An acoustic logging tool having an acoustic transmitter and at least one acoustic receiver longitudinally spaced from the transmitter is lowered into a borehole fluid within a tubular member having a known resonant frequency. A pulse of acoustic energy is then transmitted into the tubular member, and acoustic energy traversing the tubular member and formation is detected at the acoustic receiver. A frequency domain transformation is performed on the detected acoustic energy and a cement bond evaluation is performed by comparing transformed detected acoustic energy amplitudes within a predetermined range of the resonant frequency of the tubular member, effectively filtering out acoustic energy which traverses the formation surrounding the tubular member.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates, in general, to sonic well logging tools for radially evaluating cementing conditions around casing in cased wells and, in particular, to a method and system for circumferentially evaluating the placement and bonding strength of cement-sealing material disposed about the exterior surface of a tubular member within a wellbore in an acoustically fast formation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior-art sonic well logging tools have been used to evaluate cement bonding around casing within wellbores for many years. Typically, cement bonding is a term which has been used to describe a measure of an average compressive strength of cement disposed about a section of casing, which provides an indication of cement conditions within the wellbore, such as proper cure, mixture with borehole fluids and voids or channeling within a cement sheath. In general, cement-bonding measurements are used to provide an indication of cement placement about a well casing to determine whether the cement provides an adequate fluid seal to prevent fluids from flowing between portions of a wellbore.
Prior-art sonic well logging tools have been utilized to radially determine cement conditions within cased wellbores, from which the circumferential placement of cement about the exterior of a casing can be evaluated. For example, pulse-echo types of well logging tools have been used to transmit an initial sonic pulse radially outward from a sonic transducer to a spot on a casing wall, and the reflected sonic signal or echo then is received, utilizing a sonic transducer to evaluate the quality of the cement bond.
Examples of pulse-echo sonic tools are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,369,626; 4,255,798; 4,709,357; 3,369,626; 4,255,798; and 4,709,357, the contents of which hereby are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
A problem which exists with known techniques for measuring cementing conditions in cased wells is the presence of high-acoustic velocity or so-called "fast" formations. In such a situation, the velocity of the acoustic pulse in the high-acoustic velocity formation sometimes may be faster than the velocity of sound in the casing or pipe. Under these conditions, the return signal arrival through the pipe may be distorted by the arrival of acoustic signals travelling through the formation and, very often, this condition produces a combined arrival with a large amplitude which would otherwise indicate a poor bond or a total absence of a cement seal. Solutions to this problem have been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,479 and 4,893,285 which disclose the addition of an additional receiver at a small distance from the transmitter. This solution is substantially ineffective in large diameter casings, such as 7 inches or greater, and/or when the cement layer is relatively thin--that is, one-inch thick or less.
It therefore should be apparent that a need exists for a method and system for accurately evaluating cement bond conditions between a tubular member and the wellbore in the presence of a high-acoustic velocity formation.

Method and system for cement bond evaluation high acoustic velocity formations


A helmet mount includes a helmet block, a chassis attached to the helmet block, the chassis adapted to receive the night vision device, and a vertical adjustment assembly for vertically adjusting a night vision device relative to a user's eyes while the helmet mount is secured to the helmet and the night vision device is received in the helmet mount. The vertical adjustment assembly includes a front and back plate that are slidably connected, wherein the front plate is coupled to the chassis and the back plate is coupled to the helmet mount, and a gear drive system. Rotating a lever on the gear drive system rotates the gear so that the vertical position of the chassis is changed relative to the helmet block. The gear driven system further includes at least one biasing means placed between the front plate and the back plate and may include a tapered shaft.

Night vision devices are commonly used by military personnel for conducting operations in low light or night conditions. The night vision devices utilized by the military typically include image intensifier tubes and associated optics that convert infrared and near infrared light into viewable images. Common night vision devices currently being used in the U.S. Army include the PVS7, PVS14, PVS 15, PVS18, PVS21 and PVS23.
Assemblies for mounting night vision devices to a helmet are well known in the art. These mounting assemblies allow a user's hands to remain free while viewing a scene through the night vision device. Prior art mounting assemblies typically include one or more of the following features: positional adjustment of the night vision device between a use and stowed position; tilt angle adjustment of the night vision device relative to the user's eyes; focal adjustment of the location of the night vision device relative to the user's eyes; and automatic shutdown of the night vision device when not in the use position.
