This invention describes an ICE inhibitor prodrug (I) having good bioavailability.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a major pro-inflammatory and immunoregulatory protein that stimulates fibroblast differentiation and proliferation, the production of prostaglandins, collagenase and phospholipase by synovial cells and chondrocytes, basophil and eosinophil degranulation and neutrophil activation. Oppenheim, J. H. et al, Immunology Today, 7, pp. 45-56 (1986). As such, it is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic and acute inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. For example, in rheumatoid arthritis, IL-1 is both a mediator of inflammatory symptoms and of the destruction of the cartilage proteoglycan in afflicted joints. Wood, D. D. et al., Arthritis Rheum. 26, 975, (1983); Pettipher, E. J. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 71, 295 (1986); Arend, W. P. and Dayer, J. M., Arthritis Rheum. 38, 151 (1995). IL-1 is also a highly potent bone resorption agent. Jandiski, J. J., J. Oral Path 17, 145 (1988); Dewhirst, F. E. et al., J. Immunol. 8, 2562 1985). It is alternately referred to as "osteoclast activating factor" in destructive bone diseases such as osteoarthritis and multiple myeloma. Bataille, R. et al., Int. J. Clin. Lab. Res. 21(4), 283 (1992). In certain proliferative disorders, such as acute myelogenous leukemia and multiple myeloma, IL-1 can promote tumor cell growth and adhesion. Bani, M. R., J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 83, 123 (1991); Vidal-Vanaclocha, F., Cancer Res. 54, 2667 (1994). In these disorders, IL-1 also stimulates production of other cytokines such as IL-6, which can modulate tumor development (Tartour et al., Cancer Res. 54, p. 6243 (1994). IL-1 is predominantly produced by peripheral blood monocytes as part of the inflammatory response and exists in two distinct agonist forms, IL-1α and IL-1β. Mosely, B. S. et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 84, pp. 4572-4576 (1987); Lonnemann, G. et al., Eur. J. Immunol., 19, pp. 1531-1536 (1989).
IL-1β is synthesized as a biologically inactive precursor, pro-IL-1β. Pro-IL-1β lacks a conventional leader sequence and is not processed by a signal peptidase. March, C. J., Nature, 315, pp. 641-647 (1985). Instead, pro-IL-1β is cleaved by interleukin-1β converting enzyme (ICE) between Asp-116 and Ala-117 to produce the biologically active C-terminal fragment found in human serum and synovial fluid. Sleath, P. R., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 265, pp. 14526-14528 (1992); A. D. Howard et al., J. Immunol., 147, pp. 2964-2969 (1991). ICE is a cysteine protease localized primarily in monocytes. It converts precursor IL-1β to the mature form. Black, R. A. et al., FEBS Lett., 247, pp. 386-390 (1989); Kostura, M. J. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 86, pp. 5227-5231 (1989). Processing by ICE is also necessary for the transport of mature IL-1β through the cell membrane.
ICE (or caspase-1) is a member of a family of homologous enzymes called caspases. These homologs have sequence similarities in the active site regions of the enzymes. Such homologs (caspases) include TX (or ICErel-II or ICH-2) (caspase-4) (Faucheu, et al., EMBO J., 14, p. 1914 (1995); Kamens J., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 270, p. 15250 (1995); Nicholson et al., J. Biol. Chem., 270 15870 (1995)), TY (or ICErel-III) (caspase-5) (Nicholson et al., J. Biol. Chem., 270, p. 15870 (1995); ICH-1 (or Nedd-2) (caspase-2) (Wang, L. et al., Cell, 78, p. 739 (1994)), MCH-2 (caspase-6), (Fernandes-Alnemri, T. et al., Cancer Res., 55, p. 2737 (1995), CPP32 (or YAMA or apopain) (caspase-3) (Fernandes-Alnemri, T. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 269, p. 30761 (1994); Nicholson, D. W. et al., Nature, 376, p. 37 (1995)), CMH-1 (or MCH-3) (caspase-7) (Lippke, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 271(4), p 1825-1828 (1996)); Fernandes-Alnemri, T. et al., Cancer Res., (1995)), Mch5 (caspase-8) (Muzio, M. et. al., Cell 85(6), 817-827, (1996)), MCH-6 (caspase-9) (Duan, H. et. al., J. Biol. Chem., 271(34), p. 16720-16724 (1996)), Mch4 (caspase-10) (Vincenz, C. et. al., J. Biol. Chem., 272, p. 6578-6583 (1997); Fernandes-Alnemri, T. et. al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93, p. 7464-7469 (1996)), Ich-3 (caspase-11) (Wang, S. et. al., J. Biol. Chem., 271, p. 20580-20587 (1996)), mCASP-12 (caspase-12), (Van de Craen, M. et. al., FEBS Lett. 403, p. 61-69 (1997); Yuan, Y. and Miura, M. PCT Publication WO95/00160 (1995)), ERICE (caspase-13), (Humke, E. W., et. al., J. Biol. Chem., 273(25) p. 15702-15707 (1998)), and MICE (caspase-14) (Hu, S. et. al., J. Biol. Chem., 273(45) p. 29648-29653 (1998)).
Each of these ICE homologs, as well as ICE itself, is capable of inducing apoptosis when overexpressed in transfected cell lines. Inhibition of one or more of these homologs with the peptidyl ICE inhibitor Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-chloromethylketone results in inhibition of apoptosis in primary cells or cell lines. Lazebnik et al., Nature, 371, p. 346 (1994).
Caspases also appear to be involved in the regulation of programmed cell death or apoptosis. Yuan, J. et al., Cell, 75, pp. 641-652 (1993); Miura, M. et al., Cell, 75, pp. 653-660 (1993); Nett-Fiordalisi, M. A. et al., J. Cell Biochem., 17B, p. 117 (1993). In particular, ICE or ICE homologs are thought to be associated with the regulation of apoptosis in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Marx, J. and M. Baringa, Science, 259, pp. 760-762 (1993); Gagliardini, V. et al., Science, 263, pp. 826-828 (1994). Inhibition of caspases have also recently been shown to be effective in a murine model of amylotropic lateral sclerosis. Li, M. et al.; Science, 288, pp. 335-339 (2000). Therapeutic applications for inhibition of apoptosis may include, among others, treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, myocardial infarction, spinal atrophy, and aging.
ICE has been demonstrated to mediate apoptosis (programmed cell death) in certain tissue types. Steller, H., Science, 267, p. 1445 (1995); Whyte, M. and Evan, G., Nature, 376, p. 17 (1995); Martin, S. J. and Green, D. R., Cell, 82, p. 349 (1995); Alnemri, E. S., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 270, p. 4312 (1995); Yuan, J. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol., 7, p. 211 (1995). A transgenic mouse with a disruption of the ICE gene is deficient in Fas-mediated apoptosis (Kuida, K. et al., Science 267, 2000 (1995)). This activity of ICE is distinct from its role as the processing enzyme for pro-IL-1β. It is conceivable that in certain tissue types, inhibition of ICE may not affect secretion of mature IL-1β, but may inhibit apoptosis.
Enzymatically active ICE has been previously described as a heterodimer composed of two subunits, p20 and p10 (20 kDa and 10 kDa molecular weight, respectively). These subunits are derived from a 45 kDa proenzyme (p45) by way of a p30 form, through an activation mechanism that is autocatalytic. Thornberry, N. A. et al., Nature, 356, pp. 768-774 (1992). The ICE proenzyme has been divided into several functional domains: a prodomain (p14), a p22/20 subunit, a polypeptide linker and a p10 subunit. Thornberry et al., supra; Casano et al., Genomics, 20, pp. 474-481 (1994).
Full length p45 has been characterized by its cDNA and amino acid sequences. PCT patent applications WO 91/15577 and WO 94/00154. The p20 and p10 cDNA and amino acid sequences are also known. Thornberry et al., supra. Murine and rat ICE have also been sequenced and cloned. They have high amino acid and nucleic acid sequence homology to human ICE. Miller, D. K. et al., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 696, pp. 133-148 (1993); Molineaux, S. M. et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 90, pp. 1809-1813 (1993). The three-dimensional structure of ICE has been determined at atomic resolution by X-ray crystallography. Wilson, K. P., et al., Nature, 370, pp. 270-275 (1994). The active enzyme exists as a tetramer of two p20 and two p10 subunits.
Recently, ICE and other members of the ICE/CED-3 family have been linked to the conversion of pro-IL-18 to IL-18 or to the production of IFN-γ in vivo (PCT application PCT/US96/20843, publication no. WO 97/22619, which is incorporated herein by reference). IL-18 is synthesized in vivo as the precursor protein "pro-IL-18".
Interleukin-18 (IL-18), formerly interferon-gamma inducing factor, (IGIF) is an approximately 18-kDa polypeptide that stimulates T-cell production of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ-). IL-18 is produced by activated Kupffer cells and macrophages in vivo and is exported out of such cells upon endotoxin stimulation. Like IL-1β, IL-18 is synthesized as a biologically inactive precursor molecule lacking a single peptide, which requires cleavage into an active, mature molecule by IL-1β converting enzyme. Dinerello, C. A. Methods, 19, pp 121-132 (1999). Thus, a compound that decreases IL-18 production would be useful as an inhibitor of such T-cell stimulation which in turn would reduce the levels of IFN-γ production by those cells.
IFN-γ is a cytokine with immunomodulatory effects on a variety of immune cells. In particular, IFN-γ is involved in macrophage activation and Th1 cell selection (F. Belardelli, APMIS, 103, p. 161 (1995)). IFN-γ exerts its effects in part by modulating the expression of genes through the STAT and IRF pathways (C. Schindler and J. E. Darnell, Ann. Rev. Biochem., 64, p. 621 (1995); T. Taniguchi, J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol., 121, p. 516 (1995)).
Mice lacking IFN-γ or its receptor have multiple defects in immune cell function and are resistant to endotoxic shock (S. Huang et al., Science, 259, p. 1742 (1993); D. Dalton et al., Science, 259, p. 1739 (1993); B. D. Car et al., J. Exp. Med., 179, p. 1437 (1994)). Along with IL-12, IL-18 appears to be a potent inducer of IFN-γ production by T cells (H. Okamura et al., Infection and Immunity, 63, p. 3966 (1995); H. Okamura et al., Nature, 378, p. 88 (1995); S. Ushio et al., J. Immunol., 156, p. 4274 (1996)).
IFN-γ has been shown to contribute to the pathology associated with a variety of inflammatory, infectious and autoimmune disorders and diseases. Thus, compounds capable of decreasing IFN-γ production would be useful to ameliorate the effects of IFN-γ related pathologies.
Accordingly, compositions and methods capable of regulating the conversion of pro-IL-18 to IL-18 would be useful for decreasing IL-18 and IFN-γ production in vivo, and thus for ameliorating the detrimental effects of these proteins which contribute to human disorders and diseases.
Caspase inhibitors represent a class of compounds useful for the control of inflammation or apoptosis or both. Peptide and peptidyl inhibitors of ICE have been described (PCT patent applications WO 91/15577, WO 93/05071, WO 93/09135, WO 93/12076, WO 93/14777, WO 93/16710, WO 95/35308, WO 96/30395, WO 96/33209 and WO 98/01133; European patent applications 503 561, 547 699, 618 223, 623 592, and 623 606; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,434,248, 5,710,153, 5,716,929, and 5,744,451). Such peptidyl inhibitors of ICE have been observed to block the production of mature IL-1β in a mouse model of inflammation (vide infra) and to suppress growth of leukemia cells in vitro (Estrov et al., Blood, 84, 380a (1994)). However, due to their peptidic nature, such inhibitors are typically characterized by undesirable pharmacologic properties, such as poor cellular penetration and cellular activity, poor oral absorption, instability and rapid metabolism. Plattner, J. J. and D. W. Norbeck, in Drug Discovery Technologies, C. R. Clark and W. H. Moos, Eds. (Ellis Horwood, Chichester, England, 1990), pp. 92-126. These properties have hampered their development into effective drugs.
Non-peptidyl compounds have also been reported to inhibit ICE in vitro. PCT patent application WO 95/26958; U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,400; Dolle et al., J. Med. Chem., 39, pp. 2438-2440 (1996). It is not clear however whether these compounds have the appropriate pharmacological profiles to be therapeutically useful.
WO 99/47545 describes a novel class of caspase inhibitors reported to have a favorable in vivo profile. These inhibitors are represented by the formula:
where X, Y, and R1-R6 are various substituents. Among the many examples of this class of inhibitors, the following structure was disclosed:

