The invention includes mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor isoforms having amino acid replacements at one or more positions of the natural mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor polypeptide sequence, specifically at one or more of positions 157, 159 and 161. The polypeptides are useful for identifying ligands which bind with the serotonin 5-HT2c receptor and modulators of the serotonin 5-HT2c, and for identifying drugs with affinity for 5-HT2 receptors which are used to treat schizophrenia, Parkinsonism, and anxiety disorders.

Serotonin is a neuromodulator capable of inducing and modulating a wide variety of behavioral functions such as sleep, appetite, locomotion, sexual activity and vascular contraction. It is accepted that serotonin activity is mediated by its interaction with receptors, designated serotoninergic receptors of 5-HT (for 5-hydroxytryptamine) receptors. Molecular biology studies as well as pharmacological studies have revealed the existence of a large number of subtypes of 5-HT receptors. The 5-HT receptors which have been described to date belong either to the family of receptors associated with ion channels (5-HT3 receptors), or to the family of receptors which interact with G proteins and which possess seven transmembrane domains. Moreover, analysis of the amino acid sequences has shown that the 5-HT receptors which interact with G proteins may be subdivided into six distinct groups: 5-HT1 receptors, comprising the mammalian subtypes 5-HT1a, 5-HT1b, 5-HT1d, 5-HT1e and 5-HT1f, as well as three Drosophila 5-HT receptors; 5-HT2 receptors comprising three subtypes, 5-HT2a, 5-HT2b and 5-HT2c; 5-HT4 receptor; 5-HT5 receptor; 5-HT6 receptor; and 5-HT7 receptor.
Drugs with affinity for 5-HT2 receptors are used to treat schizophrenia, Parkinsonism, and anxiety disorders. The 5-HT2c receptor subtype has been particularly interesting to investigators searching for the molecular bases of neuropsychiatric disorders. The 5-HT2c receptor is widely expressed in the brain where it is involved in regulating endocrine responses. Particular responses include the production and secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone, oxytocin and prolactin. Genes for mouse, rat and human (Saltzman et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 181:1469, 1991) 5-HT2c receptors have been cloned. Burns et al., Nature vol. 387 15 May 1997 pp. 303-308 describes rat 5-HT2c receptor isoforms resulting from RNA editing events involving transcripts encodong the serotonin receptor. The functional state of 5-HT2c receptors in normal controls and various patient groups has been studied in vivo by administering 1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine (mCPP), a non-selective 5-HT2c agonist, and measuring hormonal and psychological responses. In alcoholism, panic disorder, seasonal affective disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, mCPP has been shown to induce different hormonal and psychological responses in patients and controls.
The invention includes mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor isoforms having amino acid replacements at one or more positions of the previously known mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor polypeptide sequence, specifically at one or more of positions 157, 159 and 161. The invention also includes isolated or purified isoforms, DNA encoding the isoforms, antibodies with specific binding to the receptor isoforms, assays for detecting the receptor isoforms, and expression vectors encoding the receptor isoforms.
The invention includes an isolated polypeptide comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID No. 3, (b) SEQ ID No. 5, (c) SEQ ID No. 7, (d) SEQ ID No. 9, (e) SEQ ID No. 11, and (f) fragments of (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) wherein the polypeptide has serotonin activity. These polypeptides are mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor isoforms having amino acid replacements at one or more positions of the previously known mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor polypeptide sequence, specifically at one or more of positions 157, 159 and 161.
The polypeptides are useful for identifying ligands which bind with the serotonin 5-HT2c receptor and modulators of the serotonin 5-HT2c, and for identifying drugs with affinity for 5-HT2 receptors which are used to treat schizophrenia, Parkinsonism, and anxiety disorders.
The invention also includes a method for identifying modulators of a polypeptide comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID No. 3, (b) SEQ ID No. 5, (c) SEQ ID No. 7, (d) SEQ ID No. 9, (e) SEQ ID No. 11, and (f) fragments of (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), comprising contacting in the presence of 5-HTa molecule or a mixture containing different molecules with a recombinant cell expressing at its surface a polypeptide of claim 1, under conditions permitting interaction between the polypeptide and 5-HT, and detecting molecules capable of modulating the activity of the polypeptide in the presence or absence of 5HT.
The invention also includes isloated nucleotide sequences coding for a polypeptide comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID No. 3, (b) SEQ ID No. 5, (c) SEQ ID No. 7, (d) SEQ ID No. 9, (e) SEQ ID No. 11, and (f) fragments of (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), or the complementary strand, including such nucleotide sequences consisting of genomic sequences, cDNA sequences, RNA sequences, synthetic sequences and semi-synthetic sequences. Also within the the invention are such sequences placed under the control of signals permitting expression of the polypeptide in a host cell.
The invention also includes recombinant cells comprising nucleotide sequences of the invention, including eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, and vectors for transforming the cells.
The invention also includes mammalian cell membranes comprising a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID No. 3, (b) SEQ ID No. 5, (c) SEQ ID No. 7, (d) SEQ ID No. 9, (e) SEQ ID No. 11, and (f) fragments of (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) wherein the polypeptide has serotonin receptor activity. Optionally, the mammalian cell membranes are free of other receptor proteins. The mammalian cell membranes may be prepared from mammalian cells containing cDNA which encodes any of the polypeptides. The mammalian cells are transfected with recombinant DNA comprising vector DNA and cDNA which encode the polypeptides.
The invention also includes a method for identifying ligands of a polypeptide comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID No. 3, (b) SEQ ID No. 5, (c) SEQ ID No. 7, (d) SEQ ID No. 9, (e) SEQ ID No. 11, and (f) fragments of (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), comprising contacting a molecule or a mixture containing different molecules with a recombinant cell expressing at its surface one of the polypeptides, under conditions permitting interaction between the polypeptide and the molecule, and detecting molecules bound to the polypeptide.
The invention also includes a method for identifying modulators of a polypeptide comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID No. 3, (b) SEQ ID No. 5, (c) SEQ ID No. 7, (d) SEQ ID No. 9, (e) SEQ ID No. 11, and (f) fragments of (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), comprising contacting in the presence of 5-HTa molecule or a mixture containing different molecules with a recombinant cell expressing at its surface a polypeptide of claim 1, under conditions permitting interaction between the polypeptide and 5-HT, and detecting molecules capable of modulating the activity of the polypeptide in the presence or absence of 5HT.
The present invention further includes antibodies specific for the serotonin receptor isoform proteins of the invention which do not bind to the receptor as described by Yu et al. in GenBank X72230.
The term xe2x80x9cisolatedxe2x80x9d refers to material that is removed from its original environment (e.g., the natural environment if it is naturally occurring). For example, a naturally-occurring polynucleotide or polypeptide present in a living animal is not isolated, but the same polynucleotide or DNA or polypeptide, separated from some or all of the coexisting materials in the natural system, is isolated. Such polynucleotide could be part of a vector and/or such polynucleotide or polypeptide could be part of a composition, and still be isolated in that such vector or composition is not part of its natural environment.
The mouse serotonin 5-HT2c subtype cDNA isoforms were subcloned into the expression vector pE3 which is modified as described below from pCEP4 (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). Transient expression in HEK293e cells (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.) was accomplished by transfection of the cloned receptor cDNAs under the control of a CMV promoter into mammalian cells (e.g., HEK293e cells). Membranes prepared from the transfected cells are utilized for the determination of binding affinity, selectivity and specificity of the receptors for various ligands. Stable expression of the receptors in mammalian cells (e.g., CHO, HEK 293) is achieved after integration of the transfected cDNA into the chromosomes of the host cells. These stable cell lines constituently express the cloned receptors and can be propagated infinitely. Stable cell lines expressing the receptor cDNAs individually can be used in the binding assay to measure the affinity and selectivity of the receptors for serotonin agonists, antagonists and enhancers. These cells can also be used in functional assay to determine the agonist activity of any ligand.
Membranes prepared from transfected (HEK 293e) cells were utilized in a binding assay to measure the affinity of the receptors for radiolabeled agonists, e.g. [3H]5HT or [3H]mesulergine. The binding assay was performed by incubating membranes with increasing concentrations of radiolabeled agonists. Bound ligand was separated from free ligand by filtration. Bound radioactivity was measured by scintillation counting. Substances which bind to or enhance binding to expressed receptors in cells can be identified in competition binding assays with radiolabeled agonists. For the competition binding assay, membranes were incubated with a fixed concentration of radioligand and various concentrations of unlabeled agonists or antagonists.
Functional assay was performed by loading the receptor-expressing with [3H]inositol, incubating the cells with a ligand and measuring the accumulation of [3H]inositol trisphsophate inside the cells.
A transient expression system can be established by microinjection of in vitro transcribed mRNA from the cloned receptor cDNAs into Xenopus oocytes. The expression system allows measurement of the biological effects upon activation of the expressed receptors with ligand binding.
In the procedure for generating the isoforms of the present invention, transcripts encoding the mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor subtype undergo RNA editing events in which genomically encoded adenosine residues are converted to inosines by the action of double-stranded RNA adenosine deaminases (see Burns et al., Nature vol. 387 Ma. 15, 1997 pp. 303-308, which describes rat 5-HT2c receptor isoforms resulting from RNA editing events involving transcripts encodong the serotonin receptor). Sequence analysis of complementary DNA isolates from dissected mouse brain regions have indicated the tissue-specific expression of new receptor isoforms encoded by distinct RNA species. Editing of 5-HT2c receptor messenger RNAs alters the amino acid coding potential of the predicted second intracellular loop of the receptor and can lead to altered efficacy of the interaction between receptors and their G proteins. As shown in Table 3, the 5HT EC50 value is dependent on the amino acid sequence at position 157/159/161.
The table below compares a partial amino acid sequence of the published mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor (SEQ. ID No. 1) and the corresponding partial nucleotide sequence of the published mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor RNA, with amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences corresponding to new isoforms of the mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor in the location of sequence variation. The isoforms have amino acid sequences identical to the published mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor polypeptide sequence except for specified amino acid replacements at one or more positions of the published mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor polypeptide sequence, specifically at one or more of positions 157, 159 and 161:
Alternative isoforms within the scope of the invention, otherwise identical to the natural mouse serotonin 5-HT2c receptor, have the following amino acid sequence and nucleotide sequence variations at positions 157, 159 and 161:

