A base member for an ink jet head in which a heat accumulation layer, a heat generating member generating heat energy used to discharge ink, and protection film for protecting the heat generating member are formed in succession on a substrate, characterized in that the heat resistance value of a portion of the heat accumulation layer which is under the heat generating member is two times or greater and less than five times as great as the heat resistance value of a portion of the protection film which is on the heat generating member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of driving an ink jet head for discharging ink in accordance with an ink jet process and effecting recording on a recording medium, an ink jet head and an ink jet recording apparatus, and particularly to what utilizes heat energy to discharge ink.
"Recording" in the present invention means not only imparting images having meanings such as characters and figures, but also imparting images having no meaning such as patterns.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, numerous recording apparatuses have come to be used as apparatuses such as a printer for effecting recording on recording mediums such as paper, yarn, fiber, cloth, metals, plastics, glass, wood and ceramics, a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus having a communication system, and a word processor having a printer portion, and further a recording apparatus compoundly combined with various processing apparatuses. High-speed recording, high resolution, a high quality of image, low noise, etc. are required of these recording apparatuses. An ink jet recording apparatus may be mentioned as a recording apparatus meeting such requirements. The ink jet recording apparatus uses an ink jet head having a discharge port, discharges ink (recording liquid) droplets from the discharge port and makes them adhere to a recording medium to thereby effect recording. In the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink jet head and the recording medium are in non-contact with each other and therefore, very stable recorded images or the like can be obtained.
Among such ink jet heads, an ink jet head utilizing heat energy to discharge ink has the advantages that a number of discharge ports can be arranged highly densely and therefore recording of high resolution can be effected, and that it is easy to make the head compact.
In the conventional ink jet head utilizing heat energy, a plurality of heat generating resistance members are arranged in the form of a row on a base member of silicon or the like to thereby achieve high density, and a construction having a common heat accumulation layer and electrical insulating film to the plurality of heat generating resistance members is popular (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-171127 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-011886).
FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings shows a typical cross-sectional view of the conventional ink jet head utilizing heat energy in the portion of a heat generating resistance member thereof.
As shown in FIG. 14, the ink jet head 100 has a base member 120 formed with a heat generating resistance member (heater) 123, and a nozzle material 110 joined onto the base member 120. The base member 120 has, on the surface of a substrate 121 formed of silicon, a heat accumulation layer 122 constituted by a plurality of layers such as thermally oxidated film, a heat generating resistance member 123 partly formed on the heat accumulation layer 122, electrode wires 124, 125 for supplying electric power to the heat generating resistance member 123, electrical insulating film 126 formed so as to cover the heat generating resistance member 123 and the heat accumulation layer 122, and anti-cavitation film 127 consisting of Ta and formed on the electrical insulating film 126. The electrical insulating film 126 and the anti-cavitation film 127 together constitute protection film 128. The nozzle material 110 is joined to the base 120 to thereby form a liquid path having an ink chamber 112 above the heat generating resistance member 123. Also, the nozzle material 110 has a discharge port 111 formed at a location opposed to the heat generating resistance member 123.
The ink chamber 112 is filled with ink and in this state, a voltage is applied to the heat generating resistance member 123 through the electrode wires 124 and 125, whereby the heat generating resistance member 123 generates heat. By the heat generation of the heat generating resistance member 123, the ink in the ink chamber 112 is suddenly heated and film-boils. Thereby, a bubble is produced in the ink, and by pressure based on the growth of the bubble, the ink is discharged from the discharge port 111.
In order to efficiently transmit the heat energy generated by the heat generating resistance member 123 to the ink, various contrivances have heretofore been proposed about the film construction of the base member 120.
Reference is now made to FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings to describe the principle of heat transmission by the heat generation of the heat generating resistance member 123. In FIG. 15, the heat generating resistance member 123 is electrically energized, whereby a quantity of heat Q is applied. The quantity of heat Q is diffused to above and below the heat generating resistance member 123 and becomes Q1 and Q2. The quantity of heat Q1 diffused to above is transmitted to the ink 130 on the protection film 128. Thereby, a bubble 131 is produced in the ink 130, and discharge is effected as described above.

Ink jet head having heat accumulation layer and protection film method of driving thereof and ink jet recording apparatus provided therewith


An accurate measure of eye length can be obtained using concurrent OCT measurements. A position OCT device can be used to continually monitor the position of the front surface of the cornea, while a distance OCT device can determine the apparent distance between the front surface of the cornea and the front surface of the retina. Since the eye is likely to move during the period of time between measurements of the cornea and retina, the monitored position of the cornea can be used to correct the apparent length measurement by the amount of eye movement over that period of time, in order to obtain an accurate measure of eye length. In some embodiments a single OCT device can serve the dual role of monitoring eye position while making eye length measurements.

In industrial, medical, and various other applications, it often is necessary to make measurements at a resolution of less than 10 microns. This becomes especially difficult for samples, such as living samples, that are likely to move during the measurement(s). A particular problem arises when measuring dimensions of the eye, as the eye is highly likely to move between a pair of measurements taken on, for example, the front and back surfaces of the eye. One technology that has been used to measure eye-length is Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,501, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. OCT is a non-invasive, real-time imaging technique capable of obtaining images and making measurements on the order of about 10 microns or less.
Several variations of OCT systems have been used with varying results. One such variation is a time-domain OCT (TD-OCT) system. A TD-OCT system typically uses a standard Michelson interferometer-based approach, such as is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,329,321 and 5,387,951 for a full reference path scan. In applications such as measuring eye lengths, it is desirable to form high-resolution axial scans of the front and rear portions of the eye, but there is little value to scanning the center of the eye. A long axial scan covering the entire length of the eye, with the desired axial resolution throughout the scan, would spend considerable time scanning through the center of the eye, during which the eye may move and during which time little or no valuable information is being collected. Therefore a system is desired that is capable of separate high-resolution scans of the front and rear portions of the eye. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,053,613 and 6,775,007 and Publication No. 2005/0140981 describe OCT systems with dual reference paths and a short-range reference-path scan. All of these references are hereby incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 1 shows a basic full range reference path length scan system, wherein light from a low coherence source 102 is input into a beam splitter 104. The beam splitter directs the light along two arms, namely a measurement arm 106 and a reference arm 108. An optical fiber 110 in the measurement arm 108 extends into a device 112 that scans an eye 114 with a beam of light. The reference arm 106 provides a variable optical delay using light reflected back by a reference mirror 116. A piezoelectric modulator based path length stretcher 118 can be included in the reference arm 106 with a fixed reference mirror 116 to either change the path length or to create a modulation or beating frequency, and the reference mirror 116 can be a scanning mirror such that the mirror can be scanned in the direction of the incoming beam, shown in the figure as the Z-direction. The reflected reference beam from the reference arm 106 and the scattered measurement beam from the sample arm 108 pass back and combine through the splitter 104 to a detector device 120, including processing electronics, which can process the signals using techniques known in the art. The processed signals can be used to give a measurement of eye length, as well as to produce a backscatter profile or image on a display unit 122. Due to the need for the reference mirror to move, measurements may not be accurate since the position of the eye can change while the mirror is moving.
Another variation is a spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) device, such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,699, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. An exemplary SD-OCT device uses a spectral interferometer, where light from a source such as a superluminescent diode (SLD) can be reflected from surfaces of the eye, the eye reflected light is combined with a reference light and is focused onto a spectrometer, where the resulting spectrum can be analyzed as known in the art. A problem with such an approach is that the depth range that can be covered in such a system is typically limited (by the spectral resolution of the spectrometer) to a few millimeters, such as 3-4 mm for a typical A-scan, which is not sufficient to cover the full length of the eye (an optical path length typically equivalent to 28 mm to 35 mm in air). Thus, measuring the eye length with a typical SD-OCT system requires two separate measurements between which the reference arm is moved by approximately the length of the eye. Since the eye can move during those two measurements, error can be introduced. A similar problem is encountered when using a swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) device that varies the wavelength of the light source, such as is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,347,327 and 5,347,328, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
There are many other variations of these OCT devices, each of which suffers the same problem of eye movement during the measurement process. When using an interferometer to measure the relative positions in space of the "front" and "back" surface of the eye, here the front surfaces of the cornea and retina, respectively, it can take on the order of about ¾ second between the front and back measurements. This leads to the probability of movement. For high-precision applications such as cataract surgery, where a lens of the appropriate focal length is inserted in the eye, an error in measurement due to movement of just 100 microns produces an intolerable error of approximately 0.25 diopters in lens prescription, so it is critical to know the correct eye length (as used in industry, the distance from the front surface of the cornea to the front surface of the retina). Existing OCT systems therefore are not sufficient to measure this critical dimension.

Optical coherence tomography for eye-length measurement


Disclosed is a light emitting panel and a display device. The light emitting panel includes a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a display area, a non-display area and a bending area connecting the display area and the non-display area; a transistor layer, wherein the transistor layer is disposed on the substrate and disposed relative to the display area and the non-display area; an organic layer, wherein the organic layer is disposed on the substrate and disposed relative to the bending area; and a wiring layer, wherein the wiring layer is disposed on the organic layer; wherein a vertical height of the organic layer is greater than a vertical height of the transistor layer.