As is known in the art, the bioavailability of compounds within a structural class is difficult to predict. Relatively minor structural modifications often have a large impact on the absorption of a compound, its blood level concentrations and/or its half-life. For example, such variations in bioavailability can be seen from the data in WO 99/47545. As a consequence, structurally related compounds that have very good in vitro potency may vary in therapeutic effectiveness.
Though progress has been made in improving the bioavailability of ICE inhibitors, there continues to be a need to identify and develop compounds that can effectively inhibit caspases, and that have improved in vivo activity. Such compounds would be useful as agents for preventing and treating chronic and acute forms of IL-1-, apoptosis-, IL-18-, or IFN-γ-mediated diseases, as well as inflammatory, autoimmune, destructive bone, proliferative, infectious, or degenerative diseases.

Abstract: Compound I is useful for treating IL-1 mediated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory peritonitis, septic shock, pancreatitis, traumatic brain injury, organ transplant rejection, osteoarthritis, asthma, psoriasis, Alzheimer's disease, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, Huntington's disease, atherosclerosis, atopic dermatitis, leukemias and related disorders, myelodysplastic syndrome, uveitis or multiple myeloma.


A system and method (510) for software documentation process control includes the steps of receiving and storing check-in data related to documentation (540, 542, 544, 546, 550, 552) checked into a version control system (12). Subsequently, the documentation are associated with a specific version and release of a software product, and tags the documentation with a unique label indicative of the specific version and release of the software product. The documentation is stored in a project file directory (566) associated with the specific version and release of the software product.

Large-scale software development efforts require proper coordination and management of teams of software engineers and test engineers. When a software development effort involves a large group of engineers simultaneously working on multiple versions and releases of a large number of different source modules of the software product, confusion and inefficiency easily results if the development process and subsequent product release are not properly managed.
For example, some engineers may be coding source modules for version 3.1 of a software product X, while some engineers may be incorporating newer features into source modules for version 4.0, and still some engineers may be providing a fix to some problems reported in source modules of version 2.1. Note that it is possible to have overlap between the three groups of engineers, so that an engineer may be involved in all three efforts.
Compounding the problem is the fact that each version of a software product must pass through multiple developmental stages prior to its release, where advancing to the next stage requires the passing of some predetermined testing and approval process. To be tested, all the source modules for that version of the software product must be collected and built into a load. The process of load building is also called compiling and linking of all the source modules. The resultant load or build is the software product to be tested or to be delivered to the customers when all the developmental stages have been passed.
Previously, the process of determining which source modules to collect, collecting the source modules, and building the load therefrom was tedious and time-consuming. Many hours were spent in meetings with software engineers and managers to determine which source modules should be included in which version, and what reported problems were fixed by which source modules, and whether the source modules with new features should be included in the present build. The end result is a list of source modules that is used to identify and pull the source modules, typically from a version control subsystem into which engineers have checked in their work. The source modules are then manually identified and compiled into a load, and manually downloaded into a storage medium such as a tape or compact disc for delivery to the customers.
In addition, the task of preparing and collecting the documentation related to specific versions and releases of the software product is daunting. Documentation may include those that are generated for internal usage and to document knowledge, and those generated for auditing purposes, and for customer training or education. These documentation may include project meeting minutes, requirements documentation, design specification documentation, standards checklist used when the project goes from one phase of development to the next, test cases, test reports, customer documentation and manuals, build procedures, build reports, etc. Therefore, it is a substantial task to ensure that documentation for a software product is properly associated with the correct version and release of software product.
It may be seen that because the process of building a software load and document preparation and collection are repeatedly performed in the development of the software product, considerable savings in time, energy, and funds are possible if the process is automated and made more efficient.

Software documentation release control system


A brace for use in the construction industry includes a pivoting joint and attachment brackets for securing rafters to wall members. An upper bracket attaches to the rafters, a lower bracket attaches to the wall members, and the pivoting joint acts to accommodate the roof pitch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to construction apparatus for joining and reinforcing structural members. More particularly this invention relates to a novel brace for reinforcing the joint of the roof to the wall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art many construction aids have been presented to assist the joining of structural members, and these have exclusively been rigid braces and brackets which attach to the structural members. However, no brace has been proposed for joining the rafters of a roof to the wall members, such as the wall plate and tie beam. Moreover, no device has been presented which is able to effectively accommodate the varying roof slopes encountered in the construction industry.


