The present invention relates to a method of inducing a Th1-like response against a pathogen in a neonatal host, which comprises administering to the neonatal host an effective amount of IL-12 and an antigen of the pathogen. Also encompassed by the present invention is a method of overcoming suppression of interferon-.gamma. (IFN-.gamma.) expression in a neonatal host due to exposure of the neonatal host to a pathogen or an antigen, which comprises administering to the neonatal host an effective amount of IL-12 and the antigen. The present invention also relates to a method of enhancing the cytokine expression against or in response to a pathogen in a neonatal host, which comprises administering to the neonatal host an effective amount of IL-12 and an antigen of the pathogen.

The neonatal immune system has been traditionally thought to be immature and functionally dependent upon maternal antibodies for protection against pathogenic organisms. In fact, Burnet, F. M. and Fenner, F., Macmillan, Melbourne, The Production of Antibodies, 102-105 (1949) proposed that exposure of the human neonate to antigens including infectious agents, would induce a state of specific immunological tolerance to those antigens. Medawar and colleagues (Billingham, R. E. et. al., Nature, 172:603 (1952)) later provided experimental evidence for this hypothesis by showing that newborn mice exposed to foreign white blood cells would accept foreign tissues from the same donor as adults.
Effective methods for inducing immunity to pathogens in the neonatal immune system are needed.


A connector assembly provided for efficient flow of liquid into and/or out of a vial, such as a vial containing a lyophilized drug. The connector assembly features a collar mountable to the rim of the vial in a locked position and thereafter removable by an end-user when disposal of the device is desired. A protective cap mountable over the collar includes an annulus-type ring at its proximal end which mounts over locking structure associated with the collar. The ring is secured to the protective cap via one or more user-severable connections. As the cap is urged proximally, the ring places the collar in the locked position with the vial rim, exerting an inwardly-directed force onto the locking structure to secure the collar to the vial rim. The cap can be separated from the ring at its user-severable connections, and the device used in its ordinary matter. When disposal is desired, the ring may be urged proximally out of engagement with the locking structure of the collar. The collar may thereafter be removed from the vial to facilitate separate disposal of those components.

1. Field of the Invention.
The subject invention relates to a connector assembly for a vial, and more particularly, to a connector assembly for a vial which can be safely removed from the vial after use to facilitate the disposal of the various components.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Many drugs are presented in dry form to achieve a longer shelf life. These drugs are reconstituted by a suitable solvent into liquid form for delivery to a patient. One type of dry drug is a lyophilized drug.
In the art, there are a number of ways to store dry drugs such as lyophilized drugs in a form conducive to reconstitution and delivery. Some of these products are exemplified, for example, by the MONOVIAL .RTM.-brand prefillable drug delivery devices manufactured and sold by Becton Dickinson Pharmaceutical Systems of Le Pont de Claix, France. Such systems are further exemplified, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,501, issued to Gabriel Meyer on Oct. 25, 1994. While there are variations of such systems, in general, they feature vials made of glass or suitable plastic materials, in which a selected dose of a lyophilized drug may be stored. The vial is generally sealed to prevent deterioration or contamination of the drug. The dry drug may be reconstituted with a liquid solvent shortly prior to use, and the now reconstituted drug solution may be administered to a patient.
Various components are employed with the prefillable drug-delivery systems described above. For instance, the vials are typically provided with a vial connector assembly to enable attachment of the vial to a source of solvent to reconstitute the dry drug. The same vial connector is also normally used to attach the vial to an intravenous fitting to deliver the reconstituted drug to a patient. Vial connectors such as used with the prefillable drug delivery systems described above typically include one or more components necessary for the function of the system. For instance, one or more rubber stopper or membrane components are provided to seal the vial until such time as access to the drug, in its dry or liquid form, is desired. A fluid transfer device, such as a needle or spike, is also provided, both to provide means for introducing solvent into the vial and for delivering the reconstituted drug out of the vial. Generally, a collar component is provided adjacent the rim of the vial to secure the various parts, such as the fluid transfer device and the sealing components, associated with the vial connector.
Depending on the configuration of the prefillable drug-delivery system, the system might be activated by moving the collar relative to the vial rim, wherein the fluid transfer device and sealing components are fixed relative to the collar, or by moving the fluid transfer device and sealing components relative to the vial, wherein the collar is fixed relative to the vial rim movable manner relative to the collar. Accordingly, depending on the configuration, the system can be activated either by causing motion between the collar and the rim, or by causing motion between the fluid transfer device and/or sealing components relative to the collar.
One aspect of the aforementioned systems is that subsequent to use, the various components, such as the fluid transfer device, sealing components, and the collar itself remain fixed to the vial. Here, once the drug has been delivered to the patient, the entire system is disposed of whole in a sterile manner. Owing to the different materials used for the various components, benefits may be realized in configuring a system wherein the components can be separated from one another in a safe manner to facilitate disposal. For instance, certain governmental regulations or accepted practices may encourage disposing of the vial, which contained the drug in its dry and reconstituted forms, separately from the transfer assembly.

Vial connector assembly for a medicament container


A pneumatic motor for providing bi-directional linear motion including a motor housing having a cylinder bore and a piston mounted on a piston rod positioned in the cylinder bore. The ends of the piston rod extend beyond the ends of the cylinder bore. The cylinder bore has a liner which acts to provide lubrication for movement of the piston in the cylinder bore and to provide a seal between the piston and the cylinder bore. The motor can be used to provide the drive means for a linear motion conveyor.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pneumatic motor for providing linear movement. In particular, the present invention relates to a pneumatic motor for use in a linear motion conveyor. Linear motion conveyors, also known as differential impulse conveyors, move objects along a surface or tray by varying the direction and speed of the movement of the surface. The conveyor motor moves the conveyor surface slowly in a forward direction to convey the objects forward. The conveyor motor then moves the conveyor surface quickly in the opposite or backward direction. As the conveyor surface is quickly moved backwards, the objects slide along the conveyor surface such that the objects remain in the forward position. The slow forward and fast rearward motion is repeated to move the objects along the surface in the forward direction.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The related art has shown various piston systems for use in conveyors. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,214,755 and 2,289,942 to Tafel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,878 to Lutz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,773 to Gist; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,949 to Foster.
The Tafel patents disclose a reciprocating conveyor where one (1) end of a piston is used to move the conveyor. The piston is driven by a hydraulic drive unit. The hydraulic drive unit is actuated by a motor. The actuating fluid for the hydraulic unit and piston is preferably oil. The reciprocating movement of the piston is controlled by the hydraulic drive unit.
Gist describes a fluid drive system for use to operate a reciprocating floor. The fluid drive includes an array of hydraulic motors where a piston is driven reciprocally within a cylinder by selective application of fluid under pressure to one (1) side or the other of the piston. Only one (1) end of the piston is used to move the floor.
Lutz and Foster describe a reciprocating slat conveyor having hydraulic drivers.
Only of minimal interest are U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,548 to Burgess, Jr., et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,651 to Kupka and U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,769 to Fehr.
Burgess, Jr., et al. describes a vibrator for use in a vibration conveyor which uses a reciprocating piston driven by fluid pressure such as compressed air.
Kupka describes a free piston vibratory power source for use in underwater applications which uses compressible fluids, such as compressed air or steam.
Fehr describes a pneumatic linear vibrator which uses a compressed air piston.
There remains a need for a simple and durable pneumatic engine which uses a piston moved by compressed air where the ends of the piston rod are used to provide the linear movement such as to move a reciprocating conveyor.


An electronic device includes at least one screen. One or more bumpers are moveable between at least a stowed position where the bumper is flush or below the screen and a deployed position where at least a portion of the bumper projects above the screen. One or more sensors detect when the electronic device is subject to one or more drop events. When a drop event is detected, the bumper moves to the deployed position, protecting the screen. In various implementations, the bumper may be moveable by a push-push mechanism or a magnet assisted actuator mechanism. In other implementations, the bumper may include piezoelectric material to which voltage can be applied to move the bumper.

Electronic devices, particularly portable electronic devices, may include one or more screens. Such screens may include touch screens, display screens, touch pad screens, and/or other types of electronic device screens. Typically, such screens include one or more fragile elements such one or more layers of glass and/or other similarly fragile elements.
Electronic devices, particularly electronic devices that are portable, may experience various drop events. For example, an electronic device may be dropped by a user, fall from a table, fly from a user's hand when a user trips, and/or otherwise free fall to the ground or other surface. Drop events of these or other kinds may damage fragile elements of screens such as glass layers and repairing damage to screens may be burdensome, expensive, and/or impractical.

Screen protection using actuated bumpers


Guards for a space access device are configured to be attached to, as well as removed from the space access device by hand, without the need to resort to any tools to perform the attachment or the removal. A distal guard includes at least first and second filters separated by at least one convoluted pathway, and also includes outwardly extending members projecting outwardly from a base of the distal guard. A proximal guard forms at least one convoluted pathway with a cap forming a proximal end of the space access device. A pull tab provides redundancy against failure. The pull tab may be incorporated into the distal guard.

