A method of making a semiconductor device including forming a first sacrificial layer over a first layer to be etched, the first sacrificial layer having a plurality of openings formed therethrough exposing a portion of the first layer; forming a first photoresist layer over the first sacrificial layer and filling the plurality of openings formed through the first sacrificial layer; forming a plurality of openings in the first photoresist layer, each one of the plurality of openings in the first photoresist layer overlying one of the openings in the first sacrificial layer and wherein each opening in the first sacrificial layer has a smaller cross-sectional area then the cross-sectional area of the overlying opening in the first photoresist layer; and etching the first layer through the openings in the first photoresist layer and the first sacrificial layer, comprising exposing the first layer to an etching material.

Nakao, U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,008, issued Oct. 17, 2000, discloses an aligner and patterning method using phase shift mask. Exposure light is split into first and second exposure light beams and first and second phase shift masks are irradiated with the first and second exposure light beams. In the first and second phase shift masks a plurality of light shielding portions and a plurality of strip-shaped transmission portions are located between the plurality of light shielding portions for alternatively inverting the phase of transmission exposure light. Transmitted in combined exposure light resulting from interference is directed onto a photoresist material. In the above-described configuration, the aligner uses a phase shift mask for forming a fine and dense contact hole pattern and a patterning method thereof.
Kemp, U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,741, issued May 3, 1994, discloses a lithographic method using double exposures, physical mask shifting, and light phase shifting to form masking features on a substrate masking layer. A first phase shift mask is placed in a first position adjacent the substrate. The substrate is covered by the masking layer. The masking layer is exposed to light, or an equivalent energy source, through the first mask to form a first plurality of unexposed regions of the masking layer. Either a second mask or the first mask is placed adjacent the substrate in a second position which is displaced from the first position in at least one direction. A second exposure is used to form a second plurality of unexposed regions of the masking layer. The first and second pluralities of unexposed regions have common unexposed regions which are used to form the masking features.
Ham, U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,634, issued Nov. 12, 1996, discloses a method of forming contact holes of a semiconductor device. The method includes forming an insulating film over a semiconductor substrate. Thereafter, a photoresist film is coated over the insulating film. The photoresist film is exposed to light using a first exposure mask having windows adapted to allow portions of the insulating film corresponding to a part of contact holes to be exposed to the light, the part of contact holes having contact holes arranged diagonally to each other. The photoresist film is secondarily exposed to the light using a second exposure mask having windows arranged diagonally to each other and not overlapping with those of the first exposure mask. The light exposed portions of the photoresist film are removed to form a photoresist film having a pattern for exposing portions of the insulating film respectively responding to the contact holes.
Shimizu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,044, issued Jul. 11, 1995, discloses a method of forming a pattern using a phase shifting mask. The method includes forming a pattern using a phase shift mask which comprises applying at least first and second exposures. At least one exposure is conducted using a phase shifting mask and at least the other exposure is conducted for compensating the amount of light at a phase shifting boundary of the phase shifting mask.
Nakao, U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,736, issued Dec. 19, 2000, discloses a process for fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit utilizing an exposure method. The exposure method includes forming a plurality of interlayer conductive paths through a first resist pattern which in turn is formed by an exposure of a hole pattern mask. A plurality of conductive lines is formed, adjacent the layer of conductive paths, through a second resist pattern which in turn is formed by double exposure of a line pattern mask and the hole pattern mask. Each conductive line is positioned on at least one of the conductive paths.
Lin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,011, issued Dec. 16, 2003, discloses a method including hole printing by packing and unpacking using Alternating Phase-Shifting Mask. The method includes adding extra holes to a given pattern of contact holes on the surface of a first mask, thus densifying the pattern of holes on the first mask and therefore reducing the range of hole-diameter to hole separation ratio. The pattern of added holes is alternating in phase with the pattern of desired holes. The added holes are filled up using a second mask.
The present invention provides alternatives to the prior art.

Method of making openings in a layer of a semiconductor device

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


Methods, systems, and computer program products for integrating front-end applications with application program interfaces (APIs) and middleware business services. A front-end application flow, including at least one call to one or more business services flows, and one or more business services flows, each including one or more calls to application program interfaces (APIs), are received at a processor and the processor compiles a complete end-to-end flow that includes the front-end application flow and the one or more business services flows. The complete end-to-end flow is expressed in ordered terms of the one or more business services flows and the one or more calls to the APIs. A projected latency for the complete end-to-end flow is automatically constructed by the processor by totaling response times for each of the one or more calls to the APIs included in the complete end-to-end flow.

The invention is generally related to computers and computer software, and in particular to enterprise application integration (EAI) methods, systems, and computer program products for integrating front-end applications with application program interfaces (APIs) and middleware business services.
Travel industry software, such as supply chain management applications, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and business intelligence applications, must communicate with one another in order to share data or business rules. In order to avoid lack of communication and resulting inefficiencies, e.g., duplicate data stored in multiple locations or automation difficulties, applications must be linked while also making as few changes to the existing applications or data structures as possible.
EAI uses software and computer systems' architectural principles to integrate enterprise computer applications, facilitating communication across the applications. EAI in the travel industry is typically performed by separate development teams, often defining dependencies on either a singular impromptu point-to-point basis or in separate isolated groups, resulting in a complex development process that is difficult to integrate across teams. Furthermore, it is not possible to represent and integrate the outcome of such orchestration until the EAI process has been completed and all of the dependencies have been compiled, including providing key intermediate information such as response time projections.
In order to assess the integration of travel industry software throughout the development and orchestration process, a continuing need exists for computer-based middleware flow assessment tools, as well as improved methods and computer program products for providing key development metrics.

Multi-layer design response time calculator


A method of making an MgO barrier layer for a TMR sensor, the method including depositing a first Mg layer in a first chamber, depositing a second Mg layer on the first Mg layer using a reactive oxide deposition process in the presence of oxygen in the first chamber or in a second chamber different than the first chamber, depositing a third Mg layer on the second MgO layer in either the first chamber, the second chamber, or a third chamber, and annealing the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer to form an MgO barrier layer.

Tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) sensors with a magnesium oxide (MgO) barrier layer have been used as readers in many commercial disc drive products due to the simple and robust barrier layer that also provides a high TMR value and low area resistance (RA).
As the desired for increased drive capacity grows, there is a need to increase TMR of the reader sensor, while maintaining a low RA; this however has been a big challenge.


A device comprised of impervious material, sloping back to front, for collecting leakage from plumbing fixtures and waste and supply lines that will protect the surface on which said device is installed on or built into, such as but not limited to sink cabinetry and flooring underneath, from damage with an area at the front of the liquid collection receptacle for leakage accumulation and leakage detection, as well as providing a horizontal support surface to maintain storage capabilities.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to leak detection and more specifically, to a device comprised of impervious material for collecting leakage from plumbing fixtures and waste and supply lines that will protect the surface on which it is installed or built into, such as but not limited to sink cabinetry and flooring underneath, from damage with an area at the front of the liquid collection receptacle for accummulation and detection of leaks, as well as providing a horizontal support surface to maintain storage capabilities.
Disclosure Document #293358 was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Oct. 11, 1991.
2. Description of Related Art
A problem commonly encountered with plumbing fixtures and garbage disposal drains is the failure of the water-tight seals and drain joints. Water and liquids may then leak onto the surfaces below. This type of leakage often goes on unnoticed for a length of time because of the recessed location of the pipes and the contents which are typically stored on the surface below said pipes which can obscure the visibility of the leak. Sometimes only a small quantity of liquid leaks from the pipes or drains and quickly penetrates into the surface below directly and/or seeps into crevices of the surfaces below, such as but not limited to sink cabinetry and flooring, so that even if the area were inspected periodically, there would be no visual signs of leakage. Over a period of time, the undetected leakage may cause considerable damage to surfaces and contents stored below, as well as the flooring underneath and possibly even damage to the building structures. The first signs of water and liquid leakage are often evident only after very costly damage has occurred causing considerable expenses to be incurred to repair the damage and replace structures.
The device can also be used to locate which of the water pipes or waste pipes is leaking. The spaces between the plurality of fins provide passages for the collecting fluid to travel down the sloped surface to the trough or liquid accummulation area; therefore, any leakage will be isolated to a specific few passages by the fins making it easier to detect the source of the leak.
The utility and spirit of the above prior art references, either individually or in combination, do not provide the novel utility and spirit of the elements of the present invention. The relevant references address only the leaking aspect while the present invention has added utility purposes. While these devices may be suitable for the particular purposes to which they address, they will not be as suitable for the purposes of this invention, as hereinafter will be described.


A sprayable wash-and-wax composition which includes biodegradable surfactants and water repelling sealants. The sprayable composition preferably is packaged in an aerosol can and is dispensed as a foamed composition onto the car surface to be clean. The foamed composition is thereafter wiped from the car surface to produce a cleaned surface which is then buffed to a high gloss.

Most conventional car wash products must be diluted prior to use and necessarily require a container such as a bucket when needed to wash a car.
Conventional car wash products also do not provide a protective barrier for the car finish nor contain lubricants to minimize the likelihood of scratching the finish during the washing process. The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of conventional car wash products.


A trailer hitch adapter that elevates the height of a trailer hitch to lower the rear edge of a trailer, thus allowing a safer entry by a motorcycle into the trailer.