Isoforms of mouse serotonin 5-HT2C receptor


A weight adjustment member may be mounted in a tuning port in a golf club head and secured therein using adhesive. The weight adjustment member includes a lip which prevents excess adhesive from escaping the tuning port and hides adhesive that might otherwise be visible between the weight adjustment member and the tuning port. Locating devices that mate with each other are included in the tuning port and on the weight adjustment member. A method of mounting the weight adjustment member in the tuning port of a golf club head is also provided.

The present invention relates generally to golf equipment and, in particular, to a weight adjustment member for a golf club head.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,790 to D. J. Kubica et al discloses an iron-type golf club head having a primary cavity formed in its back face by a perimeter weighting element which protrudes rearwardly from its front face. A secondary cavity or tuning port defined within the primary cavity contains a weight adjustment member. In the Kubica patent, the weight adjustment member comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface extending between said top and bottom surfaces with a groove formed in the side surface extending peripherally of the weight adjustment member. According to the Kubica patent, if epoxy is applied to the bottom of the weight adjustment member in order to affix the weight adjustment member in the tuning port, any excess epoxy collects in the groove and is prevented from being pushed out of the secondary cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,545 to D. D. Jones et al discloses a face insert mounted in a cavity in the front face of a golf club head. The face insert is formed with a continuous protrusion extending outwardly from its perimeter edge. The protrusion is sized and shaped to form a close tolerance fit within the cavity in order to properly position the face insert with respect to the cavity.
Although a weight adjustment member with a groove formed in its side surface, such as the weight adjustment member described in the Kubica patent, is effective for preventing most of the excess adhesive used to affix the weight adjustment member in a tuning port of an iron-type golf club head from being pushed out of the tuning port, excess adhesive will, nevertheless, occasionally be pushed out of the tuning port, marring the back face of the golf club head. Additionally, the adhesive, while not escaping the tuning port, may be visible between the weight adjustment member and the tuning port wall, resulting in a less than desirable appearance. Thus, there is a need for a weight adjustment member that more effectively prevents excess adhesive from escaping the tuning port, hides any excess adhesive that escapes the tuning port, and hides adhesive between the weight adjustment member and the tuning port wall.

Weight adjustment member for golf club head


A safety switching apparatus for safe disconnection of an electrical load in an automated installation has at least one input for connecting a signaling device. The safety switching apparatus has an evaluation and control unit and at least one switching element controlled by the evaluation and control unit in order to interrupt an electrical power supply path to the load. The switching element is a changeover switch having at least two mutually alternative switching paths, with a first switching path being located in the electrical power supply path to the load and with a second switching path leading to a monitoring unit.

The present invention relates to a safety switching apparatus for safe disconnection of an electrical load, in particular a load used in an automated installation. More particularly, the invention relates to safety switching apparatuses for safely shutting down a machine or installation in response to a safety requirement signaled by an emergency-off buttons, a light curtain, a guard door or other safety-related signaling devices.
DE 100 11 211 A1 discloses a prior art safety switching device in the form of a compact device unit which is generally intended for installation in a switchgear cabinet of an automated installation. Such a safety switching device typically has an (at least largely) predefined and fixed functional scope. Such safety switching devices exist in particular for evaluation of emergency-off buttons, guard doors, switching mats, two-hand switches, limit position and other position switches and other safety-related signaling devices. They typically include an evaluation and control unit designed for evaluation and/or monitoring of one or more signaling devices of a specific type. Depending on the signaling device, the evaluation and control unit produces a control signal, by means of which an electrical power supply path to the load can be interrupted in a fail-safe manner when required.
In addition, so-called safety controllers exist, whose functional scope is freely programmable in wide ranges, such as safety controllers, which are marketed by the present assignee under the brand name PSS®. The present invention relates in particular to compact safety switching devices which are relatively simple and low cost in comparison to such programmable controllers. However, the invention can also be used for safety controllers, for failsafe remote I/O units, or for other types of safety switching apparatuses.
In conventional safety switching devices, the at least one switching element typically is a positively guided relay, that is to say an electromechanical switching element having a plurality of make contacts and at least one break contact. The break contact and the make contacts are coupled to one another via a mechanical positive drive such that the break contact and the make contacts cannot be closed at the same time. The make contacts are normally closed by the evaluation and control unit during operation of the safety switching device and they are used to interrupt the electrical power supply path to the electrical load when required due to a safety function. A signal is typically fed back via the break contact to the evaluation and control unit, so that the latter can monitor the switching position of the make contacts on the basis of the positive drive. This makes it possible for the evaluation and control unit to detect when a make contact has become welded, and is stuck in its closed (or open) switch position. Because of this characteristic, positively driven relays have been proven to be very highly suitable in the field of safety switching devices and have been widely used for many years. However, positively driven relays are quite expensive and quite bulky.
DE 100 11 211 A1 proposes a safety switching device in which at least two electronic switching elements are used in order to interrupt the electrical power supply path to the load. In particular, transistors are proposed as switching elements. This allows a safety switching device to be produced in a smaller form, and at a lower cost. However, the safety switching device known from DE 100 11 211 A1 differs from most conventional safety switching devices not just in the use of transistors instead of positively guided relays. A further difference is that the transistors in the safety switching device each produce a potential-related output signal while, in contrast, safety switching devices having positively guided relays typically provide floating outputs. The latter means that the safety switching device does not per se produce an output signal, but only either passes on or does not pass on a potential that is connected from the outside. In contrast, the safety switching device known from DE 100 11 211 A1 produces "its own" output potential which is related to the ground for the safety switching device.
Safety switching devices with floating outputs (that is to say with positively guided relays as switching elements) are widely used in practice because this technique has been in use for many years. For spare-parts compatibility reasons, it is desirable to continue to have safety switching devices with floating outputs. Furthermore, floating outputs have the advantage that they can switch currents, voltages and frequencies in the load circuit over a very wide variation range. In contrast, the switching capacity of the safety switching device DE 100 11 211 A1 is restricted by the characteristics of the transistors used. Consequently, there is still a need for safety switching devices with floating outputs.

