In a multinode computer network, a directory database (DDB) in each of the nodes, contents of the DDB being replicated throughout the network through use of one of its nodes having been appointed as master node. The master node updates each DDB in each node in its network or domain configuration when the configuration changes. A global administrator has authority to replace or select a master node and to configure a domain, and performs these and other functions by way of computer terminal screen dialogs offered by a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the computer network. In the case of multiple master nodes attempting to be master for the same nodes in the same network at the same time, this conflict is resolved in one embodiment of the present invention by allowing the most recently selected purported master node to be the actual master node. After resolution of this conflict the result is communicated by the prevailing master node to all nodes in the network. This resolution takes into account a global network with varying time zones, and further takes into account the remote possibility of a simultaneous appointment of two masters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus, methodology, systems, and/or computer program product for resolving multiple master conflict in a directory database (DDB) and, more particularly, relates to resolving multiple master conflict in a globally-distributed DDB within a computer network environment such as a client server network.
2. Description of Prior Art
As may be observed by even the most casual computer system user, computer networks appear to be continuously evolving into ever-more sophisticated communication systems. Accordingly, computer networks are having an ever-increasing impact on modern-day lifestyle for many people, as the Internet is demonstrating. Computer networks include local area networks (LANs) such as might be encountered within a singular and localized corporate business organization where corporate functions (engineering, marketing, sales, advertising, human resources, etc.) are linked together in a localized computer network. Computer networks also include wide area networks (WANs) such as might be encountered within a corporate business organization that is nationwide or even worldwide in scope. The Internet is the premier example of a WAN, but is one that is obviously not constrained within any particular business organization and allows access to virtually any organization or individual. It is widely understood that these networks not only utilize hard-wire bus communication paths to accomplish their objectives, but can also utilize wireless telecommunication links via satellites and the like as well.
Computer network configurations usable within LANs and WANs include client-server network configurations. A client or workstation (typically having a user interface) can be networked to multiple servers which serve the client in a variety of ways. Such a client-server computer network configuration can be particularly useful in certain applications, such as in managing a computer data storage system. A client-server network can be used with the Internet. Thus, quality of operation of a storage system within a client-server network operatively coupled over the Internet not only can impact quality of performance of that client-server computer network, but can also impact quality of service received by multiple human users connected through the Internet to that client-server network. A failed or degraded storage system thus can escalate into a failed or degraded service for multiple human users.
A client-server network today may typically be based on an object oriented computer system which means that such system employs one or more object-oriented computer languages such as C++, XML (eXtensible Markup Language), JAVA, and/or others. Briefly, an object, in computer software terms, also referred to as a "node", is a dedicated area of memory which can be thought of as an impervious container holding both data and instructions within itself, both defining itself and its relationships to other objects in the computer system or network. Such object or node can send and receive messages to and from other objects, respond and react to such messages (e.g. commands) but shall normally be impervious to internal scrutiny. For example, in the above-noted computer data storage system (a kind of computer) each object (system object) may describe or relate to a specific tangible detail in the storage system or in the storage system's processor (e.g., details such as those describing or relating to aspects of operation of the processor's cooling-fan, power switch, cache memory, power supply, disk drive interface, etc.). These tangible objects (nodes) in the storage system can send messages to each other within the storage system and to other objects outside the storage system over the network with which they are operatively coupled. Also, the storage system itself can be an object and interact as a node with other nodes in a network.
The relationship between and amongst these specific objects in the storage system is usually visualized or characterized as a "tree" of objects. In a tree, each such object hangs off a preceding object as if in a parent-child or inheritance relationship, with many children hanging from a parent not being an atypical configuration. In addition to these tangible kinds of objects, logical units (LUNs) are other nodes or objects that can be contained within the tree. For example, a storage system object can have several LUN objects as its children which, in turn, can have various disk objects as their children, etc. These kinds of objects are generically referred to herein as "system objects" since they all relate to a system or to components within a system, whether it is a storage system, computer system, disk drive system, or some other system, and representations of these objects can typically be displayed on a computer terminal's graphical user interface (GUI) in this tree fashion. However, in contrast, other kinds of objects (nodes) can also be formulated which do not relate to a system or its components per se, such as objects relating to user actions and represented on the GUI in other ways. (User actions are any commands or operations initiated by the user, such as, for example, creating a LUN or downloading new software to a disk, etc.). In addition, there can be yet other kinds of network nodes beyond the two types mentioned such as nodes comprising or represented by a communication tree.
Accordingly, it shall be appreciated that there can be a very large number of nodes of various kinds or "personalities" to keep track of and manage within even a relatively small and local computer network. Any one or more of these nodes can fail, for one reason or another, either temporarily or permanently, and certain other nodes can be added or removed by network users under certain conditions, and this complex and dynamic network node scenario must be efficiently and effectively managed if the computer network's intended purpose is to be fulfilled. Moreover, this network node management problem is compounded when the network is large, and possibly worldwide. The subject of these computer network nodes is discussed further in two patent applications filed by the assignee of the present invention: "Plug and Play Interface for User Actions", Desai et al, U.S. Ser. No. 09/916,102, filed Jul. 26, 2001 and "Scalable Communication Within a Distributed System Using Dynamic Communication Trees", Bauer et al, U.S. Ser. No. 09/877,862, filed Jun. 8, 2001, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their respective entireties.
One prior art solution to the problem of managing network nodes is to elect one node to have complete information about all other network nodes in the system. Similarly, a group of nodes can be elected where each elected node in the group is assigned to its own subnet or domain of nodes and has complete information about all other nodes in its own subnet or domain. A subnet or domain is a network unto itself. All other nodes in that network, or in that subnet as the case may be, then seek information necessary to their functioning from their respective one elected node and are thus managed through that one elected node. The inherent weakness in this configuration is that if such one elected node fails, then no other node in its respective network or subnet can function resulting in a failed network or subnet. This is a single point of failure design which is not an optimum design because of at least this problem.
Prior art attempts to make this single point of failure design more reliable included use of backup nodes, to take over functioning of an elected node if and when the elected node failed. The problem with this backup design is that backup nodes can also fail and then the result is the same as before a failed network or subnet within the network. Furthermore, when dealing with a worldwide network, which is not atypical today, if backup nodes are being relied upon because of potential elected node failures, and if all backup nodes are being maintained in one locale (e.g. United States of America) for convenience, security, or other purposes, then virtually all network node information can be destroyed for that global network if a disaster at the backup locale destroys the backup nodes. This would be a major disruption. All worldwide users (Europeans, Asians, etc.) of that worldwide network would thus lose the service provided by that network.
Effective solutions to these single point of failure problems of the aforementioned prior art are presented in the patent application cross referenced herein, and include use of a master node which can be selected from the ranks of participating nodes in a network domain or configuration. The master node is a privileged node relative to its participating nodes and controls the directory database (DDB) distributed within each of its participating nodes to match its own DDB and thereby be substantially identical from node to node across its domain. The master node is selected or replaced with another node under control of a global administrator, a privileged network user having special password access to enable only him/her to perform these master node changes. It is prudent computer network practice to have only one global administrator per domain, or one person of authority under such global administrator per domain, who selects and changes master nodes.
This master node solution is very satisfactory in any DDB network or domain within that network in which only one master node asserts itself on participating nodes in that network or domain, which may be the usual case, particularly with LANs. However, if another user of the network gains access to the global administrator's password, either with or without proper authorization, and if that other user selects a second master node (a purported or contending master node) in the same domain that had a previously operative master node, then a conflict results. All nodes in the configuration would then be subject to assertions by two different master nodes that each of those master nodes is the true master for each node in that domain. This problem may be compounded further if there are more than only two users having this password access. This problem may be compounded even further if this is a globally-dispersed network where human language barriers can be challenging and result in multiple masters being created by mistake. Further, widely-varying time zone differences (some users are sleeping while others on opposite sides of the globe are working on the global network) might also contribute to multiple masters being created by mistake.
Thus, there is need for a solution to this multiple master conflict problem, and the present invention is an effective solution.

