A plate for use in fixating the position of a first bone segment relative to a second bone segment, the plate comprising a body portion having a plurality of attachment mechanisms located therein, wherein the attachment mechanisms include: a first group of three attachment mechanisms substantially positioned within 90.degree.-150.degree. of one another about a circle, and preferably within substantially 120.degree. of one another, whereby the first group of attachment mechanisms is designed to facilitate attachment of a plurality of adjustable length struts to the plate; and a second group of attachment mechanisms substantially positioned about the circle that are designed to facilitate attachment of accessories to the plate, wherein the total number of the attachment mechanisms is a multiple of three.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plate for use as part of an external fixation device, and more particularly to a unique hole pattern within the plate.
2. General Background and Description of the Prior Art
Traditional circular ring external fixation devices consist of Ilizarov-type devices that are based on a circumferential external fixator system disclosed by G. A. Ilizarov during the early 1950's. The Ilizarov system includes at least two rings or "halos" that encircle a patient's body member (e.g., a patient's leg), connecting rods extending between the two rings, transfixion pins that extend through the patient's boney structure, and connectors for connecting the transfixion pins to the rings. Use of the Ilizarov system to deal with angulation, translation and rotation is disclosed in "Basic Ilizarov Techniques," Techniques in Orthopaedics.RTM., Vol. 5, No. 4, December 1990, pages 55-59.
The Ilizarov system provides an external fixation frame that allows for gradual correction along and about six axes; however such frames require many parts and are relatively complicated to build and use in a clinical situation. In addition, often orthopedic external fixators such as Ilizarov frames must be modified after their initial application. Such modification may be necessary to convert from one correctional axis to another. Alternatively, such modifications may allow conversion from an initial adjustment type of frame to a weight bearing type frame, since some of the correctional configurations are not stable enough for weight bearing.
The rings used in the Ilizarov devices include a plurality of spaced apertures or holes that allow for the attachment of various accessories to the device. The pattern of Ilizarov ring holes is primarily determined as a function of the diameter of the ring. Conventional wisdom teaches that for any given diameter, the ring should include the maximum number of equally spaced arcuately positioned holes. Those skilled in the art believe that such hole positioning provides the surgeon with the greatest degree of flexibility in constructing the often times complicated and elaborate Ilizarov frame configuration. The Ilizarov ring holes, although equally spaced about a circle, are positioned such that the location of any given hole relative to another hole on additional rings attached thereto, is completely irrelevant.
Applicants have recently developed a new external fixation device known as the Taylor Spatial Frame.TM. external fixator. This device is described and claimed in the allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/782,731 entitled "Orthopaedic Fixation Device." In addition, applicants have developed a unique method of using the Taylor Spatial Frame.TM. fixator that is the subject of allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/726,713 entitled "Method of Using An Orthopaedic Fixation Device." Both of these patent applications are incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed in these prior patents, the Taylor Spatial Frame.TM. fixator, in its preferred embodiment, consists of two ring plates interconnected by six adjustable length struts. This device can be configured to correct virtually an infinite number of deformities, each of which would have otherwise required the construction of a specific custom Ilizarov frame.
As with the prior art Ilizarov fixator, the Taylor Spatial Frame.TM. fixator plates include a plurality of spaced apertures or holes therethrough for attaching accessories to the device. In addition, the plates include plurality of cavities or holes for attachment of the struts to the rings. Applicants have now developed a unique hole placement scheme for the Taylor Spatial FRAME.TM. fixator rings. This unique hole placement scheme takes advantage of the unique nature of the Taylor Spatial Frame.TM. fixator and the unique method of using the same, and provides substantial advantages over the unsystematically placed hole patterns utilized in Ilizarov rings.


A new cultivar of Ilex plant named ‘Screen Play’, that is characterized by its well-branched, dense, upright plant habit with suitablity for use as a hedge or privacy screen, its vigourous growth habit with plants growing an average of 1.5 m per year in Georgia when young, its large leaves that emerge light green tinged with bronze in color and maturing to a deep green color, its leaves that are glossy and spineless with very finely serrated margins, its berries that ripen to a deep red color in early fall and persist on the plant through the winter, its cold tolerance; remaining evergreen in U.S.D.A Zone 7, and its ease of pollination by ambient pollen when grown in Georgia.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ilex integra×latifolia and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Screen Play'. 'Screen Play' represents a new spine-free (consumer friendly) evergreen holly which displays attractive red fruit all winter and is used as a landscape specimen or hedge.
The Inventor discovered the new cultivar, 'Screen Play' in 1994 as a naturally occurring branch mutation of an unnamed and unpatented plant of Ilex integra×latifolia from the Inventor's breeding program that was growing in a trial bed in Saitama City, Japan. The new cultivar was discovered on a plant that was among numerous Ilex integra×latifolia seedings that originated from the Inventor's breeding program in 1987.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor using semi-soft wood cuttings in Saitama City, Japan in 1994. Subsequent asexual propagation by semi-soft wood cuttings from 2004 to 2009 has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A wing-in-ground-effect craft (11) having a loaded canard forewing (13) and a main forward delta configuration wing (15) attached to fore (17) and mid (19) sections of a body (21) respectively. The body (21) is formed with an integral planing hull (23) for amphibious applications, extending rearward to a tail section (25) which incorporates a ducted fan (27), and a vertical stabilizer (29). Rudder (31) is located in the exhaust of the ducted fan (27) for steering the craft (11), and serves as a stator to reduce spiral induced in the airflow exiting the duct (27). The canard forewing (13) has about 12% of the area of the main wing (15), and has inner portions (35) having a dihedral configuration disposed at a first angle of inclination from the vertical of 68°, and outer portion (37) disposed at a first angle of inclination from the vertical of about 91°.

Maritime logistic and supply support relies on the use of marine (water borne) vessels, helicopters and in some cases light aircraft for transportation of materials and personnel to and from offshore facilities and locations.
Typically bulk and heavy material is transported using supply boats, self propelled barges and the like, personnel may be carried on fast crew boats, ferries, helicopters or light aircraft dependent on the facility location, availability of a suitable airstrip and distance from the point of embarkation.
Research suggests that a niche exists in the maritime personnel and light materials transportation environment for distances between 50 and 1,000 miles. Below 50 miles fast surface vessels dominate and beyond 1,000 miles aircraft are the preferred solution. A potential opportunity exists to penetrate this market in the area of fast or "hot shot" logistical response using wing-in-ground-effect technology. However, to date, wing-in-ground-effect technology has gained barely limited acceptance, and at best can only be regarded as being in its infancy.
The wing-in-ground-effect craft, which is alternatively known as a wing-in-surface-effect craft, was first successfully developed in the early 1960's in the former USSR where it was known as "ekranoplan". Subsequent developments in other parts of the world have experimented with varying degrees of success, with different configurations. Russian development work culminated in the 1970's with the development of large waterborne ground-effect craft capable of the rapid deployment of masses of military equipment and personnel in and around the Caspian Sea.
For longitudinal stability nearly all known wing-in-ground-effect craft have relied on a relatively large horizontal tail plane, when compared with aircraft. This horizontal tail plane is nearly one third the size of the main wing in many craft, and sometimes larger. Another design originating in Russia used two equal sized wings in tandem, and in-line, effectively the rearward wing replacing the horizontal tail plane.
It is an object of this invention to provide a wing-in-ground-effect craft having a differing configuration from those hitherto described and used.
Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.


An analysis unit for quantitating detection target substances bound to antibodies includes wells and inclination parts. The wells each have a hole-like shape defined by an opening, an inner circumferential surface, and a bottom. The inclination parts each have an inclined surface connected to the inner circumferential surface and inclined downward such that whose height with respect to the bottom decreases as a distance from an outer circumferential side of the well increases.

The present disclosure relates to an analysis unit, a washing device, and a washing method.
Immunoassays are known that quantitatively analyze disease detection and therapeutic effects by detecting particular antigens or antibodies as specimens associated with diseases. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-127691 (Patent Document 1) discloses an analysis method of fixing antibodies to an analysis substrate in an analysis unit including a plurality of wells, allowing the antibodies to bind to detection target substances, binding the detection target substances to nanoparticles, and counting the number of the nanoparticles, so as to quantitate the detection target substances.
In particular, a buffer solution including antibodies is injected into the wells and then incubated, so as to fix the antibodies to the analysis substrate. After the antibodies are fixed, the excessive buffer solution is sucked by a suction nozzle, and the wells are cleaned with a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution is then sucked with the suction nozzle to dry the wells, and a sample solution including detection target substances is injected to the wells and then incubated, so as to bind the detection target substances to the antibodies.
The sample solution including the detection target substances is then sucked with the suction nozzle, and the wells are cleaned again with a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution is sucked with the suction nozzle to dry the wells, and a buffer solution including nanoparticles is injected to the wells and then incubated, so as to bind the nanoparticles to the detection target substances.
The buffer solution including the nanoparticles is then sucked with the suction nozzle, and the wells are cleaned again with a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution is sucked with the suction nozzle to dry the wells. The analysis substrate thus can be prepared through the above process on which the detection target substances sandwiched between the nanoparticles and the antibodies are captured.

