A mobile communication terminal including a Central Processing Unit (CPU) configured to set at least one or more predetermined parameters according to communication channel states, and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) transmission/reception processor configured to process input data based on the set at least one or more predetermined parameters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal and corresponding method that processes input data based at least one or parameters corresponding to changeful radio channel states.
2. Background of the Invention
A mobile communication terminal allows people to wirelessly communicate with each other via a communication network including a MSC (Mobile Switching Center) and a plurality of BSs (Base Stations). Mobile terminals also provide the user with the ability to transmit data including symbols, numerals and characters as well as multimedia data.
In addition, mobile terminals use a variety of different communication techniques such as the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technique, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) technique, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) technique, and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technique. Further, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has selected the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) system as the third generation (3G) mobile communication system to provide improved multimedia services.
In more detailed, the 3G system increases the mobile terminal's capabilities to include services such as a wireless LAN, digital multimedia broadcast, portable Internet, etc. These additional services use a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) method that is based on the asynchronous IMT-2000. The HSDPA method increases the downlink transmission speed and thus decreases the transmission delay.
Turning now to FIG. 1, which illustrates a related art transmitting mobile communication terminal. As shown, the terminal includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 100 for controlling various units of the terminal, and a Cyclic Redundancy Checksum (CRC) unit 200 for adding CRC bits to input data and for packeting the data, a channel coder 300 for performing a channel coding process for the packeted data. Also included is a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) transmission and reception processors 410 and 420 for processing the coded data based on a preset Forward Error Correction (FEC) coding rate, channel interleavers 500 and 510 for channel-interleaving the processed data, a modulator 600 for modulating the interleaved data, and an antenna 700 for transmitting the modulated data.
In more detail, FIG. 2 illustrates processes performed by the transmitting terminal shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the input data is packeted into a preset size (S210). That is, the mobile terminal receives data to be transmitted and adds CRC bits used for error detection to thereby enable the packeting of the data to have the preset size. Then, a channel coding process is performed on the packeted data (S220), and the channel-coded data is processed according to a preset FEC coding rate (S230). That is, when transmitting the packeted data, the mobile terminal uses a preset FEC coding rate to thereby improve an error correction function.
Next, the processed data is subject to a channel interleaving process (S240). The mobile terminal interleaves the processed data to reduce the probable loss of the data during the data transmission. The channel-interleaved data is then mapped to a physical channel (S250), and the mapped data is modulated and then transmitted (S260). Further, the mobile terminal modulates the mapped data using a preset method such as the BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK, 16QAM, 64QAM methods to thereby allow the transmission of the modulated data to a receiving side mobile terminal.
However, the related art mobile terminal transmits the data using a preset FEC coding rate, etc. regardless of a channel state, which disadvantageously affects a communication quality when the state of the channel changes.

Mobile communications terminal for supporting extended link adaptation techniques and method thereof


A disk device according to the present invention includes a mechanism unit having a rotational drive unit for driving a disk, a clamp mechanism for clamping the disk to the rotational drive unit, and a conveying mechanism for conveying the disk toward the rotational drive unit. The mechanism unit further includes an attitude set-up member, which is directly connected to the clamp mechanism and the conveying mechanism and rotates about an axis parallel to the surface of the disk mounted in the mechanism unit, and a drive mechanism for applying a rotational force to the attitude set-up member. When the attitude set-up member rotates in a predetermined direction, the clamp mechanism is operated to cancel the clamping of the disk, and the conveying mechanism is set to be able to convey the disk by the rotational force of the attitude set-up member. When the attitude set-up member rotates in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, the clamp mechanism is set to clamp the disk, and the conveying mechanism is set not to apply a conveying force to the disk by the rotational force of the attitude set-up member. Thereby, the load for driving the clamp mechanism and the conveying mechanism can be reduced and these mechanisms can be timely operated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device having a disk rotational drive unit and a disk conveying mechanism, and in particular relates to a disk device capable of switching between a clamp mechanism for clamping a disk to the rotational drive unit and a conveying mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle-mounted disk device includes a disk rotational drive unit, a clamp mechanism for clamping a disk to the rotational drive unit, and a conveying mechanism for feeding the disk to the rotational drive unit, as a mechanism unit. Also, it is necessary to switch the transmission of a conveying force for the disk between the clamping operation of the clamp mechanism and the releasing operation of the clamp mechanism.
The mechanism unit is supported by an elastic member, such as a damper, so as to prevent vehicle vibrations from being directly transmitted to the rotational-drive unit, preventing sound skipping during the disk driving. Moreover, it is necessary to restrict the mechanism unit from moving when the disk is fed to the rotational drive unit and when the disk is discharged from the rotational drive unit. Therefore, a conventional disk apparatus is provided with a pair of sliding plates disposed at both ends of the chassis for linearly reciprocating, so that by the moving force of the sliding plates, the operations of clamping or unclamping the disk to or from the rotational drive unit, bringing a roller constituting the conveying mechanism in contact or out of contact with the disk, and locking the mechanism unit are performed.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-331997 discloses a disk player that includes a lock arm rotating about a shaft aligned in parallel with a surface of a disk as a fulcrum and a link plate for rotating the lock arm, which are disposed in a floating section. In the disk player, the lock arm rotates so as to be retained at both ends to a case, so that the floating section becomes locked to the case. The rotating operation of the lock arm reciprocates a loading roller between a position where the loading roller contacts the disk and a position where it is separated from the disk. Furthermore, a clamp-bar arm plate is operated by a linearly moving force of the link plate for clamping the disk and unclamping the disk.
However, since a conventional disk device having a linearly moving slide plate operates a clamping mechanism and an arm by sliding an inclined cam fabricated on the slide plate on the arm supporting the clamping mechanism and conveying rollers, the load for sliding the slide plate is significantly large. Also, locking a mechanism unit using this slide plate increases the load when the slide plate is further operated.
In general, the inclined cam is coated with grease so as to reduce a sliding frictional-resistance; however, because of the temperature dependency of the grease, the load largely increases at low temperature, for example. Also, at high temperature, there is a problem that the grease runs off the inclined cam, so that the device is difficult to be operated at a low load for a long period.
In the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-331997, the transfer rollers are moved up and down by the rotational force of the lock arm while a damper arm-plate is moved up and down by the sliding force of the linearly operating link plate. Therefore, the sliding load of the damper arm-plate for clamping the disk and unclamping the disk is large, and it is also difficult to establish the timing of the up and down movement of the transfer rollers and the clamping/unclamping of the damper arm-plate.

Disk device with clamp mechanism, attitude set-up member and conveying mechanism


Systems and techniques for generating a set of connected segments for a device or system to traverse in order to reach every point of the region (a coverage plan). Nodes defining the region to be traversed define a polygon. The polygon is decomposed into a mesh and a graph of the mesh is generated. The graph may be used to determine a longest funneled path which, in turn, may be used to either optimize for a longest path or to divide the polygon for eroding sides. The longest path and/or erosions are used to define a set of segments. The segments are connected, which in some examples is done via an optimization to minimize an amount of time or energy to traverse all segments and connections. The resultant coverage plan is sent to a system configured to receive the plan and traverse the region.

Certain tasks require a system to traverse the entirety of a given region. For example, when mowing a given area, it is important for a lawn mower to mow every portion of the area. If performed naively (e.g., by simply following a perimeter of the given area), the amount of time and energy needed to traverse the area may be inefficient. Worse, if a path the system follows to cover the given area does not traverse every region, the given task (e.g., mowing) may create areas which are not aesthetically pleasing and/or unresolved.


Example implementations disclosed herein can be used to generate composite network policy graphs based on multiple network policy graphs input by network users that may have different goals for the network. The resulting composite network policy graph can be used to program a network so that it meets the requirements necessary to achieve the goals of at least some of the network users. In one example implementation, a method can include receiving multiple network policy graphs, generating composite endpoint groups based on relationships between endpoint groups and policy graph sources, generating composite paths based on the relationships between the endpoints and the network policy graphs, generating a composite network policy graph based on the composite endpoint groups and the composite paths, and analyzing the composite network policy graph to determine conflicts or errors.

Software-defined networking (SDN) is a technique for implementing computer networking environments using software to control the configuration and allocation of networking hardware resources in the network. In such networks, the hardware (e.g., routers, switches, server, etc.) or virtual network and compute resources (e.g., virtual L2/L3 networks, virtual machines) can be programmed to allocate networking and computing resources according to the goals or policies of users such as operators, service providers, application developers, tenants, and other users.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


By using a vulcanized rubber composition containing a rubber component composed of at least any one of a natural rubber, a modified natural rubber and a synthetic rubber, and chemically modified microfibril cellulose, it is possible to provide a vulcanized rubber composition that is environmentally conscious and that exhibits excellent rupture characteristics and a low energy loss, and a pneumatic tire that is excellent in rolling resistance property, steering stability and durability.

