An infectious waste disposal system comprising an outer container assembly comprising a housing unit which comprises a front side wall, a rear side wall and a means for mounting the outer container assembly on a wall or any other such surface, an outer aperture disposed about the top of the housing unit, an access door disposed about the base of the housing unit and a means for locking the access door to the housing unit; and a removable inner container assembly disposed within the outer container assembly, the inner container assembly comprising a receptacle housing, an inner aperture with an inner elongated neck portion and an aperture closure means, the inner aperture being capable of providing access to the interior of the receptacle housing and the aperture closure means having a shape such that it can be removed from the inner container assembly, inverted and inserted into the inner elongated neck portion via the inner aperture such that infectious waste contained within the receptacle housing cannot escape through the inner aperture.

Disposable surgical tools, hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and other sharp implements require proper means for storing after use without risk of exposing medical personnel and patients to injury, infection or disease by improper handling, until proper disposal can be made. This is particularly true today with the rising concern of the spread of AIDS and Hepatitis B.
Although the AIDS disease is transmitted via the contacting of bodily fluids, Hepatitis B, it has been recently discovered, can be transmitted by covert percutaneous, i.e., by merely contacting the contaminated needle or implement. Recent studies have confirmed that Hepatitis B can also be transmitted by casual contact with dried blood such as that disposed on a sanitary napkin.
A few specially designed containers have been proposed for handling used needles and other sharps. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,366 (Bruno), which issued on Sep. 26, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,073 (Bruno), which issued on May 2, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,950 (Shillington), which issued on Nov. 27, 1990, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,472 (Bruno), which issued on Feb. 2, 1988. These containers are typically made out of metal, plastic or cardboard.
Other medical waste disposal containers are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,251 (Noack), 5,076,429 (Patrick et al.), 5,046,614 (Torres et al.), 5,046,613 (Baudry et al.), 5,024,327 (Shillington), 4,955,477 (Bruno), 4,922,597 (Ikeda et al.), 4,903,832 (Stewart), 4,867,309 (Germain), 4,863,052 (Lambert), 4,848,570 (Gosciniak), 4,842,138 (Sandel et al.), 4,804,090 (Schuh et al.), 4,715,498 (Hanifl), 4,662,516 (Baker, Sr. et al.), 4,520,926 (Nelson), 4,494,652 (Nelson et al.), 4,454,944 (Shillington et al.), 4,453,648 (Harris et al.), and 4,520,926 (Nelson).
Although such specially designed devices provide adequate results under certain circumstances, they do suffer certain disadvantages. For example, conventional metal containers are extremely costly in terms of manufacturing cost, i.e., metal containers require welding, die cutting of parts, assembly and painting. The painting also causes various environmental concerns such as disposal of the solvents and air pollution. Cardboard containers are not waterproof and therefore cannot be transported interstate due to U.S. Department of Transportation regulations on shipment of hazardous or infectious waste. Conventional plastic containers are multi-piece devices which require costly assembly and multiple plastic molds for their manufacture. Some conventional plastic containers are designed in such a way that they cause the sharps to stand on end creating a hazardous environment for subsequent health care providers and disposal personnel.
Sanitary napkins are currently disposed of together with ordinary lavatory trash. However, this will probably not be permissible within the next few years, since researchers have recently discovered that Hepatitis B can be transmitted via casual contact with dried blood. Sanitary napkins will have to be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner and probably will be subjected to similar disposal regulations currently covering other infectious or hazardous wastes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel disposal container assembly which overcomes the many disadvantages of the conventional devices. In particular, the present invention provides a single blow molded plastic disposable infectious waste container wherein the lid of the container is molded together with the container in a single mold. Thereafter, the lid is cut off from the container assembly so that it can be inverted and inserted into the elongated neck portion via the aperture to seal the medical waste within the container assembly. This single blow molded piece is extremely economical for the following reasons: (1) it is much less expensive to manufacture than conventional plastic or metal containers since it only necessitates the use of a single mold; and (2) it does not require any assembly after molding.
The present invention also provides many additional advantages which shall become apparent as described below.

Disposable infectious waste container assembly


An ignition coil includes a coil body, a plug connection portion protruding from the coil body, and a connector for electrically connecting the ignition coil to an outside. In the coil body, a primary coil is arranged on an inner peripheral side of a secondary coil, and a center core is arranged on an inner peripheral side of the primary coil. The secondary coil includes a secondary electric wire having thereon an insulating film, wound around an outer periphery of a resinous secondary spool. Furthermore, the connector is formed integrally with an end of the secondary spool in an axial direction.

In an ignition coil used for an internal combustion engine, a primary coil is wound on a resinous primary spool and a secondary coil is wound on a resinous secondary spool. The primary and secondary coils are accommodated in a resinous coil case to form the ignition coil. The primary coil can be formed in a cylindrical shape using a self-fusing copper wire without the primary spool.
For example, JP-A-8-55742 discloses a coil case of an ignition coil for an internal combustion engine. The coil case is constructed by integrally forming a container for accommodating therein a transformer for generating a high voltage, a cylindrical primary bobbin for holding a primary winding of the transformer, and a connector for connection of an electric signal with an external device for controlling the high voltage. The primary winding using the self-fusing wire is mounted on the primary bobbin.
However, in the conventional ignition coil as disclosed in JP-A-8-55742, a secondary spool (secondary bobbin) and the connector for connecting the ignition coil to an external electronic control unit (ECU) or the like are separately molded and assembled. This arrangement is not sufficient to decrease the number of components of the ignition coil. When the secondary spool is assembled to the connector, measures are required in order to stably connect a low-voltage side winding end of the secondary coil wound on the secondary spool to a terminal (or a fitting member) for connection with a conducting pin of the connector.


Source-implemented constraint-based routing with source routing enables traffic engineering to be performed and reservations to be made within a domain without requiring constraint information and reservation information to be disseminated to all nodes in the domain. In one embodiment, a focal node maintains a table containing metrics of links and connection reservations through the domain. When a connection is to be added, the focal node determines a path, given the constraints reflected in the table, and allocates resources on the links forming the path. The table is updated, and the path is used to generate headers for traffic associated with the connection. Traffic from the nodes toward the focal point follow the reverse path. If a node or link fails, connections carried through the failure are identified, reservations on links associated with the connections are released, and new reservations are made taking into account the new network topology.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication networks and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for source implemented constraint based routing with source routed protocol data units.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data communication networks may include various computers, servers, nodes, routers, switches, bridges, hubs, proxies, and other network devices coupled to and configured to pass data to one another. These devices will be referred to herein as "network elements." Data is communicated through the data communication network by passing protocol data units, such as Internet Protocol packets, Ethernet Frames, data cells, segments, or other logical associations of bits/bytes of data, between the network elements by utilizing one or more communication links between the devices. A particular protocol data unit may be handled by multiple network elements and cross multiple communication links as it travels between its source and its destination over the network.
There exists a class of networks in which traffic patterns are very focused. In particular, the traffic in these networks generally flows either from a well known focal point out to all the other nodes, or the reverse, from all those nodes back to the focal point. In these networks rarely, if ever, does traffic flow in any other pattern. One example of a network that generally exhibits these characteristics is a wireless ad-hoc network containing a network of wireless routers spanning a neighborhood and providing wireless access to individual users in the neighborhood, although the invention is not limited to an implementation in this particular type of network.
FIG. 1 illustrates a network in which a focal point F acts as an interface between a group of network elements interconnected in a mesh network configuration. The network elements may be wireless access devices or other types of network elements. Within the mesh, the network elements are typically homogenous devices having approximately equal capacity. For example, the network elements may be wireless routers configured to transmit wireless signals using a particular protocol. Since the protocol defines the transmission bandwidth available over a given link between adjacent nodes, the network elements in this instance are practically limited to the protocol definition regardless of their physical capabilities.
Because of the focal-point in the network, traffic will congest on links adjacent the focal point if a shortest path routing protocol is used, such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) or Routing Information Protocol (RIP). This is especially true when traffic patterns are not well balanced.
To overcome this problem, it is necessary to apply constraint based routing to allow full use of the network while minimizing congestion. Several protocols have been developed to do constraint based routing. For example, OSPF-Traffic Engineering (OSPF-TE) and MultiProtocol Label Switching-Traffic Engineering (MPLS-TE) both have been developed to determine constraint-based paths through the network and enable reservations to be made on the network. Specifically, with OSPF-TE and MPLS signaling, each node on the network maintains a table of links and constraints on the links. Thus, when a new connection is to be added to the network, the connection is signaled on the network and a new path is determined for the connection. Once the new path is determined, the path is signaled with PATH/RESV messages according to the MPLS protocol. Finally, OSPF-TE re-floods the new available bandwidth on the traversed links after admission control completes at each of the intermediate nodes on the path.
Unfortunately, any time a reservation is made or altered in OSPF-TE or one of the other traffic engineering protocols, a link state advertisement (LSA) must be broadcast on the network to enable other nodes on the network to update their topology map with the new reservation information. Flooding of LSAs is acceptable on a network having a small number of nodes and links, however it can become onerous where the network becomes quite large. Additionally, where the links are of limited bandwidth, such as in the wireless area, using a portion or potentially a relatively large portion of that bandwidth to communicate LSAs between the nodes is an undesirable proposition.

