A bicycle rear suspension linkage system comprising an elongate seat tube having an upper pivot mount rigidly attached to the upper end thereof and an axle receiving bracket rigidly attached to the lower end thereof. An upper rocker is pivotally connected to the upper pivot mount with a lower rocker being pivotally connected to a lower pivot mount rigidly attached to the axle receiving bracket. The linkage system further comprises pairs of seat stay and chain stay members, with the upper ends of the seat stay members being pivotally connected to the upper rocker and the front ends of the chain stay members being pivotally connected to the lower rocker. Additionally, the back ends of the chain stay members are pivotally connected to the lower ends of the seat stay members. Also provided is a shock absorber having a body portion and a reciprocal piston rod, the distal end of which is pivotally connected to the upper pivot mount. Pivotally connected to and extending between the upper rocker and body portion of the shock absorber is a pair of upper link rods, while rigidly attached to the body portion is an elongate alignment rod. Pivotally connected to and extending between the lower end of the alignment rod and the front ends of the chain stay members is a lower link rod.

The primary structural component of a bicycle is the bicycle frame. Typically, the bicycle frame comprises an elongate cross bar which is rigidly secured to and extends between a head tube of the bicycle and a seat tube of the bicycle. The head tube typically provides a structural base for the stem of the bicycle to which the handlebars are attached. The seat tube provides a base for a seat post which is generally telescopically received therewithin and to which is secured the saddle or seat of the bicycle. In typical bicycle frame construction, the seat tube includes a generally cylindrically axle-receiving bracket attached to the lower end thereof which is adapted to receive the bottom bracket axle. The bottom bracket axle typically extends between and interconnects the cranks to which are attached the pedals. Rigidly secured to and extending between the head tube and the cylindrical axle-receiving bracket is an elongate down tube.
In addition to the aforementioned structural components, rigidly secured to and extending rearwardly from the axle-receiving bracket are first and second chain stay members. Additionally, rigidly secured to and extending downwardly from the upper end of the seat tube are first and second seat stay members having distal ends which are rigidly secured to the back ends of the first and second chain stay members. Typically, the distal ends of the seat stay members and back ends of the chain stay members are interconnected in a manner adapted to receive the rear tire axle of the bicycle.
The foregoing description generally represents the construction of conventional prior art bicycle frames. Typically, once such prior art frames are constructed, the aforementioned structural components are rigidly secured to one another through the use of welding or brazing techniques. Though this method of constructing the bicycle frame provides the resulting frame with structural integrity, the bicycle frame does not possess a suspension having shock absorbing characteristics. As will be recognized, the ride, comfort and performance of the bicycle would be greatly enhanced if the bicycle frame were adapted to at least partially accommodate the shocks routinely encountered while riding the bicycle.
Though recent prior art bicycle frames include front and/or rear shock absorbing assemblies, such bicycle frames possess certain deficiencies which detract from their overall utility. In this respect, the manner in which the rear shock absorbing assemblies are typically interfaced to the seat stay members of the frame creates a significant amount of lateral instability for the rear wheel of the bicycle. As will be recognized, such instability severely diminishes the performance and handling characteristics of the bicycle. Additionally, many currently known rear shock absorbing assemblies create slop within the chain during normal and vigorous pedaling, thus adversely affecting the performance of and speed obtainable with the bicycle. Further, in most prior art rear shock absorbing assemblies, the rear axle pivots about a single point when subjected to a shock force which results in the pedaling forces either compressing or extending the shock absorber of the rear suspension, and/or the rear tire axle moving in a direction other than parallel to the direction of the shock force applied to the rear wheel. In this respect, when the shock absorber of the rear suspension is affected by the pedal force, some of the riders' energy is needlessly wasted to activate the shock absorber. Additionally, when the rear tire axle moves in an arc that is not tangent to the direction of the shock force applied to the rear wheel, riding efficiency is lost.
As previously specified, the rear suspension is often affected by the pedal force, thus causing some of the rider's energy to be needlessly wasted. In this respect, a problem common to most prior art rear suspension systems is the tendency of the rear suspension system to either lock-up or "squat" when the rider pedals aggressively. Since these prior art rear suspension systems are generally designed having a single lever arm which pivots about a single point, the lock-up or squat generally occurs as a result of chain tension acting on the single lever arm. If the single pivot point of the rear suspension system is above the chain line, the system will typically lock-up, thereby providing suspension only when the shock or bump force exceeds the chain tension. Conversely, if the single pivot point of the rear suspension system is below the chain line, the system will typically squat since the chain tension is acting to compress the shock absorber of the rear suspension system in the same manner as does the shock or bump force. The present invention specifically overcomes these and other deficiencies associated with prior art bicycle frames.


A puncher comprising two drills held on chucks attached on shafts combined with gears provided in two front seats and a rear seat able to be changed in their position so as to change the distance between the two drills, the front seats and the rear seat being connected with a main seat which is possible to be moved up and down by means of a vertical threaded rod and a support rod so as to lower down the two drills to punch holes in one of many distances adjustable in papers placed on a bottom base and pinched immovable in a pincher on the base.

A conventional puncher shown in FIG. 5 comprises a body 11, a pressing rod 12, two punching rods 13, 13 a pressing handle 14, support rod 15 and plastic bottom cover 16.
The body 11 has two raised-up blocks 111, 111 on both sides, and an opening 112 in bottom front portion of each block 111 for papers to be punched to extend therein, a vertical hole 113 for placing the punch rod 13 with a V-shaped end, the pressing rod 12 connecting the punch rods, 13, 13 a support rod 15 for combining the pressing handle 14 pivotally connected between the two blocks 111, 111, the pressing rod 12 fixed between the two blocks 111, 111 in parallel to the support rod 15 for receiving the pressing handle 12. The plastic bottom cover 16 closes the opening bottom of the body 11.
In using, papers are inserted in the two openings 112, 112, and then the pressing handle 14 is pressed down with the support rod 15 as a pivot, lowering the punch rods 13, 13 to punch the papers and to push Punched paper bits down in the bottom cover 16 of the body 11. Then punching operation is finished
However, this conventional puncher has drawbacks as listed below.
1. The distance between two holes to be punched is constant, impossible to be adjusted to cope with various distances of holes needed in papers of various size
2. The openings 112, 112 has a short height so that only a few sheets of papers may be extended therein, and many sheets of paper should be punched repeatedly for many times, taking time.
3. Many sheets of paper punched in several times may not have the same position of holes, so they cannot be piled one on the other correctly or neatly for binding.
4. In punching operion, punching-off bits of Paper may stick to the end of the punch rod and in the vertical hole of the block, hampering punching work.

No. 120-18, Yu Che, Yu Che Li, Ma Tou Chen


Disclosed herein are embodiments of an automated, fast and efficient method of generating a customized compact model that represents a semiconductor device at the chip, wafer or multi-wafer level in a specific manufacturing environment. Specifically, measurement data is collected from a specific manufacturing environment and sorted by channel lengths. Then, an optimizer is used to generate customized modeling parameters based on the measurement data. The optimization processes is a multi-step process. First, a first set of modeling parameters is generated based on measurement data associated with a long channel length. Second, a second set of modeling parameters is generated based on the first set and on measurement data associated with a short channel length. Finally, the customized modeling parameters are generated based on both the first set and the second set. The customized modeling parameters are used to generate a customized compact device model representative of the specific manufacturing environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the invention generally relate to compact models for semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to a method for generating a customized compact model that represents a semiconductor device at the chip, wafer or multi-wafer level in a specific manufacturing environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
A compact model generally represents the electrical and physical behavior of an electronic device in its various operation modes. These compact models are incorporated into simulators to represent the various active and passive components of a semiconductor technology (e.g., a circuit). Compact models provide a powerful tool for predicting accurate circuit behaviors. Therefore, accurate compact models are essential. However, variations in the manufacturing line and deviations from the standard semiconductor process steps sometimes result in differences between the electrical parameters represented in the compact models and those actually present during the manufacturing process. Therefore, when circuit designers conduct model-to-hardware correlation studies to understand how simulations and hardware measurements compare, "model overrides" (i.e., adjustments) are made to the compact model parameters in order to match actual parameter measurements taken from the hardware under study. These overrides allow designers to analyze and assess the impact of manufacturing variations and to predict potential circuit problems.
Model to hardware correlation studies typically employ simulations to solve for a limited set of parameters, for example, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,671 issued to Bertsch et al. on Aug. 23, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference. These studies operate using fixed equations and a small fixed set of device sizes in order to discover the model overrides for the supported parameters. Such restrictions limit the effectiveness of the model override values. Furthermore, such studies are generally time-consuming and complicated. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a fast and efficient method of generating compact model parameter overrides (i.e., of producing customized compact model parameters that represent a semiconductor device at the chip, wafer or multi-wafer level in a manufacturing environment).