Heretofore, there have been known technologies of improving the hardness and the modulus of a rubber by reinforcing the rubber with staple fibers such as aramid and cellulose, or with a crystalline polymer such as syndiotactic polybutadiene, thereby increasing the complex modulus (E*) at for example 70° C. to improve steering stability (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-133025 (patent document 1)).
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-133025 (patent document 1) proposes a rubber composition composed of a diene-based rubber component, starch and cellulose for the purpose of providing a rubber composition excellent in abrasion resistance. It also proposes to use bacterial cellulose as the cellulose. However, the technologies of patent document 1 are problematic in poor rupture characteristics and large energy loss at the interface between a rubber and cellulose because of poor compatibility of the rubber and the cellulose.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-075856 (patent document 2) discloses a rubber composition prepared by incorporating a fine powdery cellulose fiber prepared from natural vegetable fiber into a diene-based rubber as a rubber composition that can exert low repellency and rigidity (steering stability) simultaneously. However, the technology of patent document 2 has some room for improvement for obtaining rigidity and reinforcing property suitable for the incorporated amount of cellulose fibers for reasons of being short of fiber length of a cellulose fiber in a production method.
Therefore, it is still difficult to obtain a vulcanized rubber composition that is environmentally conscious and excellent in rupture characteristics and that causes less energy loss.    Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-133025    Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-075856

Vulcanized rubber composition, pneumatic tire and the process of producing the same


A power steering and limited slip differential system is provided with a main booster generating a steering effort for front wheels, a directional control valve having a pair of reaction chambers and a friction clutch disposed between a differential gear mechanism and a driving wheel axle for rear wheels and is further added with an auxiliary booster generating a compensation steering effort for the front wheels and a clutch control air cylinder for coupling and decoupling the friction clutch. In the system, an injection pressure control valve injects compensating pressure oil into the auxiliary booster and the reaction chambers of the directional control valve in response to a vehicle speed and steering effort at the beginning of steering and steering back and concurrently controls the pressure of the injected compensating pressure oil, and a pressure air control valve charges and discharges operating compressed air to and from the clutch control air cylinder in response to the vehicle speed and the steering angle of the front wheels, and further in response to the slipping at one side and the both sides of the rear wheels and thereby controls the air pressure of the clutch control air cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a power steering and limited slip differential system suitable for vehicles, in particular, for trucks and buses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, phase lag and gain of a vehicle's handling response increases with vehicle speed. Excessive phase lag will cause delay in the vehicle reaching the driver's intended course, resulting in oversteering, while excessive gain will intensify the oversteering, making the vehicle weave.
Further, high phase lag will also increase the time required for disturbance, such as road surface roughness, to be transmitted to the driver's hand on the steering wheel as a response, delaying corrective steering and producing steering wheel weave. In the case of trucks and buses, the phase lag magnitude in particular can reach four or five times that of passenger cars.
Still further, expressways in the middle of the night are analogous to huge belt conveyers filled up with groups of trucks. These trucks are flowing towards the metropolitan Tokyo and arrive at wholesale markets etc. before dawn. A between car distance in these truck groups is generally short and the speed thereof is high. Further, highway bus services between cities are spotlighted. Because of their advantages such as inexpensive fares and ease of use, living space with a high sense and high quality, and attentive services, not only the night bus services which were understood at the beginning to supplement railway train services, but also day time highway bus services are increasing. As such, on one hand, the demand for high speed and long distance services by the trucks and buses is increasing, however, on the other hand, in particular, with regard to trucks, a shortage of truck drivers is serious, and in addition, age of the drivers has been increasing.
For these reasons, there appears an indication of woman driver expansion.
Further, the higher the speed of a vehicle is, the more the response performance thereof reduces. Still further, according to W. Woodson and D. Conover, Human Engineering Guide for Equipment Designers 6-11, 6-20 (1973), physiological abilities relating to driving skill of advanced age drivers and women drivers are relatively low in comparison with that of young men (see FIG. 1).
Therefore, a system is desired which realizes a compensation for the decrease in the response performance at high speed region and the physiological ability differences of the drivers within the vehicle. Moreover, large sized vehicles which necessitate relatively wide space on the running road in comparison with passenger cars have to be provided with an even better response performance than passenger cars.
Further, with regard to desirable vehicle response characteristics, a vehicle's controllability and stability have to be investigated from both the vehicle response performance in association with driver's handling and the vehicle response performance in association with disturbances such as those caused by roughness of the road surface.
First, with regard to the handling response characteristic, a factor T.beta. is defined as the product of the time constant and yaw gain. The smaller the factor is, the higher is the subjective judgment of drivers. There is an optimum region of course tracking characteristic in a range of small time constants and of certain amounts of yaw acceleration gain.
These facts concern passenger cars, however, these passenger car tendencies are similar in trucks and buses.
FIG. 2 shows an example of the response characteristic of a truck and bus.
The truck is equipped with a front engine and leaf suspensions, while the bus is equipped with a rear engine and air suspensions, and the gain and phase lag of the truck are smaller than those of the bus. Further, the subjective judgment from the driver's viewpoint of the truck is better than the bus.
These gain and phase lag increase in response to an increase of the vehicle speed and thereby the burdens to drivers increase. This suggests that a desirable handling response region will be achieved by reducing both the gain and phase lag smaller than those now.
This tendency meets with the previous tendency with regard to the passenger car data, when the phase lag is assumed to belong to the time constant property. When the phase lag is large, approach to an aimed course by a driver is delayed so that an oversteering is caused, and when the gain is much larger, the oversteering is amplified so that the vehicle weaves. Still further, the problems arising from the physiological ability differences can be compensated for by reducing the time constant in the steering system.
Nextly, with regard to disturbance response characteristics, it is desirable to reduce the effects caused by disturbances as much as possible. For example, the irregularity of the road surface causes displacement of the axles and the chassis in succession. The displacement is sensed by the driver, and thereafter the driver's corrective steering begins. A smaller delay until the corrective steering and greater damping of the disturbances are desirable. However, if the disturbances can be intercepted at the onset so as not to permit their entry, such is considered the best way.
Further, with regard to the handling response, when the handling response performance of trucks and buses is compared with that of passenger cars, there is a significant difference in connection with the phase lag, which is very large in trucks and buses (see FIG. 3). For analyzing what causes the phase lag to be so large, the time lag from the initiation of steering operation to the beginning of the course change of the vehicle was measured along its transfer route (see FIGS. 4 and 7).
As the result, it was found that the time lag in the steering system occupies 50% of the total time lag. Further, with regard to the chassis system, the time lag of buses is larger than that of trucks, the reasons of which are considered to be due to influences such as their suspension structure differences and weight allotment differences to the front and rear axles.
These trucks and buses employ common steering systems so that, with regard to the time lag in their steering systems, there is no difference.
Further, several studies reported to have shortened the time lag in the steering system which amounts to 60% among the total time lag. Some of these went further to suggest specific system structures but failed to reach practical uses.
Two reasons are presumed for the failures. One is that it is presumed that the phase lag was shortened, however concurrently the gain gets large, and thereby the steering wheel becomes sensitive and the handling feeling is deteriorated. The other is that it is presumed that since the mechanical coupling between the steering wheel and the front wheels has been disconnected, problems in connection with safety are unsolved.
In view of the above, such measures are required that reduce phase lag without increasing the time lag and without disconnecting the mechanical coupling.
On the other hand, with regard to the disturbance response, as indicated above, the disturbances should be intercepted at the onset. In other words, it is desirable to intercept the entering of disturbance at the tires from which the disturbances intrude. The countermeasures thereto are the compliance steering control of the rear wheels and the torque split control between the right and left rear wheels and, in particular, in case of the rigid rear axle structure with leaf springs which is employed in many large commercial vehicles, the torque split control is preferable.

Power steering and limited slip differential system


A method is disclosed for inhibiting carboxyltransferase with bisubstrate analogs. One such analog has been shown to inhibit the carboxyltransferase component of E. coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase. It is also expected to inhibit mammalian acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and thereby to act as an antiobesity agent and an anti-cancer agent.

