A retractable surfboard leash assembly including means for adjusting the exposed length thereof between the surfboard and the surfboard rider including an elongated, flexible leash defined by spaced-apart first and second distal ends, a housing forming an enclosed volume therein, a shaft centrally mounted in the housing; a spool pivotally mounted on the shaft inside said housing to which the first distal end of the leash is attached and a device provided in the enclosed volume to wind a length of the leash thereupon in an orderly fashion, a spring attached to the spool for winding and simultaneously storing potential energy when the leash is pulled from the housing, through an aperture formed therein, and unwinding and simultaneously releasing the stored potential energy when the leash is released to re-enter the housing for winding and storing therein, a cuff for attaching the housing to the surfboard rider and a device on the surfboard for attaching the second distal end of the leash, and diffuser device attached about the aperture in the housing and embracing the leash for controlling the inner and outer movement of the leash and preventing the wound leash inside the housing from jamming against the aperture and interfere with free movement of the leash therethrough.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of leashes. More particularly, this invention relates to a device for dispensing and retrieving leashes strung between a surfboard and the operator, such as the surfer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is axiomatic that, once a person gets on a surfboard there is a risk he or she will become separated from it at some time during the "ride". In fact, the risk of falling off a surfboard is a significant part of the sport. Surfers constantly strive to remain on the board during all manner of wave action; however, everyone knows and appreciates that in some instances, such as heavy wave action or unpredictable surf, the person will "wipe-out" as the vernacular describes it.
Surfboards are made of lightweight materials including plastic foam, usually with an interior wood stringer, and are covered with a hard finish including fiberglass and fiberglass resin. While light and sturdy, a surfboard nevertheless becomes dangerous should it be forced to double back upon its owner after a wipe out. Further, where more than one surfer is operating, one surfer's board may become exceedingly dangerous to a neighboring surfer during heavy wave action.
There has been a move toward retaining a link between the surfer and his or her surfboard. Leashes have been fashioned that have spaced-apart distal ends attached to the surfer and to the board, respectively, in order not to allow the board to become too dislocated from its owner. While leashes have served the intended purpose, they have created a host of problems that have proved to be as dangerous or more dangerous, as well as bothersome, to the art of surfboarding.
A leash will prevent a total loss of the board from its owner. However, because the specific gravity of the surfboard is quite a bit less than that of the surfer, the surfboard floats to the surface first, and can become a hazard, i.e., colliding with the surfer, resulting in cuts, scrapes and welts. In addition, the leash drags in the water and interrupts the smooth flow of water over the board. This is thought to adversely affect surfboard performance and to detract from the beauty of the sport.
Some persons have gone to stretchable leashes in order to use a shorter leash with less chance for the length to become a bothersome drag in the water when riding the board. These have proved to be extremely dangerous because the recoil built into the leash often causes the surfboard to act like a torpedo in the water and close directly on the person having the other end of the leash attached his/her body. Numerous instances of severe collision using stretchable leashes have been reported.
About the best that can be done by today's standards is the use of a retractable leash. It can be made non-stretchable thus eliminating the torpedo problem. The unused length of the leash may be wound up and temporarily stored in a housing worn by the surfer on his or her arm or ankle (Patent No. PCT/AU91/0031), or a windup spring used to wind the unused length of the leash into a housing located on the board (U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,725). In this latter patent, the windup spring stores increased potential energy as the leash is pulled out of the housing that is converted to kinetic energy as the spring retracts the unused length of the leash into the housing. The spring loses energy as it winds in the leash thus reducing the pull on the leash and reducing the torpedo problem as the surfboard gets closer to the surfer. A significant benefit with the retractable leash is that there is no excess length to drag in the water during use of the surfboard--the leash is wound up in the housing and the only part of it remaining outside the housing is the length directly from the housing to the user's ankle or arm.
The main drawback with retractable leashes of the prior art is that the leash jams in the opening in the housing during high speed unwinding and rewinding. This is mainly caused by the reflexes of the surfer in moving quickly from one location to another on the top of the surfboard. In these swift and usually unexpected movements, the leash changes angle at the inlet/outlet aperture in the housing and often causes a loop of leash inside the housing, directly under the aperture, to jam in the housing thus preventing further use of the retracting aspect of the device.


A dispensing system for particulate solid chemical materials is disclosed that includes a charging hopper for receiving a sealed chemical container of solid particulate material to be dispersed, a delivery pipe attached to the charging hopper for conducting materials from the hopper by gravity, a seal piercing means disposed in the charging hopper for opening the sealed container and allowing the solid particulate material to flow from the chemical container into the delivery pipe and a liquid rinsing device including a discharge pipe member for delivering rinse liquid to rinse the hopper and chemical container.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a system for adding dry chemical concentrate materials in particulate form to a liquid dilution system and, more particularly, the invention deals with an improved noncontact, batch addition system for adding free-flowing particulate solid chemicals in a liquid dispersion that avoids worker contact, precludes spillage and eliminates container residue.
II. Related Art
A number of different techniques have been developed and used for solubilizing dry chemical materials into solutions for water treatment, cleaning and other uses. Such systems have been designed to include an infusion device that sprays a stream of water into a solid mass which may be a block or amount of powder of a concentrated composition for a limited period of time to produce a liquid chemical concentrate which may then be diluted with the appropriate amount of water or other solvent to form the desired solution for the particular use involved. Multiple product dispensing systems including dispensing systems for forming use solutions from solid chemical compositions are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,607,651; 5,494,644; and a single solid chemical dispensing system exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,915.
Whereas each of these prior devices and systems address certain problems associated with the creation of solutions of a given concentration utilizing solid chemical feed materials, while these systems address the handling of dry chemical additives in solid block form, they have not addressed problems of batch addition of free flowing dry and particulate materials. This is particularly true of avoiding contact between those operating the system and the chemicals involved including contact with associated dust or vapors from the particulate material. There further remains a need for such a system which is entirely compatible with free-flowing crystalline or other free-flowing solid particulate materials supplied from bulk containers in totally dry form.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a free-flowing solid delivery system that dispenses solid chemical materials into a mix tank without exposure of the chemicals to those operating the system or to the environment.
Another object of the invention is to provide a solid chemical material delivery system which eliminates waste through complete product transfer while reducing container residues and the risk of hazardous spills to the environment.
A further object of the invention is to provide a delivery system for free-flowing solid materials which is relatively simple in construction and easily operated.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon familiarization with the specification, drawings and claims contained herein.


A graphical user interface for controlling analysis of a wafer map is provided. The user interface provides a graphical selection control for selecting a region of the wafer map for statistical analysis. The user interface is configured to generate statistical data for the selected region to complete the statistical analysis. The statistical data is then displayed for the selected region. Re-generation of the statistical data for display is performed upon detecting a change in the selected region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for quantifying post process uniformity of semiconductor wafers, and more particularly, to graphical user interfaces that enable real-time graphical analysis of uniformity metrics before and after process operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor wafers undergo numerous processes during the semiconductor manufacturing process. Layers may be added, patterned, etched, removed, polished and many other processes. After each process the wafer is typically examined to confirm the previous process was completed with an acceptable level of errors or nonuniformities. The various operating variables (e.g., event timing, gas pressure, concentrations, temperatures, etc.) of each process the wafer is processed through are recorded so that any changes in any variable may be quickly identified and potentially correlated to any errors or nonuniformities discovered when the wafer is examined.
FIG. 1A shows a typical etched wafer 100. A top layer of material was mostly removed from the wafer in the etch process except for a portion 106 of the top layer. For clarity purposes, the portion 106 is a portion of a layer or ultrathin film. A notch 104 is typically included in each wafer 100 so that the wafer can be oriented (aligned) in the same position during the various manufacturing processes. The portion 106 is a nonuniform portion of the surface of the wafer 100 and therefore can be termed a nonuniformity. As shown, the portion 106 is in the approximate form of a ring or annular shape where the top layer was removed from the center and around the edges of the wafer 100.
FIG. 1B shows another typical etched wafer 120. A portion 108 of a top layer remains, when the top layer was mostly removed in the etch process. The portion 108 is typically termed an azimuthal-type nonuniformity on the surface of wafer 120 because the nonuniformity 108 is not the same at the same radius around the wafer 120.
Prior art approaches to describing nonuniformities 106, 108 include subjective, verbal descriptions such as "center-fast" for annular nonuniformity 106 or "left side slow" for azimuthal nonuniformity 108. Center-fast generally describes wafer 100 because material from the center of the wafer 100 is removed faster than the material in the annular region 106. However, center-fast does not provide a specific, objective and quantitative description of the nonuniformity 106. Similarly, left side slow describes wafer 120 because the etch process removed material from the left side region 108 slower than the other regions of the wafer 120 but left side slow also fails to provide a specific, objective and quantitative description of the nonuniformity 108.
The descriptions of the nonuniformities 106, 108 are used to provide feedback to correct errors and inconsistencies in the etch and other preceding processes that were performed on the wafers 100, 120. The descriptions of the nonuniformities 106, 108 can also be used to track the impact of the nonuniformities 106, 108 on subsequent semiconductor manufacturing process and on metrics from completed semiconductor devices (e.g., device yields, performance parameters, etc.)
As nonuniformities become smaller and smaller, the nonuniformities become less symmetrical and also more difficult to accurately describe with the subjective, verbal descriptions. FIG. 1C shows a typical wafer 150 with multiple, asymmetrical nonuniformities 152A–G. The nonuniformities 152A–G can be smaller and are less symmetrical than nonuniformities 106, 108 because the various variables in the etch and other previous processes are very stringently controlled. The subjective, verbal descriptions have therefore become insufficient to accurately describe the nonuniformities 152A–G so that further improvements in the preceding processes can be successfully completed.
A more objective description of wafer uniformity is referred to as a 3-sigma uniformity metric. The 3-sigma uniformity metric quantifies a standard deviation of measurements of some quantity of the wafer. By way of example, the 3-sigma can be an expression of the deviations in thickness of the wafer detected by an array of measurement points across the wafer. FIG. 1D shows a typical 49-point array used in completing a measurement scan of wafer 160. The thickness of the wafer 160 is measured at each of the 49 points. The 49-points are arranged with a center point 162, and three concentric rings 164, 168, 172. The inner ring 164 has 8 evenly spaced points. The intermediate ring 168 has 16 evenly spaced points. The outer ring 172 has 24 evenly spaced points. The rings 164, 168, 172 are typically approximately equally spaced radially from the center point 162. Each of the points in the rings 164, 168, 172 and the center point 162 is typically assigned to represent a given portion of the wafer 160. For example, a typical wafer 160 has a 3 mm exclusion zone on the outer perimeter of the wafer 160. The rings 164, 168, 172 and the center point 162 are spaced equidistant and therefore each of the 49 points represent about 1/49th of the area of the wafer 160, less the 3 mm exclusion zone (i.e., the outer edge of the wafer where expected process abnormalities occur). Because nonuniformities do not suddenly appear under a single scan point, the nonuniformities are smoothed due to the choice of measuring points.
The 3-sigma uniformity metric is conventionally defined to be equal to 3 times the standard deviation of the measurements on the wafer 160. The standard deviation of the thickness of the wafer 160 is determined by a sum of the thickness of the wafer 160 at each of the 49 scanned points divided by 49 times the mean thickness of the wafer. A typical 3-sigma metric of a wafer is reported as a percentage of uniformity (0% being ideal). The 3-sigma metric is also often referred to as the WIWNU metric (within wafer nonuniformity).
A 3-sigma metric provides a single, objective, quantitative, summary description of the magnitude of the nonuniformities 152A–G. Additional metrics include skewness and kurtosis, which can be derived from the measured array data. However, these metrics do not provide sufficient information to specifically identify the location and shape of the nonuniformities on the wafer 160.
In addition, simply adding more scan points to areas of interest does not provide for improved understanding of a non-uniformity. In fact, when more points are added to a particular location (e.g., such as near the edge of the wafer), the additional points can have the downside of improperly skewing the wafer non-uniformity metrics, which are calculated for the entire wafer surface.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a computer user interface that enables the display of uniformity metrics in a graphical manner so that their significance can be adequately explored.