Efficient methodology for the accurate generation of customized compact model parameters from electrical test data

International Business Machines Corporation


An organic photoreceptor for electrophotography including a substrate which is electrically conductive; and an organic photosensitive layer which is formed on the substrate, which includes a photoconductive material, and which has a surface having a differential hardness corresponding to a 20 .mu.m or less change in width of a scratch formed on the surface for every 10 g change in vertical load during perpendicular loading with 10 g or more pressure on the surface when a test for evaluating differential hardness is performed by moving the photoreceptor to a predetermined position at a constant speed of 30 mm/minute under a load in a direction perpendicular to the surface through a conical indenter to make the scratch on the surface, which conical indenter is one of a sapphire or diamond conical indenter having a conical tip portion including an apex having a hemisphereical shape with a diameter of 0.01 mm and a conical angle of 90.degree..

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoreceptor useful in the field of electrophotography and a method for estimating the durability of the photoreceptor. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrophotographic organic photoreceptor using an organic photoconductive material and a method for estimating its durability susceptible to the differential hardness of a photosensitive layer that serves as one of building blocks for the photoreceptor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, inorganic photoreceptors have been used as electrophotographic photoreceptors. Each of them uses an inorganic photoconductive material as a photoconductive material, such as selenium, cadmium sulfide, amorphous silicon, or zinc oxide. In recent years, however, some of highly polymerized compounds, such as poly-N-vinylcarbazoles, polyvinyl anthracenes, phthalocyanine compounds, and bisazo compounds, have been studied and developed as organic photo-conductors (OPCs) having their own electric conductivities which vary in response to receiving light. Photoreceptors using at least one of these OPCs (hereinafter, referred as OPC photoreceptors) have been also studied and developed, and thus some of them have been put to practical use. In the following description, any OPC that can be used in the OPC photoreceptor will be also referred as an organic photoconductive material.
The OPC photoreceptor comprises an electrically conductive substrate and an organic photosensitive layer formed thereon. The organic photosensitive layer includes one of the above organic photoconductive materials and consists of two layers, a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer, which have their own functions.
An image formation can be carried out by the electrophotographic process using such an OPC photoreceptor. In general, the image-forming process includes the steps of developing and cleaning. Namely, the process includes the steps of:
uniformly charging a surface of the OPC photoreceptor in the absence of light by causing a corona discharge; PA1 forming a latent image of characters, figures, and the like of a source document on the charged surface of the OPC photoreceptor; PA1 developing the latent image by adhering toner particles to the latent image by virtue of the electric field created by the charges on the photoreceptor; PA1 transferring the developed toner particles on the photoreceptor to paper by corona charging the back of the paper with a charge opposite to that of the toner particles and permanently fixing the image to the paper by melting the toner into the paper surface; and PA1 discharging and cleaning the photoreceptor of any excess toner using coronas, lamps, brushes and/or scraper blades, recovering the photoreceptor for reuse. PA1 the differential hardness corresponds to 20 .mu.m or less change in a width of a scratch formed on the surface every 10 g change in vertical load at a time of perpendicularly loading 10 g or more pressure on the surface when a test for evaluating the differential hardness is performed by moving the photoreceptor to a predetermined position at a constant speed of 30 mm/minute under the load in a direction perpendicular to the surface through a conical indenter to make the scratch on the surface, where the conical indenter is of a sapphire or diamond conical indenter having a conical tip portion with its apex in the shape of a hemispherical with a diameter of 0.01 mm and a conical angle of 90.degree.. PA1 providing a surface of the photoreceptor as a sample, PA1 determining the differential hardness of the sample by moving the photoreceptor to a predetermined position at a constant speed of 30 mm/mines under the load in a direction perpendicular to the surface through a conical indenter to make the scratch on the surface, where the conical indenter is of a sapphire or diamond conical indenter having a conical tip portion with its apex in the shape of a hemispherical with a diameter of 0.01 mm and a conical angle of 90.degree.; and PA1 making the determination that the sample has a good durability if the differential hardness corresponds to 20 .mu.m or less change in a width of a scratch formed on the surface every 10 g change in vertical load at a time of perpendicularly loading 10 g or more pressure on the surface.
Comparing with the inorganic photoreceptor, by the way, the OPC photoreceptor is far superior in membrane-formability, light weight properties, high productivity, and so on, but inferior in sensitivity, durability, and stability to a change in its surroundings. Among these disadvantages, for example, the durability problem relates to the differential hardness of the OPC photoreceptor. The differential hardness of the surface of the OPC photoreceptor varies with physical or chemical conditions including the composition or molecular weight of a resin binder used as a binding agent and the ratio of the resin binder to the photoconductive material. Therefore, it is possible to increase the durability of the OPC photoreceptor by improving the differential hardness thereof by the ways of selecting appropriate materials for preparing each of layers of the OPC photoreceptor and appropriately arranging the configuration of these layers.
Generally, the photosensitive layer is positioned on the top of the OPC photoreceptor, so that the surface of the former is provided as the surface of the latter. Thus, the surface of the photosensitive layer is subject to various stresses from the outside. During the step of development, for example, the OPC photoreceptor is exposed to mechanical stresses such as friction caused by contacting with paper, toner, carrier, or the like. During the cleaning step, furthermore, it is exposed to mechanical stresses such as pressure by the cleaner and friction caused by contacting with fine particles (such as paper debris, residual toner particles, and residual carrier particles) being remained on the surface of the photosensitive layer. If the differential hardness of the OPC photoreceptor is low while the cleaning power is strong, the photosensitive layer is easily subject to the effects of the above fine particles on the surface of the photoreceptor. If the photosensitive layer is made of a breakable firm material, furthermore, the impact of producing friction with the fine particles causes a local brittle fracture (micro-fracture) in the surface of the photosensitive layer. This kind of trouble leads to a defective image formation at the time of the development in the next rotation of the OPC photoreceptor (in the form of a drum). Suppose the step of cleaning is completed even though the toner particles remain in a defective (fractured) portion of the drum's surface, the black dot defect in the image is produced.
Incidentally, the conventional cleaning methods include a blade cleaning method and a magnetic blush cleaning method. Among them, the blade cleaning method may be principally applied for the photosensitive layer having a small differential hardness. For preventing the photosensitive layer from causing the local brittle fracture, a man skilled in the art uses a low hardness cleaning blade or applies lubricant powder (setting powder) on a surface of the photosensitive layer to reduce the friction between the photoreceptor and the blade. However, the low hardness cleaning blade increases the possibility of causing the troubles such as a blurred image running in hot and humid surroundings. Even though the lubricant powder is applied, an image defect can be occurred as a result of causing the local brittle fracture when the efficacy of the lubricant powder is decreased as a result of repeating the printing process many times.

Organic photoreceptor for electrophotography


The present invention relates to a method for producing acrylamide comprising: supplying a raw material water to a reactor, supplying acrylonitrile to the reactor, and hydrating acrylonitrile using a biocatalyst, wherein a temperature of the raw material water in the supplying step of the raw material water to the reactor is equal to or more than freezing point of the raw material water and lower than the reaction temperature by 5° C. or more. The present invention can be provided to the method of producing acrylamide which can be removed the reaction heat produced at the hydration reaction of acrylonitrile effectively with a low cost.

The producing method of an objective compound by using a biocatalyst is used for producing many compounds, because it has some advantages, for example, reaction conditions are mild, a product having a high purity can be obtained since an amount of by-product is small, and a production process can be simplified. For example, in the case of production of an amide compound such as acrylamide, since nitrile hydratase, which is an enzyme for converting a nitrile compound such as acrylonitrile into an amide compound, was found, biocatalysts including the enzyme have been widely used.
In the case of producing acrylamide using the biocatalyst, it is necessary to remove a reaction heat. In general, the biocatalyst is easily deactivated with heat. A reaction which converts the acrylonitrile to acrylamide is an exothermic reaction, and a temperature of a reaction solution rises by the reaction heat. If the reaction heat is not sufficiently removed, the biocatalyst is deactivated by the heat.
The method for removing the reaction heat, for example, a method of cooling with a heat exchanger by circulating a portion of a reaction mixture to a pump circulation passage, using a reactor comprising the pump circulation passage which provided with the heat exchanger (Patent Document 1), a method of using a plug flow type reactor which is a double pipe type or a shell and tube type (Patent Document 2), and a method which is providing a jacket or cooling coil to a reaction tank (Patent Document 3), has been known.