Analysis unit, washing device, and washing method


The invention is directed to a method for rapidly forming a dense pattern of via holes in multilayer electronic circuits in which via holes in the dielectric layers are formed by drilling with an excimer laser under controlled operating conditions.

Vias are electrically conductive paths which are used to connect operably adjoining layers of multilayer circuits. The conventional method for producing vias in multilayer circuits is to screen print a pattern of dielectric paste over an underlying conductive pattern by which via holes are formed by the opaque areas of the screen. The printed dielectric layer is then fired and the via holes are filled by screen printing with a conductive thick film paste. Another method for making vias is to punch holes in a dielectric green (unfired) tape, fill the via holes by screen printing in the above-described manner, and fire the tape to remove the organic medium. These methods for making vias for multilayer circuits are, however, limited in that evenly shaped, symmetrical vias can be made reliably only if they are 8-10 mils in diameter or larger for thick film and 4 mils in diameter or larger for green tape. When it is attempted to make smaller vias by these methods, the via holes tend to fill in during printing and firing.
In an attempt to improve upon the conventional screen printing method, various experimenters have suggested the use of laser drilling to form the vias. For example, Cocca et al. have suggested the laser drilling of unfired thick film dielectrics overlying thick film conductors (Cocca et al, Laser Drilling of Vias in Dielectric for High Density Multilayer Thick Film Circuits, Solid State Technology, September 1978, p 63-66). In drilling via holes by this method, Cocca et al used a pulsed YAG laser at a power level of 42-47 mj using a single laser pulse, which resulted in the removal of the gold conductor pattern underlying the laser-drilled via hole. In addition, Barrett et al. disclosed the laser drilling of fired dielectric layers using a pulsed YAG laser set at 1 W having a Q-rate of 1 kHz. The study showed that the depth of the drilled holes was related directly to the number of pulses at a given power level (Barret et al., A Method for Scanning Electron Microscope Analysis of Laser Drilled Thick Film Vias, Hybrid Circuits, No. 4, Spring 1984, p 61-63).
More recently, Kawasaki et al, in copending patent application S.N. PCT/US 90/06160, filed Oct. 25, 1990, disclosed the use of a laser beam to form via holes in an inorganic insulating (dielectric) layer having a transparent protective layer on a beam-reflective substrate, filling the via holes with thick film paste, removing the protective layer, and then repeating the sequence to obtain the desired number of layers, after which the entire assemblage is cofired.
In addition, Wang in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/739.205 filed Aug. 1, 1991 disclosed a method for drilling via holes in unfired dielectric layers using a YAG laser under carefully controlled operating conditions including a pulse rate of 1 kHz. The pulsed laser beam is positioned by means of a galvonometric beam positioner to facilitate rapid drilling sequence of single holes.
Each of the prior art methods for laser drilling via holes uses either a YAG or CO.sub.2 laser or relatively long wave length lasers, which rely upon the application of intense heat to effect almost explosive ablation of the organic materials. Such methods are suitable for many applications. However, they are less desirable for drilling very small vias because the resolution of the vias is less than desired. Fine via resolution is particularly important when the multilayer device contains dense patterns of vias, e.g. 20 vias/cm.sup.2 or greater.

Method for forming via holes in multilayer circuits


The present disclosure relates to a neural network image identification system and a neural network building system and method used therein. The neural network building method comprises: forming a combination sequence of instruction graphic tags according to a plurality of instruction graphic tags selected by a user and displayed on a screen; combining a plurality of program sets corresponding to the plurality of instruction graphic tags in an order identical to that of contents in the combination sequence of these instruction graphic tags, to generate a neural network program; and checking whether the combination sequence of instruction graphic tags conforms to one or more preset rules before the neural network program is compiled. Therefore, the neural network image identification system is configured to identify an image to be identified captured by an image capturing device, while the neural network image identification program for identifying images by the neural network image identification system can be built by the neural network building system in accordance with needs of users.

Due to the high development of processor technologies, users only need to write an appropriate software program, and then the processor can be used to run the software program so as to realize an effect of automating the operations easily. However, before the appropriate software program can be written and the processor can be driven for automating the operations, the user must get familiar with the programming language suitable for driving the processor. This learning procedure considerably extends the time cost for a beginner to actually finish a job. Taking neural network training as an example, in the case that user-customized functions are provided by the product, as the user may not understand the programming language used in the product, he/she may only be allowed to make some adjustments among various preset parameters, while the purpose of building new functions via the user in the product cannot be achieved.

Neural network image identification system, neural network building system and method


Techniques described herein may be used to encrypt a telephone call between users. User devices (e.g., smart phones) may be connected to encryption relay devices that operate as relays between headsets worn by the user and the user devices. As information passes from the headset toward a corresponding user device, an encryption relay device may encrypt the information before the information reaches the user device so that the user device transmits encrypted call information to the other user participating in the call. When encrypted information is received, and travels from the user device to the headset, the encryption relay device may decrypt the information before it reaches the headset. Thus, the techniques described herein provide an end-to-end encryption solution to telephone calls.

Privacy and security are pervasive issue in many networks and telecommunication systems. In some instances, inadequate security practices can make calls and other communications vulnerable to security issues, such as wiretapping or so-called man-in-the-middle attacks (where a third party listens in on a call by covertly acting as a relay between the communicating parties).


A resilient mouth guard retention apparatus for securing a mouth guard to an exterior surface of a helmet during temporary periods of non-use without permanently deforming said mouth guard. The retention apparatus is configured to provide a mouth guard retention space between the retention apparatus and helmet when the retention member is attached to the helmet and stretched in a first direction away from the helmet and apply an engagement force to a mouth guard when disposed in the mouth guard retention space.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 3.8 million concussions and sports-related mild traumatic brain injuries ("MTBI") occur each year. Concussions, and in many instances, mild traumatic brain injuries, particularly when repeated multiple times, significantly threaten the long-term health of an athlete. The health care costs associated with sports-related traumatic brain injuries are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
As is well known in the art, a concussion is an alteration of consciousness, disturbance in vision and equilibrium caused by a direct blow to the head, rapid acceleration and/or deceleration of the head, or direct blow to the base of the skull from a vertical impact to the chin. Concussions result in complications including severe headaches, dizziness, earaches, facial pain, ringing in the ears, nausea, irritability, confusion, disorientation, dizziness, amnesia, concentration difficulty, blurred vision, sleep disturbance, increased size of one pupil, severe weakness in an arm or leg, photophobia, vertigo, impaired speech and permanent brain damage.
A MTBI is also a traumatically induced alteration in brain function that is manifested by an alteration of awareness or consciousness, including, but not limited to, loss of consciousness, "ding," sensation of being dazed or stunned, sensation of "wooziness" or "fogginess," seizure, or amnesic period; and signs and symptoms commonly associated with post-concussion syndrome.
The CDC estimates that approximately one-third, i.e. 1.2 million, of the concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries (hereinafter "sports-related traumatic brain injuries"), which are "diagnosed" annually, occur playing football. Approximately 63,000 of the sports-related traumatic brain injuries occur annually among high school varsity athletes, with football accounting for about 63% of the cases. Sports-related traumatic brain injuries in hockey affect 10% of the athletes and make up 12%-14% of all injuries.
For example, a typical range of 4-6 sports-related traumatic brain injuries per year in a football team of 90 players (7%), and 6 per year from a hockey team with 28 players (21%) is not uncommon. In rugby, a sports-related traumatic brain injury can affect as many as 40% of players on a team each year.
As indicated, nearly 1.2 million sports-related traumatic brain injuries that are diagnosed annually occur playing football. Since many sports-related traumatic brain injuries go undetected, it is, however, believed that over 2 million football players suffer at least one sports-related traumatic brain injury each season.
Undetected sports-related traumatic brain injuries result from several factors. First, many athletes, particularly, professional athletes, often attempt to "shake it off" when they are hurt to maintain their playing status.
Second, over one-half (½) of high school football teams do not have access to a certified athletic trainer to assess on-field head injuries and/or determine when a player is attempting to mask symptoms of a sports-related traumatic brain injury.
Third, coaches and athletic trainers often do not have access to appropriate tools to monitor, track and/or quantify potentially harmful impacts.
As a result, it is estimated that nearly 80% of sports-related traumatic brain injuries that occur playing football go undetected.
It is also estimated that one-half (½) or more of the sports-related traumatic brain injuries are the result of blows proximate the lower jaw. Indeed, the CDC estimates that approximately 75% of the sports-related traumatic brain injuries that occur while playing football are the result of the lower jaw relaying the shock of impact to the brain.
Considerable research has thus been directed to developing means for dissipating the impact forces applied to the jaw. In 1964, seminal research by Stenger, et. al. indicated that forces from temporomandibular impact could be attenuated with a mouth guard (see Stenger, et al., Mouth guards: Protection Against Shock to the Head, Neck and Teeth, J. Am Dent Assoc, vol. 69, pp. 273-81 (1964)).
Various mouth guard designs have thus been developed to dissipate impact forces and/or shocks to the jaw. Illustrative are the custom mouth guards disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,931,164, 3,532,091, 4,672,959, and 5,339,832.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,164 (Kiely, et al.) discloses an athletic mouth guard including a U-shaped base portion, an upwardly projecting inner flange portion joined to an inner edge of the base portion and an upwardly projecting outer flange portion joined to an outer edge of the base portion. The Kiely, et al. mouth guard is molded from a composition including a light pervious foundation material and a light reflective aggregate distributed throughout the foundation material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,091 (Lerman) discloses a mouth guard that includes a relatively large closed passage-providing portion containing a fluid, either a liquid or a gas. The passage-providing portion is disposed either adjacent the labial surface of the teeth, between the occlusal surfaces of the upper and lower teeth, or in both positions. The closed fluid passage hydrostatically distributes forces exerted at one point thereon over a much greater area, thereby decreasing the detrimental effect of the blow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,959 (May, et al.) discloses a mouth guard that includes a lens-like brace integrally formed in the outer upstanding portion of the elongated shell and positioned on the outer surface of the anterior teeth. The May mouthpiece further includes a thickened connecting portion overlying the biting surface of the posterior teeth to help prevent concussion and to lessen the shock to the tempro mandibular joint in the event of a blow to either the jaw or head.
Indentations are also formed in the thickened connecting portion opposite to the biting surfaces of the user's upper teeth. The indentations have a size and shape complementary to and for receiving the user's lower teeth to form an occlusal index for positioning the user's lower teeth, helping to eliminate the trauma of a blow to the side of the jaw.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,832 (Kittelsen, et al.) discloses a composite mouth guard having a tough, softenable thermoplastic mouth guard portion with a U-shaped base having upwardly extending inner lingual and outer labial walls. A shock absorbing and attenuating non-softening, resilient, low compression, elastomer framework is embedded in the mouth guard portion to absorb, attenuate and dissipate shock forces exerted on the mouth guard.
The Kittelsen, et al. framework also includes posterior cushion pads within the posterior portions of a U-shaped base with enlarged portions in the bicuspid and molar regions of the teeth to fit on the bicuspid teeth adjacent the canine teeth and in the area of the first adult molars, respectively. The cushion pads and enlarged portions, inter alia, prohibit the user from biting too deeply into the soft thermoplastic ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) of the mouth guard portion and to ensure that there is no excessive upward displacement of the anterior portions of the lower mandible.
A transition support portion extends forwardly from the posterior cushion pads and connects to an anterior impact brace. The anterior impact brace has rearwardly protruding anterior cushion pads extending through the upward outer labial wall and contact the anterior teeth of the upper jaw to attenuate and dissipate shock exerted thereto.
The noted mouth guards are not your typical "boil and bite" guards and, hence, can, and in many instances will, cost in the range of $200-$500.
More recently, sensored mouth guards have also been developed to monitor impact forces and accelerations resulting from blows proximate the jaw. The sensored mouth guards are also quite expensive; typically costing in the range of $1500-$2500.
Although the incidences of sports-related traumatic brain injuries can be substantially reduced by using a mouth guard, the ability of a mouth guard to do so is primarily dependent upon the mouth guard properly aligning the jaw of the athlete. Similarly, sensored mouth guards must also be properly aligned to accurately monitor impact forces and accelerations.
Since many of the available mouth guards, including the aforementioned mouth guards, do not include tethers or other fastening means to retain (or store) the mouth guard, many athletes wedge the mouth guard snugly between the bars of the facemask or simply hold the mouth guard with their teeth. Such actions can, and in many instances will, deform the mouth guard, resulting in misalignment of the mouth guard and, hence, jaw when re-inserted in the mouth.
It would thus be desirable to provide apparatus, systems and methods for safely securing mouth guards to a variety of helmets that maintains the integrity of the mouth guard.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide mouth guard retention means and associated methods for securing mouth guards during non-use to a variety of helmets that maintain the integrity of the mouth guards.
It is another object of the present invention to provide mouth guard retention means and associated methods that facilitate quick and easy placement, retention and removal of mouth guards.