Because of the large number of features incorporated into known flip-up helmet mounts, there are areas for improvement upon the known helmet mounts. One area that can be improved is the vertical adjustment mechanism, which currently may be vulnerable to moving out of a desired position if the night vision device is jolted or exposed to intense vibration, such as when a user runs with the device attached to a helmet. Additionally, the vertical adjustment mechanism may be susceptible to foreign particles.

Vertical adjustment mechanism for helmet mount for night vision device


The present disclosure concerns methods and compositions to inhibit insects from biting a subject. In preferred embodiments, the compositions may be administered orally, for example using a spray bottle to deliver to the mouth. In certain embodiments, the compositions and methods are effective to reduce swelling, itching, redness and/or inflammation of the local area of an insect bite. The compositions may include one or more herbs selected from the group consisting of rice bran, peppermint, barley grass, lobelia; chlorella, watercress, alfalfa and parsley and one or more vitamins selected from the group consisting of thiamin (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5), pyridoxine (B-6), folic acid (B-9), cyanocobalamin (B-12), choline, inositol, d-biotin, para-aminobenzoic acid, and lecithin. Administration of effective amounts of the compositions is sufficient to inhibit insects from biting and/or treat insect affected areas of a subject.

1. Field
The following embodiments relate to inhibitors of biting insects and more particularly to compositions and methods for reducing the incidence of insect bites. Even more particularly, the disclosed compositions and methods inhibit biting insects, for example mosquitoes, from biting a subject after landing on a subject. In some embodiments, such inhibitors may also be used, for example, to reduce swelling, inflammation and/or itching after an insect bite. In various embodiments, the compositions may be administered orally to inhibit insects from biting subjects.
2. Background
Multiple species of flying and crawling insects, including mosquitoes, ticks, flies, midges, chiggers, and fleas, bite subjects, such as human subjects. Although such insects are mostly a nuisance in North America, they transmit more than 100 bacterial, protozoan, parasitic, and rickettsial diseases to humans worldwide.
Mosquitoes transmit more diseases to humans than any other biting insect. Mosquitoes are the vectors responsible for transmitting several forms of viral encephalitis, yellow fever, dengue fever, bancroftian filariasis, and epidemic polyarthritis to humans; more than 700,000,000 people are infected yearly. Malaria, which is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with the single-cell protozoan Plasmodium, is responsible for 3,000,000 deaths annually (Fradin MS: Mosquitoes and mosquito repellents: a clinician's guide. Ann Intern Med Jun. 1, 1998 ; 128(11): 931–40).
There are over 2500 different species of mosquitoes throughout the world, of which 150 species occur in the United States. A single female mosquito can lay over 200 eggs at a time. Mosquito eggs can survive for more than five years. All mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycle. Not all species bite humans; some prefer birds, others prefer horses, and some will even bite frogs and turtles. Only females take blood; males feed only on plant nectar. Mosquitoes can fly considerable distances; some species remain close to their larval habitats while others can fly 20 miles or more. Mosquitoes do not develop in grass or shrubbery, although adults frequently rest in these areas during daylight hours. Mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths than any other living creature.
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a flavivirus belonging taxonomically to the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex that includes the closely related St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus, Kunjin and Murray Valley encephalitis viruses, as well as others. WNV was first isolated in the West Nile Province of Uganda in 1937. The first recorded epidemics occurred in Israel during 1951–1954 and in 1957. Epidemics have been reported in Europe in the Rhone delta of France in 1962 and in Romania in 1996. The largest recorded epidemic occurred in South Africa in 1974.
An outbreak of arboviral encephalitis in New York City and neighboring counties in New York state in late August and September 1999, was subsequently confirmed as caused by West Nile virus, based on the identification of virus in human, avian, and mosquito samples.
