A mobile terminal includes a first display system, a second display system, and a foldable support frame. The support frame includes a first support frame, a second support frame, and a bending structure coupled to the first support frame and the second support frame. The first display system and the second display system are separately arranged on two opposite sides of the support frame. The support frame further includes a side frame fixedly coupled to the first support frame or the second support frame. After the first support frame and the second support frame are folded using the bending structure, the side frame is exposed outside an overlapping area of the first support frame and the second support frame. In addition, a sensor component is disposed on the side frame.

With popularization of intelligent terminals, implementing a higher screen-to-body ratio is always a research direction of all major mobile phone manufacturers. On one hand, a user requires convenience of carrying a mobile phone, and on the other hand, the user requires a display feature of a large screen. Based on the two requirements, a foldable mobile phone becomes a very popular development direction. However, a foldable mobile terminal designed in the prior art has a relatively large overall thickness because of a camera module.


A method for updating the content of a live presentation can begin with an electronic presentation system establishing an electronic presentation session between a presenter and an audience. The presenter can control the presentation of digital content stored in a presentation source file within a user interface that facilitates the electronic presentation session. During the presentation, content changes for the digital content of the presentation source file can be received. The digital content of the presentation source file can be dynamically updated with the received content changes without interrupting the presentation of the digital content to the audience.

The present invention relates to the field of electronic communications.
A wide variety of software systems exist to allow geographically-separated people to collectively participate in a single online event like a meeting. Software systems that allow a presentation to be shared with or presented to an audience are commonly used for sales and educational activities. In a conventional electronic presentation system, once the source file of the presentation is loaded, changes to the source file must be made outside of the presentation system. That is, the presenter needs to interrupt the presentation to close the source file, make the changes using an editing application, reopen the file in the presentation system, and then return to the previous point in the presentation.
This process for updating the content of a live presentation using a conventional presentation system not only disrupts the flow of the presentation, but is also cumbersome and often embarrassing to the presenter. Essentially, the presenter or other appropriate users are unable to update the content of a live presentation using a conventional presentation system.
Other software systems like an online collaboration system have the capability to allow real-time and simultaneous modification of a file. However, in an online collaboration session, all the members of the collaboration have the ability to edit the content of the source file or file being collaborated upon; granting the entire audience the ability to make modifications to the content of the presentation is an undesirable feature for a presentation. Further, an online collaboration system does not typically support the functionality desired for conducting a presentation.

Updating content of a live electronic presentation

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer which are laminated with a magnetic gap layer interposed therebetween on a medium-opposing surface, and a pair of side shield layers positioned on both sides in the track width direction of the main magnetic pole layer while interposing a nonmagnetic material layer therebetween. The magnetic gap layer is constituted by a first gap layer formed in a partial area in the track width direction bridging the main magnetic pole layer and the pair of side shield layers, and a second gap layer thinner than the first gap layer and interposed between the return yoke layer and the pair of side shield layers in a remaining area where the first gap layer is absent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording head which performs a recording action by applying a recording magnetic field perpendicularly to a recording medium plane.
2. Related Background Art
As is well-known, a perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer which have front end faces exposed at a surface opposing a recording medium (medium-opposing surface) and are magnetically coupled to each other on the deeper side of the medium-opposing surface in the height direction, a magnetic gap layer interposed between the main magnetic pole layer and return yoke layer on the medium-opposing surface, and a coil layer inducing a recording magnetic field between the main magnetic pole layer and return yoke layer upon energization. The recording magnetic field induced between the main magnetic pole layer and return yoke layer perpendicularly enters a hard film of the recording medium from the front end face of the main magnetic pole layer and returns to the front end face of the return yoke layer through a soft film of the recording medium. This performs magnetic recording at a part opposing the front end face of the main magnetic pole layer. The size in the track width direction of the front end face of the main magnetic pole layer, i.e., recording track width size, has been becoming narrower as hard disk drives have been attaining higher recording densities.
In a perpendicular magnetic recording head having a narrowed track, how to suppress side fringing at the time of skewing where the head is driven in a state tilted with respect to a recording medium has become a problem. As a method of suppressing side fringing at the time of skewing, it has been known to provide a magnetic shield layer for absorbing magnetic fluxes leaking from sides of the main magnetic pole layer in the vicinity of the main magnetic pole layer so as to enhance the recording magnetic field gradient. Examples of such a magnetic shield layer are described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-92929, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-310363, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-182987, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-127480 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-134540.

Perpendicular magnetic recording head that suppresses side fringing


A lens hood assembly is provided for use with a zoom lens having a group of variable power lenses for varying focal length, the assembly comprising a lens hood which is adapted to be moved along the optical axis direction of the zoom lens and which is provided, on its front end, with an incident light restriction wall with a center opening through which incident light passes into the zoom lens, said lens hood being associated with the zooming operation of the zoom lens, wherein the lens hood is adapted to be moved forwardly and rearwardly at the long focal length and the short focal length of the zoom lens, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens hood for a zoom lens, and more precisely it relates to an incorporated lens hood assembly for properly restricting the incident light in accordance with the focal length (angle of view) of a camera.
2. Description of Related Art
A recent improvement in the quality of zoom lenses increases the number of users who use zoom lenses in place of a conventional fixed focus lens. A lens shutter type of camera having a zoom lens has been available on the market.
A lens hood is used to prevent light harmful to the formation of an image, e.g., sunlight located out of the angle of view, from being incident upon the lens during rear light photographing, so that no flare occurs. In a fixed focus lens, the occurrence of flare can be effectively prevented by a single length of hood without intercepting the effective light incident upon the lens.
However, in a zoom lens in which the angle of view (focal length) varies, such a single length lens hood can not effectively prevent the occurrence of flare. For instance, if the length of the lens hood is set to be an optimum value at a long focus range (telephoto side), the light which would otherwise be incident upon the peripheral portion of the angle of view is intercepted by the lens hood at a short focus range (wideangle side). On the contrary, if the length of the lens hood is set to be an optimum value at a short focus range (telephoto side), flare can not be effectively prevented by the lens hood at a long focus range.


A receptacle connector assembly comprises an insulative housing, two sets of first contact pins, two sets of second contact pins, a metal contact and a metal shell. The first and the second contact pin respectively comply with specification of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 and transmit data stability at high transmission rate.

A Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a hot-swap type transmission interface widely used with computer peripherals, connects hardware to a computer and transmits information without rebooting the computer. A USB 1.1 transmission interface was first released in 1998. In 2007, Intel Corp. released a USB 2.0 transmission interface that allowed the USB interface to be used with more applications including flash drives, printers and mice and having a transmission rate of 480 Mbps, about 40× times faster than the specification of USB 1.1.
As computers have become increasingly powerful and able to process larger amounts of data, computers and computer peripherals have had to be able to transfer more and more data. Transmission efficiency of a USB 2.0 specification is limited by file size that has promoted development of a USB 3.0 specification. The USB 3.0 specification has all the capabilities of the USB 2.0 specification but has more advantages such as lower power consumption and higher transmission rate.


A method is provided for automatically determining an optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lifted oil well. The optimum gas-lift slope for the oil well is initially provided and stored in the memory of a programmable logic controller. A lift gas is injected into the well at an initial gas injection rate to displace a liquid at an initial liquid production rate from the well. The initial liquid production rate and initial gas injection rate are stored in the memory. Thereafter, the lift gas is injected into the well at a first incremental gas injection rate differing from the initial gas injection rate by a first incremental value. Additional liquid is displaced from the well at a first incremental liquid production rate and the first incremental liquid production rate and first incremental gas injection rate are stored in the memory. The first incremental slope is determined from the stored data points and compared to the optimum gas-lift slope. The procedure is repeated for a second incremental gas injection rate, wherein the second incremental value is selected as either positive or negative in response to the comparison of the first incremental slope and the optimum gas-lift slope. The second incremental slope is determined from the stored data points and compared to the optimum gas-lift slope. In response to this comparison, the first incremental gas injection rate is determined to be the optimum gas injection rate or the above-recited procedure is repeated for a third incremental gas injection rate and additional incremental gas injection rates, if necessary, until an incremental gas injection rate is determined to be the optimum gas injection rate.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the production of oil from a subterranean oil-bearing formation and, more particularly, to a method for determining an optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lifted oil well penetrating the formation.
2. Background Information
Gas injection into an oil well is a well-known artificial lift method that facilitates oil recovery from the well. A typical gas lift method provides a lift gas at the surface that is conveyed through a gas flow control valve to a surface wellhead connection where the lift gas is injected into the casing-tubing annulus of the well. The adjustable position of the gas flow control valve regulates the gas injection rate into the well. Upon injection, the lift gas travels down the casing-tubing annulus to a plurality of specially designed subsurface gas injection valves that enable the lift gas to enter the tubing string. The lift gas commingles with the reservoir fluids in the tubing string, lifting the reservoir fluids up the tubing string to the surface for the recovery of oil therefrom. The injection rate of the lift gas into the well is an important parameter for the economics of the well because there are significant operational costs associated with gas injection. Accordingly, it is desirable to economically optimize the gas injection rate into the well such that the operational costs for the well are balanced with the oil production revenue from the well.
The concept of slope is associated with the optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lifted oil well, wherein the gas-lift slope is defined as the incremental change in the liquid production rate divided by the incremental change in the gas injection rate for the well at any point on a plot of the gas injection rate versus the liquid production rate. Such plots are theoretically developed from published empirical correlations. The theoretical optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lifted oil well generally corresponds to the optimum gas-lift slope which can be derived from conventional equations known in the prior art. Thus, it is possible to mathematically determine the theoretical optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lifted oil well using empirical correlations. However, the actual or field-measured optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lifted oil well must be determined in the field by direct testing of the oil well for liquid productions rates at various gas injection rates. An ongoing need exists for improved means of determining the actual optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lifted oil well.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective method for determining the actual optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lifted oil well. It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a method that determines the actual optimum gas injection rate automatically once the method is initiated. It is another object of the present invention to provide such a method that determines the actual optimum gas injection rate from measured field data including liquid production rates and gas injection rates, rather than empirical correlations. It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a method that determines the actual optimum gas injection rate by automatically and iteratively adjusting the actual gas injection rate into the well at the surface via a gas flow control valve. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method that continuously injects a lift gas into the gas-lifted oil well at the optimum gas injection rate for continuous oil production upon completion of the method by automatically fixing the position of the surface gas flow control valve. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method the optimum gas injection rate is based on economic criteria. These objects and others are achieved in accordance with the invention described hereafter.