A wellness apparatus consisting of elastic material in which vibrations can be stimulated. Weights can be added to the ends of the object to allow different exercise purposes. The apparatus is provided for the fitness, wellness, leisure sports and aerobics field.

The invention relates to a wellness apparatus made from elastic material, consisting essentially of a rod or bar-shaped object.
Kinetic therapy apparatus made from elastic material, consisting essentially of a rod or bar-shaped object, are known. Apparatus of this type, as the name already indicates, are meant for the therapeutic treatment of tenseness and for the loosening up of tense muscles.
The known therapy apparatus are used for the treatment of neuromuscular damages, respectively impairments. This is the treatment of a disturbed interaction of nerves and muscles. This can be blockades as well as partial or total interruptions of the usual neural transmission at the motor endplate.
Here the sequences of movements with these known therapy apparatus have to be learned first under the supervision of a therapist, before the patient can start with his own exercises.
A device indicated as therapy apparatus is, for example, known from the DE 199 56 957. The therapy apparatus described here are apparatus whose rod-shaped objects are made from high quality spring steel. The cross section of these known therapy apparatus is circular and has a small cross section surface. A number of weights can be arranged with different distances on the rod-shaped object by means of clamping screws. In order to change the vibration frequency additional absorbing elements can be arranged at the object.
The design in spring steel as well as the design of the weights and the additional arrangement of the absorbing elements result in a high individual weight of these known therapy apparatus which leads to the result that exercises can be carried out only over a short period of time. The handling of the apparatus over a longer period of time is reduced essentially by the high individual weight. Whether in particular a successful influence on the neuro-interaction of nerves and muscles is possible, seems questionable because of the high weight. It is more likely that the exercising person risks a cramp of the musculature and other injuries because of the high weight, so that this apparatus is not suitable for the non-therapeutic field. In addition to that the weights stimulated to vibrations can also be a risk for the health. The production of therapy apparatus of this type is, because of the high requirements for precision, the high quality material as well as the quality demands, which are as a total made on the production of therapeutic apparatus, is very expensive.
From the DE 200 01 973 an aerobics bar made from fiber glass laminate is known. At the ends of the bar unprotected heads with a weight of about 100-150 grams with a corresponding thickness are arranged. The bar also has handles at its sides which allow a use of the bar as expander. The bar is supposed to have a better practice effect on the musculature.
If this bar is stimulated to vibrations, the result are vibrations so large that a neuromuscular treatment by means of this type of design is not possible. The large vibrations are a result of the large elasticity because of the simultaneous use as expander. This aerobics bar therefore only allows exercises for physical training without influence on the neuromuscular system. In addition to that the danger of injuries through the weights provided at the ends is enormous.
The object of the invention, based on the therapy apparatus described above, is to provide a safe apparatus, which can be used in the field of wellness, sports and leisure as well as in the aerobics. The use for carrying-out of exercises for strengthening the musculature in the neuromuscular field shall be possible for everybody without the supervision of a therapist.


A capacitive touch panel is disclosed herein. The capacitive touch panel includes a plurality of bottom electrodes formed in a first direction and a plurality of top electrodes formed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the bottom electrodes includes a plurality of first protruding electrodes formed on the first side of the second direction with respect to an imaginary centerline, and formed in an alternately protruding and recessed form along the imaginary centerline, and a plurality of second protruding electrodes formed on a second side of the second direction with respect to the imaginary centerline, formed in an alternately protruding and recessed form along the imaginary centerline, and formed at locations interleaved with respect to those of the first protruding electrodes.