The present invention is directed to constructs, compositions and methods for modulating platelet-type 12 lipoxygenase (12-LO) in adipose tissue in vivo. Specifically, the invention provides constructs encoding expression-inhibiting oligonucleic acids, e.g., antisense and RNA interfering (RNAi) molecules, targeted to a platelet-type 12-LO gene or a transcript thereof, which are capable of reducing or silencing platelet-type 12-LO expression specifically in adipocytes and pre-adipocytes. Vectors of these constructs (including, but not limited to, viral vectors), compositions of them and methods of using same for the treatment and amelioration of conditions associated with excess fat cell mass and obesity are also provided.

Obesity has become a global epidemic afflicting both children and adults, and gradually spreading from the Western countries to the developing nations as well. It is now widely recognized that obesity is associated with, and is actually a major culprit in numerous comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers, and sleep apnea/sleep-disordered breathing. As recently acknowledged by a joint American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association (AHA/ADA) statement, obesity is an independent risk factor for CVD, and CVD risks have also been documented in obese children. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of overall morbidity and mortality as well as reduced life expectancy. Indeed, not only obesity but also overweight are now listed as independent cardiovascular risk factors in the joint AHA/ADA call for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
This explicit inclusion of obesity in the first line of major risk confronts the health implications of the most dominant anthropometric change presently afflicting the human race world round, that of increasing visceral and total body fat mass. While finally acknowledged, the cardiovascular significance of this shift in body build is most likely still underestimated, as it apparently now affects even the youngest.
Obesity may comprise a more easily detectable hazard when associated with either some of its recognized sequels, such as the metabolic form of dyslipidemia (low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), hypertriglyceridemia), diabetes and/or hypertension, or linked to co-existing risk factors transmitted genetically, independent of obesity. Such subtle interaction of overweight/obesity with cardiovascular disease may be also difficult to demonstrate because cardiovascular risk factors (excluding diabetes) have declined at all body mass index (BMI) levels but the decline appears to be greater at higher BMI levels. Additionally, although there is an increasing array of recognized adipocyte-derived factors that can negatively interact with the vasculature and/or glucose homeostasis, obesity may affect these factors differentially in a person-, gender-, age-, race- or ethnic-specific manner, thus potentially obscuring important adipose mass-dependent relationships. In other words, excess adipose tissue must not only be present, but also turned on to inflict damage.
With the exception of bariatric surgery, which can be presently offered to a limited number of subjects only, the lack of any truly effective treatment for obesity highlights the gravity of current prospects to control the obesity epidemic. Preventive measures have generally failed; effective public and political strategies to reshape lifestyle by proper nutrition and exercise so as to counteract the global obesity trends have not yet been formulated. Finally, the current generation of weight-reducing medications offers limited benefit, and indeed, despite more than a decade of use has failed to impact the global obesity challenge. Health service use and medical costs associated with obesity and related diseases have risen dramatically and are expected to continue to rise.
Hence, novel therapeutic strategies to combat fatness are needed. From a practical medical perspective, perhaps the most urgent need is to substantially reduce fat in individuals already afflicted with obesity, recognizing that excess fat, just like hypercholesterolemia, comprises a substantial health threat.
Apoptosis in Fat Cells
Increases in adipose tissue mass can result from an increase of the volume of adipocytes and/or from a rise in adipocyte number due to proliferation and differentiation of adipocyte precursor cells. These precursor cells, known as "preadipocytes", extensively populate adipose tissue (Hauner et al., 1989).
Although reduction in fat tissue mass generally involves the loss of stored lipids by lipolytic processes, a reduction of the number of adipocytes may also be seen, especially in conditions where large amounts of fat are lost (Sjostrom et al., 1981). Indeed, contrary to former beliefs that weight loss results only from depletion of adipocyte fat stores and is not accompanied by change in fat cell number, there is now growing evidence that decreases in adipose tissue mass in humans could result from a loss of fat cells through programmed cell death (Prins et al., 1994; Prins et al., 1997; Prins et al., 1997b; Lloreta et al., 2002; Garg, 2000.). Fat cell apoptosis is now well recognized in patients with tumor cachexia and in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients during treatment with protease inhibitors. Patients with acquired forms of lipodystrophy (Lawrence syndrome and Barraquer-Simons syndrome) show an immunologically mediated loss of fat cells, probably by apoptosis (Garg, 2000). In rodents, weight loss induced by starvation, streptozotocin-induced diabetes, or intracerebroventricular administration of leptin, results in apoptosis of fat cells (Geloen et al., 1989; Qian et al., 1998). In 3T3-L1 cells, apoptosis may be induced by serum deprivation or exposure to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and HIV protease inhibitors (Gullicksen et al., 2003; Magun et al., 1998). Collectively these studies reinforce the emerging concept that adipocyte deletion by apoptosis is a significant contributor to the regulation of adipose tissue mass and to adipose tissue loss during weight reduction (Prins et al., 1997; Sorisky et al., 2000; Della-Fera et al., 2001). Further, a number of experimental ways have been proposed by which adipocyte apoptosis can be induced and through which it may potentially serve as a homeostatic mechanism to control fat cell number (Della-Fera et al., 2001; Scislowski et al., 1999; Margareto et al., 2000).
The current methods of induced apoptosis as a potential means to lower fat mass have been recently reviewed by Nelson-Dooley et al (Nelson-Dooley et al., 2005). In vivo adipocyte apoptosis has been successfully applied using leptin, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), beta-adrenergic agonists and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in rodents. However leptin treatment has generally failed in obesity other than leptin deficiency induced obesity due to leptin resistance (Hukshorn et al., 2002) and the overall response to CNTF-analog has been disappointing in terms of absolute weight loss (Ettinger et al., 2003) and the use of beta agonists in humans has been seriously hampered due to side effects (Connacher et al., 1992). Although adipocyte apoptosis can also be induced in vitro using TNF-α, its use is limited due to the inherent pro-inflammatory- and pro-atherosclerotic properties of this cytokine. (−)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from Camellia sinensis and ajoene, a garlic product (Nelson-Dooley et al., 2005) were shown to precipitate apoptosis in vitro, but the adipocyte selectivity of these agents remains uncertain.
Expression-Inhibiting Oligonucleic Acids
The down regulation of specific gene expression in a cell can be effected by oligonucleic acids using techniques known as antisense therapy, RNA interference (RNAi), and enzymatic nucleic acid molecules.
Antisense therapy refers to the process of inactivating target DNA or mRNA sequences through the use of complementary DNA or RNA oligonucleic acids, thereby inhibiting gene transcription or translation. An antisense molecule can be single stranded, double stranded or triple helix.
RNA interference refers to the process of sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene silencing in eukaryotic cells mediated by RNA fragments. The process of post-transcriptional gene silencing is thought to be an evolutionarily conserved defense mechanism used by cells to prevent the expression of foreign genes and is commonly shared by diverse organisms.
Other agents capable of down-regulating expression are enzymatic nucleic acid molecules such as DNAzymes and ribozymes, capable of specifically cleaving an mRNA transcript of interest. DNAzymes are single-stranded deoxyribonucleotides that can cleave both single- and double-stranded target sequences. Ribozymes are catalytic ribonucleic acid molecules that are increasingly being used for the sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression by the cleavage of mRNAs encoding proteins of interest.
Certain publications, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,559 and PCT Pub. Nos. WO 01/75164 and WO 02/44321 relate to RNA interfering nucleic acids. International Patent Publication No. WO 2006/060454 teaches methods of designing small interfering RNAs, antisense polynucleotides, and other hybridizing nucleotides. US Patent Application Publication No. 20060217331 discloses chemically modified double stranded nucleic acid molecules for RNA interference. U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,559 discloses a process for inhibition of gene expression of a target gene in a cell using RNA having a region with double-stranded structure, wherein the nucleotide sequences of the duplex region of the RNA and of a portion of the target gene are identical.
The use of gene silencing agents for inducing apoptosis, for example in cancer therapy, has also been disclosed e.g. by WO 2005/083124, WO 2006/094406 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/178330.
Adipose Targeting and Adipose-Specific Gene Expression
Administration of various compounds, including gene-silencing agents, to adipose cells and tissue has been contemplated. For example, WO 2004/029070, WO 03/104495, WO 03/104494 and WO 03/104477 to Marcusson et al. disclose methods for blocking adipocyte differentiation and triglyceride accumulation with inhibitors of DYRK4, Interleukin 12 p35, G-alpha-i3 or Transcription factor Dp-1, respectively. These applications suggest the use of various inhibitors including small molecules, antibodies, peptides (including dominant negative peptides) and nucleic acid agents, including ribozymes, inhibitory RNA molecules including siRNA molecules and antisense oligonucleotides.
It is becoming increasingly recognized that specific subpopulations of human adipocytes are the major pathogenic problem in human obesity. In essence, such cells are considered inflammatory and display a unique and specific gene expression profile (Jernas et al., 2006). For example, while both the Adiponectin and Leptin genes are specifically expressed in human adipocytes (Jernas et al., 2006; Mason et al., 1998; He et al., 1995), only the Leptin gene is further over-expressed as the cells become larger inflammatory adipocytes. It seems that different CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) family members bind to the adiponectin and leptin promoters in mature adipocytes and in large-cell adipocytes. It has been suggested, that the presence of an Sp1 binding site next to the C/EBP binding site in the leptin promoter induces preferential binding of the stimulatory C/EBP family member to the site (Mason et al., 1998; Salma et al., 2006). Nucleic acid constructs that would selectively or preferentially induce gene expression in adipose tissue, particularly constructs and vectors for inducing cell death preferentially in large-cell adipocytes, would be beneficial for controlling excess fat mass and pathological conditions associated therewith.
Platelet-Type 12-Lipoxygenase
Lipoxygenases (LOs) are dioxygenase enzymes that incorporate molecular oxygen into unsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid and linoleic acid. These enzymes are named according to the carbon position (5, 12, or 15) at which they introduce oxygen. Arachidonate LOs and their products play an important role in mediating growth factor-induced tumor cell proliferation and appear to enhance the growth and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Some LO forms are also involved in LDL oxidation.
To date, several distinct LO genes have been structurally characterized. Three murine 12-LOs are currently recognized, including platelet 12(S)-LO leukocyte type, and an epidermal LO. Another LO, a porcine leukocyte type, has been isolated and cloned from porcine leukocytes, porcine pituitary cells, and bovine tracheal cells. The human platelet-type 12-LO has been cloned from human erythroleukemia cells and found primarily in human platelets, and was also identified in HEL (human erythroleukemia) cells, and umbilical vein endothelial cells. Platelet-type 12-LO metabolizes arachidonic acid to form exclusively 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-(S)HETE). There is also evidence for the presence of a leukocyte type of 12-LO in human adrenal glomerulosa cells. Additionally, an epidermal 12(R)-LO has recently been cloned from human skin.
Chemical inhibitors of 12-LO, which are not tissue- or cell type-specific, are known in the art. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0013368 discloses methods for prevention and/or treatment of diseases in which 5- and 12-LO activity contributes to the pathological condition, such as cancers and inflammation, by administration of 12-methyltetradecanoic acids, alone and in conjunction with other therapeutic compounds. The '368 publication does not teach or suggest inhibition of 12-LO expression or activity in adipocytes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,268 discloses a method for inducing selective apoptosis of tumor cells which comprises contacting the tumor cells and the normal cells used as a control with an amount of a compound which inhibits 12-LO until apoptosis is induced in the tumor cells, wherein apoptosis is induced in the tumor cells without inducing apoptosis in the normal cells, wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of: (1) a cyclic hydroxamic acid; (2) an aryl aliphatic acid; (3) nordihydro-guaiaretic acid, (NDGA); (4) N-benzyl-N-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanamide (BHPP); (5) baicalein; and (6) an antisense segment of DNA which selectively binds to DNA encoding 12-lipoxygenase. The '268 patent does not disclose specific constructs and methods suitable for inducing apoptosis in adipocytes.
None of the prior art discloses that platelet-type 12-LO may be expressed in human adipocytes or pre-adipocytes and that it may mediate an anti-apoptotic function in these cells. Nowhere in the art is it suggested, taught or demonstrated that inhibition of 12-LO expression or activity may be effectively used to reduce fat cell mass, nor does the art disclose any constructs, compositions or methods for silencing 12-LO in fat cells in vivo. There exists an unmet medical need for effective and safe means for amelioration of conditions associated with excess fat cell mass and obesity.