Determining an optimum gas injection rate for a gas-lift well


The invention relates to radiolabeled imaging of a mammalian body. The invention in particular provides for reagents labeled with technetium-99m for such imaging. The invention provides peptides which bind Tc-99m and which can be targeted to specific sites within a mammalian body.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to radiodiagnostic reagents and peptides, and methods for producing labeled radiodiagnostic agents. Specifically, the invention relates to technetium-99m (Tc-99m) labeled reagents, methods and kits for making such reagents, and methods for using such reagents. In particular, the invention relates to Tc-99m labeled peptides comprised of between 4 and 100 amino acid residues and covalently linked to a radioisotope complexing group.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of chelating agents for radiolabeling polypeptides is known in the prior art.
Byrne et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,151 describe homocysteine thiolactone bifunctional chelating agents that can couple radionuclides to terminal amino-containing compounds capable of localizing in an organ or tissue to be imaged.
Fritzberg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,690 describes a series of technetium-chelating agents based on 2,3-bis(mercaptoacetamido)propanoate.
Gansow et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,509 teach methods of manufacturing and purifying metal chelate-conjugated monoclonal antibodies.
Byrne et al., U.S. Patent Nos. 4,571,430 and 4,575,556 describe novel homocysteine thiolactone bifunctional chelating agents for chelating radionuclides that can couple radionuclides to terminal amino-containing compounds capable of localizing in an organ or tissue to be imaged.
Nicolotti et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,869 describe bifunctional coupling agents useful in forming conjugates with biological molecules such as antibodies. This reference describes compounds such as S-benzoylmercaptoacetylglycylglycylglycine.
European Patent Application No. 84109831.2 describes technetium chelating complexes of bisamido-bisthio-ligands and salts thereof, used primarily as renal function monitoring agents.
European Patent Application No. 86100360.6 describes dithiol, diamino, or diamidocarboxylic acids or amine complexes useful for making technetium imaging agents.
European Patent Application No. 88104755.9 describes various S-protected mercaptoacetylglycylglycine chelating groups bound to large proteins such as antibodies.
Albert et al., UK Patent Application No. 8927255.3 disclose radioimaging using somatostatin derivatives such as octreotide labeled with .sup.111 In via a chelating group bound to the amino terminus.
Flanagan et al., European Patent Application No. 90306428.5 disclose Tc-99m labeling synthetic peptide fragments via a set of organic chelating molecules.
Albert et al., European Patent Application No. WO 91/01144 disclose radioimaging using radiolabeled peptides related to growth factors, hormones, interferons and cytokines and comprised of a specific recognition peptide covalently linked to a radionuclide chelating group.
Davison et al., Inorg. Chem. 20: 1629-1632 (1981) disclose oxotechnetium chelate complexes.
Fritzberg et al., J. Nucl. Med. 23: 592-598 (1982) disclose a technetium chelating agent based on N,N'-bis(mercaptoacetyl)-2,3-diaminopropanoate.
Byrne and Tolman, J. Nucl. Med. 24: P126 (1983) disclose a bifunctional thiolactone chelating agent for coupling Tc-99m to biological molecules.
Bryson et al., Inorg. Chem. 27: 2154-2161 (1988) describe thiolate ligands for complexing with technetium.
Bryson et al., Inorg. Chem. 29: 2948-2951 (1990) describe thiolate ligands for complexing with technetium.
Kwekkeboom et al., J. Nucl. Med. 32: 981 (1991) Abstract #305 relates to radiolabeling somatostatin analogues with .sup.111 In.
Albert et al., Abstract LM10, 12th American Peptide Symposium (1991) describe uses for .sup.111 In-labeled diethylenetriaminopentaacetic acid-derivatized somatostatin analogues.
A variety of radionuclides are known to be useful for radioimaging, including .sup.67 Ga, .sup.99m Tc (Tc-99m), .sup.111 In, .sup.123 I, .sup.125 I, .sup.169 Yb or .sup.186 Re. The sensitivity of imaging methods using radioactively-labeled peptides is much higher than other techniques known in the art, since the specific binding of the radioactive peptide concentrates the radioactive signal over the cells of interest, for example, tumor cells.
Methods for labeling peptides and polypeptides with Tc-99m have been disclosed in the prior art.
Dean, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/653,012 teaches reagents and methods for preparing peptides comprising a Tc-99m chelating group covalently linked to a specific binding peptide for radioimaging in vivo, and is hereby incorporated by reference.
Fritzberg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,690 describes a series of technetium-chelating agents based on 2,3-bis(mercaptoacetamido)propanoate.
Gansow et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,509 teach methods of manufacturing and purifying Tc-99m chelate-conjugated monoclonal antibodies.
Reno and Bottino, European Patent Application No. 87300426.1 disclose radiolabeling antibodies with Tc-99m.
Bremer et al., EPC Application No. 87118142.6 disclose organ-specific radioimaging using Tc-99M radiolabeled proteins.
Pak et al., European Patent Application No. WO 88/07382 disclose a method for labeling antibodies with Tc-99m.
Goedemans et al., PCT Application No. WO 89/07456 describe radiolabeling proteins using cyclic thiol compounds, particularly on 2-iminothiolane and derivatives.
Schochat et al., PCT Application No. WO 89/09405 disclose direct radiolabeling of proteins comprised of at least one "pendent" sulfhydryl group.
Dean et al., PCT Application No. WO 89/12625 describe bifunctional coupling agents for Tc-99m labeling of proteins or peptides.
Thornback et al., EPC Application No. 90402206.8 describe preparation and use of radiolabeled proteins or peptides using thiol-containing compounds, particularly 2-iminothiolane.
Stuttle, PCT Application No. WO 90/15818 describes Tc-99m labeling of RGD-containing oligopeptides.
Rhodes, Sem. Nucl. Med. 4: 281-293 (1974) teaches the labeling of human serum albumin with Tc-99m.
Khaw et al., J. Nucl. Med. 23: 1011-1019 (1982) disclose methods for labeling biologically active macromolecules with Tc-99m.
Byrne and Tolman, supra, disclose a bifunctional thiolactone chelating agent for coupling Tc-99m to biological molecules.
Knight et al., Abstract #209, 37th Annual Meeting, Society for Nuclear Medicine (1990) describe thrombus imaging with Tc-99m labeled peptides.
Cox et al., Abstract, 7th International Symposium on Radiopharmacology, p. 16, 1991, disclose the use of .sup.131 I- and .sup.111 In-labeled somatostatin analogues in radiolocalization of endocrine tumors in vivo by scintigraphy.

Technetium-99m labeled peptides for imaging


An antioxidant/UV absorbent useful in cosmetics is formed of an ester of ferulic acid with an alkanol having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antioxidant, useful in cosmetics, and novel ferulic acid derivatives.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ferulic acid is useful as raw material for medicines, agricultural chemicals, cosmetics, dyes, and foods. However it does not have sufficient antioxidant and ultraviolet (UV) absorbent properties. Further, ferulic acid turns yellow when dissolved in an alkaline solution, and degrades when allowed to stand in air for a long period of time. In addition, the trans form of ferulic acid is solid at room temperature, and is usually handled as powder, which is difficult to handle in, for example, processing.
Meanwhile, 2-ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate, commercially available under a trade mark of PARSOL MCX, is used as a UV absorbent in cosmetics. However, it is thermally unstable, and does not exhibit sufficient antioxidant property.

Ferulic acid ester antioxidant/UV absorbent


The axial fan for a computer comprises a rotatable fan blade unit and a motor unit. The fan blade unit comprises a fan head and a plurality of fan blades arranged radially thereto. The motor unit is held by supports passing through the airflow. The supports have a distance of at least 7.5 mm from the fan blades measured in axial direction. Due to this distance being larger in comparison to known solutions the fan produces less disturbing noise.