An glove that has one or more pads that insulate and resist moisture for holding beverage containers. The pad or pads are positioned at the surface of the glove that contacts a beverage container when a wearer of the glove grasps the container. The pads provide an enhanced grip and comfort for the wearer's hand when holding a beverage container.

Beverages are commonly consumed at outdoor events including parties, picnics and sporting events. Containers from which beverages are consumed outdoors include mugs, glasses, bottles, and cans. Beverages, and frequently the containers from which they are consumed, are generally either chilled or heated. Frequently, the temperature of a beverage is inversely related to the outside temperature, cold drinks being favored when it is warm and hot or warm drinks being preferred when it is cold. However, though perhaps less common cold drinks are often consumed outdoors in cold weather and hot drinks are consumed in warm weather.
It is preferable that beverages maintain their temperature while they are held and being consumed. Different beverage containers have different abilities to maintain the temperature of beverages. Insulating containers or holders that help maintain a beverage's temperature are used for outdoor consumption of beverages. Examples of insulting containers include insulated mugs and insulating sleeves for cans. Cans and bottles, which function through most of their use to hold a beverage for shipping and storing rather than while the beverage is consumed, are generally less effective at maintaining the temperature of the held beverage when held than are containers that are made to hold a beverage while it is consumed. A person's hand can heat a chilled beverage through bottles and particularly through cans. This is generally recognized to be a warm weather problem. In cold weather, rather than concern for heating the beverage, a person who consumes a chilled beverage from a bottle or can may be concerned that the chilled container makes the hand holding the container cold and uncomfortable.
In addition to maintaining the temperature of a beverage, consuming beverages outdoors raises concerns related to maintaining a grip on a beverage container. Avoiding dropping a container and spilling a beverage is desirable for many reasons. Dropping a container can create a hazard by breaking a container. Maintaining a grip on a beverage container is a particular concern for cans and bottles that are primarily containers for transporting beverages because they are not made to be held while the beverage is consumed as are mugs, cups or glasses. Maintaining a grip on bottles or cans is a particular concern when those containers have been stored with ice to be kept cold and as a result are wet, slippery and difficult to hold.
When beverages are consumed outside in cold temperatures, people often wear gloves or mittens to both protect their hand from weather and from contact with a beverage. Gloves can decrease the wearer's ability to feel the container and may make the wearer's grip on the container less certain. Such difficulty in holding a beverage container is increased when beverages in cans or bottles are wet either from rain or snow or from being kept on ice.
A need exists for a product that will allow a person to hold a beverage without heating a chilled beverage or being heated by a hot beverage. In addition, a need exists for a product that will help a person grip a beverage container particularly when the container is damp or wet.

Insulated and moisture resistant glove for holding beverage containers


An amplifier having programmable amplification includes a transistor circuit having a plurality of negative feedback resistors, a switch being associated to a negative feedback resistor such that the negative feedback resistors of the transistor circuit can be activated and deactivated selectively by operating switches via a controller. Thus, a broadband amplifier having a high linearity can be implemented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to amplifier circuits and, in particular, to broadband amplifier circuits having high dynamic characteristics and, in particular, to amplifiers having programmable amplification.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many fields of signal processing and, in particular, in the field of video amplifiers, there is demand for an amplifier having a very broad band. Typical requirements for an amplifier in the video field are in a transmission band of 50 to 860 MHz. Additionally, amplifiers of this kind should have a low noise ratio and a high linearity. Put differently, this means that non-linear mixing products of the amplifier remain below a specified threshold value. The so-called third order inter-modulation or the so-called "third order intercept point" is a parameter of this.
Furthermore, a mixer is typically downstream of such a broadband amplifier in an input stage of, for example, a television receiver. Mixers most often comprise a certain predetermined input dynamic range. This means that the mixer, on the one hand, requires minimum modulation, i.e. an input signal having a predetermined minimum power, in order for it to operate correctly. Even more important with mixers is the requirement that the input signal into the mixer must not exceed a predetermined maximum power or a predetermined maximum level. If the input signal into the mixer, i.e. the output signal of a broadband amplifier, had too high a level, i.e. if the amplifier amplified to too high an extent, the mixer would be overdriven, which would result in undesired mixing products which may even cause a total failure of the system but would at least severely reduce the signal/noise ratio after the mixer.
Typical solutions for this problem have been to use a broadband amplifier comprising a chain circuit of individual amplifiers, wherein the first amplifier in the chain circuit usually comprises a low noise ratio and has a high amplification, whereas the last amplifier in the chain comprises a small amplification and thus a high noise ratio which, due to the large signal useful level, does not make a real difference.
Thus, the requirement for a minimum level for the mixer is ensured when the overall amplification of the chain circuit having individual amplifiers is set to be sufficiently high.
In order to govern the second problem, i.e. in order to ensure that the mixer is not overdriven, a switchable attenuation member attenuating to a greater or lesser extent depending on the output signal from the amplifier is placed downstream of such an amplifier to obtain the output signal of the entire amplifier/attenuation member assembly at a level which is within the permissible "level corridor" determined by a downstream mixer.
This circuit, however, has several problems. On the one hand, a signal is often amplified in the beginning and subsequently, when the level is too high, attenuated again. The result is a double signal processing of a signal, which is problematic at least as regards the noise introduced, since every signal processing introduces noise into the signal. Furthermore, the chain-connected amplifiers must be designed with care in order to be able to fulfill high linearity requirements.

Amplifier having switchable negative feedback


An optical switching device comprising a first layer having a first refractive index and having a first side where a coherent light is to be entered into the first layer and a second side opposite the first side, second and third layers sandwiching the first layer, the second layer having a main surface, and electrodes sandwiching the second and third layers for applying a voltage between the second and third layers, wherein a refractive index of the second layer can be changed from second to third and from third to second refractive indexes by an electro-optical effect using the voltage, the second refractive index being larger than the third refractive index, wherein the coherent light entering the first layer is totally reflected by the second layer when the second layer has the second refractive index, and at least part of the coherent light is transmitted through the second layer toward the outside of the main surface of the second layer when the second layer has the third refractive index.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel optical switching device in which a light beam is guided through a layered structure and is emitted out of the main surface of the layered structure by a switching operation. This optical switching device can comprise two dimensionally arranged plural optical switching elements in a single body.

Trilayer nematic liquid crystal optical switching device


An electro-optical device includes a holding capacitor with a first electrode electrically connected to a transistor and a pixel electrode, a second electrode disposed opposite to the first electrode, and a multilayer dielectric film structure disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The multilayer dielectric film structure includes a low dielectric film and first and second high dielectric films. The first and second high dielectric films sandwich the low dielectric film from a first electrode side and a second electrode side, respectively. Both of the first and second high dielectric films have a permittivity that is higher than that of the low dielectric film.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to, for example, an electro-optical device such as LCD, etc., particularly, an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus having the same adopting a reversal driving system in which the polarity reversal of a driving voltage is regularly implemented for each pixel line or pixel row so that voltages of pixel electrodes adjacent to each other in a line direction or row direction of a pixel show a reverse polarity to each other.
2. Related Art
In this kind of electro-optical device, there is adopted the reversal driving system in which the voltage polarity applied to each pixel electrode is reversed in accordance with a predetermined rule for the prevention of a deterioration of an electro-optical material and a crosstalk or a flicker on a display image caused by the application of D.C. voltage.
During the display corresponding to an image signal of one frame or field out of them is implemented, as the reversal driving system which enables relatively easy controlling and high-definition image displaying is used 1 H reversal driving system in which the pixel electrode arranged in even line is driven by the negative voltage potential as a voltage potential of the opposite voltage and the pixel electrode arranged in odd line is driven by the positive voltage potential as a voltage potential of the opposite electrode, while during a display corresponding to an image signal of the subsequent frame or field is implemented, the pixel electrode arranged in odd line is driven by the negative voltage potential and the pixel electrode arranged in even line is driven by the positive voltage potential (the relevant voltage polarity is reversed in a frame or field cycle for each row when the pixel electrode in the same line is driven by the voltage potential of the same polarity). In addition, as the reversal driving system which enables relatively easy controlling and high-definition image displaying is also used 1 S reversal driving system in which the relevant voltage polarity is reversed in a frame or field cycle for each row when the pixel electrode in the same line is driven by the voltage potential of the same polarity. Furthermore, there has been also developed the dot reversal driving system in which the voltage polarity applied to each pixel electrode is reversed between the pixel electrodes adjacent to the line direction and row direction.
This kind of electro-optical device is generally driven in an active matrix by mounting a holding capacitor electrically connected to a TFT and the pixel electrode. This holding capacitor holds the voltage potential applied to the pixel electrode during a fixed period, whereby the voltage potential holding characteristic can be remarkably improved in each pixel. Such holding capacitor often includes a double-layer dielectric film inserted between a pair of electrodes for the sake of securing the capacitor.
In JP-A-2003-347543 is disclosed the technology that reduces the current leakage when low electric field is applied by constituting a silicon nitride film utilized for a part of a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory which is a type of various semiconductor devices by the layers with different composition ratio of nitrogen and silicon.
However, in case that this kind of electro-optical device is driven in the reversal driving system, the voltage applied to the holding capacitor is not applied to the opposite electrode at uniform polarity constantly, but the voltage of different polarity is applied in correspondence with the reversal driving. More specifically, the voltage potential of one dielectric film out of two dielectric films the holding capacitor has increases or decreases for the other dielectric film. That is, the direction of the electric field on two dielectric films is reversed.
As described above, although the holding capacitor has the strong voltage tolerance to one direction on two dielectric films in case that the direction of the electric field is temporarily reversed, a respectable amount of current leakage occurs in the holding capacitor during the actual use in case that the electric field of reverse direction is applied in correspondence with the reversal driving, whereby there is the technical problem that the direction dependence turns up in the voltage tolerance. The inventor thinks that one factor of the occurrence of current leakage and lowering of voltage tolerance depends on the conventional structure, the film characteristic or the segregation state of various materials on the interface state of the dielectric film that even if the holding capacitor includes two dielectric films, but it is difficult to take a proper action by grasping the cause of the occurrence of current leakage and lowering of voltage tolerance.
Moreover, from the viewpoint of the reduction of current leakage and the securing of capacitor, it is thought that the number of stack layers the holding capacitor has increases, but it is difficult to optimize the electro-optical device individually and concretely in response to the element characteristic that requires the construction of dielectric film or the condition of stack layer so that the current leakage has no effect on the actual use.
In addition, since in JP-A-2003-347543 is disclosed the only technology that reduces the current leakage by differentiating the composition ratio of two silicon nitride films, it is hard to say that more general unit for reducing the current leakage is suggested in respect to the dielectric film and stack layer structure formed by different materials.

Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus having the same


Modulation section 201 performs modulation processing on transmission data. Mapping control section 202 controls mapping of the baseband signal onto the subcarriers so that the important information conventionally transmitted by one subcarrier is transmitted by two subcarriers and one of the two subcarriers should be the subcarrier with a carrier frequency signal of frequency 0 which was conventionally not used. IFFT section 203 performs IFFT processing on the modulated transmission data. Transmission section 204 performs transmission processing on the IFFT-processed transmission data and transmits the processed transmission data from antenna 205.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission/reception apparatus used for digital mobile communications, and particularly relates to an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) transmission/reception apparatus and OFDM transmission/reception method used for OFDM-based mobile communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an OFDM-based mobile communication, transmission data is converted to a plurality of slower parallel signals, which are superimposed over their respective subcarriers and transmitted. The following is an explanation of a conventional OFDM transmission/reception apparatus with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transmission system of a conventional OFDM transmission/reception apparatus. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a reception system of the conventional OFDM transmission/reception apparatus. For simplification, suppose a plurality of signal lines are also expressed with a single arrow.
In FIG. 1, modulation section 11 modulates transmission data. Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (hereinafter referred to as "IFFT") section 12 performs IFFT processing on the modulated transmission data. Transmission section 13 performs transmission processing on the IFFT-processed transmission data and transmits this data from antenna 14.
In FIG. 2, antenna 21 receives a radio signal. Reception section 22 performs reception processing on the signal received from antenna 21 (reception signal). Timing control section 23 controls each section according to a symbol synchronization timing acquired from reception section 22. Fast Fourier Transform (hereinafter referred to as "IFFT") section 24 performs FFT processing on the reception signal. Regarding the acquisition of symbol synchronization timing in reception section 22, a variety of methods are proposed. However, their detailed explanations are omitted here.
Synchronization detection section 25 performs synchronization detection processing on the FFT-processed reception signal and removes influences of phase rotation and amplitude variation caused by fading, etc. from the reception signal above.
Thus, the conventional OFDM transmission/reception apparatus achieves large-capacity and high-quality radio communications with excellent multi-path adaptability through data transmission/reception using a plurality of subcarriers.
However, in the conventional OFDM transmission/reception apparatus, important information used for communication control such as control information and retransmission information (hereinafter, simply referred to as "important information") is multiplied by a carrier frequency signal together with user data and transmitted through one of subcarriers.
Therefore, if the reception quality of subcarriers carrying the important information deteriorates in an extreme manner due to influences of fading, etc., errors may occur in bits representing control information and retransmission information, which will prevent appropriate control and retransmission requests, etc., extremely deteriorating the channel quality.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Manufacturing a coating for an impression cylinder whereby a carrier and a cylinder shape is provided. A hollow cylinder is positioned between the carrier and the cylinder shape, and material to form the coating in the spaces is introduced between the carrier and the hollow cylinder (the internal field) and between the hollow cylinder and the cylinder shape (the external field). The hollow cylinder is removed at a certain pre-selected velocity from between the carrier and the cylinder shape.

In the field of printing technology, different cylinders of printing machines have respective coatings, which serve certain distinct functions. For instance, in the case of electrographic printing, the image generation cylinder, or illustration drum, are often coated with an organic photoconductor on which the latent images are formed. A blanket cylinder, which is used in particular during offset printing and also in the capacity of a transfer drum in toner-based digital printing, and the fuser roller for fixing the print toner on the impression material at another printing pace in the printing machine, are usually coated with an elastomer.
A significant aspect in the avoidance of image degeneration and for the assurance of the printing result, for instance in electrophotographic printing, is the formation of the surface of the illustration drum or the transfer drum with the highest precision. On the basis of wear and tear at the surface of the illustration drum, these drums, as well as transfer drums and fuser rollers are replaced from time to time. The aforementioned high-precision drums and the surface quality maintenance requirements connected to the substitution of new/replacement surfaces are, however, costly and time-consuming.
The surface of transfer drums are known as thin cuffs, also called sleeves, and are self-supporting, and are assembled on a core which serves as carrier. If the surface has worn out, only the coating or the coating together with the thin cuff are substituted where the coating is connected. The carrier of the coating and the coating with the thin cuff or sleeve may continue to be used. Demands on the coating involve minor wall thickness of the coating and low production costs. Depending on the particular cylinder use, further demands may involve an even electrical and/or thermal conductivity, photoconductivity, or an equal wall hardness and elasticity along the coating. The foregoing demands are met in which multiple layer technologies are applied which are, however, disadvantageous since these require a time-consuming and expensive production process. Multiple layers are arranged one after the other in order to form a coating in the known process whereby the layers are each cooled down or hardened before applying the next layer, which results in a long production time.

Process and installation for the manufacturing of a coating for an impression cylinder


There is disclosed an information display apparatus in which a control apparatus main body for controlling a plasma display apparatus for displaying video can disconnectably be connected to a substrate for outputting video data toward the control apparatus main body via a connector. The substrate includes: a RAM and ROM in which information is stored; a video control unit which uses the information to create the video data; and a CPU for controlling the RAM, ROM, and video control unit, the control apparatus main body includes a power source unit for supplying power to the substrate, and the power source unit is connected to the substrate via the connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information display apparatus which displays video based on information stored in storage device, and a video data creation apparatus which can constitute the information display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conference system is known in which a personal computer is combined with a display apparatus and video created beforehand can be used to make a presentation. Information necessary for displaying the video is stored in a storage medium in a readable state by the personal computer, or transmitted to the personal computer via a communication system. Moreover, the conference system also includes an example in which a touch panel is disposed on a screen of the display apparatus to use the screen of the display apparatus like a whiteboard.
In the above-described conference system, some application software is used to create video data of the video for use beforehand, and the created video data is used to display the video. To display the video, after starting the application necessary for displaying the video, an instruction is given on the application by an input operation with respect to the personal computer, so that the necessary video can successively be displayed. However, if a version of the application software with which the video has been created does not correspond to that of the application software for displaying the video, or settings on the software conflict with each other, there is a possibility that the video cannot appropriately be displayed.

Video display apparatus and video data creation apparatus


The present invention relates to a method of detecting depression and its severity. A series of statements formulated to detect the presence and severity of depression are presented to the subject in a multiple item visual analog format. The subject's answers are given a numerical value. The total score is then normatively ranked to determine the presence and severity of the depression.