The ear naturally secretes a substance referred to as cerumen, or more commonly referred to as "ear wax". The ear wax secreted serves a purpose of cleaning and protecting the ear canal and ear structures distal thereto, as it naturally flows in a direction toward the outer ear (Pinna). When an object such as a hearing aid or headphone (earpiece speaker) is inserted into the canal of the ear, this presents an obstruction to the natural flow of the ear wax in the ear canal. Because such an object typically includes openings or passageways necessary to permit sound to travel therethrough, these openings or passageways can become partially or completely blocked or filled with ear wax as the ear wax travels toward the outer ear. The accumulation of ear wax in the openings or passageways can lead to degradation of the sound being transmitted from the object to the middle and inner ear. Further difficulties may arise in cases where the ear wax travels through the passageways or openings to an extent where it reaches inner working components of the object, where the ear wax can do further damage, up to, and including, rendering the object nonfunctional. Wax/water may also occlude wireless power transmission to the hearing aid receiving coil.
In the case of hearing aids, the receiver, which produces the sound that is directed to the tympanic membrane, can be susceptible to progressive, gradual clogging by ear wax, resulting in progressive, gradual reduction in acoustic gain and power of the acoustic signals that are received at the tympanic membrane. When such degradation becomes severe enough, it can damage the receiver, which then requires an expensive repair or replacement of the hearing aid. The microphone end of the hearing aid is also susceptible to clogging by ear wax in the case where even the microphone end is inserted into the ear canal. Even in cases where the microphone isn't inserted completely into the ear canal, the microphone can still possibly be clogged such as when earwax on the distal end of the device gets smeared proximally to the location of the microphone, such as during handling by a user. In less severe cases, the hearing aid can be serviced to clean away the ear wax accumulation, but this may require the user going to or sending the hearing aid to a service center, which can be time consuming, expensive and inconvenient.
In many commonly available models, a filter known as an HF3 or HF4 filter (available from Amazon, CVS, and various other drug stores) is a wax guard such as a gauze, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or stainless steel mesh insert-molded into a plastic or rubber sleeve wax guard that is used to help prevent wax from migrating into the receiver. In order to remove the HF3 or HF4 wax guard from a receptacle in the hearing aid adjacent the receiver, a tool is required to be inserted into the receptacle to access and then remove the wax guard. The act of inserting the tool into the receptacle and toward the wax guard unfortunately can drive accumulated wax further into the wax guard and potentially even force extrusion of the accumulated wax through the wax guard and out the opposite side of it, so as to drive wax into the receiver in a spaghetti-like manner. Also, because these filters are very small, (e.g., 2.2 mm diameter for HF4, 3 mm diameter for HF3) they require a certain amount of dexterity to install and remove, and may require sending a device to the manufacturer for servicing to replace such a filter. Furthermore these filters do not provide any haptic feedback as to when they have been successfully installed and accurately placed, to differentiate between instances in which they have not been properly placed or oriented and thus, have not been successfully installed.
Previous attempts at preventing or controlling ear wax buildup in the receiver of a hearing aid have included the provision of a fine mesh screen in the audio pathway between the receiver and the outside of the hearing aid. Even in instances where the mesh is very fine, such as where openings of the mesh are on the order of 50 to 60 micrometers diameter, ear wax was not prevented from traveling through these openings, due to the capillary action of the surfaces of the through holes (openings) on the ear wax.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,488 to Weiss et al. recognizes the problem of coarse meshes being incapable of effectively preventing ear wax from migrating across a coarse mesh screen barrier to the receiver. Weiss et al. further describes that if a barrier is made with a screen size sufficiently small to protect the receiver from wax migration, the screen holes will eventually be clogged by the wax. To address these problems, Weiss et al. provides projections that define a tortuous pathway for wax to travel. As a second line of defense, Weiss et al. may provide a screen that may act as a wax catheter for wax particles that may pass through the tortuous pathway barrier. The barrier is interconnected between the receiver and the acoustic output port. Specialized tools are required for installation and removal of the barrier. In another embodiment, a threaded plug is installed adjacent the receiver. This embodiment is removable with the use of a screwdriver-like instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,277 Bisgaard et al. discloses a protection element for an all-in-the-ear hearing aid, in which the protection element consists of a sound conduction tube and a filter element arranged to be mounted on the sound conduction tube. There is no disclosure or suggestion that the sound conduction tube can be removed or replaced in the case that it accumulates an unacceptable amount of wax. Although the filter element can be replaced, this requires a specialized tool/dispenser to perform these functions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,016 to Wolf discloses an ear wax guard that can be installed into, and removed from a sound tube connected to a receiver of a hearing aid. Because the force required to be applied to the guard is applied almost linearly throughout the entire installation procedure, there is no haptic feedback provided to allow the installer to recognize when the installation process has been completed, or whether the installation was successfully completed by a proper installation. A tool is required for removal of the guard, such as a tool that can engage a bow provided with the guard.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0311098 to Higgins et al. discloses a hearing assistance device that includes an acoustic recess positioned to collect wax before it reaches the microphone of the device. Wax can be cleaned from the recess when the battery door is opened. Higgins et al. also generally mentions a self-cleaning wiper arm to remove wax and debris, but does not appear to show such an arm in any of the drawings or provide any further detail about the structure of such an arm, where it would be located, or even how it functions.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0165334 to Grossman discloses an acoustic device, configured to be disposed at least partially within the ear, having a sleeve that can be removed from a hard inner shell so that the channels of the sleeve can be cleaned. Even with removal of the sleeve from the hard inner shell, it appears that the task of cleaning out the channels is less than convenient.
There is a continuing need for wax guards that can be easily managed by a user of a hearing aid device, in ear speaker, or other space access device, so that changing of such wax guards can be readily accomplished by the user.
There is a continuing need for wax guards that can be easily installed and removed by hand, without the need for any tools.
There is a continuing need to wax guards and methods of removing and installing the same that do not run the risk of exposing a protected component during the process of installing or removing such wax guards.
There is a continuing need for the provision of wax guards in a configuration that can be easily handled by a user for installation and removal.
There is a continuing need for wax guards that provide haptic feedback to the person installing, to help confirm when a wax guard has been successfully installed.
There is a continuing need for wax guard solutions that have a longer service life, compared to products currently available, so that they can be used for a relatively longer period of time prior to needing to replace them. It would be desirable to provide wax guards that can be serviced without removal or replacement, to extend the service life thereof.
There is a continuing need for wax guards that can be at least partially cleaned or cleared without the need for removal or immediate replacement.
There is a continuing need for wax guard configurations in which at least a portion of a pathway along which the wax can accumulate can be cleared without the need to remove the wax guard.


A hair fixative composition comprising a film forming polymer that is prepared from monomers comprising (a) 10-30% by weight of one or more copolymerizable comonomers selected from the group consisting of N-alkyl (meth)acrylamide wherein the alkyl group thereof contains from 2 to 12 carbon atoms, wherein for at least one of said copolymerizable comonomers the alkyl group contains from 5 to 12 carbon atoms; (b) 14-21% by weight of copolymerizable comonomers comprising acrylic acid and optionally one or more acidic copolymerizable comonomers selected from the group consisting of methacrylic acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, and the (C1-C4)alkyl half esters of maleic and fumaric acids; and (c) 40-76% by weight two or more copolymerizable comonomers selected from the group consisting of (C1-C12)alkyl(meth)acrylates, wherein at least one of said two or more copolymerizable comonomers is a (C1-C2)alkyl(meth)acrylate; said film forming polymer being optionally completely or partially neutralized with a basic reagent.

