This invention relates to novel photooxidation products, and derivatives thereof, of Merocyanine 540, their preparation and their uses as anticancer and antiviral agents.

The present invention relates generally to photooxidation products, and derivatives thereof, of Merocyanine 540, their preparation and their therapeutic uses.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an ancient concept. PDT usually involves the administration of one or more photoactive agents, or dyes, to the subject to be treated followed by exposing the specific target location or target organ of the subject to light.
The emphasis on using a photoactive compound or dye as the photoactivating or light-activating compound in photoradiation or tumors or viruses is based on two important properties of the photoactive compound or dye. Firstly, the photoactive compound or dye is preferentially accumulated and retained to a higher degree in or around the target tumor or virus than in the surrounding normal body tissues. Secondly, after being retained in or around the tumor or virus, the photoactive compound or dye is properly photoactivated causing the destruction of tumor cells or virus with which the dye has associated. The destruction of tumor cells or virus occurs when they are simultaneously exposed to the dye and light of a suitable wavelength. The generally accepted mechanism of cell kill by photoactivated dye is that when activated by appropriate light, the dye undergoes an energy transfer process with oxygen to form a reactive but extremely short-lived singlet oxygen, which subsequently oxidizes and kills the cell or inactivates virus to which the dye has attached or associated as a substrate. K. R. Weishaupt, C. J. Gomer, and T. J. Dougherty, Cancer Res. 36: 2326-29 (1976); F. Sieber, Photochem. and Photobiol. 46: 1035-42 (1987).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,151 teaches the preparation and purification of porphyrin-type drugs. The patent also teaches the diagnosis and destruction of cancer cells with porphyrin-type drugs. In treating humans or other mammals with the drugs, light must be irradiated on the cancer cells in such a position as to uniformly illuminate the cancer cells. When cancer cells, having the porphyrin-type drugs associated therewith, are illuminated with light, the drugs are activated and thus causing the destruction of the cancer cells by a mechanism not completely understood yet. The patent also discloses several apparatus for transmitting light to different parts of the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,190 discloses that while a dye such as hematoporphyrin derivative ("Hpd") is being held within the tumor cells in the body, the activation of the dye is accomplished by pulsed electromagnetic radiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,027 teaches the inactivation of pathogenic biological microorganisms by simultaneous treatment with furocoumarins and a long wavelength ultraviolet light under conditions which limit the availability of oxygen and other reactive species.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,521 teaches a chemical agent for the reduction of the population of a selected blood constituent having receptor sites. The invention uses a photoactive agent physically incorporate within or chemically bound to a carrier molecule. The carrier molecule has a strong affinity for the receptor sites on the blood constituent. When activated by Ultraviolet ("UV") radiation, the photoactive agent bound to the carrier molecule interferes with the metabolism of the selected blood constituent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,322 discloses a method and system for externally treating human blood to reduce the functioning lymphocyte population in the blood system. According to the method, blood is treated with a photoactive agent and simultaneously irradiated with UV radiation outside the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,715 teaches a removable UV light array assembly for use in a patient system wherein photoactivatable agents, in contact with patient blood cells, are irradiated extracorporeally and then returned to the patient.
Cyanine dyes are members of another class of dyes that are selectively retained by tumor cells and certain viruses. For example, Merocyanine 540, (commonly referred to as MC 540) has been used for light-induced tumor and viral chemotherapy. K. S. Gulliya, J. W. Fay, R. M. Dowben, S. Berkholder and J. L. Matthews, Cancer Chemotherapy Pharmacol. 22: 211-14 (1988); K. S. Gulliya, S. Pervaiz, Blood 73: 1059-65 (1989); F. Sieber, Photochem. and Photobiol. 46:1035-42 (1987).
The currently accepted method of practicing PDT is to first let the photoactive compound bind, or get close, to the target tumor cells or viruses, and then activate the photoactive compound by a high fluence rates of light. Thus, when the reactive singlet oxygen is generated from photoactivation, the target tumor cells or viruses that are in the close proximity to the activated dye and oxygen are destroyed. The normal cells do not preferentially accumulate the photoactive compound, hence generally very little reactive singlet oxygen is generated in their close proximity. Accordingly, the normal cells are generally spared from destruction by the photoactivated photoactive compound. T. J. Dougherty, et al., Photoradiation Therapy: Clinical and Drug Advances. In Prophyrin Photosensitization, D. Kessel and T. J. Dougherty, Eds. Plenum Press, N.Y., pp. 3-13, 1983.
PDT, however, has one major limitation in practical utility, that is, in order to eradicate from the animal body the tumor cells or viruses on which the photoactive compound or dye neighbors or resides, such cells or viruses must be exposed to an appropriate light source. PDT is efficient only in cases where the entire tumor can be reached by light. Hence tumors thicker than 5-7 mm are rarely eradicated by PDT. Thus, to achieve the desired killing, one must find, if at all possible, the target tumor cells or viruses which have preferentially accumulated the photoactive compound, and then one must irradiate these target cells inside the animal body with a light source directly. If the tumor, such as solid tumor, is large enough and localized that it can be seen by naked eyes, then the dye can be injected into the tumor itself. Even after this, however, there is still the problem of introducing light into the inner portions of the tumor. Moreover, during metastasis, the tumor cells or viruses have spread to other parts of the body and are no longer localized. The dilemma after the introduction of photoactive compound to the patient is: Where should the irradiation be given? Even assuming that the malignant tumor cells can be localized and found in one particular body tissue or organ, many body tissues and internal organs where tumor cells or viruses have proliferated are nonetheless inaccessible to any light.
Another major limitation to PDT is that the light energy itself, in particular the ultraviolet light, is toxic and can be mutagenic to normal cells as well normal tissues. Thus, many photoactive compounds that can be activated best by ultraviolet light cannot be used in the clinic because the ultraviolet light required for the activation of the photoactive compounds would be exceedingly harmful to the surrounding normal tissues and the normal cells.
Further, patients undergoing the traditionally PDT treatment must remain in the dark for a long period of time until the photoactive agents used have cleared out of the patient's system.
To overcome many of the disadvantages of PDT, U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,385 to Gulliya, et al. discloses a pre-activated therapeutic agent derived from a photoactive compound for destroying tumor or other pathogenic biological contaminants infecting an animal body tissue. The disclosure of this U.S. patent is herein incorporate in its entirety by reference. This reference discloses that the activation of the photoactive compound is carried out prior to the photoactive compound is being brought into contact with the tissue to be treated. The resultant pre-activated therapeutic agent, or mixture or agents, retains its therapeutic activity subsequent to activation.
The method of preparing pre-activated therapeutic agent disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,385 often produces a mixtures of products or ingredients. Although some of the products produced by this pre-activation show biological activities, most likely, some of the products are biologically inactive.
Thus, there is a need to isolate, purify and identify the active products derived from the pre-activation of a photoactive compound. A purified active product is essential for its therapeutic uses.

Photooxidation products and derivatives thereof of merocyanine-540, their preparation and uses