Although it is not known when and how West Nile virus was introduced into North America, international travel of infected persons to New York or transport by imported infected birds may have played a role. WNV can infect a wide range of vertebrates; in humans it usually produces either asymptomatic infection or mild febrile disease, but can cause severe and fatal infection in a small percentage of patients. Within its normal geographic distribution of Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, and Europe, WNV has not been documented to cause epizootics in birds. Crows and other birds with antibodies to WNV are common, suggesting that asymptomatic or mild infection usually occurs among birds in those regions. Similarly, substantial bird virulence of SLE virus has not been reported. Therefore, an epizootic producing high mortality in crows and other bird species is unusual for either WNV or SLE virus. For both viruses, migratory birds may play an important role in the natural transmission cycles and spread. Like SLE virus, WNV is transmitted principally by Culex species mosquitoes, but also can be transmitted by Aedes, Anopheles, and other species. The predominance of urban Culex pipiens mosquitoes trapped during this outbreak suggests an important role for this species. By August 2002, the WNV, carried by mosquitoes, had spread to 41 states, causing a total of 24 fatalities.
Infected ticks can transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, tularemia, and tick paralysis. Flies are the vectors responsible for transmitting other diseases such as African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, onchocerciasis, and loiasis to humans. Fleabites may transmit plague, and, in South America, kissing bugs transmit Chagas disease.
Despite the need for an effective oral inhibitor of biting insects, no such agent has been identified thus far. Ingested garlic, brewer's yeast, and thiamine are not effective at inhibiting insects from biting. The quest to develop the perfect topical insect repellent has been an ongoing scientific goal for years but has yet to be achieved.
The ideal insect inhibitor and/or repellent would provide protection from multiple species of biting arthropods; remain effective for at least 8 hours; cause no irritation to the skin or mucous membranes; exhibit no systemic toxicity; be resistant to abrasion and wash-off; and be greaseless and odorless, i.e., cosmetically appealing.
A distinction is made herein between insect repellents, which prevent biting insects from landing on a subject, and inhibitors of biting insects, which inhibit insects from biting a subject after landing. Although a particular composition may have efficacy as both an inhibitor and a repellant of biting insects, commercially available formulations typically act as insect repellants. Commercial insect repellents may generally be characterized as involving topical application, usually are effective for limited duration, may cause severe irritation of skin or mucous membranes, may be abraded or washed off, possess a pungent odor and greasy texture, and arguably may have toxic side effects.
To be effective, an insect repellent should be volatile enough to maintain an effective vapor concentration at the skin surface, but it must not evaporate so rapidly that it quickly loses its effectiveness. Multiple factors play a role in effectiveness, including the concentration, frequency, and uniformity of application; the user's activity level and overall attractiveness to blood-sucking arthropods; and the number and species of potentially biting insects. The effectiveness of any insect repellent is reduced by abrasion from clothing; evaporation and absorption from the skin surface; wash-off from sweat, rain, or water; a windy environment; and high ambient temperatures. Each 10° C. increase in temperature may lead to as much as a 50% reduction in protection time. (www.emedicine.com/derm/topics540.htm)
Commercial insect repellents do not cloak the user in a chemical veil of protection. Any untreated exposed skin may be readily bitten by insects. Protection from both the nuisance and the health risks associated with insect bites is presently achieved by avoiding infested habitats, wearing protective clothing, and applying an insect repellent. As discussed below, such methods are unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons.
Current Insect Repellants
DEET
Currently marketed insect repellents fall into 2 categories: manufactured (chemical) repellents and natural (plant-derived) repellents. In general, the chemical repellents have a broader spectrum of efficacy and a greater duration of action than botanical repellents.
Commercial products include OFF!™, Cutter, Repel™, Sawyer™, Ben's™ (all in multiple formulations), and Ultrathon™. Registered for use by the general public since 1957, N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (previously called N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), or DEET, remains the standard of currently available insect repellents. DEET, a broad-spectrum repellent, is effective against many species of crawling and flying insects, including mosquitoes, biting flies, midges, chiggers, fleas, and ticks.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that about 30% of the US population uses a DEET-based product every year. Worldwide use exceeds 200 million people annually. Empirical testing of more than 20,000 other compounds over the last 45 years has not led to a more effective insect repellent than DEET being brought to market.
In the United States, DEET is sold in concentrations ranging from 5–40% and 100%. DEET is available in multiple formulations, including solutions, lotions, creams, gels, aerosol and pump sprays, and impregnated towelettes. EPA regulations require that the concentration of DEET in each product be disclosed on its label.