User interface for quantifying wafer non-uniformities and graphically explore significance


A turf aerating device and machine including a turf aerating device comprising a base platform having a plurality of star-shaped spikes removably mounted therein in perpendicular orientation with respect to the base platform surface so that the spikes vertically penetrate a desired turf surface. The spikes produce X-shaped holes and loosen the soil beneath the turf. A plurality of turf aerating devices are mounted to a corresponding number of vertically actuating rods and vertically actuated for penetrating the turf with the spikes without causing damage to the turf.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a turf aerating device and machine, and more particularly to an aeration tool that is removably attachable to existing aerating machines and produces small, non-obstructive holes which achieve proper aeration without adversely affecting the playability of the turf on greens, fairways, and similar turf surfaces.
2. Description of the Background Art
Grass turf, especially on golf course greens and fairways, requires periodic aerification to loosen and impregnate the soil beneath with air and water. Several methods are known for aerating greens. For instance, one procedure, known as coring, removes dirt and green cores from the turf and deposits them on the turf. The problem with coring is that it leaves large plugs and holes all over the playing surface and has a tendency to remove vital organic materials therefrom. Another procedure punches holes in the green with solid spikes. Conventional spikes also produce unacceptably large holes and oftentimes compact the turf soil rather than loosening it. These aerification techniques also tend to pull up patches of turf when the punching spike or coring tool is pulled from the ground. Large holes, plugs, and torn turf on the green adversely affect playability and can often render the greens and fairways unplayable for several weeks. This is both frustrating for the golfer and costly for the country club. As a result, aerification is not always performed as often as necessary. Consequently, there exists a need for an aeration spiking tool and machine which can be used frequently for aerating turf surfaces without adversely affecting the look, feel, and playability of the golf course.
It has been determined that these problems can be solved with a less intrusive spiking device. While several different spikes are known in the art, none appear to address the foregoing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 976,439 issued to Cunningham, comprises a rotary harrow that uses cylindrical spikes having sharpened blades. Cunningham fails to address the problems associated with aerating a golf course because it teaches an agricultural cultivating machine which pulverizes or breaks up the ground rather than aerating it. Thus, the Cunningham spikes are specifically designed for a rotary harrow machine. The spikes disclosed in Cunningham comprise a cylindrical shaft portion having blades thereabove that at no place extend past the peripheral limits of the cylindrical portion. The blades also have undesirable rounded edges and the shaft has a wider base section secured to a roller by clamping straps. Therefore, the spikes are not adaptable for use on other machines. In addition, the spikes and rotary harrow in Cunningham are designed to tear up the turf rather than preserve it. Thus, Cunningham does not offer a viable solution to the problems at hand.
Other devices known in the art also fail to address and solve the problems noted herein. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,348 issued to Flanagan, Sr., et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,163,236 issued to Ray comprise turf spiking machines employing solid conical-shaped spikes. The spikes taught by Ray and Flanagan tend to compact the soil rather than loosen it and produce holes that are unacceptably large. Moreover, Flanagan, Sr., et al. incorporates complicated stripper angle plates and springs to compensate for the machine's tilted pistons. The tools disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,299,378 issued to Cain and U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,722 issued to Ervin are also not relevant as they comprise hand tools having conical shaped spikes that make unacceptably large holes and damage the turf when pulling them therefrom.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an aerating tool and machine that effectively aerates turf without tearing up the turf or rendering it unusable. The instant invention addresses these problems by providing an aeration tool having a plurality of blocks and corresponding star-shaped spikes that are removably attachable to machines having linearly actuating rods.


Disclosed are a method, system and computer program for collecting inventory data about a group of machines at an office. This method comprises the steps of running an inventory tool on each of the machines, and the tool presenting dialogue displays on each of the machines, filling in or changing data in the dialogues presented by the tool, and submitting the collected information to a server. Also disclosed are a method, system and computer program for customizing an inventory data collection tool for a plurality of logical groups of users. Each of the logical groups of users is provided with a copy of the inventory data collection tool and with a first copy of a common control file. Each of the groups of users uses the first copy of the common control file to customize the tool for the group of users.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to managing and effecting an enterprise-wide technology migration, and more specifically, to an integrated set of tools and processes to manage an enterprise-wide information technology migration.
2. Background Art
Many corporations and other enterprises have very extensive information technology or telecommunications systems or networks. These systems may include personal computers, workstations, servers, printers, monitors, data storage facilities, as well as the many software applications used on these devices and all the wiring, cabling and connectors needed to interconnect the system or network components.
From time to time, it is necessary or desirable to make extensive or fundamental changes in or to these networks or systems. For instance, an enterprise may want to migrate from one basic type of network to another. Examples of such migration include: Token-ring to Ethernet; Windows to LINUX; Dell PCs to IBM PCs; Microsoft Exchange/Outlook to Lotus Notes; and phone system migrations.
These migrations, because of the large number of pieces of equipment involved, the disparate nature of these pieces of equipment, and the complex relationships between the equipment, can be very difficult, complicated and expensive to manage. There does not exist in the prior art a configurable, integrated and end-to-end set of processes and corresponding electronic toolsuite to manage effectively large scale enterprise-wide information technology-related or telecommunications-related migrations.
A number of specific challenges may be faced in the course of a large scale, enterprise-wide migration. For example, when preparing for a large migration of any type, the first step is to see what the status of the existing machine is. Because of the large number of and very diverse nature of those machines, it may be difficult to provide a manageable process and tool to do this.
Another challenge is that, whenever a large migration project is done, there are always targeted users that do not get completed during the planned window. There can be many reasons for this, including users on vacations, or otherwise not available during the migration window. Processes and tools need to be provided that allow a user to collect the desired inventory data outside of the window of time when the other inventory methods are being used.
In addition, during a large migration project, data is collected about each client. Each logical group of clients often has custom requirements. For instance, clients in Canada may not use the RIT connectors or need to mail card and cables. While a new tool could be developed for each of these logical groups of clients, this is a time consuming and cumbersome task. It is much more desirable to provide a single, configurable tool that can be customized for each of these logical groups of users.

Method and system for enterprise-wide migration

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus and a related pair of elements and methods are for aligning or positioning teeth. The apparatus is configured to be worn in a mouth of a wearer and further configured to be supported on the teeth of the wearer, and has elements arranged to be distributed along a set of the teeth and at least one engager member for engaging the elements for moving one or more of the teeth. In such embodiments, at least one pair of the elements can be engaged such that when in use, at least one part of one of the elements in the pair bears against at least one part of the other of the elements in the pair.