This invention relates methods of psychological evaluation, and more particularly to a method of psychological testing that detects depression.
Depression is a prevalent condition that affects more than six million Americans each year. (Weissmian et al., 1988). Depression is a mental disorder involving complex behavioral, psychological, and physiological systems. (DSM-IV). Depression can impair functional capacity, cause distress or increase the risk of suffering pain, disability and death. (DSM-IV) When depression is detected it can be treated with psychotherapy and/or medication.
It is, of course, known in the art to determine characteristics of human test subjects by asking them to select appropriate responses to printed statements, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,010 issued to Von Fellenberg.
The primary methods for assessing depression include the structured diagnostic interview, the clinician rating scale interview and the self-rating scale method. The structured diagnostic interviews are standardized interviews that specify the questions and inquiries made by raters and the response options for patients. Rabkin and Klein described that clinician rating scales "required the interview to cover specific areas with the client and they provide more or less specific response options." There are difficulties associated with the interview methods. First, the interviewer must be learned in the area of psychlology or psychiatry. Additionally Lambert, Christensen, & DeJulio reported that differences in the interview may result due to the training of the rater, the theoretical base of the rater and the role of the rater. The self-rating scale was designed by Woodworth. A self-rating scale is defined as a procedure for data collection which allows the respondent to report information by placing a response or responses (belief.backslash.attitudes.backslash.feelings) to an anchor point or points on a survey scale. An advantage of a self-rating scale is that it is effective in initial screening and removing observer bias. (Deforge & Sobal, 1988) Self-rating does not require a skilled interviewer. Finally, self-rating can show changes in the severity of the individual's depression. (Hamilton, 1967)


A hydraulic control system for a continuously-variable-ratio-vehicle transmission of the toroidal-race rolling-traction type, in which the mechanism for positioning each roller includes a double-acting ram (11). The two opposed faces of the ram are exposed in normal use to the pressures of two separate lines of fluid (21, 23), each being pressure-controlled by separate valves (32, 34) located downstream of the respective ram face. The outputs of those separate valves combine in a common region (31), and further valve means (40, 41) open to connect that region to each line in response to the occurrence of a predetermined difference in pressure between the region and that line. In such circumstances such connection and the resulting transfer of fluid from the region to the line helps to counteract any tendency to fluid starvation in the line. This might otherwise occur for instance in response to the rapid movement of all the double-acting rams in the same direction, for example when the vehicle is approaching wheel-lock during emergency braking.

Such a hydraulic control mechanism is shown and described, instance, in patent specification EP-B-0133330. More particularly still, the invention applies to a control system for a transmission having a plurality of rollers, typically six, each mounted on an individual ram and all of which must transmit the same ratio at any one time. One of those rollers, known in the art as the "master roller", is mounted on a double-acting ram the two cylinders of which are in direct connection with the control valves by which the two fluid pressures are controlled, while the fluid in the corresponding ram cylinders of each of the other rollers (known as the "slave rollers") is simply in communication with the cylinders of the master roller and so at a common pressure. A control circuit for such a combination of the master and slave rollers is also described in specification EP-B-0133330.
When a transmission with such a control system is working for the time being at normal rates of ratio change, the roller control rams will all be moving slowly within their respective cylinders. The separate flows of fluid down the two sides of the system-that is to say a first side including all the cylinders at one end of the respective rams, and a second side including all the cylinders at the other end-need only be sufficient to maintain the cylinders full on that side of the system where the cylinder volumes are increasing. A flow rate of a maximum of say 10-15 L/min is typical for vehicle transmissions, so that the hydraulic power source of the system need only comprise two small pumps each capable of delivering that flow, or alternatively a single pump capable of delivering say 20-30 L/min and fitted with a flow divider. However, when such a transmission undergoes a very rapid change of ratio, for instance when fitted to a vehicle which is approaching wheel-lock during emergency braking, all the roller control rams move rapidly in the same direction. The volume avalilable for fluid in the cylinders on one side of the system therefore increases rapidly, requiring a power source capable of delivering a considerable flow in order to maintain a reasonable minimum pressure within the cylinders or, in an extreme case, to avoid cavitation within them. To meet such conditions, it has therefore been customary to provide such hydraulic control systems with power sources far larger and more powerful than is necessary while the rams are either stationary or moving slowly, as is the case during most of the working life of the transmission.


A multi-state, multi-layer magnetic memory cell including a first conductor, a first magnetic layer contacting the first conductor, an insulating layer on the first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer on the insulating layer, a second conductor contacting the second magnetic layer, and a word line adjacent, or in contact with, the cell so as to provide a magnetic field to partially switch magnetic vectors along the length of the first magnetic layer. Information is stored by passing one current through the word line and a second current through the first and second conductors sufficient to switch vectors in the first and second magnetic layers. Sensing is accomplished by passing a read current through a word line sufficient to switch one layer (and not the other) and a sense current through the cell, by way of the first and second conductors, and measuring a resistance across the cell.

In the past, a variety of magnetic materials and structures have been utilized to form magnetoresistive materials for non-volatile memory elements, read/write heads for disk drives, and other magnetic type applications. One prior magnetoresistive element utilized a magnetoresistive material that has two magnetic layers separated by a conductor layer. The magnetization vectors of the two magnetic layers typically are anti-parallel to each other in the absence of any magnetic fields. The magnetization vectors of one of the layers points in one direction and the magnetization vector of the other layer always points in the opposite direction. The magnetic characteristics of such magnetic materials typically require a width greater than one micron in order to maintain the orientation of the magnetization vectors along the width of the cell. The large width requirement limits the density of memories utilizing such materials. Additionally, reading the state of such memories typically requires a two-phase read operation that results in very long read cycles. The two phase read operation also requires extra circuitry to determine the state of the memory, thus increasing the cost of such memories. An example of such a magnetic material and memory is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,848 issued to Daughton et al. on Oct. 25, 1988.
Another prior material uses multi-layer giant magnetoresistive materials (GMR) and utilizes submicron width, in order to increase density. In this structure the magnetization vectors are parallel to the length of the magnetic material instead of the width. In one embodiment the magnetization vector of one magnetic material layer is always maintained in one direction while the magnetization vector of the second magnetic layer switches between parallel and antiparallel to the first vector in order to represent both logical "0" and "1" states. In order to determine the logical state of a memory cell utilizing this material, the memory cell has a reference cell and an active cell. The reference cell always provides a voltage corresponding to one state (either always a "1" or always a "0"). The output of the reference cell is compared to the output of the active cell in order to determine the state of the memory cell. The requirement for an active and a reference cell reduces the density of a memory that utilizes such elements. Additionally, each memory cell requires transistors to switch the active and reference cells at appropriate times in order to read the cells. This further increases the cost of the memory.
A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is a nonvolatile memory which basically includes a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) material, a sense line, and a word line. The MRAM employs the GMR effect to store memory states. Magnetic vectors in one or all of the magnetic layers of GMR material are switched very quickly from one direction to an opposite direction when a magnetic field is applied to the GMR material over a certain threshold. According to the direction of the magnetic vectors in the GMR material, states are stored, for example, one direction can be defined as a logic "0", and another direction can be defined as a logic "1". The GMR material maintains these states even without a magnetic field being applied. The states stored in the GMR material can be read by passing a current through the cell in a sense line, because of a difference between the resistances of the two magnetic states. Since GMR materials ire composed of very conductive non-magnetic layers (generally copper or the like) and conductive magnetic layers (e.g., Fe, Ni, Co, etc.), the sheet resistance of the material is relatively low (e.g. 15 ohms/square) and the change in resistance is relatively small (e.g. 5%). Consequently, the resistance difference between the two states for a cell with length-to-width ratio of ten is only about 7.5 ohms.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to provide magnetic random-access memories and memory cells which have higher resistance differences between the two magnetic states and thus are easier to utilize.
It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved multi-state, multi-layer magnetic memory cell.
It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved array of multi-state, multi-layer magnetic memory cells.
It is still another purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved multi-state, multi-layer magnetic memory cell which is simpler to manufacture and to use.
It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved multi-state, multi-layer magnetic memory cell which utilizes less sensing current and produces a larger change between states.
It is still a further purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved multi-state, multi-layer magnetic memory cell which is faster and simpler to sense.