Adipocyte-specific constructs and methods for inhibiting platelet-type 12 lipoxygenase expression

The Medical Research Fund at the Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center


An integrated circuit (“IC”) package strip support assembly for a saw table including a first material having a first hardness and having a surface adapted to engage a first surface of an IC package strip during sawing; and a second material having a second hardness and having a surface adapted to engage the first surface of the IC package strip during sawing wherein the second hardness is less than the first hardness.

Integrated circuit ("IC") packages typically comprise at least one IC die mounted on a substrate, such as a lead frame. The die and substrate are generally encapsulated in a block of protective mold compound. Electrical leads or other electrical contact surfaces that are not encapsulated in mold compound enable the IC package to be connected to other electrical circuitry such as, for example, by connecting the IC package leads to contact surfaces of a printed circuit board.
IC packages are generally formed in IC package "strips" that include a plurality of interconnected lead frames and associated dies that have been encapsulated in mold compound. The individual IC packages are separated in a process known as singulation. During singulation, a saw or laser cuts the lead frame strip along "saw streets" arranged in a rectangular grid to create the individual IC packages.
One popular type of IC package is known as a ball grid array or "BGA." A BGA package has a grid of solder balls mounted on a substrate at the bottom of the package. To attach a BGA package to a circuit board, the solder balls are bonded under heat and pressure to the corresponding contact surfaces of the circuit board. A BGA strip is a group of integrally connected BGA substrates having dies mounted on and electrically connected to each BGA leadframe on the strip. The BGA strip further includes a block of encapsulating mold compound that covers the interconnected leadframes and dies mounted thereon except for the BGA arrays on the bottom of each of the BGA leadframes.

Integrated circuit package strip support assembly


An electrical connector plug has resilient contact terminals for electrical connection to an electrical connector socket. The electrical connector plug has an electrically conductive housing, and a dielectric shell and resilient contact terminals are mounted in the electrically conductive housing. The dielectric shell has a base portion and a front edge portion extending from the base portion. Two groups of resilient contact terminals are mounted on the dielectric shell and axially symmetrical to each other in the longitudinal direction, with each of the resilient contact terminals having a flat section and an upwardly protruding contact section. A metallic shield frame surrounds the front edge portion and is electrically connected to the electrically conductive housing, with the metallic shield frame having a front section and two lateral protective sections. The lateral protective sections have a height no less than that of the upwardly protruding contact sections.

With the current prevalence of computers, people frequently connect various types of accessory devices to their computers so as to realize additional or desired functions. The most common of these accessory devices include external hard drives, portable disks, video and audio players, external power supplies, mice and keyboards. However, when multi-media computers initially came to rise, the manufacturers of these computers did not reach a consensus on the specifications for the transmission interfaces of these accessory devices. For example, many printers can only be connected to an LPT port; many MODEMs can only be connected to RS232 ports, several types of mice and keyboards can only connect to a PS/2 ports, and so on. Further, these different interface specifications often require the installation of corresponding drivers and then rebooting of the computing device prior to use. This can be a source of significant inconvenience to consumers in terms of use, and also increases difficulties for computer manufacturers and accessory manufacturers in terms of coordination.
With this background in mind, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface supports both hot swapping and plug-and-play features. Hot swapping means the USB accessory device can be directly plugged/unplugged when the computer is running with the appropriate software, and this hot-swapping will not damage the host or USB accessory devices. Plug-and-play means the computer can detect and use the newly plugged-in accessory device in real time without the need of rebooting. Moreover, USB speeds are typically much higher than that of traditional standard interfaces, such as parallel ports (e.g. EPP, LPT) and serial ports (e.g. RS-232). With the above advantages and market demands, USB has now become a popularly accepted specification.
To date, the development of USB technology has gone through three major phases, from version 1.0 to version 3.0. Since the original USB plug only fits one specific way in the USB socket, the USB socket can be damaged if the user inserts the USB plug in the wrong direction. Further, it is somewhat troublesome to change and maintain the USB socket built into a host computer. Therefore, a fool-proof structure has been provided to protect against such reverse plugging. However, this structure is still a source of inconvenience for the user despite the fact that reverse plugging is avoided. Therefore, the newest USB 3.0 plug is designed to be able to be engaged in both orientations (i.e., up and down). Inserted in either way, it can electrically connect to the socket, which improves the previous structural design which only fits one way.
Due to the inconvenience related to maintenance or repairs of a USB socket, users and manufacturers actively seek to protect the USB socket to eliminate such maintenance-related troubles. However, in addition to the above orientation problems, there are also some other factors that may damage USB sockets, such as the resilient contact terminals inside the socket. After coupling the USB plug, the resilient contact terminals in the USB socket are pressed back by the engaging terminals of the USB plug, and resist the insertion pressure to elastically abut against the engaging terminals without any gaps, thus maintaining the electrical connection between the USB socket and the USB plug stable.
However, USB 3.0 is more compact than the previous USB 1.0 or 2.0 versions, and as a result the structure of the resilient contact terminals is more delicate and fine due to the greater numbers. If the resilient contact terminals are pressed improperly or used for a long time, the structure may be deformed, which can cause elastic fatigue or displacement. This can lead to gaps, interruption in the electrical connections between the engaging terminals and the resilient contact terminals, and reduction in the effectiveness of the USB accessory device. Additionally, many situations require using multiple USB accessory devices collaboratively. For example, clearing and sorting redundant or disordered data in a computer using an external hard drive requires three objects: the mouse, keyboard and external hard drive. In case of malfunction on any USB socket, the user must give up one of these three devices. Consequently, the user cannot finish the desired goal using an external hard drive. Some accessory devices also have large power requirements, and so they can occupy two neighboring USB sockets. If one of these sockets is broken, it can be a source of great inconvenience to the computer operator.
To continue to back up and clear the data in the computer, most users are forced to consider replacing the damaged USB socket. However, it is quite difficult for the users to change a USB socket because it requires disassembling the computer and checking the motherboard. Moreover, this kind of repair may take several days. Nowadays, people rely on computers to such a degree that they may feel it is not worth it to spend so much time on a small component, which would delay their work or entertainment.