For a range of reasons, teeth can acquire a non-ideal configuration in a person's mouth. This can be problematic for medical and/or dental health, and there may therefore be a need for medical treatment e.g. to preserve longevity or prevent loss of teeth in a patient, e.g. into old age. In addition, teeth have long been recognized as being linked to the external appearance and recognition or perception of a human face, particularly when smiling. Misaligned teeth relative to a reference external appearance condition (e.g. a social "ideal") can therefore also be experienced to be problematic for a person, e.g. for the psychological or general wellbeing of that person. There can therefore be a need for correction of teeth misalignment in patients for many purposes ranging from medical to cosmetic.
Various devices have been developed for reducing or aligning misaligned sets of teeth. In orthodontic dentistry, known arrangements for orthodontic tooth positioning can be generally divided into removable orthodontic apparatus and permanent orthodontic apparatus.
Removable orthodontic variants may include plates which are most often plastics based and which are often combined with steel bows and steel brackets which either function as fastening arrangements or as components for active positioning of teeth. For purposes of active positioning, the steel element is typically configured such that through the resilience of the metal, one may apply a force to a tooth or group of teeth which will result in a certain displacement of the tooth or teeth away from an original position. Alternatively, such plates may consist of plastics only where the resilient nature of the plastics can be utilized to apply a force to a tooth or group of teeth which results in a smaller displacement of the tooth away from the original position. A series of plastics rails can be manufactured, and these can function to move the teeth gradually little by little from the original position to a desired end position for the treatment.
In all types of plates and rails, the amount of displacement that can be generated is typically limited. The amount of control over the displacement obtained is also limited. This can lead to a need for frequent reactivation of the apparatus through adjustment of steel components or through manufacturing several new plastics rails. In addition, the possibilities for controlling the produced displacement of the tooth or teeth can be limited.
An advantage of removable orthodontic apparatus is that the patient has the option of taking the apparatus out in situations where it may be desirable to not have the apparatus in place. This may for instance be in social or job-related settings or when cleaning teeth and support tissue such as gums.
A permanent orthodontic apparatus differs from removable apparatus in that it is fastened to a patient's teeth in such a way that the patient cannot readily take the apparatus off by him or herself, and needs professional assistance to do so. Permanent apparatus may also be referred to as "fixed apparatus" in the art, but herein, the term "permanent apparatus" is applied to distinguish from removable apparatus where the removable apparatus is fixed to the teeth in operational use to apply the treatment but can be readily taken off and put back in place by hand by the patient him/herself when desired, without requiring specialist input or equipment.
An advantage of a permanently mounted orthodontic apparatus in comparison to removable apparatus can be a greater degree of control of the force vectors which act upon the teeth and support tissue. This can provide better control of the produced displacement of the teeth in all planes. By using the permanent apparatus, a tooth with root and support tissue can be subject to positioning in all relevant planes of movement, which in contrast is of limited possibility in removable apparatus.
The drawbacks of a permanent apparatus are that it can make access more difficult for cleaning teeth and supporting tissue, and also the fact that the apparatus protrudes from the tooth surface which can be experienced as intrusive toward cheeks, lips, and tongue of the patient, dependent upon whether the apparatus is fastened to the front or rear of the teeth. In the case of apparatus mounted on the rear of the teeth it may also affect a person's pronunciation of certain sounds. As is common to most permanent apparatus, there can often be a need to replace constituent parts of the apparatus and also there can be a need for adjustment and activation of the apparatus. In most cases, this must be performed by a skilled dentist to obtain the desired type and degree of movement of the teeth.
Typical intervals between check-up, reactivation, and adjustment of the apparatus at a dentist is normally in the region of 4 to 8 weeks. In this period, there can be generally an exponential decrease in the effects of the applied force from the apparatus against the tooth and of the degree of movement that has taken place.
There are many variants of permanent apparatus. Common to many of these, simple block elements are glued to the patient's teeth. The block elements have a groove of fixed dimension with space for fitting different types of metal bows which bind the elements together. By varying the dimension of the bow and its cross section (e.g. circular, quadratic, or rectangular), it may be possible to adapt and control the movement to which the teeth will experience. Other components for fixation of the bows to the block elements may include permanently mounted clips and "doors" which can retain the bows in the groove or small steel threads or elastic bands which can keep the bow in the groove on the block elements.
Treatment using a permanent orthodontic apparatus of this kind requires typically close follow up from a dentist and the achievement of the result will typically be dependent upon the experience and technical knowledge and experience of the dentist concerned.

Apparatus for aligning or positioning teeth, and related methods


The generation and adjustment of a training object allows for the customized training for a user on a software application. Based on a user identification, the training object may be generated to cover targeted topics for learning while avoiding extraneous subject matter. The training object is generated using knowledge transfer modules composed of knowledge transfer objects. The selection of the knowledge transfer objects is determined based on attributes associated with a user identification and factors associated with the identified user. Therefore, when the user accesses and executes a training object associated with the specific user, the training objects provide directed and targeted training.

The present invention relates generally to the area of software training and more specifically to generating training objects capable of being executed within a software application.
Success of a new software application depends on the ability of users to effectively learn and utilize the software. Unfortunately, nearly all computer software today is designed around processing data with little or no consideration of how people need to use it to perform their work tasks. As a result, user training, software documentation and end user support services have flourished as a way to help users figure out how to work around these systems.
Current software training approaches include general classroom training sessions, online tutorials and third party training resources. These systems typically employ a general teaching approach to accommodate the wide variety of users. These training approaches cannot provide individual customized training. Thus the users are often limited in their training for utilizing the new software, reducing productivity.
With continued advancements in software applications, it is important to keep users abreast of new techniques. If users fail to grasp the improvements of existing systems, these shortcomings will only be perpetuated with new systems. This is problematic because after several generations of new technologies, the user may be severely restricted in the ability to use the software, increasing the likelihood that the user will not use the improved software, but will reduce productivity using the comfortable previous generation software system.
Current training techniques also utilize hands-on training. For example, some systems may utilize pop-up windows having visual demonstrations of a particular application resource. Other approaches may include a user prompting a system to run a tutorial when the user first launches a software package or is confused during operation.
As noted above, the approaches are also standard approaches offering no customization for specific users. As the complexity of the underlying software increases, the software training techniques must also be customizable to focus on the target audience of the intended user.
Also, the generation of those software training techniques are generalized. As a software application is generated, the general training materials are also created. Other software training techniques, such as classroom training techniques, are generated to teach a large group of varied users. Current training approaches fail to provide a customized learning approach because individualized training techniques are not generated. Therefore, there exists a need for generating software training objects that are customized to target specific users.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An external body of a soot extractor for effectively devoid of the previously mentioned sharp edges which are capable of inflicting injury on persons. The body includes a top sheet member having left and right edges bending downwardly to form a first fixing means respectively, and two side sheet members respectively attached to the left and right sides of the top sheet member and individually having a main plate portion and a arcuate plate portion, and a second fixing means extending downwardly from the edge of said arcuate plate portion for secured on the first fixing means.

The present invention relates generally to a kitchen soot extractor, and more specifically relates to an external body of a kitchen soot extractor.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a conventional external body of a kitchen soot extractor is shown. The body 10 comprises a top sheet 11, a left sheet 12, a right sheet 13 and a rear sheet 14. Both the left sheet 12 and the right sheet 13 are provided with projecting flanges 121,131 around their edges. In the process of combining the various sheets to form the body 10, both the left and right sheets 12 and 13 are united with the top sheet 11 by fitting the projecting flanges 121 and 131 to cover the left and right edges 111 and 112 of the top sheet 11. The left and right sheets 12 and 13 are fastened securely to the top sheet 11 by means of spot welding.
However, such body of a kitchen soot extractor suffers from the following disadvantage: in view of the sheets 11,12,13 and 14 being made of thin stainless steel sheet by means of punching and pressing, both the external edges 122 and 132 of the projecting flanges 121 and 131 of the left and right sheets 12 and 13 are very sharp rather like a blade, which often become potential hazards. When a person is transporting or washing the body 10, his hand may be wounded by the edges 122 and 133. It's dangerous.

Assembly structure for an external body of a kitchen soot extractor


A multi-purpose frame for a computer comprises floppy disk seats and hard disk seats. The front end of the frame is provided with side hooks, front hooks and a downward urging retainer. The side portion of the frame is provided with interface card hooks, and the rear lower portion thereof is provided with a pair of L-shaped strips. Each of the hard disk seats is provided with fastening hooks and a resilient retainer, and one of the floppy disk seats is provided with dovetail grooves having a recess located in therebetween. The frame facilitates the dismounting and replacing of the disk drives, and which may be mounted to or dismounted from the computer base conveniently.

The present invention relates to a multi-purpose frame for a computer which is adapted to receive floppy and hard disk drives and facilitates the dismounting and replacing of the disk drives. Besides, the provision of hooks and apertures on the frame facilitates its assembling and disassembling within the computer housing.
In assembling computer components, it is normally effected by means of tiny screws. However, due to fast development in the computer field, the memory of the computer is greatly extended and there is a need to mount functional components on the computer whenever necessary. Conventional computers which make use of screws as fastening elements often cause inconvenience in the extension, maintenance, and replacing of the computer components because it is necessary to dismount the relevant components. Besides, the tiny screws may be lost during the procedure.
Similar problems also occur during the fixation of the disk drives (including floppy and hard disk drives). During the dismounting of the computer, except the housing, the frame is one of the components which has to be frequently dismounted during the maintenance, replacing and extension procedures.