Source-implemented constraint based routing with source routed protocol data units


Vaginal pharmaceutical compositions administrable through the topical route, particularly in the form of vaginal foams and creams containing a therapeutically effective amount of rifaximin (Common International Denomination) are useful in the treatment of vaginal infections, particularly bacterial vaginosis.

The present invention relates to rifaximin (Common International Denomination) which is the compound 4-desoxy-4'-methyl-pyrido [1'2':1.2] imidazo [5.4-c] rifamycin SV, which is described in Italian Patent 1,154,655 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,785. The substance has been described to be endowed with an antibacterial activity similar to the activity of rifampin [Venturini A. P. and Marchi E., Chemiotherapia, 5 (4), 257-256, (1986)]. However, its mechanism of action differs from rifampin in that it is not absorbed through the systemic route after oral administration [Venturini A. P., Chemotherapy, 29, 1-3, (1983) and Cellai L. et al., Chemiotherapia, 3, (6), 373-377, (1984)] due to the zwitterionic nature of the compound, which cannot be absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract [Marchi E. et al., J. Med. Chem., 28, 960-963, (1985)].
Due to this particular pharamcokinetic behavior, rifaximin has no toxicity at a dose of 2000 mg/kg/os, when administered orally in rats, and therefore, on the basis of the microbiological pharmacodynamic and toxicological data, this substance has been used as a drug for the therapy of bacterial gastroenteritis, neurological symptoms and clinical symptoms of hepatic encefalopathy and for the pre- and post-surgical treatment of the gastrointestinal tract [Alvisi V. et al., J. Int. Med. Res., 15, 49-56, (1987), Testa R. et al., Drugs Exptl. Clin. Res., 11, 387-392, (1985), Gruttadauria G. et al., Eur. Rev. Med. Pharm. Sci., 9, 100-105, (1987)].
The present invention relates to a novel therapeutic use of rifaximin in the treatment of vaginal infections, in particular bacterial vaginosis, because this antibiotic has now been shown to exhibit excellent activity in vitro (MIC) with respect to microorganisms such as Bacteroides bivius-disiens, Gardnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus spp., Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Lactobacillus spp. and Haemophilus ducreyi, in addition, Chlamydia trachomatis, another organism, infecting the vaginal tract, has shown susceptibility to rifaximin.
The main cause of vaginal symptoms in women is due to bacterial vaginosis, which is characterized by an increase in the vaginal secretion of a white grayish color and which has a bad odor. This vaginal fluid shows the presence of bacterial flora which comprises mainly anaerobic bacteria such as Gardnerella vaginalis and the species Bacteroides, Mobiluncus and Lactobacillus, other aerobic bacteria such as Haemophilus ducreyi and Neisseria gonorrhoeae may also cause vaginal symptoms. Further the chemical composition shows an alteration in the presence of organic acids with increase of succinates and decrease of lactates in addition to the presence of some amines which have bad odor such as putrescine, cadaverine and trimethylamine.
Bacterial vaginosis generally shows scanty or no inflammation of the vaginal epithelium and resembles more of an alteration of the bacterial vaginal ecosystem than a real and proper infection of tissues or epithelium. This pathology is currently being treated mainly with metronidazole, clindamycin or ampicillin administered orally, but this method of use by the systemic route is frequently accompanied by serious side effects. In fact, metronidazole exhibits serious side effects particularly on the blood and on the central nervous system so much that in certain types of patients it has been necessary to discontinue the treatment and authorities in the medical field have recommended that women who use metronidazole should not breast feed (Martindale--The Extra Pharmacopoeia--29th Edition--1989--page 667).
Clindamycin also exhibits serious side effects, particularly on the gastrointestinal tract with serious forms of diarrhea and pseudo-membranous colitis that can even lead to the death of the patient (Martindale--The Extra Pharmacopoeia--29th Edition--1989--pages 198-199).
Rifaximin is not absorbed by the oral route [Venturini A. P., Chemotherapy, 29, 1-3, (1983)] nor by topical application [Venturini A. P. et al., Drugs Exptl. Clin. Res., 13, 4, 233-6, (1987)]. Compared with drugs currently used, rifaximin unquestionably exhibits a very substantial advantage, since there are no side effects.

Pharmaceutical compositions containing rifaximin for treatment of vaginal infections


Embodiments presented herein provide apparatus and methods for imaging-assisted determination of pressure gradient of blood flow across a valve orifice in a cardiovascular circuit without the use of velocity data measured at the valve orifice. An embodiment of the methods comprise creating an image of a valve orifice, creating a planimeter slice from the image of the valve orifice including a trace of the perimeter of the valve orifice, determining the valve orifice area by determining the area contained within the trace, determining the instantaneous flow rate through the valve orifice based on bulk flow data away from the valve, and determining the instantaneous pressure gradient across the valve orifice from the valve orifice area and the instantaneous flow rate.