Motorcycles have been enjoyed by the public for decades. In recent years, more and more motorcycles have become popular not simply as means for transportation, but also as recreational vehicles that are used primarily for pleasure. Accordingly, motorcycles have become more and more expensive as their popularity grows, and there is a greater desire to participate in motorcycle shows, club rallies, as well as transporting the motorcycle to repair shops where even more money is spent to customize it.
Transporting a motorcycle typically involves loaded it by ramp into the back of a pickup truck where it is secured for transport. As motorcycles have grown in size and power, the danger of pushing or riding a motorcycle up a ramp into the back of a pickup truck has increased. A fall from a ramp while astride a large motorcycle now can cause serious injury. Motorcycle trailers can reduce this danger, but their cost makes them an unattractive choice, as does the problem of storing a motorcycle trailer when not in use. Even with the trailer, ramps are still necessary and the risk of injury is not completely eliminated. Another problem with transporting motorcycles is that often more than one motorcycle needs to be transported, either by truck or trailer. It is often impossible to transport two ore more motorcycles in the back of a pickup truck due to their size, so a large trailer is often used.
Thus, there remains a heartfelt need to transport motorcycles in a manner that is safer and less costly than by current methods.

Trailer hitch adapter and motorcycle carrier


A method for reducing a bit depth of an image to reduce storage memory, the method comprises the steps of creating a histogram of an image; modifying the histogram so that a maximum slope of a to-be-calculated cumulative histogram will be no greater than substantially 1.0; (c) calculating the cumulative histogram from the modified histogram; and (d) interpreting the cumulative histogram to give a desired bit depth reduction.

The storage of high resolution digital images within a digital still camera system typically requires substantial memory. For a single sensor camera, a typical image with a resolution of 768 pixels per line .times.512 lines .times.10 bits per pixel would require 3,932,160 bits or, equivalently, 491,520 bytes of semiconductor memory storage space. If, for system requirements, each 10 bit pixel value must be stored in a 16 bit word of memory (wasting 6 bits per word), the required amount of memory to store the entire image increases to 786,432 bytes. If the data could be transformed in some reversible manner to require only 8 bits (1 byte) per pixel, without significantly degrading image quality, then only 393,216 bytes of memory are required for a 50% savings of storage memory.
Logarithm transforms have been used in the past to transform ten bit pixel values into eight bit pixel values. Typically one would use an expression such as Equation 1 to map 10 bit linear exposure data into 8 bit logarithmic exposure data. ##EQU1##
In Equation 1,"x" is the 10 bit linear exposure value, "y" is the corresponding 8 bit logarithmic value and "round" rounds the result to the nearest integer. Equation 1 can be inverted to produce Equation 2 for transforming a 8 bit logarithmic value to a ten bit linear exposure value. ##EQU2##
Although the presently known and utilized method for data transformation is satisfactory, it is not without drawbacks. The present digital compression does not account for the scene contents of the image so that details in high contrast areas may be lost if the code values in this area are quantized to a narrow range of output code values.
Consequently, a need exists for a method and apparatus for the compression of imaging data for overcoming the above-described drawbacks.

Method and system for the reduction of memory capacity required for a digital representation of an image


An inflatable surgical packing particularly suited for filling the body cavity formed after hysterectomies, and exenterations having an additional non-inflatable element on an inner axial end thereof extending transversely to support the loops of intestines and the omentum, and preventing pinching thereof between the device and a wall of the cavity, as well as serving to maintain the intestine clear of the raw surface of the cavity to safely permit the surface coating of the denuded area and the use of irradiation of the cavity following surgery.

In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,431 dated Nov. 11, 1975, there is disclosed an inflatable device suitable for filling the void formed by the surgical removal of various organs, typically after hysterectomies and/or exenterations, and providing means for draining the cavity during the healing process. As the surface of the cavity slowly acquires surface coating, the device is progressively deflated, and ultimately withdrawn through the vagina. Inflation can be accomplished using either air or a fluid solution.
Since inflated devices of this type do not provide right angle edges to the wall of the cavity, particularly when less than fully inflated, there exists a tendency for the otherwise unsupported intestinal loops and/or omentum to fall in the areas adjacent the surfaces of the cavity, and become pinched between the wall and a surface of the inflated device, giving rise to the possibility of a traumatic condition, and, in extreme cases, the interference with normal functions. The support of the loops of intestines and/or omentum at the edges of the cavity also effectively promotes the often necessary postoperative step of irradiation without incurring postradiation effects to the intestines and/or omentum.

Inflatable packing for surgical use having auxiliary intestinal supporting member


A method of manufacturing a low noise microchannel plate which limits feedback includes creating a conductive layer on the output side of the microchannel plate so that portions of the open areas in the output end are closed off.

Microchannel plates are, for example, an essential component for fabrication of wafer tube image intensifiers. FIGS. 1-4 illustrate standard prior art devices and their operation. As shown in FIG. 1 a proximity-focussed wafer tube image intensifier 10 includes an input window 12 of glass or a fiber optic face plate onto the back of which is applied a photocathode 14. The microchannel plate 16 is spaced from and mounted parallel with the photocathode 14, and down stream of the microchannel plate 16 a phosphor screen 20 is provided on an output window 18 in the form of another fiber optics faceplate or glass. The input window 12 and output window 18 are mounted on opposite ends of a vacuum housing 22 with the microchannel plate 16 contained therebetween within the vacuum housing. The tube is provided with electrical leads for applying appropriate desired voltages to the photocathode 14, an input electrode 24 (see FIG. 2) on the front and an output electrode 26 (see FIG. 2) on the back of the microchannel plate 16 and phosphor screen 20.
The three main components of a wafer tube 10 are the photocathode 14, the microchannel plate 16, and the output phosphor screen 20. The photocathode 14 converts incident photons into photoelectrons. Generation-II wafer tubes use an alkali antimonide, positive affinity, photocathode. Generation-III wafer tubes use a GaAs, negative electron affinity, photocathode. The microchannel plate 16 serves as a high resolution electron multiplier which amplifies the photoelectron image. As used in an image intensifier the MCP typically has an electron gain of 100-1000. The amplified signal is accelerated by a 6 kv bias into the phosphor screen 20 which converts the electron energy into output light allowing the image to be viewed.
The microchannel plate 16 as shown enlarged in FIG. 2 consists of an array of miniature channel multipliers 28 of hollow glass fibers fused together and surrounded by a solid, glass border ring 30. As shown in FIG. 3 each channel multiplier 28 detects and amplifies incident radiation and particles such as electrons or ions. The channel multiplier concept is based on the continuous dynode electron multiplier first suggested by P. T. Farnsworth, U.S. Pat. No. 1,969,399. The channel multiplier 28 consists of a hollow tube coated on the interior surface by a secondary electron emitting semiconductor layer 32. This layer 32 emits secondary electrons in response to bombardment by electromagnetic radiation or particles such as electrons. The input and output metal electrodes 24 and 26 are provided on each end of the tube 28 to allow a bias voltage to be applied across the channel. This bias voltage creates an axial electric field which accelerates the emitted secondary electrons down the channel 28. The secondary electrons strike the wall again releasing additional secondary electrons. This process repeats as the electrons are accelerated down the channel. This results in amplification of the input photon or particle. A large pulse of electrons is emitted from the output end of the channel 28 in response to the input photon or particle.
In the typical microchannel plate 16, channel diameters can be as small as a few microns. For image intensification devices channel diameters are typically 10-12 microns. The channels typically have a length to diameter ratio of 40. The channel axes are typically biased at a small angle (5.degree.) relative to the normal to the MCP surface. The bias angle ensures that ions generated at the tube anode cannot be accelerated down the channel, but strike the channel wall near the back of the MCP. This reduces ion feedback noise in the MCP and eliminates ion feedback from the phosphor screen to the photocathode.
A typical plate may contain an active region 18 mm in diameter and contains over a million channels. The plate is fabricated from a glass wafer. The wafer is cut from a boule formed by fusing together glass fibers. The glass fibers are composed of a core glass surrounded by a clad glass of a different composition. After the glass wafers are sliced from the boule, the core glass is removed by a selective etching process thus forming the hollow channels. The plates are fired in hydrogen which reduces the exposed glass surface thereby forming a semiconducting layer on the channel wall surface. The thin silica layer 32 resides on the semiconducting layer forming the secondary electron emissive surface.
Traditionally, the input and output electrodes 24 and 26 are formed on each surface of the plate by deposition of a thin metallization layer. The layers thickness is typically on the order of 800 .ANG. for the input electrode 24 and 1100 .ANG. for the output electrode 26. FIG. 4 is an electron microscopic view of a cross sectioned MCP in the region of the output electrode. The metallization thickness (1100 .ANG.) is so thin relative to the channel diameter (10 microns) as to not be visible in the photograph. Nichrome or inconel are the commonly used electrode materials. These materials are used because of their good adhesion to the glass surface of the MCP.
The input electrode 24 is deposited by vacuum evaporation with a collimated beam of metal atoms. The beam is incident at a steep angle relative to the MCP surface to minimize penetration of the metal down the MCP channels. The MCP is rotated during the metallization process to result in uniform coverage of the plate surface and penetration of the channel. The practical limit is one half of a channel diameter penetration of the metal down the channel. It is desirable to limit the channel penetration as the commonly used metals, inconel or nichrome, have a very low secondary electron emission coefficient. If the primary particle or photon strikes the metallized channel wall a secondary electron may not be generated. Thus the gain of the MCP is lowered. More importantly the noise performance of the MCP suffers as some of the primary particles are not detected if they strike the metallized channel wall. The noise performance of the MCP is also degraded by the broad single particle gain distribution which results from the variation in gain depending upon whether the primary particle strikes the input metallization 24 or the secondary electron emitting layer 32.
The output electrode 26 is also deposited by vacuum evaporation with a collimated beam of metal atoms. In this case the incident angle is adjusted along with the MCP rotation to allow deeper penetration of the channel by the metal. Typically the metal penetrates 1.5 to 3.0 channel diameters. This is known as endspoiling to those familiar in the art of MCP manufacture. The gain of the MCP is reduced by this procedure. However this gain reduction is more than offset by other, desirable, characteristics which result from this procedure for MCPs which are used in image intensifiers. In particular, the output electron energy distribution of endspoiled MCPs is much more uniform than from plates with no endspoiling as described by N. Koshida "Effects of Electrode Structure on Output Electron Energy Distribution of Microchannel Plates", Rev. Sci. Instrum., 57(3), 354 (1986). This allows image intensifiers with higher resolution to be manufactured with end spoiled MCPs due to the improved electron optics which result from the uniform output electron energy distribution.
The improved emitted electron energy distribution which results from endspoiling is due to the fact that the majority of the emitted electrons are secondaries from the metallized channel walls which form the endspoiled region. These secondaries are given off when an electron emitted from farther up the channel is accelerated down the channel by the axial electric field and strikes the metallized region at the output of the channel. The axial electric field in the endspoiled region is zero due to the high conductivity of the metal. Therefore the emitted electrons are not accelerated after emission resulting in a more uniform emitted electron energy distribution.
The noise performance of an image intensifier is critical to its usefulness as a low light level imager. The noise performance is typically characterized by the noise factor, K.sub.f, of the image intensifier. The noise factor of an image intensifier has been considered to be largely determined by the noise performance of the MCP in the past. The noise factor can be defined by the following equation. ##EQU1## SNR is the signal-to-noise power ratio. SNR.sub.in is the SNR of the input electron flux to the MCP. In an image intensifier this is also the SNR of the photoelectron flux from the photocathode. SNR.sub.out is the SNR of the output photon flux from the image intensifier phosphor screen. Both ratios are measured over the same noise bandwidth. The noise factor can also be defined where SNR.sub.out is the SNR of the output electron flux from the MCP. In this instance the noise factor is that of the MCP alone. The noise factor results presented in this disclosure are given in terms of that for an image intensifier where SNR.sub.in is for the photoelectron flux from the photocathode and SNR.sub.out is for the photon flux from the intensifier phosphor screen.
The noise performance of a MCP based image intensifier can be further degraded by various feedback mechanisms. The feedback mechanisms which generate noise that have been considered in the past relate to internally generated ion feedback in the MCP or optical photon feedback from the phosphor screen as described by R. L. Bell "Noise Figure of the MCP Image Intensifier Tube", IEEE Trans. Elec. Dev. ED-22, No. 10, pages 821-829, October (1975). These ions can generate noise pulses when accelerated back toward the MCP input where secondary electrons are generated when the ions strike the channel wall. In the case of a Gen-II image intensifier the ions may be accelerated to the photocathode generating secondary electrons. In the Gen-III technology ion feedback from the MCP to the photocathode has been eliminated by applying a thin (50-100 .ANG.) film over the MCP input as described by H. K. Pollehn, "Image Intensifiers" Applied Optics and Optical Engineering, Vol. VI, 399, Academic Press, (1980). This film is semi-transparent to the photoelectrons, but will stop ions from bombarding the photocathode.
Optical photon feedback is avoided in a prior art image intensifier by ensuring that the aluminum metallization layer, which forms the anode of the tube and coats the phosphor, is sufficiently thick to completely stop penetration of light generated by the phosphor screen. This technique is effective and generally eliminates any significant feedback by optical photons to the MCP or photocathode. Optical photons, because of their low energy (2-3 eV), can also generate no more than one photoelectron upon impact with the MCP input or photocathode and thus cannot cause the large scintillations observed in an image intensifier. Phosphor screen to MCP wall ion feedback is somewhat limited in the prior art via the 5.degree. bias angle used by prior art MCPs.