In recent years, the organic light emitting diode (OLED) possesses many excellent characteristics, such as self-illumination, low energy consumption, wide viewing angle, rich color, fast response and flexible screen preparation, and thus causes great interest in the field of scientific research and industry, and is considered to be a promising next-generation display technology.
In the fabrication process of a thin film transistor (TFT) backplane of a conventional low temperature poly-silicon organic light emitting diode (LTPS-OLED) of the prior art, for enhancing the bendability of the light emitting panel, a deep hole (DH) is etched in the Pad bending zone, and then an organic dry hole material (ODH) is filled in the DH; however, as the bending is performed, the wiring layer on the ODH will be broken, which seriously affects the yield of the light emitting panel.
Therefore, the prior art possesses drawbacks and is in urgent need of improvement.

WUHAN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


Example embodiments may allow for the efficient determination of disparity information for a stereo image pair by embedding pixels of the image pair in a multidimensional dimensional vertex space. Regularly-spaced vertices in the vertex space are associated with pixels of the stereo image pair and disparity loss functions are determined for each of the vertices based on disparity loss functions of the associated pixels. The determined vertex-disparity loss functions can be used to determine vertex disparity values for each of the vertices. Disparity values for pixels of the stereo image pair can be determined based on determined vertex disparity values for respective one or more vertices associated with each of the pixels. The determined pixel disparity values can be used to enable depth-selective image processing, determination of pixel depth maps, mapping and/or navigation of an environment, human-computer interfacing, biometrics, augmented reality, or other applications.

Stereoscopic imaging typically involves capturing at least two images of a scene from two or more different perspectives (e.g., with parallel optical axes that are offset from each other by some distance), such that the images provide depth information about the scene. For example, the images could be taken using two cameras having optical axes that are substantially parallel, which are separated horizontally (relative to a horizon of the scene) by a distance that may be referred to as the "baseline." An individual image generated by stereo imaging could include image data related to the contents of the scene (e.g., the color, shape, location perpendicular to the direction a corresponding perspective, or other properties of contents of the scene) while differences between two images generated by stereo imaging could be related to the location of the contents of the scene relative to the corresponding two perspectives.
Generally, differences between two images generated by stereo imaging can be related to the depth (i.e., the distance between contents of the scene and the corresponding perspective in a direction parallel to the orientation of the perspectives) of contents of the scene. For example, an object that is deeper in the scene (i.e., that is further away from the cameras) will generally appear at locations in the two images that are closer to one another within the image frame, than an object that is closer to the camera. As a specific example, an object that is very close to the two cameras (e.g., a few inches away) will appear at locations in the two images that are separated by a much greater distance, in the image frame, than an object that is far away (e.g., 10 feet or more).


A display system divides a screen into regions and applies a different set of rendering/encoding parameters to each region. The system applies a first set of parameters to a first region that is being viewed by a fovea of an eye of a user. The system may also apply a second set of parameters to a second region that is being viewed by a parafovea of the eye, and apply a third set of parameters to a third region that is being viewed by the area of the eye outside of the parafovea. The first set of parameters are selected to yield relatively high image quality, while the second set of parameters are yield intermediate quality, and the third set of parameters yield lower quality. As a result, the second region and the third region can be rendered, encoded, and transmitted with less computing power and less bandwidth.

This invention relates generally to eye tracking, and more particularly to the use of adaptive parameters in image regions based on eye tracking information.
Images are rendered, encoded, and displayed to a user in a variety of different contexts. In many situations, the process for rendering, encoding, and transmitting an image for display to a user can consume a large amount of computing resources, especially when the image has a relatively high resolution such as 1080p or 4K or when the image is part of a sequence of frames that make up a video, such as a video file or a scene generated by a game application. This can lead to undesirable side effects such as higher power consumption and longer processing times.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Adaptive parameters in image regions based on eye tracking information


A disk cartridge has a passive shutter opening mechanism. The cartridge is adapted so that during insertion into a drive, the shutter is automatically opened. A projection is coupled to a shutter surface. The projection is sized so that it impinges on the front of the drive as the cartridge is inserted. This impingement causes the shutter to open and no levers are required to activate the shutter. The shutter also has a latch that operates to keep the shutter in the closed position. As the cartridge is inserted into the drive, the latch impinges on the drive opening causing the latch to release the shutter.

This invention relates to a cartridge based data storage system in which a flexible magnetic disk is disposed within a cartridge shell. More particularly, the invention relates to a cartridge having a shutter, wherein the shutter is adapted to open during insertion of the cartridge into a disk drive.
Microprocessors and supporting computer technologies are rapidly increasing in speed and computing power while decreasing in cost and size. These factors have led to the broad application of microprocessors to an array of electronic products, such as hand-held computers, digital cameras, cellular phones and the like. All of these devices have, in effect, become computers with particular application-specific attributes. For this new breed of computer products, enormous flexibility is gained by the ability to exchange data files and store computer software.
A variety of proprietary storage devices have been used in computer products. For example, hand-held computers have used integrated circuit memory cards ("memory cards") as the primary information storage media. Memory cards include memory storage elements, such as static random access memory (SRAM), or programmable and erasable non-volatile memory, such as "flash" memory. Memory cards each are typically the size of a conventional credit card and are used in portable computers in place of hard disk drives and floppy disk drives. Furthermore, memory cards enhance the significant advantages of the size, weight, and battery lifetime attributes of the portable computer and increase portability of the storage media. However, because of the limited memory density attainable in each memory card and the high cost of the specialized memory chips, using memory cards in hand-held computers imposes limitations not encountered in less portable computers, which typically use more power-consuming and heavier hard and floppy disk drives as their primary storage media.
Typical removable disk cartridges have a flexible magnetic disk disposed within a hard outer shell. A movable shutter is connected to the shell and selectively opens to expose the flexible magnetic disk. Such a cartridge is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re, 32,876 (Wakabayashi et al.). The Wakabayashi patent is directed to a disk cassette that contains a flexible magnetic disk for storing information. The disk cassette comprises a flexible disk attached to a hub. The disk and hub assembly are sandwiched between an upper cover and a lower cover. The Wakabayashi shutter rotates on the interior of the cartridge and comprises a metal sheet that slides over a disk access opening to cover a head access opening.
A shutter and corresponding shutter opening mechanism are described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/968,225, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. Therein, a shutter mechanism is described that has radially extending tab that mates with a rotary shutter opening lever. As a cartridge is inserted into a drive, a hook-like shutter lever end engages the shutter tab and rotates the shutter open.
Prior art shutter opening mechanisms require levers and other complicated mechanisms to open a cartridge shutter. The complicated mechanism require several moving parts that could fail to operate consistently and thereby degrade the overall reliability and performance of the storage system. Accordingly, there is a need for a cartridge having an improved shutter opening mechanism.

Cartridge having a passive shutter opening mechanism


The present application provides paging methods and devices, which can reduce signaling overhead. A method comprises: determining a paging time of a first terminal device by using at least one first bit of a first identifier of the first terminal device; transmitting a paging message during the paging time; where the paging message carries identifier information of the first terminal device, and the identifier information is obtained based on at least one second bit, except the at least one first bit, of the first identifier of the first terminal device, or, the identifier information is obtained based on a second identifier of the first terminal device, where a length of the identifier information is shorter than the second identifier of the first terminal device.

When a terminal device is in an idle state, if a core network device needs to interact with the terminal device, the network side informs the terminal device by means of a paging message. At this time, the UE can perform the subsequent response only if it detects the paging message.
In a New Radio (NR) system, the demand for signaling overhead is high.
Therefore, how to reduce the signaling overhead in the paging process is becoming an urgent problem to be solved.

Paging method, network device and terminal device

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


Automatic downloading of game content to a game console is provided. A user enables automatic downloading, and thereafter, game content available from a game server is periodically checked to determine if any content matches criteria specified for downloading. If a match is found, and the user has not previously downloaded the content, or a previous version of the content, then the game content is added to a download queue. The content specified in the download queue is transferred to the game console.