Safety switching apparatus for safe disconnection of an electrical load


A connection between a collapsible mast jacket of an energy-absorbing steering column and a body of a motor vehicle including an outboard mounting bracket on the mast jacket having a pair of lateral flanges, a pair of open slots in the lateral flanges each having a pair of side edges interrupted by a plurality of evenly-spaced notches, a pair of capsules in the open slots rigidly clamped to the vehicle body, and a plurality of equally-spaced plastic shear pins on the capsules seated in the notches to couple the capsules to the outboard mounting bracket. Each capsule includes a capsule base having the plastic pins thereon and a separate capsule cover. The linear pitch between the plastic shear pins is the same as the linear pitch between the notches. The magnitude of the force reaction between the outboard mounting bracket and the capsules required to separate the mounting bracket from the capsules and release the mast jacket for energy-absorbing linear collapse is adjusted by varying the longitudinal overlap between the capsules and the open slots in increments equal to the linear pitches between the plastic shear pins and between the notches.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,599, issued Jul. 16, 1968 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, describes an energy-absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle including a tubular mast jacket which collapses longitudinally through an energy-absorbing stroke in response to an impact on a manual steering wheel on the steering column. An upper or outboard connection between the mast jacket and a body of the motor vehicle includes an outboard mounting bracket on the mast jacket having a pair of lateral flanges, a pair of open slots in the lateral flanges, a pair of capsules slidably mounted in the slots and rigidly clamped to the vehicle body, and a plurality of injection molded plastic pins which couple the capsules to the lateral flanges of the outboard mounting bracket. Force attributable to the impact on the steering wheel is initially reacted to the vehicle body through the plastic pins which fracture when such impact force attains a magnitude determined by physical characteristics of the plastic pins, e.g., dimensions and material strength. When the plastic pins fracture, the capsules are uncoupled from the lateral flanges of the outboard mounting bracket, and the latter is released from the vehicle body for linear translation as a unit with the mast jacket. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,795,038 and 3,868,864, issued Mar. 5, 1974 and Mar. 4, 1975 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, describe energy-absorbing steering columns having similar outboard connections in which the capsules are releasably retained on the outboard mounting bracket by, respectively, tangs on the bracket bent behind the capsules and by tangs on the capsules bent into notches in the bracket. U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,427, issued Jul. 24, 1973 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, describes an energy-absorbing steering column having a similar outboard connection in which the capsules are releasably retained on the outboard mounting bracket by friction between the bracket and the capsules.

Connection for energy-absorbing steering column


A curable composition includes a (meth)acrylic acid ester polymer (A), wherein the (meth)acrylic acid ester polymer (A) includes a monomer and a macromonomer (a). The monomer includes a reactive silicon group represented by the general formula (1): —SiR1aX3-a (1) (in the formula, R1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms, X each independently represents a hydroxyl group or a hydrolyzable group, and a represents 0 or 1.) and a polymerizable unsaturated group. The macromonomer (a) is a (meth)acrylic acid ester polymer having a polymerizable unsaturated group.

An organic polymer having a reactive silicon reacts even at room temperature as caused by moisture or the like. It is known that this organic polymer is crosslinked by siloxane condensation reaction of a reactive silicon group to yield a cured product in rubber state. Among the organic polymers, by having relatively low viscosity, a polyoxyalkylene polymer having a reactive silicon group exhibits excellent workability during preparation of a blend composition or use thereof. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of having good performance balance such as physical properties, weather resistance, or dynamic durability of a cured product which is obtained therefrom, it is widely used for applications such as sealing material, adhesive, paint and the like (Patent Document 1). By blending various kinds of a component like a filler or a plasticizer, workability or various physical properties of a curable composition containing an organic polymer having a reactive silicon group can be adjusted. When it is desired to have weather resistance or adhesiveness, it is advantageous to use a reactive silicon group-containing polyoxyalkylene polymer and a reactive silicon group-containing (meth)acrylic acid ester polymer in combination (Patent Document 2). They are used as a sealant with high weather resistance or an adhesive for industrial use.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. S52-73998    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. S59-122541
To increase the adhesiveness of an organic polymer having a reactive silicon group to each adherend, a method of using a (meth)acrylic acid ester polymer with high Tg is known. However, there remains room for improvement to ensure the adhesiveness to a broad range of adherends. Furthermore, there is also a case in which, as the viscosity of a composition increases by using a polymer with high Tg, poor workability is yielded. One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a curable composition which has a low viscosity and exhibits good adhesiveness to a broad range of adherends.


A cavity insert for a mold stack is disclosed, the cavity insert being dimensioned to define a continuous annular cavity insert cooling chamber. The cavity insert also provides a first and second decompression chamber in fluid communication with each end of the cavity insert cooling chamber. Also disclosed is a chamber extension feature in fluid communication with the cavity insert cooling chamber to promote cooling in the downstream region of the cavity insert.

In the art of injection molding, a typical injection mold will contain one or more mold cores and cavities that correspond to the shape of the molded article being produced. A melt stream of moldable material is injected from an injection molding machine into the mold cavities through a hot runner system, where it is allowed to solidify for a period of time before the mold is opened and the newly molded parts are ejected.
One of the most significant factors in affecting the overall cycle time required to produce one or a plurality of molded articles is the time required to solidify or cool the newly molded articles within the mold cavity before the parts are ejected.
In injection molding applications such as the molding of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) preforms, the ability to rapidly cool the molded articles in the mold is of utmost importance since the newly molded preforms are in many instances removed from the mold by a robotic post-mold cooling device as soon as they have solidified to a point where they can be handled without being damaged.
In PET molding an assembly of components, known in the art as a mold stack, defines the mold cavity in which the preform is molded. The inside surface of the preform is defined by a mold core, whereas the outside surface of the preform is generally formed in three sections. The hemispherical, or otherwise shaped, end portion being defined by a gate insert, the elongate body portion being defined by a cavity insert, and the thread/neck portion being defined by a pair of cooperating thread splits. Rapid cooling of the outside of the preform is particularly important since it is the outside of the preform that is handled by the post-mold cooing device immediately upon ejection of the newly molded article from the mold. That being said, inadequate or inefficient cooling of the outside of the preform can result in defective molded articles, and/or have a negative impact upon the time of the overall molding cycle.
As such, a need exists in the art for cooling conduit arrangements that provides rapid and efficient cooling to the elongate body portion of the preform.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention provides a cell culture medium useful for a biochemical analysis of antioxidant function in human lymphocytes, said medium comprising, a buffered, serum-free solution containing the following ingredients: a carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of glucose and a compound biologically capable of producing glucose in the cells, a biologically usable form of pantothenic acid, choline or a biological usable form of a substance capable of producing choline in the cells, inorganic ions comprising chloride, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and iron in a biologically utilizable form, cumene hydroperoxide, deionized water, and a mitogen in an amount effective to stimulate the lymphocytes being assayed; said buffered, serum-free solution having a pH from about 6.8 to 7.6, said cell culture medium characterized by being effective to determine nutritional deficiencies, inadequacies, and imbalances and to biochemically analyze antioxidant function of the lymphocytes. Also provided is a method of biochemically analyzing cellular antioxidant function in an individual comprising the steps of: inoculating the cell culture medium of the present invention with lymphocytes from said individual; incubating the inoculated cell culture medium; and comparing the response of the lymphocytes with an average response of lymphocytes from a control group of individuals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of nutrition and physiological chemistry. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel biochemical analysis of antioxidant function.
2. Description of the Related Art
An individual's cells are constantly subjected to highly reactive and unstable molecules called free radicals which cause oxidative stress. These hostile molecules are a normal byproduct of life and are produced by metabolism of oxygen, i.e., cellular respiration, immune system cells (killing of foreign materials) and by numerous enzyme reactions essential for metabolism. Environmental sources of free radicals include smoke, ionizing radiation, air pollution, chemicals (carcinogens, many petrochemicals, biocides, dyes, solvents, cytostatic drugs, etc.), toxic heavy metals and oxidized (rancid) fats. Some of the most common free radicals are superoxide, hydroxyl, singlet oxygen, and peroxides. Certain valences of iron and copper can catalyze formation of free radicals, which although short-lived, promote a chain reaction of radical formation, followed by a wake of altered, damaged biological molecules.
Free radicals are toxic to living organisms, causing structural damage to all biological molecules. Molecular damage may translate into alteration of genetic codes, disruption of cell membrane integrity, neurological disorders, endocrine imbalances, increased allergies, vascular endothelial destruction, and joint degradation and inflammation.
Protection from the deleterious effects of free radicals is found in a diverse range of molecules termed antioxidants. Free radicals, and their chain byproducts can be neutralized and converted to less harmful products by antioxidants. Antioxidants may be enzymes (such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase), essential nutrients (such as beta carotene, vitamins C and E, selenium and cysteine) or a wide variety of endogenous (such as glutathione) or dietary compounds (such as the bioflavanoids). Thus, the human body has different quenchers of free radicals.
Research in humans has indicated that deficient intakes of nutrient antioxidants are associated with higher risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cataracts, etc. Also, higher intake of nutrient antioxidants are associated, with lower incidence of chronic degenerative diseases. Encouraging studies indicate that intervention with antioxidant nutrient supplements may have therapeutic benefit in humans.
Laboratory analysis of antioxidant status has not become routine for a variety of reasons. Free radicals are extremely fleeting and generally not amenable to direct measurement. By products of free radical damage can be measured as malondialdehyde (MDA), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) or lipid peroxides in serum or urine. These tests are indicators of oxidative stress but only reflect damage to certain types of biomolecules (mostly polyunsaturated lipids and nucleic acids). Measurement of antioxidant nutrient levels in serum or cells, and activities of antioxidant enzymes in cells can identify deficient levels of specific components, but gives little information on the interaction and net function of antioxidants. Other tests for oxidative stress are available in research settings but are unsuitable for routine clinical laboratory use because of their complexity and cost.
The prior art is deficient in the lack of simple cost-effective means of biochemical analyzing antioxidant function in a human. The present invention fulfills this longstanding need and desire in the art.