In order to be highly effective in hair fixing compositions such as aerosol hair sprays and hair setting lotions, the film forming polymers utilized therein as well as the films derived therefrom must meet a rigid set of requirements. Thus, the polymers used in such formulations should be soluble in anhydrous organic solvents, yet the films cast from such hair fixing formulations should, ordinarily, either be water soluble or water dispersible in order to facilitate their easy removal from the user's hair. As is readily visualized, this is an unusual combination of properties which is further complicated by the requirement that the polymers used in such formulations be completely compatible with the solvents and/or propellants ordinarily employed therein. Furthermore, the polymers used should show little or no tendency to interact with the perfumes or other optional ingredients utilized in hair fixing formulations.
In addition, the films cast from either aqueous or organic solvent solutions of these polymers should be flexible and should simultaneously exhibit sufficient strength and elasticity; they should exhibit good adhesion to hair so as to avoid the occurrence of dusting or flaking when the hair is subjected to varying stresses; they should readily allow the hair to be recombed; they should maintain a non-tacky state despite humid conditions; they should be clear, transparent and glossy and should possess good antistatic properties; and they should be easily removable by the use of water and/or soap or shampoo.
It is also desirable that a hair fixative product should be able to provide excellent hold, even in high humidity conditions, while still providing a feel that is more natural and is not too hard, and while allowing for flexibility of the hair. Such a hair fixative product would desirably have good stiffness, spring and webbing.
Many polymeric systems have been utilized in an attempt to meet these stringent requirements. Among these are included: polyvinylpyrrolidone, copolymers of N-vinyl pyrrolidone with vinyl acetate, 5-5′-dimethyl hydantoinformaldehyde resins, and copolymers of methyl vinyl ethers and maleic acid half esters, etc.
Acrylate resins containing acrylic monomers copolymerized with other monomers also have been used in hair fixative compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,393 discloses hairsetting compositions comprising 30-72% by weight of tert-butyl (meth)acrylate, 10-28% by weight of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid or a mixture thereof, and 0-60% by weight of a copolymerizable monomer the homopolymer of which having a glass transition temperature of less than 30° C.
US 2007/0141013 A1 discloses amphoteric copolymers containing a molar excess of anionogenic and/or anionic groups, polyelectrolyte complexes containing the ampholytic copolymer, and compositions containing the copolymer or polyelectrolyte complex.
EP 0 364 887 A2 discloses a hair fixing composition comprising a polymer made by copolymerizing about 0-60% by weight of a C3-C12 alkyl acrylate or methacrylate, about 15-75% by weight C4-C10 N-substituted acrylamide, and about 20-35% by weight acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.
Other polymers and compositions are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,927,199; 4,315,910; and 5,686,062; each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Certain such prior art film forming polymers are acrylates/octylacrylamide copolymers. Other such prior art film forming polymers are octylacrylamide/acrylates/butylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymers. Both types of copolymers are well known in the hair fixative industry, and provide excellent performance properties such as high humidity curl retention.
Some consumers, however, prefer a fixative composition having good high humidity curl retention but also having a feel that is less stiff and more natural, and allowing for more flexibility in styling.
In addition, some of the monomers used in acrylates/octylacrylamide copolymers and octylacrylamide/acrylates/butylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymers can be costly. In particular, (meth)acrylamide monomers, hydroxylalkyl (meth)acrylate monomers, and alkyl amino alkyl methacrylate monomers are all relatively expensive. It would be desirable to provide acrylic copolymers having properties as least as good as the properties of existing film forming polymers but using less of the more expensive monomers, or even eliminating some of the more expensive monomers altogether.
It is an object of this invention to provide film forming polymers suitable for use in hair fixing formulations, said polymers exhibiting most or all of the above-described properties.
It is a further object to provide hair fixing compositions using the film forming polymers of the present invention.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such film forming polymers which are also compatible with different propellant systems, including non-polar hydrocarbon propellants, polar propellants, and hydrofluorocarbon propellants.
Various other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the disclosure which follows hereinafter.

Acrylic hair fixative copolymers and compositions


An audio transducer apparatus including a component having a first material; and a heating reduction system configured to reduce induced heating in the component. The heating reduction system includes a member at least partially surrounding the component. The member includes a material which has an electrical conductivity that is higher than an electrical conductivity of the first material to thereby reduce induced heating in the component.

1. Technical Field
The exemplary and non-limiting embodiments relate generally to preventing heat from being generated in a component and, more particularly, to heat caused by eddy currents.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Portable electronic devices are known which have a battery and an induction charging system for charging the battery. However, inductive charging can result in surface currents being induced in other members of the device, and can cause a significant additional temperature increase in components and in the interior of the device being charged.


The disclosed invention provides tetrapeptides with the amino acid sequence proline-glutamine-glutamate-X (P-Q-E-X), where X can be either lysine (K) or isoleucine (I). These tetrapeptides inhibit ultraviolet light (UV)-induced expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) by skin epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Furthermore, the tetrapeptides repress the upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) by skin fibroblasts induced by either direct exposure to UV rays or treatment with media conditioned by UV-treated keratinocytes. The small size and bio-activity of the tetrapeptides render them suitable for use in therapies directed to inflammatory skin disorders and as active ingredients in skin care products.

Exposure to excessive sunlight is an important etiologic factor in the development of acute inflammation, which is characterized by erythema and edema. The long-term consequences of such inflammation include accelerated skin aging and a higher chance of developing skin cancer. Skin inflammation due to acute exposure to UV radiation has been shown to be characterized by the release of various factors including neuropeptides, histamine, prostaglandins, serotonin and oxygen radicals, as well as the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Skin epithelial cells and keratinocytes play an important role in the inflammatory processes observed in skin after UV exposure by producing several of the above factors.
The long term effects of UV-induced inflammation negatively alter skin function. Wound healing processes in skin that has suffered multiple episodes of inflammation are extended in time and can be imperfect (e.g., increased scarring). Furthermore, over-exposed skin is also more prone to wrinkling, dryness, thinning, sagging and greater susceptibility to bruising. The inflammatory processes in skin that lead to these negative effects are complex and likely involve several pathways.
UV light consists of both UVA and UVB rays. UVB is a well known cause of acute inflammation as well as non-melanoma skin cancer. UVB-mediated epidermal inflammation is orchestrated by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. Since UVB rays penetrate through the epidermis, cytokine induction can occur in keratinocytes, as well as in fibroblasts and endothelial cells that reside in the upper dermis. However, these latter two cell types, which are of mesenchymal origin, can also be induced to an inflammatory state in a manner somewhat indirect from direct UV exposure. Factors (i.e., mediators) expressed by epithelial cells and keratinocytes in response to UV stimulation can signal fibroblasts and endothelial cells to upregulate inflammatory pathways. IL-6 is one such mediator.
The induction of the cytokines such as IL-6 in epithelial cells and fibroblasts has a significant effect on the acceleration of skin photoaging, which manifests itself through wrinkling and sagging, amongst other indications. These effects are primarily mediated by the stimulation of excess MMP-1 expression by fibroblasts in response to IL-6 signaling (Fagot et al. Arch Dermatol Res. 293:576, 2002; Fagot et al. Photochem Photobiol. 79:499, 2004). MMP-1 overexpression can significantly alter the structural integrity of skin by degrading extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as collagen that are comprised in the skin's connective tissue. Furthermore, ECM breakdown enhances the recruitment of immune cells to the site of UV exposure; this heightened cellular activity is a main cause of acute symptoms such as erythema and edema, as well as chronic symptoms such as skin hardening, which results from excess fibrin deposition. Given these far-reaching negative effects on skin physiology in response to UV exposure, IL-6 and MMP-1 represent important molecular targets for controlling skin photoaging.
One means for controlling photoaging is the topical administration of proteins known to inhibit one or more signaling pathways that exhibit altered activity after UV exposure. However, most attempts employing such a strategy have failed to achieve clinically significant results, due in part to difficulties associated with use of entire proteins or large fragments thereof. One problem underlying this failure relates to the inefficient delivery of proteins across the epidermis; most of the applied protein remains distant from the cells that are responsible to initiating photoaging pathways. Other drawbacks relate to the high lability and poor retention of large proteins after administration. Aside from these inherent negative features, the development of these therapies also suffers from the complexity and high costs associated with preparing large proteins. Therefore, less expensive and more effective preparations are presently sought.
Short bio-active peptides represent a potentially useful means for treating and preventing skin photoaging. Besides the immediate benefits of being less expensive and more easily produced and manipulated, short peptides are also better absorbed and retained by skin. Regarding the prevention of photoaging in skin, short peptides (e.g., tetrapeptides) capable of inhibiting skin inflammatory processes are desired.
Although others have previously tested the effects of tetrapeptides on skin, few have been shown to inhibit the inflammatory processes known to be upregulated in skin by UV radiation. For example, Lintner (U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,799) employed certain tetrapeptide-tripeptide mixes to allegedly reverse aging signs in skin; however, this mix was only shown to upregulate ECM production, a process which would not be predicted to prevent the deleterious effects of sunlight. In a similar vein, Sandberg et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,904) teaches the use of elastin-derived tetrapeptides to restore connective tissue in skin. Particular tetrapeptides are purported by Bissett et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,284,802) to be useful for treating wrinkles; the only basis for this utility is the derivation of the peptide from the amino acid sequence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). As such, these peptides may not be expected to exert anti-inflammatory activity, since bFGF is known to play a positive role in immune cell recruitment (Zittermann and Issekutz Am J Pathol. 168:835, 2006). Tetrapeptides described by Dussourd et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,155) to stimulate epidermal cell proliferation are also not expected to inhibit UV-induced inflammation. On the other hand, the instant invention provides tetrapeptides that down-regulate UV-induced inflammation in skin, therefore acting to prevent or treat the main etiology of photoaging.


The present invention provides a polypeptide, called EspA, which is secreted by pathogenic E. coli, such as the enteropathogenic (SPEC) and enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) E. coli. The invention also provides isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding EspA polypeptide, EspA peptides, a recombinant method for producing recombinant EspA, antibodies which bind to EspA, and a kit for the detection of EspA-producing E. coli.