Multi-layer magnet tunneling junction memory cells


A flat line boom apparatus holds a fishing rod on a boat and guides a fishing line laterally outward from a gunwale of the boat so that the line resists entanglement with other fishing lines also extending from the boat. The apparatus includes a cylindrical sleeve which slides into a conventional fishing rod holder mounted in the gunwale of the boat. The sleeve is secured within the rod holder utilizing a bayonet lock to engage the cross pin of the rod holder. An annular collar is detachably connected to the sleeve so as to allow rotation of the collar about the sleeve. An elongate boom is attached to the collar so as to extend laterally outward from the gunwale of the boat. A fishing line clip is attached to the end of the boom for releasably retaining the line near the surface of the water. The line guide releases the line when a fish strikes. A shock cord extends between the boat and the end of the boom to provide additional support for the boom. The sleeve is normally inclined when installed in the rod holder so that rotation of the collar and boom about the sleeve will vary the height that the boom is held above the water. This arrangement allows the boat to turn without entangling fishing lines because the lines are positioned at different heights.

Many sport fishing boats are equipped with a plurality of fishing rod holders. The holders are usually mounted within the gunwales on either side of the boat or at the stern of the boat. The fishing rod holders generally include a tube inclined at an angle from the vertical toward the stern of the boat for receiving a fishing rod. The rod holder tube is generally either a full-sized senior fishing rod holder or a shorter junior fishing rod holder. Each holder contains a cross-pin near its distal end for engaging a slot on the end of the fishing rod handle. This cross-pin is intended to prevent rotation of the pole within the tube.
A mid-size fishing boat may have several fishing rod holders. If each fishing rod holder is used, it may become difficult to maneuver the boat without entangling the fishing lines, especially when the boat is turned. It is desirable, therefore, to have a system which maintains spatial separation between the fishing lines extending from the boat. Increased separation of the fishing lines provides more maneuverability and reduces the likelihood of the fishing lines becoming entangled.
In some trolling applications, it is desirable to utilize a number of fishing lines with the bait being maintained close to the surface of the water. These fishing lines are known as flat lines. The depth of the flat lines can be controlled by regulating the angle of entry of the fishing line into the water. A steeper, more vertical, angle of entry maintains the bait at a deeper level than a shallower, more horizontal, angle of entry. Thus, it is desirable to regulate the angle of entry of the fishing line into the water so as to control the depth of the fishing bait.
When a fish strikes the bait, the active fishing rod is typically removed from the holder in the gunwale so the fish may be "played" and reeled in by someone on the boat. The force exerted on the fishing line by the fish strike may cause the line to break if it contacts any "sharp" objects which cause a sharp bend or kink in the line. It is therefore desirable to release the fishing line from any type of depth regulation device when a fish strikes the bait to avoid breaking the fishing line.
The prior art includes a number of apparatus for holding fishing rods on a fishing boat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,774 discloses a fishing system for supporting a plurality of fishing poles in an array on a boat. The poles are spaced laterally apart from each other a distance sufficient to prevent the fishing lines from tangling while maneuvering the boat. This system utilizes a complex mechanism to extend and retract the entire fishing rod laterally outward from the side of the boat. Furthermore, the system must be mounted to the boat requiring special mounting brackets. The system also does not provide integral means for regulating the depth of the fishing bait in the water. Instead, the system utilizes a separate down-rigger apparatus to perform that function.
A device for holding or storing a plurality of fishing rods is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,579. That device utilizes conventional fishing rod holders disposed within the gunwales of a fishing boat. This device is utilized to store or hold fishing rods which are not in use. Thus, the device keeps the fishing rods and lines from becoming entangled with an active fishing rod while a fish is being landed.
Another device which prevents entanglement of fishing lines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,980. This device also utilizes standard fishing rod holders normally positioned in the gunwales of the fishing boat. This device displaces the entire fishing rod laterally outward from the side of the boat and does not provide means for regulating the height of the fishing line above the water.


According to a document feeder for an image-forming apparatus of the present invention, when a double-sided document fed from a feed paper stacker, the document with the front surface thereof having been read out by a document reader unit is inverted in a switch-back path provided between the document reader unit and a discharged paper stacker on which documents after having been read out will be stacked, and is conveyed again to the paper reader unit so that the back surface is read out. The document after its both surfaces have been read out is again inverted in the switch-back path and then discharged onto the discharged paper stacker. With such a construction, the documents after having been read out can be stacked in the order of sequence of pages of the documents. Furthermore, the size of the device can be decreased, contributing to shortening the time required for reading the double-sided document and to increasing the efficiency for forming images. Accordingly, disadvantages, such as the damage to the document, contamination of the document reader unit or the jam of the document in a halfway of conveyance, can be suppressed or prevented. Moreover, the document conveyed to the switch-back path from the feeder section does not hinder the document discharged onto the discharge stacker from the switch-back path, making it possible to convey the document smoothly and efficiently.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document feeder for automatically feeding documents to a document reader unit of an image-forming apparatus such as electrophotographic copying machine or the like machine, and an image-forming apparatus using the document feeder. More specifically, the invention relates to a document feeder for reading double-sided documents, and an image-forming apparatus using the document feeder.
2. Background Art
As is well known, an image-forming apparatus such as electrophotographic copying machine or the like machine is employing a so-called ADF (automatic document feeder) for automatically feeding documents to a document reader unit. In recent years, it has been desired to develop a document feeder capable of handling double-sided documents having images formed on both surfaces thereof.
There has been proposed a document feeder capable of handling double-sided documents having images formed on both surfaces as exemplified by, for example, a document processing machine disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-175279. This document processing machine has two modes. In a first mode, a single-sided document is read out and is directly discharged onto a discharge tray. In a second mode, a first surface of a double-sided document is read out and the document is once fed onto a discharge tray and, then, the document is not completely discharged but is switched back on the discharge tray and is fed again onto a document feed passage through a double-side feed passage. A second surface is then read out and the document is fed onto the discharge tray. The document is not completely discharged onto the discharge tray but is switched back again, fed again onto the document feed passage through the double side feed passage and is then discharged and stacked on the discharge tray with the first surface being faced downwards, so that pages are in order when the double-sided documents are successively stacked on the discharge tray. Therefore, the double-sided document is circulated by a roller that effects the discharge and inversion at the inlet of the discharge tray and by the double-side feed passage which feeds the document from the discharge tray onto the document feed passage. To discharge t he double-sided document, the document is inverted by the roller, and is discharged onto the discharge tray by the above-mentioned roller through a passage similar to that for reading the second surface of the document.
There has further been proposed a sheet conveyer device as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-133551 (Japanese Patent Application No. 6-298816). According to this technology, after the second surface is read out, the double-sided document is inverted (switched back) by an inversion unit provided on a place deviated from the discharge tray and is discharged onto the discharge tray so as to be stacked with the first surface being faced downwards, so that pages are in order when the double-sided documents are successively stacked on the discharge tray. This technology is the same as the one disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-175279 in regard to that the double-sided document is inverted on the discharge tray in order to read the second surface.
In reading the double-sided document according to the technology of the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-175279, however, the document must be passed through the document reader unit three times when it is attempted to stack the documents on the discharge tray so that the pages are in order. In the third time of passage, however, the document simply passes through the document reader unit without being read out, but to cause the document reader unit to be fouled which then causes the image that is read out to become defective and makes it necessary to clean the document reader unit frequently. After the document is read out, the document reader unit is ready to read a next document. In order to sequentially discharge the documents, however, the documents must be passed through the document reader unit though they need not be really read out. Even after the document is read out, therefore, it is not allowed to feed the next document, making it difficult to increase the speed for reading the document. Moreover, the document must be conveyed over an increased distance requiring an extended period of time for conveying the document; i.e., efficiency for forming image decreases, and the document is likely to be damaged due to the pressure and friction created during the conveyance. Moreover, the document is inverted on the discharge tray. Therefore, the user may erroneously regard the document discharged on the discharge tray for being inverted to be the document that is discharged after the completion of the processing and may take it out. In such a case, the document processing machine comes into a halt due to defective conveyance of the paper. Furthermore, the image-forming machine that is forming images on both surfaces is also brought into a halt in the middle of image forming; i.e., the whole machine is halted.
According to the technology disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-133551, the double-sided document is inverted on the discharge tray like that of the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-175279 giving rise to the occurrence of a problem in that the document processing machine is halted due to defective conveyance of the paper and the whole image-forming apparatus is brought into a halt. Moreover, a plurality of inversion processing units are necessary requiring drive transmission mechanisms for the plurality of inversion rollers and control mechanisms therefor. Accordingly, the apparatus becomes complex and bulky necessitating a complex control mechanism.