Method of manufacturing a feedback limited microchannel plate


An image-forming method which comprises:. imagewise exposing a light-sensitive material comprising a light-sensitive layer which contains silver halide, a reducing agent and a polymerizable compound provided on a support to form a latent image of the silver halide; PA0 simultaneously or thereafter developing the light-sensitive material to polymerize the polymerizable compound within the area where the latent image of the silver halide has been formed; and PA0 pressing the light-sensitive material on an image-receiving material having a porous support which has such a surface characteristic that a filtered maximum waviness of not less than 4 .mu.m is observed in not more than 10 positions among 100 positions which are determined at random on a filtered waviness curve, to transfer the unpolymerized polymerizable compound to the image-receiving material.. The filtered maximum waviness is determined within basic length of 2.5 mm extracted from the filtered waviness curve which is obtained from the profile of the porous support under the condition of the cut-off value of 0.8 mm according to JIS-B-0610.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image-forming method utilizing a light-sensitive material comprising a light-sensitive layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent and a polymerizable compound provided on a support and an image-receiving material.
2. Description of Prior Art
Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 45(1970)-11149 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,275), 47(1972)-20741 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,667) and 49(1974)-10697, and Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 57(1982)-138632, 57(1982)-142638, 57(1982)-176033, 57(1982)-211146 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,997), 58(1983)-107529 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,637), 58(1983)-121031 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,450) and 58(1983)-169143 describe image-forming methods unilizing light-sensitive materials comprising a light-sensitive layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent and a polymerizable compound provided on a support. In these image forming methods, when the exposed silver halide is developed using a developing solution, the polymerizable compound is induced to polymerize in the presence of a reducing agent (which is oxidized) to form a polymer image. Thus, these methods need a wet development process employing a developing solution. Therefore, the process takes a relatively long time for the operation.
An improved image forming method employing a dry process is described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 61(1986)-69062 and 61(1986)-73145 (the contents of both publications are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,676 and European Patent Provisional Publication No. 0174634A2). In this image forming method, a recording material (i.e., light-sensitive material) comprising a light-sensitive layer containing a light-sensitive silver salt (i.e., silver halide), a reducing agent, a cross-linkable compound (i.e., polymerizable compound) and a binder provided on a support is imagewise exposed to form a latent image, and then the material is heated to polymerize within the area where the latent image of the silver halide has been formed. The above method employing the dry process and the light-sensitive material employable for such method are also described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 61(1986)-183640, 61(1986)-188535 and 61(1986)-228441.
The above-mentioned image forming methods are based on the principle in which the polymerizable compound is polymerized within the area where a latent image of the silver halide has been formed.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 61(1986)-260241 describes another image forming method in which the polymerizable compound within the area where a latent image of the silver halide has not been formed is polymerized. In the method, when the material is heated, the reducing agent functions as polymerization inhibitor within the area where a latent image of the silver halide has been formed, and the polymerizable compound within the other area is polymerized.
Further, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 61(1986)-73145 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,676 and European Patent Provisional Publication No. 0174634A2) describes an embodiment of the image-forming methods which comprises: imagewise exposing a light-sensitive material comprising a light-sensitive layer provided on a support wherein the light-sensitive layer contains silver halide, a reducing agent and a polymerizable compound; simultaneously or thereafter developing the light-sensitive material; and pressing the light-sensitive material on an image-receiving material to transfer the unpolymerized polymerizable compound to the image-receiving material.
As the support of the image-receiving material, a porous sheet is frequently employed, because the porous sheet is light-weight and the unpolymerized polymerizable compound is well fixed on the image-receiving material having the porous sheet. In the case that the unpolymerized polymerizable compound is transferred to the image-receiving material employing the porous support from the light-sensitive material under certain conditions, low density spots of diameter of about 10 .mu.m to about 1 mm containing an extremely small amount of the unpolymerized polymerizable compound are sometimes formed on the image-receiving material within the area where the polymerizable compound should be placed.
The above spot can be minimized by employing a thick sheet as the support, but the thick image-receiving material is not preferred in consideration of handling in the image formation, space required for the storage of the material and the cost for preparation thereof. Alternatively, the above spot can be also minimized when the image is transfered under high pressure, but it brings about requirement that the pressure device should be more powerful than the conventional one to obtain such high pressure.