The synthesis of fatty acids in all animals, plants, and bacteria includes a step in which acetyl-CoA is carboxylated to form malonyl-CoA. This reaction is catalyzed by acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which uses biotin as a cofactor in a two-step mechanism:
The first half-reaction is catalyzed by the biotin carboxylase component of acetyl-CoA carboxylase; this half-reaction involves the ATP-dependent carboxylation of biotin, using bicarbonate as a source of CO2. In the second half reaction, which is catalyzed by the carboxyltransferase component of the enzyme, the carboxyl group is transferred from biotin to acetyl-CoA to form malonyl-CoA. In both half-reactions, biotin remains covalently bound to the enzyme through an amide bond to a specific lysine residue of the biotin carboxyl carrier protein. In Escherichia coli, biotin carboxylase, carboxyltransferase, and the biotin carboxyl carrier protein are three separate proteins, while in mammalian acetyl-CoA carboxylase these three components form separate domains within a single polypeptide.
The E. coli form of the enzyme has served as a model system for mechanistic studies of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, because both biotin carboxylase and carboxyltransferase retain their respective activities when isolated. Moreover, biotin carboxylase and carboxyltransferase both recognize free biotin as a substrate, eliminating the need for the biotin carboxyl carrier protein during kinetic studies. Most of the recent mechanistic studies of acetyl-CoA carboxylase have focused on the biotin carboxylase component, because its gene has been cloned and overexpressed. See S. Li et al., J. Biol. Chem. 267, 855-863 (1992); C. Blanchard et al., J. Biol. Chem. 273, 19140-19145 (1998); see also C. Blanchard et al., Biochemistry 38, 3393-3400 (1999). The three-dimensional structure of biotin carboxylase has been determined by x-ray crystallography, as has the three-dimensional structure of biotin carboxylase complexed to ATP. See G. Waldrop et al., Biochemistry 33, 10249-10256 (1994); J. Thoden et al., J. Biol. Chem. 275, 16183-16190 (2000). Relatively little work has focused on the carboxyltransferase component, however. Carboxyltransferase is an xcex12xcex22 tetramer. Although the genes for the xcex1 and xcex2 subunits of carboxyltransferase have been cloned, a system for the overexpression of these genes has been developed only recently. See S. Li et al., J. Biol. Chem. 267, 16841-16847 (1992); C. Blanchard et al., J. Biol. Chem. 273, 19140-19145 (1998). The overexpression system allows production of an ample supply of carboxyltransferase for structure/function studies.
Steady-state kinetic studies of recombinant carboxyltransferase have found a sequential mechanism in which both substrates must bind to the enzyme before catalysis occurs. C. Blanchard et al., J. Biol. Chem. 273, 19140-19145 (1998). The initial reaction rates (in the reverse direction as depicted in reaction (2) above) were consistent with an equilibrium-ordered kinetic mechanism, with malonyl-CoA binding before biotin. Note that carboxyltransferase from E. coli is routinely assayed in the non-physiological direction because of the availability of a facile spectrophotometric continuous assay that couples the production of acetyl-CoA with the reduction of NAD+ by the combined reactions of citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase. C. Blanchard et al., J. Biol. Chem. 273, 19140-19145 (1998); R. Guchhait et al., Methods Enzymol 35, 32-37 (1975). Carboxyltransferase assays also typically use biocytin in place of biotin, because biocytin gives reaction rates about three orders of magnitude higher than those for unmodified biotin. (Biocytin is biotin that is modified by attaching a lysine to the carboxyl group of the valeric acid side chain via an amide linkage with the xcex5-amino group.)
Mice lacking a gene coding for one form of acetyl-CoA carboxylase have been observed to lose weight despite increased food consumption. See L. Abu-Elheiga et al., Science 291, 2613-2616 (2001). Abu-Elheiga et al. and J. Thupari et al, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 285,217-223 (2001) have suggested that mammalian acetyl-CoA carboxylase might be a potential target for anti-obesity or anti-cancer drugs, respectively.
Adipocytes are highly specialized cells that play a central role in lipid homeostasis and energy balance. Obesity, an excessive accumulation of adipose tissue, is a major risk factor in the development of Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Recent studies have indicated that obesity and Type II diabetes may be correlated with a breakdown in the regulatory mechanisms that control adipocyte gene expression.
We have discovered a method to inhibit carboxyltransferase using bisubstrate analogs. The structure of one such bisubstrate analog (Compound 1) of carboxyltransferase is shown in FIG. 1, along with the substrates malonyl-CoA and biotin. Compound 1 has been synthesized, and has been shown to inhibit the carboxyltransferase component of E. coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Compound 1 also inhibits mammalian acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and thereby could act as an antiobesity agent and an anti-cancer agent.
Since Compound 1 includes the nucleotide ADP, the cell membrane is impermeable to Compound 1. However, a precursor to Compound 1, the chloroacetylated (or haloacetylated) biotin derivative Compound 2 (see FIG. 2), is sufficiently hydrophobic to diffuse across the cell membrane. Moreover, we have shown that Compound 2 inhibits adipocyte differentiation and gene expression.
This bisubstrate analog will be useful in the treatment and prevention of obesity and diabetes.
Cancer cells also typically have high levels of fatty acid synthesis. Inhibitors of fatty acid synthesis are in clinical trials for the treatment of breast cancers. Since acetyl-CoA carboxylasexe2x80x94not fatty acid synthasexe2x80x94is the rate-limiting enzyme in fat synthesis, the inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase with the bisubstrate analog could be even more effective in treating cancers than are inhibitors of fatty acid synthesis.

Inhibition of the carboxyltransferase component of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and the use of such inhibition in anti-cancer and anti-lipogenic therapies

Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College


The present invention is directed to compositions of a fiber blend and a fiber rich, low viscosity beverages. The fiber blend and fiber beverage are enriched with low viscosity fibers including both arabinogalactan and hydrolyzed guar gums.

Medical and nutrition studies in the past thirty years have established that dietary fiber is a necessary dietary element for good human health. Low intake of dietary fiber is associated with high incidents of several diseases including coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and colon cancer. Dietary fiber is broadly divided into water soluble and water insoluble subgroups. Plant and fungi foods are major sources of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber functions as a gastrointestinal regulator in food digestion process. The modes of action of dietary fiber in the human gastrointestinal tract include providing mechanical distention through its water holding activity, stimulating bowel movement, slowing down the gastrointestinal transition and digestion process, modifying fat absorption, increasing bile acids excretion, and detoxicating toxic substances. Soluble dietary fibers are found to have cholesterol-lowering and leveling postprandial glycemic response effects in clinical studies.
Average intake of dietary fiber in the United States is reported to be 13 grams per day per person. The USDA currently recommends that dietary fiber intake be 25 grams for people with a diet of 2,000 calories intake per day and 30 grams for people with a diet of 3,000 calories per day. In order to increase dietary fiber intake from 13 grams per day to 25 grams per day or even 30 grams per day, one would need to ingest an extra 12 grams to 17 grams of dietary fiber per day. Relying on vegetables, fruits and grains as the source of dietary fiber would requires at least double the consumption of these products per day. This approach would require a dramatic change of lifestyle, which appears to be difficult to accomplish in today's fast-paced society where most food items are highly processed for convenience and ease of preparation and consumption. In view of the desire for fast, convenient yet healthy foods, a practical approach for sufficient dietary fiber intake is to enrich processed food products with dietary fiber. It would therefore be advantageous to enrich the most frequently consumed convenient food items such as beverages, pastries and baked products with dietary fiber.
Beverage products, which are suitable for fiber enrichment, include vegetable juice, fruit juice, and other beverages traditionally containing sugar, color and flavorings. Many sources of soluble dietary fiber are commercially available which have potential uses in beverage application. Among some of the most popular soluble fiber sources are guar gum, pectin, psyllium husk, carageenan, methylcellulose and hydroxypropanylmethylcellulose. Unfortunately, these fibers are known to increase viscosity of a beverage thereby making the beverages unpalatable.
Guar gum has been used for human consumption for over fifty years. Clinical studies have shown that guar gum lowers plasma total and LDL cholesterol and postprandial glycemic responses. Guar gum is partially digestible. Its digestible energy value is almost 4 calories per gram. Guar gum is a highly viscous gum; an aqueous solution of 1% guar gum has a viscosity of 3000 centipoise. When hydrolyzed, guar gum becomes less viscous. Partially hydrolyzed guar gum is a commercially available product available from several suppliers. One example of partially hydrolyzed guar gum is BENEFIBERT.TM. manufactured by Sandoz Nutrition Ltd. Golay et al. (1995) reported a beverage application using hydrolyzed guar gum and its benefit in lowering glycemic responses in diabetic patients.
Arabinogalactan, also called larch gum, is extracted from western larch trees. It is a long, densely branched polysaccharide with molecular weight ranging from 10,000-120,000 . Galactose and arabinose, the building blocks of arabinogalactan, are at a ratio of about as 6 to 1 in the polysaccharide molecule. Some in vitro lab studies have shown that arabinogalactan shows promise in strengthening immune function and antiviral effects. Japanese Publication No. JP02154673 and Japanese Publication No. JP 02215353, discloses the manufacture of beverages with arabinogalactan. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,294,544, 3,443,955, 3,704,138, 3,737,322, 3,738,843, and 4,228,198 disclose using arabinogalactan as a sweetener or food ingredient, but a use for beverages was not disclosed.

