The present invention relates to a pressure swing adsorption process for direct reduction of iron wherein a portion of spent reducing gas withdrawn from the direct reduction reactor is subjected to a PSA process for the removal of carbon dioxide from the spent reducing gas. An improved CO2-rejection method using an external natural gas purge stream after depressurization and before the product purge step is described. The PSA process comprises an external purge step with a non-absorbable gas, which surprisingly reduces the adsorbent regeneration requirements to maintain the selective adsorption of carbon dioxide from the spent reducing gas. The external natural gas purge results in a cleaner bed before the start of each adsorption cycle. Consequently, significantly more CO2 can be rejected and/or higher hydrogen and CO recoveries can be attained. The external purge stream is fully integrated into the DDRI production scheme.

This invention relates generally to the direct reduction of iron oxide material and, more specifically, the present invention relates to the removal of carbon dioxide from spent reducing gas in a process for the direct reduction of iron.
Direct reduced iron (DRI) production represents one of the major routes to producing steel. The actual reduction of the iron ore in the direct reduction reactor is carried out in the presence of a reducing gas that comprises hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In the DRI process, the iron is reduced and the carbon dioxide, produced in the reduction reaction, is removed with the spent reducing gas, or reactor off-gas. The reactor off-gas includes unreacted hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and water. After cooling, the reactor off-gas is vented or reprocessed to remove the carbon dioxide and enrich the hydrogen and carbon monoxide content before returning the enriched off- gas to the direct reduction reactor as the reducing gas. Some schemes use a reforming step to provide more hydrogen and carbon monoxide and some schemes use a water gas shift step to enhance the recycle gas to provide the reducing gas. All of the schemes must remove carbon dioxide to maintain the reduction process.
The direct reduction of iron ore, i.e. iron oxides, is accomplished by reduction of the iron ore by reaction with carbon monoxide, hydrogen and/or solid carbon through successive oxidation states to metallic iron. Typically, oxides of iron and carbonaceous material, e.g. coal, are charged into a furnace. Heat is supplied to the furnace by the combustion of fuel with air to generate, inter alia, carbon monoxide. As the iron ore and reducing agents pass through the furnace, the iron ore is reduced to metallic iron and recovered from the furnace. Furnace gases are removed from the furnace through a flue or exhaust conduit.
Direct reduction plants for producing direct reduced iron, known as DRI (sponge iron) or hot briquetted iron (pre-reduced materials useful as feedstocks for iron and steel making), currently produce such products by contacting a reducing gas, composed principally of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, at effective reduction temperatures in the range from about 750xc2x0 to about 1050xc2x0 C., over a bed of particulate iron-containing material in the form of lumps or pellets. Examples of such processes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,386, U.S Pat. No. 3,764,123, U.S Pat. No. 3,816,101, U.S Pat. No. 4,336,063, U.S Pat. No. 4,556,417, U.S Pat. No. 5,078,787, U.S Pat. No. 4,046,557, U.S Pat. No. 4,002,422 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,983.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,487 discloses a process for producing direct reduced iron in a reduction reactor fed with top gas effluent from a first reaction reactor attached to a melter-gasifier. The invention of the ""487 patent addresses the problems related to carburization and metal dusting of the heater pipes which arise when heating a reducing gas containing a high content of carbon monoxide in a heat exchanger type direct fired heater. More particularly, the ""487 patent teaches the withdrawal of oxidants in the top gas effluent and the use of the top gas effluent in a second reduction reactor. A reducing gas is withdrawn from the second reduction reactor. The reducing gas is passed in turn to a cooler/scrubber, a CO2 removal unit, a gas heater to heat the gas to a temperature between 200xc2x0 and 500xc2x0 C., and a partial combustion chamber to heat the gas to a temperature between 750xc2x0 and 850xc2x0 C., before being returned to the second reactor.
U.S Pat. No. 5,882,579 discloses a method and an apparatus for utilizing in a second reduction reactor the excess exhausted gas from a first reduction reactor fed with a reducing gas produced in a melter-gasifier without the problems of swelling presented by iron ores when reduced by carbon monoxide, thus increasing the capabilities of the reduction system to process a wider range of iron ores. It is disclosed therein that the method for producing DRI comprises providing a source of reducing gas having a high content of carbon monoxide, of about 30% to about 40%. The reducing gas flows through a first reduction reactor where iron ore is pre-reduced and the pre-reduced iron ore is fed to the source of reducing gas for melting and removal as pig iron. Top gas effluent from the first reduction reactor is cooled and cleaned by adding water to the relatively cool and clean gas stream and feeding it to a catalyst-laden vessel to carry out the reaction of carbon monoxide with the water to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is removed from the reducing gas, thus producing a reducing gas stream with a hydrogen content above about 65% and utilizing the reducing gas in a second reduction reactor.
U.S Pat. No. 5,858,057 which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a similar process for the production of direct reduced iron, wherein the amount of carbon in the direct reduced iron process is controlled by modifying the relative amounts of water, carbon dioxide and oxygen in the composition of the reducing gas returned to the reduction reactor. It is disclosed that the amount of carbon in the direct reduced iron reactor is controlled by the amount of water in the reducing gas, and that the addition of oxygen to the reducing gas provides the energy for the carburization of the direct reduced iron product.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,244 discloses a process for modifying the composition of a reducing gas produced from the steam reforming of natural gas reformer to enrich the reducing gas with hydrogen. The rate of reduction is increased by reducing iron ores with a gas essentially composed of hydrogen, and the economy of the regenerating of the recirculating gases is improved.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,654 relates to a process for producing a reducing gas for a direct reduction or a blast furnace wherein oil and/or coal is partially oxidized in the presence of air to produce a reducing gas stream containing hydrogen and nitrogen together with other gases. The reducing gas stream is treated to remove essentially all gases other than hydrogen, and the hydrogen is used in reducing iron ores.
Because the reactor off-gas from the DRI reactor is generally produced at low pressure and high temperature, separation methods such as conventional pressure swing adsorption (PSA), or liquid absorption, require that the reactor off-gas be cooled and that the pressure of the cooled reactor off-gas be raised significantly to obtain the necessary driving force to carry out the separation. Liquid absorption systems require steam generation and water treatment systems to comply with environmental regulations. In addition, such solvent-based systems have associated solvent handling and disposal problems. If the pressure of the separation is not raised and an adsorbent-based separation is used, the desorption of the adsorbent must be carried out at a desorption pressure below atmospheric pressure, subjecting a stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide to potentially explosive conditions. Such alternatives are both expensive and potentially explosive. Processes are sought which provide carbon dioxide removal from DRI reactor off-gas at low operating pressure without the danger of explosion.
Applicant discovered that a PSA process which uses an external purge step following a depressurization step provides an effective way of carrying out the separation of carbon dioxide from DRI spent reducing gas at very low adsorption pressures without requiring a substantial lower desorption pressure. The present invention solves the above problems by using natural gas to purge and desorb CO2 from an adsorption zone. Natural gas, instead of reducing gas, is first used to purge most of the CO2 and water from the adsorption zone. A small amount of product purge may be used after the natural gas purge step to remove some methane and additional CO2 from the adsorption zone. The natural gas used to provide the external purge gas is not lost. A portion of the natural gas is recovered in the reducing gas and recycled to the reactor, while the remaining portion is combined with a CO2-rich stream, which can be used as fuel gas. Preferably, the external purge step is combined with an internal purge step wherein a portion of the product stream is used to purge the adsorbent bed either prior to, or following the external purge step. By use of the external purge step at the lowest pressure in the pressure swing cycle, the adsorbent is surprisingly stripped of adsorbed species to a point resulting in increased carbon dioxide removal rates relative to conventional pressure swing or vacuum swing adsorption units without the need for vacuum equipment or large blowers. The external purge step of the present invention serves to more completely sweep the adsorbent beds of carbon dioxide to a greater extent than conventional PSA processes. This unexpectedly provides enhanced carbon dioxide removal and an improved effective working capacity of the adsorbent relative to the same adsorbent in a conventional PSA process.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a process for the production of direct reduced iron. The process comprises contacting an iron ore stream with a reducing gas stream at effective reducing conditions in a reaction zone and recovering a direct reduced iron product and a reactor off-gas stream. The reducing stream comprises hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The reactor off-gas stream is cooled to provide a cooled reactor off-gas stream. At least a portion of the cooled reactor off-gas stream is passed as a feed stream to a PSA zone. The PSA zone comprises at least two adsorbent beds, wherein each adsorbent bed undergoes a cyclic process comprising an adsorption step, a co-current depressurization step, a counter-current depressurization step, an external purge step and a repressurization step to provide a reducing gas product stream and a tail gas stream. In the cyclic PSA process, the external purge step is conducted following the depressurization step. The reducing gas product stream comprises hydrogen and carbon monoxide and is produced during the adsorption step. The tail gas stream is produced during the depressurization and external purge steps. The reducing gas product stream is heated in a furnace to provide the heated reducing gas stream, which is then sent to the DRI reactor as reducing gas stream.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a process for the low pressure production of direct reduced iron. The process comprises passing a reducing stream and iron ore to a direct reduction reaction zone at effective reduction conditions to produce a direct reduced iron product and a reactor off-gas stream. The reactor off-gas stream is quenched and cooled to provide a cooled off-gas stream comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and water. At least a portion of the cooled off-gas stream is passed at effective adsorption conditions as a feed stream to a pressure swing adsorption zone comprising at least two adsorbent beds. Each adsorbent bed undergoes a cyclic process consisting of an adsorption step, a co-current depressurization step, a counter-current depressurization step, an external purge step and a repressurization step. In the cyclic process, the external purge step is conducted following the depressurization step to provide a reducing gas product stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the adsorption step and to provide a tail gas stream in the depressurization and external purge steps. A water stream is admixed with a remaining portion of the cooled off-gas stream and a hydrocarbon stream to provide a reforming zone feed stream. The reforming zone feed stream is passed to a reforming zone which is indirectly heated by the combustion of a fuel admixture comprising at least a portion of the tail gas stream, an oxygen containing stream and a fuel stream to produce a reformer effluent stream. The reformer effluent stream and the reducing gas product stream are admixed to provide the reducing stream.