Historically, gaming consoles have been dedicated to devices that connect to a monitor and that allow a user to play a game stored on a game cartridge or disc that is inserted into the gaming console. Thus, the games available to a user were provided on gaming modules or optical discs that the user had to purchase and bring home. When a user wanted to play a game, the user had to insert the module or disc into the gaming console. The game would typically automatically start when it was inserted into the console. When the user desired to play a different game, the existing game had to be removed from the gaming console and the new game had to be inserted into the gaming console.
Traditionally, gaming consoles had also been isolated from other devices other than a television monitor. As such, they were not viewed as devices that could be networked.
This changed with the introduction of the MICROSOFT® XBOX® gaming console which provided network connectivity for the gaming console. To take advantage of this network connectivity, MICROSOFT® introduced a gaming disc known as MICROSOFT® Arcade, which was able to connect to a server through the Internet when the gaming console was connected to the Internet. The server site that the Arcade disc could reach was dedicated to XBOX® consoles that were executing the Arcade application stored on the Arcade disc. As such, other devices could not reach this server site, and further, XBOX® consoles that did not have the Arcade gaming disc running could not reach the server site.
MICROSOFT® eventually released a newer version of their gaming console called the XBOX 360®, which also provided support for network connectivity. MICROSOFT® directly integrated Arcade functionality into the XBOX 360® gaming console. Thus, users gained the ability to reach the server site and access Arcade functionality without having to install a dedicated Arcade gaming disc. Currently, the XBOX 360® gaming console is the latest available version of a gaming console in the XBOX® product category.
From the server site, the Arcade components integrated into the XBOX 360® gaming console are able to enumerate full version games that are stored on the server and that can be downloaded to the user's hard disc drive on the XBOX 360® console. The XBOX 360® supports the display of games that are available on the server, with games that have not previously been downloaded being displayed in a different manner than games that have been downloaded. By selecting one of the games that has not been downloaded, the user is able to download the game onto their hard disc drive for a fee.
MICROSOFT® XBOX LIVE® Arcade was the first service to introduce a "try before you buy" sales model in the console gaming industry. In accordance with this model, a user can download and play a limited portion of a game for little or no fee, and then subsequently convert to a full version for a fee when and if desired. This sales model was introduced in association with the XBOX® console and was also included within the Arcade platform associated with the XBOX 360® console. These experiences have shown that it is desirable, at least based on a goal of increasing sales revenue, to employ effective means for driving higher trial downloads and conversion rates to the full version of each game. For users who wished to try, or buy, the very latest games it has traditionally been necessary for such users to periodically check the list of new games in the XBOX® available on the server.
This requires repeated input and/or interaction from the user, and may limit the degree to which users seek and obtain new content from the server.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Automatic delivery of game content to a game console


A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel is provided, which comprises steps of: manufacturing an array substrate; manufacturing a color film substrate; coating a pixel alignment film on the pixel electrode layer; performing a first optical alignment process on the pixel alignment film; coating a common alignment film on the common electrode layer; performing a second optical alignment process on the common alignment film; and performing an encasing alignment process on the array substrate and the color film substrate. This solves the technological problem of white dropouts on the screen from certain viewing angles.

With the development of society, large-size liquid crystal display devices have been applied to various home sites and, public places. Different applications require different liquid crystal display devices. For example, at home, a user normally walks around the liquid crystal display device so that a wide viewing angle of the liquid crystal display device is more desirable. In public, in order to facilitate more users viewing the screen, the liquid crystal display device is generally placed in a higher place so that a downwards viewing angle of the liquid crystal display device is more desirable.
In order to fulfill the requirements of the user's viewing angle, the production of the liquid crystal display devices requires a larger investment in production cost for improving the display effects of the liquid crystal display devices and preventing the liquid crystal display devices from having problems with white dropouts on the screen from certain viewing angles.
Therefore, there is a need for providing a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel to solve the existing problems of the prior art.

Method of manufacturing liquid crystal display panel

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A radiation detector 10 has a base 12 and a window 16 that define a vacuum chamber 20. Within the vacuum chamber 20 is a temperature controlled filter 32 and a focal plane array (FPA) 22 defining a gap h therebetween. The filter 32 is heat sunk to a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) 24 and thermoelectric elements 28 to inhibit heat transfer from non-scene sources 38, 40 to the FPA 22. The temperature controlled filter 32 may also incorporate a bandpass filter to reflect all sources of radiation not within the desired wavelength region of interest. The temperature controlled filter 32 is maintained at substantially the same temperature as the FPA 22.

Radiation detectors such as microbolometers operating at ambient temperatures operate by measuring a change in a sensor's resistance (typically a focal plane array FPA of sensors) caused by the heating effect of incident radiation. The desired radiation to measure at the FPA is referred to as scene radiation, whereas any other energy transfer to the FPA is referred to as non-scene radiation. Depending upon the type of sensor, certain non-scene radiation may register at the FPA as noise.
Both cryogenically cooled and uncooled (i.e.: not cryogenically cooled) detectors typically dispose a radiation sensor within a vacuum chamber or detector package that maintains pressures well below ambient levels. The vacuum chamber itself is generally defined by a window through which desired radiation passes, a base, and sidewalls. However, the two types of detectors employ different types of sensors.
Cryogenically cooled detectors employ photon sensors that measure electrical activity directly from incident radiation. An incident photon striking a photon sensor collides with a target that directly amplifies the incident photon by an avalanche or cascade process that generates a multiplicity of charge carriers that are detected as electrical entities in themselves. The same principal applies to ionized gas in a tube or solid state detectors that are cryogenically cooled. A photon sensor operates on a photoconductive effect and generates a photoconductive current.
Conversely, uncooled detectors such as bolometers employ thermal sensors whose resistance changes as a function of temperature. An external current applied across the thermal sensor is used to measure a change in electrical resistance through the sensor that results from absorbing heat from the incident radiation. A thermal sensor operates on a photoresistive effect and generates a photoresistive current. Examples of uncooled infrared detectors include Raytheon® thermal camera models 300D and 2000B and component detectors 2500AS and 2000AS. Thermal detectors are susceptible to package effects, which include heat from package walls (the confines of the vacuum chamber) interfering with sensing of incident radiation.
Typically, a FPA of thermal sensors is mounted to or fabricated on a readout integrated circuit (ROIC). Heat that accumulates in the FPA from scene and non-scene radiation is removed by a series of thermoelectric (TE) cooling elements or other heat extraction means, which may be within or outside of the vacuum chamber. A ceramic stage is disposed between the TE elements and the ROIC in order to provide structure for the TE cooling elements, and to ensure a sufficient thermal mass to minimize localized temperature spikes from non-scene radiation and to distribute non-localized temperature changes over time, affording the sensor a more thermally stable background. Non-scene radiation such as ambient heat emitted from the package or radiation of non-scene wavelengths may be sensed at the FPA. Due to the trend for smaller detectors, the close proximity of package walls and window to the FPA can result in non-scene heat causing a substantial increase in heat transfer from the package. This increase in heat can also be non-uniform, creating spatial noise within the FPA image as heat falls on different pixels of the FPA at different levels.
Prior attempts to overcome the problem of non-scene radiation being detected at the sensor have included pre-programming a variety of calibration settings for the ROIC that transfers signals from the FPA, each tailored to a specific package temperature range. As many as nine calibration settings have been employed, wherein the ROIC switches from one calibration setting to another as the package temperature and resulting heat flux on the FPA changes. As can be appreciated, this conventional approach adds cost and complexity.

Thermally stabilized radiation detector utilizing temperature controlled radiation filter


Paper stock (e.g. about 3 mils thick) is highly calendered to form a paper label substrate having first and second faces, with indicia imaged on the first face, a coating of adhesive release material over the imaged indicia, and a pressure sensitive adhesive on the second face. The release coating may be silicone release coating, and the adhesive permanent acrylic adhesive. The paper stock label substrate desirably has a moisture content of between about 6-8%, the release coat and adhesive sealing the moisture within the paper stock. The pressure sensitive adhesive is applied to a blow molded plastic article while the article has a temperature of above 120.degree. F. The article is cooled so that the label conforms to the surface of the article without visible flaws (such as lifted edges, air bubbles, or puckering).