Image-forming method employing light-sensitive material and image-receiving material


The present invention is directed to methods and devices for repairing a cardiac valve. Generally, the methods involve a minimally invasive procedure that includes creating an access in the apex region of the heart through which one or more instruments may be inserted so as to repair a cardiac valve, for instance, a mitral or tricuspid valve. Accordingly, the methods are useful for performing a variety of procedures to effectuate a repair. For instance, in one embodiment, the methods are useful for repairing a cardiac valve by implanting one or more artificial heart valve chordae tendinae into one or more cardiac valve leaflet tissues so as to restore the proper leaflet function and thereby prevent reperfusion. In another embodiment, the methods are useful for repairing a cardiac valve by resecting a portion of one or more cardiac valve leaflets and implanting one or more sutures into the resected valve tissues, which may also include the implantation of an annuloplasty ring. In an additional embodiment, the methods are useful for performing an edge to edge bow-tie repair (e.g., an Alfieri repair) on cardiac valve tissues. Devices for performing the methods of the invention are also provided.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the human heart (10) has four chambers which include two upper chambers denoted as atria (12, 16) and two lower chambers denoted as ventricles (14, 18). A septum (20) divides the heart and separates the left atrium (12) and left ventricle (14) from the right atrium (16) and right ventricle (18). The heart further contains four valves (22, 24, 26 and 28). The valves function to maintain the pressure and unidirectional flow of the blood through the body and to prevent the blood from leaking back into a chamber from which it has been pumped.
Two valves separate the atria (12, 16) from the ventricles (14, 18), denoted as atrioventricular valves. The left atrioventricular valve, the mitral valve (22), controls the passage of oxygenated blood from the left atrium (12) to the left ventricle (14). A second valve, the aortic valve (24), separates the left ventricle (14) from the aortic artery (aorta) (30), which delivers oxygenated blood via the circulation to the entire body. The aortic and mitral valves are part of the "left" heart, which controls the flow of oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the body. The right atrioventricular valve, the tricuspid valve (26), controls passage of deoxygenated blood into the right ventricle (18). A fourth valve, the pulmonary valve (28), separates the right ventricle (18) from pulmonary artery (32). The right ventricle (18) pumps deoxygenated blood through the pulmonary artery (32) to the lungs wherein the blood is oxygenated and then delivered to the left atrium (12) via the pulmonary vein. Accordingly, the tricuspid (26) and pulmonic (28) valves are part of the "right" heart, which control the flow of oxygen-depleted blood from the body to the lungs.
Both the left and right ventricles (14 and 18, respectively) constitute "pumping" chambers. The aortic (24) and pulmonic (28) valves lie between a pumping chamber (ventricle) and a major artery and control the flow of blood out of the ventricles and into the circulation. The aortic and pulmonary valves have three cusps, or leaflets, that open and close and thereby function to prevent blood from leaking back into the ventricles after being ejected into the lungs or aorta for circulation.
Both the left and right atria (14 and 16, respectively) are "receiving" chambers. The mitral (22) and tricuspid (26) valves, therefore, lie between a receiving chamber (atrium) and a ventricle so as to control the flow of blood from the atria to the ventricles and prevent blood from leaking back into the atrium during ejection into the ventricle. Both the mitral (22) and tricuspid (26) valves include two or more cusps, or leaflets (not shown), that are encircled by a variably dense fibrous ring of tissues known as the annulus (not shown). The valves are anchored to the walls of the ventricles by chordae tendineae (chordae) (42). The chordae tendineae (42) are cord-like tendons that connect the papillary muscles (44) to the leaflets (not shown) of the mitral (22) and the tricuspid (26) valves of the heart (10). The papillary muscles (44) are located at the base of the chordae (42) and are within the walls of the ventricles. They serve to limit the movements of the mitral (22) and tricuspid (26) valves and prevent them from being reverted. The papillary muscles do not open or close the valves of the heart, which close passively in response to pressure gradients; rather, the papillary muscles brace the valves against the high pressure needed to circulate the blood throughout the body. Together, the papillary muscles (44) and the chordae tendineae (42) are known as the subvalvular apparatus. The function of the subvalvular apparatus is to keep the valves from prolapsing into the atria when they close.
As illustrated with reference to FIG. 2, the mitral valve (100) includes two leaflets, the anterior leaflet (102) and the posterior leaflet (104), and a diaphanous incomplete ring around the valve, the annulus (110). The mitral valve contains two papillary muscles (not shown), the anteromedial and the posterolateral papillary muscles, which attach the leaflets to the walls of the left ventricle via the chordae tendineae (not shown). The tricuspid valve typically is made up of three leaflets and three papillary muscles. However, the number of leaflets can range between two and four. The three leaflets of the tricuspid valve are referred to as the anterior, posterior, and septal leaflets. Although both the aortic and pulmonary valves each have three leaflets (or cusps) they do not have chordae tendineae.
Various disease processes can impair the proper functioning of one or more of the valves of the heart. These disease processes include degenerative processes (e.g., Barlow's Disease, fibroelastic deficiency), inflammatory processes (e.g., Rheumatic Heart Disease) and infectious processes (e.g., endocarditis). Additionally, damage to the ventricle from prior heart attacks (i.e., myocardial infarction secondary to coronary artery disease) or other heart diseases (e.g., cardiomyopathy) can distort the valve's geometry causing it to dysfunction. However, the vast majority of patients undergoing valve surgery, such as mitral valve surgery, suffer from a degenerative disease that causes a malfunction in a leaflet of the valve which results in prolapse and regurgitation.
Generally, there are two different ways that a heart valve may malfunction. One possible malfunction, valve stenosis, occurs when a valve does not open completely and thereby causes an obstruction of blood flow. Typically, stenosis results from buildup of calcified material on the leaflets of the valves causing them to thicken and thereby impairing their ability to fully open and permit adequate forward blood flow.
Another possible malfunction, valve regurgitation occurs when the leaflets of the valve do not close completely thereby causing blood to leak back into the prior chamber. There are three mechanisms by which a valve becomes regurgitant or incompetent; they include Carpentier's type I, type II and type III malfunctions. A Carpentier type I malfunction involves the dilation of the annulus such that normally functioning leaflets are distracted from each other and fail to form a tight seal (i.e., do not coapt properly). Included in a type I mechanism malfunction are perforations of the valve leaflets, as in endocarditis. A Carpentier's type II malfunction involves prolapse of one or both leaflets above the plane of coaptation. This is the most common cause of mitral regurgitation, and is often caused by the stretching or rupturing of chordae tendinae normally connected to the leaflet. A Carpentier's type III malfunction involves restriction of the motion of one or more leaflets such that the leaflets are abnormally constrained below the level of the plane of the annulus. Leaflet restriction can be caused by rheumatic disease (IIIa) or dilation of the ventricle (IIIb).
FIG. 3 illustrates a prolapsed mitral valve (200). As can be seen with reference to FIG. 3, prolapse occurs when a leaflet (202 or 204) of the mitral valve (200) is displaced into the left atrium during systole. Because one or more of the leaflets malfunction the valve does not close properly, and, therefore, the leaflets fail to coapt. This failure to coapt causes a gap between the leaflets (202 and 204) that allows blood to flow back into the left atrium, during systole, while it is being ejected into the left ventricle. As set forth above, there are several different ways a leaflet may malfunction, which can thereby lead to regurgitation.
Although stenosis or regurgitation can affect any valve, stenosis is predominantly found to affect either the aortic and pulmonary valves, whereas regurgitation predominately affects either the mitral or tricuspid valve. Both valve stenosis and valve regurgitation increase the workload on the heart and may lead to very serious conditions if left un-treated; such as endocarditis, congestive heart failure, permanent heart damage, cardiac arrest and ultimately death. Since the left heart is primarily responsible for circulating the flow of blood throughout the body, malfunction of the mitral or aortic valves is particularly problematic and often life threatening. Accordingly, because of the substantially higher pressures on the left side of the heart, left-sided valve dysfunction is much more problematic.
Malfunctioning valves may either be repaired or replaced. Repair typically involves the preservation and correction of the patient's own valve. Replacement typically involves replacing the patient's malfunctioning valve with a biological or mechanical substitute. Typically, the aortic and the pulmonary valves are more prone to stenosis. Because stenotic damage sustained by the leaflets is irreversible, the most conventional treatment for stenotic aortic and pulmonic valves is the removal and replacement of the diseased valve. The mitral and the tricuspid valves, on the other hand, are more prone to deformation. Deformation of the leaflets, as described above, prevents the valves from closing properly and allows for regurgitation or back flow from the ventricle into the atrium, which results in valvular insufficiency. Deformations in the structure or shape of the mitral or tricuspid valve are often repairable.
Valve repair is clearly preferable to valve replacement. Bioprosthetic valves have limited durability. Secondly, prosthetic valves rarely function as well as the patient's own valves. Additionally, there is an increased rate of survival and a decreased mortality rate and incidence of endocarditis for repair procedures. Further, because of the risk of thromboembolism, mechanical valves often require further maintenance, such as the lifelong treatment with blood thinners and anticoagulants. Therefore, an improper functioning mitral or tricuspid valve is ideally repaired, rather than replaced. However, because of the complex and technical demands of the repair procedures, the overall repair rate in the United States is only around 50%.
Conventional techniques for repairing a cardiac valve are labor-intensive, technically challenging, and require a great deal of hand-to-eye coordination. They are, therefore, very challenging to perform, and require a great deal of experience and extremely good judgment. For instance, the procedures for repairing regurgitating leaflets may require resection of the prolapsed segment and insertion of an annuplasty ring so as to reform the annulus of the valve. Additionally, leaflet sparing procedures for correcting regurgitation are just as labor-intensive and technically challenging, if not requiring an even greater level of hand-to-eye coordination. These procedures involve the implantation of sutures (e.g., ePTFE or GORE-TEX™ sutures) so as to form artificial chordae in the valve. In these procedures, rather than performing a resection of the leaflets and/or implanting an annuplasty ring into the patient's valve, the prolapsed segment of the leaflet is re-suspended using artificial chord sutures. Oftentimes, leaflet resection, annuplasty and neo-cord implantation procedures are performed in conjunction with one another.
Regardless of whether a replacement or repair procedure is being performed, conventional approaches for replacing or repairing cardiac valves are typically invasive open-heart surgical procedures, such as sternotomy or thoracotomy, that require opening up of the thoracic cavity so as to gain access to the heart. Once the chest has been opened, the heart is bypassed and stopped. Cardiopulmonary bypass is typically established by inserting cannulae into the superior and inferior vena cavae (for venous drainage) and the ascending aorta (for arterial perfusion), and connecting the cannulae to a heart-lung machine, which functions to oxygenate the venous blood and pump it into the arterial circulation, thereby bypassing the heart. Once cardiopulmonary bypass has been achieved, cardiac standstill is established by clamping the aorta and delivering a "cardioplegia" solution into the aortic root and then into the coronary circulation, which stops the heart from beating. Once cardiac standstill has been achieved, the surgical procedure may be performed. These procedures, however, adversely affect almost all of the organ systems of the body and may lead to complications, such as strokes, myocardial "stunning" or damage, respiratory failure, kidney failure, bleeding, generalized inflammation, and death. The risk of these complications is directly related to the amount of time the heart is stopped ("cross-clamp time") and the amount of time the subject is on the heart-lung machine ("pump time").
Furthermore, the conventional methods currently being practiced for the implantation of the artificial chordae are particularly problematic. Because the conventional approach requires the heart to be stopped (e.g., via atriotomy) it is difficult to accurately determine, assess and secure the appropriate chordal length. Since the valve will not function properly if the length of the artificial chordae is too long or too short, the very problem sought to be eradicated by the chordal replacement procedure may, in fact, be exacerbated. Using conventional techniques, it is very difficult to ensure that the chordae are of the correct length and are appropriately spaced inside the ventricle to produce a competent valve.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for new procedures for performing cardiac valve repairs, such as mitral and tricuspid valve repairs, that are less invasive, do not require cardiac arrest, and are less labor-intensive and technically challenging. Chordal replacement procedures that ensure the appropriate chordal length and spacing so as to produce a competent valve are of particular interest. The methods presented herein meet these needs.