Electrical connector plug having a metallic shield surronding a front edge of the plug


An apparatus for holding a disk with a central hole has a front rod which is received in a chuck so as to be able to move along its axis. The chuck is slidably received between the inner surface of a cylinder and the outer surface of the front rod. The front rod has on its front end an inverted truncated cone of which the maximum outer diameter is smaller than the diameter of the opening in the disk. When a part of the chuck is protruding from the cylinder, the disk can move past a bulge formed on the chuck and positioned on an expander. When the front rod is retracted into the cylinder, the inverted truncated cone moves inside the front end of the chuck so as to spread the chuck until it touches the inner surface of the opening of the disk, and the chuck is retracted along with the front rod so that the disk is firmly grasped and held between the front end of the cylinder and the bulge.

A prior art apparatus for grasping and rotating a disk for treating its both surfaces, has a pair of grasp means for grasping a central portion of the disk from both sides for indexing and rotating it. Such an apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Ko-kai (Laid-Open) Publication No. 61-71961.
There is another kind of disk grasping and rotating apparatus which has a pair of grasp means for grasping a disk from both sides to index the disk. A rotatable chuck extends from one of the grasp means into a central opening of the disk, and a rod which is slidably received in the chuck spreads the chuck so as to support the disk from the inside. Next, the grasp means separate from the disk and the disk is rotated by rotating the chuck which grasps the disk. This apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Ko-kai (Laid-Open) Publication No. 61-219562.
In order to simultaneously treat both sides of a disk by using treating tapes, the disk must be indexed at a center between a pair of rolls such that the treating tapes can be pushed on its surfaces.
The aforementioned disk grasping and rotating apparatus can accurately grasp and rotate a disk, but it needs pair of grasp means in order to position or index the disk.
The apparatus which support a disk from the inside and rotates it by means of a chuck means also must be able to position or index the disk by means of a pair of grasp means.


Lightning protection system of wind turbine blades formed by various connections arranged on carbon fibre laminates (2) of the blade (1), equipotentialising the surface of the airfoils (4) of the beam (10) via derivations from a main cable (6) using the respective auxiliary cables (5). The auxiliary cables are connected to metal plates (3) which make the direct connection with the carbon fibre laminates (2) and are positioned during the blade (1) laminating and curing process, or they are connected to metal pins, preferably cone shaped, which pass through the hybrid laminate. Around the connections a nanocomposite based conductive resin (11) is arranged. In the case of a hybrid laminate with layers of carbon fibre and layers of fibre glass, the equipotential state of the different layers is achieved using windows, discontinuities or open spaces in the fibreglass layers.

The inclusion of carbon fibre in the manufacturing of wind turbine blades is quite new and although its use is fairly extensive amongst the most important companies in the sector, the experience in relation to the method used for protection against lightning is still fairly limited and there is no general knowledge of any technique whose efficacy has been demonstrated.
Both the regulations applicable to wind turbines and existing literature on the subject, speak of an efficient method of protecting fibre glass blades against lightning consisting of a lightning protection system based on occasional receptors located along the length of the blade and a cable which connects said receptors to the blade root and passes through its interior.
In this sense the following patent can be quoted WO 96/07825 which presents a "Lightning protection for wind turbine blades" comprising an electrical conductor which extends from the tip of the blade travelling through the inside of the blade and ending at the blade root in a pin rod which allows the turning of the blade. The conductor will be with or without insulated covering and contributes to the support of the blade itself.
From WO 0177527 a blade is known which presents a protection against lightning with internal and external conductors, connected to each other and distributed along the whole blade. It also presents a series of penetration points and a pair of configurations for the tip and the rest of the blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,810 presents a protection whereby the blade comprises a pair of conductors extended lengthways along the surface of the blade (it also incorporates anti-ice heating elements). The blade tip has an impact receptor connected to a third conductor which runs through the inside of the blade. All conductors and heaters are connected to each other.
Existing literature on the impacts of lightning also state the need for equipotentialising the object which will receive the impact with the lightning protection system. In other words, in order for all elements to be at the same potential they must be electrically connected by conductors located on the area to be protected.
Carbon fibre, as a conducting material, must be kept equipotential with the lightning protection system. The problem with leaving conductor elements insulated is the high difference in potential which is created between them due to induction phenomena caused by the lightning when it passes through the lightning protection system. This difference in potential may give rise to arcing, which could be fatal in the case concerning us where the carbon fibre laminate constitutes the main resistant part of the blade.
There are different metal mesh based systems which attempt to prevent any intervention of the carbon fibre compound in the potential differences problem yet none of them have been shown to be efficient at solving the problem.

Lightning conductor system for wind generator blades comprising carbon fibre laminates


A question and answer game is disclosed comprising a card. The card has a first and second side. On the first side, a question and a code key are displayed. The code key correlates answer indicia to key indicia. On the second side, a list of possible answers, only one of which is a correct, is displayed along with a particular key indicium. Each possible answer has a corresponding answer indicium. The particular key indicium corresponds to a correct answer indicium in the code key, and the correct answer indicium corresponds, in turn, to the correct answer. In the method embodiment of the invention, a player reads the question displayed on the first side of the card. Next, the list of possible answers displayed on the second side is read. At any point after the question is read, answers may be proffered. To determine the correct answer, a player reads the particular key indicium displayed on the second side of the card. The player then flips the card around to the first side to associate the particular key indicium to the correct answer indicium using the code key. Next, the player again flips the card over to associate the correct answer indicium with the correct answer on the second side.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a question and answer game/tutorial. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and device for encoding a correct answer such that a user may read a question and a list of possible answers without learning the identity of the correct answer.
2. Background
Question and answer games and tutorials are both entertaining and educational. Traditionally, these games involve selecting a person to read a question from a card to a group of people. Along with the question, often times a list of possible answers will be provided. The person reading the question, however, is generally precluded from responding to the question because usually he or she learns of the correct answer when reading the card. This also prohibits the reader from using the game in a solitary or self-study manner. It is therefore preferred that measures be taken to conceal the correct answer from the reader.
A variety of games involve a card having a coded answer. For example, some games use a card having a question with a corresponding coded indicium. A separate reference is used to decode the indicium and determine the correct answer or identity. Using a separate document, however, can be awkward and frequently the answer key is lost or otherwise separated from the question card.
Other games use a card having a question and possible answers on the same side. The answer key is provided on the reverse side. Although this card may allow the reader to read both the question and possible answers without knowing the correct answer, it does not allow the reader to read just the question without seeing the possible answers. Frequently, it is preferable to "take a crack" at answering a question without looking at the possible answers.
Therefore, a need exists for a question and answer game that conceals the identity of the correct answer from reader while he or she reads the question and the possible answers. The present invention fulfills this need among others.


