translating the Set and Reset pulses to level-shifted Set and Reset pulses. First and second differential detectors are connected to monitor the level-shifted Set and Reset pulses to provide detection of communicated Set and Reset pulses despite the presence of transients in the level-shift circuit. A gate drive circuit employs the Set and Reset pulses communicated by the differential detectors to generate a gate drive signal.

The present invention is related to high-voltage gate drivers, and in particular to high-voltage level translator circuits.
High-voltage gate drivers are commonly employed to drive the gates of power transistors such as metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), which are commonly used as switches to control the supply of power to high-power devices (e.g., three-phase motors used in washing machines, dryers, air conditioner fans and compressors, dishwashers, etc.). A common topology is half-bridge driver circuit having a high-side power switch and a low-side power switch. The high-side power switch and low-side power switch are turned On and Off to provide, respectively, a high-voltage output or a low-voltage output.
The high-side switch in a half-bridge driver circuit requires generation of a gate voltage (i.e., control voltage) that extends from a voltage equal to the negative supply voltage (typically equal to ground) to turn the high-side transistor Off to a voltage higher than the high-side supply voltage to turn the high-side transistor On (e.g., 600 V or more). A high-voltage gate driver circuit must therefore be able to convert or translate a control voltage (e.g., 5 V) to a voltage higher than the high-side supply voltage (e.g., 600 V or more). This voltage translation is typically provided by a voltage level translator circuit.
A typical voltage level translator circuit receives a logic-level control signal indicating whether a power switch should be On or Off. A pulse generation circuit generates separate On and Off pulses in response to the logic-level control signal. The On and Off pulses control the gates of separate high-voltage transistors, each connected in series with resistors located between the high-side supply voltage and ground. The series connection of the respective transistors and resistor are connected between the high-side supply voltage and ground, with the gate of each transistor controlled by the logic-level input signal interface between the logic-level control signals (e.g., 5 V) and the high-side supply voltage (e.g., 600 V or more). In response to the On pulse switching On a respective high-voltage transistor, current is drawn from the high-side supply voltage, creating a voltage drop across the resistor that is detected by complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) logic components. In a typical system, the CMOS logic components are connected to float between the input voltage and ground, such that the difference between the high-side supply voltage and the reference voltage for the CMOS logic components remain less than some threshold value (e.g., 15 V) tolerable by the CMOS components.
A problem common to such voltage level translator circuits is the presence of parasitic capacitance between the drain and source of the high-voltage transistors used to interface between the logic-level input signal and the high-side supply voltage. The parasitic capacitances are charged by the high-side supply voltage through the associated resistors, creating a voltage drop that may be misinterpreted by the CMOS logic components as a change in the control signal, resulting in erroneous control of the power switch. It would therefore be desirable to provide a high-voltage level translator that provides reliable control of a high-voltage gate driver despite the presence of transient signals created by the parasitic capacitance associated with the high-voltage transistors employed by the high-voltage level translator.