The aortic valve regulates the flow of blood between the left ventricle and the aorta. Typically the aortic valve comprises three leaflets. The leaflets open during systole to define a valve orifice to allow blood to pass from the left ventricle to the aorta. The valve orifice is the opening defined by the leaflets at the narrowest portion of an open aortic valve during systole. The leaflets close during diastole to prevent blood flow from the aorta back to the left ventricle. Aortic stenosis generally refers to an aortic valve wherein one or more leaflets become thickened and/or deformed due to calcification or other disease modality. The diseased leaflets may not open fully causing a restriction of blood flow and a higher pressure gradient across the smaller-than-normal valve orifice. The higher the pressure gradient across the valve orifice generally corresponds to a higher degree of aortic stenosis and therefore an indicator of a greater level of disease.
Table 1 shows how the typical mean pressure gradient varies with the severity of aortic stenosis.
TABLE 1Severity of Aortic StenosisDegree ofMean pressureValve orificeaortic stenosisgradient (mmHg)area (cm2)Mild<25>1.5Moderate25-401.0-1.5Severe>40<1.0Critical>70<0.6From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aortic_valve_stenosis
Quantifying the degree of aortic stenosis is critical to proper medical treatment of the patient. Mild aortic stenosis may be left untreated but monitored subject to the significance of any clinical symptoms. Moderate aortic stenosis may be treated with cholesterol lowering medications or other Pharmaceuticals. Severe to critical aortic stenosis may be surgically treated using methods such as catheter-based interventions and valve replacement but with the associated risks of surgical treatment.
The principle imaging modality for quantifying aortic stenosis is transthoracic echocardiography. The technique is noninvasive by using ultrasound to make images of the heart and to measure the velocity of blood flow at the valve orifice using Doppler data. The modified Bernoulli equation is commonly used to calculate the pressure gradient across a stenotic valve orifice where velocity at the valve orifice is known. The simplified general mathematical relationship is:Pressure Gradient (mm Hg)=4*Velocity2  (EQ. 1)
Similarly, the transvalvular peak pressure gradient (PPG) at the valve orifice is estimated by measuring the peak velocity (Vp) of blood as it passes through the narrowest part of the valve orifice. The mathematical relationship is:PPG (mm Hg)=4*Vp2  (EQ. 2)
In healthy individuals, Vp is typically about 1 m/s. In patients with mild aortic stenosis Vp is 2-3 m/sec. Peak velocities of 3-4 m/s are often found in patients with moderate aortic stenosis. Patients with severe aortic stenosis generally have peak velocities greater than 4 m/s.
Physicians sometimes also use the mean pressure gradient to determine the severity of aortic stenosis. The mean pressure gradient can be estimated by summing the instantaneous pressures during systole and dividing by the systolic ejection time. The instantaneous pressures are calculated from the instantaneous blood velocities at the valve orifice and the modified Bernoulli equation. Alternatively, the mean pressure gradient can be estimated by the following formula:
                              mean                                                              Δ                                                                          P                                      (              mmHg              )                                      =                  2.4          ×                                    v                                            (                                  m                  s                                )                                      max            2                                              (                  EQ          .                                                    3                )
Table 1 also lists a third parameter that physicians use to assess the severity of aortic stenosis, namely the aortic valve area (AVA), also referred herein as valve orifice area. Valve orifice area is defined as the area of the valve orifice on a planar slice through the narrowest portion of an open aortic valve during systole.
In echocardiography it is theoretically possible to measure the AVA directly by using planimetry on the valve orifice during systole when the aortic valve is open to the maximum extent. However, in most patients with aortic stenosis, the aortic valve is heavily calcified. Calcification blocks the ultrasound beam and prevents imaging so that it is usually impossible to accurately planimeter the valve orifice.
In practice, the determination of orifice area by echocardiography is usually calculated using the continuity equation. The basic premise of the continuity equation is that the volumetric flow rate, also referred herein as "flow rate", proximal to the area of aortic stenosis, such as in the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), must equal the volumetric flow rate at the valve orifice, assuming that blood is essentially an incompressible fluid. Commonly, the AVA is calculated using the following equation:AVA=(AreaLVOT)*(VTILVOT/VTIAV)  (EQ. 4)
In equation 4, the area of the LVOT is often expressed in cm2. The area of the LVOT is determined by measuring the LVOT diameter (DLVOT) and assuming that it is a circle (AreaLVOT=3.14*DLVOT2/4). The VTI (velocity time integral) is the integral of the velocity-time curve obtained from the ultrasound-derived Doppler signal of the volumetric flow rate of the blood in the respective locations.
The normal aortic valve area and the significance of aortic valve stenosis depend in part on the size of the patient. Some investigators will divide the aortic valve area by the body surface area of the patient to determine the aortic valve area index (AVAI). Body surface area is calculated from a formula that uses the height and weight of the person as inputs. A scale of degree of severity based on the aortic valve area index (AVAI) has been used by some in the art.
The use of transthoracic echocardiography for quantifying aortic stenosis in accordance with the three methods discussed above introduces errors and assumptions that may not provide accurate determination of the pressure gradient across a stenotic aortic valve. These errors and assumptions include, but are not limited to, inaccurate average or peak velocity measurements at the valve orifice and inaccurate body surface assumptions.
MRI may be used in an analogous manner to echocardiography. Namely, velocities of blood may be imaged by MRI and used to calculate a peak pressure gradient using the modified Bernoulli equation, and velocities may be used to calculate the aortic valve area using the continuity equation. However, MRI has different strengths and weaknesses than echocardiography. While MRI can measure velocities with phase-contrast techniques, performing this method often adds to the total cardiac MRI examination time. In addition, there are a number of sources of errors to the velocity measurement. Sources of error include turbulent flow, partial volume averaging, flow not perpendicular to the imaging slice, and baseline offset errors due to eddy currents.
For MRI to make the same measurements in an analogous manner to echocardiography, the user typically will acquire a series of contiguous parallel imaging planes starting at the left ventricular outflow tract and extending through the aortic valve leaflets. The slices are oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of blood flow, A phase-contrast imaging sequence is used to capture velocity data throughout the cardiac cycle. After the images are acquired, the user will typically select the phase of the cardiac cycle where blood flow is maximal. Using a region of interest, the user will determine the blood velocity within the left ventricular outflow tract (VpLvor). The user will then determine the peak velocity (VpAv) of blood flow at the valve orifice. According to the simplified Bernoulli equation, the peak pressure gradient will be 4*Vp2. According to the continuity equation, the aortic valve area will be AreaLvoi*(VpLvoiNpAv).
Similar to transthoracic echocardiography, the use of MRI to provide velocity data for quantifying aortic stenosis in accordance with the method discussed above introduces errors and assumptions that may not provide accurate determination of the pressure gradient across a stenotic aortic valve.
For patients in whom echocardiography is unable to unambiguously determine the severity of the aortic stenosis, and for those patients where the clinical symptoms do not correlate with the echocardiographic findings, cardiac catheterization is often used to determine the severity of the aortic stenosis. In this procedure a catheter is introduced into a peripheral artery and advanced retrograde through the aorta until the tip traverses the aortic valve. With this procedure, a physician can directly measure the pressure gradient across the valve orifice. Using a catheter based thermodilution technique, cardiac output can also be estimated. The aortic valve area may be estimated using the Gorlin equation:
                              Aortic                                                              Valve                                                              Area                                                                          (                          cm              2                        )                          =                              Cardiac                                                                                Output                                            (                                  ml                  min                                )                                                          Heart                                                                                Rate                                            (                                  beats                  min                                )                                      ×            Systolic                                                                          Ejection                                                                                Period                                            (                s                )                                      ×                                                                                44.3            ×                                          mean                                                                                Gradient                                                                                (                  mmHg                  )                                                                                (                  EQ          .                                                    5                )                            or the even simpler Haaki equation:
                              Valve                                                              Area                                                                          (                          cm              2                        )                          =                              Cardiac                                                                          Output                                                                                (                              liter                min                            )                                                          mean                                                                                Gradient                                                                                (                mmHg                )                                                                        (                  EQ          .                                                    6                )
Although it is considered the "gold standard" test, catheterization is an invasive procedure and carries potentially serious risks to the patient such as infection, aortic dissection (a tear within the wall of the aorta), and stroke. Cardiac catheterization introduces its own errors and assumptions that may not provide accurate determination of the pressure gradient across a stenotic aortic valve.
An inaccurate pressure gradient determination may directly impact the treatment plan for the patient. If the pressure gradient is under predicted, a lower degree of severity of disease will be predicted, resulting in, such as, but not limited to, a delay in or less aggressive treatment intervention possibility leading to continued or worsening patient morbidity. If the pressure gradient is over predicted, a higher degree of severity of disease will be predicted, resulting in, such as, but not limited to, an over aggressive treatment with its underlying increase of risks to the patient and increased costs that may not be necessary.
It would therefore be desirable to provide non-invasive apparatus and methods for more accurately determining the pressure gradient across a cardiovascular orifice, such as, but not limited to, a stenotic aortic valve.

Noninvasive methods for determining the pressure gradient across a heart valve without using velocity data at the valve orifice


A My Page management server is a server that provides a personal world wide web (WWW) page named My Page for a user who has been registered as a member. The My Page management server includes a product registration unit that acquires information of a product which the user purchased, a link generation unit that generates, on the My Page, a link indicator which is linked to a product questionnaire about the product which the user purchased, based on the acquired information of the product, and a product questionnaire management unit that presents the linked product questionnaire to the user upon receiving a request for the product questionnaire from the user.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a product information management device that collects and manages information of products sold to users.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with diversified product needs, development of a product reflecting customers' needs has been desired. A postcard for user registration including some questionnaire items has been enclosed in a package of a product for sale. The user fills in his personal data such as his address and name, answers the questionnaire items such as his purchase motive and his request for the product, and sends the postcard back to the company. Thus, the company which sells the product can obtain a certain amount of information about the product from the user.
However, as a general rule, since the user registers soon after he purchased the product, the contents of the questionnaire that the user can answer at the time of the user registration are limited, of course. For the product developer side, the product purchase motive or the user's request for the product before its use is important information. However, the user's impressions and requests obtained after the product has been used for a while, such as the availability, usability or problems of the product, are much more important information.
On the other hand, for the user, it is bothersome to fill in the answers to the questionnaire on a limited space of the postcard in addition to his personal data such as his address, name, age, sex and telephone number. Also, if the questionnaire includes some items which can be filled in only after the product has been used for a while, the user has to keep the postcard for the user registration until he comes to feel that he has made full use of the product. As a result, although the user is willing to answer the questionnaire, he may have lost the postcard or thrown it away together with the package while he is using the product. Accordingly, he cannot answer the questionnaire in many cases.
Under the circumstances, a lot of companies accept the user registration online as needed on their world-wide web (WWW) sites on the Internet, so that the user does not need to keep the postcard for the user registration but can register just by filling in the answers one after another on the user registration screen which is linked to the WWW page of the company and displayed. However, even in this case, if the questionnaire is included in this user registration screen, the user has to answer the questionnaire as well as input his personal data such as his name, address, age, sex and telephone number accurately. It takes much attention and time for the user registration. Even if the questionnaire is separated from the user registration, a lot of questionnaire e-mails may be sent to the user's e-mail address. However, neither case is convenient to the user, nor user-friendly, and this is a problem.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to an apparatus for modifying and feeding a liquid nutritional feeding composition. The apparatus comprises a chamber (3) for receiving a beneficial agent for modifying a liquid nutritional feeding composition, the chamber has an inlet (7) connectable to a container (5) that contains the nutritional feeding composition and an outlet (13) connectable to a feeding means (8,9). A pumping means is associated with the chamber (3) for pumping the nutritional feeding composition from the container into the chamber and back into the container to mix the beneficial agent with the nutritional feeding composition before the outlet (13) of the chamber is connected to the feeding means (8,9). The chamber (3) may comprise at least one flexible wall capable of being squeezed and released for pumping the nutritional feeding composition. The invention also relates to a method for modifying and feeding a liquid nutritional feeding composition.

It is known to enterally or intravenously feed liquid nutrition to patients who are not able to eat by themselves. Such liquid meals are normally provided in hangable containers such as bottles or plastic bags and are fed from the containers through a tube to the patient. A number of different liquid nutritional feeds are available for varying the nutritional intake of the patient. Nevertheless, there is a need to tailor the liquid meals to the patient's individual needs. This is known to be done by adding beneficial agents such as for example nutrients, probiotics and medicaments to the liquid nutritional feed. The adding of such beneficial agents should, for some applications, preferably take place just before the feeding starts as a premature mixing of the liquid nutritional feed and the beneficial agent may considerably decrease the quality and shelf-life of the liquid nutritional feed.
The liquid meals provided in hangable containers such as bottles or plastic bags are generally aseptically processed or terminally retorted before use. This increases the shelf life of the liquid meal. For providing an aseptic feed to the patient, the container is connected directly via a feeding tube or line to the patient. Any opening of the system for adding a beneficial agent increases the risk for bacterial growth or contamination.
A closed-line system for the modifying and feeding of patients is therefore desirable.
The prior art discloses closed-line systems wherein a liquid nutritional feeding composition is passed through a chamber comprising a beneficial agent before entering the patient feeding line. The beneficial agent is mixed or dissolved in the liquid nutritional feeding composition when it passes through the chamber.
In order to homogenise the feed to the patient in this type of feeding system and thus prevent an over concentration of the beneficial agent, it is necessary to control the release of the beneficial agent. Consequently, a beneficial agent in controlled release form is used, i.e. an agent the solubility of which is delayed or retarded. For example, supplying of the liquid nutritional feed relates the beneficial agent over a period of 2 to 24 hours. Furthermore, although the controlled release form allows the beneficial agent to be released over a period, in-homogeneity may be experienced in the start-up phase due to the protective coating on the beneficial agents.