Personal computers (PCs), portable transmission devices, and other personal dedicated information processing devices perform text and graphics processing and the like via various input devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a digitizer.
Input devices including only a keyboard and a mouse cannot deal with the extended uses of products, such as PCs, as input devices used for interfaces. Accordingly, there has been a need for an input device that is simpler than a conventional keyboard and mouse, that can reduce erroneous manipulations, that enables anyone to easily perform input operations, and that enables characters to be entered by a hand while it is being carried. In particular, a touch panel is known as an input device that is simple, that reduces erroneous manipulations, that enables anyone to perform input operations while carrying the input device, and that enables characters to be entered without another input device. The detection method, structure and performance thereof are well known.
Such touch panels include: resistive touch panels (screen) in which two sheets having respective resistance components that are disposed such that they are separated by a spacer and are brought into contact with each other by pressing have been combined with each other; capacitance touch panels in which current continuously flows along the surface of a panel and electrons flowing along liquid crystals are attracted to a contact point when a finger or conductor comes into contact with a screen, thereby achieving recognition; Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) touch panels; optical (infrared) sensor touch panels; and electromagnetic touch panels.
Resistive touch panels are configured in a form in which a plurality of films (screens) is stacked on top of each other on liquid crystals. Resistive touch panels include a film disposed on the outermost side (a portion with which a hand or pen comes into contact) and made of material that is soft and robust to scratches, a film configured to mitigate impacts, and two transparent conductive films (thin transparent conductive substrates) configured to detect input, which are sequentially superimposed on top of each other.
Accordingly, resistive touch panels enable a screen to be touched with not only a finger but also a stylus pen (a touch pen) and almost all objects that can be held in a hand of a user, and are advantageous for successive handwriting inputs or small icon touches. Since the manufacturing costs of resistive touch panels are inexpensive because the principle thereof is simple, resistive touch panels are the most widely applied touch panels. Principal devices employing resistive touch panels include portable game consoles, such as the Nintendo DS, and mobile phones, such as Samsung Anycall Haptic phones and LG Cyon Cooky phones. These devices support handwriting input method-based games, or provide neat user interfaces.
Capacitive touch panels are based on a method using static electricity that is present in the human body. That is, current is made to continuously flow along liquid crystal glass by coating the liquid crystal glass with a conductive compound, and electrons flowing on the liquid crystal glass are attracted to a contact point when a finger comes into contact with a screen. Then, sensors present at corners of the touch screen detect the electrons and thus identify an input.
Accordingly, capacitive touch panels enable touch input to be performed even by slightly grazing a screen (which presents emotional sensations), and support multi-touch functionality (which enables the concurrent recognition of a plurality of contact points). Furthermore, since the liquid crystal glass coated with a dielectric (a conductive compound) is used, there is no concern about a reduction in image quality. Principal devices employing capacitive touch panels include most smart phones that have been recently released. The capacitance input method of capacitive touch panels is appropriate for the application of effective user interfaces to small screens, such as those of the above products. Recently, tablet PCs (such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Apple iPad, etc.) equipped with screens larger than those of mobile phones have attracted attention. Most of these tablet PCs employ capacitance touch screens rather than resistive touch screens.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a conventional capacitive touch panel.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional capacitive touch panel includes a plurality of bottom transparent electrodes 110, a plurality of top transparent electrodes 120, and electrode terminals 130 and 140 connected to the respective electrodes. It will be apparent that the conventional capacitive touch panel may include components, such as a cover made of tempered glass or reinforced plastic and an optical transparent adhesive, in addition to the components shown in FIG. 1. Since these components are apparent to those skilled in the art, detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.
The plurality of bottom transparent electrodes 110 may be each formed linearly in a first direction, for example, a lateral direction (an x axis direction), and may be formed on a lower transparent substrate (not shown).
In this case, the plurality of bottom transparent electrodes 110 may be disposed at predetermined gaps in a second direction, for example, a vertical direction (a y axis direction).
The plurality of top transparent electrodes 120 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the plurality of bottom transparent electrodes 110. That is, the plurality of top transparent electrodes 120 is formed in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
In this case, the plurality of top transparent electrodes 120 may be formed on an upper transparent substrate (not shown).
In the conventional capacitive touch panel configured as described above, a mutual capacitance value is generated between the bottom transparent electrode 110 and the top transparent electrode 120 at each point where the electrodes intersect each other. When the human body comes into contact with or approaches the point, part of the mutual capacitance value generated at the intersection point is transferred to the human body due to the virtual ground phenomenon of the human body. In this case, the mutual capacitance value is reduced at the intersection point, and the recognition of contact with the human body and coordinate calculation are performed based on the change in mutual capacitance.
In the conventional capacitive touch panel, the bottom transparent electrodes 110 are arranged at gaps of about 5 mm based on a diameter ranging from 5 to 6 mm, which corresponds to a human body contact area. The bottom transparent electrodes 110 may be arranged at gaps of a maximum of 6.5 mm based on the material and thickness of the cover.
However, when the number of electrodes or electrode terminals available in the structure of the conventional capacitive touch panel is insufficient, the electrodes are arranged at wider gaps, for example, gaps of 10 mm. In this case, a problem arises in that it becomes difficult to identify contact with the human body, with the result that it becomes difficult to calculate accurate coordinates. That is, the electrode structure of the conventional capacitive touch panel has a problem in that it cannot guarantee coordinate linearity.
Therefore, there is a need for a touch panel that can guarantee coordinate linearity even when the number of available electrodes is insufficient and thus can provide the accurate coordinate values of a touched location.


A measurement system and an associated method for determining the positions of multiple antennas to centimeter level accuracy. The system involves minimal incremental hardware cost per additional antenna to be tracked. The primary frequency RF signals are processed by a primary frequency RF section dedicated to each antenna. The secondary frequency RF signals from all the antennas are multiplexed and input to a secondary frequency RF section corresponding to each secondary RF frequency. A correlator derives code and carrier phase for the processed primary and secondary frequency RF signals. A processor thereafter reconstructs the carrier phase for the secondary frequency RF signals. The processor finally uses these reconstructed phases to resolve carrier cycle ambiguities and to determine the position of the antennas.

The present invention relates to GPS measurement systems, and more particularly with a measurement system and a method for tracking an object using a number of multi-frequency antennas.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite based navigation system having a constellation of 24 Earth orbiting satellites. These satellites are approximately uniformly dispersed around six circular orbits having four satellites each. Theoretically, four or more GPS satellites are visible from most points on the Earth's surface.
Each GPS satellite presently transmits at two frequencies: L1 (1575.42 MHz) and L2 (1227.60 MHz). There exists provision (for the future) for a third frequency L5 (1176.45 MHz) as well. The L1 frequency has two different spread-spectrum codes modulated on it: a coarse acquisition (C/A) code and a Y code. The C/A code is an unclassified code intended for civilian navigation. It has a chipping rate of 1.023 MHz and a sequence length of 1023 chips. The Y code is a classified unknown code; people doing research in this area have found it to be the product of two codes: a precise (P) code and a W code. The P code is an unclassified code with a chipping rate of 10.23 MHz. The P code is long enough that it does not repeat during a week; it is reset at the beginning of the GPS week for each satellite. The P code is mixed with the classified W code to get an encrypted Y code. The W code has been empirically found to have a chipping rate of approximately 500 KHz. The Y code is modulated onto the L1 carrier in quadrature with the C/A code and with half the power of the C/A code. The Y code is also modulated onto the L2 carrier signal with half the power of L1 Y code. Both C/A and P codes are unique for each satellite.
GPS receivers are commonly used for a variety of applications involving tracking of the position of various objects. The object to be tracked is coupled to one or more GPS antennas that receive signals from the GPS satellites. Depending upon the level of accuracy and response time desired by a user, an appropriate method of obtaining position of an object using GPS can be adopted.
A commonly used method that yields the position information (within meters) is the pseudorange method. This method utilizes the C/A code and/or the P code modulated onto the carrier signals from the GPS satellites.
Use of a reference antenna that employs carrier phase measurements and has known coordinates can further enhance the accuracy of position determination of the antennas. Differential carrier phase GPS measurement is a technique which determines the position of a given antenna with respect to a reference antenna. The other antennas, known as roving antennas, are free to roam around. Measurements of the carrier phase at the reference antenna and the roving antennas are used to calculate the relative position of the antennas to centimeter level accuracy. Before the carrier phase measurements can be used for determining position accurately, the carrier cycle ambiguity or the number of complete carrier cycles between the antennas (reference antenna and roving antennas) must be determined.
Typically, the conventional approach for resolving carrier cycle ambiguities starts with a code-based differential GPS solution. Thereafter, the integer count for all the L1 satellite signals used in the position solution is determined. The integer solution is often ambiguous due to errors induced by receiver noise and multipath for both code and carrier based measurements. The integer solution is averaged over a period of time to converge on the exact solution. This process benefits from the intervening satellite motion. However, the process may take from a single measurement to several minutes worth of data to yield the correct integers depending on the number of satellites, the quality of the phase measurements and the desired level of confidence.
Dual frequency receivers that utilize both L1 and L2 frequency signals can determine carrier cycle ambiguities much faster than a single frequency receiver. A technique that uses both L1 and L2 phase measurements is faster than the one using just L1 carrier phase measurements. The phase of the L2 carrier is used to assist in resolving the carrier cycle ambiguity of the L1 signals.
The L1 carrier can be recovered by using a standard code correlation technique as the C/A code is known for each of the satellites. The L2 carrier signal is encrypted, thus only military GPS receivers that are aware of the encryption key can reconstruct the L2 signal with high accuracy. Civilian receivers can also reconstruct the L2 carrier signal using any of the known standard techniques, most of which derive the L2 carrier using the L1 carrier. However, the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of resulting L2 signal is lower than L2 signals reconstructed using military receivers.
Typically, GPS receivers employ dedicated RF sections for both the L1 and the L2 frequencies for every antenna to be tracked. The RF section down converts L1 and/or L2 RF signal and samples the signals for further processing. However, it may be prohibitively expensive to have a dedicated L1/L2 RF section for each antenna to be tracked. Moreover, in applications where it is desirable to track the position of multiple GPS antennas on a moving platform, the resulting system becomes very bulky. GPS receivers used for such applications usually employ multiplexing of both L1 as well as L2 signals to reduce the hardware cost. A patent that refers to such a GPS receiver is U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,170 titled 'Enhanced Attitude Determination System Using Satellite Navigation Receiver With Antenna Multiplexing', granted to Trimble Navigation Limited, Sunnyvale, Calif. Yet another patent that describes a system that multiplexes RF signals for multiple antennas is U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,448 titled 'Attitude Determination System With Sequencing Antenna Inputs', granted to Rockwell Science Center Inc. of Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Although, some of the abovementioned patents do refer to multiplexing for reducing the hardware cost, the SNR for L1/L2 measurements is low as the RF sections receive signals only for a fraction of the time. Hence, there exists a need for a system that derives L1/L2 signals with a high SNR and low hardware cost.

