The present invention relates to an ether derivative represented by the formula (I), a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a hydrate thereof or a solvate thereof

It is considered that pain is developed by direct stimuli from damage and invasion of tissue based on various exogenous factors, amplified by various endogenous algetic substances produced by tissue damage and results in inflammatory conditions (Tanaka et al. ed.: NEW Yakurigaku, Nankodo Co., Ltd., Apr. 15, 2002, p354-355). In addition, there is a pain caused by functional abnormality of peripheral nervous system or central nervous system, rather than tissue damage, which is referred to as a neuropathic pain.
As therapeutic drugs for these pains, a wide variety of drugs have already been known, which are largely divided from the aspects of action mechanism into opioid analgesics containing narcotic analgesics such as morphine, codeine, opium alkaloids, buprenorphine, pentazocine and the like, and antipyretic analgesics (nonnarcotic analgesics) such as aspirin, indomethacin, acetaminophen and the like. While the former provides a strong analgesic effect by acting on the opioid receptor in the central nervous system, its use is limited because it causes severe side effects and dependency. While the latter acts on peripheral tissues to bring about an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, the level of the action is low and various side effects may express. Furthermore, a therapeutic drug effective for a neuropathic pain associated with diabetic neuropathy, trigeminal neuropathy, herpes zoster and the like has not been found yet, and the development of a pharmaceutical agent effective for a broad range of pains, including these pains, has been desired.
In recent years, during the course of studies relating to the algetic mechanism, a receptor of capsaicin (pungent component of red pepper), known to be an algetic substance, was cloned and named as a vanilloid receptor (hereinafter to be referred to as "VR1") (Nature, 389, p816 (1997)).
Since VR1 present in the capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerve is activated not only by a capsaicin-like substance but also by heat, acid (H+) and the like, VR1 is considered to be involved in pains and inflammations associated with various pathologies.
To be specific, when VR1 is activated by stimuli of capsaicin and the like, the cation channel opens, the membrane is depolarized and neuropeptide is released, which in turn evokes pain and inflammation. Therefore, a substance that antagonizes activation of VR1 is potentially a superior therapeutic drug for pain and inflammation. In fact, capsazepine, known to be a VR1 receptor antagonist, has been reported to show a remarkable analgesic effect in animal models (Life Science, 69, p2911 (2001)).
On the other hand, VR1 agonist capsaicin is also considered to develop intense stimuli (pain) and then induce an analgesic effect or anti-inflammatory effect. It is postulated that capsaicin binds to a receptor to continuously open the VR1 cation channel, which in turn makes the sensory nerve unresponsive to stimuli (Pharmacol. Rev. 51, p159 (1999)). Since capsaicin has been, in fact, effectively used as an analgesic for pain in diseases such as diabetic neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis and the like, a compound (VR1 agonist) having a capsaicin-like action mechanism is also expected to be a therapeutic drug for pain and inflammation.
In addition, a report has been documented that patients with not only pain but also inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis etc.) show high expression of VR1, and therefore, a compound having a capsaicin-like action mechanism or an action mechanism that antagonizes responses of capsaicin is expected to be a good therapeutic drug for inflammatory bowel diseases.
As diseases involving the capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerve, pruritus, allergic and nonallergic rhinitis, (e.g., hyperactive bladder) pollakiuria and incontinentia, apoplexy, irritable bowel syndrome, respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease etc.), dermatitis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, functional gastrointestinal diseases such as functional dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux disease and the like, and the like are known, and an antiobesity action on capsaicin has been reported. Therefore, a compound having a capsaicin-like action mechanism or an action mechanism that antagonizes responses of capsaicin is also useful as a therapeutic drug for these diseases and conditions.
As mentioned above, a compound having a capsaicin-like action mechanism or an action mechanism that antagonizes, responses of capsaicin is highly expected to be a therapeutic drug for neuropathic pain, for which existing analgesics are ineffective, such as diabetic neuropathy and the like, as well as pains caused by various diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and the like, and further, being apart from pain, a therapeutic drug for various diseases in which VR1 is involved, such as ulcerative colitis and the like.
As the vanilloid receptor antagonist, the compounds of the following formulas (a), (b), (c) and (d) are described in US 2003/0158198 A, WO 02/16317, WO 02/072536 and WO 02/08221, respectively. In addition, the compounds of the following formulas (e) and (f) are described in WO 03/014064 and WO 03/080578, respectively.
wherein X1 is N or CR1, X2 is N or CR2, X3 is N, NR3, or CR3, X4 is N or CR4, X5 is N and the like, Z1 is O and the like, Z2 is NH and the like, L is —(CH2)mO(CH2)n— and the like, m=0 and the like, n=2 and the like, and R9′ is aryl, heterocycle and the like, provided that at least one of X1, X2, X3 and X4 is N.
wherein R1 is Ar′—(CH2)m— and the like, m is 1-4, Y is O and the like, Z is NR3 and the like, R2 is hydrogen, C1-6 lower alkyl group or Ar″—(CH2)n— and the like, p is 0-4 and the like, and A is O and the like.
wherein P is phenyl or naphthyl, and n is 2 and the like.
wherein A is NRA and the like, Z is O or S, R1 and R2 are H or alkyl, and R3 and R4 are H, halogen and the like.
wherein Q is CH or N, R6 and R7 are H or methyl, X is phenylalkyl group and the like, Y is 7-hydroxy-1-naphthyl group and the like.
wherein X is O and the like, A, B, D and E are C or N, R3 and R4 are H and the like, R5 and R6 are H or alkyl and the like, n is 0-3, Y is aryl and the like.
Besides the above-mentioned, vanilloid receptor antagonists and capsaicin-like agonistic substances are known (US 2003/0158188 A, WO 03/070247, WO 02/072536, WO 02/16318, WO 02/16319, WO 00/50387, WO 03/053945, WO 03/027064). However, all of these compounds are structurally different from the compound of the formula (I) to be mentioned below.
In addition, the following compound (X-1) is a known compound (GB 2065121) and known as a thromboxane A2 synthesis enzyme inhibitor. However, it does not contain any description relating to the action mechanism described in the present invention, and while the following compounds (X-2) and (X-3) are known compounds (U.S. Pat. No. 3,535,328), it does not contain any description relating to the pharmacological effect and action mechanism described in the present invention.
Furthermore, the following compound (X-4)(described in Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 16, (8), p538-48 (1964)), the following compound (X-5) (described in Kogyo Kagaku Zasshi 68 (12), p2370-2373 (1965) and the following compounds (X-6) and (X-7) (described in Journal of Chromatography, 645(2), p233-239 (1993)) are known compounds but none of these documents contain a description relating to the pharmacological effect and action mechanism described in the present invention.

Abstract: wherein each symbol is as defined in the description, and an ether derivative represented by the formula (III), a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a hydrate thereof or a solvate thereof

Abstract: wherein each symbol is as defined in the description; a pharmaceutical composition containing the ether derivative; and a package containing the pharmaceutical composition and a description of use thereof. A pharmaceutical composition of the present invention, which contains this compound of the present invention has a superior anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity and is useful as various pharmaceutical agents such as an anti-inflammatory agent, an analgesic, a therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel disease, a therapeutic agent for pollakiuria and/or incontinentia, a therapeutic agent for asthma and the like.


A system, method, and computer readable article of manufacture for extracting a specific situation in a conversation. The system includes: an acquisition unit for acquiring speech voice data of speakers in the conversation; a specific expression detection unit for detecting the speech voice data of a specific expression from speech voice data of a specific speaker in the conversation; and a specific situation extraction unit for extracting, from the speech voice data of the speakers in the conversation, a portion of the speech voice data that forms a speech pattern that includes the speech voice data of the specific expression detected by the specific expression detection unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for analyzing a conversation. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for extracting a specific situation from a conversation by analyzing voices in the conversation.
2. Description of Related Art
Obtaining information by analyzing recorded voices has previously been performed. Methods for analyzing the voices in a phone conversation or in a meeting and for deriving speaker identification or situation of the conversation based on the voices or speech patterns obtained from voice recognition have been proposed before.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-267464 discloses a technology for separating voice data into a speech portion and a non-speech portion by use of voice power information and for checking the degree of confusion of a speaker based on the proportion of the non-speech portion within a certain period of time.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-286097 discloses technology for detecting the occurrence of a compliant in a call reception operation conducted by an agent at a call center in accordance with the number of supportive responses in the voice of the agent at the call center within a certain period of time.

System and method for extracting a specific situation from a conversation


The invention concerns a process for the alkylation of at least one isoaffin selected from the group formed by isobutane and isopentane by at least one olefin containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms per molecule in the presence of a liquid acid catalyst, the process comprising mixing a feed comprising the olefin to be converted with an effluent comprising a major portion of isoparaffin in a first mixing zone, and forming an emulsion of said catalyst in a hydrocarbon effluent comprising a major portion of isoparaffin in an emulsifying zone, said effluent constituting the continuous phase of the emulsion thus formed, then mixing a major portion of the emulsion of acid in hydrocarbon effluent with a major portion of the diluted feed comprising the olefin in a second mixing zone, followed by carrying out the majority of the reaction in a reaction zone which is supplied by the major portion of said mixture.