It is common practice to label blow molded plastic articles in order to provide information to consumers of the articles, and in an aesthetically pleasing manner. The labels provide product identification information, and also may contain indicia promoting the product. The common commercial method for such labeling is to use a polyvinyl chloride label substrate having adhesive on one face which is covered by a release sheet. The plastic surface may be constructed of various curvatures depending on the shape and diameter of the mold. Plastic articles are produced by coating a mold with a release agent, and then injecting hot plastic (in liquid form) into the blow mold to create a molded plastic article (e.g. a planter, refuse container, dish tray, or almost an infinite variety of other types of articles). Once the product is molded it is removed from the blow molding equipment, typically at a temperature between about 160-180.degree. F. The plastic product identification label is then hand applied to the finished unit while the article is still hot (e.g. at a temperature up to 160.degree. F.). The article then cools down, causing the plastic material to contract. The pressure sensitive label must conform properly to the product during the cooling process and remain adhered with no visible flaws (such as lifted edges, air bubbles, or puckering). While this technique is effective, polyvinyl chloride is not very environmentally friendly, so that a more acceptable alternative is needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,864 teaches a method of forming plastic containers that have labels that may be made out of paper rather than plastic. In this method the paper label has a heat activated adhesive and is placed inside the blow mold itself. The heat from a parison, and the pressure generated by the blow medium, binds the label onto the blown container sidewall. However, unless the moisture of the label is controlled, the rate of shrinkage of the label is different than the plastic sidewall of the blow molded article so that the label does not adhere properly. Therefore, it is necessary to use a label that has been specifically acted on so that it has a moisture level of between about 6-8%. This procedure is complicated, requiring integration of the label with the blow molding process rather than applying the label to a final product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,720 shows another method of labeling a molded article. However, here too the label is added to the mold, the label having a two layer construction including a base portion molded to the actual blow molded article, with a removable second layer. The second layer may comprise a latex impregnated paper.
According to the present invention, a method of labeling a blow molded plastic article, a label for application to a blow molded plastic article, and a method of making and using a label are provided which allow the effective labeling of blow molded articles in an environmentally friendly manner, that does not require placing the label in the mold. Rather, the label according to the present invention, which is of paper stock, may be applied directly to a surface of the blow molded article, e.g. while it is still hot, yet when the article with label cools the label conforms to the surface of the article without visible flaws (i.e. without lifted edges, air bubbles or puckering).
According to one aspect of the present invention a label, ideally suited for application to a blow molded plastic article, is provided. The label comprises the following components: A highly calendered paper stock label substrate having first and second faces. Indicia imaged on the first face. An adhesive release coat on the first face. And a pressure sensitive adhesive on the second face.
The paper stock label substrate preferably has a thickness of between about 2-4 mil, e.g. about 3 mil. Also, the label substrate preferably has a moisture content of between about 6-8%, the adhesive release coat and the pressure sensitive adhesive sealing the moisture within the paper stock label substrate so that even if the label is applied hot to the article it has a suitable rate of shrinkage so that visible flaws do not form in the label in the final label product. The adhesive may be a permanent acrylic adhesive, while the release coat is a silicone release coat. The label may be in roll form with a plurality of other labels, the adhesive from one contacting the release coat of others, and the release coat may be provided over the imaged indicia. Imaging may also be provided on the second face of the label stock, covered by the pressure sensitive adhesive, particularly in situations where the article is transparent or translucent so that the indicia on the second face may be read from the exterior of the article even with the label applied to the article.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of labeling a blow molded plastic article using a paper label having a first printed face having an adhesive release coating, and a second face having pressure sensitive adhesive, is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Blow molding, in a mold, an article having a first surface for receiving a label by introducing heated plastic into the mold. (b) Removing the article from the mold while the article is still in heated condition. (c) Applying the paper label to the article while the article is still in heated condition with the pressure sensitive adhesive contacting the first surface of the article, and the release coated first face of the label facing away from the article. And (d) cooling the article, so that the label conforms to the first surface of the article without visible flaws.
Steps (b) and (c) are preferably practiced with the "heated condition" at a temperature of over 120.degree. F. (e.g. between 150-160.degree. F.). The label preferably is as described above, with permanent acrylic adhesive applied directly to the article first face, and with the paper stock having a moisture content of between about 6-8% which is sealed therein by the release coat and the adhesive.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of making and using a label is provided comprising the following steps: (a) Highly calendering paper stock to form a paper label substrate having first and second faces. (b) Imaging a first face of the substrate. (c) Coating the first face of the substrate with adhesive release material. (d) Coating the second face of the substrate with pressure sensitive adhesive. And (e) applying the pressure sensitive adhesive to a first surface of an article so that the adhesive sticks to the first surface without visible flaws.
Step (e) may be practiced by applying the pressure sensitive adhesive to a blow molded plastic material while the article has a temperature of above 120.degree. F., and the label may have the construction as described above. Steps (a) through (e) may be practiced sequentially, although other sequences are also possible, such as applying the adhesive release material before imaging, or applying the pressure sensitive adhesive simultaneously with or before application of the release coat, etc.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide for the effective labeling of blow molded plastic articles, the labels when applied to the articles having now visible flaws, and being environmentally friendly. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.

Method of labeling blow molded articles with linerless labels


A tailored arrival allocation system (TAAS) for determining a descent profile for an aircraft is described. TAAS includes a gateway operable for establishing communications between TAAS and aircraft, and for establishing communications between TAAS and at least one of a source of weather data, an air traffic services facility, and an airlines operations center. A processing device communicatively coupled to the gateway calculates a descent profile based on data received from a plurality of an air traffic services coordination function, an airline operations center function, data from the aircraft, and data received from a weather station that allows the aircraft to meet the required time at one or more metering fixes during the descent. Output interfaces provide data relating to the calculated descent profile to the processing device. The gateway communicates with a flight management computer for the aircraft to incorporate the calculated descent profile onto the flight management computer.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to managing airspace, and more specifically, to methods and systems for tailored allocation of aircraft arrivals.
As air traffic increases worldwide, managing airspace has become more challenging, and air traffic controllers are responsible for making increasingly complex decisions. In a particularly challenging area, when an aircraft descends from cruise through an arrival phase and then onto an airport approach, several air traffic controllers are responsible for directing the aircraft through the airspace for which each individual controller is responsible and also determining a flight profile for the aircraft. While the ability of air traffic controllers to safely route aircraft has been proven by years of successful operation, the consequence of depending solely on human calculations is that the available airspace is not most efficiently used, and the aircraft cannot descend at the most optimal profile while still maintaining maximum throughput to the runways for the airports served by the arrival airspace.
The standard descent solution involves each air traffic controller giving clearance through the specific portion of the descent path which they control, from sometime prior to descent initiation all the way through to the runway. Typically, multiple airspace partitions are involved, with three or four geographically disparate air traffic control centers with their own systems, and often several different controllers within each of those centers developing and executing their own specific tactical plans for moving the flight through their airspace of responsibility, without knowledge of the subsequent controller's plan or intentions regarding the flight. This lack of an integrated airspace approach to arrivals results in a step-by-step descent characterized by several cruise and descent patterns until the aircraft reaches the runway. These relatively uncoordinated descent segments lead to increased fuel consumption, noise, emissions, and flight time.
In addition, the desire for operational economy and reduced environmental impact must be tempered with practicality from several sources. Safety must be assured by avoidance of severe weather, terrain, and other traffic and by conformance with variable airspace availability. In addition, airport and runway capacity must be maintained by precise, predictable sequencing and by coordination of arrival and departure streams. Furthermore, the optimal trajectory for each aircraft depends on its individual performance characteristics.
Each airline implements a cost index which they use to execute flight planning. The cost index is a relation between the cost of time (crew, maintenance, ownership, etc) versus the cost of fuel, taking into account the specific performance characteristics of the aircraft, the engines it is using, and the weight it has for this specific flight. The cost index varies by airline, and even by flight for a given airline, further complicating the problem of calculating a tailored arrival allocation for a specific flight. For example, one airline may prefer to land quickly and take off quickly to minimize time on the ground because the turn around time is the most important aspect of their business model. As a result, a flight for that airline may be more interested in descending with engines at higher throttle, while another airline would be more interested in fuel savings, so they would prefer descending with engines near idle.
The existing descent solution for aircraft is determined by each air traffic controller. Using the knowledge gained through many years of experience, air traffic controllers are able to manually calculate the lateral path, vertical path, and velocity appropriate for an aircraft to meet the four-dimensional position (latitude, longitude, altitude, and time) over one or more metering fixes within the descent. However, this path calculation is done in a piece-meal fashion, with each controller adjusting the flight tactically within his/her own airspace without knowledge of the next controllers execution plan.
While not currently existing, some automation tools are under development which may provide partial solutions to the problem. At least one developmental tool mirrors current air traffic practices by working in a piece-meal, segregated fashion, solving the problems in only one part of the airspace, and not coordinating these solutions with either preceding or succeeding airspaces along the route of the aircraft's flight.
The disadvantage of several controllers manually determining the appropriate flight path for an aircraft, within only the airspace for which they are responsible, is that they rely heavily on human calculations for precision calculations. Human calculations are inherently less precise than that of modern automation systems, resulting in inefficiencies. In addition, the lack of a coordinated plan stretching across multiple airspace segments leaves on-board aircraft automation entirely unable to participate in calculating and executing a most optimum path for a given descent.
Solutions such as en-route descent advisor (EDA) do not include aircraft operator preferences, inter-ATS facility coordination, and direct coordination with the aircraft operator. Instead, these solutions only provide incremental improvement to today's voice only, manual solution, and are designed with the fundamental limitations inherent in current operations.
As described above, current solutions focus on air traffic control giving aircraft discrete instructions, relayed via voice radio links between pilot and controller to turn left, right, climb, descend, or to change speed in order to get individual aircraft from departure to destination in non-integrated and largely uncoordinated steps. Such a process completely removes automation associated with the aircraft from being brought to bear in providing the most efficient solution to a flight problem. However, solving flight problems is exactly what certain aircraft systems, for example, navigation and flight management systems, have been designed to do.
In short, the airborne automation that has been developed with the express intention of optimizing flight path is completely removed from the equation, leaving only human calculations to rapidly piece together a solution. This situation is exacerbated by not only one human trying to optimize a path, but five to ten humans trying to optimize the solution, each acting independently and without knowledge of the intentions or objectives of the others.