Document feeder for image-forming apparatus and image-forming apparatus, using the same


A method for controlling an alternator includes determining a rotor position of the alternator using data obtained from a first data source when a first condition is met, and determining the rotor position for the alternator using data obtained from a second data source when a second condition is met.

Proper control of an electrical machine such as an alternator-starter, in particular a variable reluctance alternator-starter, requires that the electrical position of its rotor be known accurately. At present, knowledge of this position is obtained by a position-measuring device using a specific sensor, e.g. with a toothed wheel, that has a number of teeth equal to the number of poles of the rotor of the electrical machine in order to provide the required information over the entire range of speeds of rotation covered by the engine (from stationary (zero speed) to maximum speed) and over all ranges of variation in parameters that have an influence (temperature, voltage of on-board network, . . . ).
Nevertheless, those position-measuring devices which provide good performance and which, in themselves, give full satisfaction, are complex and expensive. In addition, they are mounted in physical association with the engine and transmission unit (in particular at the end of the clutch) together with the existing toothed-wheel sensor for controlling the engine. Although the volume of the specific sensor has been made very small (typically it presents a thickness of about 6 millimeters (mm)), it nevertheless remains that the sensor constitutes an impediment both for mounting the engine and transmission unit in a location where space is short, and for performing any adjustment and/or calibration operation. Furthermore, devices that are mounted in this way are too exposed (heat from the engine, dust, oil, . . . ), which can have an unfavorable influence on their operating conditions and on their lifetime.
There thus exists an urgent need for arrangements for detecting the position of the rotor of an electrical machine that are less expensive than present-day devices and that can be installed away from present mounting locations, in places where more space is available, and above all where they are less exposed to unfavorable conditions.
It should be observed at this point that the toothed-wheel sensor used for engine control and that can deliver an absolute value for the angular position of the crankshaft (a 60-2 toothed sensor in the worldwide standard) has a number of teeth that is not equal to the number of poles in the rotor of the electrical machine.
That sensor can therefore provide a reliable value for the angular position of the crankshaft only above some minimum value for speed of rotation, and in practice a speed of the order of 500 revolutions per minute (rpm).
Such a sensor therefore cannot be used for providing the desired information concerning the angular position of the crankshaft at speeds going from zero speed up to the minimum speed at which the sensor operates properly.
Unfortunately, specifically with an alternator-starter, knowledge of the angular position of the crank-shaft is needed in order to control the alternator-starter when starting the engine, i.e. at speeds that are low and beginning from zero speed.

Method and apparatus for detecting the electrical position of the rotor of an electrical machine coupled to an internal combustion engine


Techniques for machine learning inferencing endpoint discovery in a distributed computing system are discloses herein. In one example, a method includes searching a database containing machine learning endpoint records having data representing values of execution latency or prediction accuracy corresponding inferencing endpoints deployed in the distributed computing system. The method also includes generating a list of inferencing endpoints matching the individual target values and determining whether a count of the inferencing endpoints in the generated list exceeds a preset threshold. In response to determining that the identified count does not exceed the preset threshold, the method includes instantiating one or more additional inferencing endpoints in the distributed computing system based on the individual target values in the received query.

In computing, machine learning involves computer algorithms that are trained to improve through experiencing known data. Machine learning can be used to build software models to make predictions without being explicitly programmed to do so. For example, a set of digital images with previously identified items, such as buildings, cars, people, etc., can be used to train a computer algorithm for a model that can be used to predictively identify unknown items in additional digital images. In another example, digitized voice data and corresponding text can be used to train another computer algorithm for a model that can be used to convert additional voice data into words.

Inferencing endpoint discovery in computing systems


A microfluidic delivery system substrate is coated with ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) or with a thin ceramic film, such as alumina or zirconia, that is applied by ion-beam assisted deposition; assuring that the device is impermeably sealed, to prevent the substrate from being dissolved by hostile environments and to protect the molecules from premature release or undesired reaction with hostile environments. The UNCD coating may be selectively patterned by doping to create electrically conductive areas that can be used as an electrically activated release mechanism for drug delivery. The UNCD coating provides a conformal coating, of approximately uniform thickness, around sharp corners and on high aspect-ratio parts, assuring impermeability and strength despite the need to coat difficult shapes. The microfluidic delivery system is suitable for use as an iontophoresis device, for transport of molecule, having a substrate, a reservoir in the substrate for containing the molecules.