The present invention concerns a catalytic alkylation process for at least one isoparaffin selected from the group formed by isobutane and isopentane by at least one olefin containing 2 to 6, preferably 3 to 6, carbon atoms per molecule, in the presence of at least one liquid acid catalyst.
The alkylation of an isoparaffin (isobutane and/or isopentane) by at least one olefin containing 2 to 6, preferably 3 to 6, carbon atoms per molecule can produce highly branched paraffinic hydrocarbons (for example from the group constituted by dimethylbutanes, trimethylpentanes, trimethylhexanes and trimethylheptanes), which are essential constituents of high octane number fuels. This alkylation reaction, termed aliphatic alkylation, requires the use of highly acidic catalysts primarily to reduce side reactions such as hydride abstraction from the olefin and polymerisation which produce less highly branched hydrocarbons with low octane numbers and unsaturated hydrocarbons, also cracking reactions and dismutation reactions.
A large number of liquid and solid acid catalysts are known for aliphatic alkylation of isoparaffins such as isobutane or isopentane, by at least one olefin such as propylene, 1- and 2-butenes, or isobutene. Currently, the most frequently used catalysts in the industry are liquid catalysts, namely concentrated sulphuric acid and hydrofluoric acid, used alone or as a mixture with Lewis acids such as boron trifluoride.
The majority of conventional processes are characterized in that the acid phase constitutes the continuous phase of the acid-hydrocarbon emulsion formed in the reactor.
The volume ratio of acid to hydrocarbons (mixture of isoparaffins and olefins) is thus greater than one. Further, the emulsion is generally formed in the alkylation reactor itself, i.e., in the presence of the feed to be converted which contains the olefin (see, for example, the use of Stratco technology employing liquid sulphuric acid: L. F. Albright, Chem. Eng., Aug. 15, 1966, p. 143 and L. F. Albright, Oil & Gas Journal, Nov. 12, 1990).
When the catalyst is sulphuric acid, the conventional isoparaffin alkylation process using a sulphuric acid catalyst has a number of disadvantages, among them: the impossibility of reaching temperatures of less than 0.degree. C. in the reactor in the presence of more than 97% by weight strength sulphuric acid. The viscosity of sulphuric acid becomes too high at such temperatures and, since the acid is the continuous phase, it becomes impossible to stir the medium; the olefin in the feed and the acid recycled from the settler are injected directly into the reactor in immediate proximity to the moving part of the stirrer. Thus this latter must carry out two operations: create the acid-hydrocarbon emulsion and dilute the olefin in the hydrocarbon phase to limit local superconcentration of the olefin, which is not carried out sufficiently effectively; the residence time of the hydrocarbon phase in the settler is high, usually about one hour. Since the temperature in the settler is usually above about 15.degree. C., some isoparaffins containing more than 5 carbon atoms per molecule undergo degradation reactions. Examples of these degradation reactions are oxidation of paraffins by sulphuric acid to produce water and SO.sub.2. These reactions contribute to catalyst deactivation. Other reactions are uncontrolled decomposition of alkyl sulphates, in particular butyl sulphates. These decomposition reactions are the cause of the formation of unsaturated oligomers which deactivate the catalyst.
International patent application PCT WO 95/04.019 describes a process for the alkylation of an olefin by an isoparaffin in the presence of liquid sulphuric acid, the process comprising a zone for preparing an emulsion of acid in the isoparaffin followed by a reaction zone supplied with the emulsion into which the olefin is injected, the ratio by volume of sulphuric acid: hydrocarbons present in the reaction zone being in the range 0.3:1 to 0.5:1. Thus the continuous phase of the prepared emulsion in that process is the hydrocarbon phase. That patent application also describes means for forming the emulsion and adding the olefin to the reaction zone, as well as an apparatus for carrying out the process.
In International patent application PCT WO 95/04.019, the olefin is injected directly into the reaction zone. Thus in that zone, the olefin must be diluted in the hydrocarbon phase in such a manner as to limit local superconcentration of the olefin.
The alkylation of isobutane and/or isopentane comprises a first, very rapid, step of adsorption of the olefin on the acid catalyst to form a type of acid-olefin "complex", followed by reaction of the "complex" with isobutane and/or isopentane. If carried out under the temperature and pressure conditions used for the reaction, the first step can encourage the formation of polymers, which are undesirable secondary products, to the detriment of "complex" formation. This has a highly deleterious effect on the process yield. It is thus of advantage to mix the olefin and the catalyst in a zone preceding the reaction zone, under temperature and pressure conditions which are primarily favourable to formation of the "complex".

Reverse emulsion aliphatic alkylation process with catalyst-olefin premixing


A system for calculating DC offset and achieving frame detection is described. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an electronic device with an integrated receiver module. The receiver module can take advantage of a known synchronization pattern such as the Bluetooth access code to determine an initial DC offset and to provide frame detection.

Wireless communications and wireless communication devices are at the center of many important technological advancements. As the proliferation of these wireless devices increases, the efficiency and accuracy of the communications therebetween becomes vital to the commercial success of particular devices and particular communications protocols. One protocol that is showing great promise is Bluetooth (described in, for example, The Specification of the Bluetooth System, v1.0 B, Dec. 1, 1999), which is a wireless protocol that describes how mobile phones, computers, PDAs, peripherals and other devices can interconnect using a short-range wireless connection. The Specification of the Bluetooth System, v1.0 B, Dec. 1, 1999, which is publicly available, is incorporated herein by reference.
To implement Bluetooth and other such wireless protocols, a device receiving a transmitted signal is required to recover transmitted bit patterns. The basic recovering process involves waveform demodulation, DC compensation, bit synchronization and bit detection. Waveform demodulation usually is implemented in a radio module and is wireless protocol dependent. DC compensation can be implemented either in the radio module or in the baseband. It is a critical process, however, for achieving correct bit synchronization and detection. Bit synchronization and detection are usually implemented in the baseband and are common to many different wireless receivers. An automatic DC tracker and a bit synchronizer have been described in commonly owned and assigned patent application Ser. No. 10/035,567, filed Oct. 22, 2001.
DC offset is a variation in the intended DC voltage of the baseline signal caused, for example, by frequency drift in received Bluetooth GFSK signals. Present devices compensate for these imperfections in incoming signals using a variety of means—none of which are completely satisfactory. For example, certain electronic devices use analog components to calculate the DC offset, while other devices use digital components. The analog DC trackers usually are implemented as lowpass RC filters, while conventional digital approaches require a select number of bits to be buffered before any DC offset can be calculated.
The DC tracking accuracy of both conventional analog and digital circuits is affected by the incoming bit patterns. For instance, when a string of high values, e.g., "1s," is received the computed DC offset will be adjusted to a higher value even though the actual DC offset has not changed. This adjustment occurs because most automatic DC trackers assume an even distribution of high and low values in the received signal. In addition, the DC tracking accuracy and associated estimate variance are sensitive to selected time constant in analog filters. For conventional digital DC tracker, they are functions of the selected buffer size.
Although present analog and digital approaches to computing DC offsets for wireless communications are functional, they are not sufficiently accurate or otherwise satisfactory. Accordingly, a system and method are needed to address the shortfalls of present technology and to provide other new and innovative features.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Bluetooth access code assisted initial DC estimation and frame synchronization


A method, system and computer program for providing a loyalty engine for automated cause marketing. The method includes a loyalty program system administrator linking merchants and charities to the loyalty system. Members register with the loyalty engine through loyalty system which is accessible via the Internet. Once the merchants and the charities are linked and the members are registered, by operation of the loyalty engine, the merchants can create a customized loyalty program defined by a plurality of merchant defined rules for administering their loyalty program. The merchant defined rules instruct the loyalty engine as to which charities should receive in-kind donations in connection with one or more transactions by a member that is associated to the loyalty program. Once a loyalty system defined time period or donation threshold has been achieved, the loyalty system releases the donation in-kind to the specific charity. A system is also provided that consists of a server computer including the loyalty engine and the charity utility. The charity utility provides the functions of the method and is linked to a server computer that is connected to the Internet. The computer program of the invention is a web application that enables the members, charities, and merchants to access the functions of the invention via a web browser.