An agricultural tillage implement includes: a frame member; and a disk blade hanger assembly. The disk blade hanger assembly includes: a disk blade hanger coupled with the frame member; a disk blade; and a spindle assembly including a spindle and a saddle member, the spindle being rotationally coupled with the disk blade, the saddle member being connected to the disk blade hanger and including a curved surface which is connected to the spindle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to agricultural implements, and, more particularly, to disk blade spindles of agricultural tillage implements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Farmers utilize a wide variety of tillage implements to prepare soil for planting. Some such implements include two or more sections coupled together to perform multiple functions as they are pulled through fields by a tractor, for example, a cultivator/harrow which is capable of simultaneously tilling soil and leveling the tilled soil in preparation for planting. This implement includes a cultivator that is towed by a tractor, and a harrow that is towed by the cultivator.
In one type of tilling operation, rows or gangs of circular disk blades are pulled through the soil at variable depths to break up clods or lumps of soil, as well as old plant material to provide a more amenable soil structure for planting and to level the soil surface. The gangs of disks are arranged on frames that extend generally laterally with respect to the direction of movement through a field and more particularly are angled with respect to the direction of movement.
A disk blade can be attached to the frame member (such as a frame tube) by way of a disk blade hanger. Fixedly attached to the disk blade hanger is a spindle about which the disk blade rotates, such as by way of a rotating drum. The spindle is a round spindle which is welded directly to a flat plate, which is attached to the disk blade hanger. When the round spindle is welded to the flat plate, the welds are close together, and it is difficult to securely and consistently adhere the round spindle to the flat plate with welds. Likewise, the loading of the welds occurs at a distance from the centerline of the spindle which, in turn, adds excessive leverage to the assembly.
What is needed in the art is a way to strengthen, and to more easily provide for, the connection between the spindle and the disk blade hanger.


A GaAs semiconductor substrate includes a main surface (10m) having an inclined angle of 6° to 16° with respect to a (100) plane (10a), and a concentration of chlorine atoms on the main surface (10m) is not more than 1×1013 cm−2. Further, a method of manufacturing a GaAs semiconductor substrate includes a polishing step of polishing a GaAs semiconductor wafer, a first cleaning step of cleaning the polished GaAs semiconductor wafer, an inspection step of inspecting a thickness and a main surface flatness of the GaAs semiconductor wafer subjected to the first cleaning, and a second cleaning step of cleaning the inspected GaAs semiconductor wafer with one of an acid other than hydrochloric acid and an alkali. Thereby, a GaAs semiconductor substrate that allows to obtain a group III-V compound semiconductor device having high properties even when at least one group III-V compound semiconductor layer containing not less than three elements is grown on a main surface, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a GaAs semiconductor substrate suitably used as a substrate for a group III-V compound semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, and to a group III-V compound semiconductor device including the GaAs semiconductor substrate and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
GaAs semiconductor substrates have been widely used as substrates for group III-V compound semiconductor devices such as an LED (light emitting diode), an LD (laser diode), and the like. A group III-V compound semiconductor device is obtained by forming one or more group III-V compound semiconductor layers on a main surface of a GaAs semiconductor substrate.
If an acid substance as an impurity is present in large amounts on a main surface of a GaAs semiconductor substrate, the main surface becomes rough. A shape defect occurs in a group III-V compound semiconductor layer formed on the rough main surface of the GaAs semiconductor substrate. Therefore, a yield of a group III-V compound semiconductor device is reduced.
Consequently, to increase a yield of a group III-V compound semiconductor device, for example, a group III-V compound semiconductor wafer in which the number of atoms of an acid substance on a polished and cleaned surface is not more than 5×1012 per cm2, and a method of manufacturing the same have been proposed (see Japanese Patent No. 3480411 (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-223191)).

GaAs semiconductor substrate for group III-V compound semiconductor device


A magnetic body is provided to improve heat transport capability and heat transport efficiency. A magnetic body arranged plate has magnetic body units each including magnetic members. Low-temperature side and high-temperature side heat exchange units are disposed at ends of each magnetic body unit. Permanent magnets and heat conductive members are arranged on a magnet/heat conductive member arranged plate. When the magnetic body arranged plate and the magnet/heat conductive member arranged plate are moved relative to each other, the permanent magnets apply magnetism separately to the magnetic members of each magnetic body unit. The magnet/heat conductive member arranged plate creates a temperature difference and conducts heat in one direction between the magnetic members, the low-temperature side heat exchange unit, and the high-temperature side heat exchange unit.

Conventionally, the majority of the heating and cooling or air conditioning devices operating in room temperature range such as refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners take advantage of the thermal conductivity of a gas refrigerant like chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gas and its alternatives. More recently, the problem of ozone depletion caused by the discharge of Freon™ gas, and further, the effects of global warming due to discharge of alternative Freon™ have been realized. Therefore, the development of the air conditioning device is strongly desired, which is clean and innovative with high heat transfer capacity as an alternative to the refrigerator using the gaseous refrigerant and causing the high environmental loads due to use of CFC or its alternatives.
Against this background, air conditioning technology that is attracting attention recently is a magnetic heating and cooling technology. Some of the magnetic material, when the magnitude of the magnetic field applied to the magnetic body is changed, varies its own temperature in response to that change, through so-called magnetocaloric effect. The magnetic conditioning device technology is directed to such technology for transporting heat by using a magnetic material expressing the magneto-caloric effect.
For a refrigerator utilizing the magnetic refrigeration technique, for example, a magnetic refrigerator such as that described in Japanese Patent Application No. JP-A No. 2007-147209 transports heat by using heat conduction of solid material. This magnetic refrigerator causes to conduct heat by the configuration described below.
A positive magnetic member that increases in temperature when applied with magnetism or magnetic field and a negative magnetic member that decreases in temperature when applied with magnetism are alternately arranged at predetermined intervals. A pair of the positive and the negative magnetic members constitute a magnetic member block. A magnetic member unit is formed by arranging a plurality of the magnetic blocks annually. A heat conducting member for selectively inserting into or removing from between the positive and negative magnetic members arranged on the magnetic member unit is disposed between the positive and negative magnetic members. A magnetic circuit is formed by arranging permanent magnets disposed on a hub-shaped rotating member which is concentric with and has substantially the same inner and outer diameters as this magnetic member unit. Further, the rotating member on which permanent magnets are disposed is disposed so as to face the magnetic members and is caused to rotate relative to the magnetic member unit. By this rotation of the rotating member, the positive magnetic member and the negative magnetic member are simultaneously applied with magnetism and the magnetism is then removed. The heat conducting member is selectively inserted into or removed from between the positive and negative magnetic members at predetermined timing in accordance with the rotation of the rotating member. Consequently, the heat generated by the magnetic members through the magnetocaloric effect is transported via the heat conducting member in a direction of the arranged magnetic members. However, in this case, it is necessary to use two different, i.e. positive and negative magnetic members.
In general, the magnitude of the magnetocaloric effect of the positive magnetic member and that of the negative magnetic member are different from each other. Specifically, the magnetocaloric effect of the negative magnetic material is small compared to the magnetocaloric effect of the positive magnetic material. Therefore, in the case of a magnetic refrigerator using a magnetic body of two different, positive and negative members, since it is impossible to obtain a uniform magnetocaloric effect, thus the heat transfer efficiency of the magnetic refrigerator overall is poor. It is possible to increase the heat transfer efficiency when a uniform magnetocaloric effect is obtained. Thus, there is room for improvement in this respect. Further, the material of the negative magnetic material is relatively of rare materials as compared to the material of the positive magnetic material, the magnetic refrigerator becomes more expensive.
Furthermore, since the magnetic circuit applying or removing a magnetic field simultaneously the two, i.e. positive and negative materials is large, a large and heavy magnetic refrigerator is the result. If the weight of the magnetic circuit can be smaller, it is possible to reduce the size of the magnetic refrigerator and to lower the cost and weight. In this regard, there is further room for improvement.