Multiple antenna multi-frequency measurement system


Disclosed is a scale so marked with centimeters and inches that inch-and-foot marks are made on the basis of the correct metric set of marks to be recurrently in alignment with selected metric marks at every spatial period, Thus, the exact linear measurement is permitted according to the metric system, and at the same time, the approximate inch-and-foot linear determination is permitted readily by sight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scale having two sets of numbers at exactly fixed distance apart for measuring things, and more particularly to a measuring instrument marked with a metric scale and a inch-and-foot scale for the sake of facilitating the conversion from one to the other. In the general tendency of transition to the metric system such a scale is useful in inducing workers who are still measuring things in terms of inches and feet in the architectual fields to get used to the metric system.
2. Prior Arts
Scales are widely used for measuring the lengths of different things not only in architectural works but also in homeworks. The scale is the most primitive one of all the tools used in architectural works.
A variety of scales such as a architect's scale, an engineer's scale or module are used. The word, "scale" used herein after should be understood as including every sort of scale actually used for measuring the lengths of things.
As is well known, different measuring systems are used in the world. For instance, in America and other countries things are measured in terms of inch and foot. This is especially so in building wooden houses and big buildings. There is, however, an active movement for world-wide standardization of linear measurement. In the TAG8 international standardization of linear measurement in architecture, the metric system is adopted as measure of length, one meter being equal to one hundred millimeters (1M=100 mm). Thus, it has been popular that scales marked with inches are additionally marked with centimeters. Such scales have two sets of marks parallel arranged with the proportion of 1 foot to 304.8 millimeters, and 1 inch to 25.4 millimeters in marking.
Thus, one can find the corresponding number of metric system from given number of feet or inches on the scale. This sort of scale, however, is designed in principle for linear measurement in terms of feet or inches, permiting conversion to the metric system only when occasions demand. Use of such scales makes for the continuous use of inches and feet in measuring things in architectural fields, making it difficult to use the metric system alone no matter how long a period workers may use and get used to such scales. As a matter of fact, it is very difficult to induce them to get used to the metric system so far as such scales are used; they are actually used as the inch-and-foot scale.
Also, when given lengths determined in terms of inch and foot are converted to corresponding metric measurement, required calculations must be effected by using a conversion rate, which is given decimally (for instance, with the aid of desk calculators). No matter how far the conversion rate may be decimally determined, the conversion rate itself contains more or less errors, and therefore, conversion into the metric system will ineviably cause some errors.
The above description is directed to conversion of inches or feet into centimeters and meters. This is also the case with "SUN" and "SHAKU", which are used as units in linear measurement in Japan. The inventor invented a scale facilitating conversion of "SUN" or "SHAKU" into the metric system, and filed a utility model application on Jul. 15, 1986 in Japan. The application was registered as Utility Model Registration No. 3,007,370.
The conversion rate is determined so that 1 "SHAKU" may be equal to 33+(1/3) centimeters for the purpose described later, and a set of marks are made on the basis of 1 "SHAKU" for every ten "SUN"s on the surface of long instrument. This is not correct from the mathematical point of view. Such apparent equality between the two different measuring systems, however, has the effect of putting selected marks in alignment in different measuring systems, giving still permissible approximation in conversion from the metric measurement to "SUN"- or "SHAKU". Workers realize that measurement based on centimeters and meters is correct, and therefore, they will be led to use of metric system when they get used to such scales.
As a matter of course such scales cannot be applied directly to conversion of inch or foot into centimeter or meter; the measuring system using "SUN" or "SHAKU" as units of length is totally different from the measuring system using inch or foot as units of length.


The invention provides for compositions and methods for interfering with Hepatitis B viral infection that are based on the interaction of Hepatitis B virus X protein with a novel proteasome subunit.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection leads to a wide spectrum of liver injury varying from acute self-limited infection, fulminant hepatitis, asymptomatic healthy carrier state, to chronic hepatitis with progression to cirrhosis and liver failure. Moreover, chronic HBV infection has been linked to the subsequent development of hepatocellular carcinoma, a major cause of death from cancer worldwide. The pathogenesis of liver injury due to acute and chronic HBV infection is not well understood at present. The virus does not exert a cytopathic effect on hepatocytes; hepatotoxicity is likely a sequela of host immune responses to HBV antigens. In addition to hepatotropism, HBV infection has been associated with many other systemic immunological diseases such as polyarteritis nodosa, serum sickness-like syndrome, glomerulonephritis, and aplastic anemia. Therefore, the host immune responses to HBV-related antigens plays a major role in the pathogenesis of disease associated with HBV infection.
HBV is a partially double-stranded circular genome enclosed in a core structure surrounded by a lipid bilayer envelope containing Hepatitis B surface protein. HBV has a unique fourth open reading frame coding for a 16 kDa protein known as HBX. HBX appears to possess multiple functions. It activates a variety of viral and cellular promoters in diverse cell types (Colgrove et al., J. Virol. 63:4109-4026, 1989; Seto et al., Nature 344:72-74, 1990; Maguire et al., Science 252:842-844, 1991; Cross et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:8078-8082, 1993), and therefore is a transactivator. Although the X protein does not bind to DNA directly, it activates transcription when it is targeted to a promoter by fusion to a heterologous DNA binding domain (Seto et al., supra; Maguire et al., supra; Cross et al., supra; Unger et al., The Eur. Mol. Biol. Org. J. 9:1889-1895, 1990). The protein has also been shown to function through AP-1 and AP-2 (Seto et al., supra) and to interact directly with members of CREB/ATF transcription factor family (Maguire et al., supra). Furthermore, a "Kunitz domain," characteristic of kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors, is present in HBX, and mutation of this consensus sequence inactivates the transactivation function of HBX (Takada et al., Jpn. J. Cancer Res. 81:1191-1194, 1990). In a transgenic mouse model, HBX has been shown to induce development of hepatocellular carcinoma (Kim et al., Nature 315:317-320, 1991). HBX also has been shown to play an essential role in HBV infection in vivo (Chen et al., J. Virol. 67:1218-1226, 1993; Zoulim et al., J. Virol. 68:2026-2030, 1994).
Eucaryotic cells contain multiple proteolytic systems, including the lysosomal proteases, calpains, the ATP-ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent pathway, and an ATP-independent nonlysosomal process. The major neutral proteolytic activity in the cytosol and nucleus is the proteasome, a 20S (700 kDa) particle with multiple peptidase activities. The function of the proteasome in vivo is not fully understood. However, the processing of protein antigens is believed to be accomplished by proteins of the proteasome complex. That is, small peptides are generated via proteolysis of large antigens, and are presented in the context of multiple histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules to T lymphocytes to initiate an immune response.
One object of the invention is the identification and characterization of cellular targets of HBX.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel cellular protein target of HBX.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide compounds that interfere with Hepatitis B virus infection by preventing productive interaction between HBX and a cellular protein target.

Compositions and methods for interfering wtih hepatitis B virus infection


This is a method and apparatus for drying microalgae/microalgal products which have been harvested and strained of excess water by a spray drying process. The method comprises, obtaining drying gas from a burner in which metered input air for combustion is mixed with fuel at or before a dryer gas heating burner and which does not require oxygen in the drying gas that is heated; using the drying gas to dry the microalgae/microalgal products in a spray dryer; separating dryed microalgae/microalgal products from moist drying gas in a cyclone; scrubbing and dehumidifying the moist drying gas; recycling the scrubbed and dehumidified drying gas to the dryer gas heating burner; and, venting a portion of the drying gas equivalent in volume to combustion gases generated in the burner. Scrubbing and dehumidifying is accomplished by spraying the moist drying gas with sea water at a temperature below 60.degree. F. Also, the method includes recovering carbon dioxide from vented drying gas by directly contacting the vented drying gas with algal culture media.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for the preparation of microalgae and microalgal products, and, more particularly, in a system for drying microalgae/microalgal products which have been harvested from an algal culture media-processing source and strained of excess water by a spray drying process it relates to an improvement by which oxidation of the microalgae/microalgal products is minimized and carbon dioxide is recovered and recycled to the algal culture media-processing source comprising, a burner for producing heated drying gas in which metered input air for combustion is mixed with fuel at or before a dryer gas heating burner and which does not require oxygen in drying gas which is heated; spray dryer means for using the heated drying gas from the burner to dry the microalgae/microalgal products; cyclone means for separating dryed microalgae/microalgal products from moist drying gas; means for scrubbing and dehumidifying the moist drying gas; means for recycling scrubbed and dehumidified drying gas to the dryer gas heating burner; means for venting a portion of the drying gas equivalent in volume to combustion gases created in the burner; a tank having an inlet receiving a flow of algal culture media from the algal culture media-processing source and an outlet returning the flow of algal culture media to the algal culture media-processing source; means for introducing the vented portion of the drying gas into the tank; and, means for mixing the portion of the drying gas through the algal culture media in the tank.
Microalgae are a potential source of food, fuel, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Microalgae are typically harvested from culture systems by screening, filtration, sedimentation, and centrifugation, or a combination thereof. Once harvested, microalgal cells contain from 85% to 90% water. The high water content is due to internal water in the cells that cannot be removed by mechanical means. As a result, drying of microalgae according to known prior art techniques is energy intensive and costly, accounting for as much as 30% of the production cost. In addition, many components of microalgae, such as beta-carotene and enzymes, are quickly oxidized if exposed to oxygen during the drying process.
Numerous methods have been used to dry microalgae and their products. Richmond et al. review drying methods applicable to microalgae in the Handbook of Microalgal Mass Culture as do Borowitzka et al. in Micro-Algal Biotechnology. These methods include sun drying on sand, sun drying on plastic sheets, drum drying in single and double drum dryers, and spray drying. Spray drying has the advantage of producing finely powdered microalgal products which are easily tabletted or blended with other components.
Masters reviews the present state-of-the-art of spray drying and also recommends methods applicable for microalgae in the fifth edition of the Spray Drying Handbook. For drying microalgae, Masters recommends an open-cycle spray dryer with a particular direct-fired air heater. As with drum drying, open-cycle spray drying with direct-fired air heaters exposes microalgae to elevated temperatures (140.degree.-200.degree. F.) and high oxygen concentrations (19-20%); and, offers no means for recovery of carbon dioxide produced in the dryer's burner.
In the Spray Drying Handbook, process layouts are discussed for spray drying. In particular, a semi-closed-cycle layout with a direct air heater is presented. The advantage of this type of spray dryer layout is that, with the proper type of burner, oxygen can be virtually eliminated from the recycled drying gas. Hence, oxygen-sensitive products are not oxidized during the drying process. The semi-closed-cycle layout and all other prior art closed-cycle layouts use a scrubber to remove product dust from the recycled drying gas and a separate condenser to dehumidify the recycled drying gas. There is also no mention or suggestion of recovery of carbon dioxide produced by combustion in the dryer burner.
Wherefore, it is the object of this invention to provide a process and associated apparatus for drying microalgae and microalgal products by employing a semi-closed-cycle layout wherein a low oxygen content is maintained in the recycled drying gas and wherein carbon dioxide is recovered from the recycled drying gas.
Other objects and benefits of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.