Modifying and supplying liquid nutritional feeding


A bitline selection apparatus for a semiconductor memory device includes a first local bitline pair and a second local bitline pair selectively coupled to a global bitline pair, each of the first and second local bitline pairs including a true bitline and a complementary bitline. Each of the true bitlines is selectively coupled to a common true node through an n-type pass device and a p-type pass device in parallel therewith, and each of the complementary bitlines is selectively coupled to a common complementary node through an n-type pass device and a p-type pass device in parallel therewith.

The present invention relates generally to integrated circuit devices, and, more particularly, to a high-density bitline selection apparatus for semiconductor memory devices.
Static Random Access Memories (SRAMs) are memory elements that store data in the form of complementary low voltage and high voltage at opposite sides of the memory cell. An SRAM retains the memory value therein so long as power is applied to the circuit, unlike dynamic random access memory (DRAM) that must be periodically refreshed in order for the data to be maintained therein. Conventionally, if the "true" node of an SRAM is read as a high voltage, then the value of the SRAM cell is logical one. Conversely, if the true node is read as a low voltage, the value of the SRAM cell is logical zero.
Due to the high degree of miniaturization possible today in semiconductor technology, the size and complexity of designs that may be implemented in hardware has increased dramatically. This has made it technologically feasible and economically viable to develop high-speed, application specific architectures featuring a performance increase over previous architectures. Process scaling has been used in the miniaturization process to reduce the area needed for both logic functions and memory (such as SRAM) in an effort to lower the product costs. Process scaling continues to improve performance, but can also come at the expense of power.
Precharged Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) domino logic techniques may be applied to functional blocks to reduce power. Accordingly, domino logic forms an attractive design style for high performance designs since its low switching threshold and reduced transistor count leads to fast and area efficient circuit implementations. Thus, domino CMOS has become a prevailing logic family for many high performance CMOS applications (including SRAM devices) and is used in many state-of-the-art processors due to its high-speed capabilities. Notwithstanding such architectures, however, it is still desirable to be able to implement a memory select circuit, such as a local bitline select circuit, in a manner that utilizes fewer devices resulting in less area. This is particularly desirable for large SRAM devices, in which a local bitline select circuit is a significant pitch concern.

High density bitline selection apparatus for semiconductor memory devices

International Business Machines Corporation


A computing architecture that facilitates autonomously controlling operations of a microgrid is described herein. A microgrid network includes numerous computing devices that execute intelligent agents, each of which is assigned to a particular entity (load, source, storage device, or switch) in the microgrid. The intelligent agents can execute in accordance with predefined protocols to collectively perform computations that facilitate uninterrupted control of the microgrid.

Relatively recently, there has been a push to rethink how electric power is provided to consumers of such power. Conventionally, relatively large power plants burn fossil fuels to provide electric power to consumers. Typically, these power plants are controlled by private entities that bill consumers as a function of an amount of power utilized by the consumers over some time period. Of growing concern with respect to these types of power systems is the pollution that is generated by such systems, as well as the centralized nature of such systems. For example, if a natural disaster or other unexpected event occurred that caused a power system to be destroyed or temporarily go off-line, undesirable consequences may occur. For instance, millions of people may go months, or even years, without electric power if one of such conventional power systems is disabled.
In an attempt to reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants caused by these conventional power systems, distributed power systems that employ renewable energy to generate electric power have been manufactured and deployed. These types of power systems include, but are not limited to, wind turbine farms, hydro-turbines, solar panel fields, geothermal power systems, and the like. While these types of systems offer a promising alternative to the conventional power grid, there are numerous deficiencies corresponding to such systems. First, these types of systems generally output variable amounts of power over time, dependent upon time of day, weather conditions, etc., rendering it difficult to meet changing demands of consumers. Additionally, these types of systems tend to be less efficient than the conventional power systems that burn fossil fuels, and the cost of building such systems tends to be relatively high. Further, such systems remained centralized, in that if a natural disaster or other unexpected event causes one of such systems to be disabled, numerous consumers that are provided with power generated by such systems would be negatively impacted.
To overcome at least some of the deficiencies set forth above, microgrids have been theorized, wherein a microgrid comprises a plurality of independently owned electric power sources that are configured to provide electric power to consumers in an area that is local to the sources of the electric power. In an example, a neighborhood may comprise a plurality of houses, at least some of which have solar panels attached to their respective rooftops, and one or more of which has a micro-wind turbine attached thereto. Yet another home in the neighborhood may have a micro-gas turbine generator that can burn natural gas to generate electric power. Each of these power sources can be independently owned and operated by homeowners in the neighborhood. In the ideal case, these power sources can supply all of the power required by the electric power consumers in the neighborhood. Due to the fact that the power sources generate variable amounts of power over time, and that loads (homeowners in the neighborhood) consume variable amounts of power over time, complexities exist that heretofore have prevented microgids from becoming deployed on a wide scale.

Computing architecture for autonomous microgrids


The control knob engages, on its interior, a translucent polycarbonate jewel body collar assembly of a first color, such as white, which, in turn, provides a housing for a translucent polycarbonate jewel LED holder assembly. The LED emits light, possibly modified by the jewel LED holder assembly, of a second color, such as blue or blue-green. This second color can be varied in intensity and hue by varying the polarity and resistance of the LED. The jewel body collar assembly includes a collar to engage the interior cylindrical support section of the control knob and a housing assembly to engage the jewel LED holder assembly. The jewel body collar assembly further includes a ridge which protrudes through a slot in the sidewall and front face of the control knob thereby forming an indicator for the control knob. In ambient illumination, such as during the day, the indicator appears to be the color of the jewel body collar assembly, such as white. However, when the LED is electrically illuminated, such as during the night, the illumination passes through the jewel LED holder assembly, and the resulting color, such as blue or blue-green, is projected through the ridge of the jewel body collar assembly and the indicator appears to be blue or blue-green. An alternative embodiment mounts the LED on a mount assembly which is fastened to the control shaft and which extends into the interior of the control knob.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a control knob, particularly for automotive applications, with an indicator portion which remains a first color, such as white, during the day, but which appears illuminated at night to a second color, such as blue, the second color being variable as to both hue and intensity. An LED (light emitting diode) is included within the control knob, secured either to the control knob or the control shaft, to provide illumination to the indicator portion during the night.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, control knobs, particularly control knobs in automotive applications, have had position indicators for indicating the rotational position of the knob. While paints and inks have frequently been used to provide such an indicator, this solution has not been resistant to abrasion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,653 entitled "Composite Knob with an Insertable Position Indicator" issued on Sep. 19, 1995 to Howie, Jr. discloses a composite knob with an insertable position indicator which would be more resistant to abrasion than simple paints or inks. The position indicator has a color contrasting to that of the knob. However, this indicator does not provide a first color, such as white, during the daytime, and a second distinct color, such as blue, during the nighttime.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,269 entitled "Control Knob" issued on Sep. 24, 1991 to Engstrom et al. discloses a control knob, apparently for a portable telephone or "walky-talky" type device, with an outer portion of reduced hardness molded over an inner portion with a blade portion extending through the outer portion to provide an indicator. This does not appear to provide for different colors of the indicator during daytime and nighttime.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,561 entitled "True Color Day-Night Graphics and Method of Assembly issued on May 21, 1996 to Rosa discloses a display panel with a light-emitting electroluminescent portion, but does not relate to control knobs, particularly for automotive applications.
Additionally, in the prior art, it has been a concern for the control knob indicator portion to be adequately illuminated during the nighttime. This has been of a particular concern for incandescent illumination, which generates considerable heat.
Similarly, in the prior art, the control knob indicator portions have not included entirely satisfactory methods for controlling both the brightness and color of the indicator portion of a control knob.
Additionally, in the prior art, it has been a substantial concern that the knobs not wobble in use, as this may be disconcerting to the user.
Other references of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,758 issued on Nov. 28, 1995 to Howie, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,267 issued on Nov. 9, 1993 to Jurewicz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,612 issued on Apr. 19, 1994 to Odom et al. ; U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,911 issued on Jul. 10, 1956 to Haslett; and U.S. Pat. No. 273,685 issued on Mar. 6, 1883 to Huntley.
Additionally, the following applications were filed on behalf of the present assignee and the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference--U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/746,989 entitled "Control Knob" was filed on Nov. 19, 1996, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/812,576 entitled "Illuminated Knob Assembly" was filed on Mar. 7, 1997, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/048,770 entitled "Illuminated Knob Assembly" was filed on Mar. 26, 1998.