Antibiotics have been used for years to successfully treat diverse bacterial infections. However, bacterial resistance to antibiotics has been an increasing problem over the past few years. Many pathogens are now resistant to several antibiotics, and in some cases, the diseases they cause are no longer treatable with conventional antibiotics. Despite the past successes of antibiotics, there have been few, if any, new classes of antibiotics developed in the past two decades. New variations on existing drugs have been introduced, but resistance to these compounds usually arises within a short period of time.
Many studies have shown that if a mutation is made in a gene that encodes a virulence factor, the organism containing that gene is no longer pathogenic.
Additionally, if a host is vaccinated against a virulence factor, disease can often be blocked. However, it has not been shown that specific inhibition of a virulence factor can attenuate disease.
The mechanisms of action for toxins, adherence, invasion, intracellular parasitism, have been studied. However, each virulence factor uses a different mechanism, which has made the development of a broad spectrum inhibitor impossible. One conserved factor that could be considered a target for a therapeutic is a two-component regulatory system. However, this system is not specific for virulence factors, and is used in several bacterial housekeeping systems. Additionally, the systems have been identified in eukaryotic systems, which would increase the risk of host toxicity if an inhibitor was utilized. To develop an ideal anti-infective agent, the bacterial virulence mechanism that the antibiotic affects should be universal for many pathogens, specific for virulence mechanisms, and not be present in host cells. One such system that has recently been identified is the bacterial type III secretion system.
Gram-negative bacteria utilize specialized machinery to export molecules across their two membranes and the piroplasm, a process critical for moving virulence factors to the bacterial surface where they can interact with host components. Gramnegative secretion has been divided into four major pathways. First, the Type I secretion is used by a small family of toxins, with E. coli hemolysin being the prototype. Second, the type II secretion system is the major export pathway used by most Gram-negative bacteria to export many molecules, including some virulence factors; it shares homology to mammalian drug resistance mechanisms. Third, the type IV secretion system is encoded within the secreted product, which cleaves itself as part of the secretion mechanism; the prototype of this system is the Neisseria IgA protease. Fourth, the most recently discovered secretion pathway, is the type III pathway.
Type III secretion systems were originally described as a secretion system for Yersinia secreted virulence proteins, YOPs, which are critical for Yersinia virulence. A homologous secretion system was then identified in several plant pathogens, including Pseudomonas syringae, P. solanacearurn, and Xantharnonas campestris. These plant pathogens use this secretion pathway to secrete virulence factors (harpins and others) that are required for causing disease in plants. Although the secretion system is similar, harpins and YOPs (i.e., the secreted virulence factors) are not homologous polypeptides. Several other type III secretion systems necessary for virulence have more recently been identified in other pathogens. These systems include the invasion systems Salmonella and Shigella use to enter cells and cause disease. Another type III secretion system has been identified in Salmonella which is critical for disease, although the secreted products of this pathway and the virulence mechanisms have not been established yet. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has a type III secretion system necessary for secretion of Exoenzyme S, a potent virulence factor.
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a leading cause of infant diarrhea and was the first E. coli shown to cause gastroenteritis. Enteropathogenic E. coli activates the host epithelial cells' signal transduction pathways and causes cytoskeletal rearrangement, along with pedestal and attaching/effacing lesion formation.
A three-stage model has described enteropathogenic E. coli pathogenesis. An initial localized adherence to epithelial cells, mediated by a type IV fimbria, is followed by the activation of host epithelial cell signal transduction pathways and intimate attachment to host epithelial cells. These final two steps are collectively known as attaching and effacing. The signal transduction in the host epithelial cells involves activation of host cell tyrosine kinase activity leading to tyrosine phosphorylation of a 90 kilodalton host membrane protein, Hp90, and fluxes of intracellular inositol phosphate(IP3) and calcium. Following this signal transduction, the bacteria adheres intimately to the surface of the epithelial cell, accompanied by damage to host epithelial cell microvilli and accumulation of cytoskeletal proteins beneath the bacteria.


An automated biological sample aliquoting processing system is disclosed for handling biological samples. The system reads and records a sample identification number, cuts a biological sample, and places a portion of the biological sample into a specific location in a multi-well plate. The system ensures sample integrity and also greatly reduces the man hours currently required to process biological samples. The system, which automates sample cutting and aliquoting, reduces the time and cost of operation, while eliminating manual steps in a laboratory process.

Aliquoting is one of the first steps in biological sample processing whereby the sample or a portion of the samples is taken from the collection device and placed in an appropriate testing container for further processing. The testing of buccal cells on cotton-tipped or Dacron applicators in large scale DNA profiling from known individuals or forensic evidence is desirable because the collection of the sample is relatively easy, collection materials are inexpensive, and if collected properly, the cells on the swab yield a sufficient quantity of DNA. Unfortunately, unlike the processing of paper based collection substrates, there are in general no automated methods for introducing the buccal sample on the applicator into the laboratory testing process. Currently, sample introduction or aliquoting practices require the forensic analysis to manually cut or transfer each swab and place it into the correct well in a sample plate or tube. This process is labor intensive, typically requires a witness, and if not performed properly, can lead to the occurrence of sample switches or misidentifications.
Further, other contact methods, such as a mechanical shear technique, are used to cut biological samples on paper. The mechanical shear technique is based on cutting the sample with such devices as a punching unit, a razor blade, or scissors. Mechanical shear techniques are relatively simple but are also inflexible. Since these methods involve direct contact with the sample, there is also an increased chance of sample-to-sample contamination during the cutting operation. For situations where contamination or carryover is an issue, the cutting device may need to be cleaned or replaced between the cutting of samples, which can be expensive and time consuming. Also, contact methods can introduce static electricity which can sometimes lead to the sample "jumping." This inadvertent movement can lead to sample mix-up and misidentification. Currently there are no automated methods for cutting three-dimensional sample collection devices such as swabs, sponges, or three-dimensional paper devices.

Automation of biological sample aliquoting


Methods, systems, and apparatus can provide channel scanning. In various examples, a channel scanning module can instruct scanning of multiple channels within a wideband frequency range by assigning channels to demodulators to attempt to lock onto a signal at the assigned channel. In other examples, a channel scanning module can instruct scanning for downstream channels by assigning channels to multiple narrowband tuners and multiple demodulators to attempt to lock onto a signal on the assigned channel.

The Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) was established by cable television network operators to facilitate transporting data traffic, primarily Internet traffic, over existing community antenna television (CATV) networks. In addition to transporting data traffic, as well as television content signals over a CATV network, multiple services operators (MSO) also use their CATV network infrastructure for carrying voice, video on demand (VoD) and video conferencing traffic signals, among other types.
In transporting downstream multimedia content, as well as data, upstream messages are typically sent to request the content and to set up a service flow to deliver the content. In addition to downstream multimedia content, such as video, voice traffic also uses message signaling to set up service flows for the upstream and downstream directions.
These signals are typically sent over a fiber network to a location, sometimes referred to as a node, near an end user, and from the node to a broadband user device via a coaxial cable. Such an arrangement is known in the art as a hybrid fiber coax network (HFC).
Typically, when a device is initially connected to the network, the device goes through an initialization process. The initialization process can include scanning the channels to identify downstream channels driven by a headend. Once a downstream channel is identified, the device performs ranging and registration processes to join the HFC network.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for accelerating orthodontic treatment of malocclusion by noninvasively altering a condition of bone in a patient's jaw so that teeth held in generally fixed positions in the bone are able to be relatively easily and rapidly repositioned using orthodontic appliances. The alteration may be fracturing the medullary and/or cortical bone around the teeth and/or altering vascular, nerve and/or cellular characterisitics of the medullar and/or cortical bone. Once this has been accomplished, typical appliances are used for treatment of malocclusion. Because the medullary and/or cortical bone has been fractured, and/or vascular, nerve and/or cellular characterisitics of the medullary and/or cortical bone have been altered, the appliances used to move the teeth to correct for malocclusion are capable of moving the teeth more rapidly, thereby enabling the process of treating malocclusion to be significantly accelerated in comparison to typical processes used for treatment of malocclusion. In accordance with one embodiment, shock waves are used to alter the condition of bone in the patient's jaw. In accordance with another embodiment, tuned and sustained ultrasound waves and/or high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) waves are used to alter the condition of bone in the patient's jaw.