Resolving multiple master node conflict in a DDB


A shredder includes a rotor supporting a plurality of multi-point cutters that mesh with a counter-knife having generally V-shaped grooves. Each cutter has at least one corner defined by an intersection between two contiguous side faces of the body of the cutter. The corner defines a plurality of cutting points spaced apart along a first direction. The cutters are mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the rotor such that the first direction of each cutter is substantially tangent to the outer peripheral surface, and such that the corners of the cutters mesh with respective V-shaped grooves in the counter-knife as the rotor rotates about its axis. The multiple points of each cutter encounter and mesh with the groove in the counter-knife in a sequential fashion.

The invention relates to rotary shredders for shredding various materials, comprising a rotor and a counter knife.
Rotary shredders are used for shredding a variety of materials such as paper, cardboard, plastic film, cloth, webbing, textile fibers of natural or synthetic material, waste, and others. European Patent EP 419 919 B1 describes a shredder for such materials that includes a rotor having a plurality of circumferential ribs spaced apart along its length and a counter knife having teeth axially aligned with the valleys or grooves defined between the ribs of the rotor. A plurality of cutters are mounted in pockets formed in the outer surface of the rotor. Each cutter has two faces that are at a right angle to each other and form a V-shape that meshes with a correspondingly V-shaped recess between two adjacent teeth of the counter knife. Material fed into the space between the rotor and counter knife is cut into pieces by the cutters and the pieces pass through a screen that surrounds a portion of the circumference of the rotor; pieces too large to pass through the screen are carried by the rotor back to the counter knife to be cut again.
Further improvements in shredders of the above-noted type would be desirable.


The present invention is an encapsulated sensor suite that deploys remotely. After deployment, an imager in the sensor suite is raised by a variety of means and is capable of being turned by a motor that locks on to sounds coming from a potential target. The motor is actuated by three microphones that when used in concert, point the imager to the direction of the sound's origination. The imager is also activated by a seismic detector which is deployed at the base of the encapsulation. The encapsulation may be righted by soft to hard metal contacts that release the hard metal with sufficient force to flip the sensor to the correct side for deployment.

Forward deployed sensors and/or parameter sensors are necessary for military and law enforcement applications. The current and projected size of imaging and other media sensors allow the development of very small multi-function sensors able to detect, characterize and identify targets in their immediate area. These sensors lend themselves to being deployed by hand, or from air or ground platforms.
However, actually deploying these sensors in a stable, effective manner has not been fully achieved. The present invention is a manner in which to deploy such sensors in a stable and cost-effective manner.

Remotely delivered, self-deployed multi-function sensor

The United States of America as represented by the Department of the Army


A solid-state imaging apparatus having a pixel array is provided. The apparatus includes one or more ground lines and one or more power supply lines for supplying power to the pixels. Each of the pixels includes an photoelectric conversion element and an A/D converter for converting an analog signal corresponding to a charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal. At least one of the plurality of pixels includes at least a portion of a capacitance element having a first electrode connected to one of the one or more power supply lines, and a second electrode connected to one of the one or more ground lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus and to an imaging system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-203736 discloses an image sensor in which each pixel has a light-receiving element and an A/D converter. With this image sensor, an analog signal obtained from the light-receiving element is output after being converted into a digital signal by the A/D converter.

Solid-state imaging apparatus and imaging system


A multicomponent superabsorbent fiber includes a first superabsorbent material and a second superabsorbent material. In at least a part of the length direction (L) of the superabsorbent fiber, the first superabsorbent material and the second superabsorbent material are located side-by-side in the cross-direction (C) of the superabsorbent fiber. The first and second superabsorbent materials are selected such that at a given point during their swelling, the swelling capacity (SC) of the first superabsorbent material is greater than the swelling capacity of the second superabsorbent material so that the superabsorbent fiber (10) curls upon contact with liquid. Also, a method for reducing gel-blocking in a superabsorbent fiber.

It is known to use superabsorbent materials, (often superabsorbent polymers, SAP) in disposable absorbent products such as diapers, incontinence guards, sanitary napkins, panty liners and the like for absorbing e.g. urine, menses or liquid from faeces etc. Superabsorbent materials can absorb liquid in amounts which are usually several times the mass of the polymers themselves. Superabsorbent polymers are sometimes called hydrogels or gels.
Upon absorbing liquid, superabsorbent materials tend to swell. However, this can lead to a phenomenon known as "gel blocking" in which the part of the superabsorbent material which first makes contact with liquid expands and prevents liquid from penetrating further into the remainder of the superabsorbent material. Gel blocking is particularly a problem for absorbent articles which contain relatively large concentrations of superabsorbent material and which are designed to absorb relatively large amounts of liquid.
There have been a number of attempts to eliminate or overcome the problem of gel blocking. Strategies include adapting the chemical composition, distribution or concentration of the superabsorbent material itself, mixing other absorbent materials with the superabsorbent material or including additional layers of material in the absorbent article which function as reservoirs. Examples can be found in EP 0 343 941, EP 1 594 557, JP 2005 113135 and WO 2004/093931.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,298 describes multicomponent superabsorbent fibers which comprise at least one acidic water-absorbing resin and at least one basic water-absorbing resin. The acidic and basic resins are in close proximity so as to maximize ion exchange between the two.
US 2005/0130540 discloses a nonwoven web of multicomponent filaments. The filaments comprise superabsorbent polymer in their centre surrounded by a thermoplastic polymer sheath.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,610,898 describes the use of heat-shrunk, spiralized thermoplastic multicomponent fibres to provide an open and lofty structure in a fluid acquisition/transfer layer of an absorbent article.
WO 2004/017883 discloses an absorbent core which contains fibres coated with SAP. Some or all fibres may be only partially covered with SAP.
There remains a need, however, for simple ways in which gel blocking can be reduced. In particular, there is a need for novel superabsorbent materials which can be readily produced from known technologies, which can be manufactured from existing materials and which reduce or eliminate the problems associated with gel blocking. In addition, it is often desirable to create open structures based on superabsorbent polymers. Dynamic systems which change their physical structure, or are activated upon absorbing liquid, are also desirable.


An improved chair is disclosed. The chair includes: (i) a seat; (ii) a base portion connected to the bottom of the seat; (iv) an upwardly extending support frame connected to either the seat or the base; and (v) a backrest connected to the support frame by a number of fasteners. The fasteners include a resilient member located between the backrest and the support frame, such that the backrest is spaced apart from the support frame.

Chairs with adjustable backrests are well known. Such prior art chairs typically allow the backrest to recline, rise and lower, and the lumbar support to be adjusted. These adjustments are typically enabled by mechanical devices. While such devices permit the backrest to be adjusted in a particular position, the backrest is then locked in the selected position, or its movement is restricted along one or more axes.
Recent research has suggested that it may be beneficial to the musculoskeletal system of a user to continually move while seated. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved chair which encourages the user to continually move, while at the same time providing continuous support by permitting the backrest to move with the user in multiple degrees of freedom.


A system and method for testing the reliability of a target module is presented. A reliability testing module executes a testing script by directing the target module to perform various functions, and by further consuming system resources by executing test applications. The behaviors of the target module are recorded and evaluated, and a reliability score is generated for the target module. The reliability score enables a user to compare the reliability of a first target module to that of a second.