Apparatus for filtering swimming pool water that includes a housing having a front wall that forms an integral part of the pool's side wall. The housing has a front compartment that is filled with pool water and a water filter and rear compartment containing a pump. The compartments are separated by a water-tight partition. The pump is arranged to draw inlet water through the filter and discharge it back into the pool.

The invention relates, in particular, to the filtering of water in swimming pools.
Generally speaking, filtration is obtained by means of one or more filters, which may have various structures, with the filters being fitted in combination with a water suction and delivery system. Various solutions can be used to fulfil this function.
For example, all the pumping and filtration equipment can be situated in a plant room located outside the pool. Such facilities can also be integrated in a compact unit and fitted in combination with the panels of the swimming pool.
Finally, as disclosed by Patent FR 2682981 of which the present Applicant is the holder, the means of pumping and filtration can be integrated in a panel that can be fitted in combination with the other panels that make up the swimming pool. This filtration panel is obtained by injection moulding of plastics. The means of pumping and filtration are fitted in two juxtaposed compartments arranged side by side.


A piling machine includes a table with a plurality of step-shelves, a slider and a stopper. One of a plurality of iron strips is placed in a prescribed order on each of the step-shelves, caught by the slider one by one, and piled together as the slider proceeds. When the slider is stopped by the stopper, all the strips are piled up to form a strip assembly. The stopper has a curved front surface to neatly hold the strip assembly, thereby easily forming the strip assembly into a desired shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a magnetic core and, particularly, for manufacturing a mangnetic core for an ignition coil for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usually, a mangnetic core of an ignition coil is composed of a plurality of laminated iron strips. JPA 3-165505 discloses a reactor core having an air gap composed of a plurality of laminated iron sheet blocks which are combined to form a generally cylindrical mangnetic core. In order to manufacture such a reactor core, a variety of iron sheets having different width are stamped out and piled up one by one to form a cylindrical periphery by using many press dies with many assembling steps.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing a magnetic core


Disclosed are cosmetic toner formulations and methods for their use comprising botanical plant extracts and a cosmetic vehicle.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cosmetic compositions that can be used on dry skin, oily skin, normal skin, or combination skin. In particular embodiments, the compositions are cosmetic toners or fresheners.
B. Description of Related Art
There are thousands of skin formulations available to consumers. Further, there are a myriad of different skin types among the population. Such skin types range from normal skin, dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin (e.g., normal/dry, normal/oily, dry/oily). This leads to a confusing and exhaustive search for different products for different applications.
Cosmetic toners are known and used in the marketplace. For instance, several toners include high levels of acetone or alcohol (e.g., at least 20 to 70% w/w) such ethanol, acetone, or isopropanol. These alcoholic-based toners can be caustic or irritating to skin. Other toners also use high levels (e.g., at least 20 to 70% w/w) of glycol-based ingredients (e.g., glycol ethers), which can have an acrid smell.
While some water-based toners exist, the use of high amounts of water generally precludes the addition of other ingredients that can be beneficial to skin (e.g., moisturizers and skin actives). One solution to this issue is the use of high amounts of surfactants or emulsifiers, which unfortunately can irritate the skin. Further, by using high amounts of water, one is typically precluded from using a standard base that can be used for various skin-types.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A device for packaging and dispensing a sterile liquid product. The device comprises a reservoir on which a nozzle is mounted. The nozzle is provided with an inner conduit which has an upstream end communicating with the reservoir and a downstream end opening to the outside via an evacuation orifice. The inner conduit is at last partially obturated by an insert of selective porosity which allows both a metered flow of the product to the outside and a filtration of air sucked towards the inside, stopping biological polluting and/or contaminating agents.

Devices of this type already exist, such as the one forming the subject matter of Patent Application FR 96 00120.
These devices comprise in particular a reservoir of product on which is mounted a nozzle which is provided with an inner conduit communicating at its upstream end with the reservoir and opening at its downstream end to the outside via an evacuation orifice. The inner conduit is generally hermetically obturated, on the one hand, by a valve at the level of the evacuation orifice and, on the other hand, by means of an elastically deformable, inner sealing lip.
However, these obturation means, which are mobile or deformable, are complex, and both manufacture and assembly thereof on the device are delicate and expensive operations.
In addition, these devices do not guarantee drop-by-drop dispensing, which constitutes a major handicap for products whose posology may be strictly prescribed.
In addition, certain of these devices function without air intake, which brings about a deformation of the reservoir and requires a supple structure. Finally, others cannot ensure filtration of the gaseous flow sucked towards the reservoir during air intake consecutive to the delivery of a dose of product. This results in a considerable risk of contamination or pollution of the product.
It is an object of the present invention to solve these technical problems satisfactorily.

Device for packaging and dispensing sterile liquid products


There is here disclosed a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising providing a first film by a PVD process in a recess formed in at least one insulating film, the first film containing at least one metal element belonging to any one of the groups 4-A, 5-A, and 6-A, continuously providing a second film by at least one of CVD and ALD processes on the first film without opening to atmosphere, the second film containing at least one metal element belonging to any one of the groups 4-A, 5-A, and 6-A, continuously providing a third film by the PVD process on the second film without opening to the atmosphere, the third film containing at least one metal element belonging to any one of the groups 4-A, 5-A, and 6-A, continuously providing a first Cu film on the third film without opening to the atmosphere, and heating the Cu film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a Cu film, particularly to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a Cu film buried in an insulating film together with a barrier metal film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usually in a case where a wiring is provided inside the semiconductor device, a barrier metal film is provided around a wiring in order to prevent the wiring from being easily deteriorated. This technique is described, for example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-17920 or 2001-244265. A general method of forming a Cu wiring will be briefly described hereinafter.
First, a groove for the wiring is formed in an interlayer insulating film of a layer in which a Cu wire is provided. When the Cu wire is connected to conductive layers provided below, such as a wiring layer and a diffusion layer, a hole for a connection plug is made in such a manner as to communicate with the groove for the wiring. For example, the groove for the wiring and the hole for the connection plug are integrally formed through the interlayer insulating film, and the surface of the conductive layer is exposed. Next, the inner wall surfaces of the wiring groove and the connection plug hole, and the surface of the conductive layer are coated with a barrier metal film by a PVD process. Next, a seed Cu layer is provided on the barrier metal film to constitute an underlayer in providing a Cu film (Cu layer) which is a main portion of the Cu wire. Subsequently, a Cu film is grown on this seed Cu film by a Cu plating technique to fill in the wiring groove and the connection plug hole. Next, the barrier metal film and the Cu film on the interlayer insulating film are polished and removed by a CMP process, and a desired buried wire (damascene wire) is formed of Cu. To form an upper-layer wire further on the Cu wire, after providing the interlayer insulating film over the Cu wire, a desired upper-layer wire is formed on the interlayer insulating film by a method similar to the above-described method.
In general, the seed Cu film is formed at low temperature of 25° C. (room temperature) or less in order to prevent Cu from aggregating. Moreover, the Cu film on the seed Cu film is plated/grown at room temperature. Additionally, the Cu film (Cu wire, Cu plug) formed at low temperature in this manner has low reliability (resistance) with respect to defects such as stress migration and electro migration, because crystal grains are small. Therefore, to enhance the reliability of the Cu wire (Cu plug) with respect to the defects, usually an annealing treatment is performed at high temperature of 100° C. or more after a Cu plating treatment. Accordingly, crystal grain growth of the Cu film is promoted, and the reliability of the Cu wire is enhanced.
As described above, the annealing treatment after the Cu plating treatment is performed at high temperature of 100° C. or more. To provide the upper-layer wire on the Cu wire, the interlayer insulating film for the upper-layer wire is also formed generally at high temperature of 350° C. or more. When the Cu wire has low adhesion to the barrier metal film, and the Cu wire is brought under environment at high temperature, Cu atoms and vacancies in the Cu wire move along an interface between the barrier metal film and the seed Cu film. When a lower-layer wire connected to the Cu wire is a Cu wire, and the barrier metal film provided around a Cu via plug has low adhesion to the lower-layer Cu wire, similar phenomenon occurs in the interface between the barrier metal film and the lower-layer Cu wire. As a result, voids are formed in the Cu wire or the lower-layer Cu wire, and reliabilities, qualities, and electric characteristics of the respective Cu wires drop. Additionally, the reliability, quality, performance, yield and the like of the semiconductor device drop.
Moreover, since the seed Cu film is formed while cooling a substrate at low temperature which is not more than room temperature as described above, surface diffusion phenomenon cannot be utilized in forming the seed Cu film. Therefore, coverage inside the connection plug hole by the seed Cu film drops, or an overhang portion by the seed Cu film largely grows in an opening of the wiring groove. These are obstacles in plating/growing the Cu film to fill in the connection plug hole and the wiring groove after forming the seed Cu film. To inhibit the drop of the coverage or the growth of the overhang portion, a technique using a CVD or ALD film as the barrier metal film is tried. However, since the CVD or ALD film has low adhesion to the seed Cu film, the voids are easily generated in the Cu wire in a process (heating process) of forming the Cu wire. The CVD or ALD film is sensitive to type or state of the insulating film which is an underlayer. That is, it is difficult to directly and stably form the CVD or ALD film on the insulating film. Therefore, when the CVD or ALD film is used alone in the barrier metal film, there is a high possibility that the reliability or the quality of the Cu wire remarkably drops.
Furthermore, to inhibit the phenomenon in which the Cu atoms and vacancies in the Cu wire move along the interface between the barrier metal film and the seed Cu film, for example, a technique using Ti as a raw material of the barrier metal film is also known. However, if the Cu wire and the Ti barrier metal film are annealed at temperature of 450° C. or more, diffused amount of Ti in the Cu wire remarkably increases. Then, resistance of the Cu wire accordingly increases, and a problem that a resistance value is not up to standard occurs.