In an ever globalizing economy, the need for customer acquisition and customer retention systems is becoming increasingly important for business. Numerous customer loyalty and customer acquisition programs are known. In addition, linking charitable organizations with customer loyalty and customer acquisition is also known. Cause marketing is not a new concept; many forms exist today such as: COMMUNITY SMART®, which makes credit cards available, and specified donations are made to a charity of the customer's choice.
Other examples include KIDS FUTURES® and UPROMISE®. These prior art solutions provide co-branded financial cards with a charity as a partner, which are issued to a customer who uses it and the charity shares in the applicable interchange fees.
An example of prior art charitable giving using a stored value card is CANADA HELPS®. This company utilizes a stored value card as a gift to a recipient to donate to the charity of their choice. The person who receives the gift is free to donate to the registered charities that are registered to their system thus allowing for the recipient of the stored value card to donate to the charity that they choose to support. This system does not allow for donations to be generated from a merchant; all donations are generated from front loading the donation amount with an administration fee.
It should be understood that in this disclosure the term "merchant" refers to an entity that participates in a loyalty program to build loyalty with customers, and potentially acquire new business, and in exchange is willing to provide a loyalty "benefit" (e.g. in kind charitable contribution). A "member" refers to the customer or potential customer who is a registered member of the loyalty program referred to. A "charity" refers to the registered charitable organization of the loyalty program. A "beneficiary" refers to the recipient of the benefit of the donated good or service in-kind.
What is lacking with the aforementioned prior art is flexibility in the manner in which transactions triggering donations to the charity must occur. The benefit that a merchant participating in a loyalty program is willing to provide will depend on a particular merchant and their business objectives at a particular time. The prior art solutions do not enable merchants to suitably reflect these changing objectives in the manner in which donations are processed in the context of the loyalty program. For example, a merchant that earmarks certain funds for charitable donations and is reaching the end of its reporting period with unspent funds for charitable use may have a limited time to boost its donations.
In addition, it is desirable to maximize the donations available to charities. Merchants are generally willing to provide donations of greater market value if they are able to provide in-kind donations of their goods or services as opposed to cash donations. In-kind donations enable merchants to reduce the cost per unit of their donation, for example, by clearing inventory levels, using already paid for resources, motivating personnel to further reduce the per unit cost of the donation. The lower cost to the merchant of in-kind donations often enables charities to obtain a donation having a greater market value than would be possible otherwise. For instance, a merchant may have seasonal inventory or inventory that is time sensitive, this inventory is perishable and if not used will not be of any practical use. Examples of this type of inventory include airline tickets and golf tee times. The merchant has a desire to sell the existing inventory as it does not have any value after a certain time period. The system outlined herein provides a means for the merchant to use the inventory for the creation of revenue and donations thus lowering underutilized inventory.
Therefore there is a need for a loyalty program linked to charitable in-kind donations that allows the participation of multiple merchants, and that permits flexibility enabling the charity benefit to be maximized by responding to changing business objectives. There is a further need for a loyalty program that enables multiple merchants to reflect their changing business objectives by dynamically modifying the rules of the loyalty program as they relate to charitable donations. More specifically, there is a need for a loyalty program that enables merchants to customize their loyalty program, including as it relates to charitable donations, on the fly, including based on effectiveness and incremental cost in a dynamic fashion that more properly reflects the dynamic nature of business.
Many charities have important profile and very significant donor lists. This profile and these donor lists have not generally been leveraged to the benefit of a loyalty program because charities are reluctant to associate their goodwill with a loyalty program, in many cases in large part because the loyalty program lacks transparency to the members in that they cannot readily track the relationship between their activities within the loyalty program and the donations made to the charity.
There is a further need for a loyalty program that enables members to obtain data regarding their activities within the loyalty program that are eligible for charitable donations and also regarding donations made on their behalf to charities.
The level of contribution that merchants would be willing to provide to a charity in the context of a loyalty program has been limited in part because prior art solutions did not adequately address the need for business to verify the commercial benefit derived by the merchants. Related charitable donations could be increased if the merchants were given the tools to measure and monitor the effectiveness and incremental cost of their activities involving charitable donations. There is a need therefore for a method, system and computer program that enables merchants to monitor and verify the commercial benefit that they are deriving from the charitable donations, thereby encouraging the merchants to increase their charitable donations.
Another factor that has contributed to reluctance of both merchants and charities to participate in the type of activity described above, and thereby depriving themselves of the mutual benefits, is the fact that most prior art solutions involve (in the context of the particular loyalty program) association with a limited number of merchants with a single or small number of charities (usually with different purposes). Merchants are concerned of alienating at least some of their customer base, for example by associating with one charity but not another charity favoured by a part of their customer base. Similarly, charities are loathe to bring attention to the fact that they are associating with one merchant, but not a competing merchant, for example, favoured by a number of their donors. This aspect is exacerbated by increased competition for donations by charities, and also the polarization that may exist between the respective customer bases of companies that are highly competitive with one another (especially where comparative advertising is used).
There is a further need for a method, system and computer program that achieves the aforesaid advantages using in-kind donations by a plurality of merchants.
Canadian Application No. 2,468,386, filed on May 27, 2004, describes a "Method, System, and Computer Program for Providing a Loyalty Engine Enabling Dynamic Administration of Cross-Promotional Loyalty Programs (the "Co-Pending Patent Application"). The Co-Pending Patent Application generally describes a system, method and computer programs that permits dynamic interactions between a plurality of merchants and a plurality of members. In the particular invention, the solution described in the Patent Application 2,468,386 enables the merchants to dynamically customize loyalty programs based on effectiveness and incremental cost. U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,151 describes a "Method, System, and Computer Program for Providing a Loyalty Engine for Dynamic Administration of Charity Donations". In particular, the 2,546,151 invention allowed for the creation of relationships between members, merchants and charities in the context of a loyalty program. There is a further need to develop and oversee relationships between members, merchants and charities in the context of a loyalty program pertaining to in-kind charitable donations.

Proving a loyalty engine for automated cause marketing


An interleukin-6 suppressive agent comprising lactoperoxidase as an active ingredient is used as a pharmaceutical preparation or the like for prevention and/or therapy of a disease caused by production of interleukin-6, such as thrombocytosis, myeloma, Castleman syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, or influenza-virus infectious disease.

An inflammatory reaction is a kind of biological defense reaction to tissue damage to be caused by various kinds of invasion and is featured by associated symptoms such as flare, swelling, pyrexia, and pain. Bioactive substances involved in the inflammatory reaction include so-called inflammatory mediators such as histamine, serotonin, and prostaglandin and so-called inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factors (TNFs), which are produced by various kinds of cells such as leukocytes (e.g., Shogo Karino, Nobuyuki Miyasaka, and Nagahiro Minato Ed., "Clinical Immunology", Asakura-Shoten, 1997, p. 73-77).
Interleukin-6 is a polypeptide cytokine consisting of 184 amino acids with a molecular weight of 21 to 28 kDa. Interleukin-6 can be produced from a wide variety of cells such as vascular endothelial cells, T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages by various kinds of stimulative substances such as lipopolysaccharide, interleukin-1, and TNFs, which can be found in the site of inflammation. As the biological actions of interleukin-6, important actions have been reported, including the acceleration of the synthesis of acute-phase inflammatory protein, induction of the antibody production by B-cells, and the activation of T-lymphocytes. On the other hand, it has been suggested that the abnormality in production of interleukin-6 may deeply relate to various kinds of immunopathy, inflammatory diseases, and lymphoid tumors (e.g., Masahiro Matsumura, Ed., "Dictionary of Molecular Cell Biology", Tokyo Kagaku Dojin Co., Ltd., 1997, p. 90).
On the other hand, interleukin-6 antibody and interleukin-6 receptor antibody, which inhibit the action of inerleukin-6, have been expected to show effectiveness on various kinds of inflammatory diseases such as autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and the like, psoriasis, atrial myxoma, mesangial proliferative nephritis, Castleman syndrome, AIDS, and multiple myeloma (e.g., "Clinical Immunology", Asakukra-Shoten, 1997, P. 73-77). A therapeutic agent for a disease caused by the production of an interleukin-6 using an antibody against interleukin-6 receptor as an active ingredient (e.g., JP 8-169846 A) and a composition for suppressing interleukin-6 produced by cultured mammalian cells (JP 8-99996 A) have been already disclosed. In addition, it is revealed that, when the anti-inflammatory agent, indomethacin is administered to rats with carrageenan-induced pleurisy, pleuritic inflammation is restrained significantly and interleukin-6 in a peritoneal exudation is inhibited (e.g., "Yakugaku Zasshi", vol. 120, 2000, p. 455-462).
Regarding the involvement of proteins in milk to interleukin-6, there has been to date disclosed each of the suppressive action of lactoferrin on the urinary level of interleukin-6 in an Escherichia coli urinary tract infection mouse (e.g., "Infection and Immunity", U.S.A., vol. 68, 2000, p. 5816-5823) and a composition for regulating the ability to produce interleukin containing fermented milk or a processed product thereof as an active ingredient (e.g., JP 5-9124 A).
Lactoperoxidase, one of the milk proteins, is an oxidoreductase not only contained in mammalian milk but also contained in secretions such as saliva, tears, and respiratory mucus (e.g., "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine", U.S.A., vol. 166, 2002, p. S57-S61), which are industrially purified in large volumes from milk (e.g., JP 5-41981 A).
Various biological functions of lactoperoxidase have been reported, such as antibacterial activity, antiviral activity, antioxidative activity, anticancer activity, and immunoregulating activity (e.g., "Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry", U.S.A., vol. 11, 2000, p. 94-102; "Life Sciences", U.S.A., vol. 43, 1988, p. 739-745; "Life Sciences", U.S.A., vol. 47, 1990, p. 703-709; "Journal of Dairy Research", U.K., vol. 63, 1996, p. 257-267; "Journal of Dairy Research", U.K., vol. 64, 1997, p. 281-288; "Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology", Holland, vol. 56, 1997, p. 85-96). There are disclosed technologies with respect to the use of lactoperoxidase, peroxide donor, and thiocyanate for the production of therapeutic pharmaceuticals for Helicobacter pylori infection (e.g., JP 2000-509367 A), a preventive and therapeutic agent for the infection of pathogenic bacteria to be added in the mixed feed of farmed aquatic animals (e.g., JP 3103615 B), an age resistor (JP 3103167 B), and a liver-function improving agent (e.g., JP 2001-226289 A), the preventive and therapeutic application of peroxidase (e.g., JP 6-501453 A), and a therapeutic agent for corneal disorder (e.g., JP 2840795 B). Furthermore, the applicant of the present invention has already disclosed a urease-inactivating composition in which peroxidase, thiocyanic acid, and hydrogen peroxide are provided as active ingredients (disclosed in JP 2002-238554 A). However, there has been to date no reports on existing technology at all about the effect of lactoperoxidase on the production of one of inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6.