Most computers today, especially the ubiquitous personal computers, can be configured with any number of devices from a variety of vendors. For example, the typical personal computer can be configured from a variety of graphic display systems, scanners, input devices such as a mouse or digitizing pad, network interface cards, and Web cameras, to name just a few. Indeed, the possibilities often seem endless.
Competition among the various vendors is often quite fierce. In order to attract buyers, vendors frequently promote their products according to the speed with which they can complete a certain task or tasks on a given computer system. For example, with respect to graphic display systems, third-party vendors often promote their graphic display systems according to speed-related benchmarks achieved by their product when run against a benchmark suite. Industry-related magazines and publications often review, promote, and/or endorse products based on these benchmark results. Correspondingly, many users purchase third-party devices based on the various benchmarks published or associated with a device. Almost universally, benchmarks are speed-related evaluations.
As those familiar with the computer industry will recognize, third-party vendors often analyze the benchmark suite, examining and analyzing the methodologies by which the benchmarks are derived. Such analysis provides the vendors with invaluable insight as to what exactly is sought by reviewers (and presumably customers), and also provides insight as to how they may improve their products to achieve better benchmark scores. Unfortunately, this information often leads a vendor to optimize their product for benchmark purposes, frequently turning to complex processing, short-cuts, and raising (even exceeding) operating limits. Whether or not a vendor intentionally does so, these "optimizations" tend to sacrifice operating stability for benchmark performance, i.e., speed.
One area that is often sacrificed to optimization for performance sake is the interface between a computer's operating system and the hardware device, hereafter referred to as the "device driver." Indeed, the device driver is a logical choice for optimization, as its modification represents the least expensive course, and one that could yield substantial results, for a vendor. Unfortunately, device driver failures account for a substantial percentage of computer system crashes. According to some statistics, at least one out of every four system crashes is attributable to a device driver malfunction.
While market forces typically drive vendors to optimize their products for improved speed, there is an unfortunate lack of a complimentary force that encourages vendors to produce stable products, i.e., those that will not cause system crashes. In other words, there is currently no system available that benchmarks or measures the stability of a product in the same way that benchmarks are available for speed/performance. It should be noted that many operating system providers provide a compatibility certification for third party products, including devices. In other words, if a vendor meets the established baseline of compatibility with an operating system, the operating system provider will permit the vendor to advertise that its product has been certified as compatible with the operating system. Unfortunately, such certification simply indicates that a product has met some minimum level of compatibility, and does not provide a consumer with any information by which a comparison may be made between products. In fact, there is a general need in the computer industry for a stability benchmark rating of products. The present invention addresses these needs and other issues found in the prior art.


A metadata driven user interface system and method are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a software-based customer relationship management system and method may include the metadata driven user interface system.

Software systems are well known. One example of a software system is a customer relationship management (CRM) system and solution. For example, typical known CRM systems include Microsoft® CRM, SalesForce, a CRM product provided by SalesForce.com, Netsuite CRM, and SAP Business One CRM. However, conventional CRM systems have significant limitations that include a lack of flexibility, high costs, and a closed-source structure which is embedded into the traditional product offerings. These systems also do not have metadata driven user interface capabilities. These limitations have led to a failure rate of over 70% with traditional CRM implementations. Thus, it is desirable to provide a metadata driven user interface system and method.

Metadata driven user interface system and method


Metal complexes comprising a compound of general formula (I)

Lysosomes and proteasomes are the two major cellular paths to eliminate accumulation of intracellular deposits. While lysosomes are critical in breaking down proteins, nucleic acids or lipids into cells through endocytosis, in a process known as autophagy, proteasomes are the main responsible for intracellular protein in eukaryotes.
Autophagy is a lysosomal degradative process used to recycle obsolete cellular constituents and eliminate damaged organelles and protein aggregates. The process of autophagy comprises multiple steps: after the induction of autophagy, parts of the cytoplasm, which can include entire organules, are captured by a double membrane, forming an autophagosome. After that, autophagosomes merge with endosomes and lysosomes forming autolysosomes. It is then that the complete digestion of the organules and macromolecules takes place. The elongation of the autophagosomal membrane is controlled mainly by two systems of protein conjugation. One system implies the conjugation of Atg12 and Atg5 and the other implies the conversion of the cytosolic form of LC3, known as LC3-I, to the lipidic form, known as LC3-II, which is associated to the autophagosomes membrane. The level of the LC3-II protein is nowadays the most accepted and used biomarker of autophagy activity.
On the other hand, several studies have demonstrated that during aging proteostasis collapses leading to the accumulation of unfolded, misfolded or aggregated proteins, which causes many age-related diseases. One of the main mechanisms for the maintenance of the proteome is the proteasome system, which ensures the removal of damaged or misfolded proteins, and therefore playing a central role at delaying aging.
Finally, several diseases present defects in autophagy and proteasome activity, causing cells to accumulate proteins, lipids or other molecules. In fact, neurons are cells particularly vulnerable to impaired autophagy or proteasome activity. For example, mutant Huntingtin, the protein responsible for Huntington's disease, is expressed ubiquitously in mammals. However, only the nervous system suffers a substantial impairment after this molecule collapses into aggregates and accumulate into and around the nucleus of neurons. Every other tissue and type of cell remains apparently unaffected. Hence, diseases presenting protein deposits or accumulation clearly have a cellular problem eliminating those internal deposits either through autophagy or proteasome activity.
Thus, there is a need to treat diseases which present accumulation of intracellular deposits, wherein said accumulation is due to metabolic deficiencies resulting in an abnormal accumulation of those deposits and wherein the normal cellular autophagy or proteasome activity is not able to remove them, or diseases wherein said accumulation is due to a defective autophagy or proteasome activity.
Granted patents EP2492270 and U.S. Pat. No. 9,145,386 refer to metal complexes comprising a compound described below as A or B. Said compound comprises a macrocyclic polyazapyridinophane central structure with a quinolone heterocycle attached to said central structure and wherein said quinolone heterocycle is bonded by the 4-position to a methylene group (or bridge) which is bonded in turn to the —NH group of a ethylamine chain linked to said triazapyridinophane central structure (shown as A below), or, alternatively, wherein said quinolone heterocycle is bonded to by the 2-position to the methylene group which is bonded in turn to the —NH group of a ethylamine chain linked to said triazapyridinophane central structure (shown as B below).

Said family of metal complexes, comprising the compounds shown as A or B above, are useful, according to the cited patents, to treat therapeutically diseases "whose aetiology is rooted in disturbances in the activity of, or a deficiency in endogenous SOD" (c.f. EP2492270 [0001]).

Use of macroazapyridinophanes metal complexes in the treatment of diseases

Abstract: and at least one metal ion, for use in the treatment of diseases related to the accumulation of intracellular deposits and/or diseases related to defective autophagy and/or defective proteasome activity is disclosed. Compositions comprising said metal complexes comprising a compound of general formula (I) and at least one metal ion, for use in the treatment of diseases related to the accumulation of intracellular deposits and/or diseases related to defective autophagy and/or defective proteasome activity are also disclosed.


Method and apparatus are provided for determining a warpage of a wafer (14) for providing a minimum clamping voltage to an electrostatic chuck (ESC) when the wafer is subsequently processed thereon. The apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck (12, 120) and a control arrangement (16, 18, 20). The electrostatic chuck includes a clamping surface (13, 130) for clamping a wafer thereto by a clamping force that is dependent on a clamping voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck. The control arrangement is used to detect an inherent warpage in the wafer prior to a processing of that wafer, and determine a minimum clamping voltage from the measured warpage that is to be applied to the electrostatic chuck during a subsequent processing of the wafer. The minimum clamping voltage has a value for each wafer that securely clamps the wafer to the clamping surface and avoids excessive warpage and backside abrasion of the wafer. The control arrangement includes a suitable wafer warpage measuring tool (20, 50, 52, 54) such as, for example, a capacitance warpage measuring tool (50, 52, 54) or a optical warpage measuring tool (20) that measures the inherent warpage of a wafer, and an electrostatic chuck software control (18). The electrostatic chuck software control uses the measured warpages to determine and store data of a minimum clamping voltages and an associated wafer identification for each wafer for use in subsequently processing each wafer.