Ocean-chill drying of microalgae and microalgal products


An apparatus is disclosed for dispensing sheet material from a roll comprising a base supporting a shaft for extending through a core of a roll of the sheet material. A handle is slidably mounted relative to the shaft with a magnetic force located therebetween. The magnetic force spaces a stop surface of the handle from the roll of the sheet material for enabling the roll of the sheet material to rotated about the shaft to dispense sheet material from the roll. The handle enables an operator to slide the stop engaging surface against the roll of the sheet material for inhibiting rotation of the sheet material about the shaft to tear the dispensed sheet material from the roll.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dispensing and more particularly to an improved apparatus for dispensing a sheet material from a roll.
2. Background of the Invention
Various types of apparatuses have been proposed by the prior art for dispensing a sheet material from a role. Dispensers for dispensing a sheet material form a roll have been used in commercial as well as consumer applications. Among the most common sheet dispensers are the dispensers for dispensing a sheet of paper towels from a paper towel roll.
In a typical paper towel dispenser, a roll of paper towels is retained by a shaft extending through a core of the paper towel roll. The shaft is supported for enabling the paper towel roll to rotate on the shaft for dispensing paper towels thereby. In order to tear a sheet of the dispensed paper towel from the paper towel roll, the paper towel roll must be stopped from rotating about the shaft. Accordingly, dispensing of paper towels from the dispenser was a two-hand operation. One hand was required to inhibit rotation of the paper towel roll and one hand was required to tear the dispensed sheet of paper towel from a roll.
This two-handed operation was problematic when an operator had two soiled hands. The soiled hand required to inhibit rotation of the paper towel roll soiled the paper towels remaining on the paper towel roll. The following U.S. Patents are examples of attempts of the prior art to solve this problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,376 to F. A. Compton discloses a support for conventional roll of perforated paper towel including a base for mounting on a vertical or horizontal surface. A support rod is perpendicular to said base for holding the towel roll. A manually operable braking device impedes the unrolling of the towels when one is being torn off the roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,345 to J. Cotey discloses a portable dispenser for rolled paper products such as sheet material, comprising a base member and a cap member. The base is disc-shaped with an inwardly dished conical inner face. A centrally located upstanding retention means for non-rotatably engaging one end of the hollow inner core of a roll of sheet material, coaxial with the disc, projects from this inner face. An upstanding flange encircles the circumference of the disc, encasing one axial end of a roll of towels. The disc-like base has a flat, smooth outer face having a centrally located pivot on which the base member will rotate. The cap member is also disc-shaped with an inwardly dished conical inner face. A centrally located upstanding retention means for non-rotatably engaging the opposite end of the hollow inner core of the roll of sheet material projects from this inner face of the cap member. An upstanding knob or handle with an optional closed top projects from the outer face of the cap. The base member can be placed on any horizontal support surface so that the towel roll is held vertically. With one hand grasping or pushing down on the upstanding knob of the cap member, towel sheets may be pulled from the roll with the other hand. The entire dispenser assembly rotates about the center axis on the pivot of the base member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,053 to R. F. Vance discloses a holder for a roll of paper which has a base shaped to prevent tipping over and which is provided with an upstanding pole for holding a roll of paper in place between a cap and the base. Upstanding parallel spaced guides guide the sheets of paper for removal and impeding material is placed on the base and pole to impede removal of the sheets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,385 to R. Bell discloses a dispensing device including a base having an upstanding post with a gripping means on the upper end biased to a first position and movable to a second position. The hollow post telescopingly receives a roll of articles separated into individual segments and the gripping means can be pushed from the first position to frictionally grip the roll between the base and the gripping means so that the article can easily be separated from the roll without any rotation of the roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,179 to M. Morano discloses a dispenser for dispensing a paper sheet from a paper roll having a core. The dispenser can have a spindle made of two separate sleeves. The sleeves are inserted in opposite ends of the core and frictionally retained therein. A support is rotatably mounted in one sleeve to support the roll. A brake member is rotatably mounted in the other sleeve and selectively cooperates therewith to brake rotation of the roll on the support.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,377 to A. K. Chalmers discloses an animal waste plastic bag dispenser which stores a cylindrical roll of bags in a rotatable manner. A central core receives the roll rotatably, and is fixed between top and bottom plates. A cutting blade is disposed between the top and bottom plates to facilitate the separation of bags from the roll seriatim. A device compresses the end of the roll of plastic bags thereagainst, to prevent or limit free rotation of the roll of plastic bags when the device is transported. After a bag is separated from its roll for use in retrieving and confining refuse, such as animal waste, the bag can be attached to the dispenser thereby establishing the user to transport a used bag to a place of disposal. In addition, the dispenser includes a device for restraining an animal during a cleanup operation so as to prevent the animal from interfering with the operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,956 to W. R. McTaggart discloses a dispenser for rolled sheet material comprising a base, with a mandrel having a free end projecting from the base. The mandrel is receivable in the core to rotatably support the roll of material. A brake mechanism carried by the mandrel responds to longitudinally inwardly directed pressure on the free end of the mandrel by frictionally engaging the core to retard rotation of the roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,136 to S. V. Othman discloses an invention that relates to a paper roll holder with a brake for dispensing use of paper rolls or the like. The paper roll holder comprises a heavy base to which two column-like parts are fixed, against which the paper roll rests and in between which the paper runs and which at their ends have suitably shaped cutting edges or serration, if the paper web is not perforated. A split ring member including ring and wedge-shaped parts as well as a cover with a spring fixed to it are mounted in bearings to the column-like parts and a spring fixed to the base are all pressing the paper roll against the column-like parts. The form, roughness and weight of the cover and column-like parts the split ring member and the the spring forces of the springs are chosen so that by pulling the paper it easily unwinds but the paper breaks off with a little jerk using only one hand. In the roll holder also, paper rolls without a core can be used and then springs in the cover and base are not needed, or the holder can be built without the split ring member, in which case only the springs press the paper roll against the column-like parts. The holder is normally placed on the table but can also, by transforming the base, be fixed to the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,141 to M. S. Kanbar discloses a holder for a paper towel roll in which wound about a tubular core is a band of absorbent paper sheeting divided by perforation lines into a series of interconnected towel sections. The roll is rotatably supported by the holder to permit a user to unwind the leading towel section from the roll and tear it off. To facilitate extraction of a single towel section from the roll without causing it to further unwind, a stop element is provided. The element is formed by a cap and a plug projecting therefrom, the plug being received in one end of the tubular core whereby the cap then abuts an end of the roll. In operation, as the user with one hand tears off the unwound leading section of the roll, with his other hand presses the cap of the stop element to arrest rotation of the roll and further unwinding thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,687 to I. Liu discloses an easily tear-off tissue holder including a base, a shaft connected with and standing on the base, a fix rod connected with the shaft and having a slide hole for an upper small diameter connect rod of the shaft to fit and move up and down therein, and a press member connected on top of the fix rod to press down the fix rod and an elastic cylindrical member. When the press member is pressed down the fix rod and the elastic cylinder member, the elastic cylinder member with vertical slots and of narrow strips defined by every two neighboring vertical slots may elastically bend diametrically outward to push an inner wall of a cylindrical shaft of a coil tissue to stop the coil tissue immovable for easily tearing off a proper length of the tissue, by which the coil tissue may not be smeared in tearing off action.
Although the aforementioned prior art have contributed to the development of the art of dispensing a dispensing a sheet material from a roll, none of these prior art patents have solved the needs of this art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing a sheet material from a roll that overcomes the problems of the prior art and provides a significant contribution to the dispensing art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing a sheet material from a roll incorporating a magnetic force in association with a stop for inhibiting rotation of a roll of sheet material on a shaft.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing a sheet material from a roll that provides a simple and inexpensive solution for the art of dispensing a sheet material from a roll.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing a sheet material from a roll that may be shipped in an unassembled form and be readily assembled by an operator.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention with in the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects and a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description setting forth the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a roll


A round baler has a bale chamber, a plurality of bale forming elements which limit a periphery of the bale chamber so that a volume of the bale chamber can be increased during a formation of a bale by the bale forming elements, a common lever structure on which the bale forming elements are arranged, the lever structure formed as a turnable lever structure supports the bale forming elements so that at least one of the bale forming elements, when the lever structure is turned outwardly, still extends inwardly into a peripheral circle formed by the other of the bale forming elements.