A distributed amplifier is disclosed herein, which includes a signal amplification unit amplifying a RF input signal fed into the RF signal, a first biasing circuit providing a direct current (DC) bias signal, a second biasing circuit providing a DC bias signal, the variable terminal resistance providing an adjustable resistance, a RF signal input terminal provided for input of the RF input signal and a RF signal output terminal for output of a RF output signal. The output RF signal from the distributed amplifier is obtained from a gained version of the input RF signal. Since a load mismatch issue is compensated, a gain flatness issue is considerably improved and thus a gain-adjustable range is increased with respect to the distributed amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a distributed amplifier having a variable terminal resistance, and in particular to a distributed amplifier having a variable terminal resistance, in which a load resistance of a signal amplification unit thereof may be adjusted to achieve the optimal resistance matching so as to obtain a good gain flatness.
2. The Prior Arts
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional distributed amplifier. The distributed amplifier comprises a signal amplification unit A, a first biasing circuit B, a second biasing circuit C, a terminal resistance D, a radio frequency (RF) signal input terminal E and a RF signal output terminal F. The signal amplification unit A is used to amplify a RF input signal fed at the RF signal input terminal E. The first biasing circuit B is used to provide a direct current (DC) bias at a base of a transistor A1. The second biasing circuit C is used to provide a DC bias at a collector of the transistor A1. The terminal resistance D is used to provide a resistance matching with an output resistance of the distributed amplifier. As also mentioned above, the RF signal input terminal E is used for a RF signal input. The RF output terminal F is used for a RF signal output.
In the above distributed amplifier, the signal amplification unit A has a plurality of transistors A1, a first external inductor A2, a second external inductor A3, a third external inductor A4 and a fourth external inductor A5. In the signal amplification unit A, the first external inductor A2 is electrically connected to a base of the transistor A1. The base of the transistor A1 is electrically connected to a base of a next transistor A1 via a coupling inductor L. In this manner, the next transistor A1 is further electrically connected to its next transistor A1 at their bases via another coupling inductor L, and the final transistor A1 is electrically connected to the second external inductor A3 at the base. Meanwhile, the third external inductor A4 is electrically connected to the collector of the transistor A1. The transistor A1 is electrically connected to its next transistor A1 at their collectors via another coupling inductor L. In this manner, the next transistor A1 is electrically connected to the collector of its next transistor A1 at its collector via another coupling inductor L and the final transistor A1 is electrically connected to the fourth inductor A5 at its collector. The first bias circuit B is electrically connected to the second external inductor A3. The terminal resistance D is electrically connected to the third external inductor A4. The second bias circuit C is electrically connected to the external resistance D. The RF signal input terminal E is electrically connected to the first external inductor A2. The RF signal output terminal F is connected to the fourth external inductor A5 via the fourth inductor A4.
The terminal resistance of the distributed amplifier has a constant value, which does not always match with the output resistance of the signal amplification unit since the output resistance will vary as the DC bias voltage of the signal amplification unit is changed so as to achieve a different gain. This can adversely affect the gain flatness provided by the distributed amplifier.
In light of the demerits encountered in the prior art, the inventor of the present invention sets forth a distributed amplifier in which a variable terminal resistance is provided for resistance matching to improve the fain flatness issue.

Distributed amplifier having a variable terminal resistance


An improved antifuse uses metal penetration of either a P-N diode junction or a Schottky diode. The P-N junction, or Schottky diode, is contacted by a diffusion barrier such as TiN, W, Ti-W alloy, or layers of Ti and Cr, with a metal such as Al. Al-CU alloy, Cu, Au, or Ag on top of the diffusion barrier. When this junction is stressed with voltage pulse producing a high current density, severe joule heating occurs resulting in metal penetration of the diffusion barrier and the junction. The voltage drop across the junction decreases by about a factor of ten after the current stress and is stable thereafter. Alternatively, a shallow P-N junction in a silicon substrate is contacted by a layer of metal that forms a silicide, such as Ti, Cr, W, Mo, or Ta. Stressing the junction with a voltage pulse to produce a high current density results in the metal penetrating the junction and reacting with the substrate to form a silicide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to integrated circuit (IC) structures and, more particularly, to an improved antifuse structure for use in programming redundant and customizable IC chips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fuses are used in integrated circuits (ICs) to disconnect defective regions of a chip, thereby making the chip usable. For example, redundancy in integrated circuit memories is part of current wafer and chip manufacturing strategy to improve yield. The practice is to blow fuses which allow extra memory cells to be used in place of cells that are non-functional. In addition, fuses are used, for example, in programmable logic arrays (PLAS) and similar structures to form semi-custom circuits.
Antifuses are devices that have a lower resistance after programming than initially. Antifuses, like fuses, are used both in redundant IC structures and to form semi-custom circuits. An antifuse using junction breakdown in a bipolar transistor has been described by C. M. Hsieh and H. R. Wilson in "Electrically Programmable Transistor Pipes", IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 24, No. 7A, pp. 3478 and 3479 (1981).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,878 to Yang et al. discloses a programmable interconnect using a silicided MOS transistor. The transistor is formed at a face of a semiconductor layer and includes a diffused drain region and a source region that are spaced apart by a channel region. The drain region has a surface with a silicided layer. The application of a programming voltage in the range of ten to fifteen volts from the drain region to the source region forms a melt filament across the channel region. Programming is controlled by applying or not applying a gate voltage over the channel region.
The Yang et al. programmable interconnect is only suitable for field effect transistor (FET) structures because it is itself an FET device requiring the number and type of processing steps of FET structures. Moreover, it has a disadvantage of requiring a relative high program voltage (e.g., ten to fifteen volts) which, in a high density IC device, risks localized damage to other structures in the region.
K.-Y. Fu and R. E. Pyle, in "On the Failure Mechanisms of Titanium Nitride/Titanium Silicide Barrier Contacts under High Current Stress", IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 35, no. 12, pp. 2151-2159 (1988), have described a failure mechanism caused by electrically stressing a P-N junction contacted by Al/TiN/TiSi.sub.2 metallurgy. At high current densities, joule heating occurs in the Si substrate, which causes the Al to penetrate the TiN and TiSi.sub.2 layers and spike the junction. However, there is no recognition by the authors that this phenomenon could be used in a positive way.
What is needed is an antifuse of simple construction having application to both FET and bipolar structures. The antifuse should also be programmable using low voltages to minimize the possibility of thermal damage to other structures in the region of the antifuse.

Electrically programmable antifuse using metal penetration of a junction

International Business Machines Corporation


In a drive circuit for a piezoelectric actuator, it is possible to move a movement object to a target position rapidly and with good precision. Parameters for two types of drive pulses (PL1, PL2) having different duty ratios are stored in a register (28). A pulse generation circuit (26) is configured so as to be able to switch, based on a parameter stored in the register (28), between (PL1) having a large displacement step width of a lens (8), and (PL2) having a small displacement step width. The lens (8) can be rapidly moved through coarse movement by (PL1), and the lens (8) can be made to approach the target position with good precision through fine movement by (PL2).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive circuit for generating a drive signal for an impact drive actuator in which a piezoelectric element is used; to an image stabilization control circuit for compensating for shaking of an imaging device using the drive circuit; and to an imaging device that uses the image stabilization control circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Piezoelectric actuators that utilize the electrostriction effects of a piezoelectric element have conventionally been used for camera shake compensation, autofocus, and the like, for example.
An impact drive piezoelectric actuator has a drive shaft for retaining a movement object with the aid of friction, and the drive shaft is extended and retracted by a piezoelectric element. A drive circuit generates a voltage signal whereby the drive shaft has a different speed during extension and during retraction, i.e., a voltage signal whereby the drive shaft slowly extends and rapidly retracts, or does the opposite, and the drive circuit applies the voltage signal to the piezoelectric element. During rapid movement of the drive shaft, the movement object slides with respect to the drive shaft due to inertia and remains substantially in position. If the drive shaft is moved slowly, the position of the movement object is displaced along with the drive shaft by static friction. The movement object can by displaced in a specific direction with respect to the drive shaft by this extension and retraction.
This displacement can be achieved in principle by applying a voltage signal that has a jagged waveform having different rising times and falling times to the piezoelectric element. However, the drive signal outputted from the drive circuit need not necessarily have a jagged waveform, and it is known that the displacement described above can be obtained by adjusting the frequency or duty ratio even when the signal has a square waveform. The movement speed of the movement object is dependent on the frequency and duty ratio of the drive signal, and the moving direction can be varied by inverting the duty ratio, for example.