The invention relates to an axial fan for a computer. It further relates to a cooling apparatus for an integrated circuit, a cooling apparatus for a microprocessor, a power supply unit for a computer and a case for a computer, each comprising such an axial fan.
Axial fans or axial ventilators of this kind are used for cooling computers and computer components. At axial fans primarily an airflow in the direction of the rotation axis of the fan is generated. This in contrast to radial fans at which the air is drawn in axially, but is then accelerated primarily in radial direction, partially using centrifugal forces and is, depending on the specific embodiment, blown off directly or redirected. There are different places of installation for axial fans in computers. For cooling of single components the fan is for example arranged directly above the specific component. Usually the cooling of components is done using a heatsink. This is attached to the component. The fan causes indirectly, across the heatsink, with its airflow a cooling of the component. At computers typically the CPU, i.e. the central processor, is cooled in this way. A further typical place of installation is the wall of the case of computers. In this kind of arrangement, axial fans are mostly used such that they draw in hot air from the inside of the case and blow it off to the outside. Thereby, colder ambient air flows through chinks and openings to the inside of the case. However, it is also possible, in a reverse manner, to use an axial fan such that it draws in ambient air and blows it into the inside of the case. A very widely used variant of cooling of computers is to arrange a fan such that warm air is drawn from the inside of the case through the power supply unit and blown off to the outside. An important feature of axial fans designed for the field of application "computer" are precisely defined maximum outer dimensions or installation dimensions, which are adjusted to the standards and specifications of the particular cases, power supply units, boards and/or processors.
The known axial fans for computers are usually loud and often cause especially disturbing noises, in particular a buzzing noise at rotational frequencies above 2000 rotations per minute. A known measure for reduction of these noises is a thermo-regulation of the rotational frequency of the fan. This is, however, only effective if the temperature of the device actually allows a reduction of the effect of the fan. A further known measure is the installation of multiple fans. These can then be operated, at an overall equal ventilation effect, each with a lower rotational frequency than a single fan, which altogether results in lower noise emissions. These known measures are, however, because of the additionally needed components, mostly expensive and also imperfect concerning their effectiveness. Further developments are based on designing the fan blades in a special way which, however, led only to moderate improvement results.


The present invention provides a monolithic superheterodyne detector pixel operable to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal at millimeter wavelength and produce a video output signal with many orders of improved sensitivity when compared with the prior art. This sensitivity improvement is achieved by translating the received RF signal to a intermediate frequency (IF) signal before detection of the video signal. At the lower frequency of the IF signal, monolithic amplification circuitry can be fabricated more easily to provide necessary gain than would be achievable if simple amplification of the RF signal were attempted. Detector pixels constructed in accordance with the invention each contain an antenna for receiving the RF signal. Local oscillator (LO) signal circuitry likewise apply an externally generated LO signal to the pixel. The RF signal and LO signal are then applied by interconnecting conductors to appropriate mixer means to produce the IF signal. An IF amplifier next amplifies the IF signal to a level sufficient for detection of the video output signal by a second detector. In presently preferred embodiments, pixel circuitry is fabricated in microstrip format with impedance matching provided between respective monolithic components. The antenna and local oscillator signal circuitry may each comprise slots defined in the metallized ground plane of the detector substrate. Utilization of a subharmonic mixer permits the external LO signal to be a subharmonic of the "virtual LO" mixed with the received RF signal. The amplifier may comprise a plurality of cascaded field effect transistor (FET) amplifier stages. The second detector, as well as diodes utilized in the mixer, are preferably Schottky barrier diodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to arrays of radiation sensitive elements used in imaging systems and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a monolithic superheterodyne detector pixel usable in such an array to receive a radio frequency signal at millimeter wavelength and produce a video output signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Focal plane arrays used in radiation imaging systems systems frequently contain over 100,000 pixel elements. Typically, such systems detect radiation occurring in the visible and infrared regions. There has long been a interest in developing focal plane arrays usable at millimeter wavelengths because of the ability of energy in this band to penetrate fog, snow, moderate rain and many visibly opaque materials. Unfortunately, with the technology previously available, it was not practical to implement a system usable at these frequencies which contained a large number of pixel elements. Recently, however, some of the inventors of this invention have demonstrated that a monolithic detector pixel may be constructed capable of detecting 94 GHz energy with tangential signal sensitivity (TSS) of better than -50 dBm (decibels relative to a milliwatt).
Such pixels, which can be incorporated into a much larger array of similar pixels, were constructed having a slot antenna defined in a metallized ground plane of GaAs substrate. A microstrip circuit containing a Schottky-barrier detector diode was fabricated on the substrate face opposite the ground plane. The microstrip circuit was configured to provide an optimum impedance match between the diode and the slot antenna. As a result, it was not necessary to effect tuning to free space utilizing external impedance matching elements as had previously been required. Such external impedance matching elements are undesirable because they add significant overall size to each pixel. The findings concerning this pixel were fully reported in the following article which is incorporated herein by reference: H. G. Henry, R. G. Freitag, R. R. Shaller, and M. Cohn, "A GaAs Monolithic Array of Impedance Matched Antenna/Detector Pixels For A 94 GHz Imaging System," presented at the 1989 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, Washington, DC, Dec. 3-6, 1989, Technical Digest, pp. 181-184.
In many applications, a much greater sensitivity than that achievable with simple video detection is required. In a radiometric mode for which a detected video bandwidth of 1 MHz is desired, a reasonable FkTB (where: F is a channel noise contribution (in dB), k is the Boltzmann constant, T is absolute temperature, and B is desired video bandwidth) figure would be approximately -104 dBm. This is significantly less than the -50 dBm sensitivity achievable with the state-of-the-art 94 GHz pixel described above. In other words, more than 60 dB of preamplification gain would be required in the received signal prior to detection. At such high frequencies, however, it is difficult to fabricate monolithic amplifiers having sufficient yield or reliability.

Millimeter wavelength energy detector pixel having intermediate frequency amplification


A physiological characteristic monitoring system includes a physiological characteristic sensor that observes a physiological characteristic and generates sensor signals based on the observation. The physiological characteristic sensor includes a sensor connector. The physiological characteristic monitoring system includes a wearable device to be worn by a user in a first configuration and having a connector to couple to the sensor connector in a second configuration. The wearable device includes a controller that receives the sensor signals from the physiological characteristic sensor in the second configuration and determines a current value of the physiological characteristic based on the sensor signals.

Sensors may be employed in the treatment of or monitoring of various medical conditions. In one example, thin film electrochemical sensors are used to test analyte levels in patients or users. More specifically, thin film sensors have been designed for use in obtaining an indication of blood glucose (BG) levels and monitoring BG levels in a diabetic user, with the distal segment portion of the sensor positioned subcutaneously in direct contact with extracellular fluid. Such readings can be especially useful in adjusting a treatment regimen which typically includes regular administration of insulin to the user.
In certain instances, sensors for monitoring BG levels are directed to be used by a medical provider to monitor BG levels continuously over a period of time. In these instances, the medical provider may instruct the user to employ the sensor intermittently over the course of a year. Typically, the BG levels observed by the sensor are provided to the medical provider once the user has completed their use for review and for the adjusting of the treatment regimen.
It may be desirable, however, for the user to observe their BG levels during the use of the sensor. Further, for users who are prescribed intermittent use of the sensor it may be desirable to also track the user's activity levels, sleep cycles, heart rates and other metrics as they use the sensor to provide a correlation between these metrics and the user's BG levels. In addition, for users who are prescribed intermittent use of the sensor, it may be desirable to provide a reusable wearable device that interfaces with the sensor such that the user may not need to purchase hardware with each prescribed use of the sensor.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for monitoring a physiological characteristic with a reusable wearable device that interfaces with a physiological characteristic sensor, such as a blood glucose sensor, which enables the user to observe their BG levels during use of the sensor and enables the correlation of various metrics of the user with the observed BG levels. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Systems and methods for physiological characteristic monitoring


A device for treating liquid medium has an ultrasound emitter located relative to a compartment of a container holding a liquid medium and a microbubble emitter located relative to the compartment. The ultrasound emitter emits high-frequency ultrasound between about 200 KHz and 10 MHz. The microbubble emitter emits bubbles with an average diameter of less than 1 mm.