Compositions of dietary fiber rich and low viscosity beverages


A knob structure is disposed on an electronic device to input a preset control signal. The knob structure includes a rotary encoder, a brake wheel, and a rotary wheel. A plurality of ratchets is disposed around the circumference of the brake wheel and locked on the rotary encoder. The rotary wheel is rotatably disposed on the body case of the electronic device and is nested on the brake wheel correspondingly. A block is disposed on the rotary wheel to be embedded between the ratchets, so as to control the rotation of the rotary wheel to generate a preset control signal by causing the brake wheel to drive the rotary encoder to rotate. The rotary wheel and the brake wheel are engaged non-fixedly, so as to prevent the rotary wheel and the body case of the electronic device from interfering with each other.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a knob structure, and particularly to a knob structure applied in an electronic device, wherein a preset control signal is input by rotating the knob structure.
2. Related Art
With the rapid popularity of multimedia technologies and applications, more and more types of portable electronic devices are appearing, such as mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDA), digital cameras, MP3 players, MPEG4 players, recording digital photo frames, and handheld game players. Further, with continuous advancement of science and technology, those portable electronic devices are becoming smaller in volume to be carried more conveniently by users and more powerful in function to satisfy their requirements.
Regarding the MP3 player which is quite popular at present, the MP3 player comprises a main part at least comprising a display screen and a plurality of keys, wherein the display screen is used to display a list of songs, and a series of actions, such as enter, play, forward, and backward, may be performed through the keys. A user may operate the MP3 player more conveniently if there are more keys, but the volume of the MP3 player will become larger. On the other hand, if the number of the keys is small, though the volume of the MP3 player may be reduced, many operations will need to be performed by pressing two or three keys simultaneously, which complicates operation for the user.
In order to solve the problem that volume and convenience of operation conflict with each other, an electronic touch knob is applied in an iPod player introduced by Apple Computer Inc. The user may rotate the touch knob to send a corresponding preset command, and by using a menu operation interface, the user may conveniently perform actions such as enter, play, forward, or backward conveniently. The user may also use the touch knob to adjust sound volume. Through the design of the touch knob, the iPod can not only perform various functions easily, but also has a reasonably small volume. Through the design of the touch knob of the iPod, the user may rotate and slide the knob in a corresponding region in the body by a finger, which lacks the touch feeling the user may have when pressing the keys. In order to show response to the action of the user, a buzzer is added into the electrical part of the iPod and displayed through the display screen.
Similarly, in order to solve the problem that the convenience of operation and the volume conflict with each other, besides that the iPod employs the electronic touch knob, a mechanical knob structure may be disposed in the MP3 player. For example, a rotary component has been disclosed in Japan Patent No. 2000297077. The rotary component comprises a cabinet and a rotary body, wherein the rotary body may rotate on the cabinet and output a control signal. Referring to FIG. 1, it is a schematic view of a rotary component 41 applied in a MP3 player 53. A rotary wheel 42 is fixedly combined with the rotary component 41, and a through-hole 531 is perforated in the body case of the MP3 player 53 corresponding to the position of the rotary wheel 42. After the rotary component 41 and the rotary wheel 42 are installed on a circuit board 532 of the MP3 player 53, the through-hole of the body case is covered corresponding to the rotary wheel 42. Since a flange is disposed between the cabinet of the rotary component 41 and the rotary body, the user will feel fragmental tactility through the flange when operating the rotary wheel 42 to drive the rotary body to rotate. As such, the user may know whether the operation is performed through the physical tactility, so the buzzer demanded by the electronic touch knob is unnecessary.
For the MP3 player adopting the rotary component, during the practical production and assembly, the rotary component and the rotary wheel are firstly assembled on the circuit board and locked with the body case together. Among the rotary component, the rotary wheel, the through-hole in the body case, and the body itself has dimensional errors, and the dimensional errors are summed up when the components are assembled. The rotary wheel and the through-hole of the body will interfere with each other easily due to dimensional errors. As such, the user may feel it is inconvenient to operate due to the interference, and if the interference is serious, the MP3 player will be determined to be scraped.
Furthermore, the aforementioned rotary wheel does not have the function of light indication, so it is difficult for the user to operate when light is insufficient or at night. Further, at present, keys of a mobile phone are provided with a backlight source and when the user presses a press key, the backlight source is triggered to illuminate the position of the press key, such that the user can use the mobile phone conveniently. However, for the aforementioned rotary wheel, the luminescent design cannot be adopted due to the aforementioned interference.


An ultrasonic treatment system includes a probe which transmits ultrasonic vibration. In the system, a first energy generator generates treatment energy suitable for treating a living tissue in accordance with an instruction from a first instruction part. The probe is made ultrasonically vibrate with the first amplitude. A second energy generator generates destruction energy suitable for destroying the probe in accordance with an instruction from a second instruction part. The probe is made ultrasonically vibrate with the second amplitude.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ultrasonic treatment system which treats a living tissue by using ultrasonic vibration.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a disposable treatment instrument among treatment instruments which supply energy, such as ultrasonic vibration or a high-frequency current, to a portion (living tissue) of a target to treat. Such a disposable treatment instrument needs to prevent from being reused from a viewpoint of infection prevention or from a viewpoint of performance as a treatment instrument.
Hence, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-107189 proposes a treatment instrument in which an electromotive force decreases to be so low that reuse is impossible after being used for a preset time equivalent to duration of one treatment of medical care. In addition, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-095982 proposes a treatment instrument in which a member of a part of a probe is formed of a material containing hydrophilic polymer. At the time of cleaning for sterilization, the treatment instrument is deformed by dissolution or softening thereby to prevent reuse.


A golf club head has a ratio of a head mass to a head volume equal to or grater than 3 g/cm2, and a face portion that includes an impact surface is configured by a member made from an aluminum alloy having a maximum tensile strength equal to or greater than 600 MPa. The aluminum alloy is made by using a rapid quenching method. The golf club head can improve the carry distance and the flight direction characteristics of a hit golf ball compared with a conventional golf club head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an iron golf club head. More specifically, the present invention relates to a solid golf club head having no hollow regions in a golf club head main body, or to a golf club head having a hollow region in a portion thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, iron golf clubs use a titanium alloy (specific gravity substantially equal to 4.5), for example, in a face that impacts a golf ball, thus achieving a lighter weight face. On the other hand, however, by placing a metallic heavy member having high specific gravity in a desired location as a weight chip (adjusting member) adjusting for a center of gravity of the golf club head, the moment of inertia of a golf club head may increase, or the center of gravity of the golf club head may be lowered. The carry distance of the struck golf ball thus increases, or the flight direction characteristics of the struck golf ball improve. Further, the depth of the center of gravity of the golf club head can be changed so as to shift the center of gravity away from the impact surface. However, methods of disposing the weight chip adjusting for the center of gravity in a desired position do not go beyond adjusting methods that make minute adjustments to the center of gravity position, or adjusting methods that make minute adjustments in the moment of inertia. There are limitations on how much the position of the center of gravity such as the height or the depth of the center of gravity can be changed, and there are limitations on how much the moment of inertia can be increased.
On the other hand, when lightening the overall golf club head by using, in an impact surface, an aluminum alloy having a smaller specific gravity than that of a titanium alloy (aluminum alloy specific gravity substantially equal to 2.5), the amount that the golf club head is lightened may be allocated to the adjusting weight chip, thus increasing the degree of freedom in performing using the adjusting weight chip for the center of gravity. However, the physical strength (maximum tensile strength) of the aluminum alloy is low when 7075 aluminum alloy, for example, is used. Consequently, the thickness of a member made from this alloy must be made thicker when used as a face member that forms the impact surface. Accordingly, the advantages of low specific gravity aluminum alloys cannot be utilized effectively due to the amount that the thickness of the face member increases, and there is a limit in how much the center of gravity position and the moment of inertia of the golf club head can be changed.
JP 2002-35182 A and JP 2002-65912 A disclose an iron golf club head whose impact surface (face) that impacts a golf ball is configured by using a member made from an aluminum alloy in which fine, hard particles or silicon carbide are or is dispersed. However, the member used here increases the spin of the golf ball, and the physical strength of the aluminum alloy is similar to that of conventional aluminum alloys. Consequently, the face member must be made thicker, and the center of gravity position and the moment of inertia continue to be similar to their conventional values. The carry distance and the flight direction characteristics of a struck golf ball thus cannot be improved compared to their conventional results by using the weight chip adjusting for the center of gravity of the golf club head.


An optical information recording medium includes a substrate having disposed thereon a recording layer that is recordable by irradiating the recording layer with a laser having a wavelength of 450 nm or less. The recording layer contains a specific phthalocyanine derivative. An optical information recording method uses the medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information recording method, in which information is recorded and played back with a laser, and to an optical information recording medium used in the method. In particular, the invention relates to a heat-mode optical information recording medium on which information is recorded by irradiating the medium with a shortwave laser having a wavelength of 450 nm or shorter, and to an optical information recording method using the medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A CD-R is a writable, optical information recording medium (optical disc) on which information can be written only once by irradiation with a laser, and has conventionally been known. A CD-R typically comprises a transparent disc substrate having successively disposed thereon a recording layer including an organic dye, a reflective layer including metal such as gold, and a protective layer made of resin. Information is recorded on the CD-R by irradiating the disc with a near infrared laser (i.e., a laser generally having a wavelength of around 780 nm). Specifically, the portion of the dye recording layer that is irradiated absorbs light, whereby temperature increases at the irradiated portion. The increase in temperature produces a physical or chemical change (e.g., formation of pits) to thereby alter the optical characteristics of the irradiated portion, whereby information is recorded. The information thus recorded on the optical disc is ordinarily read (played back) by irradiating the optical disc with a laser having the same wavelength as that of the laser used to record the information and detecting a difference in reflectance between the region of the dye recording layer whose optical characteristics have been changed (recorded portion) and the region of the dye recording layer whose optical characteristics have not been changed (unrecorded portion).
In recent years, there has been a demand for optical information recording media having higher recording density. In response to this demand, digital versatile disc-recordable discs (DVD-Rs) have been proposed (e.g., see the supplemental issue of Nikkei New Media entitled "DVD", 1995). DVD-Rs include a transparent disc substrate disposed with a guide groove (pre-groove) for tracking irradiated laser light and having a width that is equal to or less than half (0.74 to 0.8 μm) the width of the pre-groove of a CD-R. DVD-Rs typically comprise two such transparent disc substrates that each have successively disposed thereon a dye recording layer, a reflective layer, and, if needed, a resin protective layer, with the discs being adhered together so that the recording layers face inward. DVD-Rs may also comprise one such transparent disc substrate (disposed with the aforementioned layers) adhered together with a protective substrate having the same disc shape as the transparent disc substrate, with the recording layer similarly facing inward. Information is recorded onto or played back from the DVD-R by irradiating the DVD-R with a visible laser (ordinarily having a wavelength of 630 nm to 680 nm), and it is possible to record at a higher density than a CD-R.
Recently, high-vision television and networks such as the Internet have rapidly become more widespread. In addition, with the start of HDTV (High Definition Television) broadcasting being near at hand, the demand for large-capacity optical recording media capable of recording visual information easily and inexpensively is rising. While DVD-Rs have to a certain extent secured a position as large-capacity recording media, they still do not possess a sufficiently large recording capacity to meet the demands of the future. For this reason, development of optical discs in which recording density is improved by using shortwave lasers and that have even greater storage capacity continues to advance. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 4-74690, 7-304256, 7-304257, 8-127174, 11-53758, 11-334204, 11-334205, 11-334206, 11-334207, 2000-43423, 2000-108513, 2000-113504, 2000-149320, 2000-158818, and 2000-228028 disclose methods for recording information on and playing back information from optical recording media including an organic dye recording layer by irradiating the recording layer with a laser having a wavelength of 530 nm or less. These methods specifically propose irradiating, with a blue (wavelength of 430 nm or 488 nm) or blue-green laser (wavelength of 515 nm) laser, optical discs including a recording layer comprising a dye such as a porphyrin compound, an azo dye, a metallic azo dye, a quinophthalone dye, a trimethynecyanine dye, a dicyanovinylphenyl skeleton dye, a coumalin compound, and a naphthalocyanine compound.
Also, in view of compatibility with existing CD-R systems, optical information recording media with which it is possible to record and play back information using lasers in mutually different wavelength regions have been proposed. For example, JP-A Nos. 2000-141900, 2000-158816, 2000-185471, 2000-289342, and 2000-309165 propose recording media with which it is possible to record and play back information with any laser by mixing dyes used in CD-Rs and dyes used in DVD-Rs together.
However, the present inventors have ascertained that further improvement is needed because, when information is recorded on the above-described conventional optical discs by irradiating the discs with a shortwave laser having a wavelength of 450 nm or less, recording characteristics, such as reflectance and percentage modulation, are not satisfactory and storage stability is insufficient. In particular, recording characteristics of the above-described optical discs drop when the discs are irradiated with a laser having a wavelength in the vicinity of 405 nm.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Optical information recording method and medium