The present invention relates to a round baler.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an agricultural round baler which has a bale chamber with a plurality of bale forming elements arranged on its periphery and forming a bale chamber space, arranged so that during the formation of a bale the volume of the baling chamber can be increased by the longitudinally displaceable bale forming elements jointly mounted on a longitudinally displaceable lever arm structure.
The balers of this type are known in the art. One of such balers is disclosed for example in the European patent document EP 0 161 726. The baler disclosed in this reference has stationary rollers formed as bale forming elements for a peripheral limiting of the bale chamber. However, this has the disadvantage that they form a bale core which is too soft, since the stationary elements at the beginning of the bale forming process can not apply a pressing force on a pressing product located in a bale chamber. It is proposed for the above described round baler to reduce the bale chamber by turning a group of rollers at the beginning of the bale forming process so as to apply a pressing force with the rollers at the beginning of the bale forming process to a pressing product located in the bale chamber. The supporting structure of the turnable roller group must have an arcuate contour, so that the position of the rollers with the fully turn-out roller group corresponds to the cylindrical shape of the final bale.
In constract, in the German patent document DE 34 32 265 it has been determined for a baler without a turnable-in roller group that it is advantageous for proper bale formation when the casing surface regions oriented toward the pressing chamber of the rollers located before the product inlet gap as seen in the bale turning direction have a small distance relative to the theoretical axis of rotation of the pressing chamber than the outer surfaces of the remaining rollers. Because of such narrowing of the bale chamber the bale is not broken in the inlet gap and remains in the round bale, and a partial strong compression of the bale is provided. Research has shown that in the round baler with roller groups which are supported turnably on an arcuate lever structure, with the radius of the arc substantially corresponding to the radius of the later finally formed bale, the bale formation in earlier stages of the bale forming is not sufficiently supported, since regardless of how many rollers are turned with arcuate lever structure, a radius remains which is substantially greater than the possible radius of the pressing product located at the beginning of the formation of a bale in the bale chamber. With such an arrangement the bale formation and the compression of the bale is not provided in an optimal manner.
In order to eliminate these advantages, it is proposed in the European patent document EP 0 264 492 to reduce the radius of the turnable arcuate roller group so that the roller group is turnable also additionally with a partial roller group mounted on a second arcuate lever structure. Such an arrangement is however expensive and susceptible to disturbances.


A system, method, and computer program that automatically creates a subscription for applications and services provided to wireless devices from other computer devices on a wireless network, where the subscription requires periodic payment by the wireless device subscriber for continued access to the application or service. The system monitors wireless device end-user interaction with other computer devices, such as application download servers, across the wireless network and when the end-user obtains an application or service from the computer device, the system automatically records the subscription and can either bill the wireless device subscriber for the subscription(s) or transmit the bill to the carrier or other entity to bill the subscriber.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wireless telecommunications and computer networks. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing an infrastructure to support an automatic subscription of wireless devices and an end-to-end billing arrangement for services provided to wireless device service subscribers by network carriers and third parties.
II. Description of the Related Art
Wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, communicate packets including voice and data over a wireless network. In existing wireless telecommunication systems, such as cellular telecommunication systems, a wireless service provider or carrier has wireless service subscribers that pay the provider for the time that the wireless device of the subscriber accesses the cellular network. Fees are typically charged to the subscriber for the initial activation of a telecommunication device and then fees can be charged for ongoing airtime and device usage. However, existing systems typically do not account for other activities at the telecommunication device beyond airtime usage.
Further, if the subscriber of the wireless device desires to download and use a software application or upgrade the functionality of the telecommunication device, the user will typically either call a service provider or contact the service provider through another electronic means, such as through a separate Internet access. In some instances, the service provider can transmit the application to the wireless device across the wireless network (through a one time direct access download) or allow the user access a network site with the wireless device through the wireless network and at such site the application is downloadable or accessible to the subscriber. Otherwise service personnel of the provider must have physical access to the telecommunication device to install the software or upgrade the components thereof.
Further, the proliferation of computer technology has made it easier and cheaper to develop software application. A computer programmer can easily develop a video game or a utility application on a personal computer, and the programmer can tailor the game to run on different computer hardware platforms including on a wireless handset. However, the individual application developer encounters difficulty in getting the product to market, especially for applications that are executable on wireless devices. The developer must first create a full version of the application and then sell it to the carriers in order to derive any income. Consequently, creating application for the wireless device market is a huge investment by the developer without the guarantee of return.
Wireless telecommunications carriers may rely on independent developers to develop applications for their users, but this arrangement would create new problems for the carriers. Now, the carriers, instead of hiring many developers, needs to track usages of products developed by these independent developers and pay them accordingly, which can be a huge task itself.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system and method that handles end-to-end billing for carriers. Such system should allow wireless services provides to deliver value-added products and services to their subscribers beyond simple airtime, and allow the application developer to receive payments for their products. It is thus to such a system and method for automatically managing subscription billing for wireless device subscribers that the present invention is primarily directed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automatic subscription system for applications and services provided to wireless devices


A semiconductor light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting device are provided. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a substrate, at least two light emitting cells located on the substrate and formed by stacking semiconductor material layers, a reflection layer and a transparent insulating layer sequentially stacked between the light emitting cells, and a transparent electrode covering the upper surface of the light emitting cells.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a semiconductor light emitting device composed of a plurality of light emitting cells and a reflection film, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are widely used as a means for transmitting, recording, or reading data in communication devices, such as optical communication devices, or in electronic devices, such as compact disc players (CDPs) and digital versatile disc players (DVDPs). The LEDs are expanding in applications to large outdoor sign boards, LCD backlights, and illumination devices.
Conventional semiconductor light emitting devices have used a sapphire substrate. The sapphire substrate can readily grow GaN light emitting cells with a thickness of 5 μm or more. However, the sapphire substrate is expensive and the manufacturing size is limited. Therefore, attempts to form large, inexpensive GaN light emitting cells on a silicon substrate have been made.
The light emitting diode having the GaN light emitting cells grown on a silicon substrate has a drawback in that there is a high possibility of cracks forming in the GaN light emitting cells due to the differences in the lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficient between the GaN light emitting cells and the silicon. The thickness of the GaN light emitting cells grown on the silicon substrate is generally limited to less than 1.0 μm to avoid cracking. However, when the GaN light emitting cells are too thin, their driving voltage becomes too high.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a matrix type display having a plurality of light emitting cells arranged in an array on a silicon substrate.
Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of GaN semiconductor light emitting cells 120 are disposed on one silicon substrate 110, and each of the GaN semiconductor light emitting cells 120 forms a light emitting source. A desired image can be displayed on one substrate 110 by driving all the GaN semiconductor light emitting cells 120. Each of the GaN semiconductor light emitting cells 120 has a rectangular shape and the longer side of the rectangle is approximately 100 μm. The distance between the adjacent GaN semiconductor light emitting cells 120 is approximately 10 μm.
A conventional display having an array of the above GaN semiconductor light emitting cells 120 has a structure in which a low temperature nitride aluminum (LT-AlN) buffer layer is formed on the silicon substrate and a GaN semiconductor material layer is formed on the LT-AlN buffer layer. The structure can reduce defects and cracks of a GaN semiconductor material layer since the structure reduces residual stresses in the GaN semiconductor material layer. However, the structure requires a complex manufacturing process and, particularly, has a low optical output.

Semiconductor light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same


A vertical exhaust system for an internal combustion engine that incorporates a provision for receiving and trapping water, such as rain, that may enter the open upper end of the exhaust conduit. The exhaust system includes a vertical outer body and a perforated tube is disposed within the outer body and spaced therefrom to provide an annular chamber therebetween. A plug or closure is secured within the tube and is spaced from the lower end of the tube, thus closing off the tube. An annular flange interconnects the inner tube with the outer body and is spaced longitudinally below the plug, to thereby enclose the lower end of the chamber. A drain hole extends through the outer body and connects the chamber with the exterior. The drain hole is spaced above the flange, so that the space between the flange and the drain hole comprises a trap to collect water that may enter the upper end of the exhaust system.