Methods and devices for performing cardiac valve repair


A processing system for workpieces such as semiconductor wafers is disclosed which incorporates multiple, isolated vacuum stages between the cassette load lock station and the main vacuum processing chambers. A vacuum gradient is applied between the cassette load lock and the main processing chambers to facilitate the use of a very high degree of vacuum in the processing chambers without lengthy pump down times. Separate robot chambers are associated with the vacuum processing chambers and the load lock(s). In addition, separate transport paths are provided between the two robot chambers to facilitate loading and unloading of workpieces. Pre-treatment and post-treatment chambers may be incorporated in the two transport paths.

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer vacuum processing systems and to single wafer, cassette-to-cassette, robot vacuum processing systems.
In order to decrease contamination and to enhance through-put, a number of recently introduced, single-wafer processing chambers use a system configuration comprising a wafer transfer robot which transports wafers between a cassette load lock and plural/multiple vacuum processing chambers. Access (1) between the individual process chambers and (2) between the robot chamber and the load lock chamber is via slit valves which selectively isolate the process chambers from the robot and the robot from the load lock chamber. This configuration permits processing in one or more chambers while wafers are being loaded or unloaded at other process chambers or at the load lock chamber and permits random access, in vacuo wafer transfer from one processing chamber to another via the robot chamber.
An article entitled "Dry Etching Systems: Gearing Up for Larger Wafers", in the October, 1985 issue of Semiconductor International magazine, pages 48-60, discloses such a system and specifically, a four-chamber dry etching system in which a robot in a pentagonal-shaped housing serves four plasma etching chambers and a cassette load/unload load lock chamber mounted on the robot housing.
Despite the increased vacuum isolation provided by such state-of-the-art systems, to our knowledge typically such systems have difficulty providing commercially acceptable throughput for high vacuum processes, for example, physical vapor processes such as sputtering. Specifically, the time required to pump down processing chambers or their load lock chambers to their base level, following loading of wafers into the chambers, is excessive.

Staged-vacuum wafer processing system and method


A heat activation method for activating a thermosensitive adhesive label having a support and a thermosensitive adhesive layer which is provided on the support and is not adhesive at room temperature, so as to make the thermosensitive adhesive layer adhesive with the application of heat thereto, includes the step of heating the thermosensitive adhesive layer so as to make the thermosensitive adhesive layer adhesive by energizing a heater which is in contact with the thermosensitive adhesive layer, the heater having a heat-application portion which is constructed in such a fashion that a resistor and a protective layer are successively overlaid on a ceramic substrate. A heat activation apparatus has the above-mentioned heater, and a label printer for the thermosensitive adhesive label has a label holder, a printing apparatus, a cutter and a heat activator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat activation method for a thermosensitive adhesive label comprising a support, and a thermosensitive adhesive layer which is provided on the support without a liner (i.e., a disposable backing sheet) and is not adhesive at room temperature, but can be made adhesive with the application of heat thereto.
The present invention also relates to an apparatus for heat-activating the above-mentioned thermosensitive adhesive layer of the thermosensitive adhesive label and a label printer capable of printing images on the thermosensitive adhesive label and heat-activating the thermosensitive adhesive layer thereof.
2. Discussion of Background
Recently, a recording label, in particular, a thermosensitive recording label has been used in a wide variety of fields, for example, in the system of point of sales (POS). In most of the above-mentioned conventional thermosensitive recording labels, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is generally provided on the back side of a thermosensitive recording layer, so that the label is stored in such a fashion that a liner (i.e., disposable backing sheet) is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
Such a thermosensitive recording label is useful, but it has some shortcomings. For instance, the liner must be discarded after released from the adhesive layer. Therefore, consideration must be given to the problem of waste disposal from the ecological viewpoint. In addition, the manufacturing cost is increased because of not only the cost of the linear itself, but also expenses involved by the treatment of the liner.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, there are proposed recording labels without a liner. For instance, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Applications 59-43979 and 59-46265 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 60-54842, it is proposed to employ an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive in micro-capsule form, and to provide a releasing agent layer on the surface of the recording label, opposite to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side so that the recording label may be stored in the form of a roll. According to the above-mentioned conventional proposals, however, sufficient adhesion is not generated in the pressure-sensitive adhesive prepared in the form of micro-capsules, and printing cannot be carried out on the surface of the label when the releasing agent layer is provided thereon.
Furthermore, there is proposed a thermosensitive recording label comprising a thermosensitive adhesive layer without a liner, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 63-303387 and Japanese Utility Model Publication 5-11573. When a recording label comprises a thermosensitive adhesive layer, heat-activation treatment of the thermosensitive adhesive layer becomes necessary. With respect to the above-mentioned heat activation treatment, the following methods are conventionally proposed: the application of hot air or infrared rays to the thermosensitive adhesive layer (Japanese Utility Model Publication 5-11573), the use of an electrical heater or induction coil (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 5-127598), the application of microwave to the thermosensitive adhesive layer (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 6-8977), the application of xenon flash to the thermosensitive adhesive layer (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 7-121108), and the application of halogen lamp to the thermosensitive adhesive layer (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 7-164750). Those heat activation methods have the drawbacks that it is difficult to efficiently transmit the thermal energy to the thermosensitive adhesive layer of the label. Therefore, the energy cost is increased because the thermal energy cannot be efficiently utilized. Further, the heat activation apparatus is easily overheated in the course of heat activation. In light of the energy cost and safety, it is proposed to enclose the heater with a heat insulating material. In this case, however, the heat activation apparatus cannot be made compact.
On the other hand, there is also known a heat activation method of the thermosensitive adhesive layer by bringing the thermosensitive adhesive layer into contact with a heating medium or a heat-transmitting medium heated by the heating medium. For example, a heat-application belt heated by a heater is brought into contact with the thermosensitive adhesive layer in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 57-37534; and a heated drum and a heated roller serving as the heating media are respectively used in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications 60-45132 and 6-263128.
When the thermosensitive adhesive layer is heat-activated by directly bringing it into contact with the above-mentioned heating medium such as a heated drum or roller, and heat-transmitting medium such as a heat-application belt, it is necessary that those heating media be preheated to carry out the heat activation in a heated condition in the interest of speedy heat activation operation. This involves the problem of safety.
In addition, the heat-activated thermosensitive adhesive tends to adhere to the surface of the heating medium or heat-transmitting medium after the completion of the heat activation. Because of such adhesion of the thermosensitive adhesive layer to the heating medium, the recording label itself will unfavorably wind round the heating medium.
Furthermore, when the above-mentioned thermosensitive adhesive label further comprises a thermosensitive coloring layer, the heat resistance of the thermosensitive coloring layer must be improved because the thermosensitive coloring layer easily causes the color development by the application of thermal energy in the course of heat activation. The increase of the heat resistance of the thermosensitive coloring layer is disadvantageous from the viewpoint of thermal sensitivity of the coloring layer.
There is disclosed a heat activation method in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 7-258613. According to this method, a heating medium is brought into pressure contact with a support of a recording label to heat-activate a thermosensitive adhesive layer provided on the support. This method has the advantages that it is possible to prevent the thermosensitive adhesive layer from being transferred to the heating medium and the recording label from sticking to the heating medium. However, a lot of thermal energy is wasted, and the heat activation of the thermosensitive adhesive layer cannot be smoothly completed. Therefore, the operating efficiency is lowered when the recording label is attached to a label-receiving member after heat-activating the thermosensitive adhesive layer of the recording label.