Process for removal of carbon dioxide for use in producing direct reduced iron


Based on at least one manufacturing process characteristics associated with a manufacturing process, a prediction time at which to execute a selected machine learning model selected from multiple trained machine learning models is determined, and at the prediction time, the selected machine learning model is executed. Executing the selected machine learning model predicts a control set point for future values of state variables of the manufacturing process, for controlling the manufacturing process. Based on at least one of the manufacturing process characteristics, a learning time at which to train a machine learning model is determined, and at the learning time, the machine learning model is trained based on historical process data associated with the manufacturing process.

In manufacturing, data-driven predictive models may be generated to make process control decisions from real-time IoT (Internet of Things) data. IoT is a technological foundation for connectivity and messaging of sensor data from sensors, devices, equipment and unit operations (stages) in homes, buildings, factories, manufacturing production processes, cars and other connected objects.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Orchestration of learning and execution of model predictive control tool for manufacturing processes

International Business Machines Corporation


A network element of a communications network includes a fresh route queue, a stale route queue, a Routing Information Base (RIB), a network interface, and a routing protocol module. The network interface receives link state information from other network elements. The routing protocol module determines a plurality of routes from the link state information. The routing protocol module identifies among the plurality of routes a subset of routes that are present in the stale route queue, adds the subset of routes to the fresh route queue, and deletes the subset of routes from the stale route queue. The routing protocol module then remove routes in the RIB that correspond to any routes remaining in the stale route queue, and moves the routes from the fresh route queue to the stale route queue. Related methods for managing routes in a RIB of a network element are disclosed.

Network elements that forward packets in packet-switched networks typically separate their forwarding services (e.g. the tasks of moving packets from one network interface to another) from their routing services (e.g. the tasks of determining the best path through the network). For example, a network element, such as a router, typically receives a packet at one of its network interfaces and forwards the packet to another of its network interfaces. In making the decision to which network interface to forward the packet, the network element typically uses information included in the header of the packet, as well as routing information (also referred to as "routes") stored and managed by the network element.
The routing information managed by a network element includes information about the connectivity between the nodes of the network in which the network element is established, and information about the connectivity to nodes in other networks.
For example, the routing information may include the routes to the network destinations that are reachable from the network element. A route includes an address destination, which is usually represented by an address prefix (also referred to as prefix), and information that describe the path to the address destination. The address prefix may be expressed as a combination of a network address and a mask that indicates how many bits of the address are used to identify the network portion of the address. The information that describes the path to the address destination may include, for example, the address of a node that is the next hop to the address destination, the list of Autonomous Systems (ASs) that must be traversed in order to reach the address destination, and the network address of the node that originated the route.
The routing information managed by a network element may also include information that indicates the type of each network interface of the network element, the network node or nodes that are connected to the network element over each network interface, and various other parameters that may be associated with the network element or its network interfaces.
A network element that separates its forwarding service from its routing service typically stores all of its routing information in a Routing Information Base (RIB). Each routing protocol that executes on the network element selects its own set of best routes, and installs those routes and their attributes in the RIB. Within a routing protocol, the routes are selected based on one or more criteria, or metrics, used by that protocol. A RIB process periodically traverses the routes in the RIB and selects the best overall route to each address destination by comparing the attributes of ail routes to that destination. The routes identified in the RIB as best routes are then transferred, or downloaded, to one or more Forwarding information Bases (FIBs) that are used for forwarding packets by the one or more network interlaces of the network element. Thus, at any given point in time a FIB maintains an image of all or a subset of the routing information contained in the RIB. When routing or topology changes occur in the network, the routing information in the RIB is updated and the changes to the routing information are reflected in the one or more FIBs.
Network elements may store the routing information in the RIB as one or more logically or physically separate routing tables to facilitate orderly management of different services. For example, a network element that supports Virtual Private Network (VPN) features usually manages the routes of different VPNs in separate logical or physical routing tables. In another example, a network element may manage routes for different topologies, such as, for example, topologies associated with a different Quality of Service (QoS), in separate routing tables. Further, a plurality of network elements may execute as a virtual router, and each network element in the virtual router may store the RIBs of the other network elements of the virtual router in logically or physically separate routing tables.
Routes that are no longer reachable or viable (stale) need to be removed from the various RIBs and the FIB. Because routing processes update only the reachable routes, not the stale routes, the stale routes are discovered by separate burdensome processes. For example, after all active routes have been computed and stored in an updated routing table, each route entry in the updated routing table cars be compared to each entry in the old routing table to identify new routes, changed routes, unchanged routes, and stale routes. Stale routes are routes that exist in the old routing table and not in the updated routing table.
Comparing every route in the updated routing table and old routing table can create a significant burden on the computational resources of the network element and can be especially wasteful when only a few routes have become stale from one routing computation cycle to another.

Managing stale route removal in a routing information base of a network element


A contamination unit for isolating a building from contamination of a sewer is disclosed. The contamination unit includes a housing with an inlet and an outlet, a trap assembly, and a fluid trigger. The inlet is in fluid communication with a fluid source, plumbing equipment, and/or condensating equipment to receive fluid. The housing has a reservoir to collect the fluid therein and to define a reservoir portion of a contamination barrier about the outlet. The trap assembly includes a trap conduit between the outlet and the sewer that is shaped to collect the fluid therein and define a trap portion of the contamination barrier. The fluid trigger is positionable about the housing to selectively release the fluid through the inlet and into the reservoir of the housing whereby the fluid in the contamination barrier is maintained to prevent the contamination from passing from the sewer into the building.

This present disclosure relates generally to building facilities. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to building plumbing systems and contamination prevention techniques for use therewith.
Buildings, such as schools, have building facilities, such as plumbing systems, HVAC (heating ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, power systems, communication systems, and security systems. These plumbing systems include a water system to transport water from a fluid source to parts of the building, such as restrooms and kitchens, for use therein. The water system includes a network of pipes to transport the water about the building. An example of a water system is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 7,308,906, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The plumbing system also includes a sewer system to transport sewage away from parts of the building, such as restrooms and kitchen sinks. The sewer system includes a network of drainage pipes to transport the sewage from the building and to a sewer. An example sewer system is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,887, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Despite the advancements in plumbing systems, there remains a need to prevent contamination in the building. The present disclosure is intended to provide such needs.

Contamination barrier for plumbing systems and method of using same


An apparatus for outputting a message alert is provided, comprising a processor configured to: receive a message; determine whether the message includes an attachment file; and responsive to determining that the message includes the attachment file, output sound contained in the attachment file as a message alert for the message.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and a method for outputting a message alert, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method, which can output various message alerts.
2. Description of the Related Art
A message alert can be any type of sound, image, or video that is output by a communication terminal when a message is received at that terminal. In some instances, a communication terminal may use different types of message alerts that match various characteristics of messages received at the terminal. An example technique for customizing message alerts includes associating a keyword with a given message alert and, later, when a message is received, analyzing whether the keyword is included in the content of the received message. When the keyword is found to be part of the message, the associated message alert is output, thereby notifying a user of the communication terminal that the message has been received.
In some aspects, however, the aforementioned technique may be inefficient as it requires appropriate keywords to be determined in advance as well as the maintenance of a database of keywords. Accordingly, the need exists for new techniques for outputting of message alerts.

Apparatus and method for outputting message alerts


A system, methods, and devices comprising a virtual badge are disclosed. The virtual badge can be displayed on an electronic device or on another linked or unlinked portable device. For use in both emergency and non-emergency scenarios, the virtual badge comprises images and data which can be scanned, and the capability to alternate colors and/or self-destruct on a pre-set schedule. The system, methods, and devices may use a self-destruct mechanism which renders the virtual badge unusable. Using plugin technologies, the system optionally can enable field collected photos and notes on customizable forms to be mapped, tracked, and time/date stamped, including in a 100% disconnected environment. A modifiable virtual badge can aid in credentialing via certifications and qualifications, inventory, accountability, organization, and efficiency. The system, methods, and devices are designed to aid in access control, and other activities, such as data collection, inventory, accountability, payment gateways, and site management.