Methods and systems for tailored allocation of arrivals


A communications apparatus and method use tapped delay lines as multiplexers and demultiplexers. In one embodiment, a receiver (100) uses a tapped delay line (110) as a demultiplexer to acquire a burst communication at very high data rates in the range of 2.5 to 80 Gbps with low preamble overhead. A sliding window correlator (114) continually samples the delay line (110) to determine when a PN encoded word is contained therein. The transmission frequency is pre-acquired before any data is present through the use of a ring oscillator frequency calibration loop (130) that is imbedded within the tapped delay line (110).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a communications apparatus and method wherein tapped delay lines and a sliding window correlator are used as a demultiplexer to acquire gigabit per second or higher rate data frames quickly and efficiently with a low synchronization overhead. Although not limited thereto, the invention is particularly suited for use in optical high-speed burst communications.
2. Description of the Background Art
In digital communications techniques, such as optical fiber communications, frames of data are modulated and typically transmitted at frequencies in excess of one gigabit per second. In order to receive such a transmission, a receiver must acquire the transmitted signal before the information may be extracted. Acquiring a signal includes determining the carrier frequency and the bit phase or timing so that the receiver may synchronize with the transmitted signal. In the past, receivers have typically employed a frequency sweep technique in order to acquire the carrier frequency. In the frequency sweep technique, the receiver hypothesizes the correct carrier frequency and searches many frequencies over a predetermined uncertainty range. At each hypothesis, the receiver must also try to acquire bit timing. If the hypothesis fails, the receiver must continue trying to acquire the carrier frequency.
Once the receiver has acquired the carrier frequency, the receiver must then synchronize with the bit phase or timing in the transmitted frame, a process often referred to as clock recovery. In the past, as with carrier frequency acquisition, clock recovery has also typically involved trial and error demodulation of the transmitted signal at the receiver in order to determine where individual bits begin and end. For example, when a particular trial demodulation yields incorrect data, the receiver either advances or retards its approximation to the bit timing and makes another attempt. In the past, therefore, the frequency and bit timing acquisition process often requires substantial time and processing power.
As a result of the foregoing, a receiver cannot typically acquire the carrier frequency and bit timing immediately so that numerous data bits may pass by before the receiver is able to recover information. Thus, to give receivers time to acquire the carrier frequency and bit timing, transmitters typically transmit long preambles or headers of modulated information before the data frame. Although the headers required to allow receivers to acquire the carrier frequency with acceptable probability often introduce an overhead of as much as 30% compared to the actual data in the frame, the use of long preambles is nevertheless acceptable in continuous communications since the preamble length is still small relative to the data stream that follows. However, in burst communications, in which data is transmitted in short segments or bursts, each of which requires carrier frequency and symbol phase acquisition, the use of long preambles is not acceptable since the preambles may well be longer than the data itself. As a result, the long acquisition time associated with resolving both the frequency and the phase uncertainty of the transmitted waveform is incompatible with high-speed burst communications. This is especially true in the case of high-speed burst communications where data rates are in the gigabit per second (Gbps) range or higher.
Another issue presented by burst and other high-speed communications in the Gbps speed range, is the attendant requirement of correspondingly high-speed sampling, clock and other circuitry in the transmitters and receivers that can substantially increase power requirements and costs.
In view of the foregoing, a need remains for an improved signal acquisition technique that can quickly acquire the carrier frequency and bit phase or timing of a signal and is compatible with high-speed burst communications schemes.

Burst communications apparatus and method using tapped delay lines


A fluid processing assembly includes a lumen for receiving at least one inlet stream and dispensing a primary product stream, and an energizing device for supplying energy to an energizable portion of the lumen. A primary product collection assembly is in fluid communication with the lumen for receiving the primary product stream. The energizable portion is positioned exterior to the primary product collection assembly. A pressurized gas source is downstream of the lumen. The pressurized gas source supplies pressurized gas to the primary product collection assembly for pressurizing at least a portion of the primary product collection assembly and the lumen.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0212267 (Organ et al.) purports to disclose a reactor apparatus including at least one reaction capillary having a lumen for receiving a reactant to undergo a reaction, and a magnetron for irradiating reactant contained in at least a portion of the capillary with microwaves. This patent further purports to disclose a method of micro-reacting a reactant including providing a capillary, and irradiating the reactant in the capillary with microwaves to facilitate a chemical reaction in the capillary by which the reactant is converted into a desired product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,316 (Knapp) purports to disclose a microwave-heatable pressure reactor for continuous or discontinuous treatment of liquid. The liquid is conveyed by means of a high-pressure pump in a pipeline which extends into a microwave-heatable zone of the pressure container into which it finally lets out through the free opening with a volume of pipe sufficient for the treatment of a desired quantity of liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,414 (Kokosa) purports to disclose a method and apparatus for automatically performing liquid microextraction on liquid samples. The method includes the steps of controlling movement of a syringe between a cleaning station, a sample station containing a plurality of discrete sample vials and an instrument injector station. Movement of the syringe is controlled automatically for cleaning the syringe, obtaining a sample of each sample in each discrete sample vial, one at a time, and injecting the collected sample into the instrument injector, and then repeating the sequence steps for all discreet samples.


A glass slide enclosure assembly is described with which fluid couplings can be conveniently made between the enclosure and elongate plastic tubes. Heat shrink conduits are provided and placed around end segments of the glass enclosure and ends of the plastic tubes. The heat shrink tubes are then shrunk by the application of heat. A sealant of light curable type is placed on the end segments of the glass sealant to provide a convenient light activated technique to prevent leakage of body fluid between the heat shrink conduits and the glass enclosure slide.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,494 an apparatus for drawing a fluid sample through a glass slide assembly is described. That invention involved both an apparatus for moving the fluid and a glass slide assembly through which a fluid sample is drawn for viewing under a microscope. The glass slide assembly consists of an extruded rectangular glass enclosure having parallel walls spaced from each other and having fused connection ports, which provide a transformation from the rectangular cross-section of the glass enclosure to a circular cross-section sized to fit inside the lumen of a plastic tube. Though this slide assembly construction works very well, the addition of fused connection ports involves a complicated process thereby rendering it more difficult to make.


A method for modifying the processing capabilities of a container. The method includes providing a container that defines a cavity and comprises a wall. The wall defines at least a portion of the cavity and has thermal energy transfer characteristics. At least one of the thermal energy transfer characteristics comprises a first value. Changing the first value of the one thermal energy transfer characteristic to a second value for at least a first portion of the wall, the second value being different from the first value.

Containers, vessels and tanks (collectively referred to as "tanks") are used throughout numerous industries to hold contents therein during the manufacturing, processing, storing and transporting (collectively referred to as "process(ing)") of the contents. To produce and maintain quality characteristics of the contents provided in the tanks, and ideally enhance the quality characteristics, temperature of the contents is an important parameter that must be continually controlled by adjusting, modifying and regulating.
An exemplary industry that uses tanks to process contents provided therein is the wine industry. The wine industry uses tanks to receive and process fruit juice, for example grape juice, into wine. The temperature of the juice during processing is arguably the most important parameter or factor that can be selected, adjusted and modified to produce and maintain wine having the highest character and quality. That is, the juice and wine must be maintained within strict temperature ranges or tolerances to enable the quality production of the wine. Moreover, different stages of production may require different temperatures for the production of quality wine and each temperature is preferably stabilized to be within a couple of degrees of an ideal temperature to enhance and maintain that character and quality of the product.
Fermentation is an exemplary processing step of wine production wherein temperature is a very important factor to be controlled for establishing and maintaining the quality of the wine. In fact, fermentation is the heart of wine making wherein juice is processed and converted into wine. Accordingly, this process greatly influences the character and quality of the final wine product. Fermentation is a heat source process which is to say that thermal energy as heat is generated during the process. However, the fermentation process only occurs or progresses while the juice is in a specific temperature range. Consequently, the generation of heat during the fermentation process must be controlled and maintained (that is, the temperature of the juice must be maintained within the specific temperature range) to continue the fermenting process. Otherwise, if the temperature is not controlled, the juice will reach temperatures outside the specific temperature range causing the fermentation process to take a different biological and/or chemical process which is not conducive to producing quality wine. Therefore, the temperature of the juice must be continually adjusted, controlled and regulated to produce a quality wine. Furthermore, when the juice and/or wine reaches an undesirable temperature during any stage of processing, it is desirable to adjust the temperature to reach a favorable temperature as quickly as possible. Adjusting temperatures as quickly as possible will increase the potential for producing and/or maintaining a quality wine.
The current systems for adjusting, regulating and controlling the temperatures during wine production are deficient and inadequate to consistently produce the highest quality wine. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional thermal regulating system 2 for an exemplary tank 4 used in the wine industry. Tank 4 comprises a wall structure forming an inner volume or interior volume (not shown) defined by an inner peripheral surface or interior surface (not shown) to receive and hold the volume of grape juice/wine mass. Thermal regulating system 2 comprises a thermal jacket 3 provided over a outer circumferential portion of an outer surface area of tank 4. For convenience, outer surface area of tank 4 will be referred to as an outer peripheral surface 6 (and understood to be opposite interior surface) of tank 4 with thermal jacket 3 over or covering only a portion of the outer peripheral surface 6.
In operation, a thermal source such as glycol is provided through thermal jacket 3 via an inlet 11 and an outlet 13. Before being provided to thermal jacket 3, the glycol is selectively heated or cooled relative the juice mass depending on the processing stage and desired temperature range of the juice mass during the processing stage. A thermodynamic relationship is developed between the glycol and juice mass wherein thermal energy is transferred through the wall structure between the glycol and juice mass. The thermal energy transfer occurs substantially across that portion of the wall structure at the outer periphery surface 6 covered by thermal jacket 3 and to the opposite portion of the interior surface not shown.
The thermal jackets 3 of conventional thermal regulating systems 2 are expensive to purchase, maintain and operate. Consequently, only a portion of the outer peripheral surface 6 of tank 4 is covered by thermal jacket 3. The conventional wisdom of the wine industry is that this design of the thermal regulating system 2 is adequate to control the temperature of the contents within the tank 4 and produce quality wine. For example, the wine industry generally assumes that this design of the thermal regulating system 2 is capable of forming a uniform temperature throughout the wine mass. However, the wine industry is mistaken.
Conventional thermal jackets 3 cover only 25% to 50% of the entire surface area of the wall structure of tank 4. With only a percentage or portion of the wall structure being provided in direct contact with thermal jacket 3, only a percentage of the juice mass within tank 4 is directly influenced by thermal energy transfer, for example, by thermal conduction, convection and radiation. The balance of the juice mass within tank 4 that is not located directly opposite and adjacent the thermal jacket 3 can only be affected by the thermal energy transfer via thermal convection and convection currents which must move throughout an entirety of the column of the juice mass. This situation results in the development of different regions within the juice mass having different temperatures which detrimentally influences the quality of the wine (more thoroughly discussed subsequently). This development of temperature strata regions is not known or understood by the wine industry.
Consequently, there is a need to improve the design of thermal regulating systems of tanks, vessels and/or containers to facilitate the control, regulation and quick adjustment of temperatures for the contents provided therein. This improvement to thermal regulating systems will greatly enhance and optimize the capability of producing a quality product within the tanks, vessels and/or containers.