The use of shock waves in the medical community is not new. Early approaches of using shock waves for medical treatment required immersing the patient in water and directing a shock wave, generated by an underwater spark discharge, at a solid site to be treated, such as a bone or kidney stone. When the shock wave hits the solid site, a liberation of energy from the change of acoustic impedance from water to the solid site produces pressure in the immediate vicinity of the site. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,671 to Senge et al., issued on Mar. 6, 1990, teaches a method applying acoustic shock waves to induce bone formation. Senge et al. utilizes the extremely short rise time of the shock wave to create high compression zones within bone tissue to cause reactions of the microcompartments of the bone. Senge et al. purports that such reactions cause the formation of hematomas within bone, which in turn, induce the formation of new bone.
Senge et al. utilizes a shock wave source consisting of a spark gap between electrodes within a container of water. An electrical condenser connected to the electrodes releases its energy over a very short period of time, and an arc arises between the electrodes of the spark gap device which vaporizes water surrounding the path of the spark, thereby establishing a plasma-like state. The result is an explosion-like vaporization of the water, which produces an electro-hydraulic shock wave that spreads out in a circular fashion. A metallic, ellipsoid-shaped structure surrounds a rear portion of the spark gap, opposite the patient, to produce a focal point of the shock wave that coincides with a location in the pathological bone site at which the shock wave is to be focused. The size and shape of the ellipsoid dictate the position of the focal point. This device also requires that the patient be submerged in the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,501 to Valchanov et al., issued on Dec. 25, 1990, teaches a method and apparatus for treating pathologies with shock or "impact" waves for correction of delayed bone consolidation and bone deformations. The method comprises the steps of anesthetizing the patient, fixing the limb affected with the pathological bone condition, centering the pathological site of the bone on the shock wave focal point, treating the affected bone site once or consecutively, with 300 to 6000 impacts. The impacts have a frequency of 0.4–4.0 per second with a pulse duration of 0.5 to 4.0 microseconds for a period of 10–120 minutes. After these steps have been performed, the limb is immobilized for a period from 15 to 90 days.
The impact wave-generating device disclosed by Valchanov et al. generally consists of a vessel that contains a transmitting medium or acoustic liquid such as water. At a bottom portion of the vessel, opposed electrodes are disposed, which are adapted to produce a shock across the gap. Therefore, the patient is not submerged for treatment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,673 to Rose et al., teaches a method and apparatus that utilize focused shock wave treatment of kidney stones in combination with localization using ultrasound or x-ray imaging. Rose et al. discloses that if the number and magnitude of the shock wave pulses are sufficient, the shock wave treatment may disintegrate a kidney stone.
Shock waves have also been used to treat soft tissue. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,000 to Chapelon et al. discloses an array of composite piezoelectric transducers for making an acoustic or ultrasonic therapy device for use in the treatment of varicose veins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,130 to Kaufman et al. discloses using shock waves to treat soft tissue such as cartilage, ligament, and tendons.
To date, shock waves have not been used in the medical field of orthodontics. Standard orthodontics for the treatment of malocclusion may typically require 18–30 months to complete, depending on the severity of the problem. Generally, orthodontic patients are anxious to finish their treatment in as short a period of time as possible. In an effort to speed up orthodontic treatment, surgical techniques have been expanded over recent decades. The most recent and most refined of these techniques has been presented by William and Thomas Wilcko, as Accelerated Osteogenic Orthodontics (AOO), and involves peeling back the gingival tissue from the cortical bone surrounding the teeth and then performing corticotomy. Corticotomy is a procedure that barely cuts through the cortical bone between the teeth with a rotary instrument. After the cuts have been made, certain bone augmentation procedures are performed to speed up the orthodontic treatment. The gingival flap is then replaced.
AOO causes a tissue metabolic process to be initiated, which is referred to as regional accelerated phenomenon (RAP). RAP creates an increase in bone remodeling that starts as a drastic demineralization of both medullary and cortical alveolar bone. Because the medullary bone has a much higher surface-to-volume ratio, and because the teeth are surrounded primarily by medullary bone, RAP renders the bone around the teeth largely into demineralized osteoid, a condition known as osteopenia. When osteopenia has thusly been established around teeth, it has been shown that orthodontic appliances can be used that enable treatment to be completed in about ⅓ of the amount of time typically required to treat malocclusion. One of the drawbacks to AOO is that it requires an invasive surgical procedure to initiate RAP and ostoepenia, which involves peeling back the gingival tissue and cutting through the cortical bone.
It would be desirable to provide a way to accelerate orthodontic treatment to enable treatment of malocclusion to be established without having to subject the patient to invasive surgery, such as that associated with AOO, for example.

Method for use in orthodontics for accelerating tooth movement when treating patients for malocclusion


A lens and combination lens able to suppress deviation of an optical axis of a lens occurring at the time of combination and able to be adjusted at a high precision, a method of producing the combination lens, and an optical pickup device and an optical disk drive mounting the combination lens thereon are provided. A first lens L1 comprising a lens body 1 where one surface on an incident side or an emitting side of light is a flat surface and the other surface parallel to the surface formed as the flat surface is a structural element and a second lens L2 comprising a lens body 2 where one surface on an incident side or an emitting side of light is a flat surface and the other surface parallel to the surface formed as the flat surface is a structural element are adhered together. The combination lens is used as the object lens for an optical pickup device and an optical disk drive.

In recent years, in the field of information recording, research concerning optical information recording systems has been going on in many places. The optical information recording system has many advantages such as the ability to record and/or reproduce information without contact and the ability to handle read only type, writable type, and rewritable type memory formats. Broad applications from industrial use to consumer use are conceivable for this as a system enabling realization of inexpensive large sized files.
In the optical pickup mounted in a recording and/or reproduction apparatus of a CD (compact disk), DVD (digital versatile disk), or other optical recording medium (hereinafter also referred to as an "optical disk") for the above various types of optical information recording systems (hereinafter also referred to as an "optical disk drive"), laser light of a wavelength of for example 780 nm or 650 nm is emitted from a laser diode and focused on an optical recording layer of the optical disk by an optical system including a beam splitter and other optical members. Light reflected from the optical disk follows a reverse path in the above optical system and is projected onto a photodiode or other light receiving element by a multi lens or the like.
Information recorded on the optical recording layer of the optical disk is read from the changes in the light reflected from the optical disk.
The optical disk drive described above has, in the usual configuration, a light source for emitting light of a wavelength λ, an optical system including an object lens (condensing lens) having a numerical aperture NA for focusing the light emitted by the light source on the optical recording layer of a optical recording medium, a light receiving element for detecting the light reflected from the optical recording layer, and the like.
In the above optical disk drive, a spot size φ of the light on the optical recording layer is generally given by the following equation (1):φ=λ/NA  (1)
The spot size φ of the light has a direct influence upon the recording density of the optical recording medium. The smaller the spot size φ, the higher the recording density possible and the larger the capacity.
Namely, this shows that the shorter the wavelength λ of the light or the larger the numerical aperture NA of the object lens, the smaller the spot size φ, so a higher recording density is possible.
According to the above indicator, in order to realize a larger capacity of an optical disk, an optical disk drive wherein for example the wavelength of the light source is shortened from green to blue and further to an ultraviolet ray region and the numerical aperture NA of the object lens is raised to for example about 0.8 to 2.5 is being investigated.
When the numerical aperture of the object lens becomes larger as described above, in general, the allowable disk tilt in the optical disk drive is reduced. Therefore, in order to cope with this, it becomes necessary to obtain an optical disk of a type wherein the thickness of a protective layer on a light incident side of the optical disk is made thinner down to about 1 μm to 0.1 mm.
An object lens having a numerical aperture NA raised to about 0.85 can be realized by for example a solid immersion lens (hereinafter also referred to as an "SIL")—one type of combination lens.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the schematic configuration of an SIL. The SIL is comprised by a first convex lens L1 and a second convex lens L2.
Further, FIG. 2A is a plan view of the first convex lens, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view along A-A′ in FIG. 2A. Further, FIG. 2C is a sectional view of the second convex lens.
The first convex lens L1 is comprised of a lens body 1 provided with convex aspherical surfaces at both surfaces (1c, 1d), while the second convex lens L2 is comprised of a lens body 2 provided with a convex spherical surface at one surface 2c and with a flat surface FL at the other surface 2d.
The first convex lens L1 and the second convex lens L2 are arranged on an identical optical axis AX and comprised so that a laser beam LB from a light source LS passes through the first convex lens L1, then passes through the second convex lens L2 and is focused at a predetermined point on the optical axis AX at a side opposite to the first convex lens L1.
In order to make the aberration of the first convex lens L1 smaller, it is necessary to bring the centers of the convex aspherical surfaces provided at both surfaces (1c, 1d) into register with a high precision.
In order to realize this, a mold shown in FIG. 3 is used to form the first convex lens L1.
FIG. 3A is a plan view of the mold, while FIG. 3B is a sectional view along A-A′ in FIG. 3A.
The mold is comprised of a cylindrical first mold Ma into which are inserted from above and below a pin-shaped second mold Mb and third mold Mc having aspherical concave surfaces. A space surrounded by the inside wall surfaces of the first mold Ma, second mold Mb, and third mold Mc becomes a molding cavity Cav.
To use the above mold to form the first convex lens L1, as shown in FIG. 4A, ball glass BG is placed in the cavity Cav, the mold is heated up to a temperature where the glass softens, then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the second mold Mb and the third mold Mc are pressed from above and below to form the lens.
The above mold is structured with center axes of the cylindrical first mold Ma and pin-shaped second mold Mb and third mold Mc in register, so it is relatively easy to bring the centers of the convex aspherical surfaces provided at both surfaces of the first convex lens into register with a high precision during the processing.
Further, in order to make the aberration of the SIL comprised of the first convex lens L1 and the second convex lens L2 smaller, it is necessary to make the inclination of the optical axis of the first convex lens L1 and the second convex lens L2 as small as possible.
As shown in FIG. 2B, however, in the first convex lens L1, the convexities provided at the two surfaces (1c, 1d) are aspherical surfaces, so the surfaces cannot be used as reference surfaces for positioning.
Accordingly, in order to secure a reference surface for positioning, the first convex lens L1 has been provided with a flange 1e having a flat surface FL at the outer circumference of the lens body 1 and the optical axis adjusted using the surface of the flange 1e as a reference.
In recent years, however, the numerical aperture of lenses has become increasingly larger. At the same time, an extremely high precision is now being demanded in the adjustment of the optical axis.
For this reason, high precision adjustment satisfying the demands by only using a small area of flange portion provided at the outer circumference of the lens body as a reference surface as described above is becoming impossible.
As one method for solving this problem, there is the method of simultaneously forming a plurality of combination lenses. This will be explained below.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the schematic configuration of a combination lens (SIL) formed by the above method. The SIL is comprised of a first convex lens L1 and a second convex lens L2.
Further, FIG. 6A is the perspective view of the first convex lens, and FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the second convex lens.
The first convex lens L1 is comprised of the surface of a concavity 1a having a convex bottom provided at an upper surface of the lens body 1 and the surface of a concavity 1b provided at a lower surface of the lens body 1. These upper surface SD and a lower surface SA of the lens body 1 except for the concavities (1a, 1b) are flat surfaces able to serve as reference surfaces.
On the other hand, the second convex lens L2 is comprised of the surface of a concavity 2a provided at the upper surface of the lens body 2 and the lower surface of the lens body 2. These upper surface SB and lower surface SC of the lens body 2 except for the concavity 2a are flat surfaces able to serve as reference surfaces.
The first convex lens L1 and the second convex lens L2 are arranged on the identical optical axis AX. The lower surface SA of the lens body 1 and the upper surface SB of the lens body 2 are fixed by bonding. They are configured so that a laser beam LB from the light source LS passes through the first convex lens L1, then passes through the second convex lens L2 and is focused at a predetermined point on the optical axis AX at a side opposite to the first convex lens L1.
The method of production of the above SIL will be explained below.
First, the mold shown in FIG. 7A is used to form a first lens aggregate 10 comprised of a plurality of the above first convex lenses joined together. FIG. 7B is a sectional view of the first lens aggregate 10 formed in this way, and FIG. 7C is a plan view. The section along A-A′ in FIG. 7C corresponds to FIG. 7B.
The above mold has a first mold M1 and a second mold M2. Through holes are formed at predetermined positions. Pin molds P1b having convex surfaces at their front ends are inserted into the first mold M1, while pin molds P1a having concave surfaces at their front ends are inserted into the second mold M2. Further, positioning mark pins P11 are inserted in the second mold M2.
A space surrounded by the inside wall surfaces of the first mold M1, second mold M2, pin molds P1a, pin molds P1b, and positioning mark pins P11 becomes the molding cavity Cav.
By filling the interior of the mold having the above configuration by softened glass or another optical material, a first lens aggregate 10 comprised of a plurality of (nine in the figure) first convex lenses formed with concavities 1a having convex bottoms and concavities 1b forming first convex lenses L1 joined together and provided with positioning marks 11 as shown in FIG. 7B and FIG. 7C is formed.
On the other hand, a mold and method similar to those described above are used to form a second lens aggregate 20 comprised of a plurality of (nine in the figure) second convex lenses formed with concavities 2a forming the second convex lens L2 joined together and provided with positioning marks 21.
The first lens aggregate 10 and the second lens aggregate 20 obtained as described above are adhered together by superimposing the positioning marks (11, 21) and using an adhesive or the like.
In steps after this, the aggregate is divided into individual SILs having predetermined sizes as shown in FIG. 5 by predetermined division lines.
According to the above method of production of an SIL, when adhering together the first lens aggregate 10 and the second lens aggregate 20, the positioning can be carried out using the large area bottom surface of the first lens aggregate 10 and top surface of the second lens aggregate 20 as the reference surfaces, so it is possible to easily form the SIL with an extremely high accuracy while eliminating inclination of the optical axes of the first convex lens L1 and the second convex lens L2 without adjustment requiring a high level of skill.
However, in the mold for forming the first lens aggregate forming first convex lenses L1, through holes are provided in the first mold M1 and the second mold M2 at the positions forming the first convex lenses and pin molds P1b and pin molds P1a are inserted into them. In order to form the first convex lenses L1 with a high precision, it is necessary to bring the center axes of the pin molds P1b and the pin molds P1a into register. As shown in FIG. 7, however, in a general mold structure, the first mold M1 and the second mold M2 having the through holes for insertion of the pin molds P1b and the pin molds P1a are formed separately and then combined, so it is very difficult to match the center axes of the pin molds P1b and the pin molds P1a and therefore it has become difficult to obtain high precisely formed first convex lenses.