The present invention is based in part on technology disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,154,440 ('440 patent). The '440 patent describes a mobile software system for a variety of operations before, during, and after a disaster. The '440 patent further disclosed systems that provided a mechanism which can be used in a variety of emergency management operations. One area not addressed was the need for rapid, massive registration, credentialing, and badge identification of large numbers of personnel, especially following a disaster. Responders, residents, and business owners, plus their employees, all need access to restricted areas. The National Response Framework even mandates such badging, yet no viable, fast, simple, inexpensive, and high capacity system is available. Up until now, plastic badges or temporary paper badges have been the norm. The cost of badge supplies, printers, labor, on site power, and wasted time preparing such items in the chaotic times following a disaster are replaced and/or augmented by the present systems, methods, and device. With the new "virtual" badging system described herein, having web based registration from areas remote from the restricted area as well as a mobile device-based "virtual badge," the present invention provides more rapid and efficient, mass implementation of identification mechanisms for multiple uses, including but not limited to law enforcement and security purposes. Combining background check options and the features of the prior claims allows for more widespread uses, in which the data can ultimately be used in either separate private networks, wider, shared cloud-based data systems, or can be merged and/or accessed at times of emergencies or disasters with public data systems for life safety and security purposes.
The present invention further describes a workflow management system designed to badge and also monitor and track mobile users, if desired. By providing administrators with the ability to send alerts and tasks to their badge users, as well as allowing users to send notes, forms, photos, and events to each other and/or a central server, the virtual badge system in accordance with the present invention can be used to efficiently manage personnel. While the present invention finds countless uses in the disaster and emergency management arenas, other non-emergency applications are contemplated and described herein.
The present invention uses the electronic identification as part of a system that can be configured to function in a variety of emergency and non-emergency operations, preferably using smart electronic devices. The present invention can be adapted to merge the dumb phones with smart phones and/or other mobile smart electronic devices into a system designed to not only work on both types of phones, but also allow for computers and/or smart phones to map and track mixed teams of virtual badge users. The virtual badge electronic identification system and devices are further designed to work regardless of the condition of the local power, cell, and Internet infrastructure—a needed requirement in the emergency management field.


Method for detaching chips in the silicon layer of a SOI substrate, wherein trenches are etched between the chips down to the insulating layer of the SOI substrate. Spacers for the passivation of SiO.sub.2 layers of the chips are produced. Finally, the chips are detached by etching the insulating layer off.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to integrated circuit (IC) chips and more specifically to the detaching of IC chips from the wafer in which they were fabricated in common.
2. Description of the Prior Art
After the end of the manufacture of IC chips on a wafer, the complete wafers must be separated into these individual chips. To this end, the wafers are thinned, glued on carriers, sawed along what are referred to as saw frames with diamond saws, released from the carrier substrate and cleaned. The installations used for the IC fabrication cannot be used for these jobs. Rather, specific installations are required because of the incompatible method steps. The sawn edges that result are rough, and the method produces substantial densities of small particles that arise during sawing. These particles settle on the chips and can be a hinderance in the further use of the chips, for example in large scale integration (LSI) microsystems such as multichip memories (MCMs).


There is provided an NC laser device including a combination of a numerical control device and a laser oscillator. A laser output command is sent to an output control circuit at the time of starting and the laser output is monitored by a power sensor to obtain a ratio of the command value to a monitored value. This ratio is stored in a non-volatile memory, the difference between this ratio and the ratio obtained at a previous start is obtained, and if the difference is higher than a predetermined set value, indicative that an abnormality has occurred during the non-operative period of the device, an alarm is displayed on a display screen.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an NC laser device which including combination of a numerical control device and a laser oscillator, and more particularly, to an NC laser device able to detect an abnormaly generated during a non-operative period thereof before machining is started.
2. Background Art
A gas laser oscillator using a CO.sub.2 gas laser and so forth provides a high output with a high efficiency and has excellent beam characteristics, and thus is widely used as an NC laser device combined with a numerical control device (CNC) for metal machining and so forth. In such an NC laser device, the alignment of a rear mirror, a return mirror and an output mirror is precisely adjusted, and careful attention is paid to vibration from outside and to temperature control of cooling water for optical parts during operation, to avoid any misalignment.
Nevertheless, misalignment can be caused by an unexpected mechanical impact during a non-operative period of the device, such as during transporting and so forth, and when such a misalignment occurs, the laser output is greatly reduced and the beam mode becomes poor. In practice, a reduced laser output can be corrected by a power correction function or the like, but it is not wise to continually use this function as the oscillation efficiency is lowered and remains in that state. Moreover, the deterioration of beam mode cannot be corrected, and this leads directly to a lowering of the machining performance.
Such an abnormality generated during a non-operative period cannot be detected until an operator examines the machined state after actual machining, and thus if an abnormal condition has occurred, the whole workpiece becomes useless and the machining efficiency is lowered.


An accurate monitoring system for a multi-tenant system monitors each data stream of the multi-tenant system and determines the identity of the tenant using each of the data streams, and the application that the tenant is accessing. Aspects of each data stream are aggregated by a bucket aggregator to track and record trends for each tenant and/or each application. The aggregated data could be filtered, sorted, and reported for accurate subscription billing for each of the tenants and/or applications within a multi-tenant system.

The background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Computer environments have evolved from localized single user systems to multi-user systems accessible by geographically distributed users. More recently, as cloud resources have become available, there has been a push to migrate one or more aspects (Computer power, memory, storage, etc) of what were previously localized systems into the cloud. This can be done for many reasons, including efficient allocation of resources, cost-effective scalability, improved reliability, improved security, and greater accessibility.
There are numerous issues that arise in executing such migrations, including especially time and cost. For example, many applications are not well suited to a particular cloud environment because (a) cloud environments and their resources are available in a wide variety of configurations and may not pair well with the application's requirements, (b) legacy applications may fail to take advantage of the additional resources offered by a cloud environment and/or (c) applications run inefficiently in a cloud. Before migrating local software applications into a cloud environment, it is helpful to match and compare a local software application's hardware, software, network, and other application environment resources with the resources of any cloud environments considered for migration. The matching and comparing reveals compatibility, costs, and other software migration factors that can serve as a basis for the selection of a proper cloud environment or environments.
Thus, there is still a need for systems and methods that efficiently adapt legacy software applications so they may take advantage of the resources and benefits of a cloud environment, including migrating non-tenant aware software applications into applications that can be operated in tenant applications in a SaaS (Software as a Service) environment. One particular need is to monitor and/or monetize user's consumption of cloud resources and/or SaaS services.


A toner for electrostatic image development having sufficient low-temperature fixing properties, and excellent heat resistant storage stability and crush resistance is provided. In toner particles containing at least a binder resin, the binder resin contains a polymer having a structural unit represented by a general formula (1), wherein R1, R2, and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, or an alkoxy group, or two adjacent groups of R1, R2, and R3 combine to form —O(CH2)iO—, where i represents an integer of 1 or 2, provided that at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is an alkoxy group, or two adjacent groups combine to form —O(CH2)iO—; and R4 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxyl group, or an alkoxy group.

As examples of a resin material conventionally used for a toner, may be mentioned a polystyrene resin, a styrene-acrylic copolymer resin, a polyester resin, an epoxy resin, a butyral resin, and a hybrid resin such as a polyester resin having a grafted acrylic resin. Such a resin material is designed according to the application of a toner.
In particular, a resin material for a toner that is fixed with a heat roller requires improvement in fixing properties onto a recording medium and offset resistance. Conventionally, a macromolecular weight thermoplastic resin or a partially cross-linked thermoplastic resin has been mainly used.
Many efforts have been made to achieve a toner having excellent low-temperature fixing properties for high-speed and energy-saving printers and copiers. However, when the resin material as described above is used, a temperature at which a toner is fused and fixed (fixing temperature) needs to be set to be high, and it is difficult to save the energy.
In order to obtain a toner having a low fixing temperature, it is necessary to use a substance having a low melting temperature or a low melt viscosity as a resin material. Further, in order to obtain such a resin material, it is important that the resin material has a low glass transition temperature (Tg) or a low molecular weight.
However, such countermeasures additionally cause a problem where a toner has a low heat resistant storage stability (blocking resistance).
Therefore, it is essentially difficult that both the low-temperature fixing properties and the heat resistant storage stability are achieved.
In order to solve such a problem, a toner having a core particle of an amorphous resin and a coating surface of a crystalline polyester resin has been proposed (see Patent Literature 1).
However, the crystalline polyester resin is hard but fragile. In a vinyl-based resin such as a high general-purpose styrene-acrylic copolymer resin, the molecular weight needs to be low to achieve low-temperature fixing properties. In this case, sufficient crush resistance cannot be achieved.
When a toner is used as a two-component developer, the toner is generally mixed with a carrier such as iron powder within a developing device in a development step to generate electrostatic charge due to friction. When a fragile toner among the toners is used for a long time, the toner is broken due to friction with the carrier to produce a finer toner. The fine toner is likely to adhere to the surface of the carrier. Further, fusion of the finer toner to the carrier reduces the electric charge-imparting function of the carrier. Thus, the electric charge amount of the toner is reduced. As a result, the toner that is not charged sufficiently is scattered, to cause a problem of surface fogging on an image.
Patent Literature 2 has proposed a technique of achieving low-temperature fixing properties by mixing an amorphous resin with a crystalline resin with a low melting point to control the degree of compatibility.
However, when the compatibilization of the crystalline resin and the amorphous resin progresses, a mixed resin is plasticized, to cause a problem where sufficient heat resistant storage stability is not achieved.

Toner for electrostatic image development


A composition consisting essentially of nalbuphine and acetylsalicylic acid, derivative or salt thereof, gives unexpectedly enhanced analgetic activity.