A mobile demountable flood barrier consists of individual stackable sections, the two longitudinal ends of which engage for securing purposes in a U-section arranged perpendicularly to the sections. The individual sections engage together by means of horizontal S-shape toothed projections on their upper side and lower side and thus transmit to their adjacent sections a part of the load caused by the pressure of the water which can act upon them.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mobile demountable liquid protective wall constructed of individual profile elements which can be stacked on top of each other, and which each engage for the purpose of fixing at both their ends into a U-profile, arranged in a vertical way to the profile elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Blockage units are known from the Swiss patent 70571, consisting of blockage girders, whose sealing amongst each other has to be done, however, via clay or any other sealing compound, which is costly in its deposition or attachment.
Furthermore, a demountable blockage unit for the flood protection is known from the German patent 3 420 405, whose sealings are designed in a frictional engaged way and which may cause problems when there is a higher existing water pressure. Furthermore, with this known solution, the load is only insufficiently distributed between the individual profile elements or the elements of the blockage unit, especially between the lower element, which is close to the ground, and the ground. For the support of the blockage unit in the cases of a longer span this patent provides the mounting of further side poles. These are set into the ground in tubular sparings, whereby these tubular sparings have to be constructed first via costly constructional measures.
German utility model teaches a mobile protective wall with rectangular boards, which are strengthened along their margins by a frame. Grooves are provided in the underground which receive the protective wall elements.
It is therefore the task of the invention to create a mobile, namely to be used anywhere, demountable protective wall for the defense of liquids, which distributes the pressure, which occurs because of the existing liquid, as evenly as possible onto the entire wall at a high closeness, without making it necessary to construct very costly constructional measures before the set up of the protection wall, but which makes it possible at the same time that also bigger widths can be spanned over with such a wall. This task is solved according to the invention by a liquid protective wall with the characteristics of claim 1.
Preferably, these elements each engage at both their longitudinal ends into an L-profile, which is arranged to the profile elements in a vertical way, for the purpose of fixing. The individual profile elements are thereby placed with their side, which is opposite to the liquid, at the flange of the L-profile running parallel to them. There, a rubber profile is provided for the purpose of sealing. To avoid a dumping of the profile elements to the side facing the liquid, a further L-profile of a smaller construction, which is attached with one side to the side of the L-profile, which is placed crosswise to the liquid protective wall, via long holes running in a diagonal way. Hereby it is made possible that the profile elements can be inserted in an easy manner into the groove, which is formed via the side of the big L-profile, which is placed along the liquid protective wall, and a side of the small L-profile. The insertion occurs in such a way that the small L-profile is moved in the long holes to the top in a diagonal way, the profile elements are inserted and after the insertion, the small L-profile is moved again to the profile elements with the aid of the long holes. That way a U-profile is created, in which the profile elements find themselves to be anchored, consisting of a longer leg, which is opposite to the liquid, a basis at the edge of the profile elements and a shorter leg, which is facing the elements. The profile elements run full of liquid from the side across the groove, which is created between them and the small L-profile as well as the big L-profile, as soon as the liquid starts rising at the wall. This also secures a good stability of the wall. With a falling liquid, the elements run empty again respectively.
In an embodiment according to the present invention, the individual profile elements are closed to the side, namely to the side fixing profile, with for example felt, gauze, a net or a cover plate in such a way that water can get in or get out, but not mud, dirt or any other polluting material.
As long as the profiles are not filled up, they are pushed or kept to the ground in an embodiment according to the present invention with the aid of a threaded rod, which is fixed in the ground and a swivel nut placed on the threaded rod, which engages into the upper edge of the liquid protective wall.
As an alternative the profile may also be embodied for example in the shape of a rigid, U-profile in one piece, for the side fixing of the profile elements, which form the liquid protective wall.
The profile elements are arranged on top of each other and are indented with each other at their upper- and lower side via S-shape indents, which are placed in a horizontal position. That way they transfer a part, namely about 50% of the load, which is caused by the pressure of the existing liquid, to their respective neighbor profiles.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a finishing piece to the upper edge of the liquid protective wall without a denticulation.
With a further embodiment of the invention, the lower profile element placed close to the ground engages into a ground section in a indented way and thereby also releases a part of the load, which has an effect on this profile element, via the ground section onto the subsoil. The ground section is provided with a sealing, which overlaps a piece each at the edges of the ground section and which takes up the total width of the ground section below the ground section. The ground section including the sealing is inserted into a bearing device for example a double-T-bearing, which is fixed in the subsoil, and it is sealed here in a form close, tight manner. Hereby its sealing characteristic is increasing steadily with rising pressure. The bearing device is sealed in a channel, which is placed below the soil.
In case the liquid protective wall is not in use, an embodiment of the present invention provides that the bearing device for example the double-T-bearing or something of that kind, which is set in the subsoil, can be covered via a plate or a sheet metal or something of that kind.
In an embodiment this cover plate or something of that kind is deposited on the upper edges of the bearing device for example the double-T-bearing or something of that kind.
Preferably, in the S-shape dents, which are placed in a horizontal way, at the respective upper- and lower sides of the profile elements, form close sealings are deposited, which are pressed due to the pressure of the liquid having an effect on them into the groove angle, which results from the S-shape dent of the indent, which is placed in a horizontal way, between two neighboring profiles, and thereby steadily improve their sealing characteristic with rising pressure.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the liquid protective wall is supported for the purpose of keeping up the stability in certain distances, which are dependent on the pressure of the liquid to be expected, via mobile supports on the side, which is opposite to the existing liquid, in such a way that the forces, which have an effect on the liquid protective wall, are guided onto the subsoil.
Preferably these mobile supports are embodied as elements in the shape of, for example rectangular triangles. The distance, within which a positioning of these mobile supports is necessary, varies between 4.10 m with an existing liquid of 0.40 m in height at the wall and 2.43 m with a height of the liquid of 2.00 m. It is thereby always secured that the wall never exceeds the allowed deflection of 1 part in 300 according to DIN 4113 at any position.
The advantage of the liquid protection wall according to the present invention lies in the fact that the device can be easily mounted or demounted without making costly constructional measures necessary before the set up of the wall. Because of the chosen form close sealings, which press into the gap angle of the horizontal S-indent, a high sealing of the entire wall is achieved without exposing the sealings to a high pressure. Via the S-shape indent in a horizontal way of the profile elements an even distribution of the load over the entire wall is achieved. By means of a ground section inserted into a bearing device for example a double-T-bearing, a direct particular distribution of the weight onto the subsoil can be achieved further in an embodiment of the present invention. Longer spans between the individual vertical fixings, which are designed in a U-profile shape, can be achieved via mobile supports.

Mobile demountable liquid protective wall from horizontally s-shape indented profile elements, which can be stacked on top of each other


A method for making a low or reduced carbohydrate dough for making snack food products with a reduced carbohydrate content. Legumes such as soybeans are cooked near boiling, drained, and milled. Dry ingredients such as starch, fiber, and/or protein can be added to lower the dough moisture content so the dough can be sheeted and cut into pre-forms. The pre-forms can then be cooked, by frying or baking, and seasoned to make a low carbohydrate tortilla-like snack food.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the production of a low carbohydrate sheetable dough that can be made into a shelf stable snack food with minimal reduction of organoleptical properties.
2. Description of Related Art
Shelf stable snack food products such as tortilla chips are popular consumer items for which there exists a great demand. Tortilla chips are typically made from corn. The corn from corn tortilla chips such as those in the snack food industry is sometimes cooked and soaked prior to being made into a flour, dough, or masa. One example of this process is the treatment of corn in nixtamalization process—the traditional method for processing fresh corn to form masa dough. This process dates back to the pre-Columbian era of the Aztec and Maya people in Mesoamerica. In the traditional nixtamalization process, fresh whole-kernel corn is first soaked in absolution of water and lime (calcium hydroxide) and then partially cooked at or near the boiling point for a short time depending on the hardness of the corn. The corn is then steeped in the limewater solution and is allowed to cool for about 8-18 hours in order to loosen and degrade the pericarp (or bran), which is the outer, fibrous layer of a corn kernel. Cooking and steeping in alkaline solution causes partial dissolution of the cuticle and other pericarp layers as well as swelling and weakening of cell walls and fiber components. The corn kernels are then drained of the cooking liquor (called "nejayote"), which contains loosened pericarp and other dissolved or suspended particles, and the corn kernels are washed to remove excess lime and loose particles. Typically, up to 15% by weight of the total corn fraction is lost during the cooking and washing steps. The corn kernels are then ground to disrupt the starch-containing cell structures and cause the mixture to gelatinize. The ground, wet mixture can be mixed with water to form fresh masa dough, or it can be dehydrated to form dry masa flour. Dry masa flour can be rehydrated at a later time to form masa dough. Unfortunately, corn is a high carbohydrate food. The carbohydrate calories present in a traditional tortilla chip are derived primarily form the corn content.
Recently, consumer demand for products low in carbohydrates has dramatically increased, as the popularity of low carbohydrate diets has increased. According to one recent newspaper account, 40% of consumers say they are watching their carbohydrate intake. There are currently numerous low carbohydrate diets being marketed to consumers. Such an example is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,949, which discloses a dietary system for the treatment of obesity that prescribes foods that are low in fats and carbohydrates, and which have moderate amounts of proteins. Unfortunately, the '949 patent fails to disclose a means for reducing carbohydrate intake from snack foods. U.S. Patent Application 2003/0108654 A1 discloses a dry mix and process for using said mix to make a low carbohydrate potato product. Dry mixes are not usually considered "ready to eat" foods, as water must first be added and the resulting dough composition mixed and cooked prior to consumption. In addition, the application indicates that the product made from the dry mix are not shelf stable unless dried. If the products are dried, though, they may not be ready to eat. Thus, the invention disclosed in the '654 application fails to provide a convenient, ready to eat, shelf-stable, and low carbohydrate snack food. Hence, there is a need for a convenient low carbohydrate shelf-stable, ready to eat snack food.
Many convenient, shelf-stable, ready to eat snack foods are high in carbohydrates. This reality makes it difficult for consumers to maintain a low carbohydrate diet. In addition, many consumers have become accustomed to supplementing their meals with convenient snack foods, adding more difficulty to maintaining a low carbohydrate diet.
One solution for a low carbohydrate snack food is illustrated in U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0064145 A1, entitled "Puffed Protein Based Snack Food." The '145 patent application discloses a low-density snack food comprising a solids matrix of protein, an optional carbohydrate filler in a fat content not to exceed 30%. The taste and texture characteristics of this product, however, fail to mimic the taste and texture characteristics of a conventionally produced puffed snack product. For example, there is no discussion in the disclosure how the off flavors known to inherently develop in extruded high protein compounds, were avoided. This disclosure however, is directed towards direct expanded food products rather than tortilla-like snack products.
Another attempt to solve this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,291,009 and 6,479,089, which disclose a soy based dough and products made from the dough. These patents, however, use either derivatives of roasted or toasted soybeans such as full fat soy flour or other soy flour, or soy protein concentrates or isolates. Further, soy protein concentrate and soy protein isolates do not break down during mastication forcing the consumer to continue to feel the need to chew for a longer period of time. Thus, it is desirable to minimize use of soy protein isolates and soy protein concentrates as ingredients, however, because of poor mouth feel and texture attributes. Further, soy protein concentrates and soy protein are relatively expensive compared to unprocessed raw ingredients. For example, soy protein isolates and soy protein concentrates can cost ten times or more the cost of raw soybeans. Moreover, full fat soy flour and other soy flours are typically produced from whole soybeans that have been heat treated (e.g. toasted and roasted) to deactivate enzymes and trypsin inhibitors, and then milled. As a result, full fat soy flour and other soy flours usage at high levels similarly produce products with poor mouth feel, texture and flavor attributes.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a process for manufacturing reduced carbohydrate snack product with taste and texture characteristics similar to conventionally produced snack products. Further, there is a need in the art for a process for manufacturing reduced carbohydrate tortilla-like snack product with taste and texture characteristics similar to conventionally produced corn tortilla snack products. The low carbohydrate snack food should emulate the organoleptical properties, including taste and texture, of a conventionally produced corn tortilla snack product. The snack food should be shelf stable and ready to eat.