It is known to those skilled in the art that, depending on whether high-frequency or low-frequency ultrasound is used, different effects can be obtained on fluids. In order to obtain mechanical effects, low frequencies (generally between 16 and 100 kHz) are regularly used.
These mechanical effects, which are due to cavitation, make it possible, for example, to mix, emulsify and disperse heterogeneous substances, to degas the liquids, etc. These mechanical effects also create high shear effects in the liquids, which makes it possible, for example, to disrupt living cells present in this medium, to the point of rupturing the walls of cells of this type.
These same mechanical effects are also used to clean surfaces by the action of the microjets of liquid produced by the implosion of the cavitation bubbles. Similarly, the fact that various reactants can be mixed very efficiently is advantageously used to promote diffusion phenomena in various chemical reactions, especially heterogeneous reactions.
If high frequencies are used, generally of between 300 kHz and several MHz, the cavitation phenomena become relatively less energetic and the mechanical effects are more reduced than when low frequencies are used.
By applying high-frequency ultrasound to a liquid medium, the lifetime of the cavitation bubbles produced is greatly reduced, and chemical phenomena in a homogeneous phase take place, which are radically different from those observed when lower frequencies are applied.
One parameter which is specific to the use of high-frequency ultrasound is that, despite the low mechanical energy required to degas the solutions, the effect obtained is greater than when low-frequency ultrasound is applied, which itself requires more power.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Device and process for treating a liquid medium

Ashland Licensing and Intellectual Property LLC


A device and method is provided for filtering frequency components of an electrical signal above a selectable low pass cutoff frequency which is changeable within a designated range. An input filter having a fixed low pass cutoff frequency provides aliasing protection for a first of at least three clock driven filter stages respectively having variable low pass cutoff frequencies proportional to a clock rate of a received clock signal. The overall selectable low pass filter is determined at an intermediate stage of the clock driven filter stages. Clock rates of respective clock signals applied to clock driven stages proceeding the intermediate stage having the selectable cutoff frequency are adjusted so that each provides aliasing protection for the next. Similarly, the low pass cutoff frequencies of clock driven filter stage succeeding the intermediate stage having the selectable cutoff frequency are adjusted to eliminate staircasing distortion in the output signal. The filtered signal is then preferably passed through a fixed output filter to eliminate any frequency components at the clock rate of the last clock driven filter stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical signal filters having user selectable filter characteristics. More particularly, the invention relates to a device and method of providing an electrical signal filter having a low pass cutoff frequency changeable over a wide range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often desirable in various signal conditioning applications to utilize a low pass filter having a changeable cutoff frequency. Particularly useful in such applications are clock driven filters, such as certain switched capacitor filters, in which the cutoff frequency is determined by the clock rate. A typical clock driven filter, however, will "reflect" all frequency components greater than the Nyguist frequency (one-half the clock rate) into the frequency range below one-half the clock rate. This phenomenon is referred interchangeably in the art as aliasing or "folding" error.
To prevent this error, frequency components above the Nyguist frequency must be attenuated before being applied to the input of the filter. For example, a typical clock driven filter having a clock rate of one hundred times the low pass cutoff frequency will have a Nyguist frequency of fifty times the cutoff frequency. Generally, these higher frequencies are eliminated utilizing a nonswitching operational-amplifier-based low pass filter at the input of the clock driven filter having a fixed cutoff frequency slightly greater than the highest predicted cutoff frequency at which the clock driven filter will be operated. If, however, the clock driven filter must have a cutoff frequency variable over a wide range which brings the Nyguist frequency close to the cutoff frequency of the fixed input filter, aliasing can occur since high frequency components will not be sufficiently attenuated.
Another problem with such clock driven filters is that the output is not a smooth signal but is a "staircased" output due to the switched nature of the device. This unwanted clock feedthrough not only distorts the output signal but can also cause aliasing if the output is itself sampled by other processing circuitry. The usual solution to this clock feedthrough is the use of a fixed low pass filter on the output. Such a filter, however, often fails to sufficiently attenuate these clock frequencies as the cutoff frequency of the clock driven filter approaches the lowest frequencies in its adjustable range.