This invention relates to mutants of human RANTES (hRANTES) which, relative to the wild-type molecule, have a reduced tendency to aggregate into large multimeric complexes at physiological ionic strength and pH, and are less pro-inflammatory.

Human RANTES (Regulated on Activation, Normal T Expressed and Secreted) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that promotes cell accumulation and activation in chronic inflammatory diseases. It is a member of the chemokine superfamily (Schall. Cytokine. 3:165-183, 1991; Oppenheim. Ann. Rev. Immunol.9:617-648, 1991) and was originally cloned by Schall et al. (J. Immunology. 141:1018-1025,1988). hRANTES is composed of sixty eight amino acids. hRANTES shares considerable amino acid homology and indeed tertiary structural homology with hMIP-1.alpha. (LD78) and hMIP-1.beta. (ACT-2).
The following papers describe some of the functions of hRANTES, such as chemotaxis, cellular activation, recruitment of cells to sites of inflammation etc.: Taub et al., J. Leukocyte Biology 59:81-89, 1996; Ebisawa et al., J. Immunology 153:2153-2160, 1994; Rot et al., J. Exp. Med. 176:1489-1495, 1992.
RANTES expression has been demonstrated in many diseases characterised by a mononuclear cell infiltrate, suggesting that RANTES may play a role in the generation of the inflammatory infiltrate. Particular diseases or conditions in which RANTES has been implicated include: transplant rejection (particularly renal allograft rejection and lung transplantation), atherosclerosis, arthritis (particularly osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis), atopic dermatitis, airway inflammatory disorders such as Rous Sarcoma Virus-induced bronchiolitis, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions, glomerular nephritis, asthma, endometriosis and cancers (particularly T cell lymphomas, renal cell carcinoma and Wilms' tumours (Pattison et al., Clinical Immunother. 4(1):1-8, 1995). Pattison et al., (supra) reviews the biological activities of RANTES, its expression in various disease states, and therapeutic implications. RANTES has been identified as one of the agents, termed histamine release inhibitory factors, capable of inhibiting histamine release from mast cells and basophils and has therefore been proposed as a therapeutic agent in treating allergic or chronic inflammatory diseases (WO 94/07521). RANTES plays a key role where eosinophilic tissue infiltration represents a characteristic histopathological feature. For example, eosinophil-dominated inflammation is a hallmark of asthmatic airways, and it is believed that RANTES is involved in the mechanism of eosinophil recruitment to the asthmatic bronchial mucosa (Powell et al., European Resp. Journal. 9(12):2454-2460,1996).
When agonist molecules, such as hRANTES, are administered, it may be possible to desensitise the cells and paradoxically achieve an apparent antagonist effect. This phenomenon has been demonstrated with the related chemokine IL-8 (Hechtman et al., J. Immunol 147:883-892, 1991; Smith et al., Immunology 78:491-497, 1993). Alam et al., (Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 7:427-433, 1992) also demonstrated that both IL-8 and RANTES inhibited monocyte chemoattractant peptide-1- and histamine releasing factor-induced histamine release from basophils in a dose-dependent fashion at concentrations of 10.sup.-9 to 10.sup.-7 M.
The following papers describe some of the disease states in which hRANTES is implicated and represent potential targets for desensitisation therapy: Kurashima et al., J. Leukocyte Biology 59:313-316, 1996, for asthma; Robinson et al., Clin. Exp. Immuno 101:398-407, 1995, for rheumatoid arthritis; Godiska et al., J. Neuroimmunology 58:167-176, 1995, for multiple sclerosis and; Khorram et al., Amer. J. Obs. Gyn. 169:1545-1549, 1993, for endometriosis.
Human RANTES along with several other chemotactic cytokine molecules (chemokines) are known to be able to suppress HIV infection in in vitro systems (Canque and Gluckman. Blood 84(10) Suppl 1: p480a, Abstract No.1907, 1994; Cocchi et al., Science 270:1811-1815, 1995; Paxton et al., Nat Med 2:412-417, 1995). The chemokines described to date which have this HIV inhibitory activity are hMIP-1.alpha., hMIP-1 .beta. and hRANTES. hMIP-1.alpha. and hMIP-1.beta. are also known as LD78 and ACT-2 respectively.
The mechanism whereby chemokines and hRANTES in particular suppress the infectivity of HIV has not been described in detail. At a gross level, it would appear that hRANTES binds to G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that act as co-factors necessary for HIV infectivity and effectively block infectivity by doing so. Four chemokine receptors: Fusin (CXCR4), CCR2b, CCR3 and CCR5 have been shown to act as HIV-1 co-factor receptors (Deng et al., Nature 381:661-666; Dragic et al., Nature 381:667-674). Arenzana-Seisdedos et al. (Nature. 383:400, 1996) recently reported that an 8 amino acid N-terminally truncated analogue of human RANTES which has lost the normal RANTES chemotactic and leukocyte-activating properties but still retained high affinity for chemokine receptors, was still capable of inhibiting HIV infection, indicating that receptor signalling and cell activation is probably not required for the anti-HIV effect of RANTES, and that mere blockade of the receptor may be sufficient.
Schmidtmayerova et al. (Nature. 382:767, 1996) reported that in sharp contrast to the observed antiviral properties on T-cells, the three chemokines hMIP-1.alpha., hMIP-1.beta. and hRANTES (at 500 ng/ml) apparently stimulated HIV-1 replication in macrophages. This effect was reported to be dose dependent (although no data was presented). They conclude that administration of high levels of .beta.-chemokines could actually be harmful by enhancing HIV-1 replication in macrophages and/or intensifying virus-induced inflammation.
In contrast to the majority of human chemokines, hMIP-1.alpha., hMIP-1.beta. and hRANTES have the tendency to aggregate into large multimeric complexes in physiological solution. Such multimeric complexes are large, estimated at many times (>12.times.) the mass of the monomeric protein as determined by sedimentation equilibration analyti ultracentrifugation (AUC).
Although hRANTES, hMIP-1.alpha. and hMIP-1.beta. have been implicated as possible agents for use in HIV therapy and other disease therapies, they are difficult to manufacture because of their tendency to aggregate into large multimeric complexes in physiological solution. They are also difficult to formulate due to the heterogeneity within their solutions. Disaggregated mutants of these chemokine molecules would have the benefits of easier manufacture, more defined solution characteristics and improved, reproducible formulation. These benefits are therefore particularly relevant to the clinical use of these chemokines.
WO-A-9313206 teaches the construction of disaggregated mutants of stem cell inhibitory proteins such as LD78.
An additional problem associated with the clinical administration of RANTES relates to its pro-inflammatory properties. When administered at high concentrations such as at an injection site, inappropriate immune stimulation and inflammation can occur. A single intradermal injection of RANTES into dog skin resulted in a large, dose-dependent, eosinophil and macrophage-rich inflammatory site within 4 hours, providing evidence that RANTES has significant pro-inflammatory activity (Meurer et al. J. Exp. Med. 178:1913-1921, 1993). The inflammatory response was mild at low doses (.ltoreq.0.5 .mu.M hRANTES at the injection site) but led to full dermal thickening at higher doses (.gtoreq.1 .mu.M hRANTES at the injection site). In the context of using RANTES for therapeutic treatments, such inflammatory responses could amount to serious undesirable side-effects There is a need therefore, for non- or less-inflammatory RANTES analogues, and particularly those that retain the native agonist properties.
hRANTES has been shown to act via two independent signal transduction pathways in T-cells (Bacon et al., Science 269:1727, 1995). The high affinity G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling pathway is typical of chemokines and acts at relatively low agonist concentrations eg. 50 nM hRANTES. The high affinity GPCR mediated hRANTES signalling provides all of the "usual" activities of hRANTES. These are the activities which may be demonstrated at low concentrations of hRANTES (<100 nM) and include chemotaxis of leucocytes, calcium mobilisation via the GPCR and suppression of HIV infection, although the latter may only require receptor binding and not signalling. The low affinity signalling pathway is via the tyrosine kinase (TK) activity of the T-cell receptor complex and is observed only at higher agonist concentrations, >>100 nM, eg 1 .mu.M hRANTES. Activation of the T-cell receptor complex leads to proliferation of T-cells, induction of interleukin-2 (IL-2) expression (a pro-inflammatory cytokine) and induction of IL-2 receptor expression (Bacon et al., 1995 supra). These hRANTES-induced events are antigen independent and represent inappropriate immune stimulation. The low affinity T-cell receptor mediated signalling which causes T-cell activation and calcium mobilisation via the T-cell receptor TK is a pro-inflammatory event which may be linked to chronic inflammatory conditions and is therefore not desirable.
Bacon et al. further characterised the effects of 1 .mu.M hRANTES on T-cell activation in subsequent publications (Bacon et al., J. Exp. Med 184:873-882, 1996, and Szabo et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 27:1061-1068, 1997). In these studies they showed that hRANTES induced the phosphorylation of many proteins which play a central role in the development of T-cell focal adhesions and T-cell activation. They also found that hRANTES induced the expression of cell surface adhesion molecules such as CD44, CD50 and CD28 via the tyrosine kinase signal transduction pathway. They summarised that hRANTES was a potent immune modulator, distinct from antigen, which was able to activate T-cells resulting in their proliferation and homotypic adhesion. They speculated that activation of lymphocytes by hRANTES may be an important factor in pathologies characterised by high concentrations of RANTES but lacking other obvious antigenic stimulation.
In Bacon et al., (1996) ibid and in Szabo et al., ibid., the tendency of hRANTES to aggregate was noted but considered irrelevant to T-cell activation and homotypic aggregation. Indeed the authors implied that only monomeric or dimeric hRANTES was active and that aggregation would reduce the concentration of hRANTES active on T-cells and lymphocytes.
In addition to T-cell/lymphocyte activation and homotypic aggregation, hRANTES also induces the expression of cell-surface adhesion molecules such as CD11b (Conklyn et al., Cytokine 8:762-766, 1996). Conklyn et al. showed that hRANTES induced a dose-dependent elevation in CD11b by monocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils in human whole blood. The elevation of CD11b was observed at a threshold of 10.sup.-8 M to 10.sup.-7 M hRANTES, peaking at 10.sup.-6 M hRANTES in their assay system. These doses of hRANTES correlate with the findings of Bacon et al., (1 995; ibid) and Szabo et al., (ibid).
The study of chemokine-receptor interactions and in particular hRANTES-receptor interactions is in its infancy. However, four human cellular receptors, CCR1, CCR4, CCR5 and Duffy and one viral receptor, US28, which interact with hRANTES with relatively high affinity have been studied in some detail.
Chemokine-receptor interactions have generally been studied in two ways; 1) direct receptor binding via competitive displacement studies, and 2) signal transduction studies, with the best studies using a combination of the two approaches.
When chemokine-receptor interactions have been studied, both homologous and heterologous competition experiments have been used. A radiolabelled ligand can be used to investigate the relative affinity of several cold competing chemokines in a heterologous experiment. A preferred strategy is to perform homologous competition experiments where the radiolabelled and cold chemokines are the same.
The three chemokines MIP-1.alpha., MIP-1.beta. and RANTES are the primary ligands for the CCR5 receptor, and it is these chemokines which inhibit HIV-1 infection via the receptor (Cocchi et al., 1995, ibid). Of these, RANTES is the most potent inhibitor of HIV-1 infectivity in vitro. This observation alone suggests the importance of being able to investigate the homologous interaction of RANTES on the CCR5 receptor. Combadiere et al., (J. Leukocyte Biol. 60:147-152, 1996) who were one of the first to identify the monocytotropic HIV-1 co-factor receptor, CCR5, claim however, that it is not possible to demonstrate convincing homologous hRANTES receptor binding to CCR5. Indeed, it is recognised in the art that there are great difficulties with homologous hRANTES displacement studies. Ben-Baruch et al. (J. Biol. Chem. 270:22123-22128, 1995) described these difficulties using cell lines transfected with the CCR1 receptor. While the cell lines were suitable for MlP-1.alpha. homologous displacement studies, homologous hRANTES displacement was incomplete and biphasic. More than 30% of total counts bound could not be displaced by excess cold hRANTES and less than 70% of the total counts bound were specifically and reversibly bound to the receptor. They suggested that the problems were associated with the aggregation of hRANTES. Similar results with CCR1 receptors have been reported by others (Proudfoot et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271: 2599-2603, 1996). Similar incomplete displacement (>30% of bound counts were not displaceable) have also been found with homologous hRANTES-CCR4 binding experiments (Hoogewerf et al., (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 218:337-343, 1996), and with studies using the Duffy receptor (Neote et al., Blood 84:44-52, 1994).
The art recognises therefore, that there are problems with hRANTES homologous receptor binding studies. Use of a disaggregated RANTES molecule as a ligand in receptor binding studies may alleviate these problems.