Method for making a low carbohydrate dough


A donor communication station transmits a unicast transmission comprising a plurality of device data sets where each device data set directed to each of a plurality of user equipment (UE) devices. A relay node receives the unicast transmission and retransmits the data sets in a broadcast transmission over a broadcast communication channel to the plurality of UE devices. In one example, the donor communication station encodes data for multiple user equipment (UE) devices by applying broadcast encoding to the data for each device before applying outer encoding to the data. The dual encoded data is transmitted to the relay node over a dedicated channel. The relay node applies outer decoding to the dual encoded data to retrieve the broadcast encoded data. The relay node then transmits the broadcast encoded device data in a broadcast transmission without outer encoding.

In some situations, User Equipment (UE) devices must operate at the fringe of coverage areas. Internet of Things (IOT) and Machine Type Communication UE devices, for example, often operate in deep coverage areas where the downlink received signal strength is very poor. In extreme scenarios, the received signal strength at the MTC UE device receiver could have a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as low as −14 dB. In some conventional systems, relay nodes are deployed for retransmissions to the hard to reach MTC UE devices. Due to the closer proximity, the relay nodes improve the received signal strength at the expense of higher complexity. Increase in complexity is a result of interference management (in-band relays) and the control signaling for managing the base station-relay node downlink transmission and scheduling of the relay node—MTC device links.


A removal target can be effectively removed from a substrate. In a substrate processing apparatus 1 and a substrate processing method by using a substrate processing scrubber 29 of removing the removal target from the substrate 5, the substrate processing scrubber 29 includes a base 31 connected to a rotation shaft 28; scrubber main bodies 32 provided at the base 31 and arranged at a regular distance in a rotational direction of the base 31; and a processing liquid supply opening 36 formed at the base 31 and configured to supply a processing liquid to the scrubber main bodies 32. Further, an area of an attachment surface of each of the scrubber main bodies 32 to be attached to the base 31 is larger than an area of a contact surface of each of the scrubber main bodies 32 to be brought into contact with the substrate 5.

When conventionally manufacturing a semiconductor device, a flat panel display, or the like, various processes such as an etching process, a film forming process and a cleaning process are repeatedly performed on a front surface (main surface: circuit forming surface) of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a liquid crystal substrate while the substrate is held by a substrate holding device.
When performing such various processes on the substrate, contaminants such as particles may adhere to a rear surface of the substrate, or protrusions may be formed on the rear surface of the substrate. These contaminants adhering to the rear surface of the substrate or the protrusions formed on the rear surface of the substrate may have adverse effect on the various processes for the substrate.
For the reason, by pressing and rotating a substrate processing scrubber against the rear surface of the substrate, such a cleaning process or a polishing process is performed on the rear surface of the substrate. Thus, the removal target such as the contaminants or the protrusions is removed from the rear surface of the substrate. This substrate processing scrubber includes a base connected to a rotation shaft; and a multiple number of scrubber main bodies annularly arranged on the base along a rotational direction of the base (see, for example, Patent Document 1).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2011-206867
As for such a conventional substrate processing scrubber, however, when removing the removal target from the substrate, the scrubber main bodies that are separately provided are rotated while being pressed against the rear surface of the substrate. Accordingly, the separate scrubber main bodies may be inclined against the substrate by a repulsive force applied from the substrate. As a result, it is difficult to effectively eliminate the removal target from the substrate.

Substrate processing scrubber, substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method


Peptides are disclosed that include SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, and SEQ ID NO:6, or a conservative variant or mimic thereof, wherein the conservative variant or mimic specifically binds an antibody that specifically binds SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID or NO:6. These peptides are of use in generating an immune response against C. pneumoniae, or in preventing infection with against C. pneumoniae.

Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae), formerly known as Chlamydia pneumoniae (Everett et al. 1999), was first isolated in 1965 and identified 15 years later. (Grayston 2000) and is established as an etiologic agent of respiratory tract diseases and related sequelae (Chirgwin et al. 1991, Grayston et al. 1989, Grayston et al. 1990, Grayston et al. 1994, Gnarpe 1999). C. pneumoniae has been linked to asthma (Hahn 2000), Guillain-Barré syndrome (Haidl et al. 1992), endocarditis, atherosclerotic vascular disease (Ramirez et al. 1996), Kawasaki disease (Normann et al. 1999), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Verkooyen 1997, Miyashita et al. 1998), sarcoidosis (Laurila 1997), reactive arthritis (Hannu et al. 1999), and multiple sclerosis (Sriram et al. 1999). Chlamydophila are Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacteria having a biphasic life cycle, consisting of a metabolically inert infectious elementary body (EB) and a metabolically active reticulate body (RB).
C. pneumoniae is a respiratory pathogen believed to cause 5–20% of community-acquired pneumonias and 5% of bronchitis and sinusitis in adults and children (Jolcinen 2001, Wubbel 1999, Ouchi 1999, Porath 1997, Schito 1994). Recent studies suggest that not only does this organism rank as the 3rd most common cause of pneumonia, but also may play a more significant role in the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases including asthma and atherosclerosis. Seroepidemiology has shown that most C. pneumoniae infections are asymptomatic (Aldous, Wang, Foy, Grayston 1990). Regional and international serology-based epidemiologic studies of C. pneumoniae have shown a high prevalence and ubiquitous infection. These studies have indicated that most people have had their first C. pneumoniae infection before age 20, and reinfection is common.
The biphasic life cycle and intracellular host cell parasitism of chlamydia could allow for maintenance of a chronic infection. It is well established that C. psittici can persist in mammals and birds lifelong, and only occasionally cause disease, most often after some form of stress induction. C. pneumoniae has been demonstrated to multiply in macrophages, endothelia, smooth muscle cells, etc. in vitro. C. pneumoniae multiplication has been associated with cytokine production and induction of adhesions (Kaukoranta et al. 1996, Dechend et al. 1999).
Many laboratory methods have been developed for the diagnosis of C. pneumoniae infection, including primary isolation of the organism in cell culture, serological assays, immunohistochemical assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Grayston 1992). Despite great effort to improve primary culture techniques of C. pneumoniae, isolation and culture still require specialized personnel and substantial laboratory resources. To date, only a few laboratories worldwide have made human isolates.
Serologic and PCR assays are the tools most often applied for routine diagnosis of acute C. pneumoniae infection. Serologic assays include complement fixation (CF), microimmunofluorescence (MIF), enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA), and immunobistochemistry (Bames 1989). These assays require significant technical expertise and are subject to investigator interpretation. The MIF test remains the most sensitive assay, the only species-specific assay, and is considered the current "Gold Standard" for determining prevalence of C. pneumoniae in populations studied (Verkooyen et al. 1998). The traditional MIF assay relies on the use of whole elementary bodies (EB) as an antigen. Though lacking the necessary species specificity for use as a diagnostic serologic test, indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) has been used for culture confirmation of isolates or for laboratory culture standardization. IFA relies on both whole RBs and EBs fixed with methanol as antigen in C. pneumoniae infected cell culture. The use of whole C. pneumoniae antigen has been observed by investigators to have cross reactivity in certain serologic and immunohistochemical tests (Brade et al. 1990). Thus, there clearly is a need for assays that identify C. pneumoniae. In addition, there is a need for novel treatments for C. pneumoniae infections such as pneumonia, and vaccines that can prevent such infections.