Magnetic refrigerator utilizing a permanent magnet to create movement between plates comprising high and low temperature side heat exchangers


An apparatus is provided with an illuminating light source for illuminating a user's eye and an optical system for causing, Purkinje image and an anterior eye part image created by the illumination to be formed on a solid state image pickup element, and is designed such that the influence of extraneous light is mitigated in the output signal of the solid state image pickup element by the use of a polarizing element for selecting the polarization characteristic of the image light received by the solid state image pickup element.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the optical system of an information input unit usable in the finder of an ordinary still camera, a video camera or an optical instrument for viewing, a computer, a machine tool, a patient's will displaying apparatus or the like to detect a utilizer's visual axis and control the instrument.
2. Related Background Art
There have heretofore been proposed various visual axis detecting apparatuses for detecting what position on an observation surface an observer (utilizer) is observing.
For example, a Japanese patent publication describes a system in which a beam of light from a light source is projected onto the anterior eye part of an examinee and the visual axis of the examinee is found by the utilization of a corneal reflection image based on the reflected light from the examinee's cornea and the imaged position of the examinee's pupil. FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a visual axis detecting method.
In FIG. 14, the reference numeral 1004 designates a light source such as a light-emitting diode emitting infrared light to which the examinee is insensible. The light source 1004 is disposed in the focal plane of a light projecting lens 1006.
The infrared light emitted from this light source 1004 is made into parallel light by the light projecting lens 1006, is reflected by a half mirror 1005 and illuminates the cornea 1001 of an eyeball 1000. At this time, corneal reflection image (Purkinje first image) d based on part of the infrared light reflected by the surface of the cornea 1001 passes through the half mirror 1005, is condensed by a light receiving lens 1007 and re-forms the corneal reflection image d at a position d' on an image sensor 1009. Also, beams of light from the end portions a and b of an iris 1003 are directed onto the image sensor 1009 through the half mirror 1005 and the light receiving lens 1007, and forms the images of the end portions a and b at positions a' and b' on the image sensor.
When the angle of rotation .theta. of the optical axis t of the eyeball relative to the optical axis S of the light receiving lens 1007 is small, if the Z coordinates of the end portions a and b of the iris 1003 are defined as Za, Zb, the coordinates Zc of the center position c of the iris 1003 is expressed as EQU Zc.congruent.(Za+Zb)/2.
Also, if the Z coordinates of the created position d of the corneal reflection image are Zd and the distance between the center of curvature 0 of the cornea 1001 and the center c of the iris 1003 is Loc, the angle of rotation .theta. of the optical axis t of the eyeball substantially satisfies the relational expression that EQU Loc.multidot.sin .theta..congruent.Zc-Zd.
Therefore, by detecting the positions of the corneal reflection image d projected onto the image sensor 1009 and the end portions a and b of the iris 1003, the angle of rotation .theta. of the optical axis t of the eyeball can be found.
In the above-described example of the prior art, the illuminating light is parallel light, but alternatively, divergent light may be used.
FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings illustrates the principle of an eye axis detecting method when divergent light is used as the illuminating light.
Infrared lights emitted from light sources 1004a and 1004b are transmitted through light projecting lenses 1006a and 1006b, whereafter they widely illuminate the cornea 1001 of the eyeball 1000 while diverging. At this time, corneal reflection images e and f based on beams of light of the infrared lights illuminating the eyeball 1000 which are reflected by the surface of the cornea 1001 are re-formed at positions e' and f' on the image sensor 1009 through the light receiving lens 1007. These images e' and f' are the projected images of the corneal reflection images e and f created by a set of light sources 1004a and 1004b. The midpoint of the projected images e' and f' is substantially coincident with the projected position, onto the image sensor 1009, of the cornea image created when illuminating means is disposed on the optical axis t. Also, the infrared light diffused and reflected by the surface of the iris 1003 is directed onto the image sensor 1009 through the light projecting lens 1007 to form an iris image. The light projecting lens may be omitted.
In a calculating device 1010, from the coordinates Za' and Zb' of the end portions a and b of the iris 1003 of the eyeball 1000 and the coordinates Ze' and Zf' of the corneal reflection images on the image sensor 1009, the angle of rotation .theta. of the eyeball 1000 can be found in accordance with the relatival expression that EQU .beta..multidot.Loc.multidot.sin .theta..congruent.(Za'+Zb')/2-(Ze'+Zf')/2,
where .beta. is the magnification of the light receiving optical system. In order to correct the calculated angle of rotation of the optical axis into the angle of rotation of the visual axis, some correction is effected, but this is well known and therefore need not be described.
By thus detecting the direction of the visual axis of the observer's eye to be examined, for example, in a video camera, what position on the finder thereof the observer is observing can be known, and for example, on the basis of that information, the focus of the photo-taking lens of the video camera can also be adjusted to an object corresponding to that position.
Now, assuming that sunlight or intense illuminating light enters the eyeball from between a visual axis detecting apparatus and the face and illuminates, for example, half of the eyeball, a luminance signal indicative of the right side of the iris may become greater in intensity than the left side as shown in FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings to thereby hide the signal f" of the Purkinje image f and make the accurate detection of the visual axis difficult.
As a method for compensating for this, it would occur to mind to make the intensity of the light illuminating the eyeball high, but this could not always be said to be a good method in as much as there will newly arise a problem that Purkinje image obtained by applying intense light to the eyeball will become large and hide the information of the edge of the pupil.


A method for smoothing variations in threshold voltage in an integrated circuit layout. The method begins by identifying recombination surfaces associated with transistors in the layout. Such recombination surfaces are treated to affect the recombination of interstitial atoms adjacent such surfaces, thus minimizing variations in threshold voltage of transistors within the layout.

The invention relates to integrated circuit devices, and more particularly to the suppression of layout sensitivity in a transistor array.
It has long been known that semiconductor materials such as silicon and germanium exhibit the piezoelectric effect (mechanical stress-induced changes in electrical resistance). See for example C. S. Smith, "Piezoresistance effect in germanium and silicon", Phys. Rev., vol. 94, pp. 42-49 (1954), incorporated by reference herein. It has also been observed that stress variations in a transistor array can produce variations in carrier mobility, which in turn leads to variations in threshold voltage in the transistors of the array. That problem, and a solution for it, are set out in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/291,294, entitled "Analysis of Stress Impact on Transistor Performance", assigned to the assignee hereof.
Further study has shown, however, that beyond stress some variation in threshold voltage remains, suggesting some additional factor at work. Variations encountered have been far from trivial, with swings of over 20 mV being common. The art has not suggested any potential causes for such problems, not has it presented solutions. Thus, it has remained for the present inventors to discover the cause of such variations and to devise solutions, all of which are set out below.

Transistor array with selected subset having suppressed layout sensitivity of threshold voltage


The present invention relates to waterfowl decoys. More particularly, the present invention relates to waterfowl decoys with a weighted reel allowing the decoy to automatically self-right upon deployment, an integrated cranking means that allows a hunter to quickly and easily secure an anchor line, and a partially counter-sunk anchor weight.

The floating waterfowl decoy has long been used by hunters to attract waterfowl. The use of decoys is imperative to a successful hunt, especially early in the season. Hunters have, however, long experienced problems using decoys; such as deployment, retrieval, and maintaining the decoys in a desired position while deployed in addition to storage and transportation difficulties. A typical hunter may deploy a decoy only to have the decoy tilt once deployed and fail to self-right. Various ballast means attached to the exterior have been employed in prior art decoys. Typically, however, such ballast protrudes from the decoy thereby frustrating both storage and transportation. Decoys are maintained in position by using anchors, attached to decoys by flexible anchor lines. Decoys in the prior art have required hunters to wrap anchor lines around decoys, often leading to entanglement, both upon deployment and upon retrieval. Prior art anchors often protrude from decoys, even when anchor lines are brought in and the anchor stowed, frustrating both storage and transportation similar to ballast and potentially marring or marking the finish on other decoys during storage and transportation. Prior art anchor lines are often of improper length and result in decoys not holding a desired pattern on the water surface. Later improvements employ various means of taking in anchor lines but many involve springs, metal components or other mechanisms subject to rust and corrosion that renders the decoys useless. Other prior art decoys require hunters to engage in the use of additional tools or implements to reel in or put out anchor line thus requiring the hunter to keep track of yet more equipment and hardware. Deployment and retrieval is made even more difficult by the fact that hunters often engage in this activity in pre-dawn or low light levels, regularly in cold and wet weather conditions.
Various attempts have been made to improve the waterfowl decoy. U.S. Pat. No. 1,789,649 employs a detent and gear to prevent an internal reel from rotating and playing out line after it has been set, and uses an enlarged nib and spring clip to hold the anchor. U.S. Pat. No. 1,951,424 uses a reel attached to a plate and anchor control mechanisms carried by the plate in one end of a chamber located in a decoy. U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,192 discloses a reel hung inside the body of a decoy, with a ratchet-like locking system of notches to engage a locking pin, which also serves as the release lever and line guide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,630 discloses a decoy anchoring mechanism with a detachable reel and weighted handle that is mounted vertically under the keel of a decoy using a pivoting cam and clamp assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,653 employs the use of a hollow keeled-decoy wherein an anchor reel mechanism is enclosed in the hollow keel, the anchor being retrieved by inserting a crank in one end of the reel and cranking to wind the anchor line on a spool, the anchor line being secured by a threaded plug inserted in the anchor housing. U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,811 and U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2002/0157299 disclose a waterfowl decoy with a self-retracting anchor line characterized by a spring-actuated anchor line reel, the anchor trained through an opening in the breast section of the decoy, the anchor being secured by a lock member located in the breast opening.