Low pass filter circuit device and method having selectable cutoff frequency


This invention discloses a substance which is a betaine ester of a functional alcohol that has an amido bond in its molecule and releases the functional alcohol.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a functional alcohol releasing substance which gradually releases a functional alcohol and to a composition such as of a detergent or softening agent, which contains the functional alcohol releasing substance.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a fragrance, a desired aroma is created by blending a large number of aromatic components so-called top note, middle note and base note having different volatility. During the use of the fragrance, components having higher volatility vaporize in priority and, as a result, the aroma of the fragrance changes with the lapse of time, thus posing a problem in that the aroma cannot be maintained constantly for a prolonged period of time. A gel-like aromatic composition in which a fragrance is included in microcapsules and dispersed in a gel base material is known as a means for solving such a problem (JP-A-63-260567; the termxe2x80x9cJP-Axe2x80x9d as used herein means an xe2x80x9cunexamined published Japanese patent applicationxe2x80x9d). Though this method is effective in gel-like preparations, the desired effect cannot be obtained in the case of liquid preparations having low viscosity due to generation of floating and precipitation of microcapsules.
In addition to the above, a precursor of fragrance raw material in which a sugar and an amino acid are added to a fragrance raw material and a technique for gradually releasing the fragrance raw material by allowing an enzyme to act upon the precursor have been disclosed (JP-A-4-170961). This method, however, has problems in that its effect in the actual use system varies depending on the presence or absence of the hydrolyzing enzyme and, when the precursor and hydrolyzing enzyme are simultaneously blended in a product system, hydrolysis progresses in the product. It also poses the same problems in volatile antibacterial and antifungal agents, so that it is difficult to maintain their effects. In addition, even a nonvolatile substance, e.g. in the case of a water-soluble substance, cannot maintain its effect due to its washing with water.
On the other hand, WO 96/38528 discloses a betaine ester quaternary ammonium salt derivative which can gradually release a fragrance raw material alcohol. However, this betaine ester quaternary ammonium salt is apt to cause side reactions at the time of synthesis and has a considerably high hydrolyzing rate even in a neutral to weakly acidic aqueous solution, so that it has a disadvantage of poor blending stability.
An object of the invention is to provide a functional substance releasing compound which can be stably blended independent of the form and use of preparations and can gradually release a functional substance constantly for a prolonged period of time in an actual use system.
The invention is a substance which is a betaine ester of a functional alcohol, in which it has an amido bond in its molecule and releases the functional alcohol, and a composition containing the same.
The term betaine ester as used herein means a structure in which a free acid as the hydration product of betaine and an alcohol are esterificated.
As the functional alcohol releasing substance of the invention, a compound represented by a general formula (I) (to be referred to as betaine ester (I) hereinafter) can be exemplified:
wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 independently represents hydrogen atom or a straight- or branched-chain alkyl or alkenyl group having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, Y represents a straight- or branched-chain alkylene group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, Z is a group represented by xe2x80x94R5(OA) nxe2x80x94 (wherein R5 is a straight- or branched-chain alkylene group having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and A is a straight- or branched-chain alkylene group having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and n is a number of from 0 to 10), R4 represents a residue in which one OH is removed from a functional alcohol having at least one hydroxyl group in its molecule, illustratively, R4 represents a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group or aromatic hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 11 carbon atoms, or an alkadienyl group, alkatrienyl group, aryl group, arylalkyl group or monocyclic, bicyclic or tricyclic terpene hydrocarbon group, each having from 12 to 30 carbon atoms, wherein a part of the hydrogen atoms on the hydrocarbon group of R4 may be substituted by a halogen atom or hydroxyl group, the methylene group in the hydrocarbon group of R4 may be substituted by carbonyl group, amido bond, oxygen atom or sulfur atom, the methyl group may be substituted by formyl group or xe2x80x94CONH2, the carbon-carbon double bond may be substituted by epoxy group and, when isomers are present in R4, it may be a mixture of isomers, and Xxe2x88x92 represents an anion.
In this case, the alkyl group, alkenyl group and alkylene group may have a substituent group, and examples of the substituent group include an aryl group such as phenyl group, an alkoxy group such as methoxy group or ethoxy group and an aryloxy group such as phenoxy group.
The betaine ester (I) can be obtained for example by allowing a compound represented by a general formula (III) (to be referred to as compound (III) hereinafter) to react with a compound represented by a general formula (IV) (to be referred to as compound (IV) hereinafter) in the presence of a solvent:
wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, X, Y and Z are as defined in the foregoing.
Examples of the solvent to be used include diethyl ether, acetone and chloroform which are selected in response to the solubility of each material. The reaction temperature can be selected within the range of from 15 to 100xc2x0 C. depending on the boiling point of the solvent used and is preferably from 25 to 50xc2x0 C., more preferably from 40 to 45xc2x0 C. Regarding the blending ratio of the compound (III) and compound (IV), it is desirable to use excess amount of the compound (IV) in order to increase the reaction ratio and facilitate purification of the product, and it is preferably within the range of from 1:1 to 1:1.2 by molar ratio for practical purpose.
The compound (III), when the number of carbons of the acyl group represented by R3COxe2x80x94 is 8 or more, can be quantitatively obtained by heat-melting the corresponding fatty acid at 160 to 180xc2x0 C. in an atmosphere of nitrogen and slowly adding a compound represented by a general formula (V) dropwise thereto, thereby effecting dehydration condensation. Also, when the number of carbons of the acyl group represented by R3COxe2x80x94 is less than 8, it can be obtained by allowing an acid anhydride or acid chloride of the corresponding fatty acid to react with the compound of general formula (V).
In this formula, R1, R2 and Z are as defined in the foregoing.
The compound (IV) can be obtained by condensing a compound represented by a general formula (VI) with an alcohol represented by a general formula (VII) in the presence of amine as a base.
In the above formulae, R4, X and Y are as defined in the foregoing, and B represents a halogen atom.
Among compounds of the betaine ester (I), particularly preferred is a compound represented by a general formula (II) (to be referred to as betaine ester (II) hereinafter).
In this formula, R1, R2, R3, R4, n and Xxe2x88x92 are as defined in the foregoing, R6represents hydrogen atom or methyl group, a is 1 or 2.
In the betaine ester (II), each of R1 and R2 is preferably a group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, more preferably methyl group. R3 is preferably a group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms. Preferably, n is from 0 to 3. Examples of the anion represented by Xxe2x88x92 include halogen ions, sulfate ion, hydrogensulfate ion and perchlorate ion, of which chlorine ion is preferred.
Also, the following can be cited as illustrative examples of the group represented by R4.
(1) Saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 11 carbon atoms:
A reside in which one hydroxyl group is removed from an aliphatic alcohol such as ethanol, leaf alcohol (cis-3-hexenol), 3-octenol, 2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexene-1-methanol, 4-isopropylcyclohexanol, 4-isopropylcyclohexylmethanol, 1-(4-isopropylcyclohexyl)ethanol, p-t-butylcyclohexanol, o-t-butylcyclohexanol, 9-decenol, linalool, geraniol, nerol, citronellol, rhodinol, dimethyloctanol, hydroxycitronellol, tetrahydrolinalool, lavandulol, mugol, myrcenol, terpineol, L-menthol, borneol, isopulegol, tetrahydromugol, nopol or glycerol.
(2) Substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 11 carbon atoms:
A reside in which one hydroxyl group is removed from an aromatic alcohol such as benzyl alcohol, xcex2-phenylethyl alcohol, xcex3-phenylpropyl alcohol, cinnamic alcohol, anisic alcohol, dimethylbenzylcarbinol, methylphenylcarbinol, dimethylphenylcarbinol, phenoxyethyl alcohol, styrallyl alcohol, dimethylphenylethylcarbinol, thymol, carvacrol, eugenol, isoeugenol, ethyl vanillin, metha-chloroxylenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol, hinokithiol or 3-methyl-4-isopropylphenol.
(3) Alkadienyl group or alkatrienyl group having from 12 to 30 carbon atoms:
A reside in which one hydroxyl group is removed from a compound such as farnesol or nerolidol.
(4) Aryl group or arylalkyl group having from 12 to 30 carbon atoms:
A reside in which one hydroxyl group is removed from a compound such as 2,2-dimethyl-3-(3-methylphenyl)propanol, 3-methyl-5-phenylpentanol, phenylethylmethylethylcarbinol, trichlosan, capsaicin or tocopherol.
(5) Monocyclic, bicyclic or tricyclic terpene hydrocarbon group having from 12 to 30 carbon atoms:
A reside in which one hydroxyl group is removed from a compound such as ambrinol, 1-(2-t-butylcyclohexyloxy)-2-butanol, pentamethylcyclohexylpropanol, 1-(2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexyl)-3-hexanol, santalol, cedrol, vetiverol or patchouli alcohol.
Since the functional alcohol releasing substance of the invention can release functional alcohols such as perfumes and antibacterial and antifungal agents gradually for a prolonged period of time, it can be used alone or in combination with other components as ingredients of, e.g., soaps, shampoos, detergents, cosmetics, spray products, deodorants, aromatics, bathing goods, coloring agents, hair colors, antibacterial agents, antifungal agents, vapor proofing agents, bedclothes, towels, clothes, tissues, sands for pet toilet use, chewing gums, cosmetics for pack use, clay compositions for handicraft use, absorbable articles, cosmetics for massage use, paints, agricultural chemicals, medicaments and inks.
The composition of the invention contains the functional alcohol releasing substance, and the amount of the functional alcohol releasing substance to be contained in the composition of the invention is preferably from 0.01 to 90% by weight, more preferably from 0.5 to 50% by weight, based on the composition, though it varies depending, e.g., on the kind of composition and the kind of functional alcohol of interest.
The composition of the invention is particularly useful as, e.g., a softening agent composition containing a textile conditioner or softening agent component, a detergent composition for clothing use containing a detergent component or a detergent composition for hard surface use.
Examples of the textile conditioner or softening agent component include quaternary ammonium salts, amines and neutral salts of amines, particularly an acid salt of a quaternary ammonium compound or tertiary amine compound having in its molecule one or more ester groups and/or amido groups and two or more alkyl groups or alkenyl groups having from 11 to 20 carbon atoms, an acid salt of a quaternary ammonium compound or tertiary amine compound having in its molecule one alkyl group or alkenyl group having from 11 to 20 carbon atoms and an amphoteric surface active agent having in its molecule one alkyl group or alkenyl group having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms. Also, for the purpose of further improving the softening performance, an alkylene oxide addition product of a higher alcohol or amine, a higher fatty acid or a salt thereof may be added as occasion demands. The amount of the textile conditioner or softening agent component to be used in the composition of the invention is preferably from 1 to 50% by weight, more preferably from 5 to 20% by weight.
Examples of the detergent component to be used in the composition of the invention include anionic surface active agents such as a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether sulfate, an alkyl sulfate, an alkylbenzene sulfonate, an xcex1-olefin sulfonate, an alkane sulfonate, a fatty acid salt, an xcex1-sulfofatty acid ester salt, a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether carboxylate and a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether phosphate, nonionic surface active agents such as a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether, an alkyl glucoside, mono- and dialkanolamides of a fatty acid and an active agent of Pluronic system, cationic surface active agents such as a quaternary ammonium salt and amphoteric surface active agents such as carbobetaine and sulfobetaine. Amount of the detergent component in the composition of the invention is preferably from 1 to 80% by weight, more preferably from 20 to 40% by weight, as a detergent composition for clothing use. As a detergent composition for hard surface use, it is preferably from 0.5 to 60% by weight, more preferably from 1 to 50% by weight, based on the composition.
As occasion demands, other additive agents used in general softening agents and detergents can be optionally added to the composition of the invention within such a range that they do not spoil effects of the invention.
Examples of the other additive agents which can be added include storage stabilizing agents such as lower alcohols including ethanol and isopropanol, a glycol, a polyol and alkylene oxide addition products thereof; chelating agents such as ethylenediamine tetraacetate, diethylenetriamine pentaacetate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, zeolite, ethylhydroxy diphosphonate, citric acid, dipicolinic acid, picolinic acid and 8-hydroxyquinoline; solubilizing agents such as sodium salts and potassium salts of toluenesulfonic acid and xylenesulfonic acid and urea; alkali agents such as sodium carbonate and an amorphous alkali metal silicate; viscosity adjusting agents such as a clay mineral and a water-soluble polymer; moisture keeping agents such as glycerol and sorbitol; feel improving agents such as cationic cellulose; extenders such as sodium sulfate; and a pH adjusting agent, a hydrotropic agent, an antifoaming agent, an antioxidant, an enzyme, a perfume, an antibacterial agent, a pigment and an antiseptic/antifungal agent.


A large-area transmissive type optical image modulator, a method of manufacturing the same, and an optical apparatus including the transmissive type optical image modulator are provided. The large-area transmissive type optical image modulator includes: a base substrate; a first expitaxial layer formed on the base substrate; a second expitaxial layer formed on the first expitaxial layer; a first electrode formed on the first expitaxial layer and spaced apart from the second expitaxial layer; a second electrode formed on the second expitaxial layer; and a transparent substrate covering the second expitaxial layer and the second electrode, wherein the base substrate includes a through hole corresponding to a light emitting area, and the first expitaxial layer may include an n-type or p-type doping material.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to an optical device, and more particularly, to a large-area transmissive type optical image modulator and a method of manufacturing the same, and an optical apparatus including the transmissive type optical image modulator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to obtain information regarding a range image, a stereo vision method using two cameras and a triangulation method using structured light and a camera are used.
However, when these methods are used, as the distance between the camera and the object is increased, precision may rapidly decrease. Also, these methods are dependent on a surface state of an object, and thus it may be difficult to obtain a minute range image.
In order to solve the above-described problem, a time-of-flight (TOF) method has been introduced. The TOF method is used to measure flight time in which separate modulated light, for example, a laser or light emitted from a light-emitting diode (LED), is radiated onto an object and then is returned to a light-receiving unit (a sensor or charged-coupled device (CCD) camera).
One TOF method is classified as a direct time measuring method of projecting pulse light and measuring time in which the pulse light is returned and a correlation method of measuring a distance from brightness information obtained by multiplying a gating signal synchronized with emitted light in a light receiving unit by a reflected light signal. A brightness image obtained by the correlation is bright at a short distance because of a large amount of light received and is dark at a long distance because of a small amount of light received.
Another TOF method includes a phase delay measuring method in which sine wave light or continuous wave (CW) light is projected and a phase difference of reflected light returning is sensed to determine a distance.
The phase delay measuring method is classified as an external modulation method or an internal modulation method.
In the external modulation method, a phase difference is measured by a CCD camera by projecting a sine wave that is frequency-modulated in an LED or a laser diode (LD) and modulating (mixing) an amplitude by a light modulator located at a front end of a light receiving unit to be converted into a low-frequency signal.
In the internal modulation method, a phase delay is measured by amplitude modulation or demodulation inside a CCD cell without an optical modulator. In order to perform modulation and demodulation inside a CCD cell, an additional function of processing signals around the CCD is required, and thus a fill factor deteriorates and a size of the CCD cell is increased, thereby imposing limitations in forming a high resolution distance camera.
A transmissive optical modulator includes an optical modulator using a Pockel effect or a Kerr effect based on an image intensifier or crystal optics. Such an optical modulator is bulky, uses a high voltage of several KV, and is expensive.
Another transmissive optical modulator includes a transmissive optical image shutter using GaAs-based electro-absorption. This transmissive optical modulator has a PIN diode structure in which an intrinsic layer between PN electrodes includes a multiple quantum well and forms excitons in a specific wavelength area to facilitate electro-absorption. If a bias voltage is applied to both ends of the PN electrode in a reverse direction, a maximum value of an absorption coefficient is decreased according to wavelengths and is red-shifted. If a peak of an absorption wavelength is in accordance with a Fabry-Perot wavelength, maximum optical absorption occurs, and brightness of light to be output may be controlled according to voltages. In such a transmissive optical modulator, an opaque GaAs substrate may be removed for light transmission.
After the GaAs substrate is removed, a remaining structure may be transferred to a transparent SiO2 substrate. However, a series of processes, in which a substrate of an expitaxial structure in which an electrode is formed during a process of manufacturing a wafer level is removed and transferred to another substrate, that is, an SiO2 substrate, may be complex, and thus it may be difficult to stably perform the processes.
Recently, although a transmissive optical modulator, in which a portion through which light passes is removed from a conventional opaque substrate and a transparent InGaP layer is added to an expitaxial layer to be used as a support for supporting an expitaxial structure, has been introduced, an expitaxial thin film may be vulnerable to an external impact or a mechanical transformation.