Electrostatic chucks (ESC) are presently being developed and used for the fabrication of semiconductor wafers. The concept of an ESC is to replace mechanical wafer clamping mechanisms with an electrostatic clamping mechanism in order to realize advantages such as reduced particles, better temperature control, and reduced edge exclusion zones.
One of the properties of ESCs (monopolar and bipolar) is that the clamping force increases as the voltage applied to the ESC increases. A clamping force which holds the wafer on a temperature controlled pedestal of the electrostatic chuck is needed to enhance thermal conductance (usually aided by a backside gas pressure on the wafer) between the wafer and the pedestal. This provides better wafer temperature control and uniformity.
U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 5,103,367 (Horwitz et al.), issued on Apr. 7, 1992, discloses an electrostatic chuck (ESC) for semiconductor wafers using A.C. field excitation. The chuck comprises first and second aligned electrodes embedded in a thin dielectric film that define a substantially planar surface. The first and second electrodes are each excited by a low-frequency AC supply to produce sine wave field of controlled amplitude and phase that provides a low resultant voltage on the wafer surface. A third electrode disposed parallel to the first and second electrodes acts as a shield electrode or a reference point for the first and second electrodes. By controlled rates of voltage application and removal, low voltage gradients are obtained on the wafer and no retentive forces exist in the dielectric medium. In one embodiment, a low AC amplitude excitation of the chuck enables capacitive current sensing of the position of the wafer relative to the dielectric film, thereby enabling simple control of the voltage application to the first and second electrodes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,261 (Horwitz), issued on Jun. 28, 1994, discloses an electrostatic chuck (ESC) system for holding a body (such as a semiconductor wafer) with improved release thereof. The ESC system comprises a holding device such as an electrostatic chuck having a surface for contacting the body, an electrode and applying means for applying a drive voltage to the electrode in order to electrostatically grip the body to the surface, and determining means for determining a value of a drive release voltage to be applied to the electrode in order to enable a release of the body. The determining means preferably comprises monitoring means for monitoring the motion of the body as the drive voltage is varied. The applying means is capable of applying a voltage signal over the drive voltage in order to cause oscillating motion of the body. This oscillating motion of the body is monitored by position sensing circuitry to produce a demodulated sense output in accordance with the oscillation. As the drive voltage is varied, a point will be reached where the body is released. This point can be determined by monitoring the demodulated AC sense output.
Although a minimum amount of threshold voltage is usually required to clamp a wafer to a pedestal of an electrostatic chuck, a voltage which is excessively high will "press" the wafer onto the pedestal and cause abrasion between the wafer and the pedestal surfaces. This is undesirable and can lead to particle problems and/or a shortened chuck life. Thus a trade-off exists between applying too much voltage to the chuck, which can shorten the ESC life and cause particle problems, and not applying enough voltage such that the wafer is not sufficiently clamped to the pedestal of the electrostatic chuck.
It was found that wafers with a large inherent bow or warpage (usually a result of film stress) need a higher ESC chucking or clamping voltage in order to provide a sufficient clamping force. In other words, an optimum ESC clamping voltage depends on the extent of wafer warpage or bow, and, therefore, the higher the inherent wafer warpage the greater the ESC clamping voltage that is needed. Presently, a single ESC clamping voltage is used for one or more groups of wafers which is much higher than is required. Factors such as a heater set point of the electrostatic chuck and estimates of inherent wafer warpage are often taken into consideration to determine the value of the ESC clamping voltage for the one or more groups of wafers. There are still instances in which wafers do not properly clamp due to an excessive amount of inherent wafer bowing or warpage. There are also wafers which can be clamped with a lower voltage than the single ESC clamping voltage used for a group of wafers such that backside abrasion and scratching can be reduced or avoided.
Since the inherent warpage varies from wafer to wafer, it is desired to provide a method and apparatus that will measure the inherent bow or warpage in a wafer, and use such measured data to apply a substantially optimum chucking or clamping voltage for each wafer to an electrostatic chuck in order to substantially avoid excessive amounts of backside abrasion and scratching of the wafer while the wafer is being processed.

Method and apparatus for determining wafer warpage for optimized electrostatic chuck clamping voltage

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention advances prior art toners by providing a toner formulated with Morinda Citrifolia, or Noni, from the Indian Mulberry plant. The addition of Noni to the toner of the present invention serves to provide significant skin care advantages not found in prior art toners.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to cosmetic products, and particularly to topical dermal toners. Specifically, the present invention relates to a topical dermal toner comprising a composition or formula containing Morinda citrifolia designed to contribute to the overall health of the skin and prepare the skin for further care.
2. Background
Cosmetic skin care products abound in the marketplace. These products, while differing in their ingredients or formulations, share a common goal in seeking to achieve and maintain healthy, youthful looking and feeling skin. Researchers and manufacturing companies have spent considerable time and expended significant resources in researching and advancing skin care products in order to provide the most complete and effective skin care possible. These advances have seen moderate to extensive success in terms of both their marketability as well as their actual ability to care for and improve the skin of their users. Despite these advances, several different types of ingredients can be found in the myriad of cosmetic skin care products currently available. This is largely attributable to the many different skin types or characteristics in existence from individual to individual. Indeed, several skin types exist requiring different ingredients for proper care. Common skin types include dry, oily, sensitive, or any combination of these commonly referred to as combination skin. As a result of these varying skin types, different and specific skin-type ingredients are needed to satisfy and care for the skin.
In addition to differing skin types contributing to the numerous ingredients found among skin care products, research is ongoing to find yet further improved ingredients or compositions of ingredients that improve overall skin care. This is especially true regarding facial skin care products as the face comprises a more sensitive area than other parts of the body and is more susceptible to damage due to, among other things, sunlight, makeup, and aging. As a result, many products claiming to perform separate and distinct functions for the overall care of the skin, and particularly for the face, have been introduced on the marketplace. Typically, a skin care regime for the face includes cleansing, toning, and moisturizing, in proper sequence. Other steps may be added, such as firming the skin with an intensive repair serum, and/or applying a nighttime face cream or moisturizer.
The skin is made up of several layers. The stratum corneum, the top layer, forms a protective covering for the skin and controls the flow of water and substances in and out of the skin. This is known as a barrier function. To stay healthy, the skin has to cope with changing environmental conditions and repair damages at the same time. The skin is in a constant state of repair as it sheds the dead cells on the surface and replenishes the lower layers.
The skin is often abused by soaps, emulsifier-based cosmetics, hot water, or organic solvents. These each contribute to rob the skin of essential moisture, and to create a stressed barrier that does not function properly. Moisture loss and irritation increases, leaving the skin sensitive, scaly, and dry. Free-radical activity multiplies, causing more wrinkles and premature aging.
Research shows that using a skin care product that includes the skin's natural building blocks speeds the skin's ability to repair itself and keeps the barrier function at optimal levels. This approach treats the problem, not the symptom. Irritation stops before it can start so recurring problems are avoided, thus bringing the skin back to ideal conditions.
The consumer demand for "natural" based products has been growing in recent years. Chemical synthesis is perceived as environmentally unsafe. A chemically synthesized ingredient may contain harsh chemicals. Natural products are perceived as pure and mild and superior to chemically synthesized products. Delivering a cosmetic benefit from plant sources, however, is not trivial. In order to derive a real benefit from a "natural" source, not only does a plant or a part of the plant containing a specific active have to be identified, but a minimum concentration and/or a specific extract of that plant has to be identified which truly delivers a cosmetic benefit.
The use of toners has been discovered to provide an indispensable part of proper and healthy skin care, especially facial care. Toners provide many advantages including removal of impure elements from the skin, such as sebum; that can clog pores, balance the pH levels of upset skin, refresh and rejuvenate the skin, smoothen and tighten pores, and prepare the skin for moisturizers. Toners typically comprise two types—balancing or hydrating toners.
Many prior art compositions of toners used for removing sebum from the skin of a user typically employ from 30 to 60 percent by weight of one or more of ethanol, acetone, and isopropanol. Ethanol, acetone and isopropanol, however, tend to defat the skin and remove the intercellular lipids critical for retaining moisture in the skin. Further, the sebum that is removed is replaced in as few as two to three hours on average. These compositions also frequently cause an unpleasant stinging sensation when applied.
Other prior art toners employ aqueous solutions of water-soluble glycol ethers for removing sebum from the skin of a user in the treatment of acne. The glycol ethers are present in the compositions in significant amounts, for example at 20–50 percent by weight. These glycol ether-based compositions are a vast improvement over the more typical alcohol- or acetone-based compositions, in that the glycol ethers dissolve sebum well and can provide for extended suppression of normal sebum levels, but do not dissolve the intercellular lipids in the skin or produce an unpleasant stinging sensation. One very significant drawback to the glycol ether-based toning compositions, however, is their disagreeable odor which is not easily masked by perfumes.
Moreover, in a large number of cases, toners may contain chemicals which may produce "irritation," including various inflammation symptoms or signs, when applied to the skin or mucosa. This may especially be true when applied to sensitive skin or certain other combination skin types.
In addition, many prior art toners contain compositions that do not provide sufficient barrier protection from harmful biological and environmental aging, while at the same time meeting the needs of the skin.
Therefore, what is needed is an alcohol-free toner that can help to protect the skins barrier repair and natural moisture, and that can help fight the harmful effects from daily agents tending to damage the skin.