Image stabilization control circuit, imaging device, and piezoelectric actuator drive circuit


According to the present invention, a surgical clip applier includes means for preventing closure of the clip closing mechanism when no clips are left in the applier. The clip applier includes a shaft having distal and proximal ends, means in the shaft for advancing clips to the distal end, means at the distal end for closing clips and a jam clip carried by the advancing means proximally of the surgical clips, wherein the jam clip is positioned in the clip closing means and prevents closure thereof after all surgical clips have been applied.

The present invention relates generally to surgical instruments and more specifically to surgical clip appliers used for applying ligating clips to blood vessels and other tubular ducts or tissue.
In surgical procedures, it is frequently necessary to ligate ducts, such as blood vessels, or other severed tissue. For this purpose, it is well-known to use surgical clip appliers, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,522, to apply surgical clips to a duct or tissue to be ligated. Such clip appliers typically have a scissor-like construction, with a pair of movable handles which are grasped by the surgeon, and a pair of movable jaws opposite the handles into which a surgical clip is placed. Such clips usually have a pair of connected legs to form a U or V shape. When the handles are closed, the jaws close the legs of the clip together on the vessel or other tissue to be ligated.
In some surgical procedures, it is desirable to use a clip applier which is configured to allow tissue ligation in inaccessible areas of the surgical site. To address this need, a number of surgical clip appliers have been developed with the jaws extended from the handles at a distance, or with the jaws oriented at various angles. Examples are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,777,538, and 4,440,170.
Other known clip appliers, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,650, provide for retaining multiple clips in the applier and feeding the clips toward the distal end of the applier, thereby permitting the surgeon to apply multiple clips at various places in the surgical site without removing the clip applier from the site to place another clip in the jaws. In some of these known devices, the clip applier is designed to accommodate an interchangeable cartridge containing multiple clips. An example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,688.
In some surgical procedures, however, known clip appliers suffer certain drawbacks. Known clip appliers pose a potentially serious risk of injury to patients in the event the closure mechanism, be it a pair of jaws or a hammer and anvil, is closed when a clip is not present therein. When the closure mechanism is closed without a clip present, known clip appliers frequently permit the clip-closing surfaces to move into contacting or overlapping engagement with one another, which in many cases will cut, sever or otherwise damage any tissue lying in the closure mechanism. Clip appliers capable of storing multiple clips for sequential application frequently provide no indication to the user when all of the clips have been applied. Moreover, known clip appliers generally do not prevent the user from attempting to apply a clip by positioning the closure mechanism over a portion of tissue and closing on the tissue even though no clips remain in the device. The problem is worsened by the often poor visibility in the body cavity preventing clear visualization of the closure mechanisms and the presence of a clip therein. In addition, even if the user recognizes that no clips remain in the device, body tissue may remain positioned within the closure mechanism, potentially interfering with removal of the clip applier or injuring the patient if removal is attempted.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide an improved surgical clip applier which eliminates the risk of tissue damage when all of the clips in the applier have been applied. Preferably, the apparatus will provide an indication to the user that all clips have been applied, as well as prevent the user from actuating the clip closure mechanism. More desirably, the apparatus will serve to remove any tissue positioned between the jaws after all clips in the applier have been applied so as to disengage the applier from such tissue, allowing the applier to be removed from the surgical site without interference. The apparatus should be adaptable to various types of clip appliers having a variety of clip feeding and closure mechanisms.

Closure prevention apparatus for surgical clip applier


A memory controller with an interface for providing a connection to a plurality of memory devices at least one of said plurality of memory devices supporting burst mode data transfers comprises data interface circuitry for connecting to a plurality of separate data buses for communicating data signals between said memory controller and a respective one of said memory devices, each of said data buses providing a dedicated data signal path to a different one of said memory devices, address interface circuitry for connecting to a common address bus for communicating address signals to each of said memory devices on a shared address signal path, address signals which are directed to different ones of said memory devices being time division multiplexed together on said common address bus, and device selecting circuitry for generating one or more device selecting signals synchronised with said time division multiplexing of said common address bus to select that memory device to which address signals currently asserted on said common address bus are directed. In this way, an increased bandwidth memory controller can be provided which is efficient for both short, narrow and long and wide burst lengths and which has interface circuitry with a relatively low pin count.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to memory controllers. More particularly, this invention relates to memory controllers for providing a connection to a plurality of memory devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A memory controller may be provided within a data processing apparatus to provide an interface between memory addressing components of the data processing apparatus, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a co-processor, and an external memory device which is addressable by those components. A large number of input/output (I/O) pins are usually required to provide a suitable communications interface between the memory controller and the memory device. The input/output pins can be generally grouped into a data bus for communicating data signals, which represent information content to be stored or read, an address bus for communicating address signals, which represent the location within the memory device where the information content is stored or is to be stored, and a control bus for communicating control signals for controlling the read or write operation.
There is a general requirement to provide increased bandwidth for data transfer operations to and from memory devices, and a number of memory controller configurations have been contemplated in order to meet this requirement. One possibility is to widen the memory data bus to enable an increased number of data bits to be handled by the memory controller. Another possibility is to operate a number of memory controllers in parallel. However, the use of a single, wide memory controller is inefficient unless data is being transferred in long (i.e. wide) bursts, and the use of multiple narrow memory controllers increases the memory controller pin count substantially by requiring additional address and control signal lines.

Memory controller having an interface for providing a connection to a plurality of memory devices


A networked system for facilitating package delivery services includes a recipient module executing on a recipient computing device for recording recipient delivery preference and electronic payment information for package delivery services, a host module executing on a host computing device for recording host location, host delivery ability, an email address and/or telephone number, and electronic payment information for receiving payment, and a web server for processing the electronic payment information for package delivery services with a payment gateway, searching the database among the plurality of host records for the particular host record having data that best matches the data transmitted by the recipient module, transmitting a unique anonymous identifier to the recipient and host, wherein the unique anonymous identifier corresponds to the delivery process, and delivering the package to the host location of the host, wherein the recipient must display the unique anonymous identifier to retrieve the package.

Package delivery or parcel delivery is the delivery of packages, parcels, or high value mail as single shipments. The service is provided by most postal systems, express mail, private courier companies, and shipping carriers. Package delivery is an important part of U.S. commerce. Throughout a typical year, most U.S. consumers rely on the package delivery industry as their the main mode of receiving packages, parcels, or high value mail. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that in an average year, the package delivery industry enjoys over $60 billion in sales. When the value of the goods being delivered in an average year are considered, U.S. sales attributed to the package delivery industry amount to over a trillion U.S. dollars.
Conventionally, packages are delivered to the recipient at his home or his place of work, i.e., wherever the recipient specified when he ordered the goods. In more recent years, with the rise in popularity of the Internet, recipients are increasingly purchasing goods online and having the goods shipped to the recipient. A less common option is to have a third person, such as a family member or employee, purchase goods on behalf of a recipient and have it shipped to the recipient. Thus, a variety of ways exist for purchasing goods and having them shipped to the recipient.
One of the drawbacks associated with conventional package delivery activities involves the given location of the delivery of the package. Often, a recipient may not be present at his home or place of work when the package is delivered, and it may not be safe to leave the package at the door or on the porch due to theft or damage. In those cases, the delivery person may return to his headquarters with the package and have the recipient visit the headquarters to retrieve the package, which can be time-consuming and tedious for the recipient. In other cases, the recipient may not have a set place or location for the package to be delivered. In these cases, the recipient has no good alternatives for having the package delivered in a way that is convenient and efficient.
Another drawback associated with conventional package delivery activities involves the identity of the recipient of the package. Often, a recipient may purchase a good for delivery, and the good may be highly confidential (such as a legal document) or highly embarrassing (such as a sexual aid device). In those cases, the recipient may be weary of revealing his identity when retrieving the package. Displaying the recipient's identity, however, is often required when retrieving a package, such as from the U.S. Post Office.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for improving the problems with the prior art, and more particularly for a more expedient and efficient method and system for facilitating package delivery activities.