Peptides for chlamydophila pneumoniae vaccine and diagnosis

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


A diaphragm for use in a transducer, the diaphragm including a flexible layer configured to deflect in response to changes in a differential pressure. The flexible layer includes a lattice grid. The lattice grid includes a first plurality of substantially elongate openings oriented along an axis and a second plurality of substantially elongate openings extending generally parallel to the axis. The second plurality of openings is substantially offset from the first plurality of openings in a direction substantially parallel to the axis. The first plurality of openings and the second plurality of openings define a first plurality of spaced apart grid beams extending between and substantially parallel to the axis and a second plurality of spaced apart grid beams extending substantially perpendicular to the axis. The second plurality of grid beams is configured to connect adjacent ones of the first plurality of grid beams.

Microphones are deployed in various types of devices such as personal computers, cellular phones, mobile devices, headsets, headphones, and hearing aid devices. Microphones include transducers, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) transducers, that convert physical motion caused by sounds into electrical signals. Some microphone transducers include thin films such as diaphragms that move in response to sounds. In some configurations, the perimeter of the diaphragm can be secured to a MEMS transducer to prevent deformation of the diaphragm due to intrinsic stress. However, such configurations can have limited compliance. In other configurations, two generally opposing sides of the diaphragm can be secured to the MEMS transducer. Such configurations are more compliant than configurations in which the entire perimeter of the diaphragm is secured to the MEMS transducer. However, in embodiments in which the generally opposing sides of the diaphragm are secured to the MEMS transducer, intrinsic stresses can cause the unsecured sides of the diaphragm to collapse inward, which can create undesired lateral deflection of the diaphragm.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative implementations described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other implementations may be utilized, and other drawings may be made, without departing from the sprit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure.

Intrinsic-stress self-compensated microelectromechanical systems transducer


A timepiece is equipped with a hand shaft display portion having hands and driving shafts for the hands, and a liquid crystal display portion situated above a substrate. A liquid crystal display portion support frame is situated above the substrate for supporting the liquid crystal display portion. The liquid crystal display portion support frame includes a shaft insertion hole for allowing the driving shafts to pass therethrough, a penetration window located away from the shaft insertion hole and facing the liquid crystal display portion, and a light transmission member formed at least around the shaft insertion hole. An EL element is situated under the liquid crystal display portion support frame relative to the hands. The EL element illuminates the liquid crystal display portion and the hand shaft display portion through the light transmission member when the EL element is illuminated.

Generally, a watch including a hand shaft display portion for indicating time analogously by hand positions and a liquid crystal display portion for indicating time digitally due to an electro-optic effect is known as a multiple display watch.
As an example of a multiple display watch of this type, disclosed by the present inventors in Japanese Patent Publication No. 16389/1987 is an illuminated multiple display watch equipped with a miniature lamp for illuminating a time display so that the current time can be viewed under dark conditions such as at night or the like.
With such an illuminated multiple display watch, however, there are difficulties in uniformly illuminating an entire display. Therefore, an improvement in such difficulties has been needed.
On the other hand, the progress in the technology for illumination using an electroluminescent (hereinafter abbreviated as "EL") element has allowed development of EL illuminated display watches using an EL element.
Conventionally, such EL illuminated display watches (1) as disclosed in Japanese Utility Models Laid-open No. 188633/1988, No. 45883/1989, and No. 80197/1994 are known.
Also, the EL illuminated display watches conventionally used include watches (2) of the types disclosed in Japanese Utility Models Laid-open No. 18986/1994 and No. 294668/1995.
In these watches, each whole time display can be uniformly illuminated.
However, the former (display watches (1)) aims at an EL illuminated display watch equipped with a digital display, whereas the latter (display watches (2)) aims at an EL illuminated display watch equipped with an analog display.
Because of this, it has been desired to realize a combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination which is equipped with both an analog display and a digital display to be illuminated.
The watches shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 satisfy such a demand.
First, the combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination shown in FIG. 7 will be illustrated with reference to the drawing.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the major portion of an internal mechanism (module) of a conventional combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination, in which the casing for the watch, the inside of the movement, and the like are omitted.
In FIG. 7, the symbol 11 represents a hand shaft display portion for indicating time analogously, including hands 12 representing a long hour hand and a short minute hand and a hand shaft 13 as a driving shaft for the hands 12. The hands 12 are rotated by driving the movement 14 to indicate the time. The movement 14 consists of a step motor, a reduction train wheel, and the like, though these are not shown. By these measures, the driving force of the step motor is transferred to the hands 12 via the hand shaft 13.
The symbol 15 represents a liquid crystal display portion for indicating time digitally, including two glass substrates 16, 17 which are stacked in the vertical direction (axial direction of the hand shaft 13) and a liquid crystal (not shown) sealed between the glass substrates 16, 17. The time is displayed by the electro-optic effect of the liquid crystal, which is controlled by the voltage to be applied. A twisted nematic (hereinafter abbreviated as "TN") liquid crystal is used as the liquid crystal. A deflecting plate is used in this TN liquid crystal, though it is not shown.
The symbol 18 represents a liquid crystal display portion support frame for supporting the liquid crystal display portion 15. The liquid crystal display portion support frame 18 is disposed on a circuit substrate 19. An electroconductive rubber 20 is pressure-welded on the circuit substrate 19 by this support frame 18 via the upper glass substrate 16. The liquid crystal display portion support frame 18 includes a first penetration window 18a facing the liquid crystal display portion 15 and a second penetration window 18b into which the hand shaft 13 is inserted and facing the movement 14. On the circuit substrate 19, an IC, a crystal vibrator, a pressure-up circuit, and the like are mounted. The electroconductive rubber 20 is compressed in the direction parallel to the each axis of the penetration windows 18a, 18b. The two terminals of the electroconductive rubber 20 are electrically connected to an electrode output portion 16a and an electrode 19a of the circuit substrate 19 respectively.
The symbol 21 represents an EL film for illuminating the liquid crystal display portion 15 from below. The EL film 21 is disposed between the lower glass substrate 17 and the circuit substrate 19 and is electrically connected to the circuit substrate 19 through a pressure coil spring 22. The EL film 21 is turned on and off by a switch (hereinafter abbreviated as "SW"), though not shown.
The symbol 23 represents a dial constituting a part of the hand shaft display portion 11. The dial 23 is disposed between the hands 12 and the liquid crystal display portion support frame 18. The dial 23 is provided with a shaft through hole 23a, into which the hand shaft 13 is inserted and a insertion hole 23b which faces the liquid crystal display portion 15. The liquid crystal display portion 15 can be viewed from above through the penetration window 23b of the dial 23 and the first penetration window 18a of the liquid crystal display portion support frame 18. Also, the dial 23 shields the electroconductive rubber 20 so that the electroconductive rubber 20 cannot be viewed from above (hand side).
In a combination display timepiece equipped with EL illuminationes formed in the above manner, the movement 14 is driven by a signal from a source transmitter and the driving force is transferred to the hands 12 through the hand shaft 13, thereby indicating the time analogously. In the same way, a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal display portion 15 from the circuit substrate 19 through the electroconductive rubber 20 by a signal from a source transmitter, thereby indicating the time digitally.
By these measures, the hand shaft display portion 11 and the liquid crystal display portion 15 can be viewed to determine the time in general under the condition where the EL film is turned off. Also, even in the case of a dark condition such as at night or the like, the liquid crystal display portion 15 can be viewed to determine the time under the condition where the EL film 21 is turned on by the SW (not shown).
Next, the combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination shown in FIG. 8 will be illustrated with reference to the drawing.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the major portion of an internal mechanism (module) of a conventional combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination, in which the parts other than a full liquid crystal display portion, a liquid crystal display portion support frame, an El element, and a dial are represented by the same symbols as in FIG. 7, therefore detailed descriptions are omitted. Also, in FIG. 8, the casing for the watch, the inside of the casing, and the like are omitted.
In FIG. 8, the symbol 35 represents a full liquid crystal display portion for indicating time digitally, including two glass substrates 36, 37 which are stacked in the vertical direction arid a liquid crystal (not shown) sealed between the glass substrates 36, 37. The time is displayed by the electro-optic effect of the liquid crystal, which is controlled by the voltage applied. As the liquid crystal, a TN liquid crystal is used in the same way as in FIG. 7. In this TN liquid crystal, a deflecting plate is used generally, though it is omitted in the same way as in FIG. 7. The full liquid crystal display portion 35 is formed of a display of a plane shape such as a square shape, an octagonal shape, or the like. Also, a shaft insertion hole 35a for inserting a hand shaft 13 is provided in the center of the liquid crystal display portion 35.
The symbol 38 represents a liquid crystal display portion support frame for supporting the full liquid crystal display portion 35. The liquid crystal display portion support frame 38 is disposed on a circuit substrate 19. An electroconductive rubber 20 is pressure-welded on the circuit substrate 19 by this support frame 38 via the upper glass substrate 36. In the center of the liquid crystal display portion support frame 38, a penetration window 38a is provided into which the hand shaft 13 is inserted and which faces the full liquid crystal display portion 35. The electroconductive rubber 20 is compressed in the direction parallel to the axis of the penetration window 38a. The two terminals of the electroconductive rubber 20 are electrically connected to an electrode output portion 36a of the upper glass substrate 36 and an electrode 19a of the circuit substrate 19 respectively.
The symbol 41 represents an EL film for illuminating the entire liquid crystal display portion 35 from below (opposite to the hand side). The EL film 41 is disposed between the lower glass substrate 37 and the movement 14 and electrically connected to the circuit substrate 19 through a pressure coil spring 22. The EL film 41 is formed of a film with almost the same plane shape as that of the full liquid crystal display portion 35 and which is turned on and off by an SW, though not shown. In the center of the EL film 41, a shaft through-hole 41a for inserting the hand shaft 13 is provided.
The symbol 43 represents a dial constituting a part of a hand shaft display portion 11. The dial 43 has a penetration window 43a which faces the full liquid crystal display portion 35 and is disposed around the hand 12. The liquid crystal display portion 35 and the hand 12 can be viewed from above through the penetration window 43b of the dial 43. Also, the dial 43 shields the electroconductive rubber 20 so that the electroconductive rubber 20 cannot be viewed from above (hand side).
In the combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination formed in the above manner, the movement 14 is driven by a signal from a source transmitter and the driving force is transferred to the hand 12 through the hand shaft 13, thereby indicating the time analogously. A voltage is applied to the full liquid display 35 from the circuit substrate 19 through the electroconductive rubber 20 by a signal from a source transmitter, thereby indicating the time digitally in the same manner as in the combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination shown in FIG. 7.
By these measures, the hand shaft display portion 11 and the liquid crystal display portion 35 can be viewed to determine the time in general under the condition where the EL film 41 is turned off. Also, even in the case of dark conditions such as at night or the like, the liquid crystal display portion 35 can be viewed to determine the time by either illuminating light or leak light obtained by turning on the EL film 41.
In the combination d splay timepiece equipped with EL illumination shown in FIG. 7, the liquid crystal display portion 15 can be viewed to determine the time, because the liquid crystal display portion is illuminated with light obtained by turning on the EL film 21. However, because this multiple display has a structure in which the liquid crystal display portion support frame 18 is interspaced between the hand 12 and the EL film 21, the light irradiated from the EL film 21 is cut by the liquid crystal display portion support frame 18 so that the light never reaches the hand 12. Hence, under dark conditions such as at night or the like, the time cannot be determined by the hand 12.
On the other hand, in the combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination shown in FIG. 8, the full liquid crystal display portion 35 can be viewed to determine the time by the illuminating light obtained by turning on the EL film 41. Also, the full liquid crystal display portion 35 can be viewed to determine the time by the leaked light obtained by turning on the EL film 41. However, in the system adopting the full liquid crystal display portion 35, it is necessary to manufacture the shaft insertion hole 35a in the glass liquid crystal cell (full liquid crystal display portion 35) by mechanical processing, causing the processing cost to be high.
Also, the mechanical processing of the shaft insertion hole 35a causes a reduction in mechanical strength so that the impact resistance of the entire watch is impaired. As a result, a specific impact resistant structure is required, which causes high manufacturing costs.
Further, a wrist watch produced from the combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination of the type using the full liquid crystal display portion 35 has the drawback that the illumination on an entire display is darkened because the full liquid crystal display portion 35 is covered with a deflecting plate. In addition, as the area occupied by the liquid crystal display portion of a watch increases, the configuration of the watch much resembles that of a watch of the type with digital display using a liquid crystal and hence the watch of the type using the liquid crystal display portion is lower in product value than the analog watch of the type using the hands for display.
As is clear from the above descriptions, in the conventional combination display timepiece equipped with EL illuminationes, the liquid crystal display portion 15 is illuminated by light emitted from the EL film 21 which is turned on. However, the hand shaft display portion 11 is never illuminated and hence the time is never determined by the analog display under dark conditions such as at night or the like. Also, though the full liquid crystal display portion 35 is illuminated by light emitted from the EL film 41 which is turned on, the hand shaft display portion 11 is only illuminated by its leaked light so that the hand shaft display portion 11 can be viewed sometimes only with difficulty under dark conditions such as at night or the like.
Also, for a watch of the type using the full liquid crystal display portion 35, the manufacturing and processing cost is high and the product value is reduced.
Accordingly, the present invention has been achieved in view of this situation and has an object of providing a combination display timepiece equipped with EL illumination comprising disposing an EL element for illuminating a hand shaft display portion and a liquid crystal display portion through a light transmission part of a liquid crystal display portion support frame at a position opposite a hand shaft display portion on a liquid crystal display portion support frame, the EL element being supported by the liquid crystal support frame at a position eccentric from the driving axis of a hand, with the time indicated by an analog display and a digital display under dark conditions such as at night or the like, attaining a reduction in the manufacturing and processing costs, and promoting the product value.