This invention relates to a pharmaceutical combination of compounds having analgetic activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,197 issued to Pacheter and Matossian on July 16, 1968 discloses N-substituted-14-hydroxydihydronormorphines, including the N-cyclobutylmethyl derivatives, commonly called nalbuphine: ##STR1## Pachter and Matossian and others, such as H. W. Elliott, et al., J. Med. (Basel), 1, 74-89 (1970); H. Blumberg, et al., Pharmacologist, 10, 189, Fall 1968; P. Roberts, Drugs of the Future, 2, 613-5 (1977), disclose the use of nalbuphine as an analgesic for the control of moderate to severe pain.
D. M. Woodbury and E. Fingl, "Analgesic-anti-pyretics, Anti-inflammatory Agents, and Drugs Employed in the Therapy of Gout," in "The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics," 5th edition, Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1975, pp. 325-358, report that oral combinations of acetylsalicylic acid, also known as aspirin, with codeine or with other narcotic analgesics are known to produce additive analgesic effects in man.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,803, issued to Cotty et al. on Sept. 20, 1977, discloses a composition for oral administration comprising per dose a mixture containing about 5-15 grains of acetaminophen and about 10 grains of acetylsalicylic acid. The composition gives increased blood levels of unhydrolyzed aspirin.
More active analgesic combinations are in constant demand because they offer the attractive possibility of relieving pain with reduced dosages, thereby diminishing the expected side effects and toxicity that would result from the otherwise required higher dosages.

Analgesic mixture of nalbuphine and acetylsalicylic acid, derivative or salt thereof


A multi-wheel bicycle with a dual universal joint disposed on a bicycle frame, wherein a first end of the universal joint is mounted to the bicycle frame and a second end of the universal joint is mounted on a moveable end of a bicycle steering fork. A front drive chain is couple from the universal joint to a front tire disposed on a free-wheeling front hub, and a second drive chain is coupled from the first end to a drive sprocket. The drive sprocket is further coupled to a free-wheeling hub attached to a front tire. The coupling provides for transfer of rotational power from the drive sprocket to the front and rear tires through the dual universal joint even as the universal is flexed through its range of motion while steering the bicycle.

One disadvantage of bicycles is that the non-driven wheel, usually the front wheel, provides no power to propel the bicycle. In fact, when used for steering, the non-driven wheel adds drag to the cycling process. Since bicycling is human powered, any increase in efficiency will make the process easier on the user. Moreover, for certain activities such as off-road operation, providing power to all wheels may increase control of the bicycle. Accordingly, an economical and efficient means to provide power to both wheels of a bicycle would be beneficial.


The present invention covers [8-(phenylsulfonyl)-3,8-diazabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl](1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methanone compounds of general formula (I):