A compacting device for conforming a variety of refuse materials, such as glass and plastic, into generally rectilinear bales, and for compacting aluminum and tin refuse material into generally square-shaped stable bales for recycling. The compacting device includes a housing enclosing a chamber and an extendable and retractable plunger disposed within the chamber. A hopper receives refuse material to be crushed or compacted, and directs the material into the chamber. An exit chamber door has a plurality of equidistantly spaced-apart rectilinear chamber door protrusions projecting from the inner face of the exit chamber door, and the face of the plunger includes a plurality of equidistantly spaced-apart rectilinear plunger face protrusions extending forwardly from the plunger face. The plunger face protrusions are adapted for forcibly contacting and compressing the material deposited within the chamber door protrusions. The plunger face is disposed parallel to the exit chamber door when the chamber door is closed, and when the plunger is extended for crushing and conforming material, the plunger face protrusions move in respective parallel planes that coincide with the spaces between the chamber door protrusions. When aluminum and tin material is deposited in the chamber, the arrangement of the plunger face protrusions and the chamber door protrusions facilitates the interlocking and binding together of the material during deformation and compaction between the plunger and the chamber door.

The present invention pertains to compacting devices, and more particularly pertains to a compacting device which conforms recyclable and non-recyclable refuse material into generally rectilinear bales, and which conforms aluminum and tin material into generally stable, square-shaped bales that can be easily stored and transported for recycling into usable products. The compacting device of the present invention also compacts material such as glass, plastic, and cardboard for storage and eventual recycling.
As America enters the twenty-first century, the condition and viability of the environment will be crucial for continued economic progress as well as the general health of our society. Recycling the innumerable materials our industrial society produces is of paramount importance if we are to prevent further degradation of the environment and check the depletion of our natural resources.
The amount of material--garbage--that contemporary American society produces and which must be consequently disposed of in some manner is enormous and growing. An average of four pounds of garbage are tossed out each day by every American. This amounts to one-half ton of garbage produced and consequently pitched out each year by every American. Nationally this amounts to 179.6 million tons of garbage generated annually--enough to fill a convoy of ten-ton garbage trucks more than 145,000 miles long. This tremendous amount of garbage is predicted to rise; the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that by the year 2000 each American will generate 4.4 pounds of garbage daily, amounting to 216 million tons annually.
The staggering amount of garbage contemporary society produces is compounded by the fact that our main means of disposal is by landfills--73% of America's garbage is deposited into landfills. Exacerbating the problem is the fact that one-third of existing landfills will close in two years, and 80% are scheduled to shut down within twenty years. The disposal of the rest of our garbage is through recycling (13%) and incineration (14%). With opposition to landfills and waste incinerators increasing costs for existing facilities and preventing the construction of new facilities, more productive, creative, and cost-effective ways for disposing of our garbage must be found.
Although recycling is not a panacea to society's garbage problem, it is an obvious and necessary component of the solution. A number of products used by the typical American household are recyclable. The products include: newspapers, magazines and catalogs, telephone books, food jars, beverage bottles, beverage containers, milk containers, polystyrene sandwich clamshells, cups and plates, aluminum beverage cans, and "tin" cans for food and beverages (steel that is sometimes plated with tin). According to 1988 statistics, glass, metals, and plastics account for 23.5% of household trash. However, the recycling prospects for glass food jars and beverage bottles, plastic beverage containers, aluminum beverage cans, and tin-plated steel food and beverage cans are rated as very good to excellent. (The above statistics were published in "How We Can Win Our War Against Garbage", Popular Science, October 1990.)
The first step in the recycling and reclamation process is to break down or reduce the material to a form in which the material can be transported to recycling centers. In reduced or broken down form the material can be temporarily stored at these centers while awaiting further processing at a materials recovery facility.
A number of devices have been employed to break down or reduce bulk items like glass bottles, plastic containers, aluminum and steel cans. The devices range from large compacting and separating devices for industrial facilities to small compacting devices for household use. For example, the Sullivan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,246 discloses an apparatus and an associated method for crushing metal containers. Sullivan's compactor includes a housing having a compaction chamber and a supply means for providing material to the compaction chamber. The compactor includes a first ram for compacting the material and a second ram for discharging the compacted material from the compactor. It is a large and cumbersome device which is impractical for households and even small businesses. Despite such inventions, there remains a need for a compacting device which is portable, easy to operate and maintain, and capable of compacting material into a form that can be easily managed for disposal or for storage and transportation to a recycling center or materials recovery facility.