Methods for manufacturing an enhanced cosmetic skin care toner


A device for protecting a syringe (2) needle (7) comprising a needle-protecting cap (8) made of a flexible material and a protective hub (5) made of a rigid material adapted to be mounted on the needle-protecting cap (8) and provided with internal elements (12) for gripping the needle-protecting cap. The internal gripping elements provided in the protective hub (5) comprise at least a longitudinal clip (12) secured to the side wall of the protective hub (5) via a flexible intermediate hinge (13) forming an articulation longitudinally delimiting a downstream longitudinal section having a tip-shaped free end capable of being fitted into the needle-protecting cap (8) and comprising a front surface adapted to limit its tilting, and an upstream longitudinal section provided with a front surface adapted to limit reverse tilting of each clip (12) when the protective hub is removed.

The invention is directed at a device for protecting a syringe needle, of the type having a needle-protecting cap made of a flexible material and a protective end-piece made of a rigid material adapted to cover the needle-protecting cap and equipped with internal means for gripping the said needle-protecting cap which are capable of entraining the latter upon the removal of the said protective end-piece.
Such protective devices are commonly used and their main objective, apart from a notion of safety, is to facilitate the removal of the needle-protecting cap which is held within the protective end-piece upon the removal of the latter.
In order to hold the needle-protecting cap, and in customary fashion, the protective end-pieces are equipped with gripping means adapted to be positioned behind the collar conventionally bordering the open end of the said needle-protecting caps, so as to abut against the said collar and cause the entrainment of these caps upon the removal of the protective end-pieces.
Although the use of such protective end-pieces allows the intended objectives to be met, they nevertheless have a major disadvantage in that they have to be force-fitted onto the cap so that the gripping means pass over the collar and tend, upon this fitting, to push away the said cap.
Now, the fact that the said cap is pushed away in this manner may have two unfortunate consequences. Firstly, it may lead to damage to the end of the needle conventionally sticking into the cap. Furthermore, it may cause the seal between the needle-protecting cap and the syringe nose to rupture at the sealing neck of the syringe.


A wire electrode arrangement for electroerosion cutting includes an elongated core. Multiple electrode elements are arranged sequentially along the elongated core. The electrode elements are separated by gaps and are mutually insulated.

The invention pertains to a wire electrode arrangement for electroerosive cutting and a method for implementing said arrangement. The method of electroerosive cutting utilizes the effect of a potential difference between the electrode and a conductive workpiece to be processed. This potential difference causes spark discharges that, in turn, lead to the removal of material from the workpiece to be processed. Such methods are known from the state of the art.
In conventional methods for cutting by means of electrical discharge machining, the electrode consists of only one wire which is conductive throughout its cross section. The cutting speed is limited by the number of discharges per time unit and the energy of each discharge (i.e., the maximum current density) because local overheating of the wire can lead to wire breakage.
Various patents, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,665 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,666, describe methods in which the electrically conductive core of a wire which consists of an alloy is coated with one or more layers of different materials. These materials preferably consist of metals with low melting and evaporating temperatures and superior electrical conductivity, e.g., zinc. Consequently, it is possible to attain a wire core with high tensile strength which is additionally protected from possible wire breakage by the coating that acts as a heat shield. Such a wire electrode makes it possible to operate with high current densities and consequently increase the machining speed. According to F. Dauw (ISEM-X) these measures made it possible to double the cutting speed (between 1986 and 1990). However, an additional increase in the cutting speed can hardly be attained by exclusively utilizing one of the above-mentioned methods.
Another method for increasing the machining speed which is known from the field of electroerosive cavity sinking simultaneously utilizes several electrodes. Consequently, it is possible for discharges to occur at different positions per time unit. The utilization of several electrodes for electroerosive cutting was described in EP 0,433,747. However, the objective of this publication pertains to the cutting of nonconductive materials. In this case, the cathode as well as the anode are situated on a wire-shaped arrangement such that discharges occur between the electrodes of the wire arrangement, but not between the wire arrangement and the workpiece. Consequently, the geometry of this arrangement is not suitable for the desired type of machining, i.e., several simultaneous discharges are not possible.

Wire electrode arrangement for electroerosive cutting


A first, expandable casing member, in an unexpanded state, is provided with a lower axial end that has a radially expanded upset or recess shoe and a locating profile. The first casing member is run into a wellbore, expanded, and secured in place within the wellbore. A second expandable casing member is then provided in an unexpanded state and disposed into the wellbore through the first casing member using a running tool. The second casing member is located with respect to the first casing member and expanded using an expansion member carried by the running tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention provides devices and methods for casing a drilled bore. In particular aspects, the invention relates to wellbore casings that are formed using expandable tubing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Following drilling, a wellbore is typically lined with a casing in order to prevent the borehole from collapsing and to prevent undesirable fluid migration through the borehole wall. Often, a wellbore is drilled in successively deeper intervals. As a result, the lower intervals are cased with strings of casing having successively smaller diameters. Since the casing sections for the lower intervals must be able to pass through the interior diameter of the upper intervals. This places significant size limitations on the wellbore at significant depths.
Recently, processes have been developed for the use of casing members that are radially plastically-expandable. This permits the lower intervals of the wellbore to have the same diameter as the casing sections above. An example of such systems is the LinEXX system, which is available commercially from Baker Hughes Incorporated in Houston, Tex. The lower casing member is disposed through the upper casing member in a radially collapsed state. Then, an expansion member, such as a swage, is used to expand the lower casing member radially. Thereafter, the lower casing member may be cemented into place within the wellbore. Alternatively, open hole packers can be utilized on the exterior of the expanded tubular to perform the required zonal isolation functionality. In addition, the lower casing member must be joined to the upper casing member so that a continuous lining of the borehole is created. Ordinarily, this is done by forming an expanded diameter upset, or recess, in the lower end of the upper casing member. Then the upper end of the lower casing member is located within the recess.
In expandable casing systems, the ability to locate the lower casing member with respect to the upper casing member within the wellbore is critical to proper construction of the casing string. FIG. 1 illustrates a situation wherein the upper end 10 of the lower casing member 12 is too high within the wellbore with respect to the upper casing member 14. As a result, the upper end 10 of the lower casing member 12 lies above the recess 16 that has been formed in the upper casing member 14. Upon expansion of the lower casing member 12, the upper end 10 will not be fully expanded due to the restriction provided by the upper casing member 14. This results in a restricted diameter blockage 18 within the casing string.
FIG. 2 depicts an alternative situation in which the upper and lower casing members 14, 12 are improperly located with respect to each other. In this instance, the lower casing member 12 is located too far below the upper casing member 14. As a result, the upper end 10 of the lower casing member 12 does not reside within the recess 16, and there is an undesirable break in the string of casing.
In prior art systems, the recess is formed in the upper casing member in a separate step before the lower casing member is run-in and expanded. The recess is typically formed using a rotary expansion tool. At the same time that the recess is formed, a locating profile may be formed into the upper casing member as well.
A significant problem associated with many contemporary expandable casing systems is that an extra trip into the wellbore is needed to create the recess in the upper casing member following the primary diametrical expansion of the upper casing member. This entails significant time and cost. In addition, conventional locating devices are not generally sufficient to locate a lower casing member with respect to an upper casing member. Existing methods are limited (e.g., run to bottom of hole, then space out from bottom or run below the shoe then space out from the bottom of the shoe) and all require running deeper than necessary. Furthermore, conventional methods are problematic with regard to getting stuck on bottom or getting stuck pulling back from an open hole into a cased hole.