The present invention covers [8-(phenylsulfonyl)-3,8-diazabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl](1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methanone compounds of general formula (I) which inhibit the enzymatic activity of AKR1C3.
The Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3 also called type 5 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17-beta-HSD5)) is a member of the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily of enzymes, which reduce the aldehyde/keto group in steroid hormones to the corresponding alcohol and therefore play an important role in androgen-, progesterone-, and estrogene metabolism/activation/deactivation.
AKR1C3 possesses 3α-HSD (hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity), 17β-HSD, 20α-HSD and prostaglandin (PG) F synthase activities. It catalyzes the conversion of estrone (weak estrogenic activity) to estradiol (potent estrogenic activity), the conversion of progesterone (potent anti-estrogenic activity) to 20-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (weak anti-estrogenic activity) and the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone (Labrie et al. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2001, 22(3):185-212). Furthermore AKR1C3 catalyzes the conversion of PGH2 to PGF2α and PGD2 to 11β-PGF2, both known to stimulate inflammation and proliferation. Furthermore AKR1C3 has also been shown to metabolize a broad spectrum of carbonyl compounds and xenobiotics, including clinically administered anthracyclines (Bains et al. J. Pharmacol Exp. Ther. 2010, 335: 533-545; Novona et al. Toxicol Lett. 2008, 181:1-6; Hofman et al. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 2014, 278: 238-248).
AKR1C3 plays a role in several pathologic conditions/diseases:
Endometrioses:
Endometriosis is a chronic, mainly estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. Major symptoms of endometriosis are chronic pelvic pain and subfertility.
Estrogen (E2) deprivation is the clinically proven concept and the underlying primary mechanism of action for pharmacological treatment of endometriosis. Besides systemic estrogen levels, there is increasing evidence that locally derived estrogen contributes to the growth of endometriotic lesions. High intra-tissue estrogen concentrations in endometriotic lesions have recently been described, suggesting high local estrogen synthesis in endometriosis (Huhtinen et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012, 97(11):4228-4235). Accordingly, inhibition of local E2 production in the endometriotic lesion is regarded as a highly attractive mechanism of action for the treatment of endometriosis.
AKR1C3 is strongly expressed in endometriotic lesions and only marginally detectable in the ovary (Smuc et al. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2009, 301(1-2):59-64). In a concerted action with CYP19A1 (aromatase), AKR1C3 is expected to be a key enzyme in local E2 production in endometriotic lesions, generating a pro-estrogenic environment, thereby stimulating proliferation in estrogen-sensitive endometriotic cells. Inhibition of AKR1C3 should therefore result in decreased local intra-tissue E2 levels and thereby decreased proliferation of endometriotic lesions. Effects on ovarian estrogen production are not expected, since AKR1C3 is only marginally expressed in the ovary and 17βHSD1 is the dominant ovarian hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.
AKR1C3 is also a PGF2a synthase and beside the upregulation of AKR1C3 in endometriotic lesions, it has been shown that levels of PGF2a were significantly higher in both the eutopic and ectopic endometria derived from women with peritoneal endometriosis than in similar tissues derived from women with ovarian endometrioma (Sinreih et al. Chemico-Biological Interactions 2015, 234:320-331). PGF2a in endometriotic tissues is expected contribute to inflammation, pain and proliferation in endometriosis patients and AKR1C3, expressed in endometriotic lesions, is expected to contribute to high local PGF2a level in endometriotic tissues.
AKR1C3 inhibition has the potential to relieve proliferation, pain and inflammation in endometriosis patients by locally reducing E2, testosterone and PGF2a levels in the endometriotic tissues.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS):
PCOS is a common endocrine disorder, affecting up to 10% of women of reproductive age. It is associated clinically with anovulatory infertility, dysfunctional bleeding, androgen excess, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, obesity and metabolic syndrome (Dunaif et al. Endocrine Rev. 1997, 18:774-800). Four cardinal features of PCOS have been recognized by the Androgen Excess Society: ovulatory and menstrual dysfunction, biochemical hyperandrogenaemia, clinical hyperandrogonism (e.g. acne, hirsutism) and polycystic ovaries (Azziz et al. Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006, 91:4237-45). The vast majority of women with PCOS will present with clinical signs of hyperandrogonism, e.g. acne, hirsutism, or anovulation manifest by primary subfertility or oligomenorrhea (Legro et al. N Engl J Med 2014, 371:119-129). Women with PCOS are predisposed to glucose intolerance and metabolic syndrome (Taponen et al. J of Clin Endocrinology and Metabolism 2004, 89:2114-2118), with associated risk factors for cardiovascular disease and a likely increased risk in future cardiovascular events (Mani et al. Clin Endocrinol 2013, 78:926-934).
Hyperandrogonism, hirsutism and/or hyperandrogenaemia is the key component of the syndrome and is mandatory for the diagnosis of PCOS (Azziz et al. Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006, 91:4237-45). While serum testosterone is a key factor for biochemical assessment of hyperandrogenaemia, recently androstenedione was suggested as a more reliable marker of PCOS-related androgen excess, since androstenedione is circulating at high concentrations in PCOS women (Reilly et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2014, jc20133399).
PCOS has traditionally been regarded as a disorder of the ovary (Franks et al. J Steroid Biochem Molecular Biology 1999, 69:269-272). However, increased focus on extra-ovarian and extra-adrenal androgen formation in PCOS has highlighted the role of peripheral tissues such as adipose androgen formation (Quinkler et al. J of Endocrinology 2004, 183:331-342).
AKR1C3 is an androgen-activating enzyme, known to predominantly convert androstenedione to testosterone. Upregulation of AKR1C3 in adipose tissue of PCOS patients has been described, indicating that ARK1C3 expression in adipose is significantly contributing to androgen formation for androstenedione in PCOS patients. It has in addition been shown that AKR1C3 expression in adipocytes is significantly increased by insulin, indicating that insulin, which is high in PCOS is able to drive adipose androgen formation by increasing AKR1C3 activity in female subcutaneous adipose tissue (O'Reilly et al. Lancet 2015, 385 Suppl 1:S16). AKR1C3 is also a PGF2a synthase and plays a suppressive role in the formation of endogenous ligands for the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARgamma), which is a target for insulin-sensitizing drugs (Spiegelman et al. Diabetes 1998, 47:507-514).
Selective AKR1C3 inhibition might offer a novel therapeutic target to reduce androgen burden and improve the metabolic phenotype in PCOS. (O'Reilly M1, et al. Lancet. 2015 385 Suppl 1:S16.; Du et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009, 94(7):2594-2601.)
Cancer:
AKR1C3 is overexpressed in numerous cancers, which includes those cancers of the prostate, breast, uterine, blood, lung, brain and kidney, such as endometrial carcinoma (T. L. Rizner et al., Mol Cell Endocrinol 2006 248(1-2), 126-135), lung carcinoma (Q. Lan et al., Carcinogenesis 2004, 25(11), 2177-2181), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (Q. Lan et al., Hum Genet 2007, 121(2), 161-168), bladder carcinoma (J. D. Figueroa, Carcinogenesis 2008, 29(10), 1955-1962), chronic myeloid leukaemia (J. Birthwistle, Mutat Res 2009, 662(1-2), 67-74), renal cell carcinoma (J. T. Azzarello, Int J Clin Exp Pathol 2009, 3(2), 147-155), breast cancer (M. C. Byrns, J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2010, 118(3), 177-187), whereas its upregulation frequently correlates with tumor invasiveness and aggressiveness (Azzarello et al. Int. J. Clin. Exp. Path. 2009, 3:147-155, Birtwistle et al. Mutat. Res. 2009, 662:67-74; Miller et al. Int. J. Clin. Exp. Path. 2012, 5:278-289). AKR1C3 is able to directly reduce estrone and progesterone to 17β-estradiol and 20α-hydroxyprogesterone, respectively, thereby potentiating this pro-proliferative signal (Smuc and Rizner, Chem Biol Interact. 2009, 178:228-33). Additionally, the prostaglandin F synthase activities of AKR1C3 catalyses the conversion of PGH2 to PGF2α and PGD2 to 11β-PGF2, both known to stimulate inflammation and proliferation. In the absence of AKR1C3 activity, PGD2 (instead of being converted to PGF2), spontaneously dehydrates and rearranges to form anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory PGJ2 isomers, including 15d-PGJ2. In summary, AKR1C3 increases the proliferative PGF2 isomers and decreases antiproliferative PGJ2 products, and therefore AKR1C3 has the potential to impact both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent cancers. In breast cancer it is postulated that actions of AKR1C3 can produce prostaglandin F2 alpha (PTGFR) ligands whose activation results in carcinoma cell survival (Yoda T et al., (2015) Mol Cell Endocrinol. 15; 413:236-247).
Prostate Cancer:
Elevated expression of AKR1C3 has been associated with prostate cancer progression and aggressiveness (Stanbrough M et al. Cancer Res 2006, 66:2815-25; Wako K et al. J Clin Pathol. 2008, 61(4):448-54). In hormone-dependent prostate cancer, AKR1C3 converts androstenedione to testosterone, which, in turn, excessively activates androgen receptors and promotes tumor growth (Penning et al. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2006, 248(1-2):182-91).
In Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC)
AKR1C3 is involved in intratumoral androgen biosynthesis—it facilitates the conversion of weak androgens androstenedione (A′ dione) and 5 α-androstanedione (5α-dione) to the more active androgens testosterone and DHT, respectively (Liu et al. Cancer Res. 2015, 75(7):1413-22; Fung et al. Endocr Relat Cancer 2006, 13(1), 169-180). Importantly, AKR1C3 expression has been shown to be increased in patients with CRPC compared with primary prostate cancer (Stanbrough et al. Cancer Res 2006, 66: 2815-2825; Hamid et al. Mol Med 2012, 18:1449-1455; Pfeiffer et al. Mol Med 2011, 17:657-664). A genetic polymorphism in the AKR1C3 gene coding for AKR1C3 was also shown to be an independent predictor of prostate cancer (Yu et al. PLoS One 2013, 8(1):e54627). Moreover, AKR1C3-dependent de novo androgen synthesis was suggested to be a potential mechanism of resistance to CYP17A1 inhibitors, such as abiraterone (Mostaghel et al. Clin Cancer Res 2011, 17:5913-5925; Cai et al. Cancer Res 2011, 71:6503-6513). Therefore, AKR1C3 may be a promising therapeutic target in patients with CRPC (Adeniji et al. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2013, 137:136-149). An AKR1C3 inhibitor was tested in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in a multi-centre phase I/II study. However, the novel androgen biosynthesis inhibitor showed no relevant evidence of clinical activity (Loriot et al. Invest New Drugs 2014, 32:995-1004). Recent data are indicating that AKR1C3 activation in CRPC is a critical resistance mechanism associated with anti-androgen (enzalutamide) resistance. It could be shown that androgen precursors such as cholesterol, DHEA and progesterone, as well as androgens are highly upregulated in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells compared to the parental cells. The data suggest that inhibition of AKR1C3 pathways could act as an enzalutamide-sensitizing treatment and restore efficacy in patients with enzalutamide-resistant CRPC (Liu et al. Cancer Res. 2015, 75(7):1413-22). It is postulated that co-treatment with an AKR1C3 inhibitor will overcome enzalutamide resistance and improve survival of advanced prostate cancer patients (Thoma et al. Nature Reviews Urology 2015, 12:124).
Anthracycline Resistant Cancer:
Anthracyclines (or anthracycline antibiotics) are a class of drugs which are used in cancer chemotherapy and derived from Streptomyces bacterium Streptomyces peucetius var. caesius (Fujiwara et al. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology 1985, 3(2):133). These compounds are used to treat many cancers, including leukaemia's, lymphomas, breast, stomach, uterine, ovarian, bladder cancer, and lung cancers. The anthracyclines are among the most effective anticancer treatments ever developed. However, the clinical success of anthracyclines for cancer treatment is overshadowed by drug resistance. It has become widely accepted that the elevated enzymatic reduction of anthracyclines to their less potent secondary C13-hydroxy metabolites constitutes one of the mechanisms that cause anthracycline resistance in tumors (Gavelova et al., 2008 Chem. Biol. Interact 176, 9-18; Heibein et al. 2012 BMC Cancer 12, 381). Enzymatic metabolism, especially of doxorubicin is responsible for the cardiomyopathy observed upon doxorubicin chemotherapy. AKR1C3 was shown to be implicated in the metabolism of clinically administered anthracyclines such as doxorubicin and daunorubicin (Novotna et al. Toxicol. Letter 2008, 181:1-6).
In 2012, a correlation of an AKR1C3 genetic variant with doxorubicin pharmacodynamics has been shown in Asian breast cancer patients: one genetic variant was associated with longer progression-free survival and overall survival after doxorubicin-based therapy suggesting potential interaction with the doxorubicin metabolism (Voon et al. British J of Clin Pharmacology 2012, 75:1497-1505).
Recently it could be demonstrated that AKR1C3 contributes to the resistance of cancer cells to anthracycline treatment and therefore concomitant administration of a specific AKR1C3 inhibitor with anthracyclines could be an efficient strategy for the successful prevention and treatment of anthracycline resistant tumors (Hofman et al. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 2014, 278:238-248).
Atopic Dermatitis:
Challenge of atopic subjects with antigen caused the release of PGD2 and histamine showing that PGD2 contributes little to the immediate hypersensitivity reactions of human skin and that PGD2 is a lipid mediator that promotes skin inflammation in atopic dermatitis (AD) (Barr et al., Br J Pharmacol. 1988, 94:773-80; Satoh et al. J Immunol. 2006, 177:2621-9.; Shimura et al. Am J Pathol. 2010; 176:227-37). PGD2 is a relatively unstable pro-inflammatory mediator which spontaneously converts to the potent anti-inflammatory mediator 15d-PGJ2. That conversion is diverted by the metabolism of PGD2 to the pro-inflammatory 9α,11β-PGF2 by AKR1C3. (Mantel et al. Exp Dermatol. 2016, 25(1):38-43).
It was demonstrated that AKR1C3 is upregulated in human AD samples and a role for AKR1C3 in mediating inflammation in skin pathology, especially atopic dermatitis and in keloids has been postulated (Mantel et al. J Invest Dermatol. 2012, 132(4): 1103-1110) Mantel et al. Exp Dermatol. 2016, 25(1):38-43). AKR1C3 inhibition might be a novel option for treatment of AD and keloids.
Inflammation:
AKR1C3 is involved in prostaglandin biosynthesis, catalyzing the conversion of PGH2 to PGF2α and PGD2 to 11β-PGF2. It has been postulated that expression and upregulation of AKR1C3 supports inflammation by directly causing an increase in 9α,11β-PGF2 synthesis rates and diverting the spontaneous generation of the potent anti-inflammatory mediator 15d-PGJ2 (Mantel et al. J Invest Dermatol 2012, 132(4):1103-1110). This function of AKR1C3 has also been implicated in HL-60 cells (Desmond et al. Cancer Res 2003, 63:505-512) and in MCF-7 cells (Byrns et al. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2010, 118:177-187). Inhibition of AKR1C3 is postulated to increase 15d-PGJ2, an anti-inflammatory lipid that mostly mediates its actions directly via activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) and/or inhibition of NF-κB signaling in immune cells (Maggi et al. Diabetes 2000, 49:346-355; Scher et al. Clinical Immunology 2005, 114:100-109). Previous data have shown that PPAR-γ activation attenuates allergen-induced inflammation in skin and lungs of mice (Ward et al. Carcinogenesis. 2006, 27(5):1074-80; Dahten et al. J Invest Dermatol. 2008, 128(9):2211-8.). This suggests a role for AKR1C3 inhibition in suppressing of inflammation.
Further Diseases
Furthermore AKR1C3 inhibitors have potential for the treatment of prostate hyperplasia (Roberts et al., Prostate 2006, 66(4), 392-404), hair loss (L. Colombe et al., Exp Dermatol 2007, 16(9), 762-769), adiposity (P. A. Svensson et al., Cell Mol Biol Lett 2008, 13(4), 599-613), premature sexual maturity (C. He, Hum Genet 2010, 128(5), 515-527) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (S. Pierrou, Am J Respir Crit Care 2007, 175(6), 577-586).
Inhibitors of AKR1C3 are described in the prior art: Flanagan et al. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 2014, 22:967-977, Jamieson et al. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2012, 55:7746-7758, WO 2013/059245, WO 2013/142390, WO 2014/039820, WO 2013/045407, WO 2014/128108 and WO 2014/009274.
Heinrich et al. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2013, 62:738-744 relates to 1-(4-(piperidin-1-ylsulfonyl)phenyl)pyrrolidin-2-ones as inhibitors of AKR1C3.
WO 2007/111921 (Amgen) relates to 1-phenylsulfonyl-diaza heterocyclic amide compounds and their uses in methods for treating a condition or disorder responsive to the modulation of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSD's), mainly for the treatment of diabetis or obesity. Among other diseases endometriosis is also specified. 11betaHSD1, 11betaHSD2 and 17betaHSD3 are explicitly disclosed. It is shown that the disclosed examples inhibit 11 betaHSD1 with a IC50 ranging from <1 nM-1000 nM. However, inhibition or modulation of the enzymatic activity of AKR1C3 or other HSD's are not disclosed. WO 2007/111921 relates inter alia to piperazine compounds, e.g. compound number 4 of table 1. However, piperazines with an ethylene bridge between position 2 and 6 are not disclosed in WO 2007/111921.
WO 2007/103456 (Trimeris) relates to piperazine derivatives and to methods of using the same in the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS.
WO 2008/024284 (Merck) relates to sulfonylated piperazines as cannabinoid-1 receptor modulators.
However, the state of the art does not describe the [8-(phenylsulfonyl)-3,8-diazabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl](1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methanone compounds of general formula (I) of the present invention as described and defined herein.
It has now been found, and this constitutes the basis of the present invention, that the compounds of the present invention have surprising and advantageous properties.
In particular, the compounds of the present invention have surprisingly been found to effectively inhibit AKR1C3 for which data are given in biological experimental section and may therefore be used for the treatment or prophylaxis of AKR1C3 related disorders such as gynecological disorders particularly endometriosis-related and polycystic ovary syndrome-related gynecological disorders, conditions and diseases, metabolic disorders, hyperproliferative disorders, conditions and diseases, and inflammation disorders.
In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention covers compounds of general formula (I):
in which:    R1 represents hydrogen, halogen, C1-C3-alkyl, C1-C3-haloalkyl, C1-C3-alkoxy, C1-C3-haloalkoxy, nitro or cyano;    R2 represents hydrogen, halogen, C1-C3-alkyl, C1-C3-haloalkyl, C1-C3-alkoxy, C1-C3-haloalkoxy, nitro, cyano or SF5;    R3 represents hydrogen, halogen, C1-C3-alkyl, C1-C3-haloalkyl, C1-C3-alkoxy, C1-C3-haloalkoxy, nitro or hydroxy;    R4 represents hydrogen, halogen, C1-C3-alkyl, C1-C3-haloalkyl, C1-C3-alkoxy, C1-C3-haloalkoxy, nitro, cyano or SF5;    R5 represents hydrogen, halogen, C1-C3-alkyl, C1-C3-haloalkyl, C1-C3-alkoxy, C1-C3-haloalkoxy, nitro or cyano;    wherein R1 and R2 or R2 and R3 are optionally linked to one another in such a way that they jointly form a methylenedioxy, ethylenedioxy, ethyleneoxy, trimethyleneoxy or a group selected from:
and stereoisomers, tautomers, N-oxides, hydrates, solvates, and salts thereof, and mixtures of same.