Biochemical analysis of antioxidant function of lymphocytes in culture


Disclosed herein is an exercise apparatus for backbone care, in which an exerciser's lower body is moved leftwards and rightwards when a lower body exercising panel rotates leftwards and rightwards, so that his or her upper body is moved in a direction opposite the moving direction of the lower body, and thus a slipped disk is restored to its original position and a bent section of the backbone is straightened. A sliding or slippery or a rotation mechanism is provided on an upper body exercising panel so that an exerciser's upper body is exercised naturally by the movement of the lower body. Thus, free rotation of the upper body exercising panel is possible even though additional power is not transmitted to the upper body exercising panel. The exercise apparatus allows exercise to be stably conducted in the shape of an S.

The backbone forms the center of a human's body, and is the body part through which all nerves, transmitting instructions from the brain, pass. Thus, it is obvious that the health of the backbone is representative of the health of the entire body.
As the body ages, exercise is not conducted for a long time, or a person acquires a bad habit or poor posture in daily life, the backbone slowly bends leftwards, rightwards or forwards, so that overall health is worsened, and resistance to many diseases is lowered. In this case, a person may suffer from a ruptured disk, which is caused by abnormal protrusion of a spinal disk and causes pain due to pressure on spinal nerves, or scoliosis, which is the lateral deformation of the vertebral column.
As a method of treating the ruptured disk or scoliosis, a so-called "goldfish exercise" is known to people. The goldfish exercise is recommended especially for a person whose backbone is bent to the left or right. The goldfish exercise is conducted by bending the body leftwards or rightwards as if a person were a swimming goldfish, after he or she lies on his or her back. This exercise corrects the dislocation of the left and right sections of the backbone, eliminates pressure on spinal nerves or paralysis of peripheral nerves, makes the nervous function of the whole body uniform, and permits the smooth circulation of blood.
A conventional exercise apparatus using the above goldfish exercise has been proposed. Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2004-82234, which is entitled "Waist Strengthening Apparatus" and was published on Sep. 24, 2004, includes a straightening unit which shakes only an exerciser's buttocks leftwards and rightwards, in the state in which he or she is lying on his or her back. However, the straightening unit is problematic in that it shakes only the buttocks leftwards and rightwards in the state in which an exerciser is lying on his or her back, so that the shaking of the upper body is insufficient. That is, the main point of the goldfish exercise is to shake the upper body leftwards and rightwards. However, the conventional exercise apparatus exercises only the buttocks, so that there is little movement of the upper body.


An electrical power distribution assembly for an airplane, the assembly including an electric switch device for placing in a Karman fairing of the airplane.

The invention constituting the subject matter of the present disclosure lies in the field of electricity distribution assemblies for aircraft, and of methods of putting such assemblies into place.
Present-day airplanes, whether they be airliners, cargo airplanes, or military airplanes, are using more and more electrical power for a very large number of functions, which in the past used to be performed by hydraulic and/or pneumatic power.
Until now, the functions powered electrically have been situated in particular at the front of the airplane, close to the cockpit, as shown in FIG. 1. There can be seen the 120 VU rack, referenced 100, which is an alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) power supply rack in A320 airplanes, which are used by way of illustration. The 120 VU rack receives electrical power from generators 110 driven by the engines and distributes it to consumers, e.g. galleys 120 located at the front of the aircraft. Away from the front of aircraft, it is commonly necessary to power other galleys located at the rear, and referenced 130.
The 120 VU rack 100 is a switching device, also referred to as an electrical master box. In general manner, such boxes are situated at the front of the aircraft under the cockpit, or at the back of the cockpit, under the flight deck. They constitute an interface between the electricity generators 110 that take power from the engines, and they distribute that power to various loads for powering. One or more auxiliary generator units 150 are also used in addition to the generators 110 that are actuated by the engines, in particular when the engines are off, and also a generator 160 that is connected to an emergency generator 165 or constant speed motor generator (CSMG). These auxiliary units (auxiliary power unit (APU), ground power unit (GPU), and CSMG) power the electrical master box 100 placed that the front of the aircraft.
However, recent models of aircraft include much more equipment that is electrically powered. Thus, provision is made for starting to be electrically-driven using an alternator/starter, for air conditioning and airplane pressurization to be performed using electrical compressors, thereby making it possible to avoid taking air from an engine, for wing and tail deicing to be performed electrically instead of by air deicing, or for braking to be electrical rather than hydraulic. An example is constituted by an electric brake unit for the main landing gear wheels (not shown). In addition, the trend for control members is to use electrohydraulic controls that require high levels of electrical power for actuating flight control surfaces, in the event of hydraulic power being lost. For example, electromechanical actuators are known that control ailerons and electronic power controls that control an actuator for reversing thrust. It is also possible for electrical power to be used to actuate air brakes, wing flaps, and slats. Proposals have also been made to move landing gear using electrical power and to enable an airplane to taxi on the ground, likewise using electrical power only.
The total electrical power needed in certain aircraft requires an availability of 1000 kilovolt amps (kVA), or even more.
Devices that consume electrical power (loads) are present in numerous zones of aircraft. Powering them from an electrical master box at the front of the airplane requires cables to run over long distances. Furthermore, the ability to be able to take action very quickly on electrical master boxes, while the aircraft is on the ground between two flights, is being required more and more, both because the users of aircraft desire to use them without losing time, and because more and more on-board devices are powered electrically, as mentioned above.

Electrical power distribution assembly for an aircraft


Disclosed embodiments may include a method for automatically providing customized financial card incentives where the system can identify if a transaction is eligible for additional bonus rewards by determining if the user is a student using a clustering algorithm with user similarity data to generate a probability. Then, if the probability is above a predetermined threshold, a machine learning model with comprehensive user data classifies the user as a student or non-student. Once the user is determined to be a student, the transaction is verified as being an educational purchase using the transaction data or by having the user provide an image of a receipt. Once the transaction is verified, the transaction or items within the transaction qualify for additional rewards that are applied to the user's account. Users who are not identified as students may qualify for a standard amount of rewards.

Financial card transactions (e.g., credit and debit cards) make up a massive part of commerce. Frequently people choose one card over another because of the rewards points associated with a certain card. Reward points allow the user to get cash back for using the card or can be redeemed for gift cards and other incentives. Using and paying off a credit card also has the benefit of raising the user's credit scores. Increased use over time also allows users to obtain higher credit limits.
Traditional systems and methods for providing financial card incentives typically give equal points to all purchases or give certain categories of purchases a certain reward percentage. Some financial cards give a rewards incentive for certain merchants. Furthermore, some financial cards give incentives for only a certain time of the year. However, financial card incentives have not been tailored to users within a certain category and offer individualized rewards to certain users for specific purchases. Additionally, students are one category of users who often do not use their credit cards for large purchases because students frequently do not have a high-enough credit limit.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods for automatically providing customized financial card incentives. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to this and other considerations.

System and methods for automatically providing customized financial card incentives