Grooved expandable recess shoe and pipe for deployment of mechanical positioning devices


By irradiating 60Co γ ray to chitin/chitosan, chitin/chitosan having high molecular weight is separated or decomposed into low molecular weight chitin/chitosan. A method of producing an osteoconduction substance comprises the steps of irradiating 60Co γ ray to chitin/chitosan to produce low molecular weight chitin/chitosan; preparing chitosan sol by dissolving low molecular weight chitin/chitosan in an acidic aqueous solution to obtain a chitosan acidic aqueous solution and kneading the chitosan acidic aqueous solution and apatite powder; and neutralizing the chitosan sol by the use of a neutralizing agent.

This invention relates to a method of producing low molecular weight chitin/chitosan and a method of producing an osteoconduction substance and, in particular, to a method of producing low molecular weight chitin/chitosan by irradiation of 60Co γ (cobalt 60 gamma ray) and a method of producing an osteoconduction substance using the low molecular weight chitin/chitosan.
Generally, an osteoconduction substance is used in the field of dental treatment and orthopedics. The osteoconduction substance has a nature of helping or promoting creation of a new bone when it is filled in or around a bone. The osteoconduction substance is excellent in affinity to a tooth and a bone in a human body. The osteoconduction substance has a neutral pH value.
In an existing method of producing an osteoconduction substance, chitin/chitosan is at first dissolved in an acidic aqueous solution to obtain an acidic aqueous solution of chitosan as chitosan sol. The chitosan sol and apatite powder are kneaded together. An acid used in dissolving chitin/chitosan may be acetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid, adipic acid, tartaric acid, malonic acid, stearic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, aspartic acid, and glycin.
The chitosan sol with apatite powder kneaded therein is neutralized by an aqueous solution containing an alkaline compound, such as CaCO3, ZnO, CaO, and CaOH. The chitosan sol after neutralized is solidified in 30 to 60 minutes into the osteoconduction substance having a pH value between 7.0 and 10.0. Thereafter, the osteoconduction substance is dehydrated and stored. The osteoconduction substance after dehydrated is a brittle material.
Prior to use, distilled water or physiological salt solution is absorbed into the osteoconduction substance in order to restore the osteoconduction substance into an elastic body such as rubber.
The osteoconduction substance thus produced is cut into a desired size corresponding to a diseased part of an organism. For example, after operation for periodontitis, the osteoconduction substance is inserted between a jaw bone and a gingiva around a resected site to reconstruct or reproduce the jaw bone.
In the osteoconduction substance containing apatite powder, the apatite powder is neither migrated nor lost. This is because the chitosan sol is transformed into gel so that the apatite powder is appropriately dispersed and fixedly confined in the osteoconduction substance. Before chitin/chitosan is absorbed into an organism, osteoid is effectively grown and substituted for a bone.
However, the existing osteoconduction substance requires a long time to create a new bone.
It is noted here that chitosan has a high molecular weight and is therefore water-insoluble and hardly absorbable into an organism. It is preferable to separate or decompose high molecular weight chitosan into low molecular weight chitosan. This is because chitosan tends to be absorbed by cells as its molecular weight decreases and, as a result, to activate osteoblast cells. For this purpuse, chitosan is subjected to hydrolysis using dense hydrochloric acid. However, this technique requires severe and strict conditions. In addition, it is difficult to control the molecular weight of chitosan.

Method of producing low molecular weight chitin/chitosan and method of producing an osteoconduction substance


A system and method of providing information (such as directions) to a driver of a vehicle while driving the vehicle without requiring that the driver remove his eyes from looking out the windshield at the road ahead. A positioning device is associated with the vehicle and determines the present location of the vehicle which is compared with a desired location (e.g., the location of a desired turn at an intersection) necessary to reach a preset destination which has been stored. When the vehicle is in a predetermined location (e.g., 500 feet or 10 seconds before the intersection), an advisory message to the driver is projected on the windshield using a heads-up display projector so that the driver can prepare for and make the necessary movement (e.g., turning the correct way at the desired intersection). An optional auditory signal can provide a message indicating the necessary action, either in general or specifically (through a speech synthesizer), with optionally different sound indicators depending on the urgency of the action. A wireless receiver used with the present invention can display other information such as road conditions, traffic and weather information, as well as advertising and e-mail. The present invention contemplates that images of intersections (live pictures, photos or sketches) may be displayed to indicate the proper turn and provide landmark information to assist in determining the appropriate turn.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for providing information to a driver without requiring that the driver remove his eyes from the road. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing information such as navigational information such as directional instructions to a driver based on his position and stored information that will allow the driver to travel in the desired direction without requiring that the driver look away from the windshield.
2. Background Art
Driving to an unknown destination or in an unfamiliar location presents the opportunity for a driver to get lost or to miss his turn. Perhaps the driver was looking for a road by a particular name (e.g., "Main Street" or "Harbor Freeway") and he encounters an intersection without a street sign or with a sign which has another designation (e.g., "Route 1" or "Interstate 5"). The driver does not know whether to turn or drive forward through the intersection, continuing to look for "Main Street" or "Harbor Freeway" because he does not know where Main Street is supposed to be or what the desired intersection is supposed to look like.
Often directions are provided from maps or from verbal instructions without clear and accurate indications as to how far the desired intersection (e.g., "Main Street" or "Harbor Freeway") is from the present location of his vehicle. Even when an accurate and precise indication of distance is given (e.g., "go 2.7 miles from the origin down Center Street until you intersect Main Street and turn right"), the direction would require that the driver note the initial mileage, calculate the destination mileage of 2.7 miles farther and then observe when the 2.7 miles have passed to find Main Street, an activity which might require frequent calculations and attention to the odometer. Obviously, the driver's looking at the odometer requires the driver to remove his eyes from the road to look at the odometer (instead of the traffic on the road). While a good driver will keep the glances at the odometer to a minimum to allow the greatest attention to be focused on the roadway and its ever-changing perils, this presents a distraction.
It would be desirable to have a system of providing directions which allows a driver to enter a destination, then get detailed instructions on how to get there, complete with an appropriate notification of when to turn and which way. Advantageously, these detailed instructions would indicate a necessary turn with an indication provided shortly before the desired turn to allow the driver to concentrate on the driving and the view out the windshield and not on maps or even on a video screen within the car (for example, mounted on the console of the vehicle in the case of a system provided by Hertz and called the "NeverLost" system or in similar navigational aids provided by auto companies such as General Motors). The Hertz NeverLost system includes a route set on a console unit which is used to show messages about turns on the console unit, with a tone indicating that a message has been displayed on the console. However, the console is located away from the windshield and looking at the console requires the driver to remove his eyes from the road.
Anything which distracts the driver's eyes from the road presents a risk of collision or leaving the road. So, if the driver must watch the odometer to know when his turn is expected, he can not be watching the road at the same time. Similarly, if the driver is looking at a map or a display on the console, the driver can't be simultaneously looking at the road.
If, for any reason, the driver should miss a turn, the sooner the driver is alerted to the fact that the turn was missed, the easier and quicker the driver may be able to recover from the mistake.
It would also be desirable to have a system where the driver receives multiple advisory alerts or warnings of an upcoming turn at different distances from the turn and it would be desirable if the advance notice was related to the speed at which the vehicle is approaching the turn. That is, an indication of a turn 100 feet in advance may be adequate where the vehicle is traveling 5 miles per hour (or about 7 feet per second), but an indication of the turn 100 feet in advance of the turn while the vehicle is traveling 70 miles per hour allows only a one second advance notice before the turn, while turning may require more than the second just to decelerate. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a notice of a turn at one or more relatively fixed time intervals before the turn (perhaps 15 seconds and 5 seconds before) rather than a predetermined distance before the turn, rather than a fixed distance before a turn. Since the use of location alone provides only the distance, it is necessary to combine the location information with speed information to provide an alert which is based on calculated time to the turn, but this is accomplished using speed information. Speed information can be calculated from past geographic positions or can be obtained from a connection to the vehicle (the speedometer or changes in the odometer).
The description of the present invention which follows is based on a presupposition that the reader has a basic knowledge of global positioning systems and of stored maps which are available over the Internet. Such global positioning systems can provide the present position of a sensor (for example, a sensor mounted within a vehicle) to a very accurate location (perhaps within 10 feet). The positioning information can be stored and used to plot the progress of a vehicle over time by noting the position of the vehicle at successive time intervals. Such a system would allow for the plotting of the circular ramp of a freeway interchange and the calculation of the location of the interchange and the radius of its curvature. Stored maps exist for most cities and main routes between cities and can be accessed in a variety of ways, such as from the Internet from one of a variety of web sites or from map software which is commercially available. These maps can be used for detailed driving instructions by entering a starting location and a desired termination, providing even a listing of the necessary turns and the mileage along each leg of the journey.
Some prior art systems have been proposed which provide driving instructions on a video screen provided in the center console. Such a system has the undesired requirement of periodically requiring the driver's looking at the video screen rather than on the road ahead.
Prior art systems for providing driving instruction in the form of a printed sheet of paper, indicating that the first road is to be taken for 2.7 miles, then turn right on Main Street for 1.6 miles, then turn left (and so forth). The providing of a separate piece of paper with directions also requires that the driver look at the separate piece of paper rather than the road, and the printed sheet of paper does not provide an indication when the desired road is being approached.
Prior art systems exist where a map is provided are similar to those providing a printed sheet of paper. It has the same disadvantages of not providing any indication when the desired road is being approached and in requiring that the driver's attention is diverted from looking at the road to looking at the map.
Thus, the prior art systems have undesirable disadvantages and limitations.