As people strive to create complete fluidic systems in miniaturized formats, micromachining becomes more important. A broad variety of materials is available for fabricating the systems or their components, including glasses, plastics/polymers, metals, ceramics and semiconductors. To take full advantage of the available microfluidic advances, one must deal with significant additional issues, such as packaging, interfaces between components, and testing. Integrated microfluidic systems may consist of pumps, valves, channels, reservoirs, cavities, reaction chambers, mixers, heaters, fluidic interconnects, diffusers, and nozzles. Applications of microfluidic systems include chemical analysis; biological and chemical sensing; drug delivery; molecular separation; amplification, sequencing or synthesis of nucleic acids; environmental monitoring; and many others. Potential benefits include reduced size, improved performance, reduced power consumption, disposability, integration of control electronics, and lower cost.
The device body structure of the microfluidic device typically comprises an aggregation of separate parts, e.g., capillaries, joints, chambers, layers, etc., which when appropriately mated or joined together, form the microfluidic device. Typically, the microfluidic devices comprise a top portion, a bottom portion, and an interior portion. The bottom portion typically comprises a solid substrate that is substantially planar in structure with at least one substantially flat upper surface. A variety of substrate materials may be employed as the bottom portion. Typically, because the devices are microfabricated, substrate materials generally are selected based upon their compatibility with known microfabrication techniques, e.g., photolithography, wet chemical etching, laser ablation, air abrasion, techniques, injection molding, embossing, and other techniques. The substrate materials are also generally selected for their compatibility with the full range of conditions to which the microfluidic devices may be exposed, including extremes of pH, temperature, salt concentration, and application of electric fields.
Accordingly, in some preferred aspects, the substrate material may include materials normally associated with the semiconductor industry in which such microfabrication techniques are regularly employed, including, e.g., silica based substrates such as glass, quartz, silicon or polysilicon, as well as other substrate materials, such as gallium arsenide. In the case of semiconductive materials, it is often desirable to provide an insulating coating or layer, e.g., silicon oxide, over the substrate material, particularly where electric fields are to be applied.
In addition, it is known that the substrate materials will comprise polymeric materials, e.g., plastics, such as polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylchloride, polydimethysiloxane, and polysulfone. Such substrates are readily manufactured from microfabricated masters, using well-known molding techniques, such as injection molding, embossing or stamping, or by polymerizing the polymeric precursor material within the mold. Such polymeric substrate materials are preferred for their ease of manufacture, low cost and disposability, as well as their general inertness to most extreme reaction conditions. Again, these polymeric materials may include treated surfaces, e.g., derivatized or coated surfaces, to enhance their utility in the microfluidic systems, e.g., provide enhanced fluid direction.
The channels and/or chambers of the microfluidic devices are typically fabricated into the upper surfaces of the substrate, or bottom portion, using the above described microfabrication techniques, as microscale grooves or indentations. The lower surface of the top portion of the microfluidic device, which top portion typically comprises a second planar substrate, is then overlaid upon and bonded to the surface of the bottom substrate, sealing the channels and/or chambers interior portion) of the device at the interface of these two components. Bonding of the top portion to the bottom portion may be carried out using a variety of known methods, depending upon the nature of the substrate material. For example, in the case of glass substrates, thermal bonding techniques may be used which employ elevated temperatures and pressure to bond the top portion of the device to the bottom portion. Polymeric substrates may be bonded using similar techniques, except that the temperatures used are generally lower to prevent excessive melting of the substrate material. Alternative methods may be used to bond polymeric parts of the device together, including acoustic welding techniques, or the use of adhesives, e.g., UV curable adhesives.
Microfluidic systems are highly useful in medical diagnostics or drug delivery. Microfluidic delivery systems, as the microchip drug delivery devices of Santini, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,861) and Santini, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,898) or fluid sampling devices, must be impermeable and they must be biocompatible. The devices must not only exhibit the ability to resist the aggressive environment present in the body, but must also be compatible with both the living tissue and with the other materials of construction for the device itself. The materials are selected to avoid both galvanic and electrolytic corrosion. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,725,017; 5,797,898; 5,876,675; 6,123,861; and 6,154,226, each of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. The digital microfluidic circuits of Cho, et al. also require compatible reservoirs to contain fluids which are processed by their novel electrowetting techniques.
In microchip drug delivery devices, the microchips control both the rate and time of release of multiple chemical substances and they control the release of a wide variety of molecules in either a continuous or a pulsed manner. A material that is impermeable to the drugs or other molecules to be delivered and that is impermeable to the surrounding fluids is used as the substrate. Reservoirs are etched into the substrate using either chemical etching or ion beam etching techniques that are well known in the field of microfabrication. Hundreds to thousands of reservoirs can be fabricated on a single microchip using these techniques.
Microfluidic systems, in addition to being highly useful in medical diagnostics, are also useful in environmental monitoring, biological food testing, chemical sensing and analysis. Current efforts on the fabrication of microfluidic systems and fluidic technologies have focused on individual component development. Components such as pumps, valves, and fluidic channels are at various stages of development. Mastrangelo, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,212) discuss the use of protective barrier layers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,212, is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein
The physical properties of the release system control the rate of release of the molecules, e.g., whether the drug is in a gel or a polymer form.
The reservoirs may contain multiple drugs or other molecules in variable dosages. The filled reservoirs can be capped with materials either that degrade or that allow the molecules to diffuse passively out of the reservoir over time. They may be capped with materials that disintegrate upon application of an electric potential. Release from an active device can be controlled by a preprogrammed microprocessor, remote control, or by biosensor. Valves and pumps may also be used to control the release of the molecules.
A reservoir cap can enable passive timed release of molecules without requiring a power source, if the reservoir cap is made of materials that degrade or dissolve at a known rate or have a known permeability. The degradation, dissolution or diffusion characteristics of the cap material determine the time when release begins and perhaps the release rate.
Alternatively, the reservoir cap may enable active timed release of molecules, requiring a power source. In this case, the reservoir cap consists of a thin film of conductive material that is deposited over the reservoir, patterned to a desired geometry, and that serves as an anode. Cathodes are also fabricated on the device with their size and placement determined by the device's application and method of electrical potential control. Known conductive materials that are capable of use in active timed-release devices that dissolve into solution or form soluble compounds or ions upon the application of an electric potential, including metals, such as copper, gold, silver, and zinc and some polymers.
When an electric potential is applied between an anode and cathode, the conductive material of the anode covering the reservoir oxidizes to form soluble compounds or ions that dissolve into solution, exposing the molecules to be delivered to the surrounding fluids. Alternatively, the application of an electric potential can be used to create changes in local pH near the anode reservoir cap to allow normally insoluble ions or oxidation products to become soluble. This allows the reservoir cap to dissolve and to expose the molecules to be released to the surrounding fluids. In either case, the molecules to be delivered are released into the surrounding fluids by diffusion out of or by degradation or dissolution of the release system. The frequency of release is controlled by incorporation of a miniaturized power source and microprocessor onto the microchip.
An alternative method of drug delivery, wherein microfluidic devices are employable, involves devices for transdermal delivery or transport of therapeutic agents through iontophoresis. "lontophoresis" refers to (1) the delivery of charged drugs or molecules by electromigration, (2) the delivery of uncharged drugs or molecules by the process of electroosmosis, (3) the delivery of charged drugs or molecules by the combined processes of electromigration and electroosmosis, and/or (4) the delivery of a mixture of charged and uncharged drugs or molecules by the combined processes of electromigration and electroosmosis. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,681,484; 5,846,396; 6,317,629; and 6,330,471, each of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
Iontophoretic devices for delivering ionized drugs through the skin have been known since the early 1900's. Deutsch (U.S. Pat. No. 410,009 (1934)) describes an iontophoretic device that overcame disadvantages of early devices. In presently known iontophoresis devices, at least two electrodes are used. Both of these electrodes are disposed to be in intimate electrical contact with some portion of the skin of the body. One electrode, called the active or donor electrode, is the electrode from which the ionic substance, agent, medicament, drug precursor or drug is delivered into the body via the skin by iontophoresis. The other electrode, called the counter or return electrode, serves to close the electrical circuit through the body. In conjunction with the patient's skin contacted by the electrodes, the circuit is completed by connection of the electrodes to a source of electrical energy, e.g., a battery. For example, if the ionic substance to be driven into the body is negatively charged, then the negative electrode (the cathode) will be the active electrode and the positive electrode (the anode) will serve to complete the circuit.
Existing iontophoresis devices generally require a reservoir or source of the drug or other molecule, preferably an ionized or ionizable species that is to be iontophoretically delivered or introduced into the body. Such reservoirs are connected to the anode or the cathode of an iontophoresis device to provide a fixed or renewable source of one or more desired drugs or molecules.
Such iontophoresis devices may also be implanted in living tissue. Whether implanted or not, the devices must be compatible with the drugs or other molecules that they contain and must be compatible with the living tissue.
One solution to achieving biocompatibility, impermeability, and galvanic and electrolytic compatibility for an implanted device is to encase the device in a protective environment. It is well known to encase implantable devices with glass or with a covering of ceramic or metal. Davidson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,730), Schulman, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,926), Cogan (U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,759) and Schulman, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,937 B1) offer examples of this technique. See also, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/882,712, Publication No.: US2001/0039374 A1. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,562,730; 5,750,926; 6,259,937 B1; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/882,712, Publication No.: US2001/0039374 A1, each of the aforementioned U.S. Patents is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
It is known to coat microfluidic devices to increase compatibility with biological fluids (Kovacs, Micromachined Transducers Sourcebook, p 803). Kovacs reports that researchers sealed channels using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique to deposit amorphous, hydrogenated silicon carbide film as a deposited thin-film layer. Kovacs reports that researchers vapor-deposited an organic coating on channels to achieve compatibility with biological compounds. Cogan (U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,759) coats a biomedical device with a low permeability to water, electrically resistive thin film of amorphous silicon oxycarbide.
Santini, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,861) discuss the technique of encapsulating a non-biocompatible material in a biocompatible material, such as poly(ethylene glycol) or polytetrafluoroethylene-like materials. They also disclose the use of silicon as a strong, non-degradable, easily etched substrate that is impermeable to the molecules to be delivered and to the surrounding living tissue. The use of silicon allows the well-developed fabrication techniques from the electronic microcircuit industry to be applied to these substrates.
It is well known, however, that silicon is dissolved when implanted in living tissue or in saline solution. Zhou, et al. report that the calculated corrosion rates are 0.005, 0.077, 0.440 and 0.690 mils per year for samples of silicon soaked in bicarbonate buffered saline at 23°, 37°, 57° and 77° C.
A method of providing microfluidic devices that are impermeable and inert to the molecules being contained therein and that resist the often hostile environments in which they are placed is needed.


File events are correlated with intrusion detection alerts for corrective action. A monitoring component receives file events from a thin agent. An analysis component analyzes the file events and metadata obtained from the intrusion detection alerts, such as attack type or file name, to correlate a set of file events to at least one detected action (intrusion) described in the alert. A recommendation component identifies one or more options, including one or more corrective actions, which are applicable for remediating the alert. The set of options includes a recommended action from two or more possible corrective actions. The set of options are output or displayed to the user. The user selects which option/action to perform in response to the alert. In some examples, an automatic response is performed without user selection with respect to selected types of alerts, detected action(s), selected file(s) or other user-generated criteria.

Enterprise systems typically utilize a multitude of intrusion detection systems (IDS) to protect systems from intrusions, such as malware attacks. Typically, when a malware attack is detected by the IDS, an alert is sent to a user. On detection of an intrusion, the user (e.g., administrator) receiving the alert is expected to manually root out the cause of the intrusion and determine what action should be taken to address the alerts with no additional assistance beyond the limited amount of information provided in the alert. The IDS alert does not provide any solutions to remediate. Thus, resolving these incidents can be a difficult, inefficient, and labor-intensive process for human users.

Corrective action on malware intrusion detection using file introspection


A link reconfiguration processing method and related products are provided. The method includes: a network device indicates a preset parameter set to a terminal device, the preset parameter set being configured for a bandwidth part (BWP) of the terminal device, and the preset parameter set is used for performing corresponding processing operations by the terminal device during transmission over the BWP.

In New Radio (NR), one carrier may include a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWP). For one terminal device, only one uplink BWP (UL BWP) can be activated for uplink transmission at one time. Similarly, only one downlink BWP (DL BWP) can be activated for downlink transmission at one time. Downlink control information (DCI) or the like indicates which BWP is activated for the terminal device, and the terminal device may dynamically switch to one of the plurality of BWPs in the carrier and use the BWP for transmission. How to efficiently configure the terminal device to perform transmission on different BWPs is a technical problem that needs to be solved.

Link reconfiguration processing method and related products

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