A vibration sensor is provided in which the depth of a caulked portion of the season's case is increased so as to increase the capacity of a recess defined between this caulked portion and the cover. The volume of a potting agent filling there less can thereby be increased to improve the airtightness of the caulked portion and the reliability of the vibration detector. A vibration plate having cutouts circumferentially spaced along an outer, peripheral portion may be used in the vibration detector if the volume of the space formed on a lower side of the vibration plate is limited to about a few to ten percent of that of the space formed on the opposite terminal side. The expansion of air in the spaces caused by a thermal shock is therefore substantially equal to the expansion of air contained in the space on the terminal side alone, so that vibration sensor can maintain sufficient airtightness and can be improved in reliability.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vibration sensor for sensing vibrations of, for example, an internal combustion engine to detect knocking and, more particularly, to a case for accommodating such a vibration sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 3 shows a partially sectional side view of a vibration sensor of this kind. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a base case 1 which is one of two outer members of the vibration detector and which is formed of steel has a threaded portion 1a and a bottom surface 1c for attachment to an internal combustion engine (not shown). A vibration member 2 is formed of a metallic plate and has a vibration surface 2a as well as a fixing peripheral portion 2b. A disk-like piezoelectric element 3 for converting vibration into an electrical signal is bonded to a side of the metallic plate opposite to the vibration surface 2a and is positioned coaxially with threaded portion 1a. A resin cover 5 forms the second outer member and is thermo-formed with an intermediate portion of a steel terminal 6 embedded therein. The resin cover 5 has a fixing peripheral portion 5a. The terminal 6 is insulated from a reference electrode by the resin cover 5. The terminal 6 is connected to an upper electrode of the piezoelectric element 3 by a lead wire 4. The vibration plate 2, a disk spring 7 and the cover 5 are successively inserted in the base case 1 and are fixed by a caulked portion 1b. A fixed end of the vibrating portion of the vibration plate 2 is thereby created. Spaces 11a and 11b are formed in the base case 1 and the resin cover 5, respectively. A potting recess 12 is defined by the caulked portion 1b and the resin cover 5.
The conventional vibration sensor thus constructed is fixed on an internal combustion engine by means of the thread 1a of the case 1, with the seat surface 1c abutting on the engine. Vibration generated according to the operating condition of the internal combustion engine propagates to the vibration detector through the bottom surface 1c. The vibration of the case 1 is then propagated to the vibration plate 2 and to the piezoelectric element 3. The piezoelectric element 3 receives a stress due to the vibration, generates a detection signal proportional to the stress, and output a terminal 6 detection signal with respect to the electrode (not shown) on the vibration plate bonding side. Since the case 1 is a metallic member, it has the same potential as the vibration plate 2. The vibration sensor has a natural frequency such that the output is maximized when it resonates with a component of knocking vibration of the internal combustion engine. This natural frequency is determined by the properties of the vibration plates 2 as well as the piezoelectric elements and the stability condition of the caulked portion 1b.
The space 11a provided on the base 1 side of the vibration plate 2 and space 11b provided on the resin cover 5 side are closed by the base case 1 and the resin cover 5 respectively, which form a complete outer casing of the vibration sensor. Airtightness of the connection (at the caulked portion 1b) between the base case 1 and the resin cover 5 with respect to the thermal expansions of air in the spaces 11a and 11b is important in terms of reliability.
To ensure desired airtightness, a bonding agent or a potting agent is applied to this connection so as to fill the recess 12 formed by the caulked portion 1b of the base case 1 and the peripheral portion 5a of the resin case 5. However, the caulked portion 1b has an L-like caulked shaped as illustrated, and the capacity of the recess 12 is small as determined by a depth H1. The reliability of this airtight connection is proportional to the capacity of the potting agent having a sealing effect. It is therefore desirable to further increase the capacity of the recess 12.
Thus, in the conventional vibration sensor constructed as described above, the capacity of the recess 12 is small and the airtight performance is limited according to this capacity. It is necessary to increase the capacity and to improve the reliability.
For example, a vibration detector attached to a motor vehicle typically undergoes a change of about 0.3 atm in the pressure of the closed spaces, such changes in pressure severely affecting the detector's durabilty.
A vibration plate, such as the plate 2A shown in FIG. 4, may be used for the vibration sensor of FIG. 3. This vibration plate 24 has a plurality of cutouts 2c circumferentially spaced around an outer periphery of the disk in order to improve its characteristics with respect to temperature fluctuations. The outer circumferential ends of the cutouts 2c extend to the peripheral portion 5a of the cover 5. Such that the spaces 11a and 11b on the opposite sides of the vibration plates 2A communicate with each other. The airtightness of the portion in which the steel terminal 6 is embedded is reduced by the thermal expansion of air in the spaces 11a and 11b. There is therefore the problem of a reduction in reliability of vibration detection.


A fuser control device includes a fuser device that a holding member holds configured to fuse a developing image to a priming medium, a fuser heater that is installed at the holding member configured to generate heat for at least a central part and side parts of a heat application roller, a first temperature detection part configured to detect a temperature of the fuser device and configured to transmit the temperature of the fuser device as a first detecting temperature, a second temperature detection part configured to detect a temperature of the holding member and configured to transmit the temperature of the holding member as a second detecting temperature, and a heat application control unit configured to control the temperature of the fuser device with changing a targeting temperature for the fuser device based on a controlling condition.

1. Technical Field
This application relates to a fuser control device and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrophotographic printers conventionally transfer toner corresponding to printing images onto a paper and fix the toner that is transferred to the paper with application of heat and pressure. Japanese patent publication 2008-249763 describes a fuser control device and an image forming apparatus used in such an electrophotographic printer that are arranged with plural heaters and plural temperature detectors, which are disposed at different places in a longitudinal direction of a fuser device.
However, in other conventional devices, the fuser control device and the image forming apparatus have problems described hereafter. When a printing is started in a situation that a temperature of the fuser control device and the image forming apparatus is the same as a room temperature, edges of the fuser device that are closer to the fuser device underheat and it is difficult to properly fuse the toner image to the sheet, because a temperature of a holding member that holds the fuser device is low and a heat capacity of the holding member is large. Further, there is a way to set a high temperature of the fuser device preliminarily to improve the aforementioned problem, but the consumed power substantially increases.