Self-righting waterfowl decoy with integrated anchor and locking mechanism


A system and method for monitoring service performance are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises: (a) collecting service information from one or more sources in a telecommunications network; (b) converting the service information into values of primary parameters of a service model; and (c) calculating values of secondary parameters of the service model from the primary parameter values, wherein the calculating is performed using relational database tables based on calculation clusters. The calculation clusters are preferably determined from a hierarchical model of the service by dividing the hierarchy in a manner that separates shared service components from the service components that share them, and that separates service components related by 1-to-n and n-to-1 relationships.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to systems and methods for Quality of Service management. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved system for providing real-time monitoring of service quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
The field of telecommunications is evolving. Telecommunications networks began as lines of signaling towers that visually relayed messages from tower to tower. The invention of the telegraph led to electrical communication over wires strung between the transmitter and receiver. Switching techniques were then created to allow a given wire to be used for communication between different transmitters and receivers. What really fueled the expansion of telecommunications networks thereafter was the creation of the telephone, which allowed telephone owners to transmit and receive voice communications over the telegraph wires. It became necessary for telephone companies to maintain a complex infrastructure of telephones, wires, and switching centers.
The telecommunications industry continues to grow, due in large part to the development of digital technology, computers, the Internet, and various information services. The sheer size of the telecommunications infrastructure makes it difficult to manage. Various specializations have sprung up, with telecommunications "carriers" providing and maintaining channels to transport information between localities, and telecommunications "providers" that provide and maintain local exchanges to allow access by end-users, and that provide and maintain billing accounts. In addition, a variety of telecommunications-related businesses exist to provide services such as directory assistance, paging services, voice mail, answering services, telemarketing, mobile communications, Internet access, and teleconferencing.
The relationships between the various entities vary wildly. In an effort to promote efficiency in developing, overseeing, and terminating relationships between telecommunications entities, the TeleManagement Forum has developed a preliminary standard GB 917, "SLA Management Handbook", published June, 2001, that provides a standardized approach to service agreements. Service level agreements, much as the name suggests, are agreements between a telecommunications entity and its customer that the entity will provide services that satisfy some minimum quality standard. The complexity of the telecommunications technology often makes the specification of the minimum quality standard a challenging affair. The approach outlined in the handbook discusses differences between network parameters (the measures that a carrier uses to monitor the performance of the channels used to transport information) and quality of service (QoS) (the measures of service quality that have meaning to a customer). Telecommunications entities need to be able to relate the two measures for their customers.
Next generation (fixed and mobile) network service providers will be urgently competing for market share. One of their existing challenges is to minimize the delay between creation and roll-out of new added-value services. Telecommunications entities wishing to serve these providers need to have the capability to ensure fine control of newly created services in a very short period (weeks instead of months). Existing service platforms, which depend on technology-specific software development, are inadequate.
As new technologies are introduced, resources will be shared between more customers. Yet the customers will expect higher QoS. Telecommunications entities will need a service platform that can measure and monitor the delivered QoS on a customer-by-customer basis. The existing platforms, which only provide customers with dedicated resources, will be unable to compete.
Because existing service platforms rely on technology-specific software development, deployed technologies (i.e. ATM, IPVPN) have hard-coded models, often with fixed (pre-defined) performance parameters. These models are directed at service level assurance for the provider, and are unsuitable for monitoring individual customer QoS. Further, this approach requires that service models for new technologies be developed from scratch, and the resulting heterogeneity of tools required to monitor the different services and/or different steps of the service lifecycle and/or different data required to compute the service status (faults, performance data) guarantees inefficiency and confusion.
For the above reasons, an efficient system and method for service model development, QoS measurement, with customer-by-customer customization, and real-time monitoring, is needed.

Real-time monitoring of service performance through the use of relational database calculation clusters

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The invention relates to compounds of formula (I) wherein R′, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, Y, n and m are as defined herein. The compounds are useful for the treatment and prevention of hepatitis C viral infections in mammals by inhibiting HCV NS3 protease. The invention further relates to azalactone compounds of the formula (III) which can be reacted with an amide anion to produce the compounds of formula (I).

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major etiological agent of post-transfusion and community-acquired non-A non-B hepatitis worldwide. It is estimated that over 200 million people worldwide are infected by the virus. A high percentage of carriers become chronically infected and many progress to chronic liver disease, so-called chronic hepatitis C. This group is in turn at high risk for serious liver disease such as liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and terminal liver disease leading to death.
The mechanism by which HCV establishes viral persistence and causes a high rate of chronic liver disease has not been thoroughly elucidated. It is not known how HCV interacts with and evades the host immune system. In addition, the roles of cellular and humoral immune responses in protection against HCV infection and disease have yet to be established. Immunoglobulins have been reported for prophylaxis of transfusion-associated viral hepatitis, however, the Center for Disease Control does not presently recommend immunoglobulin treatment for this purpose. The lack of an effective protective immune response is hampering the development of a vaccine or adequate post-exposure prophylaxis measures, so in the near-term, hopes are firmly pinned on antiviral interventions.
Various clinical studies have been conducted with the goal of identifying pharmaceutical agents capable of effectively treating HCV infection in patients afflicted with chronic hepatitis C. These studies have involved the use of interferon-alpha, alone and in combination with other antiviral agents. Such studies have shown that a substantial number of the participants do not respond to these therapies, and of those that do respond favorably, a large proportion were found to relapse after termination of treatment.
Interferon in combination with ribavirin has been approved for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C. However, side effects caused by IFN (such as retinopathy, thyroiditis, acute pancreatitis, depression) are not alleviated with this combination therapy. Pegylated forms of interferons such as PEG-Intron® and Pegasys® can apparently partially address these deleterious side effects but antiviral drugs still remain the avenue of choice for oral treatment of HCV.
Therefore, a need exists for the development of effective antiviral agents for treatment of HCV infection that overcome the limitations of existing pharmaceutical therapies.
HCV is an enveloped positive strand RNA virus in the Flaviviridae family. The single strand HCV RNA genome is approximately 9500 nucleotides in length and has a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a single large polyprotein of about 3000 amino acids. In infected cells, this polyprotein is cleaved at multiple sites by cellular and viral proteases to produce the structural and non-structural (NS) proteins. In the case of HCV, the generation of mature nonstructural proteins (NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B) is effected by two viral proteases. The first (generally referred to as the NS2/3 protease) cleaves at the NS2-NS3 junction; the second (the NS3 protease) is a serine protease contained within the N-terminal region of NS3 and mediates all the subsequent cleavages downstream of NS3, both in cis, at the NS3-NS4A cleavage site, and in trans, for the remaining NS4A-NS4B, NS4B—NS5A, NS5A-NS5B sites. The NS4A protein appears to serve multiple functions, acting as a cofactor for the NS3 protease and possibly assisting in the membrane localization of NS3 and other viral replicase components. The complex formation of the NS3 protease with NS4A seems necessary to the processing events, enhancing the proteolytic efficiency at all of the sites. The NS3 protein also exhibits nucleoside triphosphatase and RNA helicase activities. NS5B is a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that is involved in the replication of HCV.
A general strategy for the development of antiviral agents is to inactivate virally encoded enzymes that are essential for the replication of the virus. In a two day clinical trial, it has been shown that the HCV NS3 protease inhibitor BILN 2061 is effective in rapidly reducing viral loads in patients infected with the hepatitis C virus (Gastroenterology (2004) 127(5): 1347-1355), thus providing proof of principle of the clinical antiviral activity of HCV NS3 protease inhibitors.
The NS3 protease has been found to potentially have an additional impact by blocking the IFN-mediated cellular antiviral activity in the infected cell (Foy et al., Science, 17 Apr. 2003). This lends credence to a hypothesis that the NS3/NS4A protease may represent a dual therapeutic target, the inhibition of which may both block viral replication and restore Interferon response of HCV infected cells.
Inhibitors of the HCV NS3 protease have been described in WO 00/09543 (Boehringer Ingelheim), WO 03/064456 (Boehringer Ingelheim), WO 03/064416 (Boehringer Ingelheim), WO 02/060926 (Bristol-Myers Squibb), WO 03/053349 (Bristol-Myers Squibb), WO 03/099316 (Bristol-Myers Squibb), WO 03/099274 (Bristol-Myers Squibb), WO 2004/032827 (Bristol-Myers Squibb), and WO 2004/043339 (Bristol-Myers Squibb).
Acyl sulfamide inhibitors of the HCV NS3 protease have also been described in WO 2005/046712.
The present invention now provides novel compounds that are inhibitory to the NS3 protease. Furthermore, compounds being active in cell culture are provided.
An advantage of one aspect of the present invention resides in the fact that compounds according to this invention specifically inhibit the NS3 protease and do not show significant inhibitory activity against other serine proteases such as human leukocyte elastase (HLE), or cysteine proteases such as human liver cathepsin B (Cat B).