A casting apparatus for forming a cylinder head. The apparatus is configured to inhibit gate stick by promoting top-down directional solidification of molten metal in the mold cavity by any one or more of specific placement of gate pins in relation to apertures used to deliver molten metal to the mold cavity, circulating a cooling medium through the gate pins in a parallel fashion, configuring the gates so that a volume on the lower side of the gate is larger than a volume on the upper side of the gate, and insulating the inside surfaces of feeder lids and feeder bowls.

Several types of casting processes, including expendable mold casting and non-expendable mold casting, are categorized by the type of mold used, for example sand or metal molds. Further categorization varies by the method used to deliver molten metal to the mold.
In these various types of casting processes, it is common for cast objects to be formed from aluminum metal to decrease the overall weight of the object. Problems may arise from using aluminum metal for casting due to the fact that the volume of aluminum is reduced as it transitions from a liquid state to a solid state, i.e. as it cools to form a cast object. These problems can stem from the design of the mold and/or the process used for solidifying molten metal in the mold.

Cylinder head casting apparatus and methods


A power-gating circuit and devices including the same are provided. The power-gating circuit includes a flip-flop configured to receive a first power supply voltage and a gated clock signal to operate and a switch circuit connected between a first power supply voltage source configured to supply the first power supply voltage and a second power supply voltage source configured to supply a second power supply voltage. The switch circuit includes a first switch configured to be connected between the first power supply voltage source and the second power supply voltage source and to operate in response to a clock enable signal and a second switch configured to be connected between the first power supply voltage source and the second power supply voltage source and to operate in response to the first power supply voltage.

Example embodiments of inventive concepts relate to an electronic circuit for reducing power consumption and retaining data and/or devices including the same.
Since mobile devices have limited battery capacity, operating current is reduced in order to increase the waiting time of the mobile devices. Also, with the development of microscopic processes, an amount of leakage current increases as compared to dynamic power.
A method of reducing the operating current of a system on chip (SoC) includes dividing the SoC into several power blocks and shutting off the current to unused blocks (i.e., using power gating). Clock gating is used for operating blocks to stop an operating clock signal of non-operating flip-flops. However, when the processes become microscopic and the operating temperature increases, leakage current occurs.

Data-retained power-gating circuit and devices including the same


The present invention encompasses a novel organic based composition which includes at least one organic based heat stabilizer component, and at least one stabilizer modifying component selected from the group of liquid calcium soap and 1,3,5-tris (2-hydroxyethyl) cyanuric acid. The invention also encompasses heat stabilized polymer compositions made with the novel organic based composition disclosed herein.