Method and system for providing directions for driving

International Business Machines Corporation


A catheter comprising a flexible proximal portion and a rigid distal portion having a beveled needle tip. The beveled tip overcomes coring of a barrier such as a septum of an implanted percutaneous drug delivery port when the needle tip passes therethrough for ultimate insertion of the catheter within the port. The invention also includes a catheter assembly incorporating the above-defined catheter along with a hand-operable implantation grip having a stylet member extending into the catheter and two opposing parallel finger members adjacent the catheter therebetween for holding the catheter during introduction thereof into an implanted percutaneous drug delivery port. The invention additionally includes methodology for catheterizing a percutaneous drug delivery port implanted in a living being through utilization of the catheter assembly and manually manipulating the grip thereof to insert the catheter tip into the port for long term implantation.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a catheter having a flexible proximal portion and a rigid distal portion whose end has a beveled needle tip for direct insertion through a barrier without requiring an introducer tool to puncture a site of placement. The present invention includes a catheter assembly incorporating the catheter along with a hand-operable implantation grip, as well as methodology for introducing the catheter into a percutaneous drug delivery port implanted in a person.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Employment of a catheter for delivering a fluid medication to a patient is well known. Such a known catheter typically is a flexible tube whose distal end resides within the patient and whose proximal end has a hub fitting such as Luer-type fitting for connection to a reservoir from which medication is dispensed for travel through the catheter and into the patient. The distal end of the catheter may feed, for example, directly into a vein of the patient, or it may feed into a drug-delivery port implanted percutaneously within the patient. Such a port usually comprises a reservoir having a resilient septum disposed nearest the skin and through which the distal end of the catheter must pass to thereby deliver medication into the reservoir for subsequent outward flow to a medication site.
Because the entire prior-art catheter is constructed of a flexible material, the distal end thereof cannot be introduced into the patient without first employing another device to puncture the site of entry and provide an opening through which the distal end can pass. One approach for introducing the catheter is to use a hollow-needle syringe disposed within the catheter such that the needle produces an opening and simultaneously carries the surrounding catheter portion through the opening to the desired destination site. Thereafter, the syringe is withdrawn and the catheter remains. When this approach is used in entering a percutaneous drug delivery port, however, the syringe needle causes coring of the septum which, in turn, can cause the port to leak fluid through the produced hole. When this occurs, leaked medication originally intended to be delivered from the port to a specified body site is not available.
One approach for solving the coring problem when introducing a catheter into a percutaneous port has been employment of a solid stylet disposed within the catheter during catheter introduction and projecting from the distal end thereof such that the stylet punctures the septum and simultaneously carries the surrounding catheter portion through the puncture and into the reservoir of the port. The stylet, which is subsequently withdrawn, does not produce coring because it is of solid construction. Both U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,135,502 and 5,403,283 teach solid stylets, with the latter patent additionally teaching an insertion tool whose construction can include stylet isolation means activated after catheter insertion to thereby guard against an inadvertent needle stick to a health care provider.
While using a solid stylet as described above alleviates the coring problem while entering a percutaneous port, for example, the catheter still can be introduced only by using a separate piercing tool. This necessity requires the use of, as well as the disposal of, the stylet piercing tool which, because it has entered a patient site, can be a health hazard after withdrawal from the patient and prior to final disposal.
It is therefore apparent that a need is present for a catheter whose construction permits ready introduction within a patient site. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a catheter comprising a flexible proximal portion and a rigid distal portion, with the distal portion having a needle tip for directly piercing a barrier and entering a site for medication delivery.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a catheter wherein the needle tip of the distal portion is beveled to thereby eliminate coring by the needle tip.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a catheter assembly incorporating a catheter having a beveled needle tip and a hand-operable implantation grip whereby catheter placement and insertion is aided.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of catheterizing an implanted percutaneous drug delivery port through the utilization of a catheter assembly to achieve implantation of a catheter having a needle tip beveled to thereby enter a septum of the port without coring the septum during entry.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description of the invention which now follows.


A compound includes an amphiphilic polymer with a hydrophobic block including monomeric units chosen from alkyl (meth)acrylates, alkyl (meth)acrylamides, and combinations thereof; and a hydrophilic cationic block including monomeric units chosen from alkylamino (meth)acrylates, alkylamino (meth)acrylamides, and combinations thereof. The polymer is in the form of a micelle with a central core derived from the hydrophobic block and shell at least partially surrounding the core. The shell includes a plurality of filamentous arms derived from the hydrophilic block and emanating outward from the core. A biological agent is associated with the arms of the micelle.