Heat activation method for thermosensitive adhesive label, and heat activation apparatus and label printer for the same


A data processing apparatus and method includes multiplier logic operable to multiply the first and second n-bit significands to produce a pair of 2n-bit vectors. Half adder logic is arranged to produce a plurality of carry and sum bits representing a corresponding plurality of most significant bits of the pair of 2n-bit vectors. The first adder logic then performs a first sum operation with a first rounded result and a second adder logic performs a second sum operation with a second rounded result. The required n-bit result is then derived from either the first rounded result or the second rounded result. The data processing apparatus takes advantage of a property of the half adder form to enable a rounding increment value to be injected prior to performance of the first and second sum operations without requiring full adders to be used to inject the rounding increment value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and methods for performing floating point multiplication, and in particular to a data processing apparatus and method for multiplying first and second n-bit significands of first and second floating point operands to produce an n-bit result.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A floating point number can be expresses as follows:
±1.x*2y
where: x=fraction                1.x=significand (also known as the mantissa)        y=exponent
Floating-point multiplication consists of several steps:    1. Evaluating the input operands for special cases (in particular NaNs (Not-a-Number cases), infinities, zeros, and in some implementations subnormals). If a special case is detected, other processing may be required in place of the sequence below.    2. Adding the exponents. The product exponent is the sum of the multiplicand and multiplier exponents. The product exponent is checked for out of range conditions. If the exponent is out of range, a resulted is forced, and the sequence of steps below is not necessary.    3. The fractions are converted to significands. If the input operand was normal (as opposed to NaN, infinity, zero or subnormal) a leading '1' is prepended to the fraction to make the significand. If the input operand is subnormal, a '0' is prepended instead. Note that in alternative systems the subnormal operand may instead be normalized in an operand space larger than the input precision. For example, single-precision numbers have 8 bits of exponent, but an internal precision may choose to have 9 or more bits for the exponent, allowing single-precision subnormal operands to be normalized in such a system.
4. The n-bit significands are multiplied to produce a redundant set of 2n-bit vectors representing the 2n-bit product. This is typically done in an array of small adders and compressors.
5. The two 2n-bit vectors are summed to form a non-redundant final product of 2n-bits in length.
6. This final product is evaluated for rounding. The final result may only be n-bits. The lower bits contribute only to the rounding computation. If the computed product has the most significant bit set it is said to have 'overflowed' the significand. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the upper n-bits representing the product begin with the most significant bit, whilst the lower n-bits are used in the rounding computation. If the most significant bit of the product is not set, the resulting product (represented by bits 2n−2 to n−1) is considered 'normal' and the n−1 least significant bits (bits 0 to n−2) contribute to rounding.
7. The n-bits of the final product are selected. If the computed product has overflowed, bits [2n−1:n] are selected, whilst if the computed product is normal, bits [2n−2:n−1] are selected. The rounding bits corresponding to the normal or overflowed product are evaluated and a decision is made as to whether it is necessary to increment the final product.
8. If the final n-bit product is to be incremented, a '1' is added to the final product at the least significant point (i.e. bit 0 of the final product).
9. The rounded final product is evaluated for overflow. This condition occurs when the final product was composed of all ones, and the rounding increment caused the final product to generate a carry into bit n (i.e. a bit position immediately to the left of the most significant bit (bit n−1) of the final product), effectively overflowing the n-bits of the result, and requiring a single bit shift right and an increment of the exponent.
The above series of steps are inherently serial, but can be parallelised at several points. For example, it would be desirable to seek to perform the rounding evaluation and any necessary rounding increment without having to first wait for the final product to be produced.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,942-B1 describes a technique for rounding floating point results in a digital processing system. The apparatus accepts two floating point numbers as operands in order to perform addition, and includes a rounding adder circuit which can accept the operands and a rounding increment bit at various bit positions. The circuit uses full adders at required bit positions to accommodate a bit from each operand and the rounding bit. Since the proper position in which the rounding bit should be injected into the addition may be unknown at the start, respective low and high increment bit addition circuits are provided to compute a result for both the low and a high increment rounding bit condition. The final result is selected based upon the most significant bit of the low increment-rounding bit result. The low and high increment bit addition circuits can share a high order bit addition circuit for those high order bits where a rounding increment is not required, with this single high order bit addition circuit including half adders coupled in sequence, with one half adder per high order bit position of the first and second operands.
Hence, it can be seen that U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,942-B1 teaches a technique which enables the rounding process to be performed before the final product is produced, but in order to do this requires the use of full adders (i.e. adders that take three input bits and produce at their output a carry and a sum bit) at any bit positions where a rounding bit is to be injected.
Full adders typically take twice as long to generate output carry and sum bits as do half adders. As there is a general desire to perform data processing operations more and more quickly, this tends to lead to a reduction in the clock period (also referred to herein as the cycle time) within the data processing apparatus. As the cycle time reduces, the delays incurred through the use of the full adders described above are likely to become unacceptable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Data processing apparatus and method for performing floating point multiplication


High compressive strength, three-dimensional para-oriented benzobisoxazole polymers of the formula: ##STR1## wherein Q is ##STR2## and wherein Z represents repeating units of the formula: ##STR3##

This invention relates to three-dimensional, rigid-rod polymers having benzobisazole polymer chains attached to an adamantane core.
The low compressive strengths of para-oriented benzobisoxazole polymer films and fibers have restricted their use in certain high-performance applications despite their excellent tensile properties, chemical resistance and thermooxidative stability.
We have prepared a three-dimensional para-oriented benzobisoxazole polymer having greater compressive strength than the one-dimensional polymers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional para-oriented benzobisoxazole polymer.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method for preparing a three-dimensional para-oriented benzobisoxazole polymer.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Adamantane based three-dimensional rigid-rod polymers

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


Beam intensity conversion optical system of the present disclosure includes a laser light source and a beam intensity conversion lens that changes the light intensity distribution of laser light emitted from the laser light source and irradiates the light onto an irradiation region. The beam intensity conversion lens has a single-lens structure. The position of a paraxial image plane of the beam intensity conversion lens and the position of and the position of irradiation region are different from each other on an optical axis. The beam intensity conversion lens has a longitudinal spherical aberration characteristic on the paraxial image plane in which a changing range of longitudinal spherical aberration in a region of more than 70% of an image height is equal to or smaller than 20% of the amount of longitudinal spherical aberration at a position of 70% of the image height.

The light intensity distribution of laser light output from a laser light source has a Gaussian form. A beam intensity conversion optical system which converts the light intensity distribution of laser light from the Gaussian form into to a flat-top form has been in consideration. According to the beam intensity distribution with a flat-top form of the present disclosure, the changing range of the light intensity distribution in a desired region of laser light is equal to or smaller than 10% of a peak intensity.
A laser excitation light source is an example that uses a beam intensity conversion optical system. The laser excitation light source applies the laser light emitted from the beam intensity conversion optical system onto a phosphor to excite white light. The beam intensity conversion optical system converts the light intensity distribution of laser light emitted from the laser light source from the Gaussian form into a flat-top form, and then applies the laser light to a phosphor. That is, the laser light applied to the phosphor has light intensity distribution with a flat-top form so as to suppress convergence of light intensity onto the phosphor.
A conventional beam intensity conversion optical system includes a collimator lens, a lens array, and an objective lens disposed in this order in a direction from the laser light source toward the phosphor. The collimator lens converts diverging light emitted from the laser light source into collimated light. The lens array converts the light intensity distribution of the laser light from the Gaussian form into a flat-top form. The condenser lens applies the laser light passed through the lens array onto an irradiation region of the phosphor.
PTL 1 is known as prior-art technique relating to the present disclosure.

Beam intensity conversion optical system and beam intensity conversion lens

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A high lift system for an aircraft includes at least one lift flap arranged on a wing forming a gap between a leading edge of the wing and a trailing edge of the lift flap in an extended position of the lift flap, and at least one flap adjustment mechanism for moving the lift flap between a retracted and at least one extended position relative to the wing. The wing includes a depression with a leading depression edge for accommodating the lift flap in a retracted position, and arranged in such an area of the wing that a correspondingly formed trailing edge region of the lift flap includes a curvature, by which the gap between the leading edge of the wing and trailing edge of the lift flap is convergent. A convergent and improved gap increases the efficiency of a high lift system without any active or movable means.

In modern commercial aircraft, the demand for as high a cruising speed as possible coupled with as low a takeoff and landing speed as possible is giving rise to the necessity of high lift systems, which can be activated during takeoffs and landings to markedly increase the lift coefficient. This is generally accomplished with lift-increasing flaps, which are deflected into the air stream of the aircraft. Among other things, especially widespread use is made of an abundance of different slats, e.g., extensible slats ("extensible slat") or leading edge flaps, such as Krüger flaps ("Kruger flap"), which are arranged so that they can move relative to the wing. For the sake of simplicity, the slats and flaps will be generally referred to as "lift flaps".
In one or several extended positions, lift flaps designed as slats can be spaced or offset away from the leading edge of the wing, thereby forming a gap relative to the leading edge of the wing. The gap allows an energy-rich stream of air to move from the flow approaching the wing onto the upper profile side of the wing, where it shifts the stall toward higher angles of attack. Depending on the design, lift flaps can be deflected with or without forming a gap in the flow approaching the aircraft, and increase both the surface of the wing and its curvature.
To ensure that the wing contour comprises a contour optimized for cruising flight with the lift flaps in a retracted position, the wing comprises depressions, recesses, indentations or the like for accommodating the lift flaps, wherein the shape of the lift flaps and depressions in the wing are adjusted to each other. As a consequence, the combination of wing and lift flaps gives rise to the outward cruising flight contour with the lift flaps retracted. Given a lift flap mounted so that it can pivot around an axis in the area of the leading edge of the wing, one section of a cruising flight contour for the bottom side of the wing yields the upper contour of the lift flap in the extended state.
Lift flaps are usually rigid, and comprise an internal structural design. How the surface of the lift flap directed relative to the wing in a stowed position is formed is essentially determined by this internal structural design, and hence prescribes the size of the corresponding depression for stowage in or on the wing. The lift flaps often comprise a tapering structural thickness, so that the depression in the wing is configured to correspond thereto.
DE 10 2006 053 259 A1 and WO 2008/058695 A1 introduce a high lift system for a wing of an aircraft in which lift flaps can be moved from a retracted position to extended positions in order to increase lift, wherein a gap between the high lift flaps and wing can be opened or closed independently of the position of the high lift flaps. This makes it possible to optionally achieve an improved maximum lift coefficient or improved drag ratio with less noise being generated.