Many heavy duty vehicles, such as trucks, tractors, off-road equipment, and the like, utilize a vertical exhaust system, in which the exhaust conduit extends vertically alongside the cab of the vehicle. Recently government regulations designed to reduce emissions have required that catalytic converters be incorporated in the exhaust system of certain types of truck engines. If the catalytic converter is mounted in the vertical exhaust system, there is a possibility that water, such as rain, snow or truck wash, can enter the upper end of the exhaust system and flow downwardly into contact with the catalytic converter unit. The water entering the system can be absorbed in the vermiculite matt that is located between the outer surface of the catalytic converter and the outer body of the exhaust conduit, and if the water absorbed in the matt freezes, retention can be lost between the catalytic converter and the outer body. Further, freezing of water in the catalytic converter could cause structural damage to the monolithic catalyst. As an additional problem, water flowing through the catalytic converter may tend to wash particulate material downwardly where the particulate material collects and clogs the lower surface of the catalytic converter causing premature failure of the catalytic converter.
It has been proposed to enclose the upper end of a vertical exhaust system with a rain cap to prevent rain and snow from entering the exhaust system. However, a rain cap adds to the overall cost of the exhaust system and may rattle or vibrate during engine operation. Moreover, many vehicle manufacturers will not specify rain caps because they detract from the aesthetic appearance of the exhaust system.

Vertical exhaust system incorporating a water trap


An escutcheon assembly for a deadbolt lock on a door, and particularly for the interior side of a double cylinder deadbolt lock. The escutcheon assembly generally comprises a tapered collar carried on the deadbolt cylinder (and retained by a flange on the cylinder), plus a decorative face plate substantially covering the cylinder and secured to the collar by a novel clip and set screw mechanism. The collar has an annular groove defining opposing walls, the outermost wall (away from the door) having an inwardly angled surface to taper the groove. The decorative face plate has a clip protruding interiorly therein to a distal end that conforms to the tapered annular groove in the collar (for engagement therewith). A set screw is threaded into the frame opposite the clip and protrudes inward behind the aperture to a distal end that likewise conforms to the tapered annular groove in the collar (for engagement therewith). Insertion of the face plate clip into the groove of the collar and tightening of the opposed set screw into the collar self-centers and affixes the decorative face plate over the cylinder flush against the door with a secure tamper-proof attachment, and the decorative face plate may take virtually any outward shape (rectangular, square, etc.) making it much easier to match inside and outside face plates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to double cylinder deadbolt locks and, more particularly, to an escutcheon assembly that allows virtually any shape of escutcheon to be secured to the inside cylinder of a double-cylinder deadbolt lock to match the outside face plate.
2. Description of the Background
A single-cylinder deadbolt lock typically provides a keyed-cylinder on the exterior of the door and a thumb-turn on the interior. Single-cylinder deadbolt locks can be easily opened from inside without a key, and manufacturers are unconcerned with tampering from the inside. Consequently, the interior and exterior face plates are typically attached by inserting screws through the interior face plate into threaded receptacles protruding rearwardly from the exterior face plate. This makes it impossible to remove the lock from the outside but quite easy from the inside. On the other hand, a double-cylinder deadbolt provides a keyed cylinder on both the interior/exterior. Thus, a key is needed even from the inside to unlock a double-cylinder deadbolt. In this case manufacturers are concerned with tampering from both sides, and no screws are accessible from either the interior or exterior face plates.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical double-cylinder deadbolt lock assembly in which an outside cylinder 2 is seated in an outside cylinder housing 3. The outside cylinder 2 engages a deadbolt 5 that is anchored inside the door. On the inside of the door a removable-core inside cylinder 7 is inserted into an inside cylinder housing 6. The inside cylinder 7 is attached to the outside cylinder 2 by a pair of screws 8. A face plate 9 is seated atop the inside cylinder 7 to cover the screws 8, and the removable core 10 is inserted into the inside cylinder 7 and thereby captures the face plate 9 against the inside cylinder 7. A problem with the foregoing arrangement is that it does not allow for any interchangeability of face plates. Property owners often prefer square or other odd-shaped decorative face plates (other than round), and this is difficult with the illustrated configuration because the round cylinders must be seated in round face plates. There have been previous attempts to add decorative face plates or "escutcheons". For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,513 to Ellis issued Oct. 4, 1994 shows a double cylinder deadbolt provided with a cylinder housing collar 20 that fits around the inside cylinder. An escutcheon 80 is screwed onto collar 20 and substantially covers the lock, leaving the keyway accessible. Even here, due to the screw-attachment of the escutcheon 80 onto collar 20 both of these components are round.
It would be greatly advantageous to provide a secure mechanism for attachment of an escutcheon of any shape to a deadbolt lock, and particularly for attachment of an escutcheon to the interior side of a double-cylinder deadbolt lock to facilitate a match to the exterior face plate, no matter the shape. The new escutcheon assembly and attachment mechanism should be straightforward in manufacture and use.

Deadbolt clip/retainer for interior double cylinder sets


Rotary encoders for use with trolling motors are disclosed. An example rotary encoder includes a housing defining an aperture and a linear guide and an input sleeve to extend through the aperture. The input sleeve includes an exterior guide to be engaged and followed by a shuttle to enable rotary position information to be obtained from the input sleeve. The shuttle is movably coupled within the linear guide. The shuttle is biased to engage a central portion of the exterior guide if rotation of the input sleeve moves the shuttle past first or second ends of the groove to prevent the rotary encoder from being damaged by over-rotation of the input sleeve.

Multi-turn potentiometers and infinite turn potentiometers are used with trolling motors to enable a position of a steering shaft of the trolling motor to be determined. Multi-turn potentiometers have a large measurement range that provide resistance values for multiple turns of a shaft (e.g., 720 degrees, 960 degrees, etc.). However, multi-turn potentiometers include hard stops at the end of their range. Thus, if the encoder and/or potentiometer is rotated beyond the hard stop, the encoder can be damaged. In contrast, infinite turn potentiometers do not include hard stops, but typically exhibit a dead zone (e.g., 300 to 360 degrees) within which the potentiometer is unable to measure a position of the steering shaft.


A method for preventing or treating vascular hyperreactivity in which a chemical compound that is an estrogen beta receptor agonist is administered to a subject suffering from or at risk of vascular hyperreactivity. Preferably, the administration is topically to the skin.

Cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, stroke and other vascular diseases, is the leading cause of death of men and women in economically-developed countries. The most common and lethal form of cardiovascular disease is ischemic heart disease. It has generally been regarded that ischemic heart disease is caused, primarily, by atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. This is a condition where plaques form in the inner lining of the arteries, causing narrowing of the channel and thereby impairing blood flow to the heart.
An increased risk for ischemic heart disease is observed in women after menopause or ovariectomy and presents a major medical challenge. It is the leading cause of death in post-menopausal women, which implicates the importance of the loss of ovarian steroid hormones.
Since it is understood that the formation of plaques is reduced, or even possibly reversed, by a high ratio of high density lipoproteins (HDL) to low density lipoproteins (LDL), it has been a strategy to inhibit ischemic heart disease by attempting to increase this ratio in the blood stream. Estradiol, an ovarian estrogenic steroid hormone, has been observed to increase the HDL/LDL ratio, and studies so far suggest that estrogen replacement therapy for post-menopausal women decreases the incidence of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and related cardiovascular events by up to 50%.
A vasospasm is an abnormally strong and persistent contraction of the muscles of the coronary arteries which leads to transmural myocardial ischemia and can result in sudden cardiac death. The role of coronary vasospasm in cardiovascular disease is still controversial, and approaches to treatments for cardiovascular disease have not focused upon methods for reducing coronary vasospasm. Instead, it is generally believed that coronary vasospasm is caused by local injury to vessels, such as results from atherosclerosis and other structural injury, and that long-term treatment of cardiovascular disease requires prevention of atherosclerotic plaques, not treatments to prevent vasospasm.
Hermsmeyer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,972, incorporated herein by reference and referred to hereafter as the "Hermsmeyer patent", discloses that low levels of progesterone, either alone or in combination with estradiol, can inhibit coronary artery reactivity by a direct effect on coronary arteries and, therefore, can be used to inhibit certain adverse cardiovascular events and disorders. Progesterone, administered in conjunction with estradiol, dramatically reduces the incidence of the adverse effects of unopposed estrogen. Hermsmeyer discloses that coronary artery vasospasm can be prevented by administering to a subject progesterone in an amount to achieve blood levels of progesterone of between 0.1 nanograms/ml and less than 4 nanograms/ml for at least 4 hours per day, and wherein said amount results in peak levels of progesterone of less than 6 nanograms/ml. Hermsmeyer further discloses that progesterone may be used to treat an existing vasospasm.
Hermsmeyer discloses that exaggerated vasoconstrictions of long (greater than 5 minute) duration are reliably initiated in the presence of estrogen and progesterone deficiency by the synergistic combination of two major platelet release products, serotonin and thromboxane A2 at concentrations found in platelets. Hermsmeyer discloses that administration of these two compounds to menopausal monkeys produces intense, focal constrictions that mimic arterial vasoconstrictions in humans. These severe induced vasoconstrictions are prevented or terminated by the administration of estradiol and/or progesterone.

Estrogen beta receptor agonists to prevent or reduce the severity of cardiovascular disease