Manufacturing method of semiconductor device


A differential amplifier circuit including a differential input circuit which receives first and second input signals. The differential input circuit amplifies a potential difference between the input signals and outputs first and second voltage signals representing the potential difference. The first and second voltage signals are connected, respectively, to first and second output transistors. The first and second output transistors are serially connected to each other between a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage. A node between the first and second output transistors provides an output terminal. A control circuit receives the first and second voltage signals and controls the drain current of the first output transistor based on a difference between the first and second voltage signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a differential amplifier circuit for use in a semiconductor integrated circuit, and, more particularly, to a differential amplifier circuit used in a comparator circuit and an operational amplifier (hereafter abbreviated as "op amp") circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional op amp circuit 10 formed by MOS transistors shown. The op amp circuit 10 has first and second inputs Vin1, Vin2 and an output Vout. The output Vout is connected to the second input Vin2. In the op amp circuit 10, when an input signal Vin1 is at a higher level than an input signal Vin2 or an output signal Vout, the potential at a node N1 is reduced to decrease a drain current from a transistor Tr7, resulting in a decrease in the drain current from a transistor Tr10, which in turn increases the voltage level of the output signal Vout at an output terminal To.
On the other hand, when the input signal Vin1 is at a lower level than the input signal Vin2, the potential at the node N1 rises, which increases the drain current from the transistor Tr7, resulting in an increase in the drain current from the transistor Tr10, which reduces the voltage level of the output signal Vout at the output terminal To.
In this manner, the op amp circuit 10 operates to bring the voltage levels of both signals Vin1 and Vout substantially into coincidence with each other through the feedback of the output signal Vout. More specifically, a current source 1 supplies a constant current to the drain of an N-channel MOS transistor Tr1. Transistors Tr1, Tr2 have their gates connected together. The drain of the transistor Tr1 is connected to the gates of the transistors Tr1, Tr2. Both of the sources of the transistors Tr1, Tr2 are connected to the ground GND. Thus, the transistors Tr1, Tr2 form a current mirror circuit.
P-channel MOS transistors Tr3, Tr4 have sources connected to a power supply Vcc and gates connected to a drain of the transistor Tr3. The gates of the transistor Tr3, Tr4 are connected to each other. The drain of the transistor Tr3 is connected to the drain of the transistor Tr2. The transistors Tr3, Tr4 also form a current mirror circuit. The transistor Tr4 operates as a constant current source which passes a drain current equal to the current flow through the current source 1.
The drain of the transistor Tr4 is connected to the sources of P-channel MOS transistors Tr5, Tr6. The transistor Tr5 has a drain connected to the drain of the N-channel MOS transistor Tr7. The source of the transistor Tr7 is connected to the ground GND.
The drain of the transistor Tr6 is connected to the drain of an N-channel MOS transistor Tr8 and also connected to the gates of the transistors Tr7, Tr8. The transistor Tr8 has a source connected to the ground GND. The transistors Tr5, Tr6 have gates for receiving input signals Vin1, Vin2, respectively. Thus, the transistors Tr5 to Tr8 form a differential input circuit which is activated by the constant current supplied from the transistor Tr4.
The N-channel MOS transistor Tr10 has a gate connected to the drains of the transistors Tr5, Tr7, a drain connected to the power supply Vcc via a P-channel MOS transistor Tr9, and a source connected to the ground GND. The node N1 is defined as the junction between the transistors Tr5, Tr7 and Tr10.
The transistor Tr9 has a gate connected to the gates of the transistors Tr3, Tr4. A drain current which is the same as the drain currents from the transistors Tr3, Tr4 passes through the transistor Tr9 as an idling current.
The drain of the transistor Tr10 is connected to the output terminal To for the output signal Vout of the op amp circuit. The output signal Vout is fed back to the gate of the transistor Tr6.
Referring to FIG. 2, a second prior art op amp circuit 20 is shown The op amp circuit 20 includes the op amp circuit 10 of FIG. 1, to which a circuit 22 formed by N-channel MOS transistors Tr11 and Tr14 and P-channel MOS transistors Tr12, Tr13 and Tr15 is added. The added circuit 22 controls the drain current of the transistor Tr9 on the basis of the potential on the node N1.
The transistor Tr11 has a gate connected to the node N1, a source connected to the ground GND and a drain connected to the drain of the transistor Tr12 and to the gates of the transistors Tr12, Tr13. The transistors Tr12, Tr13 each have a source connected to the power supply Vcc. The transistors Tr12 and Tr13 form a current mirror circuit which passes a drain current equal to that of the transistor Tr11.
The transistor Tr14 has a drain connected to the drain of the transistor Tr13, a source connected to the ground GND and a gate connected to the gates of the transistors Tr1 and Tr2. Accordingly, the drain current from the transistor Tr14 is a constant current which is equal to the drain current from each of the transistors Tr1 and Tr2.
The transistor Tr15 has a drain connected to the drain of the transistor Tr14 and to the gates of the transistors Tr15 and Tr9, and a source connected to the power supply Vcc.
In the op amp circuit 20, the potential at the node N1 is reduced when the level of the input signal Vin1 is higher than that of the input signal Vin2, thereby resulting in a decrease in the drain current from the transistor Tr10, which reduces the drain current from the transistor Tr11 and also the drain currents from the transistors Tr12 and Tr13, and reduces the drain current from the transistor Tr15. As a consequence, the drain current from the transistor Tr9 increases, increasing the voltage level of the output signal Vout.
On the other hand, when the level of the input signal Vin1 is lower than that of the input signal Vin2, the potential at the node N1 rises, with a consequent increase in the drain current from the transistor Tr10. The drain current from the transistor Tr11 then increases, which in turn increases the drain currents from the transistors Tr12, Tr13, thus decreasing the drain current from the transistor Tr15. Consequently, the drain current from the transistor Tr9 decreases, reducing the voltage level of the output signal Vout.
In this manner, the transistors Tr7 and Tr10 operate in a push-pull mode in accordance with a change in the potential at the node N1 so as to bring the voltage levels of the input signal Vin1 and the output signal Vout substantially into coincidence with each other. Drain currents from the transistors Tr9, Tr10 are controlled in a manner depending on a load connected to the output terminal To, allowing an increase in the operating speed and a reduction in the power dissipation of the op amp circuit 20.
In the op amp circuit 20 described above, an offset voltage between the input signal Vin1 and the output signal Vout occurs as a result of a difference between the gate-source voltage Vgs of the transistor Tr5 and the gate-source voltage Vgs of the transistor Tr6. When the transistors Tr5 and Tr6 have an equal size, a difference in the gate-source voltage is caused by differences in the drain-source voltage and the drain current.
The drain voltage of the transistor Tr6 is determined by the gate-source voltage of the transistor Tr8, which is in turn determined by the magnitude of the current distributed by the transistor Tr4 to the transistors Tr5, Tr6. The magnitude of the current varies in a range from "0" to the drain current of the transistor Tr4.
On the other hand, the drain voltage of the transistor Tr5 is determined by the gate-source voltage of the output transistor Tr10, which is in turn determined by the drain voltage and the drain current of the output transistor Tr10. The drain voltage of the transistor Tr10 or the output voltage Vout undergoes a large variation in a range between the supply voltage Vcc and the ground GND. The drain current of the transistor Tr10 also undergoes a large variation in a range between "0" and the maximum drain current of the transistor Tr10, depending on a load connected to the output terminal To.
There is no correlation between factors which determine the respective drain voltages of the transistors Tr5, Tr6 which form the input differential pair. This causes a difference in the drain-source voltage to be produced between the transistors Tr5, Tr6, with resulting differences in the drain current and the gate-source voltage between both of the transistors Tr5, Tr6. This explains the occurrence of the offset voltage between the input signal Vin1 and the output signal Vout.
The offset voltage could be eliminated by adjusting the load condition such that the gate-source voltage is substantially equal for each of the transistors Tr8 and the transistor Tr10, but it is actually difficult to eliminate the offset voltage by constraining a load fluctuation within a given range.
The offset voltage does not remain constant for a change in the input signal, and thus the output signal does not follow the change in the input signal, presenting a problem that a linear input-output response cannot be obtained.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a differential amplifier circuit which suppresses the occurrence of an offset voltage between an input and an output and for providing a linear input-output response.