Combination display timepiece equipped with el illumination


A wheel provided with electric driving means in the wheel, the electric driving means comprising a rotor and a stator coaxially within the rotor and connectable to a vehicle, with an air gap provided between said rotor and said stator, wherein said wheel is provided with an air gap controlling bearing.

From the literature wheels provided with electric driving means in the wheel are known. In particular wheels are known that are provided with electro motors in the wheel. Examples of such wheels can for instance be found in DE-A-2719736, DE-A-4404889, FR-A-2561593, U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,085 and WO-A-95/16300.
One of the problems occurring in the known wheels is the co-ordination between wheels when more than one driven wheel is used in one vehicle.
Another problem occurring in the known wheels provided with driving means is that control means are necessary. Such control means are arranged outside the wheel in a vehicle. This renders the building of an electronically driven vehicle a complex megatronic venture. WO-A-95/16300 tries to solve this by arranging a part of the control electronics within the wheel. Using several such driven wheels in one vehicle is not possible however.
It is an object of the invention to provide an electrically driven wheel of high efficiency.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a wheel that is easy to mount.
Additionally it is an object to develop a wheel that offers freedom of design of a vehicle.
Another object is a wheel that is simple to replace and to demount.
Another object is offering a wheel provided with driving means which in cooperation with other similar wheels can be deployed in one vehicle.
Said problems are at least partially solved and at least a part of the advantages is achieved by means of the wheel according to the invention.


A backlight module including a back plate, a light guide plate, a light source, a plastic frame, and a light conversion layer is provided. The light guide plate is disposed on the back plate and has a light incident surface and a light exit surface, wherein a first edge of the light exit surface is adjacent to the light incident surface. The light source is disposed on the back plate and faces the light incident surface. The plastic frame is disposed on the back plate and covers the first edge. The light conversion layer is disposed on the light exit surface and extends to the first edge.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optical module, and more particularly relates to a backlight module.
Description of Related Art
Quantum dots are semiconductor nanocrystals that are extremely small and invisible to naked human eyes. A characteristic of quantum dots is that the quantum dots emit colored light when receiving light stimulation, and the color of the light is determined by the material and size/shape of the quantum dots. Because of this characteristic, quantum dots are capable of changing the color of the light emitted by a light source. In recent years, quantum dot polymer composite material has been widely used in areas such as backlighting and illumination.
Take the quantum dot enhanced films (QDEF) developed by Nanosys Inc. and 3M Company as examples, the quantum dot enhanced films are applicable to the backlight module of a display device such that the display device provides images of wide color gamut and high color saturation. The quantum dot enhanced film is disposed on the light exit surface of the light guide plate in place of a diffusion sheet for converting a large portion of the blue light emitted by the blue light emitting diode (LED) to red light and green light, and the blue light, red light, and green light are mixed into white light that the display device requires for displaying images. However, according to this light emitting method, blue flare may easily occur at edge regions of the display surface of the display device and affect the display quality. Moreover, the blue light leaked from the edge regions of the display panel may result in macular degeneration of the user's eyes.
Taiwan Patent No. TW201318961A1 discloses a liquid crystal display, in which a light conversion sheet is disposed on the light guide plate for converting the blue light emitted by the blue light emitting diode to red light and green light. US Patent Publication No. US20130335677A1 discloses a display device, in which a color separation film is disposed on the quantum dot enhanced film for recycling the blue light emitted by the blue light emitting diode.
The information disclosed in this Description of Related Art section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Further, the information disclosed in the Description of Related Art section does not mean that one or more problems to be resolved by one or more embodiments of the invention was acknowledged by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Backlight module with light conversion layer


A semiconductor device and fabricating method thereof in which a lightly doped drain junction is graded using a diffusion property of dopant implanted in heavily doped source/drain region are disclosed. An example semiconductor device includes a gate electrode having a gate insulating layer underneath and disposed on a semiconductor substrate; a pair of lightly doped regions separated from each other in the semiconductor substrate and aligned with the gate electrode; a pair of heavily doped regions separated from each other in the semiconductor substrate and partially overlapped with the pair of the lightly doped regions, respectively; and a pair of diffusion source/drain regions enclosing the pair of the lightly doped regions therein.