Online system for facilitating delivery of packages via drone delivery


Provided are electrodialysis systems for removing silica from a desalinated water stream and methods for removing silica from a desalinated water stream. For example, described are bipolar membrane electrodialysis devices for removing silica from water comprising one or more anion exchange membranes; one or more bipolar membranes; and a pair of electrodes comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode. Also described are electrodialysis systems comprising: one or more electrodialysis devices for the removal of dissolved ions and one or more bipolar membrane electrodialysis devices, wherein a product inlet stream of the one or more bipolar membrane electrodialysis devices comprises the product outlet stream of the one or more electrodialysis devices.

Thermal processes, such as distillation, were the primary methods for desalinating brackish and brine water sources up until the mid-20th century. These methods are energy intensive due to the requirement that the water undergo a phase change to vapor to separate the unwanted constituents, which do not undergo the phase change. The energy required for this transformation is far greater than what would be required to separate the constituents if the water were to remain in the liquid phase.
Electrochemical methods were developed to reduce the energy requirements of the desalination process, by avoiding energy intensive phase changes. Electrochemical methods typically employ two electrodes with ion exchange membranes placed in between. The ion exchange membranes preferentially allow the passage of positively or negatively charged ions depending on the nature of the functional groups attached to their pores. Alternating these membrane types creates compartments that allow the removal of ions from one stream and the addition of ions to an adjacent stream when an electric field is applied between the electrodes that encapsulate the membranes.
The electrochemical desalination method provides an energy efficient desalination process. To increase the process capacity of this method, pairs of ion exchange membranes are stacked on top of each other to form stacks. These stacks can range from 1 pair to over 1000 pairs.
In many ion separation technologies, ions are removed from one stream and concentrated in another. The concentrated brine stream produced is a waste stream that must be disposed. There is currently particular interest in the development of new processes and technologies to reduce the amount of waste generated, thus reducing the cost of disposal. These so-called high-recovery applications introduce new challenges that must be overcome to maximize the amount of clean water that can be recovered from the process. For an electrodialysis device to operate successfully, the rate of ions transferred across the membrane must be faster than the flux of water across the ion exchange membranes due to osmosis and electroosmosis. This becomes increasingly difficult as the recovery increases.
      C    Brine    =                    C        Inlet            -              Re                                                  covery        *                  C          Product                            1      -              Re                                                  covery
Based on the relationship in Equation 1, it is apparent that the brine concentration increases with increasing recovery. Additionally, the concentration of individual dissolved species increases with increasing recovery. This becomes particularly problematic when those constitutive species are sparingly soluble salts or scale forming species such as silica (i.e., SiO2).
Technologies such as reverse osmosis can remove silica from water, but there is a limit to the concentration of silica that can be sent to a reverse osmosis unit without scale building up on the surface of the membranes. Due to the high rate of rejection in reverse osmosis units (>99%), the recovery is limited by the silica concentration in the reject, or brine stream. Another commonly used technology for the removal of silica is the use of strong base ion exchange resin columns. These devices work by absorbing silica molecules onto the surface of ion exchange resin particles, where they remain. This process can be undesired because it requires frequent backwashing and regeneration of the resin bed using harsh chemicals in order to continue to remove silica. The removal efficiency is also reduced by the presence of other dissolved ions that compete with silica for resin sites and increase the frequency with which the resin bed must be regenerated.
Electrodialysis technologies may also be used to remove silica (i.e., silicon dioxide) from water. For example, silica may be removed from water by adjusting the pH of the water to a value greater than 10 before passing the water through a traditional electrodialysis unit.

Electrodialysis process and bipolar membrane electrodialysis devices for silica removal


A method serves for operating an electronically controlled pump assembly (1), with which setting parameters of the pump (2) can be adjusted in an electronic control (6), for adaptation to the hydraulic demands of the location installation situation (4, 5). Operating data is registered during the operation of the pump assembly (1). After a predefined time and on the basis of the registered operating data, it is examined as to whether the pump assembly (1) has been set vis-à-vis the factory settings. If this is not the case a signal (11) is issued in order to point out the necessary setting.

Modern centrifugal pump assemblies, in particular electromotorically driven centrifugal pump assemblies, comprise an electric motor, in front of which a power converter/frequency converter is connected in series, so that the pumps can be operated in wide speed ranges and can thus also cover a comparatively large power spectrum. With circulation pump assemblies, it is counted as belonging to the state of the art for example to operate the pump at an arbitrary constant speed, but also to control the operation according to predefined pump curves. Regulations, which is to say closed-loop controls are mostly envisaged, and these are operated by way of hydraulic sensors or, as the case may be, also merely on account of the electrical values of the motor. Hence heating circulation pumps for example can be operated with constant pressure curves, with constant flow curves, with proportional pressure curves or the like. With pressure boosting facilities, so-called booster pumps, not only is the desired delivery pressure to be set, but also the switching points, at which a further pump is connected or disconnected.
Although this variance which rendered possible by the motor electronics permits a pump assembly to be energetically optimized with regard to the respective application case, this however assumes that the pump assembly has also been set accordingly, in order to thus be operated in an energetically optimized manner.
In practice however, there often arises the problem of the pump assemblies being installed and being brought into operation with the factory settings, which is to say that as a precaution, the setting is effected such that an undersupply or deficit can be ruled out. What therefore happens is that such pump assemblies which per se can be energetically operated in a very favorable manner, run for years with a poor efficiency and require more electrical energy than would actually be necessary, due an insufficient or incorrect setting of the parameters. Apart from the increased energy costs, this also often leads to the differential pressure produced by the pump being too high, and this excessive differential pressure can lead to unnecessary leakages in the system and to unnecessarily high noise emissions on the part of the pump.

Method for operating an electronically controlled pump assembly


Resulfurized stainless steel with high machinability and having an improved corrosion resistance, which includes, in its composition, anorthite- and/or pseudo-wollastonite- and/or gehlenite-type lime aluminosilicate inclusions combined with CrMnS inclusions, the chromium content of which is between 30% and 70%.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resulfurized stainless steel with high machinability and having an improved corrosion resistance, which is especially suited to use in the field of very-high-speed machining and screw machining.
2. Description of the Background
European Patent No. 403 332 teaches a resulfurized steel with improved machinability. That document describes a process in which it is proposed, in order to improve the machinability, to introduce, into a steel having the following general composition: carbon less than 0.15%, silicon less than 2%, manganese less than 2%, molybdenum less than 3%, nickel between 7% and 12% and chromium between 15 and 25%, an amount of sulfur in a proportion of between 0.1 and 0.4%, combined with calcium and oxygen in contents of greater than 30xc3x9710xe2x88x924% and 70xc3x9710xe2x88x924%, respectively, the calcium and oxygen contents satisfying the Ca/O ratio of between 0.2 and 0.6.
In that document, the desired aim is the formation, with manganese and, in a smaller proportion, with chromium, of a manganese chromium sulfide (Mn,Cr)S which produces, in the form of specific inclusions, solid lubrication of the cutting tool during the machining operations.
It is also taught that sulfur has an unfavorable effect on the corrosion resistance. Despite this, a chosen approach is the introduction, into a resulfurized steel containing manganese sulfide inclusions, of inclusions consisting of lime aluminosilicate oxides. These oxides, most often combined with manganese sulfide inclusions, do not degrade the corrosion resistance.
Such a steel has good machinability properties in the field of conventional cutting speeds, that is to say of less than 500 m/min in turning. The steel includes associated inclusions composed of oxides of the lime aluminosilicate type with manganese sulfide inclusions. These inclusions are larger and more deformable than the sulfide inclusions by themselves.
The effect of the so-called solid lubrication of the cutting tool is thereby improved. However, the steel described in the abovementioned document has the drawback associated with resulfurized steels, i.e. a low corrosion resistance, especially pitting corrosion resistance.
Patent FR 95/04140 discloses a steel with improved machinability that can be used, on the one hand, in the field of very-high-speed machining, with cutting speeds in turning possibly exceeding 700 m/min, and, on the other hand, in the field of screw machining with 30% higher productivities than those obtained with an ordinary resulfurized austenitic stainless steel.
The resulfurized stainless steel with improved machinability that can be used especially in the field of high-speed machining and the field of screw machining has the following weight composition: carbon less than 0.1%; silicon less than 2%; manganese less than 2%; nickel from 7 to 12%; chromium from 15 to 25%; sulfur from 0.10 to 0.55%; copper from 1% to 5%; calcium greater than 35xc3x9710xe2x88x924%; oxygen greater than 70xc3x9710xe2x88x924%, the ratio of the calcium content to the oxygen content being between 0.2 and 0.6.
Although the characteristics in the field of machinability are improved by the presence of a high copper content, the corrosion resistance properties remain mediocre in this resulfurized steel.
It is taught that manganese sulfides are very hardly substituted with chromium because of a manganese content matched to the sulfur content and that their malleability, and hence their effectiveness during cutting, is thereby improved.
An object of the present invention is to provide a steel containing sulfur, in order to improve machinability, and having specific inclusions providing a substantial improvement in the field of corrosion resistance, especially pitting corrosion resistance.
The steel of the invention makes it possible to reconcile the level of machinability of resulfurized steels with having a corrosion resistance similar to that of steels of low sulfur content.
One subject of the invention is a resulfurized stainless steel with high machinability and having an improved corrosion resistance, which includes, in its composition, anorthite- and/or pseudo-wollastonite-and/or gehlenite-type lime aluminosilicate inclusions combined with CrMnS inclusions, the chromium content of which is between 30% and 70%.
In one preferred example of the invention,
the steel is a resulfurized austenitic stainless steel comprising, consisting essentially of, and consisting of the following composition by weight based on total weight:
0.01% xe2x89xa6carbon xe2x89xa60.1%;
0.01% xe2x89xa6silicon xe2x89xa62.0%;
0.01% xe2x89xa6manganese xe2x89xa60.5%;
10% xe2x89xa6chromium xe2x89xa625%;
7% xe2x89xa6nickel xe2x89xa612%;
0.15% xe2x89xa6sulfur xe2x89xa60.45%;
0.01% xe2x89xa6molybdenum xe2x89xa63.00%;
0.5% xe2x89xa6copper xe2x89xa63.5%;
0.01% xe2x89xa6nitrogen xe2x89xa60.1%;
0.0020% xe2x89xa6aluminum xe2x89xa60.0100%;
0.0005% xe2x89xa6phosphorus xe2x89xa60.050%;
30xc3x9710xe2x88x924% xe2x89xa6calcium xe2x89xa6200xc3x9710xe2x88x924%;
70xc3x9710xe2x88x924% xe2x89xa6oxygen xe2x89xa6300xc3x97xe2x88x924%;
0.20xe2x89xa6calcium/oxygen xe2x89xa60.60,
plus iron and residual elements inherent in smelting, the steel preferably containing anorthite- and/or pseudo-wollastonite- and/or gehlenite- type lime aluminosilicate inclusions combined with CrMnS inclusions, the chromium content of which is between 30% and 70%;
the composition by weight furthermore contains less than 3xc3x9710xe2x88x924% boron;
the composition by weight furthermore contains from 0.01% to 0.3% vanadium.