A seatbelt restraint system includes a seatbelt buckle housing having a printed circuit board, a slider, and an ejector. The printed circuit board includes a circuit where the output signal can be altered in response to translation of the ejector and the slider. A predetermined voltage can be applied to the circuit and the output signal can be detected in the circuit to determine the position of the ejector and the slider based on the detected altered output signal. In the event of a fault in the system, the resultant output signal of the circuit will be different than the expected output signal of the buckled and unbuckled states.

Seatbelt assemblies are in widespread use in motor vehicles. Present systems have certain common elements including seatbelt webbing which extends across the upper and lower torso of the occupant, and a retractor for allowing extraction and retraction of the webbing so that the belt may adapt to different sizes of occupants and be conveniently out of the way when not being used. Seatbelt assemblies further typically include a buckle which releasably attaches to a latch plate.
As vehicle safety requirements advance, it is desirable for some system designs to detect the presence of a vehicle occupant at least in part through detecting a fastened seatbelt buckle. One manner of detecting the presence of a vehicle occupant is the use of an on/off switch design, which includes an electrical circuit that can be opened/closed in response to insertion of the latch plate into the belt buckle. However, there is a concern if the conductors or connectors of the circuit become damaged or severed the ability to determine a fault in the system is not possible. There are designs that can detect such a fault, but include a large number of additional connecting wires, are high cost, or of large size.
It is desirable in the automotive industry to reduce size, weight, and cost of automotive components, and there is a need for a reliable occupant detection design that can use a two wire circuit in a small package.


The present invention discloses an attenuated recombinant alphavirus that is incapable of replicating in mosquito cells and of transmission by mosquito vectors. These attenuated alphavirus may include but is not limited to Western Equine Encephalitis virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus or Chikungunya virus. The present invention also discloses the method of generating such alphaviruses and their use as immunogenic compositions.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the fields of molecular biology, virology and immunology of alphaviruses. More specifically, the present invention provides an attenuated, recombinant alphaviruses having mosquito infection incompetence and discloses a method of generating such alphaviruses and use of these attenuated alphaviruses in immunogenic compositions.
Description of the Related Art
The Alphavirus genus in the Togaviridae family contains a number of significant human and animal pathogens. These viruses are widely distributed on all continents except for the Antarctic region, and represent a significant public health threat (18, 39). Under natural conditions, most of the alphaviruses are transmitted by mosquitoes, in which they cause a persistent, life-long infection that has little effect on the biological functions of the vector. In vertebrates infected by mosquitoes during their blood meal, alphaviruses cause an acute infection, characterized by a viremia that is a prerequisite of infection of new mosquitoes and its circulation in nature.
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is one of the most pathogenic members of the alphavirus genus. It continuously circulates in South, Central and North America and causes sporadic epidemics and epizootics that involve humans, horses and other domestic animals. During the most recent major outbreak in Venezuela and Colombia (1995) involving subtype IC VEEV, about 100,000 human cases occurred, with over 300 fatal encephalitis cases estimated (37). During VEEV epizootics, equine mortality due to encephalitis can reach 83%, and while the overall mortality rate is low in humans (<1%), neurological disease, including disorientation, ataxia, mental depression, and convulsions, can be detected in up to 14% of infected individuals, especially children (21). The human disease caused by VEEV is characterized as a febrile illness with chills, severe headache, myalgia, somnolence and pharyngitis. Young and old individuals develop a reticuloendothelial infection with severe lymphoid depletion, followed by encephalitis. The result of the CNS infection is an acute meningoencephalitis that leads to the death of neuronal cells (9). The neurologic signs appear within 4-10 days of the onset of illness and include seizures, paresis, behavioral changes and coma.
In spite of the continuous threat of VEEV epidemics, no safe and efficient vaccines have been designed for this virus. The attenuated TC-83 strain of VEEV was developed more than four decades ago by serial passage of a highly virulent Trinidad donkey (TRD) strain of VEEV in guinea pig heart cells (4). Presently, TC-83 is still the only available vaccine for laboratory workers and military personnel. Over 8,000 people have been vaccinated (2, 8, 34), and the cumulative data unambiguously demonstrate that nearly 40% of all vaccines develop a disease with some symptoms typical of natural VEE, including fever, systemic illness and other adverse effects (2). This TC-83 strain universally kills newborn, but not adult, mice after i.c. and s.c. inoculation (31), and is thus a good starting material for further attenuation and study of the effects of the mutations on viral pathogenesis.
The VEEV genome is a nearly 12-kb-long, single-stranded RNA molecule of positive polarity that mimics the structure of cellular mRNAs. The genome RNA contains both a 5′ methylguanylate cap and a 3′ polyadenylate tail (24), features which allow translation of viral proteins by host cell machinery immediately after release of the genome RNAs from the nucleocapsids. The 5′ two-thirds of the genome is translated into the nonstructural proteins (nsPs) that comprise the viral components of the replicative enzyme complex required for replication of the viral genome and transcription of the subgenomic RNA. The subgenomic RNA corresponds to the 3′ third of the genome. It is synthesized from the subgenomic promoter and translated into the viral structural proteins. The attenuated phenotype of the VEEV strain TC-83 is the result of two mutations in the strain TRD genome: one of them replaced an amino acid at position 120 in E2 glycoprotein, and the second changed nt 3 in the 5′UTR (11, 23, 24, 43). Thus, because of the alphavirus' very high mutation rate, the reversion of TC-83 to a pathogenic phenotype remains a great concern in the event that the appropriate selective conditions, such as virus passage in vivo, would occur. Moreover, VEEV TC-83 is capable of replicating in mosquito cells, and infecting mosquitoes following vaccination (32); therefore, its transmission by mosquitoes remain possible.
Ideally, live arbovirus vaccine strains should not be transmissible by arthropod vectors, because circulation among reservoir hosts could lead to unforeseen changes that might include increased virulence. This is especially true for attenuated strains, produced from wild-type viruses that rely on small numbers of attenuating mutations that may be subject to reversion, or for genetically modified strains that might evolve in unanticipated ways if they underwent vector-borne circulation. The former risk was underscored by the detection of the VEEV TC-83 vaccine strain in mosquitoes collected in Louisiana during 1971 (32), an area outside the epizootic/epidemic that was restricted to Texas.
The development of infectious cDNA for alphaviruses opened an opportunity to explore their attenuation by extensively modifying the viral genomes, an approach that might minimize or exclude the reversion to the wt, pathogenic phenotype. Moreover, the genomes of such alphaviruses can be engineered to contain RNA elements that would be functional only in cells of vertebrate, but not insect, origin. Thus, such extensive mutations could prevent transmission of the genetically modified viruses by mosquito vectors.
Despite its importance as an emerging human and animal pathogen, its potential as a biological weapon and concerns about application of attenuated alphaviruses, the prior art is deficient in methods of generating attenuated strains of alphaviruses that are capable of replicating only in vertebrate cells. The present invention fulfills this long-standing need and desire in the art.

Attenuated recombinant alphaviruses incapable of replicating in mosquitoes and uses thereof

THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM


A cathode having a short heating time and a long lifetime for an electric discharge tube is provided. The cathode comprises a metal (particularly nickel) support base coated with a layer of potentially electron-emissive material, which support base has a thickness ranging between 20 and 150 .mu.m, while the metal crystallites have a size which does not permit of any further crystallite growth or recrystallization. Particularly, the crystallites of the support base have a size which corresponds to the thickness of the support base. The cathode is obtained by a method in which the recrystallization thermal treatment is effective to prevent additions in the metal of the support base from forming oxides to a depth which is further than 1 micrometer from the surface.

In the manufacture of cathodes for electron tubes a basic composition is usually formed to a desired configuration and then coated with a layer of alkaline earth carbonates in order to form a cathode or filament. Subsequently the cathode or the filament is placed in an electron tube structure and heat is directly or indirectly applied to the cathode so as to reduce the carbonates to oxides and free metal and thereby activate the cathode. Subsequently heat is applied to the cathode during operation of the tube in order to realize emission of electrons during a period (i.e. lifetime) and to an extent which is dependent on a large number of factors. A relatively thick support base has appeared to be favourable, for example for a long lifetime. A drawback of a relatively thick support base is, however, that the cathode has a long heating time, which is undesirable in many applications.