Fuser control device and image forming apparatus


A dead time in the case where an output of an air-fuel ratio sensor changes in a lean direction and a dead time in the case where the output changes in a rich direction are sensed respectively. The number of elements constituting data of past feedback correction amounts used for calculating a present feedback correction amount is changed in accordance with the larger one of the dead times. A lean direction response time and a rich direction response time are sensed respectively. A control gain is corrected in accordance with the lean direction response time when the output of the air-fuel ratio sensor changes in the lean direction. The control gain is corrected in accordance with the rich direction response time when the output changes in the rich direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-fuel ratio control device of an internal combustion engine that performs feedback control of a fuel quantity injected into the internal combustion engine based on a sensing value of an air-fuel ratio sensor sensing an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine.
2. Description of Related Art
A recent electronically-controlled automobile has an air-fuel ratio sensor arranged in an exhaust pipe for sensing an air-fuel ratio or an oxygen concentration of exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine. Feedback control of a fuel quantity (or an air-fuel ratio of a mixture gas) injected into the internal combustion engine is performed to maintain the air-Fuel ratio of the exhaust gas to the vicinity of a target air-fuel ratio based on the output of the air-fuel ratio sensor. Thus, exhaust emission and fuel consumption are improved. In such the air-fuel ratio feedback control system, if a response characteristic of the air-fuel ratio sensor sensing the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is degraded, sensing accuracy of the air-fuel ratio is deteriorated and air-fuel ratio control accuracy is deteriorated, leading to deterioration of the exhaust emission and the like.
As measures against such the problem, there is a system (for example, as described in Patent document 1: Japanese patent No. 3581737) that determines presence/absence of degradation of a response characteristic of an air-fuel ratio sensor based on an adaptation parameter used for feedback control and decreases a gain of the feedback control if the degradation of the response characteristic of the air-fuel ratio sensor is detected through the determination.
In general, the air-fuel ratio feedback control system is designed by modeling a dynamic characteristic of a control object since a fuel supply quantity to an engine is changed until an output of an air-fuel ratio sensor changes using a dead time plus a first-order lag characteristic (a response time). In order to meet the exhaust gas regulations (i.e., demands for low emission), which will become more and more severe in the future, it has been increasingly required to reduce the deterioration of the air-fuel ratio control accuracy due to the degradation of the dead time or the degradation of the response time.
The degradation of the dead time and the degradation of the response time occur respectively and individually, and the degradation of one of them can advance ahead of the other. Therefore, it is difficult to perform the feedback control corresponding to the degradation of the dead time or the degradation of the response time only by decreasing the gain of the feedback control when the degradation of the response characteristic of the air-fuel ratio sensor is detected as described in above Patent document 1.
Recently, it has been found out that the degradation of the response characteristic of the air-fuel ratio sensor occurs asymmetrically between a rich side and a lean side of the air-fuel ratio. Therefore, a certain technology (e.g., refer to Patent document 2: JP-A-2007-187129) senses a dead time and a time constant (i.e., a response time) of an air-fuel ratio sensor on both of the rich side and the lean side respectively and separately. An average value of the sensing values on the rich side and an average value of the sensing values on the lean side are calculated respectively and compared with reference values respectively, thereby detecting degradation of the air-fuel ratio sensor.
The technology described in Patent document 2 only performs the degradation diagnosis of the air-fuel ratio sensor by detecting the asymmetrical degradation of the air-fuel ratio sensor between the rich side and the lean side but does not have any function to reflect the detection result of the asymmetrical degradation in the feedback control. Therefore, the technology cannot reduce the deterioration of the air-fuel ratio control accuracy due to the asymmetrical degradation.

Air-fuel ratio control device of internal combustion engine


A controller for a molding machine can easily revise control-parameters. To achieve the object, the controller comprises: a first input unit for inputting control-parameters of the molding machine; a display unit for showing a graph of a control-pattern of the molding machine, which is defined on the basis of the control-parameters, on a screen; a second input unit for revising the graph on the screen to define a revised control-pattern; a calculator for calculating revised control-parameters, which correspond to the revised control-pattern, when the control-pattern is revised; a memory for storing the control-parameters and the revised control-parameters; and a control unit for storing the control-parameters in the memory, showing the graph of the control-pattern on the display unit, calculating the revised control-parameters by the calculator when the graph is revised, and storing the revised control-parameters in the memory.

The present invention relates to a controller for a molding machine, more precisely relates to a controller for a molding machine, which is capable of revising control-parameters of a molding machine.
In an injection molding machine, for example, shapes of products, types of molding materials (resins), types of molds, etc. have been more complex and precise, so that control-parameters of molding conditions, e.g. injection speed, injection pressure, must be controlled in multiple stages. To execute multistage control, conventional injection molding machines have controllers to which said control-parameters for each stage are inputted.
In conventional controllers, length of time, injection speed and injection pressure with respect to positions of an injection screw, etc. for each stage are inputted thereto as numerical values.
However, the conventional controllers have a following disadvantage.
To control molding machines in multiple stages, response time of injection molding machines must be short. Namely, time length of reaching object molding conditions must be short. But action and mutation of resins are active, so that actual molding conditions change like an analogue curve, even if molding conditions are inputted as numerical values, and the controller digitally controls the injection molding machine.
By changing molding conditions like an analogue curve, it is very difficult for inexperienced operators, who are not familiar with the relationship between control-parameters numerically inputted and actual molding conditions, to revise the control-parameters so as to bring actual molding conditions close to desired conditions.

Controller for revising control parameters of a molding machine