Compacting device including bale size indicator and compacting protrusions


Auxiliary digital data is sold and bought. A process for selling auxiliary digital data is performed with respect to a process for cancelling a limitation of use of the digital data. A process for buying the auxiliary digital data is performed. A process for receiving a selling request and a buying request is performed, and selling and buying transactions are concluded. The process of selling, the process of buying, and the process of selling and buying are each performed by transmitting and receiving data through a communication network.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a digital data selling and buying transaction system, an auxiliary digital data buying and selling system, a digital data selling and buying transaction method, an auxiliary digital data selling and buying method, and a digital data selling and buying transaction apparatus for performing selling and buying transactions for digital data on a communication network using for example Internet or the like.
2. Background Art
In recent years, because of for example the deregulation of stock selling and buying commissions, so-called net trading using the Internet and so forth has been increasingly grown. It is stated that the foundation of NASDAC JAPAN will further contribute to allow the net trading to become common. Moreover, in addition to the sale of Play Station 2 (registered trademark), "e-Distribution" that is a full distributing service for digital data has been proposed.
As such a digital data distributing service using a communication network such as the Internet has become common, it is expected that the conventional distribution form will drastically change. For example, in a digital data distributing service, it is expected that the circulation cost, cost in progress, and so forth will not exist or they will be remarkably reduced. Thus, since the ratio of the development cost and advertisement cost to the selling price will largely increase, it is believed that uniformly standard prices will become meaningless.
At present, particularly as to music data, a digital data distribution business is being practically started. In such a distribution business, a buyer can buy his or her desired music data at a pre-designated distribution price. At present, the reasons why distribution prices have been designated relatively low are in that data that is distributed is compressed unlike with data that provided with a CD and that most of the development cost and advertisement cost can be collected from the sale of package mediums.
In future, non-compressed data for example data provided with a CD, a DVD, or the like will be able to be distributed. Thus, most of the development cost of digital data should be collected from the content distribution business. In such a situation, it will become difficult to keep the distribution prices low. As a result, it is predicted that the distribution price will rise.
In the present distribution business, systems that allow copyright to be protected have been proposed. However, systems that allow digital data of music data or the like that consumers bought to be freely resold have not been scarcely proposed. Thus, it is difficult to accomplish a distribution business that allows consumers to be protected. Such a situation results from the fact that since digital data provided with the distribution service is intangible information without using package mediums, it is restricted to sell and buy the digital data from a view point of copyright protection.
Thus, as to deciding the prices of digital data, it is important to consider how to accomplish a reselling system for digital data. Considering that in future contents are sold by distributing digital data, it is necessary to properly form a resale market. To do that, the conventional price determining system for digital data should be largely changed.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a digital data selling and buying transaction system, an auxiliary digital data selling and buying system, a digital data selling and buying transaction method, an auxiliary digital data selling and buying method, and a digital data selling and buying transaction apparatus that allow a proper transaction price to be decided on a communication network using for example the Internet and digital data to be sold (resold) and bought.

Digital data selling and buying transaction system, auxiliary digital data selling and buying system, digital data selling and buying transaction method, auxiliary digital data selling and buying method, and digital data selling and buying transaction apparatus


The invention relates to the purification and cloning of a receptor for thyroid hormone. The receptor is designated PSTHR and is related to hormone receptors encoded by the genes erbA.alpha.-1, erbaA.alpha.-2 and erbA.beta.-1. The gene encoding PSTHR, erbA.beta.-2, is partially homologous to the erbA.beta.-1. However, PSTHR differs from the product of erbA.beta.-1 in that its expression is limited to the anterior pituitary gland. The invention additionally concerns the uses for PSTHR in the diagnosis and therapy of human conditions.

Thyroid hormone [3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T.sub.3)] exerts diverse metabolic effects on mammalian cells, primarily through its interaction with nuclear receptor proteins of the cells. The T.sub.3 -receptor complex regulates expression of nearby target genes by transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms.
Nuclear receptors for thyroid hormone have been identified as products of the c-erbA protooncogene. (Weinberger, C. et al., Nature 324:641 (1986); Sap, J. et al., Nature 324:635 (1986)). The c-erbA gene is the cellular counterpart of the viral oncogene v-erbA. Sap et al. (Nature 324:635-640 (1986)) reported that the c-erbA protein is a nuclear protein which functions as a receptor for thyroid hormone, whereas the v-erbA product is located in the nucleus but is defective in binding thyroid hormone. In the rat, three c-erbA-related cDNAs have been described and designated r-erbA.alpha.-1, r-erbA.alpha.-2 and r-erbA.beta.-1. The proteins encoded by these genes are classified as alpha or beta forms on the basis of the predicted amino acid sequences and have homologs in man.
The rat r-erbA.alpha.-1and r-erbA.alpha.-2 mRNAs represent alternative splice products of a single rat erbA.alpha. gene. This gene encodes proteins that are identical for the first 370 amino acids from the N-terminus, and then diverge completely.
The protein encoded by erbA.alpha.-1 binds thyroid hormone, whereas the protein encoded by erbA.alpha.-2 does not. The thyroid hormone binding domain is included within the divergent regions of the two proteins, and this may account for the difference in binding between the two proteins. (Lazar, M. A. et al., Mol. Endocrinol. 2:893 (1988); Izumo, S. et al., Nature 334:539 (1988); Mitsuhashi, T. et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 85:5804 (1988)).
In the rat, expression of the erbA genes appears to be organ-specific. The erbA.alpha.-1 mRNA is most abundant in skeletal muscle and brown fat, whereas erbA.alpha.-2 is most highly expressed in brain and hypothalamus. The related erbA.beta.-1 mRNA is highly expressed in kidney and liver. (Koenig, R. J. et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 85:5031 (1988)). The protein product of erbA.beta.-1 mRNA binds thyroid hormone with high affinity.
T.sub.3 is an iodine-containing amino acid secreted by the thyroid gland. Thyroid function in turn is regulated by the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) of the anterior pituitary gland, and the rate of TSH secretion by the pituitary is regulated in part by circulating thyroid hormone levels via feedback inhibition.
Thyroid hormone exerts physiological effects throughout the body. Thyroid hormone increases oxygen consumption in almost all metabolically active tissues, with a concomitant increase in nitrogen excretion. If food intake does not compensate for the loss of nitrogen, endogenous protein and fat stores are catabolized and weight is lost. The circulating levels of thyroid hormone are important in regulating physiological activity throughout the body, and inappropriately high or low levels of thyroid hormone are implicated in metabolic disorders.
Hypothyroidism, characterized by low circulating levels of thyroid hormones, is associated with a variety of physiological abnormalities. In children, bone growth is slowed and epiphyseal closure is delayed. In adults, protein catabolism results in muscle weakness and osteoporosis; there are also secondary effects on carbohydrate and cholesterol metabolism, as well as on the nervous system and the skin.
Hyperthyroidism, characterized by high circulating levels of thyroid hormone, is associated with nervousness, weight loss, heat intolerance, and a high basal metabolic rate. In general, the secretion of TSH from the pituitary gland is depressed in hyperthyroidism because of the negative feedback effect of the high circulating thyroxine and triiodothyronine levels.
In a few patients hyperthyroidism has been associated with pituitary resistance to thyroid hormone. (Spanheimer, R. G. et al., Arch. Intern. Med. 142:1283-1286 (1982)). This condition is characterized by elevated levels of thyroid hormone in association with an inappropriately elevated serum TSH level. The pituitary gland plays a unique role in modulating the circulating levels of thyroid hormones through its secretion of TSH.
The ability to regulate TSH production by the pituitary has broad implications for treating conditions and diseases in which the levels of thyroid hormones are important. As TSH production is regulated in part by means of thyroid hormone, the mechanism of thyroid hormone binding in the pituitary is of great importance for controlling pituitary TSH production.

DNA encoding a pituitary-specific thyroid hormone receptor


The genes the expression of which is reduced or disappeared in immortal cells including cancer cells are isolated, their DNA sequences are determined, the genes are expressed to produce cell proliferation inhibitory proteins, and the genes and the proteins are utilized as agents for diagnosis or treatment, including the genetic diagnosis of or the gene therapy of diseases such as cancer.

Normal human cells are hardly immortalized and age. The normal human cells are destined to be aging according to the mechanism of counting the times of cell division (senescence mechanism). Ordinarily, the a living tissue gradually lose their proliferation capability and display aged morphology after having repeated subculturing (or division) 20 to 80 times. When a cell ages, it shows several morphological and biochemical changes, including cytomegalic tendency, squamous tendency, changes in extracellular matrix components, non-response to stimulation by mitogens and a decline in the expression function of proliferation regulating genes and it ceases to divide; therefore, it will be easy to be so judged.
However, when the cells are subjected to treatment with a carcinogen, or treatment by radiation during subculturing, a very small portion of the cells escape from this cell senescence and continue to grow, thereby forming a colony. The cells that have thus acquired the infinite proliferation capability (or that has experienced the failure of senescence mechanism) can be continuously cultured and do not die even after the passage of a finite number of cell generations: they are referred to as "immortal cells."
When a normal cell and an immortal cell are fused, the resulting hybrid cell displays finite division capability. Further, when immortal cells are fused with each other, there is obtained a hybrid cell displaying the finite division capability. This suggests that the immortalization is genetically recessive to senescence in human cells and that the deficiency of a particular gene (immortalization-suppressing gene) which is involved in the mechanism of counting the times of cell division (senescence mechanism) or the loss of its function is needed for cell immortalization.
Although it is not easy to directly prepare cancer cells from normal human cells, there is a close relation between the immortalization of cells and the cancerization of cells. It is beginning to be understood that in an experimental system where cells undergo cancerization under culturing conditions the normal human cells evade the senescence mechanism which strongly acts on their proliferation in a negative manner and mutate in a multistage such that the cells change into the immortalization stage allowing infinite proliferation and then into the cancerization stage with relative ease. For example, when the so-called oncogenes such as p53 mutant gene and Rb mutant gene are expressed in normal human cells, neither cancerization nor immortalization occurs; however, once the cells have been immortalized, they will easily turn cancerous by the oncogenes (Namba, M. et al., Crit. Rev. Oncogen., 7:19-31, 1996). This strongly suggests that the immortalization of cells is an important step in the cancerization of cells. Therefore, an analysis of the immortalization stage is critical to elucidating the carcinogenesis of human cells.
For proliferation inhibitory genes in cancer cells, there are mentioned more than ten kinds of genes, including Rb gene in retinoblastoma, p53 gene in colon cancer, and WT gene in Wilms tumor. Particularly, a preferred proliferation inhibitory gene is p53 and gene therapy using p53 has already begun (Li, H. et al., Clinical Cancer Res., 5, 637-642, 1999). Since immortalization of the cells is involved in the cancerization, not only cancer-suppressing genes but also the cell proliferation inhibition by the immortalization-suppressing genes will be effective treatment of cancer.
Thus far, there have been reported as genes associated with cell senescence and immortalization, Sdil (Noda, A. et al., Exp. Cell. Res., 211: 90-98, 1994), SEN6 (Banga, S. S. et al., Oncogene, 14: 313-321, 1997), SEN6A (Sandhu, A. K. et al., Oncogene, 12: 247-252, 1996), ING1 (Garkavtsev, I. and Riabowol, K., Mol. Cell. Biol., 17: 2014-2019, 1997), Hic-5 (Shibanuma, M. et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 17: 1224-1235, 1997), among others. However, the correlation between these genes and the aging, immortalization, or cancerization of human cells has not been elucidated.