A developing apparatus including a layer thickness adjustment member configured to regulate a layer thickness of a two-component developer carried on a surface of a developing sleeve of a developing roller is disposed so that one end portion in a width direction faces the surface of the developing sleeve at a predetermined interval. At two end portions in a longitudinal direction of the layer thickness adjustment member, a notch open to the one end side in the width direction is provided. Since an amount of conveyance of the developer locally increases at two end portions of the developing sleeve by providing such a notch in the layer thickness adjustment member, density of an ear of a magnetic brush to be formed increases, and it is possible to exhibit the sufficient seal performance and prevent the toner from being scattered.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing apparatus and more specifically to an image forming apparatus that develops an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor using a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus that forms an image by an electrophotographic method has been used as an electrostatic copier, a laser beam printer or the like. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided with a developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier such as a photoreceptor. As the developing method, a two-component developing method that performs development using a two-component developer (hereinafter, also referred to simply as a developer) containing a toner and a carrier has been known.
In the known two-component developing method, the carrier and the toner are stirred and frictionally charged with one another, and thus, the toner is carried on the surface of the carrier. On a surface of a sleeve containing a magnet, the carrier carrying the toner is formed in a protruding shape called an ear, and a plurality of ears is gathered to form a magnetic brush. When the toner contained in the ears of the magnetic brush moves to the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor from the sleeve, the electrostatic latent image is developed.
In order to develop the electrostatic latent image, since there is a need to move the toner contained in the two-component developer stored in the developing apparatus to the photoreceptor as described above, the toner is scattered, the interior of the apparatus is contaminated, or the toner adheres to a portion in which the latent image is not formed, and thus, fog occurs.
In order to prevent scattering of the toner in the developing apparatus, in a developing apparatus disclosed in JP 8-202153 A, a magnetic regulation blade is formed such that an interval between both end portions becomes narrower than an interval in a longitudinal center portion corresponding to an image region.
As a method for preventing the toner scattering from the developing apparatus, there is a method of providing a magnetic member at a position facing both end portions of a developing roller, forming a magnetic brush of the developer between the developing roller and the magnetic member, and performing a seal by the magnetic brush.
Next, in the image forming apparatus, high image quality of an image to be formed is required, and in order to do that, there is a need to perform a thin layer development that further reduces an amount of the developer layer carried on the developing roller surface of the developing apparatus.
In the case of the thin layer development, since an amount of the developer of the developing roller surface is small, even if the magnetic brush for the seal is formed as described above, it is not possible to achieve sufficient seal performance. Also, in the thin layer development, since an interval between the regulation blade and the developing roller surface is small, as in the developing apparatus described in JP 8-202153 A, it is not possible to set the interval at both end portions to be narrower than the interval of the central portion.

Developing apparatus and image forming apparatus


Direct electrostatic printing apparatus including structure for delivering developer or toner particles to a printhead forming an integral part of the printing device. The printing device includes, in addition to the printhead, a conductive shoe which is suitably biased during a printing cycle to assist in the electrostatic attraction of developer through apertures in the printhead onto the copying medium disposed intermediate the printhead and the conductive shoe. The structure for delivering developer or toner is adapted to deliver toner containing a minimum quantity of wrong sign. To this end, the developer delivery system is conventional magnetic brush which delivers toner directly to the printhead structure.

This invention relates to a direct electrostatic printing device and more particularly to a developer or toner delivery system for presenting developer or toner to an electronically addressable printhead utilized for depositing developer in image configuration on plain paper or intermediate substrates.
Of the various electrostatic printing techniques, the most familiar is that of xerography wherein latent electrostatic images formed on a charge retentive surface are developed by a suitable toner material to render the images visible, the images being subsequently transferred to plain paper.
A less familiar form of electrostatic printing is one that has come to be known as direct electrostatic printing (DEP). This form of printing differs from the aforementioned xerographic form, in that, the toner or developing material is deposited directly onto a plain (i.e. not specially treated) substrate in image configuration. This type of printing device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,935 issued Sep. 5, 1972 to Gerald L. Pressman et al.
Pressman et al disclose an electrostatic line printer incorporating a multilayered particle modulator or printhead comprising a layer of insulating material, a continuous layer of conducting material on one side of the insulating layer and a segmented layer of conducting material on the other side of the insulating layer. At least one row of apertures is formed through the multilayered particle modulator. Each segment of the segmented layer of the conductive material is formed around a portion of an aperture and is insulatively isolated from every other segment of the segmented conductive layer. Selected potentials are applied to each of the segments of the segmented conductive layer while a fixed potential is applied to the continuous conductive layer. An overall applied field projects charged particles through the row of apertures of the particle modulator and the density of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied to the segments of the segmented conductive layer. The modulated stream of charge particles impinge upon a print-receiving medium interposed in the modulated particle stream and translated relative to the particle modulator to provide line-by-line scan printing. In the Pressman et al device the supply of the toner to the control member is not uniformly effected and irregularities are liable to occur in the image on the image receiving member. High-speed recording is difficult and moreover, the openings in the printhead are liable to be clogged by the toner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,855 issued on Jan. 1, 1985 in the name of Fujii et al discloses a method and apparatus utilizing a controller having a plurality of openings or slit-like openings to control the passage of charged particles and to record a visible image by the charged particles directly on an image receiving member. Specifically disclosed therein is an improved device for supplying the charged particles to a control electrode that has allegedly made high-speed and stable recording possible. The improvement in Fujii et al lies in that the charged particles are supported on a supporting member and an alternating electric field is applied between the supporting member and the control electrode. Fujii et al purports to obviate the problems noted above with respect to Pressman et al. Thus, Fujii et al alleges that their device makes it possible to sufficiently supply the charged particles to the control electrode without scattering them.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,955 issued on Feb. 4, 1986 to Hosoya et al discloses a recording apparatus wherein a visible image based on image information is formed on an ordinary sheet by a developer. The recording apparatus comprises a developing roller spaced at a predetermined distance from and facing the ordinary sheet and carrying the developer thereon. It further comprises a recording electrode and a signal source connected thereto for propelling the developer on the developing roller to the ordinary sheet by generating an electric field between the ordinary sheet and the developing roller according to the image information. A plurality of mutually insulated electrodes are provided on the developing roller and extend therefrom in one direction. An A.C. and a D.C. source are connected to the electrodes, for generating an alternating electric field between adjacent ones of the electrodes to cause oscillations of the developer found between the adjacent electrodes along electric lines of force therebetween to thereby liberate the developer from the developing roller.
Each of the foregoing patents makes use of individually addressable holes to gate toner pixelwise to an imaging member. Key to each of these schemes, as well as the feature which makes each of these printing methods unique, is the method by which toner is presented to the printhead. For example, the '855 patent employs jumping development. There are inherent problems with this (AC jumping) scheme. First, the spacing between the donor roll surface and the print head is very critical. Experiments in the laboratory indicate that <0.001" tolerance is required.
Another problem arises in high speed printing. The donor roll must have a uniform layer of toner on it and requires fast reloading. The tight DEP requirements on a percentage of wrong sign toner requires a very controllable charge distribution on the toner delivered to the printhead. A two component system such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,796 granted to Fred W. Schmidlin on Mar. 21, 1989 which loads a donor roll helps with the problem of toner charge distribution and other problems peculiar to single component systems but the problem of tolerances between the donor roll and printhead are not solved thereby. Other problems are introduced especially for color two component materials at reasonable print speeds. Since the donor must be reloaded at 100% area coverage for any print area coverage such a system is always running in a stress mode with respect to admix. Also, undeveloped toner must get distributed back onto the carrier beads, a problem which is exacerbated with color developers.

Masked magnetic brush direct writing for high speed and color printing


A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy catheter kit includes a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy catheter, a sheath entirely enclosing the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy catheter, a fixing device integrally provided to an end of the sheath, an end of the catheter being arranged at the fixing device, and a breaking thread for breaking a portion of the fixing device and a portion of the sheath.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of gastrostomy, and an infection preventive cover, kit or catheter kit and a gastrostomy catheter kit for use with the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) enabling enteral feeding of a patient who finds swallowing food difficulty or who cannot swallow, it is sufficient to apply a local anethesia to the patient and the operation time is favorably short, i.e., about five to about ten minutes, and the patient can quickly recover after the operation. In a case where the patient in a good general condition after the operation, she or he may leave the hospital on the same day on which the operation is conducted. The PEG and its use has therefore developed rapidly worldwide. In the United States, for example, about 180,000 cases were reported in 1997. In the future, the number of the operations is in the world is expected to increase.
As commonly known, the PEG includes three methods, namely, "pull", "push", and "introducer" methods (techniques). Among these methods, the "pull" and "push" methods have been broadly adopted due to simplicity and safety of the operation. However, these methods include the drawbacks described below.
The endoscope is required to be twice inserted in the pertinent patient, which leads to a problem of complex operations and pain to patients. There exists a fear of damage to the larynx, the upper pharynx or the esophagus.
The PEG catheter (including a PEG tube and a dome connected to the tube) is infected in the oral cavity, the upper pharynx or the larynx and hence the wounded part of the patient is liable to be infected.
The first drawback above can be overcome by improving the sedation or anesthesia and by increasing the quality of skill of the endoscopist. However, the second drawback, i.e., the infection of the wound due to the contamination of the PEG tube and the dome has a high possibility of occupancy. The literature from Europe and America reported about 35% to about 45% of the infection of wound. When the infection of a wound occurs, antibiotics are required to be administered to the patient for a long period of time. This resultantly delays the starting point of the enteral feeding for the patient, and the immunity of the patient from diseases is weakened, this may lengthen the hospital treatment in some cases. The patient suffers from serious pains and the fee for medical treatment soars. Consequently, not only the patient but also family members of the patient must bear the expense and suffer from mental stress. When the cleaning of the oral cavity, the preoperation disinfection of the upper pharynx, and the preventive administration of antibiotics are completely carried out, the number of bacteria appearing on the PEG tube and the dome can be decreased. However, this is not the basic countermeasure.

Method of gastrostomy, and an infection preventive cover, kit or catheter kit, and a gastrostomy catheter kit