Generally, the double diffused drain (DDD) structure has been used to improve the hot carrier effect and the like of a semiconductor device having a channel length greater than 0.35 μm. Such a device is not concerned about breakdown voltage (BVDss) between source and drain as well as roll-off of threshold voltage.
More recently, as channel length is shortened to achieve a high degree of integration in semiconductor devices to raise the short channel effect, the DDD structure is being used less. However, it is advantageous for a low power device to have high threshold voltage and BVDss in securing junction leakage. As a result, the DDD structure is employed in part. Yet, the short channel device still has the above-noted difficulty in employing the DDD structure. For instance, a transistor as a low power device having small leakage current tends to employ the LDD (lightly doped drain) structure instead of the conventional DDD structure to enhance the short channel effect due to the reduced channel length. As the junction configuration is modified, the breakdown voltage between source and drain is lowered. This may be explained as follows. When the LDD dopant increases, a junction between N-type LDD and a P-type well is abruptly formed to increase leakage from the junction region. Meanwhile, the known process of implanting additional P-type dopant is mainly used in improving leakage characteristic and capacitance by grading a junction profile, not in the LDD region but in the source/drain region.
FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional diagram of a known semiconductor device having a double diffused drain (DDD) and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional diagram of a semiconductor device having a lightly doped drain (LDD). Referring to FIG. 1A, an STI layer 16 and an n-well or p-well 11 are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A gate oxide layer 12 is formed 30 Å thick on the substrate, and a polysilicon layer 13 is deposited over the substrate. A gate 13 is then formed by patterning the polysilicon layer by photolithography. Subsequently, a PMOS or NMOS DDD region 14 is formed in the N- or P-well 11 by ion implantation. A sidewall spacer 18 is provided to the gate 13 by depositing a nitride layer over the substrate and by etching back the nitride layer. Subsequently, ion implantation is carried out on the substrate using dopant of As and P ions to form source and drain regions 15 and 19, and silicidation is carried out on the substrate to form a Co-silicide 17 layer on the gate 13 and the source and drain regions 15 and 19.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a process of fabricating a semiconductor device having the LDD structure is similar to that of fabricating the semiconductor device having the DDD structure in FIG. 1A, except forming a PMOS or NMOS LDD region 24 instead of forming the PMOS or NMOS DDD region 14 in FIG. 1A by ion implantation. However, the short channel effect still takes place in case of applying the DDD or LDD structure to the known low power device. Moreover, a high electric field is applied to the LDD region.

Semiconductor device having a graded LDD region and fabricating method thereof


An embodiment of the present invention is a reconfigurable cargo door/tailgate position indicator assembly adapted to indicate a position of a cargo door/tailgate including a processor configured to receive input from a door/gate monitoring mode input device, receive input from a door/gate position input device, analyze the input from the door/gate monitoring mode input device, analyze the input from the door/gate position input device, and output a signal to a door/gate position indicator to control the door/gate position indicator based on the analysis of the input from the door/gate monitoring mode input device and the input from the door/gate position input device. In another embodiment of the present invention, there is a reconfigurable security device configured to selectively take into account the position of a cargo door/tailgate to determine whether a vehicle's security has been breached.

Trucks and vehicles with rear cargo areas (such as, for example, hatchbacks, SUVs, etc.) may sometimes be configured with sensors that determine and/or output a signal indicative of whether a tailgate (e.g., in the case of a pick-up truck) or a cargo door (e.g., in the case of another type of vehicle) is ajar/open. By way of example, vehicles of such a configuration may have an indicator to indicate to the driver that the cargo door/tailgate is ajar. Such an indicator may be, for example, a light on the dashboard of the vehicle or an auditory alarm to indicate that the cargo door/tailgate is ajar.
The present inventor has determined that there are instances when a driver of such a vehicle may not want to receive sensory input from the indicator indicating that the cargo door/tailgate is ajar because the driver intentionally has the cargo door/tailgate ajar/open.
Security systems may be utilized on vehicles that have devices that determine whether or not a cabin door and/or a cargo door/tailgate is ajar, and, depending on whether the security system is activated, may output or otherwise initiate an alarm if the system determines that the cabin door and/or tailgate/cargo door is ajar when activated. The present inventors have determined that there are some instances when a driver of the vehicle may seek to secure a cabin of the vehicle against theft, but may not want to secure a cargo area of a vehicle with a security system. By way of example, an owner of a pick-up truck may have the tailgate down because he or she is transporting long pieces of lumber in the truck that extend past the interior dimensions of the truck, (but properly attached to the truck bed) and, thus the tailgate is open, and thus ajar. (Some pick-ups have hard or soft caps covering the cargo area of the pick-up, such as cap 1000 shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the cargo area may be secured by the closing of the tailgate. The invention described below will work with vehicles with a hard cap, a soft cap, or with no cap.) However, the driver may still want to secure the cabin from theft. In security devices that monitor the status of the cabin doors and the cargo door/tailgate, activation of the security system would result in an alarm being initiated because the tailgate of the pick-up truck was ajar.
In view of the above, the present inventor has invented novel and useful devices to provide an owner/driver of a vehicle with the option to configure a cargo door/tailgate position indication system and/or a security system in a manner that meets the desires/needs of the user/driver.

Tailgate ajar and security monitoring system

Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.


A support device used in sputtering machine includes a chamber housing, a frame, at least one holding device, a first and second driving assemblies. The frame is rotatably mounted in the chamber housing. The holding device is rotatably mounted on the frame. The first driving assembly is received in the chamber housing and includes a first motor mounted on the chamber housing and a first shaft installed on the first motor. The first driving assembly is configured for driving the frame rotating in a plane by the first shaft. The second driving assembly is received in the chamber housing and includes a second motor mounted on the chamber housing and second shaft installed on the second motor. The second shaft adjacently parallels to the first shaft. The second driving assembly is configured for driving the at least one holding device rotating in a plane perpendicular to the rotating plane of the frame.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to support devices and, more particularly, to an supporting device for use in a sputtering machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the process of sputtering, work-pieces generally are hung/supported by a support device in a sealed vacuum processing chamber. To evenly deposit the ions of a target on the surfaces of work-pieces in the sputtering process, the work-pieces need to be rotated/turned over to the surfaces to be coated/processed are done. However, the rotating needs to be done manually, which means opening the vacuum seal and is time consuming and inefficient.
Therefore, what is needed is to provide a support device which can eliminate or at least alleviate the above problem.


Systems and methods of the present disclosure address the capacity constrained vehicle routing (CVRP) problem that may be applied to a warehouse scenario wherein multi-robot task allocation is required. Conventional methods can solve CVRP instances up to 100 nodes. In the present disclosure, a nearest-neighbor based Clustering And Routing (nCAR) approach is provided that makes the systems and methods of the present disclosure scalable wherein the number of nodes can be in the range of several hundreds to several thousands within an order wave.

In modern warehouses, robots are generally employed along with humans to perform tasks that are less productive and unsafe for humans. For instance, the tasks may involve robots fetching outgoing objects from their respective storage racks and bringing them to the packaging dock. This requires a careful task allocation along with route planning such that the total path traveled (cost) by all the robots to complete all the tasks is minimized. The number of tasks that can be performed in a single run (part of the same route) depends on the maximum capacity of the robot and the combined weight of the objects on that route. This task allocation problem may be mapped to the capacity-constrained vehicle routing problem (CVRP), which is a nondeterministic polynomial time (NP) hard problem. Though there exists a number of methods that provide a near-optimal solution to the CVRP instance, they do not scale well with the number of nodes (tasks).

Systems and methods for scalable multi-vehicle task allocation


A modified back rack has a front frame, a supporting stand mounted movably on the front frame, and a positioning mount mounted securely on the front frame. The front frame has an adjusting base mounted on the front frame. The adjusting base has a protrusion formed on the adjusting base, a track area formed on the adjusting base, and multiple positioning grooves formed on the protrusion. The supporting stand has a movement recess formed on the supporting stand, a movement space formed in the movement recess, and a moving assembly mounted in the movement recess. The moving assembly has a moving block, a swinging arm mounted pivotally in the moving block, and a moving pin extending from the swinging arm. The moving pin is placed in the track area. The modified back rack has height adjusting function that can meet different requirements.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a back rack of a chair, especially a modified back rack with an adjusting function.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
A back rack is one component of a chair, and a cushion is mounted on the back rack and supported by the back rack. The cushion can be used to support a back of a user to provide comfort to the user when the user is sitting on the seat.
A conventional back rack includes a front frame and a back stand connected pivotally to the front frame. A cushion is mounted securely on the front frame and is supported by the front frame, and the users' back leans on the cushion. The back stand is connected to a bottom base of the seat.
However, the front frame of the conventional back rack can only swing along a vertical direction or a lateral direction relative to the back stand, and a height of the front frame relative to the back stand cannot be adjusted. Therefore, for users with different statures or with different sitting postures, the height of the cushion cannot be adjusted to meet the requirements of the users for the comfortable supporting effect. Because of the pivotal connecting relation between the front frame and the back stand, the relative height between the front frame and the back stand cannot be changed. Then, the conventional back rack is not sufficient to meet the variable height requirements of different users.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a modified back rack to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


The present invention features methods for transplanting organs, tissues and individual cells. Also featured are methods for maintaining cells in vitro and for enhancing survival and/or function of cells following transplantation. The methods include the administration of carbon monoxide in an amount sufficient to enhance cell survival and/or function.