Polymeric gene delivery vehicles are an essential tool in life science research and have the potential to be used in clinical gene therapy due to their versatility, relative low production cost, and low immunogenicity. Synthetic polymers have been used to deliver biomacromolecule payloads such as, for example, plasmid DNA (pDNA), ribonucleoprotein (RNP), and the like, due to their versatility, low toxicity, and the ability to encapsulate large payloads. Some recent examples indicate that synthetic polymer-based systems achieved biomacromolecule based gene delivery and gene editing both in vitro and in vivo.
For example, in aqueous physiological solutions, cationic polymers can spontaneously bind with negatively charged pDNA and form interpolyelectrolyte complexes. These complexes are predominately internalized by various endocytic routes, followed by cargo release from these vesicles inside the cells via different proposed mechanisms, and subsequent entry into the cell nucleus to promote gene expression. Compared to viral vehicles, polymeric delivery systems typically have lower delivery efficiency, and various optimization strategies have been applied to improve this parameter such as, for example, changing the cationic moieties on polymers, adding targeting ligands, and installing responsive monomers, which can improve uptake efficiency and help to balance transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity.
In one example, polyplexes formed with block copolymers consisting of distinct hydrophilic and cationic blocks exhibit significant compaction of pDNA, and have been shown to promote colloidal stability in biological media in addition to high transfection efficiency. In comparison, amphiphilic block copolymers self-assemble into micelles in solution, where cationic micelles complex with pDNA to form micelleplexes. Polymeric micelles are well established delivery vehicles for small molecule drugs and have demonstrated efficient delivery of siRNA, but are relatively underexplored for pDNA delivery.
In another example, CRISPR (clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9)-based genome editing has rapidly emerged as a multi-faceted technology to enable gene insertion, deletion, activation, suppression, and even single base editing of target genes within the nucleus of any cell. This highly efficient and facile technique has broad utility from white biotechnology and agriculture to biomedical research, pharmaceutics, and regenerative medicine.
Currently, the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be delivered in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo in three different payload forms: i) pDNA that encodes Cas9 protein and/or sgRNA ii) mRNA that encodes for Cas9 nuclease and a separate sgRNA, or iii) a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) that consists of recombinant Cas9 protein precomplexed directly with a sgRNA. While engineered viruses have shown exceptional delivery efficiency and expression of Cas9 protein in cells, limitations such as immunogenicity and size restrictions in packaging exist. Physical delivery methods such as electroporation and microinjection are known to cause cell damage or death and are challenging to apply to a large population of cells/tissues.
CRISPR-Cas9 pDNA needs to enter the cellular nucleus to express, and consistent expression produces an overabundance of Cas9 protein, which can lead to increased off-target editing and mutagenesis. Researchers have utilized the CRISPR/Cas9 system in mRNA form to circumvent the barrier of nuclear entry, which has been reported with polymer-based nanoparticles. However, sgRNA often needs to be delivered separately, presenting challenges in trafficking kinetics of different payloads.
Direct delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP), on the other hand, has several benefits, including precision in endonuclease dosing and potential to avoid uncontrolled integration of the transgene into the cellular genome. While different CRISPR/Cas9 RNP delivery systems have been recently explored, such as lipid-based nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, cell penetrating peptides, and other hybrid nanostructures, the mechanisms of payload encapsulation and the resultant complexes are generally not quantitatively understood/characterized. Polymers offer a well-documented pharmaceutically-relevant platform that have been underexplored for RNP encapsulation and delivery, and only limited number of reports have been presented, likely due to the inherent structural, charge, and binding differences of plasmid and protein-based payloads.
To this end, designing novel and efficient polymer micelle-based pDNA and RNP delivery vehicles, as well as improving the fundamental understanding of polymer-cargo complex composition and architecture on pDNA and protein loading and delivery efficiency, are necessary for advanced applications.

Cationic block polymer micelles for delivery of biological agents


Method and apparatus for providing security for a vehicle and for cargo transported on the vehicle. A location determination (LD) system determines vehicle location. A cargo unit carries a transceiver (or transmitter) that transmits a selected signal, either sua sponte or in response to receipt of a polling signal. The selected signal, if received by a receiver on the vehicle, is examined as to signal intensity, signal coding and/or time of receipt. If the received signal violates a selected condition, vehicle location is compared with an approved cargo destination. If the vehicle is not near a cargo destination, or if no selected signal is received at the receiver, an alarm signal is transmitted, which may include the vehicle location and/or the violated condition. If the LD system does not receive adequate LD signals to determine vehicle location, vehicle location coordinates are compared with a coordinate range for a signal obscuring region (SOR). Vehicle location within the SOR can be tracked using a supplemental LD system until the vehicle leaves the SOR. If LD signals are lost for too long, inside or outside an SOR, an alarm signal is transmitted. If vehicle location is outside a travel corridor, if the vehicle does not pass a waypoint, if vehicle velocity is below a low threshold for too long, or if vehicle velocity is above a high threshold, an alarm signal is transmitted. The LD system may be GPS, GLONASS, LORAN or other satellite- or ground-based system.

Diversion or theft of cargo that is being transported by a land, water-borne or air-borne vehicle is still big business. One estimate of the value of cargo that is stolen from land, sea and air vehicles annually is tens of billions of dollars. In some instances, the vehicle and its cargo are diverted, until the cargo can be removed from the vehicle in an undisclosed location, safe from the inquisitive eyes and ears of law enforcement officials. In other instances, the cargo is promptly off-loaded from the original transport vehicle and is either stored at an undisclosed location for some period of time or is immediately transported to one or more other locations for disposal or for some purpose. After the stolen cargo has been missing for at least 8-24 hours, the likelihood of cargo recovery drops dramatically, except for certain unique and easily distinguishable items such as atomic energy fuel and well known art objects. At the same time, it is often difficult to keep track of the location of the original cargo transport vehicle and or to determine whether any portion of the cargo has been off-loaded for storage at, or movement to, an undisclosed location.
Mobile unit tracking, for location of a missing vehicle or person, for monitoring vehicle progress along a given route, for determination that an emergency has occurred, or for similar purposes, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,651,157 and 5,003,317, issued to Gray et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,818,908 and 4,908,629, issued to Apsell et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,891,650, 5,055,851, 5,131,019 and 5,218,367, issued to Sheffer et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,271, issued to Namekawa, U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,206, issued to Scribner et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,224, issued to Kostusiak, U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,756, issued to Song, U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,844, issued to Mansell et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,225,224 and 5,379,224, issued to Brown et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,163, issued to Perez et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,642, issued to Lo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,274, issued to Hassett, U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,936, issued to Feng, U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,190, issued to Wortham, U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,813, issued to Schuchman et al. These patents are incorporated by reference herein.
Cargo security systems, often involving provision of physical resistance or other dissuasion methods to an unauthorized cargo off-loader or cargo diverter, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,323, issued to Hartkorn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,765, issued to Wenner et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,983, issued to Murray, U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,357, Issued to Rackley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,197, issued to Denekamp et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,305, issued to McKneely, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,897,642 and 5,025,253, issued to DiLullo et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,606, issued to Kevonian, U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,664, issued to Harris et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,667, issued to Drori et al. These patents are incorporated by reference herein.
Use of measured signal strength to estimate the distance of a mobile unit from a plurality fixed transmitters or receivers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,891,650, 5,055,851 and 5,218,367, issued to Sheffer et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,163, issued to Perez et al, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,936, issued to Feng. These patents are incorporated by reference herein.
The approaches disclosed in these patents focus on tracking a vehicle for the purpose of resisting off-loading or diversion of cargo from a vehicle, not on integrated tracking and protection of a vehicle and its cargo.
What is needed is an enhanced location determination system that (1) tracks the location of the vehicle and of the cargo relative to the vehicle, (2) reports any out-of-the-ordinary lapses in receipt of signals sufficient to determine the vehicle present location and/or cargo present location, (3) determines when some portion of the cargo is being or has been off-loaded at other than an approved location, (4) determines when the vehicle is within a signal-obstructing region, (5) determines when a vehicle is within a selected travel corridor, (6) determines when the vehicle velocity has been abnormally low for too long a time, and/or (7) transmits an alarm signal, including the last-known location of the vehicle and/or the cargo, if some abnormal event is determined to have occurred. Preferably, this system should have the capabilities of tracking the location of the vehicle and of sensing movement of the cargo independently and should provide substantial flexibility in determining and reporting whether an abnormal event has occurred or is occurring and the type of abnormal event.

Security for transport vehicles and cargo