Decreasing cancer cell proliferation with WNT remaining active


A process for forming a metal film comprises the steps of arranging a substrate in a space for formation of the film, introducing an alkylaluminum hydride gas and hydrogen gas into the space and heating directly the substrate to form a metal film comprising aluminum as main component on the surface of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metal deposited film forming method, particularly to a process for forming metal deposited film which can be preferably lid applied to wiring of semiconductor integrated circuit device, etc.
2. Related Background Art
For electrode or wiring in electronic device or integrated circuit by use of semiconductor of the prior art, aluminum (Al) or aluminum containing silicon (Al--Si), etc. has been primarily used. Here, Al is inexpensive, has high electroconductivity, and also a dense oxide film is formed on the surface, whereby it has many advantages such that it can be D chemically protected internally to be stabilized, that adhesiveness with Si is good, etc.
Whereas, integration degree of integrated circuit such as LSI, etc. is increased, and fine formation of wiring and multi-layer wiring are particularly required in recent years. Thus, more stringent demands not found date are presented for wiring. For example, in dynamic RAM such as 4 Mbit or 16 Mbit, etc., the aspect ratio (depth of opening diameter of opening) of openings (via-holes) in which a metal such as Al, etc. must be deposited is 1.0 or more. The diameter itself of the opening is 1 .mu.m or less, and a technique capable of depositing Al as well in openings with larger aspect ratio is required.
Besides, to be commercially successful concerning semiconductor integrated circuit devices, the technique must enable bulk production at low cost.
There have been known in the art the sputtering method, the gas phase method such as the CVD method by use of trimethylaluminum, etc. as a method of forming metal film such as Al film, etc. Above all, the thermal CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method has been variously studied. For example, there has been employed the method in which an organic aluminum dispersed in a carrier gas is transported onto a heated substrate, and the gas molecules are thermally decomposed on the substrate to form a film. For example, as described in "Journal of Electrochemical Society Vol. 131, p. 2175 (1984)", by use of triisobutyl aluminum (i-C.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.3 Al (TIBA), film formation is carried out at a film formation temperature of 260.degree. C., a reaction tube pressure of 0.5 Torr, whereby a film of 3.4.mu. cm is formed.
However, according to this method, the surface flatness of Al is poor, and no film of good quality is obtained in view of step coverage, electromigration, etc. Besides, the Al within openings do not become dense.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 63-33569 discloses a method for film formation by heating an organic aluminum in the vicinity of the substrate. According to this method, Al can be deposited according to the CVD method selectively only on the metal or semiconductor surface of the substrate where the naturally oxidized film on the surface has been removed. It is further possible to deposit Al on the oxide film by the sputtering method after embedding of the openings.
However, according to this method, since the surface smoothness of Al within an opening is a major premise it is not sufficient, as electrical contact of the interface between the Al film according to the CVD method and the Al film according to the sputtering method is poor in bringing about an increase in resistivity.
As an example of a modification of this method, the pre-text of "2nd Symposium of Electrochemical Society", Branch of Japan (Jul. 7, 1989), on p. 75, described the double wall CVD method. This method can grow selectively Al only on a metal or semiconductor by use of TIBA gas. However, it is difficult to precisely control the difference between the gas temperature and the substrate surface temperature and the bomb and the wiring must also be heated. As these factors add to the drawback that the apparatus constitution becomes complicated.
More specifically, if these are to be controlled, the apparatus for metal deposited film formation is complicated and it cannot be made as the sheet treatment type in which deposition can be effected in only one sheet of wafer by one deposition process. Besides, only a film which can never be said to be of good quality can be obtained at a deposition speed of 500 .ANG./min. at the highest, whereby it is impossible to realize the output necessary for bulk production. Moreover, even the film obtained according to this method cannot become a uniform continuous film unless made to have some thickness. Thus, this method proved to be unsatisfactory and unsuitable for bulk production, because reproducibility was poor for such reasons that flatness of the film is poor, that selectivity of Al selective growth cannot be maintained for so long time, etc.
Further, when one metal film forming apparatus is employed, various gases for film formation or gases for cleaning of the chamber, etc. are introduced into a reaction chamber for the purpose of film formation actuation or maintenance of the apparatus to carry out the desired treatments. When film formation is continued while performing such treatments, even in the CVD method with little containment of carbon, etc. from an organic aluminum starting material, there will ensue the fear that various impurities other than carbon may be entrained into the interface, etc. Such a problem may suddenly cause a to lower yield in bulk production of semiconductor devices.

Process for forming metal deposited film containing aluminum as main component by use of alkyl aluminum hydride


The present disclosure describes embedding thermally-resistant flexible cabling within a metal casting during die-casting. A die-casting process may include fixing the thermally-resistant flexible cabling within a die, and die-casting the metal to form a metal casting having the thermally-resistant flexible cabling embedded within the metal casting. In some cases, the thermally-resistant flexible cabling may be utilized for grounding of the metal casting.

Passing cables through metal castings typically requires an additional mechanism or post-machining operations and assembly after forming the metal casting. The high temperatures required to cast metal has prevented cables from being embedded into metal for grounding, shielding, or communication. This has instead been accomplished with gasketing and physical contact.

Embedding thermally-resistant flexible cabling within a metal casting during die-casting


A recycling control system for a dock leveler including a pivotally mounted deck. There is a powered lifting mechanism for raising the deck and a lip pivotally mounted to the deck for movement between pendant and extended positions. The control assembly includes a lip-position member couplable to the lip for movement therewith such that the position of the lip-position member is indicative of lip position. There is a switch couplable to the lifter and operable to a first condition wherein power is provided to the lifter and operable to a second condition wherein power is not provided to the lifter. There is an actuator disposed on the lip-position member for movement relative thereto between at least a first position where the actuator operates the switch to the first condition, and a second position where the switch can be operated to the second condition. The actuator is disposed to move between the first and second positions as the lip moves toward the pendant position.