Large-area transmissive type optical image modulator and method of manufacturing the same and optical apparatus including transmissive type optical image modulator


An exoskeletal robotic device supplements relative movement between biological skeletal members coupled at a biological joint of a wearer, and preferably forms complete sections of a skeleton to be worn by a human. First and second frame members for mechanical joints are attachable to the wearer adjacent the biological joint. The mechanical joints define a center of relative rotation of the frame members about at least two, and preferably three mutually perpendicular axes, the center of relative rotation of the frame members being displaced from the outer surfaces of the skeletal members to correspond in position with the center of the biological joint. Actuation devices in the form of hydraulic cylinders are coupled between the first and second frame members for rotating the frame members under power under control of a microprocessor which can execute stored sequences or apply power in the same direction as exerted by the wearer against pressure sensors coupled to the microprocessor. The mechanical joint includes spherical guide surfaces defining a slidable connection of the frame members, and having a radius intersecting the center of the biological joint.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of power assist apparatus to be attached to human beings and the like, for assisting the application of muscle power to move skeletal joints. In particular the invention provides power assist apparatus that is mechanically coupled to the wearer in a manner that aligns the application of force by the apparatus to the rotational axes of the wearer's joints.
2. Prior Art
Exoskeletal power assist devices are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 1,880,138 Hubl; U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,678 Kultsar; U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,769--Mizen; U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,870--Radulovic; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,257--Fernandez et al. These disclosures range from Hubl, wherein the device is much larger than the operator or "wearer", to Kultsar, wherein the device is embodied as a form-fitting suit including power applying apparatus. The general object may be to sense the application of force from the wearer's muscle power, and to operate a power assist mechanism that applies force in the same direction, i.e., to multiply the force applied by the wearer. Alternatively, the device may provide controlled joint displacement for a wearer whose muscles or nerves are inoperative for applying force in a desired direction.
Power assist devices of this kind may rely on the wearer's skeletal joints for constraining movement of the skeletal members at a joint, namely with power assisting actuators being fixed relative to the wearer's skeletal members The opposite ends of an extendible/retractable actuator are attached respectively to the wearer on opposite sides of the joint. The means to which the ends of the actuator are attached may define at least a partial rigid supplemental skeletal member which is attached along the user's limbs or the like on opposite sides of one or more joints. An actuator coupled to a controller applies power to the supplemental skeletal member(s) to cause relative rotation of the wearer's skeletal members about the joint. For a more heavy duty application, the device may have a more complete version of the skeletal members, in the form of rigid structures which are placed alongside the user's skeletal members and are attached to one another at joints which supplement the wearer's joints. For a knee supplement, for example, a first rigid member is attached along the femur and a second rigid member is attached along the tibia and fibula, the two rigid members being affixed to one another via a hinging joint. Similarly, and elbow supplement would have an external humerus attachment hinged to a radius/ulna attachment. Whereas the rigid members are themselves jointed, the supplement does not rely on the wearer's joints for sole support.
Devices of this type can be used by persons with weakened muscles or those with nervous system problems which limit the extent to which the person can apply muscular force. Paraplegics, persons having a portion of a limb amputated, aged persons, convalescents and the like can all benefit from power assist devices. In addition, healthy persons can use devices of this type in order to increase their muscle power as needed to perform functions requiring more than normal muscle power or stamina. For example, workmen with power assist devices can lift and carry greater loads, soldiers can carry extra ammunition or body armor, and so forth. These capabilities are achieved without the user operating a separate piece of equipment for lifting, carrying, etc. The wearer's action is intended to be similar to natural muscular and skeletal action, but at greater power.
Where a power assist orthosis is coupled directly to a wearer, the application of force must be limited by the degrees of freedom of the wearer's joints. Prior art attempts to provide power assist devices have been characterized by mechanisms which define idealized and limited rotation axes. The natural degrees of freedom of human joints are not reflected in the joints of the external skeletal members. In Kultsar, for example, the mechanisms associated with the hip joints, knees, elbows, etc. each have only one respective degree of freedom. The mechanism for the hips, for example, defines on each opposite side of the body a rotation axis parallel to the ground surface and passing laterally along the line of the wearer's hip joints. The power applied by the device is thus limited to causing the femur to .swing forward or backward parallel to a vertical plane including the hip joint of the apparatus.
However, the hip joint has additional degrees of freedom, as do other joints of the body. The proximal or hip end of the femur defines a laterally inward bend terminating in a ball which engages the pelvic bone in a ball and socket joint. The hip joint is thus a universal joint capable of positioning the femur at any angle relative to the pelvis and also can rotate the femur relative to its longitudinal axis, subject to maximum limits of angular displacement defined by the ball and socket structures of the joint.
The respective degrees of freedom of a joint can be described with reference to the mutually perpendicular axes of a cartesian coordinate system. A joint such as the hip, shoulder or wrist permits: lateral/medial displacement (for example in the hip joint of a standing person, the rotation of the femur about a substantially vertical axis); flexion/extension (swinging of the leg from front to back about a horizontal axis aligned transversely of the person); and, abduction/adduction (swinging of the leg outwardly and inwardly about a horizontal axis extending forward and rearward). Natural movements such as walking typically include components in each of these degrees of freedom.
If a supplemental joint is modeled to accommodate only certain of the degrees of freedom, it is not possible for the wearer to move naturally. In Kultsar, wherein a hip joint permits only flexion/extension, it is difficult or impossible for the wearer to balance or to move normally using the device. Therefore, even though supplemental power assists in forward/rearward swinging of the leg, the apparatus cannot be used effectively to assist a person in walking or otherwise carrying on normal activities with power assist.
The respective joints vary in their natural limits of displacement as well as in their levels of freedom around the respective axes mentioned. Whereas the hip and shoulder are substantially universal joints, the elbow for example is limited in freedom of abduction/adduction, free in flexion/extension above the aligned position of the forearm and upper arm. Due to the arrangement of the radius and ulna, the forearm between the wrist and elbow is quite free in lateral/medial displacement, allowing rotation of the wrist.
Although it is possible to couple force exerting actuators directly to the user's limbs as described, it is not advantageous in a power assist device to couple to a human joint an external jointed fixture which has the same degrees of freedom as the joint. Whereas the external joint would define degrees of freedom which are centered on the external joint rather than on the biological joint, power applied to the external skeletal members by such a device seeks to move the skeletal members about axes intersecting at the universal joint of the external skeleton rather than axes intersecting at the biological joint. The external device exerts unnatural and potentially injurious force on the bones at the joint because the force is not aligned to axes of freedom of the actual joint between the wearer's skeletal members. An external universal joint of mechanical skeletal members placed alongside the hip joint, for example, defines a center which is displaced laterally from the center of the biological hip joint. As a result, any from the center of the biological hip joint. As a result, any force applied to the external universal joint applies tensile or compressive forces between the two bones of the biological joint. Similar results accrue in other joints. A flexion/extension joint for an elbow, for example, can be placed laterally alongside the elbow, but placing it over or under the elbow applies compression or tension between the bones at the elbow joint, and so forth. In short, it is difficult to accurately reflect the degrees of freedom of a biological joint in an exoskeletal joint, primarily due to the inherent necessity that the exoskeletal joint, which is external to the wearer, be displaced from the biological joint. The problem is acute where a joint has two or more degrees of freedom.