A system includes:

A system including a reservoir that stores liquid and a tank to which the reservoir can be connected is known from the related art. For example, JP-A-2017-81121 discloses a system that includes an ink bottle that stores ink, and an ink jet recording apparatus including an ink tank to which the ink bottle can be connected.
The inkjet recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2017-81121 includes four ink tanks, and an ink bottle as a reservoir is connected to each ink tank. Accordingly, ink is injected from the ink bottle into the ink tank. When the user operates the ink jet recording apparatus (for example, when the user operates the touch panel of the ink jet recording apparatus or sets sheet in the ink jet recording apparatus), as viewed from the user, three of the four ink tanks are arranged on the right side of the discharge tray that supports the sheets discharged from the ink jet recording apparatus. One of the four ink tanks is disposed on the left side of the discharge tray.
In addition, as an example of a reservoir to be mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus, an ink cartridge can be exemplified. Some ink cartridges include a circuit board. A memory on which information such as ink color, material, and storage amount is stored is mounted on the circuit board. Also, an electrode is formed on the circuit board. The electrode is conducted to a contact disposed in the ink jet recording apparatus in a state where the ink cartridge is connected to the ink tank. As a result, the ink jet recording apparatus can read out the information stored in the memory.
For example, JP-A-2018-122515 discloses a system including an ink cartridge for storing ink and an image recording apparatus including a tank to which the ink cartridge can be connected.
The image recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2018-122515 includes a feed tray that supports sheets fed into the apparatus and a discharge tray that supports sheets discharged from the apparatus. The feed tray and the discharge tray are disposed in the center in the width direction of the image recording apparatus.
The image recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2018-122515 includes four tanks, and an ink cartridge is connected to each tank. When the user operates the image recording apparatus (for example, when the user operates the touch panel of the image recording apparatus or sets sheet in the image recording apparatus), as viewed from the user, all four tanks are arranged on the right side of the feed tray and discharge tray. Also, the ink cartridge is connected to the tank along the horizontal direction.
In the ink jet recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2017-81121, when an ink cartridge equipped with a circuit board is employed instead of an ink bottle, the problem is which part of the ink cartridge the circuit board can be attached to.
In the ink jet recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2017-81121, ink tanks are arranged at both left and right end portions inside the housing. In this case, when the circuit board is disposed on the right surface or the left surface of the ink cartridge as viewed from the user when the user operates the ink jet recording apparatus in a state where the ink cartridge is connected to the ink tank, the circuit board on the side of the ink jet recording apparatus that is electrically conducted to the circuit board also needs to be arranged in both left and right end portions of the ink jet recording apparatus, and the ink jet recording apparatus becomes larger accordingly. Therefore, it is desirable that the circuit board is disposed on other than the right surface and the left surface of the ink cartridge.
In addition, in the ink jet recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2017-81121, the front surface of the ink tank is exposed to the outside, and the user can check the remaining amount of the ink stored in the ink tank through the front surface. For this reason, it is desirable that the circuit board is disposed on other than the front surface of the ink cartridge.
1 Furthermore, if the ink leaking from the ink cartridge or the ink tank adheres to the circuit board, there is a concern that the circuit board may not function normally, and for example, information stored in the memory may not be read.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a system capable of suppressing an increase in the size of a housing and reducing the possibility of liquid adhesion to a circuit board.
On the other hand, in the image recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2018-122515, when the user operates the image recording apparatus, as viewed from the user, the tank is disposed on the right side of the feed tray and the discharge tray, whereas the tank is not disposed on the left side of the feed tray and the discharge tray. Therefore, the image recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2018-122515 cannot effectively use the space on the left side of the feed tray and the discharge tray. Therefore, the enlargement of the tank size has been restricted.
Further, in the image recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2018-122515, since the ink cartridge is connected to the tank along the horizontal direction, there is a concern that the ink cartridge will accidentally come out of the tank.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a system capable of increasing the size of a tank and reducing the possibility that a reservoir connected to the tank will accidentally come out of the tank.

System including a reservoir configured to store liquid and a tank to which the reservoir can be connected

Abstract: A system includes:

Abstract: a housing;

Abstract: a first tank;

Abstract: a second tank;

Abstract: a first reservoir configured to be connected to the first tank;

Abstract: a second reservoir configured to be connected to the second tank; and

Abstract: a liquid discharge head that ejects the liquid supplied from the first tank and the second tank.

Abstract: The housing includes:                a front wall;        a rear wall facing the front wall; and        a housing side contact,

Abstract: the first reservoir and the second reservoir includes:                a liquid flow hole;        a first outer wall; and        a second outer wall facing the first outer wall,

Abstract: the first tank includes a first flow pipe, and

Abstract: the second tank includes a second flow pipe.

Abstract: The system further includes a circuit board that is disposed on the second outer wall and has a reservoir side contact that contacts the housing side contact.


An aqueous pharmaceutical preparation is provided containing chloride ion and stably containing chlorhexidine gluconate, characterized in that said preparation further contains at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polycarboxylic acid of the formula I: EQU HOOC--(CR.sub.i 1 --CR.sub.i 2)n --COOH (I). wherein n is an integer 1, 2 or 3; i is a positive integer not more than n; R.sup.11 and R.sub.12, when n=1, independently from each other, are H, --OH or --COOH; each of R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.21 and R.sub.22, when n=2, is H, --OH or --COOH, but not all of them are H simultaneously; and each of R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.21, R.sub.22, R.sub.31 and R.sub.32, when n=3, is H, --OH or --COOH, but two adjacent carbons in no case contain four hydrogen atoms in total; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Due to its antimicrobial activity, chlorhexidine gluconate, a salt of chlorhexidine with gluconic acid, is widely used in forms of aqueous solutions as local disinfectants for disinfection of fingers and skin, and disinfection of the site of surgery, disinfection of surgical tools, as well as for disinfection of operation rooms and sickrooms, washing and disinfection of conjunctival sac, disinfection of the skin on and around external genitalia. In addition, chlorhexidine gluconate is also widely used as a preservative to prevent growth of microorganisms in aqueous pharmaceutical preparations for external use and preparations for topical use such as, eye drops and nasal drops.
However, chlorhexidine gluconate by nature is prone to develop precipitates by forming scarcely soluble salts where other anions than gluconate are present. For instance, it is known that chlorhexidine gluconate aqueous solutions will develop precipitates over time in the presence of citrate or chloride ion. Therefore, either of citrate or chloride ion is an incompatible chemical species with chlorhexidine.
On the other hand, in most of the cases, aqueous pharmaceutical preparations such as eye drops and nasal drops contain chloride ion. A number of active drugs and excipients provide a source of chloride ion, such as, sodium chloride as an isotonic agent; inorganic chlorides such as potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride; compounds used as pharmacologically active constituents such as pilocarpine hydrochloride (miotic), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B.sub.6), naphazoline hydrochloride (vasoconstricter), diphenhydramine hydrochloride (antihistamine), dibucaine hydrochloride (local anesthetic); and hydrochloric acid used as a pH adjusting agent during production of aqueous pharmaceutical preparations. Thus, inclusion of chloride ion is unavoidable in many of aqueous pharmaceutical preparations.
Therefore, in many of aqueous pharmaceutical preparations such as eye drops and nasal drops, it has been unallowable to simply employ chlorhexidine gluconate as a preservative.
In order to prevent precipitation of chlorhexidine in a chloride ion-containing aqueous solution, it is known to include a nonionic surface active agent in the solution. However, as nonionic surface active agents are prone to cause irritation to mucous membrane, it is unfavorable to include a nonionic surface active agent in preparations to be applied to mucous membranes such as, in particular, eye drops or nasal drops.
Thus, there exists a need for a method of maintaining, without inclusion of nonionic surface active agent, chlorhexidine gluconate stably in an aqueous pharmaceutical preparation in concurrent presence of chloride ion, as well as for an aqueous pharmaceutical preparation produced by such a method.