A system and method for providing a location owner's location information to third parties (location consumers) is provided. The location server obtains an owner profile controlling access to the location owner's location information. A location consumer requests the location owner's location information through a location request. The location server determines whether the location consumer is authorized to access the location owner's location information according to access information in the owner profile. If the location consumer is authorized to access the information, the location server obtains location information from a location provider and returns the location information to the location consumer. The location consumer may also subscribe to a location owner, such that when an identified subscription event occurs, the location server notifies the location consumer of the location owner's current location. The location server repeatedly notifies the location consumer when the subscription event occurs or until the subscription is terminated.

In an information age, remaining connected to information at all times is extremely important. People use many devices and services to stay connected to information and to other people, such as cell phones, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and laptop computers. A by-product of this connectivity is the tremendous amount of personal information that is generated, or known, concerning each 'user.' This personal information covers a broad spectrum of categories, such as credit information, phone numbers, and addresses to name just a few.
Personal information, in general, is becoming more and more valuable. In order to be more effective with their marketing efforts, merchants are willing to pay large amounts of money to find out very personalized information about individuals. On the other hand, personal information is also extremely important to control. For many important personal reasons, individuals generally do not want their personal information disclosed, including information the service providers possess. However, individuals may be willing to allow some personal information to be distributed to others, including merchants, if the individuals can control the type and amount of information distributed, and possibly receive some value in exchange for that information. For example, a person may be willing disclose his or her whereabouts in exchange for valuable opportunities, such as a special sale or discount with a merchant.
One area of personal information that is increasingly useful, important, and valuable is a person's physical location. Automated guidance and global location services depend upon identifying a person's, or a thing's, location. Fleet management can greatly benefit from monitoring the physical location of a fleet of vehicles. Merchants make use of a person's location, offering specials to those who are in a certain area. As mentioned above, some merchants are willing to pay for such information. Alternatively, it may be nice to locate one's friends in order to determine a convenient gathering location. As can be seen, there are many times that it is advantageous for a person to disclose the person's physical location.
Many devices or services are capable of generating or collecting location information. For example, wireless telephone services are able to locate a person by sensing the presence of a person's wireless telephone in a particular coverage area, or cell. Similarly, a wireless network service is able to locate a person by sensing the presence of the person's computing device with the range of wireless gateways, such as an IEEE 802.11(b) or a Bluetooth enabled network. In both of these examples, the service senses the location of a broadcasting device and therefore knows that the device is within a certain area. In another embodiment, global positioning system ("GPS") devices utilize geo-synchronous satellite signals to calculate a person's position, which can be displayed to the person.
Electronic calendars and e-mail applications can also generate location information. For example, a person may enter an appointment in an electronic calendar that specifies location information. Additionally, an email message may include statements such as, "I'm at work," that corresponds to location information. Clearly, there are many ways which devices, or services, or both, can generate information about a person's location.
Although there are a number of ways to obtain location information, most location information generating systems are closed, meaning that the location information is used only within the system, if the location information is used at all. For example, wireless devices typically use location information to obtain wireless service. Current location information is displayed by a GPS device to the person operating the device. Both of these closed location information generating system examples are not well-suited to allow a "located" person to exploit the value of that location information by providing it to others outside of the system. In general, typical location information generating systems do not allow a "located" person to distribute the location information to third parties, and/or permit the "located" person to control the distribution of the location information to the third parties.
Rather than a single device or service, a person may be associated with multiple sources of location information. For example, a person may have a wireless telephone, a computing device running an electronic calendar and e-mail, and a GPS device. All of these devices and services are able to generate location information for that person with differing degrees of accuracy. However, in the past, no mechanism for collecting and/or processing the various sources of location information to provide a person's location information when a request for the persons location is made.
What is needed is a system that provides control and access to a person's location information. Additionally, there is a need for a centralized system for controlling location information, which may be derived from a variety of sources.

System and method for providing personal location information to location consumers from a location services server


In compliance with the method, the measurement of the characteristic dimensions of the hypothetical pupil are taken on the basis of a sequence of images. The eye is stimulated with the light featuring a pre-defined intensity profile. For each image in this sequence, the characteristic dimensions of the hypothetical pupil are calculated by means of image processing methods. For a sequence of images, the system determines the function ƒ which defines the changes in the characteristic dimensions of the hypothetical pupil within the measurement period, and on the basis of the said changes as well as on the selected mathematical model, the aliveness parameters O of the eye are determined by means of estimation methods. The calculated aliveness parameters are compared with the statistical template by way of classification process.

The present invention relates to a method for automatic eye aliveness testing and device for automatic eye aliveness testing, which in particular is applied in the evaluation of whether the examined eye is an alive human eye, and is used in biometric identity verification systems.
Method of eye aliveness testing is known from the publication developed by John Daugman: "Countermeasures against Subterfuge", Section 8 in Daugman J., "Recognizing Persons by their Iris Patterns", Chapter 5 in "Biometrics: Personal Identification in Networked Society" (Jain, Bolle, Pankanti, editors), pp. 103-121, Amsterdam: Kluwer, 1999. In compliance with the method described in the said publication, certain dimensions of the iris and the pupil are tracked whereas the eye is stimulated by light of a varying intensity. Pupillary constriction and dilatation are determined within pre-defined measurement periods.
Known devices for eye aliveness testing contain light illuminator with the controlled intensity and a camera that produces a sequence of images and which is equipped with exposure automatic adjustment. The camera image is analyzed by the image measurement system.
Known solution does not allow for aliveness testing in an automatic and accurate way.