Three axis mechanical joint for a power assist device


Briefly, embodiments of a system, method, and article for receiving a document from a remote device and identifying items in the document. Various operations may be performed based on one or more dependencies of the identified items. For example, additional items may be identified in the document. One or more of the identified items may be parsed. A correspondence between the identified items and a second set of items may be determined. The identified items may be validated based on a set of rules. One or more of the identified items may be transmitted to the remote device in response to the performance of the various operations.

Document information extraction is a service which extracts structured information from unstructured documents. For example, document information extraction may be utilized within a business environment to extract structured information from documents such as invoices, sales orders, delivery notes, payment advices.
In one example, a company may receive invoices from various vendors and may need to extract certain information from these invoices for accounting purposes, such as to ensure that the invoices are paid and are properly recorded. The extracted information may include information such as an invoice number, invoice date, and invoice amount. If the company is relatively small, for example, a single person may be able to manually extract such information from invoices in a relatively time-efficient manner. However, if the company is relatively large, such as a company which receives hundreds (or more) of invoices each week, a single person or a small number of persons may be unable to extract information from the invoices in a time-efficient manner. Moreover, even if a single person or a small number of persons are able to perform such manual tasks, a potential for human error still exists.
In current document extraction processes, information is initially extracted from a document, such as to generate a string of data, such as names, currency, invoice number, and so forth. The information may be parsed into a particular language and formatted into an independent data type, e.g., so that dates such as "Oct. 12, 2018" and "12 Oct. 2018" are each passed into an independent format such as "2018-10-12." The parsed information may be matched to master data, so that a client name such as "ABC Corp." is matched to a customer identifier (ID) such as customer ID 1010, based on a list of master data which has been provided by a customer, for example. The extracted information may also be validated based on business rules. For example, the validation may be performed to ensure that an invoice date extracted from the document is not earlier than the present date on which the information is extracted.
A drawback of current systems, however, is that the extraction, parsing, matching and validating operations are performed in parallel. By performing these operations in parallel, no one operation is aware of other operations running in parallel and therefore any knowledge gained in one of the operations cannot be reused in any other operation. Accordingly, current systems are therefore prone to errors or inaccuracies in information extraction.
Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction of these elements may be exaggerated or adjusted for clarity, illustration, and/or convenience.

Multi-step document information extraction


Disclosed are compositions comprising polymeric nanoparticles and methods of using the same. The polymeric nanoparticles can be conjugated with a targeting ligand that is a substrate for a solid tumor-specific cell protein. The polymeric nanoparticles can also comprises an imaging compound and/or a therapeutic agent encapsulated in the hydrophobic interior of the nanoparticle. A cancer therapeutic composition comprising the nanoparticle is also disclosed. The disclosed nanoparticles can be used to target and deliver imaging and/or therapeutic compounds to cancer cells, thereby identifying and/or treating a solid tumor cell target. Methods for treating cancer, such as lung cancer, using the polymeric nanoparticles are also disclosed.

The complex requirements of modern tumor imaging, such as target specificity, high sensitivity, high spatial resolution, and three-dimensional tomography is not completely obtainable by using single-modal imaging agents (Cheon, J., et al., Synergistically integrated nanoparticles as multimodal probes for nanobiotechnology. Acc Chem Res 2008, 41, 1630-40; Zhao, J., et al., Dual-Modal Tumor Imaging via Long-Circulating Biodegradable Core-Crosslinked Polymeric Micelles. ACS Macro Lett 2012, 1, 150-153; Nayak, S., et al., Folate-mediated cell targeting and cytotoxicity using thermoresponsive microgels. J Am Chem Soc 2004, 126, 10258-9; Kim, C. K., et al., Entrapment of hydrophobic drugs in nanoparticle monolayers with efficient release into cancer cells. J Am Chem Soc 2009, 131, 1360-1; You, C. C., et al., Detection and identification of proteins using nanoparticle-fluorescent polymer 'chemical nose' sensors. Nature Nanotech 2007, 2, 318-23). However, nanoparticles that combine multiple imaging agents, are able to integrate the merits of individual components and compensate for their deficiencies (Singh, M. P., et al., Development of iron-doped silicon nanoparticles as bimodal imaging agents. ACS Nano 2012, 6, 5596-604; Oh, M. H., et al., Large-scale synthesis of bioinert tantalum oxide nanoparticles for X-ray computed tomography imaging and bimodal image-guided sentinel lymph node mapping. J Am Chem Soc 2011, 133, 5508-15; Kim, T., et al., Mesoporous silica-coated hollow manganese oxide nanoparticles as positive T1 contrast agents for labeling and MRI tracking of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. J Am Chem Soc 2011, 133, 2955-61). In particular, X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) is one of the most powerful noninvasive tissue imaging techniques employed in a variety of research and clinical settings (Liu, Y., et al., Nanoparticulate X-ray computed tomography contrast agents: from design validation to in vivo applications. Acc Chem Res 2012, 45, 1817-27; Beck, T., et al., 5-Amino-2,4,6-triiodo-isophthalic acid monohydrate. Acta Crystallographica. Section E, Structure reports online 2008, 64, o1286). Specifically, it allows for high-resolution 3D visual reconstruction and segmentation of a variety of tissue types and organ systems (Schwenzer, N. F., et al., Non-invasive assessment and quantification of liver steatosis by ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance. J Hepatol 2009, 51, 433-45; deKrafft, K. E., et al., Iodinated nanoscale coordination polymers as potential contrast agents for computed tomography. Angew Chemie 2009, 48, 9901-4). This is due to the deep tissue penetration capability of X-rays, which display internal anatomic structures without surgical operations. This property plays an important role in medical diagnoses. Therefore, the construction of well-defined nanostructure such as nanospheres, nanorods and nanowires with such multimodal imaging capabilities has attracted considerable interest (Whitesides, G. M., et al., Molecular self-assembly and nanochemistry: a chemical strategy for the synthesis of nanostructures. Science 1991, 254, 1312-9; Whitesides, G. M., et al., Self-assembly at all scales. Science 2002, 295, 2418-21; Zhang, S.: Fabrication of novel biomaterials through molecular self-assembly. Nature Biotech 2003, 21, 1171-8). To this end, several X-ray blocking nanoparticle systems were developed in the form of iodinated liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, inorganic nanoparticles with gold, bismuth, silver, tungsten and others (Li, X., et al., Contrast agents for preclinical targeted X-ray imaging. Adv Drug Delivery Rev 2014, 76, 116-33; Anton, N., et al., Nanotechnology for computed tomography: a real potential recently disclosed. Pharm Res 2014, 31, 20-34; Jakhmola, A., et al., Inorganic nanoparticles based contrast agents for X-ray computed tomography. Adv Healthcare Materials 2012, 1, 413-31; Li, X., et al., Iodinated alpha-tocopherol nano-emulsions as non-toxic contrast agents for preclinical X-ray imaging. Biomaterials 2013, 34, 481-91; Jakhmola, A., et al., Poly-epsilon-caprolactone tungsten oxide nanoparticles as a contrast agent for X-ray computed tomography. Biomaterials 2014, 35, 2981-6; Iyer, A. S., et al., Self-healing colloidal crystals. Angew Chemie 2009, 48, 4562-6; Nayak, S., et al., Soft nanotechnology with soft nanoparticles. Angew Chemie 2005, 44, 7686-708; Boal, A. K., et al., Self-assembly of nanoparticles into structured spherical and network aggregates. Nature 2000, 404, 746-8). The concentration of heavy atoms is directly linked to the contrast enhancement, which has to be as high as possible. Moreover, the toxicity of the nanoparticles should be as low as possible, which depends on the chemical nature of the nanoparticle components (lipid, polymer, inorganic compounds) and the loading dose of the contrast agent required for good contrast (Attia, M. F., et al., Biodistribution of X-ray iodinated contrast agent in nano-emulsions is controlled by the chemical nature of the oily core. ACS Nano 2014, 8, 10537-50). However, these inorganic nanoparticles have limited applications due to low aqueous dispersibility, long-term instability and higher toxicity (Kattumuri, V., et al., Gum arabic as a phytochemical construct for the stabilization of gold nanoparticles: in vivo pharmacokinetics and X-ray-contrast-imaging studies. Small 2007, 3, 333-41; Hainfeld, J. F., et al., Gold nanoparticles: a new X-ray contrast agent. Br J Radiol 2006, 79, 248-53; Kim, D., et al., Antibiofouling polymer-coated gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent for in vivo X-ray computed tomography imaging. J Am Chem Soc 2007, 129, 7661-5; Eck, W., et al., Anti-CD4-targeted gold nanoparticles induce specific contrast enhancement of peripheral lymph nodes in X-ray computed tomography of live mice. Nano Lett 2010, 10, 2318-22; Chanda, N., et al., Bombesin functionalized gold nanoparticles show in vitro and in vivo cancer receptor specificity. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 2010, 107, 8760-5; Rabin, O., et al., An X-ray computed tomography imaging agent based on long-circulating bismuth sulphide nanoparticles. Nature Materials 2006, 5, 118-22).
Thus, there is a need for compositions and methods for tumor imaging. These needs and other needs are satisfied by the present invention.