The physical properties of various organic polymers deteriorate and color changes take place during processing of the polymer and during exposure of formed polymer products to certain environments. Prime examples of such polymers include halogen-containing polymers, which are normally susceptible to heat-induced deterioration through autoxidation. When such polymers are processed at elevated temperatures, undesirable color changes often occur within the first 5 to 10 minutes as well as during later stages of the processing. Haziness, which sometimes accompanies the color changes, is particularly undesirable where clear products are needed. The addition of heat stabilizers to such polymers has been absolutely essential to the widespread utility of the polymers.
Two principal classes of heat stabilizers, organotin compounds and mixed metal combinations, are known in the art. Organotin-based heat stabilizers are the most efficient and widely used stabilizers for rigid PVC. Synergistic combinations of alkyltin mercaptides and free mercaptans are taught by Kugele et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,619 to be particularly efficient heat stabilizers for rigid PVC during extrusion.
Whereas oxidation of the free mercaptans diminishes the above-noted synergism and the oxidative stability of the mercaptans is often very poor, oxidatively stable latent mercaptans have been described more recently as being unexpectedly active heat stabilizers for PVC and other halogen-containing polymers in the absence of such other compounds. It has been found that the thermal stability provided by the latent mercaptans may be activated in the presence of a zinc compound even though the zinc compound promotes PVC degradation.
The use of liquid stabilizer systems to overcome the problem of Aplating out associated with solid state combinations of mixed barium-cadmium salt stabilizers is addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,170. There, Bae et al say that liquid systems comprising barium alkyl phenates and cadmium carboxylates had been judged to be the most effective stabilizers and that the known stabilizers in which the toxic cadmium was replaced by zinc and zinc/calcium combinations were not as effective.
While discussing the degradation of polyvinyl chloride by zinc chloride, Bae et al mention that simple solutions of alkaline earth metal soaps with zinc chloride and hydroxy compounds are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,081 and also in U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,282.
Although polyvinyl chloride compositions comprising zinc stearate, calcium carbonate, hydrotalcite, and tris (2-hydroxyethyl) isocyanurate are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,977 to have good yellowing prevention during weathering, the use of tris (2-hydroxyethyl) isocyanurate in organic stabilizers for PVC has not been reported.
It is an object of this invention to hinder the zinc-catalyzed degradation of halogen-containing polymers at the elevated temperatures encountered during processing.
It is another object of this invention to provide a halogen-containing polymer composition having an increased level of heat stability.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention that will become apparent from the following description are achieved by a novel organic based composition comprising at least one organic based heat stabilizer component, and at least one stabilizer modifying component selected from the group consisting of liquid calcium soap and 1,3,5-tris (2-hydroxyethyl) cyanuric acid. The invention also includes heat stabilized polymer compositions made with the novel organic based composition disclosed herein.
The novel organic stabilizer of the present invention comprises at least one organic based heat stabilizer component. As used herein, the term "organic based heat stabilizer component" encompasses the family of heat stabilizers which are essentially free of heavy metals. Examples of such are known to those skilled in the art.
One particularly preferred family of compositions encompasses by the term organic based heat stabilizer component comprises a zinc salt, and at least one sulfur compound selected from the group consisting of a free mercaptan, a zinc mercaptide, and a latent mercaptan.
For the purposes of this invention, the terms "blocked mercaptan" and "latent mercaptan" are used interchangeably to mean a thioether which degrades during processing of the composition at an elevated temperature to liberate a free mercaptan. Other products of the degradation of the latent mercaptan are believed to include carbocations of the blocking moiety, which are stabilized by a molecular structure in which several groups share the electron deficiency. Resonance stabilization and neighboring group stabilization are two of the possible mechanisms by which the carbocations may be stabilized. The carbocations act as intermediates in the formation of stable compounds early in the hot processing of halogen-containing polymers. Although such mechanisms and the resultant carbocations are believed to be an impetus for the liberation of a free mercaptan, this invention is in no way limited by the foregoing attempt to explain the working of the invention. Those skilled in the art will see the resonance stabilization and neighboring group stabilization that are possible in the following structures of the blocked mercaptan; other mechanisms may be at work in other blocked mercaptans represented by these structures that also liberate a free mercaptan upon thermal and/or chemical degradation during processing of polymeric compositions containing such blocked mercaptans. The compounds used for blocking the mercaptan group in the latent mercaptans of this invention are preferably those that are capable of furnishing a stabilized carbocation having a molecular structure in which the electron deficiency is shared by several groups. Resonance stabilization and neighboring group stabilization are two of the possible mechanisms by which the carbocations may be stabilized.
The latent mercaptan is exemplified by those having Formula 1:
wherein a is 0 or 1, m and n are 0 or 1; y=1 to 4; when y=1, z is 1 to 4; and when y is more than 1, z is 1; R1 is an alkyl, alkylenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylenyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, aralkylenyl, hydroxyalkyl, dihydroxyalkyl, hydroxy(polyalkoxy)alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxyalkoxyalkyl, alkoxy(hydroxyalkyl), alkoxy(acyloxyalkyl), alkoxy(polyalkoxy)alkyl, alkoxy(polyalkoxy)carbonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, acyloxyalkyl, acyloxy(hydroxyalkyl), acyloxyalkoxyalkyl, acyloxy(polyalkoxy)alkyl, benzoyloxy(polyalkoxy)alkyl, alkylenebis-(acyloxyalkyl), alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkylenyl, hydroxyalkoxycarbonylalkyl, hydroxy(polyalkoxy)carbonylalkyl, mercaptoalkyl, mercaptoalkylenyl, mercaptoalkoxycarbonylalkyl, mercaptoalkoxycarbonylalkylenyl, alkoxycarbonyl(amido)alkyl, alkylcarbonyloxy(polyalkoxy)carbonylalkyl, tetrahydopyranyloxy(polyalkoxy)carbonylalkyl, tetrahydropyranyloxyalkyl, hydroxyaryl, mercaptoaryl or carboxyaryl radical having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms; R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 are independently hydrogen, a hydroxyl, mercapto, acyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkylenyl, aryl, haloaryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, hydroxyalkyl, mercaptoalkyl, hydroxyaryl, alkoxyaryl, alkoxyhydroxyaryl, mercaptoaryl groups having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms; X is aryl, haloaryl, alkaryl, aralkaryl hydroxyaryl, dihydroxyaryl, arylcycloalkyl, or a heteroatom, with the option that when a is 1 and m is 1, R6 and R7 form a heterocyclic moiety in conjunction with X as nitrogen, and with the further option that when a=1 and m=0, one of R1, R3, and R5 joins with R7 and X to form a heterocyclic moiety with X as a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen and sulfur; with the proviso that z is 1 or 2 when X is aralkaryl, R6 and R7 are hydroxyl, a is 1 and m is 1, and with the further proviso that when R6 is not hydroxyl or mercapto, z is 1.
The free mercaptan used in this invention is one that is added separately from the latent mercaptan and is not a product of the degradation of the latent mercaptan during processing of the halogen-containing polymer composition of this invention. Any one or more of the mercaptan-containing compounds described hereinbelow as precursors of latent mercaptans may also be used in this invention as a free mercaptan.
The zinc mercaptides useful when practicing certain embodiments of this invention are also derivatives of said mercaptan-containing compounds described herein below and may be made, for example, by the reaction of zinc chloride with a mercaptan such as a mercaptoester in which the mercapto group is in either the alkoxy alkyl moiety or the alkoxycarbonyl alkyl moiety or both in the presence of a hydrogen chloride acceptor. They may be made by the reaction of zinc oxide with the mercaptan in a medium such as a wax whereby water is removed as a by-product by distillation.
As used herein, the term halogen-containing polymer composition means a composition comprising a halogen-containing polymer in which the halogen is attached directly to a carbon atom. Poly (vinyl chloride), copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, and poly (vinylidene chloride) are the most familiar polymers, which require stabilization for their survival during fabrication into pipe, window casings, siding, bottles, wall covering, and packaging film.
A rigid polymer composition is one that does not contain a plasticizer. A semi-rigid composition is one that contains from 1 to 25 parts of a plasticizer per 100 parts by weight of the halogen-containing polymer. A flexible composition contains from 25 to 100 parts of the plasticizer per 100 parts by weight of the halogen-containing polymer.
The hydrocarbyl radicals of Formula 1 contain from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and may have up to 3 ethylenic double bonds; likewise, the hydrocarbyl portions of hydroxyalkyl, mercaptoalkyl, and alkoxyalkyl radicals, and the like. As used herein, the term alkylenyl represents divalent, trivalent, and tetravalent straight or branched chain hydrocarbon radicals; the term oxyalkylenyl represents a divalent radical of a polyalkylene ether molecule; and the term alkenyl means a hydrocarbyl radical having a double bond in its chain of carbon atoms.
Also, as used herein: an acyloxyalkyl radical originates from a carboxylic acid ester of an alkyl alcohol; the R1 radical in Formula 1, therefore, in the stearic acid ester of mercaptopropanol is the stearoyloxypropyl radical; likewise, the R1 radical of the oleic acid ester of mercaptopropanol is the oleyloxypropyl radical. On the other hand, the R1 radical of an ester of a mercaptocarboxylic acid and an alkanol is an alkoxycarbonylalkyl radical, i.e., the R1 radical of lauryl-3-mercaptopropionate is dodecyloxycarbonylethyl.
The phrase "parts per hundred parts of resin is abbreviated herein as "phr". Also, as used herein for the purposes of this invention, substantially means largely if not wholly that which is specified but so close that the difference is insignificant.
The novel organic stabilizer of the present invention also comprises at least one stabilizer modifying component selected from the group consisting of liquid calcium soap and 1,3,5-tris (2-hydroxyethyl) cyanuric acid.
The term "liquid form of a calcium soap" is used interchangeably with "liquid calcium soap" herein and means a solution of a calcium soap which is a liquid at 105° C. and is substantially free from other metal salts. Calcium soaps suitable for the purposes of this invention are organic solvent-soluble, water-insoluble salts of at least one carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of aliphatic acids having from eight to twenty-two carbon atoms, aromatic acids having from seven to 22 carbon atoms, and mixtures of one or more of said acids with aliphatic carboxylic acids having from two to seven carbon atoms, all of said aliphatic acids being saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched chain acids.
Examples of the saturated straight chain acids include octanoic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Examples of the branched chain acids include 2-ethyl hexanoic, iso-octanoic, 1,1-dimethyl hexanoic, 3,5,5-trimethyl hexanoic, 2-methyl-2-ethyl hexanoic, and neodecanoic acids. Examples of the unsaturated acids include oleic, linoleic, linolenic, ricinoleic, and erucic acids. Examples of the aromatic acids include benzoic, toluic, cumic, hemellitic, xylic, and dodecylbenzoic acids.
The carboxylates (soaps) may be liquefied by carrying out the formation of the soap in a high boiling organic solvent that dissolves the soap as it forms. The solvent preferably has a boiling point of about 180° C. and is preferably used in an amount not exceeding about 25% of the total weight of the stabilizer composition (i.e., the free and/or latent mercaptan plus the liquid calcium soap plus the zinc salt). Useful solvents include aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic hydrocarbons and alcohols, esters of organic acids such as benzoic, oleic and acetic acid, ether alcohols, and ether alcohol esters. Mixtures of solvents, such as a high boiling naphtha and butyl carbitol, are often quite useful. A glyceryl mono-oleate or a mixture of the mono-oleate and di-oleate of glycerol are further examples of solvents suitable for the purposes of this invention. Calcium versalate, an eight-carbon carboxylate sold by the Shepherd Chemical Company, is a prime example of the liquid calcium soaps contemplated for use in this invention.
The mercaptan-containing organic compounds that may be converted into latent mercaptans for the purposes of this invention are well known compounds and include alkyl mercaptans, mercapto esters, mercapto alcohols, and mercapto acids. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,503,924 and 3,507,827. Alkyl mercaptans having from 1 to 200 carbon atoms and from 1 to 4 mercapto groups are suitable. Mercaptan-containing organic compounds that include R1 have structures illustrated by the following formulas:
wherein R8 and R9 are the same or different and are    R16C(═O)—O,R16—OC(═O),—OH, —SH, aryl, C1 to C18 alkyl, or —H;    R9 is —H, aryl, or C1 to C18 alkyl;    R11 is cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or phenyl;    R12 is R16C (═O)—O, R16—OC (═O), —SH, aryl, C1 to C18 alkyl, —OH or —H, with the provisco that when R11 is phenyl, R12 is —OH and i=0 in formula (MC2), the —SH groups are on non-adjacent carbon atoms;
R13 is —H or a divalent group which may contain halogen, hydroxy, mercapto or alkyl substituents and which when R11 is phenyl combines with the phenyl to form a naphthalene ring;
    R16 is —H, or alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylenyl;    R17 is arylene, C1 to C8 alkylenyl,
wherein b is an integer from 1 to 6;    i=0 or an integer from 1 to 6 inclusive;    j=0, 1, 2 or 3; and    f=1 or 2.
Mercaptan-containing organic compounds preferred as intermediates in the preparation of the latent mercaptans of this invention are those compounds according to formula (MC1) where R9 is —H, R10 is —H, R8 is OH; R16C(═O)O; R16OC(═O); and i=1; those compounds according to formula (MC2) where R11 is phenyl, R9 is —H, R12 is —H, R13 is —H, i=1, and j=1; those compounds according to formula (MC3) where R9 is —H, R14 is —OC(═O)CH═CHC(═O)—O— to formula (MC4) where R9 is —H and i=1; those compounds according to formula (MC5) where and i=1; those compounds according R15 is —C2H5 or
    R9 is —H and i=1; and those compounds according to formula (MC6) where R9 is —H and i=1.
The blocking compounds are preferably those that are capable of furnishing a stabilized carbocation having a molecular structure in which several groups share the electron deficiency. Resonance stabilization and neighboring group stabilization are two of the possible mechanisms by which the carbocations may be stabilized. Polarized, unsaturated compounds exemplified by 3,4-dihydropyran, 2-methoxy-3,4-dihydropyran, styrene, "∀-methylstyrene, vinyl benzyl chloride, indene, 2-vinylpyridine, N-vinylpyrrolidone, vinyl acetate, octadecyl vinyl ether, cyclohexyl divinyl ether, ethyleneglycol monovinyl ether, allyl phenyl ether, trans-cinnamaldehyde, N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide, N-vinylcaprolactam, isoeugenol, and 2-propenylphenol are among those suitable. Other suitable compounds include 3,4-dihydro-2-methoxy-2H-pyran; 3,4-dihydro-2-ethoxy-2H-pyran; 3,4-dihydro-2-phenoxy-2H-pyran; 3,4-dihydro-2-formyl-2H-pyran; and 2,3-dihydrofuran. The 3,4-dihydro-2-formyl-2H-pyran is made by the Diels-Alder dimerization of acrolein at high temperatures and pressures. The 3,4-dihydro-2-alkoxy-2H-pyrans and 3,4-dihydro-2-phenoxy-2H-pyran are made by the reaction of the corresponding vinyl ether with acrolein in the presence of a catalytic amount of a zinc salt, e.g., zinc chloride. A variety of 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans having a substituent in the 2-position can be made by similar reactions. The products formed by the reaction of 1 and 2 moles of acrolein with the divinyl ether of an alkylene or polyalkylene glycol are blocking agents, also. The latent mercaptans made from the di-(3,4-dihydropyranyl) ethers also have the potential of being chelating agents in the polymer compositions of this invention. Compounds having labile halogen atoms which split off as hydrogen chloride in a condensation reaction with the mercaptan, as exemplified by triphenylmethyl chloride, benzyl chloride, and bis(chloromethyl)benzene, are also suitable. The mercaptan may also be blocked by condensation with an aldehyde such as butyraldehyde or with a benzyl alcohol such as benzene dimethanol. The preferred blocking agents include 3,4-dihydropyran (DHP). Blocked mercaptans made from DHP are at times referred to hereinafter as DHP/name of free mercaptan (e.g., DHP/mercaptoethanol).
In general, the procedure for making latent mercaptans that are useful in this invention comprises adding the mercapto group of the free mercaptan across the double bonds of polarized, unsaturated compounds is as follows:
To a stirred mixture, under nitrogen atmosphere, of the mercaptan, acid catalyst, and optionally, a small percentage of antioxidant to inhibit radical reactions, is added dropwise to the polarized, unsaturated compound, either neat or in solution, while maintaining the temperature between 10–70° C. The mixture or solution is then heated for between 1 and 6 hours at 35–70° C. and conversion to product is monitored by gas chromatography and iodine titration for SH. The acid catalyst is removed by an alkaline wash and the resulting product is dried with magnesium sulfate and filtered. The solvent, if required, is removed under reduced pressure at <50° C. to yield the latent mercaptan. A solid phase catalyst may be used and then filtered out of the reaction mixture and regenerated for use in a subsequent synthesis. In this way, a wash step is eliminated. This generalized procedure is referred to hereinafter as Procedure A.
In accordance with Procedure A, for example, mercaptoethanol is added across the double bond of N-vinylcaprolactam to yield N-2-hydroxyethylthioethyl-caprolactam. Mercaptoethyldecanoate (mercaptoethylcaproate) reacts with 3,4-dihydropyran in that procedure to give 2-S-(tetrahydropyranyl)thioethyldecanoate. Bis(hydroxyethyl-thioethyl) cyclohexyl ether is made from the mercaptoethanol and cyclohexyl di-vinyl ether. In like manner, the corresponding caprate, oleate, and tallate esters form the corresponding cyclohexyl ethers. Also, indene is converted by the addition of the mercaptoethanol to 2H-dihydroindenylthio-ethanol. A generalized procedure for the condensation of a free mercaptan with a labile halogen-containing compound is as follows:
To a stirred mixture of the mercaptan and halogen-containing compound under nitrogen atmosphere is added dropwise a solution of sodium methoxide in methanol while maintaining the temperature below 50° C. Optionally, the reaction is allowed to proceed without the addition of a base source and the liberated hydrogen chloride is removed by nitrogen gas sweep and neutralized with the use of an external acid scrubber. The mixture or solution is then heated for between 2 to 24 hours at 50–70° C. and conversion to product is monitored by gas chromatography and iodine titration for % SH. The product is then neutralized, washed with water, dried with magnesium sulfate, and filtered. The solvent, if required, is removed under reduced pressure at <50° C. to yield the latent mercaptan. This generalized procedure is referred to hereinafter as Procedure B.
A generalized procedure for the condensation of a free mercaptan with a labile hydroxyl-containing compound is as follows:
To a stirred solution of the mercaptan, acid catalyst, and solvent under nitrogen atmosphere is added the hydroxy-containing compound either neat or in solution while maintaining the temperature <45° C. The solution is then heated to 45–75° C. for between 1 to 10 hours and conversion to product is monitored by gas chromatography and iodine titration for %SH. Optionally, an azeotropic solvent is chosen for removal of reaction water by an appropriate means at reflux temperatures, typically 60–120° C. Completion of reaction is achieved after the theory amount of water has been collected. The acid catalyst is removed by alkaline wash and the resulting solution is dried with magnesium sulfate and filtered. The solvent is removed under reduced pressure at <55° C. to yield the latent mercaptan. This procedure is referred to hereinafter as Procedure C.
For example, 2-hydroxybenzyl alcohol condenses with mercaptoethanol in accordance with Procedure C to form 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1-S-(2-hydroxyethylthio) methane.
A generalized procedure for the reaction of a free mercaptan with a glycidyl ether is as follows:
To a stirred mixture of the mercaptan and acid catalyst under nitrogen atmosphere is added the glycidyl ether, either neat or in solution, while maintaining the temperature between 25–60° C. The mixture or solution is then heated to between 50–75° C. for a period of 1 to 6 hours and conversion to product is monitored by gas chromatography and iodine titration for %SH. The acid catalyst is removed by alkaline wash, the resulting product is dried with magnesium sulfate, and filtered. The solvent, if required, is removed under reduced pressure at <55° C. to yield the latent mercaptan. For example, the reaction between mercaptoethanol and glycidyl neodecanoate (hereinafter referred to as Procedure D gives C9H19C(═O)OCH2CH(OH)CH2SCH2CH2OH.
A generalized procedure for the condensation of a free mercaptan with an aldehyde is as follows:
To a stirred solution of the mercaptan, acid catalyst, and azeotropic solvent under nitrogen atmosphere is added the aldehyde with heating to reflux, typically between 65–120° C., for removal of reaction water. Completion of reaction is achieved after the theoretical amount of water has been collected. Optionally, to a stirred solution of mercaptan, aldehyde, and ether is added BF3-etherate dropwise under reflux conditions. The solution is refluxed for between 1 to 6 hours and conversion to product is monitored by gas chromatography. The acid catalyst is removed by alkaline wash, the solution is dried with magnesium sulfate and filtered. The solvent is removed under reduced pressure at <65° C. to yield the latent mercaptan. This generalized procedure is referred to hereinafter as Procedure E.
Examples of the blocked mercaptans of this invention include compounds having the following formulas, as each relates to FORMULA 1:

Examples of the thus described compounds which are particularly useful in the stabilization of PVC compositions include the 2-S-(tetrahydropyranyl)thioglycolic acid esters of alkanols such as 2-ethylhexanol , octanol, and dodecanol, and the furanyl homologs thereof.
Zinc chloride and, preferably, zinc carboxylates are suitable for use as the zinc salt in the stabilizer composition of this invention. The number of carbon atoms in the zinc carboxylate is from 2 to 22, preferably from 8 to 18. Examples of the carboxylic acids from which the carboxylates originate include aliphatic and aromatic acids such as acetic, propionic, butyric, n-octanoic, 2-ethylhexanoic, dodecanoic, myristic, oleic, stearic, benzoic, phenylacetic, and other aromatic acids. Zinc octanoate, zinc 2-ethylhexanoate, zinc palmitate, zinc laurate, zinc oleate, and zinc stearate are particular examples of the carboxylates that are useful in the polymer composition of this invention. Mixtures of the carboxylates are useful, also.
From 0–30% of an epoxy compound, based on the weight of the halogen-containing polymer, may be used as a co-stabilizer in the compositions of this invention. Examples of the epoxy compounds suitable for the purposes of this invention include epoxidized vegetable oils such as soybean oil, lard oil, olive oil, linseed oil, and cottonseed oil.
Organic phosphites containing one or more, up to a total of three, aryl, alkyl, aralkyl and alkaryl groups, in any combination also are suitable as co-stabilizers for the purposes of this invention. The organic phosphites are used in an amount of from 0 to 10% on a weight basis.
For the purposes of this invention, metallic-based stabilizers are defined as being metal salts and organometallic salts other than zinc salts. The metal salts include oxides, hydroxides, sulfides, sulfates, chlorides, bromides, fluorides, iodides, phosphates, phenates, perchlorates, carboxylates, and carbonates of metals. The metals are exemplified by barium, strontium, calcium, tin, magnesium, cobalt, nickel, titanium, antimony, and aluminum. The amount of the metallic-based stabilizer is from 0 to 4 phr, preferably 0.25 to 2 phr, by weight of the halogen containing resin.
Conventional organometallic stabilizers include the organotin carboxylates and mercaptides such as those set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,078,290 and 2,985,617. Monosulfides and/or polysulfides of the organotin mercaptides of mercaptoalkyl carboxylates and/or alkyl thioglycolates are also suitable as metal-based stabilizers in the compositions of this invention. The sulfides may be made by heating stoichiometric quantities of a mercaptoalkyl ester of a carboxylic acid or an alkyl mercaptocarboxylate and an organotin chloride having the formula R′(4-z)SnHalz wherein R′ is an alkyl group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, Hal is a halogen having an atomic weight of from 35 to 127, preferably chlorine, and z is any number from 1 to 3; in water and ammonium hydroxide to about 30° C.(86° F.), slowly adding an alkali metal mono- or polysulfide, and heating the reaction mixture further to about 45° C. before separating the product from said mixture.
It should be understood that the structures of the sulfides produced by the process mentioned above are very complex. The reactions are believed to produce an equilibrium mixture composed of several different but related products. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in chemistry, equilibrium mixtures inherently include the starting materials as well as the products of any reaction between them.
In addition to the epoxy compounds and organic phosphites mentioned above, other conventional non-metallic stabilizers can also be included in the polymer compositions of the present invention. Thus, there can be included from 0 to 3 phr, by weight of a nitrogen-containing stabilizer such as dicyandiamide, hindered amines melamine, urea, and the 1,3-dialkyl-6-amino-uracil derivatives described in German Offenlegungsschrift 19,741,778 by Ciba Specialty Chemicals Holding Inc. The uracils may be prepared by the method described by S. Senda and K. Hirota in Chem. Pharm. Bull., 22(7), 1459–1467(1974) or by the reaction of the corresponding aminouracil with molar excesses of chloroacetaldehyde and ammonium acetate in water at about 65° C. until a precipitate forms or with molar excesses of acetoxyacetone and ammonium acetate in water at reflux for 12 hours. The pyrrolodiazine diones described in published Australian Patent Application No. AU-A-48232/96 by Ciba-Geigy, and the like may also be used in this invention as a co-stabilizer.
Likewise a polyol stabilizer can be used in an amount of from 0–2 phr by weight of the halogen-containing polymer. Such a stabilizer is exemplified by glycerol, sorbitol, pentaerythritol, poly(vinyl alcohol),.glyceryl mono-oleate, glyceryl mono-acetate, and glyceryl monostearate.
The stabilizer compositions of this invention comprise the sulfur compound, the zinc salt, and the zinc inhibitor and are particularly suited to impart both good early color and long term stabilization against the deteriorative effects of heat and ultra-violet light on both rigid and flexible PVC resins and other halogen-containing polymers. They may be prepared by blending the sulfur compound, zinc salt, the liquid calcium soap and/or the 1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanuric acid, and other additives in any convenient manner that produces a homogeneous mixture, such as by shaking or stirring in a container.
The amount of the sulfur compound in the stabilizer composition is from 25% to 98% by weight. In a stabilizer composition in which the zinc inhibitor is the liquid calcium soap, the amount of the liquid calcium soap is such that it provides from 0.1 to 8% , preferably from 0.3 to 7.5%, and more preferably, from 0.5 to 3% by weight of calcium, measured as Ca++ ion. The amount of zinc salt is such that it provides from 0.1 to 5% , preferably from 0.5 to 4 %, and more preferably from 0.7 to 3% of zinc, measured as Zn++ ion. In a stabilizer composition in which the zinc inhibitor is the 1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanuric acid (THEIC), the amount of THEIC is from 0.1 to 3%, preferably from 0.2 to 2.5%, and more preferably, from 0.3 to 2%. The amount of the zinc salt in such a stabilizer composition is such that it provides from 0.1 to 5%, preferably from 0.2 to 4%, more preferably from 0.3 to 3.5% of zinc, measured as Zn++ ion. All amounts are based on the weight of the stabilizer composition.
It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the precise amount of stabilizer composition used will depend upon several factors, including, but not limited to, the particular halogen-containing organic polymer employed, the temperature to which the polymer will be subjected, and the possible presence of other stabilizing compounds. In general, the more severe the conditions to which the halogen-containing organic polymer is subjected, and the longer the term required for resisting degradation, the greater will be the amount of stabilizer composition required. Thus, the halogen-containing polymer composition of this invention may comprise from 0.03 to 5%, preferably from 0.1 to 5%, of the stabilizer composition.
The level of the sulfur compound in the polymer composition of this invention is preferably from 0.1 to 4%, preferably from 0.2 to 3.5%, and more preferably from 0.3 to 2.5 % by weight. Particularly preferred rigid polymer compositions contain from 0.2 to 0.8% by weight of the sulfur compound and particularly preferred flexible polymer compositions contain from 0.5 to 4%, more preferably from 0.5 to 3.6%, of the sulfur compound by weight.
The stabilizer compositions of this invention can be incorporated in a halogen-containing polymer by admixing the components of the stabilizer composition and the polymer composition in an appropriate mill or mixer or by any other of the well-known methods that provide uniform distribution of the stabilizer throughout the polymer composition.
In addition to the stabilizer compositions of this invention, the halogen-containing polymer compositions of this invention may contain plasticizers and conventional additives such as pigments, fillers, blowing agents, dyes, ultraviolet light absorbing agents, antioxidants, densifying agents, biocides, and lubricants.
The following examples further illustrate the preparation of blocked mercaptans of this invention, the use of free mercaptans and zinc mercaptides in this invention, the preparation of stabilizer compositions of this invention, and the advantages of said free mercaptans and blocked mercaptans in combination with liquid calcium soaps and zinc salts in said stabilizer compositions. All parts are parts by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Organic based thermal stabilizers and heat stabilized polymer compositions