Carbon monoxide (CO) gas is poisonous in high concentrations. However, it is now recognized as an important signaling molecule (Verma et al., Science 259:381–384, 1993). It has also been suggested that carbon monoxide acts as a neuronal messenger molecule in the brain (Id.) and as a neuro-endocrine modulator in the hypothalamus (Pozzoli et al., Endocrinology 735:2314–2317, 1994). Like nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide is a smooth muscle relaxant (Utz et al., Biochem Pharmacol. 47:195–201, 1991; Christodoulides et al., Circulation 97:2306–9, 1995) and inhibits platelet aggregation (Mansouri et al., Thromb Haemost. 48:286–8, 1982). Inhalation of low levels of CO has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in some models.
Islet cell transplantation is a viable treatment for the amelioration of type I diabetes (Lacy et al., Annu. Rev. Immunol., 2:183–98, 1984; Weir et al., J. Am. Optom. Assoc. 69:727–32, 2000; Berney et al., Langenbechs Arch. Surg. 385: 378–8, 2000; Shapiro et al., N Engl. J. Med., 343:230–8, 2000). However, the processes of clinical islet transplantation are made difficult by a number of factors. One factor is primary nonfunction (PNF) of the graft. Another is the need for high numbers of donor islets needed for a successful reversal of diabetes (Shapiro et al., N Engl. J. Med., 343:230–8, 2000). Both situations reflect the same pathophysiology: the substantial cell loss in the graft within the first weeks after transplantation. After transplantation, islets suffer a variety of stress factors such as hypoxia before secondary vascularization (Carlsson et al., Diabetes 47:1027–32, 1998) and exposure to pro-inflammatory cytokines and free radicals released from macrophages in the microenvironment of the transplant (Rabinovitch et al., Diabetes 48:1223–9, 1999; Kaufman et al., J Exp Med. 772:291–302, 1990; Corbett et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 90:1731–5, 1993) and from resident islet macrophages (Mandrup-Poulsen et al., J. Immunol. 739:4077–82, 1987; Arnush et al., J. Clin Invest. 702:516–26, 1998). The toxic effects of immunosuppressive drugs as well as rejection (Weir et al., Diabetes 46:1247–56, 1997) also contribute to islet cell loss. The existence of PNF after experimental syngeneic islet transplantation (Nagata et al., Transplant Proc. 22:855–6, 1990; Arita et al., Transplantation 65:1429–33, 1998) indicates that non-specific inflammation plays a major role in this scenario.
Survival of a transplanted organ is thought to relate mainly to the success of immunosuppression, in terms of blocking the immune response that leads to graft rejection. However, it has previously been shown that transplanted organs can protect themselves from vascular injury leading to rejection through the expression of"protective genes" (see, e.g., Bach et al., Nature Med. 3:196–202 (1997); and Soares et al., Nat Med. 4:1073–1077, 1998). One such gene, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) catabolizes heme into biliverdin, free iron and CO (Tenhunen et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 61:748–755, 1968).
Endothelial cells (ECs) lining blood vessels maintain blood flow, allowing the continuous traffic of plasma and cellular constituents between blood and parenchymal tissues. To accomplish this function, ECs must promote a certain level of vasorelaxation and inhibit leukocyte adhesion as well as coagulation and thrombosis. However, when ECs are exposed to proinflammatory stimuli, they become "activated" and promote vasoconstriction, leukocyte adhesion and activation, and coagulation and thrombosis. These functional changes are due to the expression by activated ECs of a series of proinflammatory genes encoding adhesion molecules, cytokines/chemokines, and costimulatory and procoagulant molecules. Unfettered EC activation, as during acute and chronic inflammation, can lead to EC injury and apoptosis. EC apoptosis is a prominent feature associated with acute and/or chronic inflammation such as it occurs during hyperoxia, endotoxic shock, arteriosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, and acute or chronic graft rejection.

Carbon monoxide improves outcomes in tissue and organ transplants and suppresses apoptosis

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc.


It is an object to provide a tide apparatus comprising a storage tank connected to a underground pit for normally storing water of a constant amount, a connecting pipe for connecting between the underground pit and the storage tank, and a seismograph releasing apparatus formed on the connecting pipe for sensing a shake in an earthquake and for releasing the water stored in the storage tank into the underground pit, wherein the tide plate can protrude upward from the soil foundation face by operating the seismograph releasing apparatus in an earthquake to make the water stored in the storage tank flow into the underground pit via the connecting pipe.

For instance, in an area in which an inundation may occur due to a tsunami or a flood caused by an earthquake or the like, an infiltration or an outflow of water has been generally prevented by raising the soil foundations of a building or by building levees on the both banks of a river.
Around a building in which the soil foundations cannot be raised, a tide plate is generally installed at the location in which a water flow must be cut off, and the water is kept back by the tide plate.
A conventional tide plate of this kind is generally formed in any shape such as a flat plate, and is installed manually in advance at the location in which water must be kept back in the case in which overhead flooding may occur.
Moreover, a tide apparatus in which a tide plate powered by electricity can be moved up and down has also been developed. The sensor of the tide apparatus detects the time when the tide plate must be installed in overhead flooding or the like, and water is kept back by automatically raising the tide plate based on a signal output from the sensor.
However, in the case in which the soil foundations of a building are raised, a staircase must be formed for going in and out of the building, thereby resulting in inconvenience in utilizing the building.
Moreover, in the case in which a tide plate is installed manually, the prediction of a flood does not come true in some cases and the installation of the tide plate is futile. In the case in which heavy rain occurs suddenly and hands are insufficient, the tide plate cannot be installed. In addition, an installation of the tide plate may prevent a person from going in and out in some cases.
That is to say, it is preferable that the tide plate is normally housed in a separate site such as under the soil foundation face in such a manner that the tide plate does not obstruct the entrance and exit or the passage, thereby improving a convenience in utilizing the building.
Unfortunately, in the case in which the tide plate is powered by electricity to be moved up and down, the tide plate does not operate by a failure or a power outage in some cases, and an installation cost becomes extremely high.
Therefore, a tide apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 28 as disclosed in Patent document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-197751) has been proposed as a tide apparatus for automatically installing the tide plate in order to keep back water in overhead flooding or the like without utilizing power such as human power and electricity.
The tide apparatus 100 contains an underground pit 102 formed under a soil foundation face 110, a water inflow port 106 and a slit 108 that vertically penetrate into a ceiling wall 104 of the underground pit 102, and a tide plate 112 that is linked to a floating member 114 at the bottom end of the tide plate in the underground pit 102 for floating together with the floating member 114 by a buoyancy of water and that can protrude upward from the soil foundation face 110 through the slit 108.
For the tide apparatus 100, in the case in which overhead flooding occurs on the ground due to a flood caused by a heavy rain, water flows and gathers into the underground pit 102 from the water inflow port formed in the ceiling wall 104 of the underground pit 102. A buoyancy of the water that has gathered inside is then applied to the floating member 114, and the tide plate 112 rises together with the floating member 114 and protrudes upward from the soil foundation face 110, thereby keeping back water.
Patent document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-319857) discloses a tide apparatus 200 as shown in FIG. 29, in which an underground pit 202 is formed under a soil foundation face, a water inflow port 206 and a tide plate operation opening 208 that vertically penetrate into a ceiling wall 204 of the underground pit 202 are formed, the tide plate 210 is rotatably mounted in a pivoting manner to one end of the tide plate operation opening 208, and a floating member 214 located in the underground pit 202 is linked to a surface 212 on the underground pit 202 side of the tide plate 210 via the tide plate operation opening 208. A buoyancy of water raises the floating member 214 and rotates the tide plate 210, thereby installing the tide plate 210 in a standing manner above the soil foundation face.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-197751
Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-319857
However, in the case in which no water flows into the underground pit 102 or 202 via the inflow port 106 or 206 in practice for such conventional tide apparatuses 100 and 200, the tide plate L12 or 210 cannot be installed in a standing manner above the soil foundation face.
That is to say, in the case in which no overhead flooding occurs on the ground due to a flood or the like, the tide apparatuses 100 and 200 are not operated.
In the case in which an outflow of water occurs due to a collapse of a levee or a tsunami caused by an earthquake, water does not gradually flood on the soil foundation face but a large amount of water flows once and for all in many cases. In this case, the operation of the tide apparatus is not useful for keeping back water.
Moreover, for the tide apparatus in accordance with the conventional art, in the case in which water flows into the underground pit, the tide plate protrudes upward from the soil foundation face. Consequently, even in the case in which drainage is slow in a normal rainfall, the tide plate operates, thereby obstructing the passage in some cases.
Once the tide plate is installed in a standing manner above the soil foundation face, the installing condition in a standing manner is maintained until the drainage of water in the underground pit is completed. Consequently, the tide plate obstructs the passage in the case in which a disaster occurs. For instance, an emergency vehicle cannot pass and rescue is delayed in some cases.
The present invention was made in consideration of such conditions, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tide apparatus for automatically installing the tide plate in order to reliably keep back water in overhead flooding or the like without depending on power such as human power and electricity and for installing the tide plate in advance in order to reliably keep back water in overhead flooding or the like even in the case in which a large amount of water flows once and for all due to a collapse of a levee or a tsunami caused by an earthquake.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tide apparatus in which the tide plate is not operated in the case of a normal rainfall to prevent the passage from being obstructed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tide apparatus in which the tide plate that has protruded upward from the soil foundation face can be immediately drawn below the soil foundation face, thereby preventing the passage from being obstructed in the case in which a disaster occurs.