A predistorter that linearizes the nonlinearity of a power amplifier in a system supporting a multimode and a multiband (frequency band). The predistorter includes a field-effect transistor, an impedance transform unit, a first inductor, a first capacitor, and a second capacitor. The field-effect transistor has a source connected to the ground and uses a variable gate bias voltage. The impedance transform unit is connected to a drain of the field-effect transistor to perform impedance transform. The first inductor is connected between the impedance transform unit and a voltage provided to the field-effect transistor. The first capacitor is connected between a power input terminal and the impedance transform unit. The second capacitor is connected between a power output terminal and the impedance transform unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a predistorter, and in particular, to a predistorter for linearizing the nonlinearity of a power amplifier in a system supporting a multimode and a multiband (frequency band).
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of mobile communication, a radio frequency (RF) system aims at providing a multimode and a multiband. Further, the RF system requires a small size, high efficiency, and high linearity. However, an amplifier of a transmitter in a mobile communication system consumes a large amount of power and also has nonlinearity, which causes degradation of the entire system.
Accordingly, research is being conducted on linearization of an amplifier. Among the research results, predistortion is a representative technique that can be miniaturized enough to be used in a mobile terminal for mobile communication.
FIG. 1 illustrates basic principles of a predistorter. Referring to FIG. 1, AM-AM distortion of a power amplifier exhibits a gain that decreases as an input power Pin increases. In addition, AM-PM distortion exhibits a phase that increases or decreases as the input power Pin increases. Therefore, the predistorter and the power amplifier have contrary characteristics, which achieve overall linearity.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a conventional parallel diode predistorter. Referring to FIG. 2, the conventional parallel diode predistorter includes a diode D2 having a cathode connected to the ground, a bias feed resistance R2 connected between an anode of the diode D2 and a bias voltage VCC, a capacitor C21 connected between an input terminal IN and the anode of the diode D2, and a capacitor C22 connected between the anode of the diode D2 and an output terminal OUT.
In the conventional parallel diode predistorter, because a voltage Vd at the diode D2 decreases as an input power increases, the resistance of the diode D2 increases. That is, as the input power increases, the conductance of the diode D2 decreases and thus a bias point changes as illustrated in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 3, L indicates a bias point when the input power is large, and S indicates a bias point when the input power is small.
In the conventional parallel diode predistorter, the capacitors C21 and C22 are arranged in parallel with the diode D2 to control a phase deviation, thereby controlling a susceptance.
Once a conductance G and a susceptance B according to an input power are acquired, a gain and a phase of a predistorter can be calculated using Equations (1) through (3).
                              S                                                              21                =                              2                          2              +                                                Z                  T                                                Y                                              =                                    2                              2                +                                                      Z                    T                                                      Y                                                      =                          2                              2                +                                                      Z                    T                                                                          (                                          G                      +                      jB                                        )                                                                                (        1        )                                                                S                                                                          21                                    =                  2                                                                      (                                      2                    +                                                                  Z                        T                                                                  G                                                        )                                2                            +                                                (                                                            Z                      T                                                            B                                    )                                2                                                                        (        2        )                                          ∠                                                              S                                                              21                =                              tan                          -              1                                                      (                                                            -                                      Z                    T                                                                  B                                            2                +                                                      Z                    T                                                      G                                                      )                                              (        3        )
More specifically, Equation (2) calculates a gain of the predistorter and Equation (3) calculates a phase of the predistorter.
According to Equations (1) through (3), as the conductance G decreases, the size of S21, i.e., the gain of the predistorter, increases and the phase of S21, i.e., the phase of the predistorter, decreases with an increase in the input power.
However, to implement a predistorter suitable for a multimode and a multiband, the predistorter should have characteristics as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. That is, the predistorter should provide a gain change 41, a free change in turning points 42 and 43 at which a gain starts to change according to an input power, free turns 44 and 45 of a gain, a phase change 46, a free change in turning points 47 and 48 at which a phase starts to change according to an input power, and free turns 49 and 50 of a phase.
However, because the conventional parallel diode predistorter illustrated in FIG. 2 should control the bias voltage VCC or use a buffer amplifier or an attenuator to control a turning point, it consumes a large amount of power and cannot provide gain and phase characteristics suitable for multimode, multiband power amplifiers.


A method comprising: collecting information on one or more network devices; storing the collected information in a database; mapping the stored information to abstracted values; presenting the mapped information to a user for selection and inclusion into a template; creating, responsive to the user input, one or more templates comprising one or more abstracted values; activating, responsive to the user input, one or more created templates; and accessing one or more network devices based on the activated one or more templates.

Construction of customized networks, such as computing and communication networks, for specific tasks or workloads is utilized in test environments where costly network resources are shared. In these environments, users need the ability to provision the actual physical network devices and not just the resources running on them. Often times these networks are only needed for a short amount of time or until the specific workload or test have been completed. Thereafter, the network is either kept in place until the specific workload needs to be run again, or the network is dismantled so that the devices and physical connections can be used elsewhere. In either case, the time it takes to setup and configure a customized network can sometimes take longer than the time it is actually needed for the workload.
There are similar challenges in production network environments. Network resource needs and demands can change and therefore physical connections, configurations, and even the network resources themselves need to be swapped out or reconfigured. For example, as network routes increase there may be a need to enable a dynamic routing protocol. This may involve bringing a new router into the network or configuring the protocol on an existing router. In either case, as the needs of the network change, so do the devices within it.

Dynamic management of network environments

ALLIED TELESIS HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA


Embodiments of the invention include an optical communications system including one or more optical transmission devices, one or more optical receiving devices, and at least one positive dispersion optical fiber coupled therebetween. The fiber includes a doped core region with an index of refraction n1, a cladding region with an index of refraction n2, and first and second annular rings or regions therebetween with indices of refraction n3 and n4, respectively. The various regions are manufactured in such a way that the refractive index value ranges are: 0.14 less than (n1xe2x88x92n2)/n2 less than 0.31, xe2x88x920.19 less than (n3xe2x88x92n2)/n2 less than xe2x88x920.02, and xe2x88x920.20 less than (n4xe2x88x92n2)/n2 less than xe2x88x920.08. The fibers exhibit a chromatic dispersion greater than 20xc2x12.0 ps/(nm-km) and a dispersion slope less than 0.062 ps/(nm2-km) at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Also, the fibers have a relatively large effective core area, Aeff, e.g., greater than 100.0 xcexcm2, and a relative dispersion slope (RDS) less than 0.0032 nmxe2x88x921. The mode field diameter (MFD) is at least 11.9xc2x10.7 xcexcm. These desirable transmission characteristics are achieved without many of the manufacturing and economic limitations of conventional fibers.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to positive dispersion optical fiber. More particularly, the invention relates to positive dispersion optical fiber having improved transmission characteristics including increased effective area.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical fibers are thin strands of glass or plastic capable of transmitting optical signals, containing relatively large amounts of information, over long distances and with relatively low attenuation. Typically, optical fibers are made by heating and drawing a portion of an optical preform comprising a refractive core region surrounded by a protective cladding region made of glass or other suitable material. Optical fibers drawn from the preform typically are protected further by one or more coatings applied to the cladding region.
In an effort to improve the transmission capacity of optical fibers, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems are used. In general, WDM systems multiplex a plurality of information channels onto a single fiber, with each channel operating at a different wavelength. To combat the inherent nonlinearity effects of interaction between channels (e.g., 4-photon mixing), many WDM system arrangements include a dispersion compensating arrangement including a positive dispersion fiber concatenated with a (negative) dispersion compensating fiber. The positive dispersion fiber typically comprises a single mode fiber with a small amount of dispersion to reduce the nonlinear interactions between channels. The dispersion compensating fiber tends to have a negative dispersion to reduce the introduced and otherwise accumulated dispersion.
However, dispersion compensating fibers tend to exhibit higher signal attenuation than non-dispersion compensating fibers. Thus, it is desirable for the positive dispersion fiber to have relatively low loss to reduce the overall attenuation of the dispersion compensating arrangement. Conventionally, low loss positive dispersion optical fibers exist. Such fibers include, e.g., the low loss, pure silica core fiber from Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. See, e.g., xe2x80x9cUltra Low Nonlinearity Low Loss Pure Silica Core Fiber,xe2x80x9d Electronics Letters Online No: 19991094, Aug. 3, 1999.
However, it should be noted that the optical fibers disclosed in the above-referenced article have pure silica core regions, rather than more conventional optical fibers whose core regions are made of silica doped with, e.g., germanium dioxide (GeO2). Optical fibers having pure silica core regions typically are more expensive than GeO2-doped or other doped core fibers because, e.g., pure silica is more difficult and thus more expensive to process than Ge-doped silica. Also, pure silica core fibers have inherent difficulties associated with the depressed index cladding, e.g., the mismatch properties of the core and cladding make the fiber draw process more difficult.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an optical fiber, including a non-zero positive dispersion optical fiber having a relatively large effective area, that has the desirable transmission characteristics discussed hereinabove without the manufacturing and economic limitations of conventional pure silica core fiber.
The invention is embodied in an optical communications system including one or more optical transmission devices, one or more optical receiving devices, and at least one positive dispersion optical fiber coupled therebetween. Embodiments of the invention provide positive dispersion optical fiber that includes a doped core region with an index of refraction n1, a cladding region with an index of refraction n2, and first and second annular rings or regions with indices of refraction n3 and n4, respectively, formed between the doped core region and the cladding region. The various regions are manufactured in such a way that the refractive index value ranges are: 0.14 less than (n1xe2x88x92n2)/n2 less than 0.31, xe2x88x920.19 less than (n3xe2x88x92n2)/n2 less than xe2x88x920.02, and xe2x88x920.20 less than (n4xe2x88x92n2)/n2 less than xe2x88x920.08. The core region is doped, e.g., with germanium or other suitable material. The first and second regions are down-doped, e.g., with fluorine or other suitable material. The cladding region is, e.g., pure silica. Positive dispersion fiber according to embodiments of the invention has a chromatic dispersion greater than 20xc2x12.0 picosecond/(nanometer-kilometer) with a dispersion slope less than 0.062 ps/(nm2-km) at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Also, the mode field diameter (MFD) of the fiber is at least 11.9xc2x10.7 microns (xcexcm). Moreover, optical fiber according to embodiments of the invention has a relatively large effective core area, Aeff, e.g., greater than 100.0 xcexcm2, and a relative dispersion slope (RDS) less than 0.0032 nmxe2x88x92. Manufacture of the optical fiber includes manufacture of a core region with a width from approximately 6.0 xcexcm to approximately 6.4 xcexcm, a first annular region with a width from approximately 2.0 xcexcm to approximately 4.1 xcexcm, and a second annular region with a width from approximately 15.0 xcexcm to approximately 35.0 xcexcm. Optical fiber according to embodiments of the invention provides desired transmission characteristics such as relatively large effective core area and relatively low transmission loss at desired frequencies (e.g., 1550 nm) without being burdened by the manufacturing and economic limitations of conventional fibers.