Grids comprising a coating modified with one or more capture agents and a deactivating agent are disclosed. Methods of using such grids in connection with suitable microscopy techniques, such as for determining the structure of target compounds including proteins, are also disclosed.

Single particle cryo-electron microscopy analysis (SPA) is a rapidly growing method for elucidating structure of biological materials at near atomic resolution due to recent advances in instrumentation and computational algorithms. One aspect of the SPA process that is not well optimized, however, is sample preparation. Traditionally, proteins targeted for structural analysis must be overexpressed and subjected to time-consuming purification and concentration steps, sometimes under harsh conditions that disrupt protein-protein interactions of interest. Recently, there have been efforts reported that seek to address these limitations, either by improving grid rigidity to reduce beam-induced motion or by effecting on-grid purification with "affinity grids" that employ metal chelating lipids that were originally developed for two-dimensional protein crystallization at the lipid-water interface. The latter approach seeks to selectively capture biological target molecules from complex mixtures such as cell lysates as an integral part of the TEM sample preparation process.
In preparing biological samples for electron microscopy analysis, samples may be spread on an electron microscopy grid and preserved in a frozen-hydrated state by rapid freezing, often in liquid ethane near liquid nitrogen temperature. By maintaining specimens at liquid nitrogen temperature or colder, they can be introduced into the high-vacuum of the electron microscope column. Most biological specimens are extremely radiation sensitive, so they are imaged with low-dose techniques (usefully, the low temperature of cryo-electron microscopy provides an additional protective factor against radiation damage).
Consequently, the images tend to be very noisy. For some biological systems, it is possible to average images to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and retrieve high-resolution information about the specimen using the technique known as single particle analysis. This approach in general requires that the things being averaged are identical, although some limited conformational heterogeneity can now be studied (e.g., ribosomes).
To better address these limitations, there have been efforts to either improve grid rigidity to reduce beam-induced motion or effect on-grid purification with 'affinity grids" that employ metal chelating lipids that were originally developed for two-dimensional protein crystallization at the lipid-water interface. The latter approach seeks to selectively capture biological target molecules from complex mixtures such as cell lysates as an integral part of the TEM sample preparation process.
Although lipid monolayer affinity grids have shown some success in producing samples for cryo-EM reconstruction at 20 Å resolution, robust performance of the reported grid coatings is limited by film instability and non-uniformity under the evaporative casting methods that are often employed. Additionally, these lipid films require a thin polymer layer or a holey carbon substrate layer to provide mechanical support of the deposited film.

Grid coatings for capture of proteins and other compounds


A system for handling quotes in an electronic market is described. The system includes a lock/cross quote detector which determines whether a quote which is entered into the market system would lock or cross other quotes in the market system and a quote formatter that receives quotes that, if entered, would lock or cross the market and reformats the quotes as marketable liability orders. The system includes a routing process that routes reformatted quotes as marketable liability orders to a market participant whose quote was locked or crossed.

This invention relates to trading systems particularly financial trading systems.
Electronic equity markets, such as The Nasdaq Stock Market® collect, aggregate and display pre-trade information to market participants. In The Nasdaq Stock Market, for example, this pre-trade information takes the form of a quote that represents a single (or an aggregate of same-priced) principal or agency orders. A market such as Nasdaq also provides trading platforms through which market participants may access liquidity indicated in the marketplace. On occasion a market participant will enter a quote which locks or crosses another quote in the market. Locked/crossed markets are not desireable for maintaining orderly markets.


A person's behavior monitoring device includes a processor for acquiring a captured image of each of a plurality of cameras, acquiring information relating to a person requiring special attention by analyzing the captured image, and generating a monitoring image including the information, in which the processor determines, for each of the cameras, whether or not a person detected from the captured image is a long-time stayer who stays for a long-time in a capturing area of one of the cameras based on a result of tracking the person, and superimposes and displays a person rectangle that enables identification of a degree of stay on the captured image in correspondence with a person corresponding to the long-time stayer.

In the premises of a railway station, when there is a person causing a dangerous behavior, it will interfere with safe and smooth operation of a train, so it is necessary to promptly find a person requiring special attention who is likely to cause such dangerous behavior and take appropriate measures at an early stage.
As a technique for promptly finding such a person requiring special attention, in the related art, there are known techniques for determining a suspicious behavior by recognizing a behavior of a person from a captured image of the camera to find the person requiring special attention (see PTL 1). In addition, there is known a technology of detecting a person from a captured image of the camera and acquiring a number of appearances of each person appearing in the captured image and determining that there is a high possibility of wandering and detecting a wandering person when the number of appearances is large (see PTL 2).

Person's behavior monitoring device and person's behavior monitoring system

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