Method of eye aliveness testing and device for eye aliveness testing

Naukowa I Akademicka Siec Komputerowa Nask


A catalyst layer composition for a fuel cell includes an ionomer cluster, a catalyst, and a solvent including water and polyhydric alcohol; and an electrode for a fuel cell includes a catalyst layer comprising an ionomer cluster having a three-dimensional reticular structure, and a catalyst, a method of preparing a electrode for a fuel cell includes a catalyst layer comprising an ionomer cluster having a three-dimensional reticular structure, and a catalyst, and a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell including the electrode and a fuel cell system including the membrane-electrode assembly.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a catalyst layer composition for a fuel cell and an electrode for a fuel cell using the same, a method of preparing an electrode for a fuel cell, a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell, and a fuel cell system using the membrane-electrode assembly.
Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell is a power generation system for producing electrical energy through a chemical reaction of oxidant and hydrogen in a hydrocarbon-based, material such as methanol, ethanol, or a natural gas.
Such a fuel cell is a clean energy source with the potential to replace fossil fuels. A fuel cell includes a stack composed of unit cells, and produces various ranges of power. Since the fuel cell has about four to about ten times higher energy density than a small lithium battery, it has been highlighted as a small portable power source.
Typical examples of fuel cells are polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and direct oxidation fuel cells (DOFC). A direct oxidation fuel cell that uses methanol as a fuel is called a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).
A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has an advantage of high energy density and high power, but it has problems in the need to carefully handle hydrogen gas and the requirement of accessory facilities, such as a fuel reforming processor for reforming methane, methanol, natural gas, and the like, in order to produce hydrogen as the fuel gas.
On the contrary, a direct oxidation fuel cell (DOFC) has lower energy density than that of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, but the direct oxidation fuel cell has advantages of easy handling of a fuel, being capable of operating at room temperature due to its low operation temperature, and the direct oxidation fuel cell does not need additional fuel reforming processors.
In the above-mentioned fuel cell system, the stack that generates electricity substantially includes several scores of unit cells stacked adjacent to one another, and each unit cell is formed of a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and a separator (also referred to as a bipolar plate). The membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) is composed of an anode (also referred to as a "fuel electrode" or an "oxidation electrode") and a cathode (also referred to as an "air electrode" or a "reduction electrode") those are separated by a polymer electrolyte membrane.
A fuel is supplied to an anode and adsorbed on catalysts of the anode, and the fuel is oxidized to produce protons and electrons. The electrons are transferred into a cathode via an external circuit, and the protons are transferred into the cathode through the polymer electrolyte membrane. In addition, an oxidant is supplied to the cathode, and then the oxidant, protons, and electrons are reacted on catalysts of the cathode to produce electricity along with water.

Catalyst layer composition for fuel cell, electrode for fuel cell, method of preparing electrode for fuel cell, membrane-electrode assembly for fuel cell, and fuel cell system using the membrane-electrode assembly


A network element in an Ethernet OAM network is operable to detect congestion associated with an OAM domain and generate a congestion notification to MEPs in the OAM domain using a modified Ethernet OAM protocol. When a network element detects congestion in one or more queues associated with an MEP in an OAM domain, it triggers a congestion state. The MEP transmits a congestion notification to other MEPs in the OAM domain. The notifying MEP, as well as other MEPs receiving the congestion notification, initiate a network management protocol message to a network management system for the OAM domain. The MEPs in the OAM domain may also propagate the congestion notification to MEPs in higher maintenance level OAM domains.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to Ethernet networks and in particular to systems and methods for providing congestion notification in an Ethernet network using Ethernet Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) protocols.
2. Description of Related Art
Enterprise or local area network (LAN) networks using Ethernet protocols are able to support multiple demanding services including, for example, voice-over-IP (VoIP), data, audio, video and multimedia applications. Various standards are being developed to enhance Ethernet to provide carrier grade, highly available metro area networks (MAN) and wide area networks (WAN). In particular, two standards, IEEE 802.1ag Standard for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks Virtual Bridged Local Area Networks Amendment 5: Connectivity Fault Management, approved in 2007, IEEE 802.3 Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD), Section 5 dated 2008 and ITU-T Y.1731 OAM Functions And Mechanisms For Ethernet Based Networks, dated July 2011, both of which are incorporated by reference herein, define protocols for Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) for an Ethernet network. Ethernet OAM helps to provide end-to-end service assurance across an Ethernet network. For example, Ethernet OAM addresses performance management in Ethernet networks and defines protocols for connectivity fault management, such as fault detection, verification, isolation and performance monitoring, such as frame loss, frame delay and delay variation.
Although the Ethernet OAM protocol as currently standardized provides a framework for addressing certain connectivity fault management and performance monitoring issues, a number of other performance monitoring issues remain to be addressed.

System and method for congestion notification in an ethernet OAM network


An example of an information sharing system includes at least one processor configured to: accept posting information on a content posted by each of a plurality of users; display the accepted posting information on a first screen; and display, on a second screen, the posting information, which is to be displayed on the first screen and which is posted by one of the plurality of users whose status satisfies a condition on usage of the content.

When users share information online concerning products or services by using a SNS (Social networking service) or a BBS (Bulletin Board System), a case may arise that where some information is of use to a user while other information is not of use to the user.
According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided an information sharing system, including at least one processor configured to: accept posting information on a content posted by each of a plurality of users; display the accepted posting information on a first screen; and display, on a second screen, the posting information, which is to be displayed on the first screen and which is posted by one of the plurality of users whose status satisfies a condition on usage of the content.

Information sharing system, server device, display system, storage medium, and information sharing method


A method of taking inoperative pot online using fuse in an aluminium manufacturing plant operating on electrolysis process is disclosed. The manufacturing plant comprises of plurality of electrolysis cells or pots connected in series. Some of the pots are kept off line during start up of the plant by shorting the risers of the non running pots to the cathode bus bar (31) by shorted joints (II). The method comprises, connecting fuse assemblies in parallel with the shorted joints; inserting insulating insert plates between the risers and the short circuit bus bars and securing the insulating insert plates to isolate the short circuit bus bars from the risers (14) such that the total rated current passes through the fuse assemblies. The fuse elements in the fuse assemblies melt within about 8 to 10 minutes, completely isolating the short circuit bus bars from the risers such that the risers now feed the current to the anode assemblies of the non running pot. Feeding of charge to the non running pot is the started, thus taking the non running pot on line.

Aluminium has many useful properties. Accordingly, it is second in production, after iron and steel. Because the density of aluminium is low, it is used for forming many strong alloys that contain relatively small percentages of silicon, copper, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. These alloys, with their light weight and high strength, are preferred for use in many industries like automotive, consumer durables, utensils etc. The thermal conductivity and the electrical conductivity is the third highest; just lower than silver and copper. Aluminium is also non-magnetic. Thus, its high ductility makes it available in rolled, extruded, forged, drawn forms. Aluminium may be easily machined and its low melting point makes it suitable for casting and superior quality die castings. It is commercially available in forms such as plates, sheet, and bars, rolled sections, pipes, wire, and foil. Aluminium is highly resistant to corrosion under usual conditions in the atmosphere and in water.
Owing to these useful properties, worldwide aluminium manufacturing capacity in the year 2000 was approximately 20 million metric ton/yr and it is still growing with the demand.
Aluminium is manufactured from the intermediate compound e.g. alumina, which is obtained from the ores like bauxite, available in the earth crust. In an electrolysis process, alumina, Al2O3, is dissolved in a bath of molten cryolite, Na3AlF6, aluminium fluoride, AlF3 is used to reduce the melting point of liquid bath, which includes Caf2, Al2O3 and Cryolite. The mixture is subjected to an electrolysis process in electrolysis cells (pots) connected in series, and liquid aluminium is produced at the cathodes. The carbon anodes are oxidized and bubble away as carbon dioxide. The chemical reaction as a whole is represented by the chemical equation given below:2Al2O3+3C→4Al+3CO2
The liquid aluminium product settles at the bottom of the bath, as molten aluminium is heavier than cryolite. The molten aluminium is periodically tapped from the bottom. At the top side of the bath cryolite forms a solid crust. This solid crust is broken by punching it with crust breakers. Gas evolved in the process escapes from holes formed in the broken crust. These holes also facilitate charging of fresh ore to the bath in the pot. While operating a set of electrolyzing pots connected in series, it many times happens that all the pots can not be put on line simultaneously. Some of the pots may be kept isolated out of the circuit while others in the line are running. The isolated pots are taken on line after they are made ready for running (for example completion of the maintenance work on them).
The present disclosure is related to taking the off line pots online while the pot line is running. Background art is described in the light of the above information with reference to figures, are briefly described below. Though all the figures are described in the section "Brief description of figures" the figures relevant to the background art only are described here again for the sake of convenience to the reader.


A training device for teaching a soccer player the correct location to "bunt" or "head" a soccer ball. The device includes multiple layers of individual, removable pads which enable a player to gradually wean himself/herself from the training device and allow players over a wide range of skill levels to benefit from the training device. The pads are concealed from view once on place within a pocket within the cap member, thereby making the device commercially attractive and available for use is displaying advertising or the like. Accordingly, the device should be especially attractive to young players who will benefit from learning the proper location and produce for safely performing the "bunting" of "heading" technique.