A strapping system including a strap having opposite first and second faces carrying first and second arrays of touch fastening elements respectively and a buckle assembly releasably attached to one end of the strap and defining an opening sized to receive an opposite end of the strap. The buckle assembly includes a buckle and an attachment portion coupled to the buckle, the attachment portion having opposing surfaces that releasably engage the touch fastening elements on the first and second faces of the strap, respectively, to releasably secure the buckle to the strap, wherein the strap includes touch fastening elements engageable with other touch fastening elements of the strapping system when the buckle assembly attached to the strap to secure the strapping system about an object.

There are many commercial, industrial, and residential applications that involve securing or bundling items together with straps. For example, in the automotive or telecommunication industries, wires or wiring harnesses are often bundled together using straps. Similarly, in the transportation industry, straps are used to bundle goods together or to secure goods to pallets. These straps are typically releasably secured to enable the bundles to be separated later if needed (e.g., for distribution, for repair, etc.).
One type of strap is known as a touch fastening strap. Touch fastening straps typically have an array of touch fastening elements on one portion of a fabric or resin strap and an array of touch fastening element on another portion of the strap. The strap is then looped around the items to be bundled and the two touch fastening arrays are coupled together. Once touch fastened, the arrays may create a releasable closure that has relatively strong resistance to shear forces to keep the items bundled but has relatively low resistance to peel forces to enable a person to easily peel the strap apart to release the bundle.
Touch fastening straps may be formed in a variety of ways. For example, touch fastening straps may be formed by laminating or welding together hooks and loop arrays created using a weaving process. Touch fastening straps may also be created using an in-situ molding process. For example, techniques for forming a hook and loop material for a touch fastening strap is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,015 to Kennedy et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,243 to Fischer, both of which are incorporated here by reference.


An LUN/LBA interface is utilized to obtain the benefits of a content addressed storage (CAS) interface. Reference data is manipulated in a manner similar to a CAS system, where an object ID (OID) table is used to maintain OIDs generated for hashed LBAs. A first tier logic block is used to provide a LUN/LBA storage interface to application programs and to facilitate the writing of reference data. A second tier logic block hashes the content of reference data to be written and stores the OID generated to the first OID table. A third tier logic block facilitates writing the reference data to an LUN and to verify the accuracy of reference data to be read from the LUN. Reference data may be written to a storage area in accordance with a write-once, write-many, or write-many with versioning policy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention reelates generally to the field of content addressed storage. More specifically, the present invention is related to a logical block addressing (LBA) and logical unit number (LUN) interface for the manipulation of reference data.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The benefits of content addressed storage (CAS) have long since been known and have been used to store, access, and protect reference data. CAS has been devised to manipulate this class of data known as reference data. Reference data refers to data that is written once and infrequently retrieved. Examples of data that fall in this class include x-rays, photos and videos, land titles, and financial documents. Reference data differs from transactional data in that reference data is not updated or retrieved with any sort of regular frequency. CAS relies on a scheme that hashes input reference data content to generate a unique object identifier.
With CAS, the write-once property is easily enforced if an object is modified, then it is stored as a new object because input reference data content will hash to another unique object identifier. Duplicates are also easily detectable since a user inputting reference data content identical to content already stored on the system will receive an identical object identifier. If an identical object identifier is received, then a duplicate object will not be created. CAS also allows the verification of the content of stored objects during retrieval. When an object is retrieved, its content is rehashed and checked against a previous hash, generated when the object was initially stored. CAS also has a larger address space than an LUN/LBA interface.
Logical block addressing (LBA) is a method used to translate cylinder, head, and sector information of a disk drive into addresses that can be used by an operating system during boot-up. Logical unit number (LUN) refers to a unique number given to each peripheral device connected to a common bus. Commands sent to a particular type of bus (e.g., SCSI) distinguish devices on the basis of their LUNs.
The CAS interface was initially proposed by Quinlan et al in "Venti: A new Approach to Archival Storage" paper. Although CAS provides many benefits, a CAS interface also requires overlaying applications to be re-written using CAS API or using an OID interface, both of which mandate a change in the implementation of existing applications. This is in opposition to the more traditionally used LUN/LBA interface.
US 2003/0001900 A1 discloses a method for executing one or more operations in a computer for interfacing an associated user with a knowledge portal that is operatively associated with a plurality of data objects in a data store. Cabanes et al. also discloses a user interface method that includes the steps of receiving user input; updating, based on received user input, one of a current object identity, a preview object identity, and a knowledge map parameter which is updated based on a current object identity. Storing user input requires placement of a document into context with respect to other information stored and available on an electronic information system. This method is useful in the context of searching and content classification. There is limited or no provision in this reference for content addressing or hashing and write properties including write-once, write-many, and write-many with versioning.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,880 discloses a method for caching information objects where information objects are stored according to the hash of an object's filename and its content. The disclosed method provides for an object store that supports multiple different versions of targeted alternates for the same name and storage of objects without content duplication. However, explicit mention of a method to write object content to a storage area, and re-write different object content in that same storage area is not made. Mattis et al. requires additional mappings from name keys to vectors of alternates as well as from content keys to object content data.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,494 discloses a content addressable memory that can non-destructively be read and which is adapted to respectively store true and inverse information data. While this reference provides electronic architectures supporting information storage and comparison, there is no premise for interfacing overlying applications with the electronic hardware existing on a lower level. In addition, no mention is made of a unique identifier for each piece of information data. There is also no premise for upholding a write-many with versioning property.
JP 2000285013 discloses an interface between a CPU and an SDRAM capable of quickly reading out data from the SDRAM by control similar to that of a DRAM. The disclosed device, however, fails to provide for a means of content addressing or hashing and write properties including write-once, write-many, and write-many with versioning in the English translation of the abstract.
"A Distributed Repository for Immutable Persistent Objects" by Douglas Wiebe discloses a system for manipulating system model objects that provides for transactional, write-once storage. System model objects describe the structure and versions of software and are located using an expanding ring multicast search algorithm. This reference provides for a system and software that addresses stored data by structure rather than solely content.
Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieve or fulfills the purposes of the present invention. There exists a need to provide the benefits of CAS with a write-once, a write-many, and a write-many property in a single system and method. It is also advantageous that a system and method provide a LUN/LBA to interface with existing content addressable memory systems.

Flexible LUN/LBA interface for content addressable reference storage

International Business Machines Corporation


An interchangeable fastener system for use in combination with a perforated board or other surface on a vertical plane includes a main fastener including a base for supporting the main fastener on the perforated board; the base surrounding a channel defined by an inner surface including opposing ramp surfaces to facilitate tightening of an attachment member, and a mechanical stop adjacent each ramp surface to prevent over rotation of the attachment member; and the attachment member including an elongate member having opposing ends, wherein the elongate member is sized and configured for selective passage through the channel from the front surface through the rear surface and wherein the attachment member may be selectively rotated so that opposing ends of the elongate member are each in engaged abutment against a corresponding one of the opposing ramp surfaces and mechanical stops.

A considerable number of fasteners for use in combination with perforated boards are widely known in the art. Such fasteners are often used for organizing tools and accessories and are most commonly utilized in shops and garages. The large majority of these fasteners are varyingly sized and shaped hooks for hanging tools and accessory items thereon. Such fasteners have a limited scope of potential use.
While there are existing fastener systems, such as the fastener disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,160, which include improvements over the prior art and are useful for their intended purposes, these devices fail to provide an adequate solution that addresses the need for a fastener system for use in connection with a broad scope of applications.
Therefore, there exists a need for an interchangeable fastener system including a main fastener and one or more interchangeable attachment members.