Abstract: in which R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined herein, methods of preparing said compounds, intermediate compounds useful for preparing said compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and combinations comprising said compounds and the use of said compounds for manufacturing pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment or prophylaxis of disorders, in particular of gynecological disorders, hyperproliferative disorders, metabolic disorders, or inflammatory disorders as a sole agent or in combination with other active ingredients.


Fly lines become dirty in use and need to be cleaned periodically. A fly line can retain good shootability for a longer period of time when cleaned by a flexible, pliable abrasive article bearing abrasive granules having diameters substantially within the range of 5 to 30 .mu.m. Microscopic examination shows that the cleaning leaves longitudinal striations along the surface of the line. The abrasive article can have a backing of a nonwoven mat of fibers bearing of composite of the abrasive granules in a binder. The uncoated face of the backing can be laminated to a spongelike substrate such as an open-cell polymeric foam by which a lubricant can be applied to a freshly cleaned fly line.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,952 (Chambley) says: "The line used in fly fishing is conventionally of large-diameter braided construction, generally having an outer coating of plastic applied thereon. The diameter of this line is on the order of 1/32 to 1/16 inch. It is the weight of the line, not that of the lure, whose forward momentum propels the lure and which by slippage of the predetermined amount of slack line through the rod guides, extends the casting distance. It is generally desirable that the line used in fly fishing float on top of the water's surface. It is for this reason that there has been for many years a practice of coating the heavy braided fly line with a wax-like substance. This has the dual purpose of cleaning the line of debris, and simultaneously coating the line with a high surface tension wax-like substance which causes the line to float" (col. 2, lines 7-25). In addition to the above-described fly lines that have a braided core, other fly lines now on the market have a monofilament core. The aforementioned "outer coating of plastic" (here called the "casing") typically is polymeric, either poly(vinyl chloride) or poly(urethane). Because its casing is substantially cylindrical, a fly line can be called a "cylindrical fishing line."
The casing of a fly line can be filled with hollow microspheres to impart buoyancy. See U.S. Pats. No. 3,486,266 (Richardson et al.); 3,512,294 (Howald) and 3,868,785 (Foote). In the Foote patent, the substantially cylindrical casing is tapered. The casings of some fly lines are filled with metal particles to make them sink.
I believe that all fly lines now on the market have a lubricating dressing that enhances shootability, that is, the ability to propel a fly line and its fly. Lubricating dressings now on the market include topical silicones, fluorocarbons, and waxes that reduce the coefficient of friction (COF) of the fly line in contact with stainless steel of which most rod guides are made. Those dressings also can enhance flotation. After a period of use, the dressing wears off and the line becomes dirty. The user then cleans and dresses the dirty line with a piece of cloth to which a lubricating has been applied.
Fly lines, when new, usually can be used all day before they need to be cleaned and dressed, and this can be done at home when needed. After repeated use, most fly lines need to be cleaned and dressed more often, typically after about four hours of fishing, so that it may be necessary to dress the line in the field. This not only is inconvenient to the user, but there is a hazard of harming the environment by spilling the dressing.
The inconvenience of dressing a fly line in the field can be avoided when its polymeric casing has been pre-impregnated with a lubricating dressing that gradually migrates to the surface. A series of such fly lines is being marketed as Scientific Anglers.TM. Ultra.sup.3 by the company to which this application is assigned. However, to avoid problems associated with dressing conventional fly lines in the field, there continues to be a need to lengthen the time before it becomes because necessary to dress fly lines that have not been pre-impregnated with a lubricating dressing.
I am not aware of any study of the reflectivity of fly lines or the effect of the dressing on reflectivity, but there is a concern among fishermen that smooth cylindrical surfaces of fly line casings can cause reflections that could "spook" or frighten the fish away.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


An optical disk includes an audio data storage area for storing audio data; a still picture data storage area for storing a plurality of pieces of still picture data; and a management area for storing reproduction control information for controlling reproduction of the audio data and the plurality of pieces of still picture data. The reproduction control information has flag information representing specified still picture data among the plurality of pieces of still picture data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk having audio data and still picture data recorded thereon, a reproduction apparatus and a reproduction method for reproducing information recorded on the optical disk, and a recording medium having a program stored thereon for causing the reproduction apparatus to carrying out a method for reproducing information recorded on the optical disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
One application for a DVD-Audio is a xe2x80x9cslide showxe2x80x9d application for reproducing a plurality of still pictures in a prescribed order synchronously with (or asynchronously with) reproduction of audio information. A typical xe2x80x9cslide showxe2x80x9d application is a music application for sequentially displaying still pictures related to the lyrics of a song synchronously with reproduction of the song.
In a conventional music application, a plurality of still pictures to be displayed for a specific song and the order of displaying the plurality of still pictures are predetermined.
Title producers have demanded a system in which a plurality of still picture groups are prepared for a specific song and one of the still picture groups is selectively displayed. Herein, the term xe2x80x9cstill picture groupxe2x80x9d refers to a group of a plurality of still pictures.
In order to select one of the plurality of still picture groups in accordance with an input from a user, a menu needs to be displayed. Preferably, such a menu can be retrieved at an arbitrary time by operating a button on a device such as a remote control or the like.
However, the contents of the menu are different from one song to another. Providing a menu retrieval button for each song requires many menu retrieval buttons, which makes operation by a remote control or other devices difficult.
According to an aspect of the invention, an optical disk includes an audio data storage area for storing audio data, a still picture data storage area for storing a plurality of pieces of still picture data; and a management area for storing reproduction control information for controlling reproduction of the audio data and the plurality of pieces of still picture data. The reproduction control information has flag information representing specified still picture data among the plurality of pieces of still picture data.
In one embodiment of the invention, the flag information represents that the specified still picture data is not included in the plurality of pieces of still picture data.
According to another aspect of the invention, a reproduction apparatus for reproducing information stored on the above-described optical disk is provided. The reproduction apparatus includes a reading section f or reading the audio data and the plurality of pieces of still picture data from the optical disk; and a reproduction control section for controlling reproduction of the audio data and the plurality of pieces of still picture data in accordance with the reproduction control information. The reproduction control section specifies the specified still picture data among the plurality of pieces of still picture data in accordance with the flag information.
In one embodiment of the invention, the flag information represents that the specified still picture data is not included in the plurality of pieces of still picture data.
According to still another aspect of the invention, a reproduction method for reproducing information stored on the above-described optical disk is provided. The method includes the steps of reading the audio data and the plurality of pieces of still picture data from the optical disk; and controlling reproduction of the audio data and the plurality of pieces of still picture data in accordance with the reproduction control information. The step of controlling includes the step of specifying the specified still picture data among the plurality of pieces of still picture data in accordance with the flag information.
In one embodiment of the invention, the flag information represents that the specified still picture data is not included in the plurality of pieces of still picture data.
According to still another aspect of the invention, a recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a reproduction apparatus to carry out a reproduction method for reproducing information stored on the above-described optical disk is provided. The reproduction method includes the steps of reading the audio data and the plurality of pieces of still picture data from the optical disk; and controlling reproduction of the audio data and the plurality of pieces of still picture data in accordance with the reproduction control information. The step of controlling includes the step of specifying the specified still picture data among the plurality of pieces of still picture data in accordance with the flag information.
In one embodiment of the invention, the flag lnformation represents that the specified still picture data is not included in the plurality of pieces of still picture data.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantages of providing an optical disk, a reproduction apparatus, a reproduction method, and a recording medium for allowing specific still picture data (for example, a menu) which is different among a plurality of audio programs (for example, a plurality of songs) included in an audio title set to be retrieved by operating a common button.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.