In general, this invention relates to soccer. More particularly, this invention relates to a training device for a soccer player.
As is well known, the game of soccer, not only allows a player to kick the soccer ball, but also permits contact between the ball and the players head. The latter contact is generally referred to as "bunting" or "heading" the ball, and like any other technique in sports, requires practice to learn and perfect.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,852 discloses and claims a head guard for a soccer player intended to minimize the chance of injury and improve control when the player bunts the soccer ball. The '852 device includes a ball contact portion 11 comprising three layers permanently bonded together with adhesive. Relative to the players head, the innermost layer 17 is intended to absorb perspiration from the player's forehead, the intermediate layer 18 is formed of a resilient laterally displaceable material in order to dampen the rotation of the soccer ball coming into contact with the outer layer 19, which is preferably constructed of suede.
Although apparently suited for its intended purpose of minimizing the risk of head injury and reducing the ball rotation to improve control, the '852 device does not take into account the various skill levels of soccer players and so does not possess any versatility in this regard. For example, the '852 device does not allow the thickness of the contact portion to be adjusted. In addition, the range of materials that can be used for the individual layers is severely limited by the qualities required of each layer to perform its intended function, e.g., the outer layer is required to be "pliable, perspiration absorption-resistant, and soccer ball gripping fabric". Also, the '852 device is somewhat sterile in appearance and therefore unlikely to cause soccer players, especially younger players, to be enthusiastic about wearing the device.


A code division multiple access (CDMA) system having a separate channel card function architecture. The CDMA system includes a back-haul interface module, a controller of a cable network controlling station, a main channel card, a middle frequency module, a radio frequency module, a reception channel card, a random access card, a clock module and a cell controller. The main channel card is responsible for controlling signal transmission while the reception channel card is responsible for signal reception. By separately processing data at a reception terminal and a transmission terminal, similar computations can be processed as groups so that hardware design of the system is very much simplified and signal interference is greatly reduced.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a code division multiple access (CDMA) system for network communication. More particularly, the present invention relates to a CDMA system whose data reception and data transmission are carried out using different channel cards.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to rapid advancements in communication technologies, the number of mobile telephone users is increasing at a lighting pace. To improve the quality of communication, better communication techniques (such as wide band networks) are developed along with the construction of more base stations.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional CDMA system. As shown in FIG. 1, an antenna 10 is used to receive radio frequency signals emitted by a particular user or to broadcast radio frequency signals to users. A radio frequency module 12 is a device that converts any received middle frequency signals into radio frequency signals and then transmits the radio signal from the antenna 10. Similarly, the radio frequency module also converts the radio frequency signals picked up by the antenna 10 into middle frequency signals.
A middle frequency module 14 is an interface that takes care of input/output functions between the radio frequency module 12 and a plurality of channel cards 16. Each channel card 16 comprises a digital/analogue converter 18, an application specific integrated circuit/field programmable gate array 20 and a processor 22. The channel card 16 processes base-band digital signals. The digital/analogue converter 18 inside the channel card 16 is responsible for converting base-band digital signals to analogue middle-frequency signals and then transmitting to the middle frequency module 14. Similarly, the digital/analogue converter 18 is also responsible for converting analogue signals from the middle frequency module 14 into base-band digital signals to be used by the channel card 16.
The application specific integrated circuit/field programmable gate array 20 serves many functions inside the channel card 16 including power control, code spreading/de-spreading, modulation/demodulation, combining modules, Gold/Walsh code generation, RAKE receiver, peak detection, tracking loop, automatic frequency control, channel estimation and receiver synchronization.
Besides a power control function, the processor 22 inside the channel card 16 performs cyclic redundancy check, cyclic redundancy check decoding, convolution encoding, rate matching, rate matching decoding, interleaving encoding, bus connection between channel card and channel master, Viterbi decoding and interleave decoding.
A back-haul interface module 24 takes care of the input/output transmission between the channel cards 16 and a controller 26 of a cable-network control station. The controller 26 functions as an electronic signal switcher.
In a CDMA communication station design, base-band digital signal processing is a critical technique. However, a number of technical problems are often encountered in the design of a CDMA communication station, including: (1) each channel card has to process signal reception and signal transmission independently; however, due to the concentration of output terminals (such as middle frequency module, radio frequency module and antenna), various channel cards have to exchange data with each other between reception and transmission; hence, complicated channel combining computations (energy-contained control) must be processed by the same processor/application specific integrated circuit leading to overloading and complexity of transmission signals in each channel card; (2) each channel card must be able to receive all the information from the other channel cards for transmission integrity; hence, extra hardware must be available to deal with coding/decoding and error correction leading to design complication for each channel card; (3) When various channel cards transmit middle frequency signals to the middle frequency module, due to the simple interference of the buses from the various channel cards to the middle frequency module and the concentration of various channel card components, transmission errors are very difficult to rectify; hence, system reliability is low.

CDMA system with separate function channel card

Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology


A level for gauging stud orientation. The level includes an elongate frame, a level indicator secured to the frame, two support arms pivotably secured to the frame to facilitate holding of the level against the stud, and a coordinating arm pivotably secured to each of the support arms for synchronous movement of the support arms. The frame has two side-faces and at least one main reference surface extending therealong and having a mainwidth. The coordinating arm is substantially parallel to the main reference surface. Each support arm has a proximal end and extends to a free distal end to which an end member is secured. Each end member extends from a respective one of the distal ends crosswise with respect to the mainwidth and terminates in a stud-engaging portion which extends in a direction intersecting the plane of the reference surface. When the reference surface is against a stud surface the stud-engaging portions engage the opposite side of the stud for hands-free holding of the level thereagainst.

In the construction industry, levels are used to ensure that structural members are installed in their exact intended orientations. Some examples of such structural members are vertical and horizontal studs which have to be positioned as close to their respective plumb and level orientations as possible. In some cases, levels are also used to orient studs or other structural members at specific angles. In such situations two people are often involved in the process of stud installation, because one person holds the level against the structural member while the other person adjusts structural-member orientation and secures it in the proper orientation.
Very often a person who works alone needs to gauge a structural member such as a stud for its vertical orientation. This task becomes difficult because the holding on the level and the fastening of the stud typically have to be done simultaneously. Even if a sole worker were able to gauge the stud with one hand while fastening the stud with the other, such task would require an extra physical strain which increases the risk of injury and makes the operation much slower than desired and may still result in inaccurate orientation of the stud.
There have been various devices that have offered certain support for levels against structural members, but such devices have problems or disadvantages rendering them of little use in most situations.
One example of such devices is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,708 to Moody. The Moody device, however, is designed for use with walls which have either a plurality of holes therethrough or an apertured mesh such that the Moody device can engage the holes or the mesh apertures to secure the level against the wall. The Moody device would not secure a level to a stud. Furthermore, the Moody device is not usable for securing a level in orientations other than vertical such as holding the level to the bottom of a generally horizontally oriented structural member.
Another example of such devices is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,205 to Egbert. The Egbert device requires special manipulation with an adjustable gripping element. Such gripping element, depending on its orientation with respect to an arm, is either freely slidable along the arm or is held in place thereon. The Egbert device requires precise positioning of the gripping element to secure a level against a stud or other object. The level, however, can become easily disengaged from the stud if the gripping element is not in its correct position or if such position changes due to adjustment movements of the level or the stud. Such disengagement would result in unfortunate falling of the level which may become damaged or completely broken.
Yet another example of a device intended for holding a level against a structural member is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,937 to Glorioso, Jr. The Glorioso device would not be operable in the intended manner described in the Glorioso patent. More specifically, despite its rather complicated construction the Glorioso device, as shown, would not hold the level against a structural component, at least because spring 146, by virtue of its manner of mounting, would fail to draw the arm against the object to be gauged.
In summary, there is a need for an improved level which is held securely against a stud or other structural member and which overcomes all of the aforementioned problems.


Provided is an endless belt that can be used for fusing a toner image or enhancing the gloss of a toner image, the endless belt including a substrate later and a release layer on the substrate layer. The release layer can include a coating layer that includes an inorganic-organic nanocomposite material in which inorganic nanoparticles are dispersed in a siloxane polymer matrix.

In electrophotographic imaging apparatuses such as facsimile machines, printers, copy machines, and the like, toner is supplied to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image receptor to form a visible toner image on the image receptor, the toner image is transferred onto a recording medium, and then the transferred toner image is fixed or fused on the recording medium.
A fusing process includes a process of applying heat and pressure to toner. Generally, a fusing apparatus includes a heating roller and a pressing roller that are engaged with each other to form a fusing nip. The recording medium onto which the toner image has been transferred is subjected to heat and pressure while passing through the fusing nip, and the toner image which is highly glossy is fused on the recording medium. When a higher-gloss image is required, a gloss-enhancing apparatus (also may be referred to as a photo-finishing apparatus) which further enhances gloss of a fused image by heating and cooling the fused image again may be further used. To achieve high-speed printing and low-energy fusing, a belt that has a small heat capacity can be used in the fusing process and the gloss-enhancing process. In order to stably form a high-gloss image for a long period of time, a high gloss on a surface of a belt for fusing a toner image or enhancing gloss of a toner image (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a "belt") may be maintained over a long period of time by increasing the gloss and abrasion resistance of the surface of the belt.

Belt comprising coating layer comprising inorganic-organic nanocomposite materials, and fusing apparatus and gloss-enhancing apparatus comprising the same

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.