The present invention relates generally to dock leveling equipment and, more particularly, to a recycle system for dock levelers which helps to ensure that the lip of the dock leveler is properly moved into its retracted or pendant position before the dock leveler is moved into its cross-traffic or stored position.
Dock levelers are utilized to compensate for height differences between a dock platform and the bed of a vehicle parked adjacent the dock, and to form a bridge therebetween so that personnel and moving equipment may readily move on and off the vehicle during loading and unloading operations. Typical dock levelers includes a dockboard or deck which is pivotally hinged at its back edge to vary the height of the dock leveler, and an extension plate or lip which is pivotally hinged at the deck front edge to span the distance between the rear end of the vehicle bed and the outer front edge of the deck. In use, the lip moves relative to the front edge of the deck between a retracted or pendant position, to a range of extended, operative positions, including operative positions in which the lip extends from the front edge of the deck and rests upon and is supported by the bed of the parked vehicle. The lip may also be substantially coplanar with the upper surface of the deck when in an extended, operative position. In this way, the lip spans the gap between the rear edge of the vehicle bed and the front edge of the deck.
To move the lip from the retracted or pendant position to the extended operative position, the deck is normally pivoted upwardly a sufficient amount so that the lip can swing outwardly to an extended position without obstruction from the parked vehicle. A variety of powered means may be employed for both moving the deck and extending the lip, including hydraulic cylinders, linear actuators such as screw drives, air bags, etc. Once the lip has cleared the vehicle, the deck and the extended lip are pivoted downwardly as a unit until the extended lip rests upon the bed of the vehicle in the extended operative position. Once the loading/unloading operation is complete, it is desirable to return the leveler from this position to a xe2x80x9ccross-trafficxe2x80x9d or stored position where the deck is coplanar (and forms an extension of) the floor of the loading dock, and the lip is in its pendant position. The leveler may be returned to the cross-traffic position by the operator raising the deck.
As the deck is raised, the lip falls by gravity toward the pendant position. Once it is fully pendant, the operator can release the raise control and allow the deck and pendant lip to float downward to the cross-traffic position, in which the pendant lip is typically received within and supported by a fixed supports referred to as xe2x80x9clip-keepers.xe2x80x9d Such operator-controlled restoration of the leveler to a cross-traffic position is often referred to as xe2x80x9clip retractionxe2x80x9d as the lips is retracted from an extended to a pendant position during the movement.
On occasion, however, a trailer may depart without the operator performing lip retraction and restoring the leveler. If this occurs, the deck and lip float down to the deck""s lowest-most position of rotation (it xe2x80x9cbottoms-outxe2x80x9d), i.e. angled downwardly from its rear hinge beneath the level of the surrounding floor, and the lip then falls by gravity toward a pendant position. The same result occurs when a leveler is cycled to extend the lip, but the absence of a trailer allows the deck and lip to float all the way down. This creates the potential hazard of a so-called xe2x80x9cvoid in the floorxe2x80x9d since the deck and surrounding floor are not co-planar. A solution to this problem of creating a void in the floor where lip retraction is not performed is providing the leveler with an xe2x80x9cautomatic recyclexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cautomatic return to dockxe2x80x9d mechanism, which automatically returns the leveler to a cross-traffic position.
In one conventional type of recycle mechanism, the deck is automatically raised whenever the deck is sensed to be below a predetermined angle (typically a position close to being bottomed-out). This angle is determined, for example, by means of mercury switches or proximity switches. In such a system, once the deck angle is beyond the predetermined position, the deck is raised, allowing the lip to fall pendant. A detecting means (typically the same mercury switch or a timer) determines when the deck is above a certain anglexe2x80x94a deck angle determined to be high enough to have allowed the lip to fall completely pendantxe2x80x94at which time, power to the means lifting the deck is shut off, and the deck and pendant lip are allowed to float down to a cross-traffic position. Thus, such systems automatically recycle whenever the deck is at or near its lowest-most point of rotation. Such systems are limited in application, however. Trailers are often disposed below the height of the dock floor, requiring that the leveler deck be angled downward. The weight of cargo or material handling equipment being added to the trailer can force the trailer and the deck lower. This may cause the deck to move low enough to actuate the recycle mechanism, meaning that the leveler will recycle in the midst of the loading or unloading operationxe2x80x94a potentially dangerous proposition for the unwary dock worker. Accordingly, levelers employing this type of recycle system usually include a manual override switch that de-activates recycle to allow below-dock use. Unless that manual override is then re-set following servicing of the below-dock trailer, this important safety feature will remain disabled indefinitely.
Another conventional type of recycle system is actuated only by the relative angular position of the lip. In one example of such a system, a linear rod reciprocates as the lip extends and retracts (indeed- in the case of a lip powered by a hydraulic cylinder, the rod is directly coupled to the piston rod of the cylinder that actuates the lip). An actuating member, such as a metal tab, is connected to the rod and the linear position of the tab is thus indicative of lip angle. A mechanical switch is fixed adjacent to the path followed by the actuating member, and is engaged by the member during certain portions of its travel. The switch includes an activated position, and when the switch is in this position, power is provided to the deck which causes the deck to raise. Accordingly, the switch is designed and disposed so that it is only activated when the lip is moving from an extended toward a retracted position. Moreover, the switch is disposed and constructed such that the lip must first extend past a certain angle such that the actuating member moves over and past the switch before the switch can move to the activated position and provide power to raise the deck. Toward that end, the switch includes some lost motion wherein it can be engaged by the actuating member as the lip extends without being activated.
Thus, in operation, as the lips is extended, that actuating member moves past the switch. As the lips subsequently falls, following trailer departure, the actuating member again engages the switchxe2x80x94this time causing the deck to raise. The deck continues to raise as the actuating member continues to move over and be in contact with the switchxe2x80x94until the lip is nearly pendant. At this point, the actuating member loses contact with the switch, and the un-powered deck can float down to the cross-traffic position with the lip pendant. This system has the significant advantage of being capable of use in below-dock conditions without the need for a manual override, since recycle is a function of lip angle, as opposed to deck position. At the same time, this system requires careful adjustment. The actuating member must be sized and positioned to engage the switch long enough for the lip to fall pendant as the deck raises while also being sized and positioned to avoid setting up recycle for the small lip extensions sometimes required for below-dock end-load situations where it is desired to lower the leveler below-dock without allowing the lip to engage the trailer. Further, the switch must include some lost motion to allow recycle set-up only for full lip extension. Moreover, the sensitive adjustments of the actuating member and the switch need to be maintained in the somewhat harsh and rugged environment of a loading dock.
There is thus provided a recycling control system for a dockleveler including a pivotally mounted deck, a powered lifting mechanism for raising the deck, and a lip pivotally mounted to the deck for movement between pendant and extended positions, in which the control assembly includes a lip-position member couplable to the lip for movement therewith such that the position of the lip-position member is indicative of lip position, a switch couplable to the lifting means and operable to a first condition wherein power is provided to the lifting means, and operable to a second condition wherein power is not provided to the lifting means, and an actuator disposed on the lip-position member for movement relative thereto between at least a first position where the actuator operates the switch to the first condition, and a second position where the switch can be operated to the second condition, the actuator being disposed to move between the first and second positions as the lip moves toward the pendant position.

Recycle control system for dock levelers


A stopper for an opening of a container such as a thermos. The stopper includes a pushbutton, a fluid flow channel extending between an inlet and an outlet, and a movable plug portion positioned adjacent the inlet. A biasing member biases the plug portion into sealing engagement with the inlet thereby preventing the contents of the container from flowing into the channel. A cam follower is disposed upon a cam surface opposing the biasing member. The cam follower is rotatable by the pushbutton relative to the cam surface from a closed position to an open position and when so rotated, exerts a biasing force on the cam surface sufficient to overcome the biasing force exerted by the biasing member on the plug portion and space the plug portion from the inlet allowing the contents of the container to flow into the channel and out the outlet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a stopper used with a food or beverage container and more particularly to a stopper used with a thermos configured to open and close without being removed from the thermos.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people use thermoses to carry liquids, such as coffee, soup, hot chocolate, and like, with them on trips and to work. Conventional thermoses have a threaded removable stopper affixed to their open top portions. To access the contents of the thermos, the stopper must be removed. However, this is not always practical particularly at a work sites where a stopper can become lost or must be set down in an unhygienic location. Thus, a need exists for a thermos stopper that opens (without being removed from the thermos) to allow the contents of the thermos to poured out into a cup or other container. It would be desirable to disassemble such a thermos stopper between uses to clean its internal components, which would be exposed to the contents of the thermos. The present application provides these and other advantages as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.

Bottle stopper having pushbutton and movable plug


A method of fitting text comprising characters belonging to a character set into a text area wherein the text is rendered in a font and at a font size estimates a total width of the text based on at least a representative width associated with the character set, font and font size, identifies a horizontal truncation boundary based on at least the estimated width and the width of the text area, identifies a vertical truncation boundary based on at least the estimated width, text area, horizontal truncation boundary, and a representative height associated with the character set, font and font size, wraps the text at the horizontal truncation boundary, and truncates the text at the vertical truncation boundary.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate generally to calculating the rendered size of text to be displayed on a web page, and using the calculation to truncate the text as necessary.
2. Description of Related Art
For systems that have to dynamically generate content to be placed on a web page, and in a given, fixed block of space, it is important to be able to estimate the rendered size of the content at various text fonts and character sets. Conventionally, such estimates are informed by large databases that keep track of pixel sizes for a given character, font, and font size. Given their sizes, such databases can become infeasible to maintain and use.
Thus, it is desirable to both reduce the size of this type of database and increase its speed.

Method and apparatus for estimating the size of rendered text


An in-line valve sampling system connected to a pipe conduit extracts a sample of process media in a receiving container or receptacle for testing. The valve sampling system provides a resilient sealing mechanism for corrosive process media at elevated and fluctuating temperature ranges by providing a packing cartridge having a thin film of PTFE material biased by at least one O-ring to provide a seal between a valve spindle and a raised portion of the packing cartridge.

Sampling devices are used in various applications such as the chemical, food, pharmaceutical and energy industries to collect a sample of process media for testing and/or analysis. These sampling devices are usually in the form of a valve that when opened is capable of extracting liquids, gases or other process media from an attached pipeline or conduit. Some types of sampling devices require process interruption where the system is temporarily shut down and a representative sample is taken. Various types of process media may be sampled including water, fuel, beverages as well as toxic substances. Danger of harmful spills is not present when innocuous media is sampled. However, when dangerous or expensive media is sampled, spillage and waste become problematic.
Certain sampling devices permit the removal of sampling media from a conduit into a receptacle via a connection pipe or tube. When corrosive or abrasive material is being sampled, this environment allows for the corrosive effects of the material to compromise the integrity of the system. This limits the number of strokes or cycles in the life of the valve. In addition, when the process media is corrosive material, the valve utilized in the sampling system also becomes susceptible to corrosion. This condition is exasperated when the system undergoes temperature elevations and fluctuations.
Various types of configurations may be employed to try and limit the corrosive effects on the operation of the valve. One configuration utilizes a lining on the valve spindle with a fully fluorinated Fluoropolymer like Teflon® and a Teflon® seal. The Teflon® materials referred to herein are fully fluorinated fluoropolymers including, but not limited to PTFE, PFA, TFM or NXT. However, this makes it difficult to achieve a perfect seal because of the thermal expansion of the Teflon® material due to elevated or fluctuating temperatures. In addition, the Teflon® to Teflon® seal creates unwanted wear resulting from the linear movement of the spindle. Accordingly, there is a need for a valve sampling system that accommodates adequate sealing characteristics in a corrosive process media environment at elevated and fluctuating temperatures. The above-referenced drawbacks and others are overcome by the present invention described herein with reference to the detailed description, drawings and appended claims.