Methods for processing the contents of containers and tanks and methods for modifying the processing capabilities of tanks and containers


A ship has an electromagnetic thrust generator including a cylindrical magnet in which there is arranged a helical duct for conducting sea water. The magnet includes a coil housing in which a superconducting coil is disposed. The duct includes an outer wall disposed opposite the internal surface of the coil housing. Electrode members are mounted on inner and outer walls of the duct to create an electrical field across the duct.

It is known to use dipole, quadralpol, saddle and racetrack type superconducting magnets for EMTs. The conventional EMTs may however be too big and too heavy to gain enough thrust for full-scale ships because of a low magnetic field of such magnets and it being difficult to construct the magnets. The magnetic field must be so strong, e.g., 10 to 20 Teslas, to obtain enough propulsive efficiency for EMT ships. The EMT having such a strong magnetic field may be a huge one while an on-board EMT propulsion device is limited in size and weight because of restricted hull space. Now, EMT propulsion units are unsatisfactory with respect to size, weight, thrust force and high magnetic field. In view of this, there is an important technological desire to develop EMTs for practical use.


The invention concerns a hairstyling composition, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: (1) at least a polymer (A) selected such that the film obtained by drying a mixture of said polymer (A) with ethanol or water, at room temperature and a relative moisture content of 50%, has a mechanical profile defined by at least (i) an ultimate elongation rate (xcex5r) not less than 300%; (ii) a creep at 300 seconds (R300) not less than 45%; and (iii) when the creep at 300 seconds ranges between 45 and 60% the elongation is less than 1300%; (2) at least a non-ionic film forming polymer (B), different from polymer (A). The invention also concerns a hairstyling of hair-fixing method using said composition and its use for formulating hairstyling products such as lacquers, sprays or foams, for hairstyling or hair-fixing.