Bi-DOTA complex-loaded dendritic polymer nanoparticles

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


The present invention relates to a system and method for generation of strategies of investment in publicly traded stocks and a method of choosing the strategy with capital gain greater than traditional buy and hold strategy. The system and method is capable of generating thousands of investment strategies finding the best strategy delivering the optimal capital gain. The visualization method gives investor ability to analysis dynamics and stability of chosen strategy versus time with the speed of animation. Using Ad the system on a PC with 200-300 MZ CPU the user can analyze 20-40 different views for 5-10 seconds, which otherwise with the traditional technique takes more then 10,000 plots.

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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for generation of strategies of investment in publicly traded stocks and a method of choosing the strategy with capital gain greater than traditional buy and hold strategy. In particular, the invention combines a generation of strategies for day stock trading, method for calculation of capital gain for each strategy based on the historical stock quotes, method for automatic selection of the best strategy, method of fast visual dynamics and stability evaluation of such strategies versus time, and method for selecting stocks for investment potentially giving best capital gains.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various business activities have needs to estimate and plan their business strategies and decisions especially in the area of investments. Investing in publicly traded stocks involves analysis of numerous strategies: what particular stock and when to buy or sell. The ability to perform accurate analysis or predict and choose the optimal strategy plays an important role in the future success. Most of investment decisions are based on the present and past historical data analysis. The typical approach is visualization of data in form of a graph of a parameter versus time, for example price per share for a certain stock versus time. The analysis is performed by calculating the trend of the data and extending the trend into the future, making buy, sell or hold decisions. The predicted trend depends on the multiple assumptions, parameters and conditions. Consideration of multiple combinations of the assumptions and parameter values leads to the comparison of hundreds and thousands graphs. It is difficult and time consuming for an investor or investment analyst to visually evaluate that many combinations of parameters for multiple stocks. As a result the investor or investment analyst is capable of performing only a partial analysis of a subset of the investment strategies and therefore the optimal investment strategy may be missed.
The present invention relates to a computer-based system and method for generation of strategies of investment in publicly traded stocks and a method of choosing the strategy with capital gain greater than traditional buy and hold strategy. The system calculates capital gains for different strategies in form of a strategy matrix using the historical stock data over a period of analysis. The strategy matrix size is typically 100 by 100 covering 10,000 investment strategies. The horizontal axis is responsible for raising stock price, the vertical one for declining stock price. Each axis is subdivided by 100 level. Each level represents a recommended sell price relatively to the opening stock price on the current trading day. The system calculates total capital gain for each of 10,000 permutations of strategies based on the historical data within the period of analysis.
The system calculates stock day sell limit orders for each strategy and for each trading day just after the stock market is open. The calculation is performed based on a formulaxe2x80x94G, FIG. 2, for sell limit or sell stop limit orders. Each order depends on the opening price of the stock versus the closing price on the previous trading day. If the stock gets sold during the trading day, the system automatically creates a recommendation to buy the stock back at the closing of the stock market. Then the system accumulates capital gains or losses for each strategy on a certain viewing date set by the user. The accumulated capital gain or loss is an element of the strategy matrix. Then the system performs the visualization of the strategy matrix by assigning a specific color and brightness to each matrix element. Then the matrix is displayed on the screen of the computer. Areas of the same color of the strategy matrix represent the same level of success for a number of strategies. The brightest pixel or pixels represent the best winning strategy or strategies delivering the maximum capital gain. The best strategy can be easily identified by the user by just looking at the displayed strategy matrix on a computer screen. It is also automatically calculated by the system and displayed in a special field on the computer screen.
The best strategy can be validated using the historical stock data by placing the viewing date in the past. The user can quickly and easily go from one viewing date to another one by scrolling the control bar. The system then recalculates and redisplays the strategy matrix on a new viewing date. The displayed strategy matrix changes with the speed of animation. The brightest spot on the strategy matrix may or may not change the its shape and position versus the viewing date. It gives an ability to quickly analyze the dynamic and stability of the best strategy. The stable position of the brightest spot on the strategy matrix means that the best strategy is stable versus time while changing shape or position of the brightest spot means that the best strategy is changing versus time. Of course, different stock may have different best strategies. Using the system on a PC with 200-300 MZ CPU the user can analyze 20-40 different views for 5-10 seconds, which otherwise with the traditional technique takes more then 10,000 plots, 20 samples each.

Method and system for visual analysis of investment strategies


A thermal printing medium comprising. a substrate having an upper and lower surface; PA0 a heat sensitive layer formed over at least one surface of said substrate and including at least one of a colorless and a lightly colored leuco dye, and a color developing agent which imparts color to said leuco dye; and PA0 a protective layer comprised of aqueous resin and filler agent as main components thereof; PA0 characterized in that said heat sensitive layer is comprising at least one compound indicated by formula (1) ##STR1## (wherein R indicates an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a benzyl group which may have a substitutional group) as a color developing agent, and aluminum hydroxide.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal printing medium comprising a heat sensitive layer and a protective layer disposed on a substrate. More specifically, the present invention relates to a thermal printing medium exhibiting excellent printing stability such as no blurring of letters, high sensitivity, excellent water resistance, resistance to water dissolved plasticizer, as well as excellent chemical resistance and oil resistance. In particular, the present invention relates to a thermal printing medium having suitable characteristics for a thermally printed-type label, and a method for preparing the same.
In general, a thermal printing medium having a heat sensitive layer chiefly comprised of a colorless or a light colored leuco dye, and a color developing agent which imparts color to the leuco dye by thermally reacting with the leuco dye, is disclosed in Japanese Patent First Publication Serial No. 45- 14035. Such a thermal printing medium is used in a great variety of printing applications. In order to print on this thermal printing medium, a thermal printer device with a built-in thermal head is used. Such a thermal printing technique has many advantages, such as producing low noise, requiring no fixing development process, requiring little maintenance, is relatively inexpensive, may be of compact design, and the color of the produced images is very clear compared to that of other ordinary printing techniques. Therefore, thermal printing media are used in a great variety of printing applications, including computer hard copy, facsimile devices, numerous types of measuring instruments which produce printed output, and labels.
However, because the color-producing reaction in the heat sensitive layer, wherein a reaction occurs between the leuco dye and the color developing agent, is reversible, when the thermal printing medium is used under extreme conditions or when the medium contacts certain chemicals, the color-producing reaction may be readily reversed. As a result, the colored images may disappear. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain the thermal printing medium in good condition. In fact, for example, when the thermal printing medium contacts plasticizer included in wrapping films comprised of polyvinyl chloride, fats and oils included in edible lipids, industrial oils, or adhesive agents included in adhesive tapes or glue sticks, the colored images may readily disappear. In order to more widely use the thermal printing medium by improving the chemical resistance thereof, Japanese Patent Second Publication Serial No. 57-188392 for example, proposes a thermal printing medium in which a protective layer is formed over the heat sensitive layer to prevent the penetration of lipophilic chemicals such as plasticizers, oils or the like into the heat sensitive layer.
The stability of images of the thermal printing medium against the lipophilic chemicals of edible fats and the like is improved by forming the protective layer over the heat sensitive layer. However, in the case in which the thermal printing medium is used a label on food, when the label is soaked in water for a prolonged period, the water resistance of the label decreases. Moreover, because the plasticizer included in the food wrapping film diffuses into water and adheres to the label, resistance to water dissolved plasticizer of the food wrapping film is decreased. Therefore, the stability of preservation of the thermal printing medium is not improved satisfactorily by forming the protective layer over the heat sensitive layer. Because the substrate is made of paper and the protective layer is made of aqueous resin namely water soluble resin or water dispersed resin, the water resistance of the substrate and the protective layer is high. Therefore the heat sensitive layer is influenced easily with water or plasticizer dissolved in water.
Moreover a color developing agent is used to improve above-mentioned high water resistance. For examples, as the color developing agent, in particular 2,2'-bisphenolsulfone and 2,2'-bisphenolsulfide compounds are used (Japanese Patent Second Publication Serial No.56-30896). Certain kind of 4,4'-bisphenolsulfide compounds are used (Japanese Patent Second Publication Serial No.57-41996). Bis(3-allyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone is used (Japanese Patent Second Publication Serial No.60-208286). Many other examples suggest the compounds as the color developing agent. However, when above-mentioned compounds are used as the color developing agent, the water resistance is improved, but the fog appears in the background of the medium. Moreover, when the protective layer is formed over the heat sensitive layer, printing sensitivity and printing density of the thermal printing media are deteriorated.
In this way, in spite of many countermeasure are tried to make excellent thermal printing media, in fact the thermal printing medium having satisfactory printing sensitive characteristic, excellent chemical resistance and oil resistance, little fog of background, as well as excellent water resistance and resistance to water dissolved plasticizer, cannot be obtained.

Thermal printing medium and method for preparing the same