Positive dispersion optical fiber having large effective area


A combination shipping and display crate includes a pair of end walls to which are fixed a plurality of slats in which at least one slat is slidably mounted in opposing slots formed in the crate end walls, and held in place by friction or torsion.

Modern marketing enterprises make extensive use of shipping and display crates to protect products during shipping and to display products in a manner appealing to customers. Wooden crates are commonly used, since they are attractive and biodegradable.
A conventional crate typically comprises a pair of solid wooden end plates or blocks to which are nailed, stapled or screwed or otherwise mechanically affixed or glued a plurality of wooden slats which form the top, bottom, front and back walls of the crate. Manufacture of the crate is somewhat time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, conventional wooden crates require tools to open, i.e. to pry off the slats. Moreover, prying off the slats often results in splitting the slats, so that the crate cannot be reused.


Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with wake-on-frame mechanisms are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a packet source configured to send packets to a frame processing device and a wake-on-frame mechanism that is selectable by the frame processing device between an enabled state and a disabled state. If the wake-on-frame mechanism is in the enabled state, a packet source that has a frame to send to the frame processing device sends a wake signal to the frame processing device prior to sending the packet. The packet source sends the packet to the frame processing device after receiving a ready signal from the frame processing device.

Minimizing power usage is an important focus for networking products. For example, recently Energy Star prompted the IEEE 802.3 group to work according to a standard called Energy Efficient. Ethernet (EEE). As part of the effort to meet this standard, physical layer networking devices (PHYs) are now typically designed to power down as much as possible when there is no network traffic. However, devices associated with media access control (MAC), such as processors, field programmable gate arrays, and so on, that receive packets from PHYs and process packets for transfer outside of a local network are typically maintained in a powered state so that they can be ready to receive packets for processing at any time.

Wake-on-frame for frame processing devices


The present invention provides a novel naphthoquinone derivative preferred as an electron transporting agent and an electrophotographic photosensitive material of high sensitivity which contains a novel naphtoquinone derivative having a general formula (1) ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have a substituent, or an aryl group which may contain a substituent, and R.sup.2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have a substituent, a halogenated alkyl group, an aldehyde or a nitro group. The derivative is contained in a photosensitive layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive material as an electron transporting agent.

[TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION BELONGS]
The present invention relates to a novel naphthoquinone derivative and to an electrophotographic material used in an image forming apparatus such as an electrostatic copying machine, a facsimile and a laser beam printer.
[PRIOR ART]
In image-forming apparatuses such as copying machines using the Carlson processing, a facsimile and a laser printer, electrophotographic materials using various materials have been used. The first of such electrophotographic materials is an inorganic photosensitive material in which an inorganic material such as selenium is used as a photosensitive layer, and the other is an organic photosensitive material using an organic material (OPC) as a photosensitive layer. The organic photosensitive material is cheaper than the inorganic photosensitive material and has higher productivity and is non-polluting. Hence, wide investigations have been carried out with regard to organic photosensitive materials.
Many organic photosensitive materials are so-called function-separating type photosensitive materials which are laminated-type photosensitive materials in which a charge generating layer and a charge transporting layer are laminated, but so-called single layer-type photosensitive materials obtained by dispersing a charge generating agent and a charge transporting agent in a single photosensitive layer are also known.
The charge transporting agent used in such a photosensitive material are required to have a high carrier movability. Since most of charge transporting agents having high carrier movability are positive hole transporting, the organic photosensitive materials are limited to negatively charged laminated-type organic photosensitive materials in which a charge transporting layer is provided at the outermost layer from the viewpoint of mechanical strength. However, because the negatively charged organic phososensitive material utilizes negatively polar corona dischage, the amount of ozone generated is large, and a problem of contaminating the environment or of deteriorating the photosensitive material occurs.
To remove such a problem, the use of an electron transporting agent as the charge transporting agent has been investigated, and for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 206349/1989 proposes the use of a compound having a diphenoquinone structure or a benzoquinone structure as an electron transporting agent of an electrophotographic photosensitive material.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 110227/1994 proposes the use of a compound having a benzoquinone structure or a naphthoquinone structure as an electron trasporting agent for an electron photosensitive material.
However, conventional electron transporting agents such as generally diphenoquinone derivatives, benzoquinone derivatives, and naphthoquinone derivatives have been difficult to match with charge generating agents, and electron injection from charge generating agent to a charge transporting agent becomes insufficient. Such electron transporting agents have poor solubility in binder resins, the hopping distance becomes long, and movabillity of electrons in a low electric field is difficult to occur. Therefore, photosensitive materials containing conventional electron transporting agents, as is clear from the photosensitivity tests described in Examples, the residual potential becomes high, and the sensitivity is low.
As stated above, many of organic photosensitive materials now put to practical use contain a laminated-type photosensitive layer, but in comparison with the above type, photosensitive materials equipped with a single layer phosensitive layer has a simple structure and is easy to produce. In addition, it has many advantages, for example, it suppresses the occurrence of the film defects, and optical characteristics will be increased.
In addition, a photosensitive material equipped with a photosensitive layer of a single layer type conjointly uses an electron transporting agent and a positive hole transporting agent as a charge transporting agent can be used as a positive charging type and a negative charging type and the applicability range of the. photosensitive material can be extended. However, the conventional electron transporting agent and the positive hole transporting agent by their interaction poses a problem of obstructing the transporting of an electron and a positive hole. Hence, a photosensitive material equipped with a single layer type photosensitive layer has not been widely put into practical utility.
[SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION]
The object of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned technical problem, and to provide a preferred novel compound useful as an electron transporting agent in an electrophotographic material, and an electrophotographic material having the above novel compound which electrophotographic material has a higher sensitivity than heretofore.
The naphthoquinone derivative of this invention for solving the above problem is expressed by general formula (1) ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have a substituent, or an aryl group which may have a substituent, R.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have a substituent, a halogenated alkyl group, an aldehyde group, a nitro group, or a group (i): ##STR3##
The naphthoquinone derivative of this invention expressed by the general formula (1) has excellent electron acceptability by the action of a group which the naphthoquinone ring has, namely by the action of >C.dbd.O, and by the action of the group R.sub.1, the naphthoquinone derivative of this invention has a good solubility in a solvent, and a good mutual solubility in a binder resin. Because the above compound of formula (1) is uniformly dispersed in a photosensitive material, the hopping distance of an electron is short, especially it has excellent electron transportability in a low electric field, and matching with a charge generating agent is excellent. Accordingly, by using the derivative (1) as an electron transporting agent in an electronphotographic material, a highly sensitive electrosensitive material can be provided.
Since the naphthoquinone derivative (1) of this invention is obtained by bonding two naphthoquinone rings which inherently have excellent electron transportability and electron acceptability by the action of the above substituents, it is surmised that an increase in electron transportability can be seen.
The naphthoquinone derivative (1) of this invention can also be used as a solar battery and an EL element by utilizing its high electron transportability.
The electrophotographic material of this invention is composed of a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer provided thereon. This photosensitive layer is characterized in that it contains a naphthoquinone derivative represented by the general formula (1) of this invention.
The photosensitive layer containing the naphthoquinone layer (1) mentioned above has excellent transportability in a low electric field and the proportion of re-bonding an electron to a positive hole in the layer decreases and when the apparent occurrence of charging efficiency approaches an actual value, the sensitivity of the photosensitive material increases. Furthermore, the residual potential of the photosensitive material becomes low, and the stability and durabilility also increase at the time of repeating exposure.
Especially since the naphthoquinone derivative (1) does not cause the interaction with positive hole transporting agent, which hamper the transportation of an electron and a positive hole, when it is used in the photosensitive layer of the single layer-type containing the positive hole transporting agent in the same layer, it is possible to prepare a photosensitve body having high sensitivity.
When the photosensitive material contains an electron transporting agent having an oxidation-reduction potential of -0.8 to -1.4 V, the sensitivity of the photosensitive material is further increases.
Since the electron transporting agent extracts an electron from a charge generating agent and trasmits it to the naphthoquinone derivative (1), it is surmised that injection of an electron from the charge generating agent to the naphthoquinone derivative (1) will become smoother.
In view of affinity for the naphthoquinone derivative (1), the electron transporting agent may preferably be a diphenoquinone derivative of general formula (2) ##STR4## wherein R.sup.A, R.sup.B, R.sup.C and R.sup.D may be the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, or an amino group, or preferably a benzoquinone derivative of the general formula (3) ##STR5## wherein R.sup.E, R.sup.F, R.sup.G and R.sup.H may be the same or different, and each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, a cyloalkyl group, or an amino group which may have a substituent.