Filter media packs and methods of forming the filter media packs are provided. The filter media packs include support beads for supporting flutes during winding of the filter media of the filter media pack. Filter media packs may also include stitch beads between adjacent layers of the filter media pack that are applied during the winding process to prevent slippage of adjacent layers of filter media. Methods of forming the filter media pack include applying the support beads or applying the stitch beads.

Filtration systems are used to remove impurities from a stream of fluid such as from air for use in downstream systems. For example, air may be filtered prior to entering an internal combustion engine. In such a system, the filtration system will often include a replaceable filter element that performs the filtration, which can be replaced with a new filter once the filter element is filled with impurities or otherwise becomes spent.
One particular type of filter element uses fluted filter media that is wound to form a filter media pack. In some instances, the fluted filter media is wound around a winding core to form a plurality of layers. Further, the filter media pack may often take non-round shapes such as race-track shaped. These non-round shapes are typically formed by winding the fluted filter media around a thin rectangular core.
However, as the non-round filter media pack is rotated to wind the fluted filter media about the winding core, the force applied from the winding core to the fluted filter media from the thinner sides of the winding core, as opposed to the wider faces of the winding core, is applied to a smaller area of the fluted filter media which can undesirably crush individual ones of the flutes proximate the thinner sides of the winding core.
Another problem related to wound filter media packs is that as the filter media pack is wound, the adjacent layers of wound fluted filter media can slip relative to one another due to the tension during the winding process. This slippage can further damage the flutes of the filter media, such as by way of reducing the open cross-sectional area of the flutes thereby reducing the desired flow characteristics of the resulting filter media pack. The slippage can also degrade the quality of the seal bead that is applied between the adjacent layers of fluted filter media
The present invention relates to improvements over the current state of the art as it relates to wound filter media packs.

Adhesive flute support while winding fluted pack


A one-part or two-part air terminal for protecting a structure against lightning strikes. A flexible adapter, such as a spring, attaches an upper air terminal to a lower air terminal or a one-piece air terminal and base. The flexible adapter allows a flexible engagement between parts of the air terminal and has an internal passageway. A elongate tether couples parts of the air terminal in case the upper air terminal or one-piece air terminal breaks, so as to avoid a broken part from injuring individuals around. The elongate tether may be a ball chain or other type of chain. The elongate tether runs through the internal passageway of the flexible adapter. A base mounts to the one-part or two-part air terminal and mounts the air terminal to the structure. A grounding wire grounds the base to the grounding rod.

Lightning is the sudden electrostatic discharge between electrically charged regions of clouds and strikes either other charged regions of clouds or the ground. It is one of the most substantial hazards presented to mankind by the weather, and if it discharges into a house, tower, or other structure, can cause significant damage including injury, fire, structural damage, or, even in the case of a minor lightning strike, substantial damage to electronic devices. Lightning in an area striking the ground naturally tends towards hitting the highest point, whether it is the roof of a building, a tree, a tower, etc.
Based upon this premise, air terminals (or "lightning rods") may be used to protect a structure from damage. Air terminals have historically consisted of a long piece of metal attached to the highest portion of a structure. As these pieces of metal are potentially sharp, they may present a hazard to an individual working around them. Air terminals may also be visually unattractive, as they distract from the lines and the contours of the structure itself, and extend over the structure.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for an air terminal which is both safe for individuals working around it and is visually appealing.

Internal tether for lightning protection


In the hydrogen remaining sensor of the present invention, the hydrogen remaining sensor is arranged in a space in which the hydrogen is absorbed/released by the main hydrogen storage alloy, and is equipped with the vessel-like sensor main body in which the sensor hydrogen storage alloy is filled and through which the hydrogen is moved. Also, the easy-to-deform portion in which the strain is caused easily due to the hydrogen absorption/release of the sensor hydrogen storage alloy is provided to a part of the sensor main body, and the strain gauge for measuring the strain of the easy-to-deform portion is provided. As a result, according to the hydrogen remaining sensor of the present invention can contribute to sense precisely a remaining amount of hydrogen in the main hydrogen storage alloy.

The technology to utilize a hydrogen storage alloy, which can store hydrogen compactly at a low pressure, as a hydrogen source of a hydrogen utilizing equipment as typified in a fuel cell is developed. Also, the development of the device, which informs of a remaining quantity of hydrogen, like a remaining indicator of a battery or a gasoline tank is advanced in parallel such that the user can know a remaining hydrogen in the hydrogen storage vessel.
For example, in Patent Literature 1, the device in which an increase in volume of the hydrogen storage alloy in a chamber via a filter is converted into an electric signal to calculate a degree of hydrogen reaction has been proposed. However, this device has such drawbacks that 1) a size of the sensor is needed to some extent, 2) it is difficult to attain a size reduction, 3) an output is easily changed depending on a direction of the vessel, 4) a volume is varied along with the progress of pulverization of the hydrogen storage alloy, and the like.
In Patent Literatures 2, 3, 4, the device in which an electrode is arranged to both ends of the hydrogen-storage-alloy filling portion and then a remaining hydrogen is sensed in response to a change of an electric resistance value has been proposed. However, in fact the obtained electric resistance value depends on a contact density between powders of the hydrogen storage alloy. Therefore, this device also has such drawbacks that an output is easily changed depending on the pulverization of the hydrogen storage alloy or the direction of the vessel, like the above device.
Also, in Patent Literature 5, the hydrogen remaining meter in which hydrogen storage alloys whose plateau pressure is different respectively are put in a vessel and stepwise changes of a pressure are regarded as changes of remaining hydrogen has been proposed. In Patent Literature 6, the hydrogen remaining meter in which pressure/temperature of a vessel are applied to a PCT characteristic diagram of the hydrogen storage alloy to calculate an amount of absorbed hydrogen has been proposed. These hydrogen remaining meters are sufficiently effective if a temperature gradient is hardly present in the overall vessel containing the hydrogen storage alloy and a hydrogen pressure is in a gas-solid equilibrium. However, in most cases the pressure/temperature are in a transient state under the actual using conditions, and thus it is very difficult to calculate a precise amount of remaining hydrogen by the above method. Also, a sensing precision of remaining hydrogen is worsened much more when the pressure enters into a plateau area. In addition, sensors for measuring a temperature and a pressure must be provided, and therefore the device is increased in space and weight.
Also, in Patent Literature 7, the device in which a strain gauge is stuck on a wall of the hydrogen storage vessel and a remaining hydrogen is sensed in response to a change of output has been proposed. The drawbacks of this device are given as two points. That is, (1) a distribution of the hydrogen storage alloy is changed when the direction of the vessel is changed and thus a strain output is also changed at the same hydrogen absorption amount, so that reproducibility of a hydrogen remaining value become worse. (2) In order to correlate a hydrogen remaining state of 0% to 100% with a strain output of the vessel wall on a one-to-one basis, an inflation stress must be applied to an inner wall of the vessel from an initial stage of absorption, so that the device cannot be implemented unless a filling density of the hydrogen storage alloy should be increased considerably high. However, a plastic deformation or a fracture of the vessel is caused without fail at such filling density of the hydrogen storage alloy. But then a range in which the hydrogen storage alloy exerts a pressure on the inner wall of the vessel is restricted in a high hydrogen capacity range when the filling density of the hydrogen storage alloy is lowered. As a result, a change of strain in an essential low hydrogen remaining range cannot be sensed.    Patent Literature 1: JP-B-1-28341    Patent Literature 2: JP-B-2-31004    Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent No. 3624816    Patent Literature 4: JP-A-2000-97931    Patent Literature 5: JP-A-59-78902    Patent Literature 6: JP-A-2-140641    Patent Literature 7: Japanese Patent No. 3203062


The invention is directed to provide novel sunscreen materials which are to protect human skin from the harmful ultraviolet radiation. Said sunscreen materials, designated Bolite-S, according to the invention having a composition, expressed in terms of moles of oxides as follows: EQU mRO:vB.sub.2 O.sub.3 :wFe.sub.2 O.sub.3 :xSiO.sub.2 :yTiO.sub.2 :zH.sub.2 O. wherein "R" is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups containing 1-4 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof, "m" is a value between 0 and about 1200, "v" is a value between 0 and about 500, "w" is a value between 0 and about 100, "x" is a value between 0 and about 200, "y" is a value between 1 and about 300 and "z" is a value of from 0 to about 300, said Bolite-S materials in calcined form having a characteristic X-ray powder diffraction pattern which contains the interplanar spacings and their assigned strengths set forth in Table 1.