A subject-matter of the invention is a styling composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, at least one polymer (A) with specific characteristics and at least one film-forming and nonionic polymer (B). It is also targeted at a process for shaping or retaining the form of the hair using this composition and at its use in the formulation of styling products, such as lacquers, sprays or mousses, for the purpose of obtaining form retention or shaping of the hairstyle.
The most widespread hair products on the cosmetics market for fixing the hair are compositions to be sprayed as an aerosol or as a pump-action spray, such as lacquers, sprays or mousses, composed essentially of a solution, generally an alcoholic or aqueous/alcoholic solution, and of a water-soluble or alcohol-soluble film-forming polymer, as a mixture with various cosmetic adjuvants.
However, these hair formulations, such as mousses, gels and especially aerosol sprays and lacquers intended to retain the form of the hairstyle, still do not make it possible for the hairstyle to satisfactorily withstand the various natural movements of life, such as walking, head movements or gusts of wind.
The polymers used for the formulation of these hair products are anionic, amphoteric or non-ionic film-forming polymers which result in the formation of films having a more or less hard and brittle nature.
When the polymer is too brittle, the percentage of elongation at break measured on the film is low, that is to say generally of less than 2%, and the hold of the hairstyle over time is not assured.
To overcome this problem, these polymers have already been mixed with plasticizers, and more flexible and non-flaky coatings have already been obtained. However, these films are deformable and plastic, that is to say that, after deformation, they only recover their initial form to a very small extent. While the hold of the hairstyle is improved, it is still not satisfactory since the form of the hairstyle changes over time.
More satisfactory results in terms of hold have been obtained with compositions comprising a combination of film-forming polymers, such as, for example, a cellulose polymer and an acrylic polymer. However, these compositions are still not entirely satisfactory, in so far as the hair loses some of its natural cosmetic properties.
There is therefore a search for cosmetic compositions for form retention of and/or for fixing the hairstyle which provide the hair with good cosmetic properties, in particular good disentangling, softness and a pleasant appearance, in addition to fixing which lasts.
Surprisingly and unexpectedly, the Applicant Company has discovered that it is possible to overcome the technical problems mentioned above by using certain specific combinations of polymers.
A subject-matter of the invention is a styling composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium:
(1) at least one polymer (A) chosen so that a film obtained by drying a mixture of this polymer (A) with ethanol or water, at room temperature and at a relative humidity level of 50%, exhibits a mechanical profile defined by at least:
(i) a degree of elongation at break (xcex5b) of greater than or equal to 300%;
(ii) a recovery at 300 seconds (R300) of greater than or equal to 45%; and
(iii) when the recovery at 300 seconds is between 45 and 60%, then the elongation is less than 1300%;
(2) at least one nonionic film-forming polymer (B), other than the polymer (A), chosen from
polyalkyloxazolines;
vinyl acetate homopolymers;
copolymers of vinyl acetate and of acrylic ester;
copolymers of vinyl acetate and of ethylene;
copolymers of vinyl acetate and of maleic ester;
copolymers of polyethylene and of maleic anhydride;
alkyl acrylate homopolymers and alkyl methacrylate homopolymers;
acrylic ester copolymers, such as, for example, copolymers of alkyl acrylates and of alkyl methacrylates;
copolymers of acrylonitrile and of a nonionic monomer chosen from butadiene and alkyl (meth)acrylates,
copolymers of alkyl acrylate and of urethane,
guar gums,
polymers derived from hydroxystyrene,
vinyllactam homo- or copolymers.
Another subject-matter of the present invention relates to a process for shaping or retaining the form of the hairstyle comprising the use of this composition.
Yet another subject-matter of the present invention relates to the use of this composition in the manufacture of hair cosmetic compositions for the purpose of obtaining form retention or shaping of the hairstyle.
The polymers (A) particularly targeted by the present invention are those distributed by Goodrich under the name Avalure AC 315(copyright) and V29(copyright).
Within the meaning of the present invention, the term xe2x80x9cfilm obtained by drying at room temperature (22xc2x12xc2x0 C.) and at a relative humidity level of 50%xc2x15%xe2x80x9d is understood to mean the film obtained under these conditions starting from a mixture comprising 6% of active material (a.m.) of polymer A with ethanol or water, the amount of mixture being adjusted in order to obtain, in a Teflon matrix, a film with a thickness of 500xc2x150 xcexcm. The drying is continued until the weight of the film no longer changes, which represents approximately 12 days. The polymers A which are soluble or partially soluble in ethanol are tested in ethanol. The other polymers are tested in water, in the dissolved or dispersed form.
Within the meaning of the present invention, the degree of elongation at break and the degree of recovery are evaluated by means of the tests described below.
In order to carry out the tensile tests, the film is cut into rectangular test specimens with a length of 80 mm and a width of 15 mm.
The tests are carried out on a device, sold under the name Lloyd or sold under the name Zwick, under the same temperature and humidity conditions as for the drying, that is to say a temperature of 22xc2x12xc2x0 C. and a relative humidity level of 50xc2x15%.
The test specimens are drawn at the rate of 20 mm/min and the distance between the jaws is 50xc2x11 mm.
The following procedure is used to determine the instantaneous recovery (Ri):
the test specimen is drawn by 150% (xcex5max), that is to say 1.5 times its initial length (l0)
the stress is released at a return rate equal to the tensile rate, i.e. 20 mm/min, and the elongation of the test specimen is measured as a percentage after returning to zero load (xcex5i).
The instantaneous recovery as a % (Ri) is given by the formula below:
Ri=((xcex5maxxe2x88x92xcex5i)/xcex5max)xc3x97100
In order to determine the recovery at 300 seconds, the test specimen which has been subjected to the preceding operations is maintained at zero stress for an additional 300 seconds and its degree of elongation is measured as a percentage (xcex5300)
The recovery as a % at 300 seconds (R300) is given by the formula below:
R300=((xcex5maxxe2x88x92xcex5300)/xcex5max)xc3x97100
The nonionic film-forming polymers (B) which can be used according to the present invention are preferably chosen from:
vinylpyrrolidone or vinylcaprolactam homopolymers;
copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone and of vinyl acetate;
polyalkyloxazolines, such as the polyethyloxazolines provided by the company Dow Chemical under the names Peox 50,000, Peox 200,000 and Peox 500,000;
vinyl acetate homopolymers, such as the product provided under the name of Appretan EM by the company Hoechst or the product provided under the name of Rhodopas A 012 by the company Rhone-Poulenc;
copolymers of vinyl acetate and of acrylic ester, such as the product provided under the name of Rhodopas AD 310 from Rhxc3x4ne-Poulenc;
copolymers of vinyl acetate and of ethylene, such as the product provided under the name of Appretan TV by the company Hoechst;
copolymers of vinyl acetate and of maleic ester, for example dibutyl maleate, such as the product provided under the name Appretan MB Extra by the company Hoechst;
copolymers of polyethylene and of maleic anhydride;
alkyl acrylate homopolymers and alkyl methacrylate homopolymers, such as the product provided under the name Micropearl RQ 750 by the company Matsumoto or the product provided under the name Luhydran A 848 S by the company BASF;
acrylic ester copolymers, such as, for example, copolymers of alkyl acrylates and of alkyl methacrylates, such as the products provided by the company Rxc3x6hm and Haas under the names Primal AC-261 K and Eudragit NE 30 D, by the company BASF under the names Acronal 601 or Luhydran LR 8833 or 8845, or by the company Hoechst under the names Appretan N 9213 or N 9212;
copolymers of acrylonitrile and of a nonionic monomer chosen, for example, from butadiene and alkyl (meth)acrylates; mention may be made of the products provided under the names Nipol LX 531 B by the company Nippon Zeon or those provided under the name CJ 0601 B by the company Rxc3x6hm and Haas;
polyurethanes, such as the products provided under the names Acrysol RM 1020 or Acrysol RM 2020 by the company Rxc3x6hm and Haas or the products Uraflex XP 401 UZ or Uraflex XP 402 UZ by the company DSM Resins;
copolymers of alkyl acrylate and of urethane, such as the product 8538-33 by the company National Starch;
polyamides, such as the product Estapor LO 11 provided by the company Rhxc3x4ne-Poulenc;
chemically modified or unmodified nonionic guar gums.
The unmodified nonionic guar gums are, for example, the products sold under the name Vidogum GH 175 by the company Unipectine and under the name Jaguar by the company Meyhall.
The modified nonionic guar gums which can be used according to the invention are preferably modified by C1-C6 hydroxyalkyl groups. Mention may be made, by way of example, of the hydroxymethyl, hydroxyethyl, hydroxypropyl and hydroxybutyl groups.
These guar gums are well known in the state of the art and can be prepared, for example, by reacting corresponding alkene oxides, such as, for example, propylene oxides, with guar gum, so as to obtain a guar gum modified by hydroxypropyl groups.
Such nonionic guar gums optionally modified by hydroxyalkyl groups are sold, for example, under the tradenames Jaguar HP8, Jaguar HP60, Jaguar HP120, Jaguar DC293 and Jaguar HP105 by the company Meyhall or under the name Galactasol 4H4FD2 by the company Aqualon.
The alkyl radicals of the nonionic polymers have from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, unless otherwise mentioned.
According to the invention, use may also be made of nonionic film-forming polymers derived from hydroxystyrene and in particular those capable of being obtained by the copolymerization of:
(i) at least one hydroxystyrene monomer, one of its precursors or one of its salts, the phenyl group of this monomer comprising at least one hydroxyl unit and optionally being substituted by one or more radicals chosen from the group consisting of C1 to C12 alkyl, C1 to C12 alkoxyalkyl, halogen, SO3H, (C2 to C12)acylamino, carboxyl and C1 to C12 carboxyalkyl radicals, and
(ii) at least one other monomer which is copolymerizable with the said hydroxystyrene monomer, one of its precursors or one of its salts, this other monomer being chosen from the group consisting of acrylic or methacrylic monomers or their derivatives, in particular linear, cyclic or branched C1 to C10 alkyl acrylates or methacrylates, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl or 2-ethylhexyl acrylates or methacrylates, N-substituted or N,Nxe2x80x2-substituted acrylamides or methacrylamides, and vinyl monomers, such as vinyl halides or vinyl esters, in particular vinyl benzoate, vinyl tert-benzoate or vinyl acetate.
The vinyl, acrylic or methacrylic monomers can comprise one or more siloxane groups. In this case, they are chosen in particular from the group consisting of:
monomers of formula CH2xe2x95x90C(CH3)xe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)3xe2x80x94Sixe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Si(CH3)2xe2x80x94CH3,
silicone macromonomers with a monofunctional vinyl, allyl, or ester ether or amide of acrylic or methacrylic acid ending, of formula CH2xe2x95x90C(R1)xe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Xxe2x80x94R2xe2x80x94Si(CH3)(R4) xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Si(CH3)2xe2x80x94R3,
in which:
R1 represents H or CH3,
X represents O or NH,
R2 represents (CH2)p, p being an integer which can be zero,
R3 and R4 independently represent CH3 or an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic C1 to C12 group; the vinyl, allyl, or ester ether or amide of acrylic or methacrylic acid monomer comprising one or more halogenated groups, in particular chlorinated and/or fluorinated groups, and/or comprising a group which absorbs in the UVA and/or UVB regions, in particular benzylidenecamphor or benzotriazole groups, which are substituted or unsubstituted.
The polymers of the hydroxystyrene type can also be obtained by a homopolymerization reaction which can advantageously be carried out from acetoxystyrene, in order to obtain poly-p-acetoxystyrene, and be followed by hydrolysis. It can also be carried out in acid medium from 4-hydroxyphenylmethylcarbinol.
According to this embodiment of the invention, the polymer is advantageously a homopolymer belonging to the family of the poly-p-hydroxystyrene and preferably poly-4-hydroxystyrene is chosen.
Within the meaning of the present invention, the term xe2x80x9cprecursor of a hydroxystyrene monomerxe2x80x9d is understood to mean any phenolic derivative capable of resulting in hydroxystyrene via a decomposition reaction in acid medium, in particular by dehydration in acid medium. By way of example, the precursor can be acetoxystyrene or 4-hydroxyphenylmethylcarbinol and the decomposition reaction can, in this case, be represented diagrammatically in the following way:
PHS-E is a homopolymer corresponding to the formula:
PHS-E is obtained from acetoxystyrene by means of radical polymerization, followed by hydrolysis. Its molecular mass is between 8000 and 100,000 g/mol. PHS-E is a linear polymer.
PHS-PG is a polymer corresponding to the formula:
PHS-PG is obtained by catalysed polymerization in acid medium from 4-hydroxyphenylmethylcarbinol. Its molecular mass is between 4000 and 7000 g/mol.
PHS-N is a polymer corresponding to the formula:
PHS-N is a polymer obtained by catalysed polymerization in acid medium of 4-hydroxyphenylmetylcarbinol. Its molecular mass is between 4000 and 7000 g/mol.
PHS-PG-L is a polymer exhibiting the same empirical formula as PHS-E. However, the process for producing it is different since the polymerization is carried out from hydroxystyrene monomers.
In the compositions in accordance with the invention, the film-forming polymer or polymers (A) are preferably present at concentrations of between 0.05 and 20% by weight, more preferably of between 0.1 and 15% by weight and more preferably between 0.25 and 10% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition.
In the compositions in accordance with the invention, the film-forming polymer or polymers (B) are preferably present at concentrations of between 0.05 and 20% by weight, more preferably of between 0.1 and 15% by weight and more preferably between 0.25 and 10% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition.
The concentrations of polymers (A) and (B) are advantageously chosen so that the ratio of the concentration of polymer (A) to the concentration of polymer CUB) is between 4000 and 0.002.
The cosmetically acceptable medium is preferably composed of water or one or more cosmetically acceptable solvents, such as alcohols or water/solvent(s) mixtures, these solvents preferably being C1-C4 alcohols.
Mention may be made, among these alcohols, of ethanol or isopropanol. Ethanol is particularly preferred.
The composition of the invention can also comprise at least one additive chosen from thickeners, surfactants, fragrances, preservatives, sunscreens, proteins, vitamins, inorganic or synthetic non-fixing polymers and any other additive conventionally used in cosmetic compositions intended to be applied to the hair.
Of course, a person skilled in the art will take care to choose the optional compound or compounds to be added to the composition according to the invention so that the advantageous properties intrinsically attached to the composition in accordance with the invention are not, or not substantially, detrimentally affected by the envisaged addition.
These compositions can be packaged in various forms, in particular in pump-action sprays or in aerosol containers, in order to ensure application of the composition in vaporized form or in mousse form. Such packaging forms are indicated, for example, when it is desired to obtain a spray, a lacquer or a mousse for fixing or treating the hair. The compositions in accordance with the invention can also be provided in the form of creams, of gels, of emulsions, of lotions or of waxes.
When the composition according to the invention is packaged in aerosol form for the purpose of obtaining a lacquer or a mousse, it comprises at least one propellant which can be chosen from volatile hydrocarbons, such as n-butane, propane, isobutane, pentane, a chlorinated and/or fluorinated hydrocarbon and their mixtures. Use may also be made, as propellant, of carbon dioxide gas, nitrous oxide, dimethyl ether (DME), nitrogen or compressed air. Use may also be made of mixtures of propellants. Dimethyl ether is preferably used.
The propellant is advantageously present at a concentration of between 5 and 90% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition in the aerosol device and more particularly at a concentration of between 10 and 60%.
The compositions in accordance with the invention can be applied to dry or wet hair.
The invention will be more fully illustrated with the help of the following nonlimiting example.
All the percentages are relative percentages by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition and a.m. means active material.