Optical disk, reproduction apparatus reproduction method, and recording medium

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A firearm steady rest includes a tree stand unit and a universal steady rest unit. The tree stand unit has a tubular stand mount and U-bolts to secure the tree stand unit to a tree stand. A bottom slide is slidably received within the tubular stand mount while a tubular rest mount is pivotally connected to the bottom slide. A stand clamp secures the bottom slide within the tubular stand mount while a rest clamp secures the universal steady rest unit within the tubular rest mount. The universal steady rest unit includes a steady mount having a circular post region proportioned to rotate within the tubular rest mount. A steady rest is pivotally coupled to the steady mount via a pivot plate. A tubular extension member may also be included. The firearm steady rest may fold into a bundle measuring less than 4 inches by 4 inches by 28 inches.

Tree stands and ladder stands used by hunters generally include a platform on which to stand and an optional seat. A hunter then typically sits or stands until a target animal is spotted, at which point the hunter raises his or her firearm, such as a rifle, shotgun or crossbow to aim and fire at the target. To assist the hunter, certain stands include a steady rest upon which the hunter can rest the gun barrel or crossbow when aiming or firing. The extra support afforded by the steady rest can improve accuracy while also allowing a hunter to extend his or her shooting range.
While traditional steady rests are available, these rests suffer a number of significant drawbacks. For instance and without limitation, prior art steady rests are cumbersome and heavy, making their deployment difficult and frustrating. That is, the hunter must carry the stand with steady rest into the field or forest to the location of choice. A tow rope is then used to pull the stand and rest up the tree where the stand can be mounted onto the tree. The cumbersome stand and rest make are difficult to raise up the tree as their bulk entangles with or otherwise interferes with tree branches, limbs and leaves. Additionally, these steady rests are fixed members mounted to the stand. As a result, adjustment and optimization are not possible. Rather, the hunter must "make do" with the location of the steady rest and attempt to use the rest to the best advantage possible.
Thus, there is a need for a universal steady rest system that can be attached to all tree stands, hang-on ladder stands and climbers, as well as ground-based pedestals. There is a further need for a compact, universal steady rest system wherein the steady rest can be quickly and easily removed and reinstalled from a universal mount, thereby allowing a single steady rest to be used on any number of mounts/stands. The present invention addresses these, and other, needs.


A vinylidene fluoride copolymer comprising 50 to 90% by mole of units having the formula (I): EQU --CH.sub.2 --CF.sub.2 -- (I). 1 to 30% by mole of units having the formula (II): ##STR1## 1 to 30% by mole of units having the formula (III): ##STR2## 1 to 30% by mole of units having the formula (IV): ##STR3## and a composition comprising the copolymer as the main component. Since the copolymer is excellent in solvent solubility, it can be dissolved in a widely used solvent for coatings and it is not required to treat the film at a high temperature after coating. Moreover, the obtained film is excellent in adhesion to a substrate, glossiness, weatherability, stain resistance and corrosion resistance.

The present invention relates to a novel vinylidene fluoride copolymer having functional groups which is excellent in weatherability and is compatible with an acrylic resin, so which is suitable for use as coatings, sealing materials or raw materials for moldings such as films, a curable composition containing the same, and a coating composition comprising the same and an acrylic resin as main components.
Polyvinylidene fluoride (homopolymer of vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is, as well known, excellent in weatherability, chemical resistance and corrosion resistance. Further, PVDF is excellent in mechanical properties and processability, so it has been widely applied to various uses such as moldings, films and coatings. Particularly, when PVDF is used as the coating, PVDF is blended with a methyl methacrylate copolymer having good compatibility with PVDF for improving the light permeability.
Only solvents having very high polarity and a high boiling point such as N,N-dimethylformamide and N,N-dimethylacetoamide can dissolve PVDF because of high crystallinity. Accordingly, the use of PVDF as the coating is restricted. That is, a dispersion-type of an organosol wherein PVDF is dispersed in water or an organic solvent coating and a powdery coating have been put on the market. Both the coatings, however, require to treat the film at a high temperature for fixing the film after coating. Recently, an alternating copolymer of chlorotrifluoroethylene or tetrafluoro-ethylene and a vinyl ether or vinyl ester wherein crosslinkable and functional groups are incorporated into a part of the vinyl ether begins to be used as a curable fluorocarbon resin coating at room temperature which has an excellent weatherability (Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 60-21686 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-102962). Although the coatings as disclosed in the publications are improved in workability, they are inferior to the PVDF coatings in weatherability, stain resistance, corrosion resistance, and the like.
An object of the present invention is to provide a vinylidene fluoride copolymer having excellent solvent solubility, excellent compatibility with an acrylic resin alike PVDF, and functional groups curable at room temperature.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a curable composition comprising the above-mentioned vinylidene fluoride copolymer and a curing agent.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a coating composition comprising the above-mentioned vinylidene fluoride copolymer and an acrylic resin which is capable of giving a film having excellent weatherbility, stain resistance and glossiness.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter.

Vinylidene fluoride copolymer and composition containing the same


An amplification apparatus comprising first amplification circuitry having first shunt-peak circuitry and second amplification circuitry having second shunt-peak circuitry, wherein the amplification apparatus is arranged to provide an operational bandwidth over which the first and second amplification circuitry amplify signals, and wherein the second shunt-peak circuitry is arranged to use at least part of the first shunt-peak circuitry.

The invention relates to an amplification apparatus and a method of amplification.
A low-noise amplifier for ultra-wideband applications may include two cascaded amplifiers each having a shunt-peak load. As a shunt-peak load is utilized in the second amplifier, an additional load inductor is needed, which consumes significant silicon area compared to transistors and other passive components.
The second stage may omit the inductor, in which case the structure suffers from a poorer frequency response.
The listing or discussion of a prior-published document in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge.

Apparatus and method for improved amplifier shunt-peak loading


A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for detecting circular buffer overflow. When an entry in the circular buffer is read, a valid mark bit in the entry is set to an inactive state and the location of the entry is stored as an entry previously processed. A valid mark bit of a next entry and the valid mark bit in the entry previously processed are read. Responsive to determining that the valid mark bit in the entry previously processed is in the inactive state and the valid mark bit in the next entry is in an active state, the next entry is read, the valid mark bit in the next entry is set to an incactive state, and the location of the next entry is stored as the entry previously processed. Responsive to determining that the valid mark bit in the entry previously processed is in the active state, a determination is made that a circular buffer overflow has occurred.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular to a computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for detecting circular buffer overrun.
2. Description of the Related Art
Circular buffers are a staple of computer science memory management to solve the problem of matching variations in the processing speed of asynchronous data producers and data consumers. A circular buffer is a data structure that uses a single, fixed size buffer as if it were connected end-to-end. In a circular buffer, information is written starting at a given location and continues to the end of the buffer, whereupon the next piece of information is written at the first location in the buffer. In like manner, information is read from the buffer in the order in which the information was entered. When the end of the buffer is reached, the next location to be processed is again the first location in the buffer.
In the current art, pointers are used to manage the locations in a circular buffer where a process will write to or read from. A mechanism known as a "head pointer" is used to point to the buffer location to which data is to be next written, and a mechanism known as a "tail pointer" is used to point to the buffer location from which data is to be next read. In a typical circular buffer protocol embodiment, a data producer uses the head pointer to determine the next buffer location to be written. After the data producer writes data to the buffer starting at the determined location, the data producer then updates the head pointer value to the location the data producer intends to next fill and reads the tail pointer value to ensure that the location that the data producer intends to next fill has indeed been emptied by the data consumer. In like manner, a data consumer uses the tail pointer to determine the next location to be read. After the data consumer reads data from the buffer starting at the determined location, the data consumer updates the tail pointer value to the location that the data consumer intends to next process, and then reads the head pointer value to ensure that the location that the data consumer intends to next process has indeed been filled by the data producer. An example of a data producer/data consumer pair is a data producer which may be a LAN receiver (such as an Ethernet adapter) receiving data packets from the Internet and placing the packets on a circular TCP/IP protocol processing program's receive circular buffer, while the data consumer may be the TCP/IP protocol processing program itself. In another example, the data producer may be a computer keyboard, and the data consumer may be the operating system's keyboard device driver program from the keyboard's circular buffer. In this example, the keyboard circular buffer in turn parses out the incoming key strokes to the applications owning the various display "windows", thus itself becoming a data producer for those various data consuming applications.
A problem with the existing circular buffer protocol embodiment is that while in theory it may work well, in practice, in modern computer systems, this embodiment may result in long latency accesses. Often the data producer and data consumer partner processes are electrically at a significant distance from each other. The head pointer is stored physically at the location of the data producer, and the tail pointer is stored physically at the location of the data consumer. In this situation, the data producer must read the tail pointer stored at the location of the data consumer partner process, and the data consumer must read the head pointer stored at the location of the data producer partner process. These pointer reads produce long latency accesses due to the distance between the data producer and consumer.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a circular buffer protocol that prevents long latency accesses by avoiding the reading of a pointer of a partner process. It would also be advantageous to have a mechanism for determining when a partner process has violated the circular buffer protocol causing the circular buffer to overflow.