Recent studies have shown that the earth's ozone layer has suffered severe depletion in recent years. Ozone is recognized as the stratospheric component shielding against the harmful forms of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
In general terms, harmful UV rays, particularly those originating from sunlight, which penetrate the upper atmosphere and reach the earth's surface, can be classified into:
1. the energy-rich UV-B rays (280-320 nm wavelength) which posses an intense physiopathological activity on human skin; these are absorbed just above the dermis and they are responsible for erythema and skin pigmentation, and
2. UV-A rays (320-400 nm wavelength) which penetrate deeper into the skin. The acute and harmful action of the UV-A on the skin is small when compared with that of UV-B, however, the chronic action of UV-A is now considered to be closely related to suntan, aging of the skin and the development of pigmentary blemishes.
Certain organic sunscreens whose molecules absorb the harmful UV rays have been proposed for use in mitigating the deleterious effects of UV radiation. However, these UV ray absorbers involve various problems in safety and the lasting effects thereof. On the other hand, various studies have been carried out on the absorption and scattering of UV rays, and a certain kind of inorganic powder has been known to have a great effect particularly for interrupting UV rays.
In spite of this and other prior proposals, there still exists a need for a highly efficient and thoroughly safe sun protection composition which has a wide spectrum of protection in the harmful UV region.
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an inorganic oxide suitable for use in sunscreen compositions having improved UV ray-blocking properties. Various inorganic oxides, identified as Bolite compounds, are related art as described in the patent literature and in the published journals. Exemplary of these materials are Bolite-1, -2, -3 and -4 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,629, Bolite-7 in J. Mol. Cat. 68, (1991) 301-311 and Bolite-A, -B, -C, -D and -E in Materials Letters, 19 (1994) 213-216 by H. Asaoka. Some of these materials containing titanium are photocatalysts for cleavage of water in their metal-loaded form, but they cannot decompose water under illumination in their metal-unloaded form.
Generally, a superior UV preventing effect is observed in titanium dioxide which is the most potent photocatalyst. The active sunscreening agents must be chemically stable and in particular must be resistant to chemical and photodegradation when on the skin as well as resistant to absorption through the skin. Common titanium dioxide possesses catalytic activity, so that other cosmetic ingredients are liable to degrade.
A cosmetically acceptable sunscreen compound is accompanied by a second necessary component of the compositions such as zinc oxide, tin oxide, iron oxide, silica, mica, octyl methoxycinnamate and green tea as referred to in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,820,508, 5,032,390, 5,215,749, 5,215,580, 5,234,682 and 5,306,486.
The present invention is concerned with a novel class of inorganic sunscreen materials, hereinafter designated as Bolite-S, having a composition expressed in terms of moles of oxides which may be written as: EQU mRO:vB.sub.2 O.sub.3 :wFe.sub.2 O.sub.3 :xSiO.sub.2 :yTiO.sub.2 :zH.sub.2 O
wherein "R" is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, the alkyl groups containing 1-4 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof, "m" is a value between 0 and about 1200, "v" is a value between 0 and about 500, "w" is a value between 0 and about 100, "x" is a value between 0 and about 200, "y" is a value between 1 and about 300 and "z" is a value of from 0 to about 300.
In accordance with the present invention, the Bolite-S compounds are prepared from the reaction mixtures containing five principal reactants; namely, titanium(IV) alkoxide, iron(III) alkoxide, silicon(IV) alkoxide, orthoboric acid (H.sub.3 BO.sub.3) and pyridine.
The reaction mechanism for the formation of the Bolite materials from titanium(IV) alkoxide and H.sub.3 BO.sub.3 in pyridine is described by H. Asaoka in Materials Letters, 19 (1994) 207-212 and 213-216.
The reaction is described as follows: EQU (OR).sub.3 Ti--OR+HO--B(OH).sub.2 .fwdarw.(OR).sub.3 Ti--OH+RO--B(OH).sub.2 ( 1) EQU (OR).sub.3 Ti--OH+RO--Ti(OR).sub.3 .fwdarw.(OR).sub.3 +TiO-Ti(OR).sub.3 ROH (2) EQU ROH+RO--B(OH).sub.2 +pyridine.fwdarw.HPy.sup.+ [(RO).sub.2 B(OH).sub.2 ](3)
wherein R is an alkyl group and HPy.sup.+ is protonated pyridine.
The reaction (1) in this system involves a transfer of an alkyl group from the alkoxide to orthoboric acid. The reaction (2) can be proceeded by the reactive precursors resulting from the first step of the reaction (1). The reaction (3) take place rapidly so that it is hard to detect alcohol in the reaction medium. The subsequent condensation reactions are possible to occur between the dimer resulting from the reaction (2) and a reactive species resulting from the reaction according to the equation (1).
The reaction can be written as follows: EQU (OR).sub.3 Ti--O--Ti(OR).sub.3 +HO--Ti(OR).sub.3 .fwdarw.(OR).sub.3 Ti--O--Ti(OR).sub.2 --O--Ti(OR).sub.3 +ROH
The successive reactions relating to the above reaction can be applied to all linear polymers.
In reality, the polymerization occurs simultaneously in two and three dimensions. In these cases, the branched unit will be introduced where the molar ratio of [H.sub.3 BO.sub.3 ]/[alkoxide] is greater than 1.
The prerequisite with respect to the solvent is a sufficient solubility of the alkoxide monomers and the reaction intermediates. Pyridine is a good solvent for metal alkoxides, oligomeric metal oxides and the pyridinium dialkoxydihydroxyborate (1-) complex (HPy.sup.+ [(OR).sub.2 B(OH).sub.2 ].sup.-).
The method just described for preparing the monolithic gels can be adapted to the polymerization reaction of plural metal alkoxides in the presence of orthoboric acid in pyridine to produce the multicomponent inorganic compounds.


Dispersible particles consisting essentially of crystalline NSAID having hydroxypropyl cellulose adsorbed on the surface thereof in an amount sufficient to maintain an effective average particle size of less than about 1000 nm. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the particles exhibit unexpectedly reduced gastric irritation following oral administration and/or hastened onset of action.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most commonly used and therapeutically effective groups of drugs. However, gastric irritation problems constitute the most frequently recognized adverse side effect following oral administration of NSAIDs. Such side effects are well recognized and must be weighed against the clinical efficacy of the drugs.
A great amount of research has been undertaken in an attempt to understand the underlying mechanism responsible for these effects. For example, Cioli et al, Tox. and Appl. Pharm., 50, 283-289 (1979) suggest that gastrointestinal lesions in laboratory animals resulting from the oral administration of acidic NSAIDs may depend on two different mechanisms: a local action exerted by contact with the gastric mucosa and a generalized/centrally mediated (systemic) action, taking place following oral administration.
More recently, Price et al, Drugs 40 (Suppl. 5):1-11, 1990, suggest that NSAID-induced gastric damage occurs as a result of NSAID-mediated direct and indirect acidic damage followed almost simultaneously by the deleterious systemic effect of prostaglandin inhibition.
A variety of strategies have been used in the management of NSAID-induced gastric damage. These include: 1) the development and use of NSAIDs with less toxic potential; 2) the reduction or elimination of the agent that actually causes the injury; and 3) the enhancement of the mucosal defense. However, these approaches have not proven entirely successful.
For example, the most effective means of preventing gastric damage, i.e., by eliminating the primary aetiological agent is rarely feasible with NSAIDs inasmuch as patients with severe inflammatory disease are rarely able to cease using these drugs. Although selection of less toxic NSAIDs should prove useful, the only practical solution, at present, is to treat the NSAID induced gastric damage. Misoprostol (a methylated prostaglandin E.sub.1) has been approved by the FDS for use in preventing NSAID gastropathy. However, Misoprostol is expensive, must be administered multiple times daily and can cause unacceptable side effects.
In copending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/897,193 filed Jun. 10, 1992,Now Abandoned the use of NSAID particles having a surface modifier adsorbed on the surface thereof in an amount sufficient to maintain an average particle size of less than about 400 nm was described as being useful in reducing gastric irritation in mammals.
It would be highly desirable to provide NSAID formulations that can exhibit an even greater reduction in gastric irritation and exhibiting greater enhanced onset of action as an analgesic.

Milled naproxen with hydroxypropyl cellulose as a dispersion stabilizer


Hybrid vehicles and methods for providing electrical energy to motor-generators of hybrid vehicles are disclosed. A hybrid vehicle includes a first motor-generator comprising an output shaft mechanically coupled to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, a second motor-generator comprising an output shaft mechanically coupled to a plurality of drive wheels, a primary electrical energy storage device, and a secondary electrical energy storage device. The hybrid vehicle provides a first amount of electrical energy from the primary electrical energy storage device and the secondary electrical energy storage device to the first motor-generator in order to increase an engine speed of the internal combustion engine, and simultaneously provides a second amount of electrical energy from the primary electrical energy storage device and the secondary electrical energy storage device to the second motor-generator in order to increase a rotational speed of the plurality of drive wheels.

Hybrid vehicles typically include an internal combustion engine, an electrical energy source, and one or more motor-generators. In some operating modes, the one or more motor-generators may need to be powered by the electrical energy source.
Accordingly, a need exists for hybrid vehicles and methods for providing electrical energy to motor-generators.

TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.