Hairstyling composition comprising a polymer with particular characteristics and a non-ionic polymer


A method for controlling an engine that operates with negative valve overlap between an intake valve and an exhaust valve during at least some conditions, the method comprising of providing an engine stop position with at least one cylinder near top dead center of piston position and adjusting at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve to position the at least one of the intake and exhaust valves of said at least one cylinder so that the at least one of said intake and exhaust valves is substantially closed at said engine stop position.

Vehicles having hybrid powertrains may be used where the engine is periodically shut-off during vehicle operation to improve overall fuel economy. In one example approach, the engine may be pre-positioned to obtain a desired engine position for future starts. In one example, the desired pre-position is with at least one cylinder near TDC (end of compression/beginning of expansion) for a 4-cylinder, even firing, 4-cycle engine with cam actuated valves.
However, the inventor herein has recognized at least the following issues with such an approach. For example, positioning a cylinder near TDC (end of compression/beginning of expansion) often results in another cylinder being positioned near its TDC (end of exhaust/beginning of intake) and having both intake and exhaust valves at least partly open. This condition creates a path from the intake, through the cylinder, to the exhaust. In other words, there is communication between the intake and exhaust manifolds. This condition can result in oxygen migration from the intake manifold, cylinder, or exhaust to the catalyst during engine-off conditions, thereby saturating the catalyst with excess oxygen. The migration can be exacerbated by emission testing conditions, which can draw exhaust flow even when the engine is off. This flow of air through the catalyst can also cool the catalyst to below its optimal operating temperature.
At least some of the above issues may be addressed by a method for controlling an engine that operates with negative valve overlap between an intake valve and an exhaust valve during at least some conditions, the method comprising: providing an engine stop position with at least one cylinder near top dead center of piston position; and adjusting at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve to position the at least one of the intake and exhaust valves of said at least one cylinder so that the at least one of said intake and exhaust valves is substantially closed at said engine stop position.
In this way, it may be possible to provide improved restarting of the engine, yet reduce the potential for migration of oxygen from the intake and/or engine cylinders to the exhaust catalyst system.

HEV internal combustion engine pre-positioning


Parity and mask bit(s) are stored in a random access memory (RAM) that is coupled to a CAM. This CAM may be part of a TLB. The parity and mask bits(s) are stored in conjunction with the CAM entry write. Upon a CAM query match, the reference parity bit(s) and mask bit(s) stored at the address output by the CAM are output from the RAM. These reference parity bit(s) are compared to parity bit(s) generated from a query data value that is masked by the retrieved mask bit(s). In the absence of a CAM or RAM bit error, the reference parity bit(s) from the RAM and the parity bit(s) generated from the masked query data will match. If a CAM or RAM bit error occurred, these two sets of parity bit(s) will not match and thus an error will be detected. This error may be used as an indication that a false CAM match has occurred.

CAM structures perform pattern matches between a query data value and data previously stored in an entry of the CAM. A match causes the address of the matching entry to be output. Bit value errors may occur in CAM entries at any time due to external energy being imparted to the circuit. For example, an alpha particle strike may cause one of the storage elements in a CAM to change state. If this occurs, an incorrect query match may result causing an incorrect address to be output from the circuit. If the CAM address is used to drive a RAM, this error will also cause incorrect data to be output from the RAM. Since the contents of the CAM entries are typically not known external to the CAM, this incorrect (or false) query match may not be detected.

Detection of bit errors in maskable content addressable memories

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An algorithm for mapping memory and a method for using a high performance computing (“HPC”) system are disclosed. The algorithm takes into account the number of physical nodes in the HPC system, and the amount of memory in each node. Some of the nodes in the HPC system also include input/output (“I/O”) devices like graphics cards and non-volatile storage interfaces that have on-board memory; the algorithm also accounts for the number of such nodes and the amount of I/O memory they each contain. The algorithm maximizes certain parameters in priority order, including the number of mapped nodes, the number of mapped I/O nodes, the amount of mapped I/O memory, and the total amount of mapped memory.

Much like houses are given street addresses, each location in a computer's memory where data may be stored is given a memory address. And just like a traveler can locate a friend's house by using a street address, a computer processor is able to access specific memory by using its memory address. Each memory address is a different pattern of bits; that is, ones or zeros. The number of bits used in a memory address is always the same for a given processor. For example, one commonly used central processing unit ("CPU") microarchitecture includes 44 address bits, and so is able to address up to 244 bytes, or 16 terabytes ("TB") of memory; that is, approximately 17.59 trillion different bytes. Similarly, another common CPU design includes 46 physical address bits, and so is able to address up to 246 bytes, or 64 TB of memory; that is, about 70.37 trillion byes. Because the number of address bits is fixed in the processor design, a computer processor is only able to address a finite maximum memory address space.
As technology has improved, high performance computing ("HPC") systems have been developed, and over time these systems have increased their processing capacities. HPC systems include a number of modular computing nodes that have processors and memory. In some cases, the total memory of the system is more memory than can be addressed by its processors. When this occurs, a choice must be made regarding which memory receive an address (and thereby be accessible), and which memory should not receive an address (and thereby be inaccessible). Most prior HPC systems have not often experienced this problem because most modern processors have a large number of addressing bits. However, for those systems that have reached the limits of the addressing capabilities of their installed processors, their system operators have had to make a manual choice of which memory to address. Implementing this choice often required a great deal of expertise and understanding of performance compromises and other tradeoffs that could or should be made between various components in the HPC system, and a great deal of manual trial and error to find the right balance of capabilities.

Address resource mapping in a shared memory computer system


The invention relates to a compound which is an indane derivative according to Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, [FORMULA (I)] wherein R1, R2, R3, n, R4, p, q, L, X and m are as defined herein. The compounds are useful in the treatment of antibacterial infection either as stand alone antibiotics, or in combination with further antibiotics. The compounds can also be used in vitro, for example in cleaning compositions.

Antibiotics are a broad range of substances exhibiting anti-bacterial activity. A large number of antibiotic compounds are known and have been shown to exhibit antibacterial activity against a wide range of bacteria. However, currently available antibiotics are incapable of controlling some bacterial infections. In some cases, this is because the target bacteria have acquired antibiotic resistance, for example via horizontal gene transfer. In other cases, this is because the target bacteria are found in a state in which the efficacy of antibiotics which would otherwise be highly active is reduced. One such state is a bacterial biofilm.
Bacteria in biofilms are enclosed in a self-produced extracellular biopolymer matrix, which may include polysaccharides, proteins and DNA. Bacteria in biofilms typically exhibit different properties from free-living bacteria of the same species. Such properties typically include increased resistance to antibiotics and detergents and increased lateral gene transfer. For example, bacteria in biofilms typically display up to 1,000-fold higher tolerance to antibiotic challenge than their single cell, planktonic (free-living) counterparts.
Pathogenic bacteria are typically the target of antibacterial treatments, but biofilms formed by such bacteria are typically extremely difficult to eradicate using conventional therapeutic regimes. This limitation in the efficacy of antibacterial compounds is especially important for individuals who through immunodeficiency or other diseases or conditions cannot adequately combat bacterial infection. Such individuals include those suffering from cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening disease affecting approximately 70,000 sufferers worldwide. CF is the most common lethal, hereditary disease in Caucasian populations, resulting from mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The prevalence of CF in Europe is 1 in every 2,000-3,000 live births, and in North America is about 1 in every 3,500 births. In the UK there are approximately 9,800 people with CF.
The organs of individuals with CF typically have significantly thickened secretions. This in turn can lead to a range of pathological problems. For instance, individuals with CF typically have impaired ciliary clearance, and the lungs of such individuals are typically colonized and infected by bacteria from an early age. Such bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is the most common cause of chronic lung infection in individuals with CF, and chronic infection with PA is found in 9% of pre-school children, 32% of 10-15 year olds and the majority (between 59% and 80%) of adults with CF, leading to progressive lung damage and early death.
As the lung of the individual with CF is colonised by PA, the growth pattern of the bacteria changes and its capacity for survival improves. In chronic infection, PA bacteria on mucosal and epithelial surfaces, or in sputum, form biofilms as well as producing large quantities of alginate (the so-called mucoid phenotype) which reduce the effectiveness of phagocytosis and antibiotic therapy. This leads to chronic colonisation of the lung by PA that is not cleared by conventional antibiotic therapy.
Patients who are colonised with PA show a more rapid decline in lung function, faster decline in chest radiograph score, poor weight gain, increased hospitalisation rates and an increased need for antibiotic therapy. Median survival is reduced and mortality increased (2.6× risk of death). Most disease-related morbidity and mortality in CF is caused by progressive lung disease as a result of bacterial infection and airway inflammation, primarily associated with the effects of chronic PA lung infection and the persistence of PA biofilms. Despite intensive antibiotic treatment, adaptive mechanisms such as biofilm formation allow PA to resist both immune and antibiotic pressures, leading to recurrent exacerbations and respiratory failure.
Pathogenic bacteria such as PA are not only of importance in the context of CF. For example, the opportunistic pathogen PA can also cause septic shock, particularly in neutropenic patients, and can be responsible for infections of the urinary tract, the gastrointestinal network and skin and soft tissues. PA is also a frequent coloniser of medical devices such as catheters, nebulizers, and the like.
Accordingly, there is a clear need for new antibiotic compounds and compositions and adjuvant therapies for treating bacterial infection.