Naphthoquinone derivative and electrophotographic material using the naphthoquinone derivative


A fan wheel structure includes a hub provided with a plate member and a plurality of blades. The plate member is located around the hub and has an upper side and a lower side. The blades are arranged on the upper side of the plate member and respectively have a connecting end connected to the hub as well as a free end. The blades respectively include a backward-curved section, a middle section and a forward-curved section. The backward-curved section is located adjacent to the connecting end and connected to the upper side of the plate member; the forward-curved section is located adjacent to the free end; and the middle section is connected at two opposite ends to the backward-curved section and the forward-curved section. And, an air passage is formed on the upper side of the plate member between any two adjacent backward-curved sections.

In the field of heat dissipation, when a centrifugal fan operates, air flow axially enters the fan and then sidewardly exits the fan to achieve the purpose of dissipating heat. Conventional centrifugal fans can be classified into backward-inclined/curved and forward-inclined/curved blade fans according to the angle included between the blade and a tangent in the direction of exit. The forward-inclined/curved blades incline or curve in the direction of the fan wheel's rotation, and the angle included between the forward-inclined/curved blade and the tangent in the direction of exit is larger than 90°. The forward-inclined/curved blades are shorter in the radial direction; and they produce more air volume and faster air velocity but also relatively high noise during rotation. On the other hand, the backward-inclined/curved blades incline or curve against the direction of the fan wheel's rotation, and the angle included between the backward-inclined/curved blade and the tangent in the direction of exit is smaller than 90°. The backward-inclined/curved blades are longer in the radial direction; and they produce air flow of lower velocity but higher pressure.
Under the conditions of the same fan rotational speed and the same fan blade outer diameter, the forward-inclined/curved blades can output a relatively high air volume to provide a better heat dissipation effect, which, however, results in an increased load of motor; on the other hand, the backward-inclined/curved blades can only output a relatively low air volume to provide a lower heat dissipation effect than the forward-inclined/curved blades. In other words, the backward-inclined/curved blades can produce the same air volume and the same heat dissipation effect as the forward-inclined/curved blades only when the fan rotational speed is increased. However, the backward-inclined/curved blades rotating at an increased speed will also produce higher noise.
Further, when the conventional centrifugal fan operates and air axially enters the fan, a part of the air is brought by the fan blades to sidewardly exit the fan, while another part of the air flows through between the blades to hit a base or a frame of the fan and flows backward to areas around the hub and the blades of the fan. This condition results in reduced sidewardly output air volume, and the backward air flow will form turbulence to adversely produce noise and vibration when the fan operates.
It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop an improved fan wheel structure that helps a fan to produce increased air volume and air pressure at the same time while reduces the vibration and shake produced by rotating fan blades, as well as prevents air streams from flowing through between blades to hit a fan base or a fan frame to form turbulence that will cause vibration and noise.


Provided are a rubber composition provided with excellent reinforcement properties by improving the dispersibility of fibers in a rubber component when the fibers are added to the rubber, a method for manufacturing the same, a vulcanized rubber, and a tire. A rubber composition comprising a rubber component and short fibers, wherein the short fibers are cationized. A method for manufacturing the rubber composition, comprising a mixing step for mixing cationized short fibers and rubber latex to prepare a rubber-short fiber mixed solution, and a drying step for drying the rubber-short fiber mixed solution to give a rubber composition.

Techniques are conventionally known in which fibers are mixed with rubber used for rubber goods, such as tires, to improve properties such as hardness and modulus. In such techniques, fibers with a large fiber diameter tend to disperse well in rubber but reduce rubber physical properties such as fatigue resistance, whereas fibers with a small fiber diameter tend to improve the fatigue resistance but be entangled with each other and disperse poorly in rubber.
Against this, there is proposed mixed yarn fibers having a sea-island cross-section, which are dispersed in rubber and become fibrillated by a shearing force at mixing to increase the area of contact with rubber, whereby both dispersibility and fatigue resistance can be achieved (see Patent Document 1). These fibers, however, form a sea-island structure due to phase separation of resin and therefore have ununiform thicknesses and lengths, and have diameters as large as 1 μm and 0.7 μm as described in an example, meaning that the size of the area of contact with rubber is less than sufficient; therefore, a great reinforcing effect cannot be expected.
Examples of Patent Document 2 disclose that for improved wear resistance, addition of bacterial cellulose having a very small fiber diameter of 0.1 μm together with starch that serves as a reinforcing agent to diene rubber improves the wear resistance index as compared to addition of starch alone. In Patent Document 2, however, it is described that addition of cellulose alone has a problem with processability, and starch is added in an amount five times or more the amount of cellulose. It is considered that the starch is added in an attempt to improve the dispersibility because bacterial cellulose is dispersed to nano sizes in water but tends to aggregate in rubber, but in this case, it is expected that the reinforcing effect is balanced out by the starch, and the reinforcing effect is still not sufficient.
Patent Document 3 discloses examples in which impalpable powder cellulose fibers with an average particle size of 40 μm are introduced in a dry state into a rubber composition together with a silane coupling agent, and kneaded in a Banbury mixer. However, just by kneading in a mixer, it is difficult to break hydrogen bonds between the cellulose fibers caused in a dry state to make the cellulose fibers into fibers with a small diameter, and in this case, the cellulose fibers are considered to be dispersed in the rubber still in the form of particles with an average particle size of 40 μm. Therefore, the reinforcing effect of thin long fibers cannot be expected.
Furthermore, Patent Document 4 discloses a vulcanized rubber composition containing a rubber component comprising at least one of natural rubber, modified natural rubber, and synthetic rubber, and chemically modified microfibril cellulose, and discloses examples in which modified microfibril cellulose with an average fiber diameter of 0.1 μm is mixed with the rubber component. The examples disclose stirring microfibril cellulose in advance in water using a rotary homogenizer to prepare a dispersion, introducing rubber latex thereinto, and mixing the resultant at 7000 rpm for 10 minutes. In this case, although a rotary homogenizer is used, the fibers tend to aggregate before water is removed, and a shearing force sufficient to disentangle the aggregated fibers is not produced at such a rotation speed. In the document, the absence of an aggregate is visually confirmed, but actually, it is not clear that at what thickness the microfibril cellulose is dispersed in the rubber.
Furthermore, Patent Document 5 proposes using as cellulose fibers obtained by graft polymerization of a diene polymer to increase the affinity and dispersibility in a rubber component. In this case, however, fibers defibrated in water are subjected to graft treatment in tetrahydrofuran (THF), and at this treatment, the fibers defibrated once in water are considered to reaggregate. If strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds are formed once, it is difficult to defibrate the fibers to nano sizes again.