Method for detecting circular buffer overrun


A method of identifying a subject having a urinary tract infection posing a significant risk of dangerous sequalae is described. The method includes obtaining a urine or fecal sample from the subject; determining the predominant LPS O-antigen serotype in the sample; and comparing the predominant LPS O-antigen serotype to a set of febrile UTI LPS serotypes. The method can also include treating the subject for UTI if the predominant O-antigen LPS serotype is a febrile UTI LPS serotype.

The pediatric kidney is sensitive to scarring as a consequence of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Prevention of renal scars is paramount, as the associated damage may lead to long-term health issues including chronic renal failure. UTIs afflict up to 17% of girls, account for 5% of febrile conditions treated in emergency departments and 2% of pediatric hospitalizations, culminating in over $8 billion in medical expenditures each year. UTI is one of the most common reasons for short duration antibiotic exposure for acute treatment and long-term prophylactic antibiotic therapies to prevent recurrent UTI during childhood. In addition to the rise in antibiotic resistant organisms causing UTI, there is accumulating evidence that antibiotic use during childhood increases the susceptibility for chronic health problems (e.g. asthma, obesity, gastrointestinal diseases). Therefore, UTIs represent a significant health concern, particularly for the pediatric population.
There are multiple factors that confound the diagnosis of UTI. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), the most common causative agent of UTIs, is a member of a bacterial species that includes strains that range from non-pathogenic commensals to hemorrhagic diarrheal strains. Foxman B., Nat Rev Urol. December; 7(12):653-660 (2010). Non-pathogenic strains of E. coli are normal constituents of the gastrointestinal microbiome that can easily contaminate urine samples during specimen collection. Current clinical diagnostics do not distinguish non-pathogenic from uropathogenic strains of E. coli making diagnosis problematic, particularly in pediatric patients where clean sample collection is difficult. The symptoms associated with UTI are often difficult for children to report and are non-specific. Clinical differentiation between cystitis and pyelonephritis requires a reliable historian, and has important implications for long-term consequences. Therefore, there is a critical need for novel point of service diagnostics to objectively diagnose UTI.

LPS serotypes for determining severity of urinary tract infection

RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL


The present invention provides improved compositions and methods for sealing pipe in a well bore. The compositions which harden into highly resilient solid masses having high strengths are basically comprised of a hydraulic cement, an aqueous rubber latex, an aqueous rubber latex stabilizing surfactant and silica hydrophobicized with silicon oil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cementing subterranean wells, and more particularly, to cement compositions which set into resilient solid masses having high strength.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydraulic cement compositions are commonly utilized in primary cementing operations whereby pipe strings such as casings and liners are cemented in well bores. In performing primary cementing, a hydraulic cement composition is pumped into the annular space between the walls of the well bore and the exterior surfaces of the pipe string disposed therein. The cement composition is permitted to set in the annular space thereby forming an annular sheath of hardened substantially impermeable cement therein. The cement sheath physically supports and positions the pipe string in the well bore and bonds the exterior surfaces of the pipe string to the walls of the well bore whereby the undesirable migration of fluids between zones or formations penetrated by the well bore is prevented.
The development of wells including one or more laterals to increase production has recently taken place. Such multi-lateral wells include vertical or deviated (including horizontal) principal well bores having one or more ancillary laterally extending well bores connected thereto. Drilling and completion equipment has been developed which allows multi-laterals to be drilled from a principal cased and cemented well bore. Each of the lateral well bores can include a liner cemented therein which is tied into the principal well bore. The lateral well bores can be vertical or deviated and can be drilled into predetermined producing formations or zones at any time in the productive life cycle of the well.
In both conventional single bore wells and multi-lateral wells having several bores, the cement composition utilized for cementing casing or liners in the well bores must develop high strength after setting and also have sufficient resiliency, i.e., elasticity and ductility, to resist the loss of the bonds between the pipe and formation and the cement composition. Also, the cement composition must be able to resist cracking and/or shattering as a result of pipe movements, impacts and shocks subsequently generated by drilling and other well operations. The bond loss, cracking or shattering of the set cement allows leakage of formation fluids through at least portions of the well bore or bores which can be highly detrimental.
The cement sheath in the annulus between a pipe string and the walls of a well bore often fail due to pipe movements which cause shear and compressional stresses to be exerted on the set cement. Such stress conditions are commonly the result of relatively high fluid pressures and/or temperatures inside the cemented pipe string during testing, perforating, fluid injection or fluid production. The high internal pipe pressure and/or temperature results in the expansion of the pipe string, both radially and longitudinally, which places stresses on the cement sheath causing it to crack or causing the cement bonds between the exterior surfaces of the pipe or the well bore walls, or both, to fail which allows leakage of formation fluids, etc.
Stress conditions also result from exceedingly high pressures which occur inside the cement sheath due to the thermal expansion of fluids trapped within the cement sheath. This condition often occurs as a result of high temperature differentials created during the injection or production of high temperature fluids through the well bore, e.g., wells subjected to steam recovery or the production of hot formation fluids from high temperature formations. Typically, the pressure of the trapped fluids exceeds the collapse pressure of the cement and pipe causing leaks and bond failure. Other compressional stress conditions occur as a result of outside forces exerted on the cement sheath due to formation shifting, overburden pressures, subsidence and/or tectonic creep.
Thus, there are needs for improved well cement compositions and methods whereby after setting, the cement compositions form highly resilient solid masses which have high compressive, tensile and bond strengths sufficient to withstand the above described stresses without failure.
The present invention provides improved cement compositions and methods for sealing pipe in well bores which meet the needs described above and overcome the deficiencies of the prior art. The improved compositions of the invention are basically comprised of a hydraulic cement, an aqueous rubber latex present in an amount in the range of from about 40% to about 55% by weight of hydraulic cement in the composition, an effective amount of an aqueous rubber latex stabilizing surfactant, and silica hydrophobicized with silicon oil present in an amount in the range of from about 0.5% to about 2% by weight of the composition.
The improved methods of this invention for cementing pipe in a well bore are comprised of the following steps. A cement composition of the invention is prepared which hardens into a highly resilient solid mass having high compressive, tensile and bond strengths. The cement composition is placed in the annulus between the pipe and the walls of the well bore and then allowed to harden therein.
It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide improved cement compositions which harden into resilient solid masses having high strength and methods of using such cement compositions for sealing pipe in well bores.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the description of preferred embodiments which follows.

Resilient well cement compositions and methods


A composite material consisting of continuous random glass mats with a new non-peroxide sizing chemistry, polypropylene and a functionalized polypropylene. This composite gives unexpectedly higher performance in bumper beam applications. The functionalized polypropylene contains anhydride functionalities, which are preferably maleic anhydride.

Polypropylene is a popular thermoplastic resin because it is lightweight, yet stiff, resistant to chemicals and heat, and can withstand repeated flexing. Equally important, polypropylene is less expensive than many other thermoplastics. As manufacturers look to new materials, polypropylene remains a front runner in thermoplastic applications. To improve strength, polypropylene has been reinforced with glass fibers. In automotive applications, polypropylene has been used for fan shrouds and battery cases. But, as government mandated fuel economy standards become more stringent, auto makers are looking for ways to reduce weight while simultaneously increasing the crash worthiness of their vehicles. One way companies are meeting the government and consumer mandates is by using polypropylene to replace metal and other plastics in automotive interiors and exteriors. This strategy has helped reduce both weight and cost while actually improving the recyclability of the vehicle.
Although polypropylene is known for its low cost and light weight, it has lagged behind metal and other plastic materials in terms of strength. While reinforcement with glass fibers can dramatically increase the strength and stiffness of polypropylene, its use in certain areas has been limited. Researchers have sought ways to further improve the properties of reinforced polypropylene. Despite glass fibers being an excellent source of reinforcement, a major drawback is attributed to the lack of interaction between the polar surfaces of the glass fibers with the non-polar polypropylene. The result is a very weak filler/polymer interface. After analyzing failures in composites of polypropylene and glass, it has been determined that the site of the failure is this weak interface. To combat this problem manufacturers have treated glass fibers, shortly after they are formed, with a composition, often called a size, which provides lubricating and protective properties to the fibers, and assists in providing strength and other properties to the reinforced polymers and the products made therefrom. These sizing agents help to hold the glass bundles and reduce surface polarity of the glass.
One area where reinforced polypropylene has not done as well as other plastics is in the area of automotive bumper beams. Traditionally, automotive bumpers have been made of metal, and until the low speed impact requirements were passed into law for the 1974 model year most bumpers were made of metal. Once the new standards were passed, manufacturers started looking for ways to meet these new requirements. An attractive alternative proved to be bumpers made of plastic. These new bumpers offered good protection from damage as well as having reduced weight and improved corrosion resistance.
Automotive manufacturers sought improved bumper material which is strong, light and can retain its shape even when large units are molded. Thermoplastics in the polyolefin family are a favorite with molders, especially polypropylene. However, when molded into a large piece such as a bumper beam or a fascia, polypropylene is not sufficiently stiff to withstand a 5 mph impact from a vehicle. Although polypropylene can be reinforced with glass fibers to improve its performance, even when reinforced, polypropylene falls short of meeting impact requirements demanded by auto manufacturers.

Fiber reinforced functionalized polyolefin composites