Chlorhexidine gluconate-containing, stabilized aqueous pharmaceutical preparations


A cover for covering at least partially a vehicle comprises a cover body and at least two clips connected the cover body. Each of the at least two clips includes a first portion connected at least partially to the cover body. The first portion is adapted to bias the cover body toward the vehicle when the cover covers the vehicle. A second portion has a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to the first portion. The second portion is adapted to selectively connect to a first vehicle portion. A third portion has a first end and a second end. The third portion is adapted to selectively abut against a second vehicle portion. The first end of the third portion is connected to the second end of the second portion. The third portion is at an angle with respect to the first portion.

Certain vehicles, for example recreational vehicles, are normally covered with protective covers during storage or when they are being towed by another vehicle. The covers provide protection against the elements of nature, such as the sun, snow and dirt.
Conventionally, covers are designed to snugly fit over the particular vehicle to be covered. Soft, lightweight covers are often used as they can easily be folded up and stored away when not in use. Such conventional covers generally comprise a large upper portion made of nylon or similarly weatherproof material which is sized and fitted to slide over the top of the entire upper body portion of the vehicle. In the example of a snowmobile, the cover generally covers the forward fairings of the external shell and the seat portion. Typically, the wheels or skis and track of the vehicle are left uncovered by this type of cover, however the cover may alternatively cover one or more of these.
A system of straps or attachments is conventionally used to secure the cover to the vehicle. An example of such attachment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,448. Typically, when the user wants to cover the vehicle, he disposes the cover over the vehicle and reaches under the vehicle for securing the attachment straps thereunder. In some cases, the straps are also to be secured around the suspension elements. When doing so, the user may get dirty due to the snow and/or dirt accumulated under and over the vehicle. Furthermore, to perform the operation, the user usually lowers at least one knee on the ground, which can cause discomfort. When the user wants to remove the cover, he has to undo all the straps in a similar way and therefore with the same inconveniences.
Therefore, there is a need for a vehicle cover that would be easy to install and remove.


A data collection system allows occupants in one or more locations to provide indications as to their respective levels of comfort. The indications as to comfort level are preferably provided through personal computers in these locations. Each computer is programmed to display a menu of comfort level options that may be selected by the user of the computer. Each computer is operative to require that any selected comfort level be accompanied by a verification as to the user making the one or more selections. The verification preferably requires an entry of an identification that may be checked against a stored identification. Each computer is operative to timely provide the selections as to comfort level by a recognized user to a network computer. The network computer is operative to analyze the comfort level information from these computers and send one or more commands to an HVAC system providing conditioned air to the locations.

This invention relates to the gathering of information from locations to be provided with conditioned air by one or more HVAC systems.
The gathering of information from locations in which conditioned air is to be provided has heretofore been largely accomplished through the use of thermostats. These thermostats typically allow an individual to enter a preferred set point temperature indicative of the level of comfort that he or she desires. The thermostat also typically includes a sensor for sensing the actual temperature in the room. The difference between the entered setpoints and sensed temperatures are used to control one or more HVAC systems providing conditioned air to the locations.
There may be several people in a location that would have different feelings as to what the set point temperature should be. Individual thermostats do not allow these people to each individually provide their respective feelings of comfort. There is also no ability to identify who is requesting a particular level of comfort at a particular location.


A thermostat housing assembly for a marine engine having a first inlet to receive sea water and an outlet that is connected to a circulating pump that circulated cooling water to the engine. A baffle is located in the housing and prevents direct flow between the sea water inlet and the outlet. The housing defines a pair of passages with a first of the passages providing communication between the sea water inlet and forms a first chamber which communicates with a pair of manifold outlets that are connected to the manifold. A second of the passages provides communication between the sea water inlet and the outlet to the circulation pump. The housing also includes a return inlet for returning water from the engine and the return inlet is connected to the second passages. A thermostat is mounted in an opening between the passages and when the thermostat is open a portion of the returning cooling water will be directed through the thermostat opening to the first passage and mixed with incoming sea water and then directed to the manifolds.

In a conventional cooling system for an internal combustion engine, the coolant is circulated by a circulating pump through the engine block, through the cylinder heads and to the intake manifold. In an automobile or other land vehicle, the coolant flows from the manifold to the radiator. With a marine engine, which has no radiator, the coolant passing through the manifold is discharged overboard and make-up water is supplied by a seawater pump.
In the past, the thermostat of a marine engine was usually located in the intake manifold. When the engine is cold and the thermostat is closed, the water or coolant will not pass through the manifold, but a small portion of the water will flow through a bypass that returns to the circulating pump so that there is some water flow through the engine block.
It was believed in the past that it was desirable with a cold engine to heat the manifolds to reduce condensation and prevent any such condensation from flowing back into the cylinders. Thus, with the cooling systems of the past, the cooling water was not flowed through the manifolds until the engine was heated and the thermostat opened.
More recently a cooling system has been employed with marine engines utilizing a thermostat housing assembly such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,787. While that patent is directed specifically to an evaporable foam pattern for producing the thermostat housing, the cast housing is identical in configuration to that shown in the patent. With the construction shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,787, the thermostat is located in a thermostat housing which is mounted to the engine block. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,787, sea water is pumped into an inlet in the thermostat housing and when the thermostat is closed, a portion of the incoming water is directed through a pair of outlets to exhaust elbows while a second portion of the incoming sea water is circulated through the engine block. When the thermostat is opened, a portion of the returning water in the circulating system will flow to the manifolds. With the arrangement as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,787, no coolant is distributed to the manifolds until the engine warms and the thermostat is open.

Thermostat housing assembly for a marine engine


A decorative trim panel having a frame built up of individual frame members joined together in an end-to-end relationship to provide a frame or frame assembly. The frame is provided with a channel in the inside lower edges which accepts a second panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to the field of decorative trim panels. More particularly, the invention relates to decorative wooden trim panels for attachment to a substrate.
Most particularly, the invention relates to the manufacture of decorative wooden trim panels to be attached in an overlaying relationship on an automobile station wagon to simulate the early look of station wagons using wood in the construction thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the earlier days of the automobile, wood was used as a component in building up the body of the automobile. The body would then be attached to the chassis. When wood was used in the automobile body style commonly known as an "estate wagon" or a "station wagon", a particularly aesthetic and pleasing appearance was obtained. As technology progressed, the use of wood components in automobile bodies all but vanished. However, the longing of the populous for the aesthetic look of wood in automobiles continues to this day, and many attempts in the art have been made to simulate the wood look.
An early such attempt involved applying wood veneer and wood border or frame strips to the vehicle panels. This proved to be relatively costly, as it required many individual pieces and a long installation time. Also, earlier wood coating technology was not sufficient to prevent the wood strips from discoloring in a relatively short time upon exposure to the elements.
A later attempt involved achieving a wood panel effect by adhering a thin film of plastic material to the vehicle panels. Such a film is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,861 issued to J. V. Erwin. The wood border was formed by attaching separate molding strips of plastic or metal around the plastic film. It was found that the plastic film was relatively susceptible to scuffing and scraping, and unless extreme care was taken, the appearance would rapidly degrade. Such degradation of appearance was particularly noticeable if the vehicle was washed often in an automatic car wash.
Later attempts in the art, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,770 issued on Jan. 9, 1973 to Clifford E. Hale, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,332 issued on Mar. 4, 1975 to Theodore Lowe, provided a "wood look" by using various thermoplastic materials.
However, it is felt by some in the art that the simulation of wood by use of thermoplastic materials does not present a particularly aesthetic or pleasing effect. Those skilled in the art have continued to search for an effective method for manufacturing and installing decorative trim panels made of real wood to the corresponding body panels of a "station wagon" to regain the aesthetic effect had by the early wooden station wagons.

Decorative trim panel and method of manufacture and installation thereof