Rubber composition, method for manufacturing same, vulcanized rubber, and tire


A socket connector is configured for receiving a first card and a second card. The socket connector includes a latching seat, a plurality of latching plates, and a shielded case. The latching seat includes a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface defines a sliding groove, a second surface defines a receiving slot. The latching plates extend from edges of the first surface. The shielded case is secured in the receiving slot, and defines an entrance. The first card is received in the sliding groove and latched by the latching plates, the second card is inserted into the shielded case through the entrance. The disclosure further discloses an electronic device using the socket connector.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to socket connectors, and particularly, to a socket connector for use in an electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, an electronic device has a subscriber identity module (SIM) card used for authorizing personal information and credit payment, and a SD secure digital memory (SD) card used for storing data for variety of contents. The SIM card is generally installed on a bottom of a battery chamber, which a battery abuts to reduce the risk of loss of the SIM card. The SD card is generally installed on a side surface of the electronic device so that it can be easily replaced.
However, since a first connector for fixing and connecting the SIM card and a second connector for fixing and connecting the SD card are individually mounted and installed in different respective locations, different spaces for mounting the first connector and the second connector are required. This makes it difficult to reduce the thickness and size of the electronic device.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Socket connector and electronic device using the same

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


A sealing assembly is provided for securing an opening in a seat having a seating surface. Typically, the sealing assembly of the present invention adapted for use with, for example, a dual-chamber orifice fitting. The sealing assembly comprises a drive, a carrier, a strip, a stop and a guide. The drive is actuateable for movement. The carrier is associated with the drive and moveably actuated by the drive. The strip is engaged with the drive for moving with the drive or at a right angle to the drive. The stop is engageable with the strip such that when the strip and the stop are engaged, the strip moves at a right angle to the drive, and when the strip and the stop are not engaged, the strip moves with the drive. The guide secures the strip, the carrier and the drive for operation in any orientation. When the stop is sufficiently displaced from the drive and the strip, the opening in the seat is unobstructed. And when the stop has engaged the strip and the drive is moving toward the nearest position to the stop, the strip is approaching the seat in a parallel manner. Such that when the drive is in its nearest position to the stop, the strip is securedly engaged with the seat for securing the opening in the seat. A method for securing an opening in a fitting assembly for use with an orifice plate is also provided.

The accurate measurement of natural gas and other fluids is of critical concern. The measurement of natural gas and other fluids is required with the production, processing, transportation and distribution of natural gas and fluid products from exploration to utilization. The accurate measurement of fluids having a substantial monetary value, for example, natural gas, natural gas liquids, hydrocarbon gases, hydrocarbon liquids, and the like, is essential to the efficient use of the fluids and controlled cost accounting. Specifically, the accurate measurement of fluids is essential for determining accountable custody transfer determinations.
Pipelines are used to transport fluids such as the production fluids from oil and gas wells, natural gas, natural gas liquids, hydrocarbon gases, hydrocarbon liquids, and the like. The accurate measurement of these fluids is unquestionably important. Instruments are required to accurately measure such fluids in pipelines. Orifice plates are a well known device for assisting in the measurement of such fluids. Orifice plates are installed in special fittings, and the fittings are installed in-line with pipeline sections. An example of such a special fitting is the Daniel.RTM. Senior.RTM. orifice fitting. The term Senior.RTM. as applied to orifice fittings specifically denotes a dual-chamber orifice fitting. Such dual-chamber orifice fittings provide a fast, safe and extremely simple method of changing orifice plates under pressure without interrupting the flow of fluid. The dual-chamber orifice fitting holds the orifice plate in the fluid flow stream, or alternately, the orifice plate is displaced from the fluid flow stream without interrupting the flow of fluid through the pipeline. For example, the Daniel.RTM. Senior.RTM. orifice fitting has been adapted for use with pipeline sizes from approximately 2 inches to 48 inches, and having a pressure rating of up to 10,000 pounds per square inch. Alternate techniques include interrupting the flow, using costly by-pass equipment, or using valve systems and other fittings required with conventional orifice flange installations.
To permit an orifice plate to be lowered into the pipeline flow using a dual-chamber orifice fitting, valves are located in the fitting to selectively seal and unseal a lower chamber from an upper chamber. The valves can be any of various devices that regulate the flow of gases or liquids through the pipeline, piping or through related apertures by opening, closing, or obstructing ports or passageways. Such valves typically comprise a stainless steel valve strip, or rectangular bar, which is manipulated by a valve carrier engaged with a drive mechanism such as a rack and pinion gear. The valve strip covers the aperture between the lower and upper chambers and is biased against the aperture by springs and by the pressure of the fluid in the pipeline and lower chamber. To effectively seal between the valve strip and the seat attached to the orifice fitting surface which surrounds the aperture, typically, a chemical or petroleum based lubricant is injected through passageways and grooves to seal the joint between the valve strip and the orifice fitting.
To remove the orifice plate from the pipeline using the dual-chamber orifice fitting, a valve strip carrier is operated to move the valve strip away from the aperture, and the orifice plate is then mechanically moved through the aperture from the lower chamber to the upper chamber. The valve strip carrier is then operated to move the valve strip back into position such that it covers the aperture to prevent fluids in the lower chamber from passing to the upper chamber. The upper chamber is then vented and the orifice plate can be removed.
In certain pipeline applications, the slide valve presently used to seal the aperture may not be desirable. Such a condition may exist if the lubricant is not compatible with the pipeline fluid or if an absolute seal is required, particularly at extremely low pipeline pressures. There is a need for a slide valve which does not utilize lubricants and which creates an absolute seal at any pipeline pressure.
Of concern in the present invention is to remove or change orifice plates under pressure without interrupting the flow of fluid. It is, therefore, a feature of the present invention to provide a sealing apparatus for sealing the aperture located between the first and second chambers of an orifice fitting.
A feature of the present invention is to provide a sealing apparatus having a positive engagement assembly.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a sealing apparatus which can be operated in association with a dual-chamber orifice fitting regardless of the orientation of the fitting.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a sealing apparatus where the disparity between lubricant and pipeline fluid is not a problem.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a sealing apparatus where an absolute seal is required.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a sealing apparatus adaptable for extremely low pipeline pressures.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized by means of the combinations and steps particularly pointed out in the appended claims.


A vehicle, in the drivetrain of which a clutch, in particular a wet-running multi-disc clutch, is connected as a starter element between an internal combustion engine and a transmission, having a clutch controller, which, as a function of current driving operation parameters, determines a setpoint clutch torque and actuates a clutch actuator with a manipulated variable correlating with the setpoint clutch torque, in order to set at the clutch an actual clutch torque, which manipulated variable is determined as a function of the setpoint clutch torque and of a coefficient of friction stored in the clutch controller in an actuation unit of the clutch controller, and having an engine controller, which determines an actual engine rotational speed and an actual engine torque, and, in a stationary state of the vehicle with the internal combustion engine running, regulates the actual engine rotational speed to a predefined idling rotational speed.

In a generic motor vehicle, a clutch, in particular a wet-running multi-disc clutch, can be connected as a starter element in the drivetrain between the internal combustion engine and the transmission. Said clutch can be operated in an automated manner by means of a clutch actuator, which can be actuated electrohydraulically by a clutch controller and, namely, to the effect that the clutch can transmit a predetermined torque (that is, a clutch torque). For actuation of the clutch, a setpoint clutch torque is specified in the clutch controller and is converted in an actuation unit to a manipulated variable that correlates therewith (that is, in a hydraulic system, to a hydraulic pressure) and can be applied to the clutch actuator, so that the clutch can transmit a predetermined torque. The manipulated variable (that is, the hydraulic pressure) is determined in the actuation unit as a function of the setpoint clutch torgue and a coefficient of friction, which is stored in the clutch controller and describes the amplification occurring between the hydraulic pressure acting on clutch actuator (that is, a normal force acting on the clutch) and the resulting clutch torque. The coefficient of friction is stored in characteristic diagrams in tabular form as a function of diverse influencing factors, that is, a clutch slippage, a current oil volumetric flow, and a current cooling oil temperature. In addition, the vehicle has an engine controller, which, in the driving mode, determines a current engine rotational speed (actual engine rotational speed) and a current associated engine torque (actual engine torque). By means of the engine control unit, in a stationary state of the vehicle with the internal combustion engine running, the actual engine rotational speed is adjusted to a predefined idling rotational speed.
The coefficient of friction of the clutch can be interpreted at an operating point (that is, for example, in a stationary state of the vehicle both with the internal combustion engine operating in the idling mode and with a slightly actuated clutch) as a proportionality factor between the resulting clutch torque and the set pressure. This coefficient of friction is identified on the part of the factory by a targeted analysis for a model system. The drawback of such a determination for the coefficient of friction is that the thus determined parameters are valid only within certain limits (production scatter) and also cannot reflect the changes in the respective coefficient of friction over the service life.
Such a change in the coefficient of friction can lead to losses in comfort during clutch operation. For this reason, it is preferred when the clutch torque characteristic curve or the coefficients of friction of the clutch stored in the clutch controller is or are adapted to the altered torque transmission behavior of the clutch.
By way of example, a method is known from DE 10 2004 029 558 A1 for adapting a relationship, which is stored in an electronic control device, between a torque that can be transmitted by a clutch and a control variable for controlling an actuation device of the clutch. Known from DE 2008 027 071 A1 is also a method and a device for adaptation of the coefficient of friction, in which a coefficient of friction of a clutch arranged between an electric machine and an internal combustion engine can be adapted. Known from DE 197 51 455 A1 is a method for regulating an automated clutch, with which an operationally safe and reliable clutch regulation is ensured. Known from DE 198 46 404 A1 is another method for determining the gradient of the coefficient of friction.

Vehicle and method for operating a clutch as a starter element