The 3M Company manufactures a polymer-based 33% DEET cream, called Ultrathon™, which is the standard issue repellent given to the US military. When tested under multiple environmental and climatic field conditions, Ultrathon™ was as effective as 75% DEET, providing up to 12 hours of greater than 95% protection against mosquito bites. Sawyer Products makes a controlled-release 20% DEET lotion, which traps the chemical in a protein particle that slowly releases it to the skin surface. This formulation provides a repellency equivalent to a standard 50% DEET preparation, lasting about 5 hours. Products with 5–35% DEET provide adequate protection under most conditions. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that DEET-containing repellents used on children should not contain more than 10% DEET. In addition, DEET containing insect repellants exhibit most of the drawbacks of chemical insect repellants discussed above.
Young children should not apply DEET-containing repellents themselves, to minimize the possibility of irritation of eyes or mucous membranes. Inadvertent exposure of such tissues to higher concentrations of DEET may result in pain, watering of the eyes, and general tissue irritation. For the same reasons, DEET should not be applied to a child's hands. To prevent irritation after the repellent is applied, it should be wiped from the palm surfaces to prevent inadvertent contact with the eyes, mouth, and genitals. The repellents should never be used on cuts, wounds, and inflamed, irritated, or eczematous skin. Aerosol formulations should not be inhaled or sprayed into the eyes. Contact with plastics (e.g., watch crystals, eyeglass frames), rayon, spandex, and painted or varnished surfaces should be avoided because DEET can damage those surfaces. Once indoors, the repellent-treated areas should be washed with soap and water. Washing the repellent from the skin surface is particularly important under circumstances where a repellent is likely to be applied for several consecutive days.
Repellents containing DEET must be carefully applied because they can damage plastics (such as watch crystals and eyeglasses frames), rayon, spandex, other synthetic fabrics, leather, and painted or varnished surfaces. DEET does not damage natural fibers, such as cotton or wool, and has no effect on nylon. There are many accounts of the unpleasant odor or greasy feel of DEET.
In children, concentrations greater than 10% of DEET, too frequent applications, and oral ingestion are associated with toxicity, including encephalopathy and seizures. Deaths have been documented in relation to improper exposure to DEET. DEET is not recommended for infants less than two month of age.
IR3535
IR3535 (3-[N-butyl-N-acetyl]-aminopropionic acid) is a chemical repellent that has been available in Europe for 20 years and has been sold in the United States since 1999. This repellent (at 7.5%) is currently available through the Avon Corporation as Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus IR3535. IR3535 is structurally similar to the amino acid alanine, and the EPA classifies it as a biopesticide. It is labeled for use against mosquitoes, ticks, and biting flies. In a recent laboratory comparative study of the efficacy of insect repellents to prevent mosquito bites, Avon Corporation's IR3535-based repellent provided an average complete protection time of only about 23 minutes (range, 10–60 min) (Fradin, 2002).
Piperidine
Although not yet for sale in the United States, a piperidine-based repellent is sold in Europe as Autan Bayrepel. Derived from pepper, this repellent is labeled for use against ticks, mosquitoes, and flies. The manufacturer claims DEET-like efficacy against mosquitoes, lasting as few as 2 hr and sometimes as long as 8 hours, depending on the species.
Skin-So-Soft Bath Oil
Avon Corporation's Skin-So-Soft bath oil received considerable media attention several years ago when some consumers reported it to be effective as a mosquito repellent. Studies have shown that Skin-So-Soft bath oil has a minimal repellent effect, and it is at least 10 times less effective than 12.5% DEET. The limited mosquito repellent effect of Skin-So-Soft oil may be due to its fragrance or to other components of its formulation, which may possess some repellent activity. The manufacturer has never marketed the bath oil as an insect repellent.
Thousands of plants have been tested as sources of insect repellents. Although none of the plant-derived chemicals tested to date demonstrate the broad effectiveness and duration of the protection of DEET, a few appear to show repellent activity.
Citronella
Marketed products containing citronella include Natrapel™, Buzz Away™, Herbal Armor™, and Green Ban™. Oil of citronella is a plant-derived ingredient found in many natural or herbal insect repellents marketed in the United States. Oil of citronella is extracted from the grass plants Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon winterianus. Conflicting data exist on the efficacy of citronella-based products. This data variation may be attributed to differences in study methodology, location, and species of the biting insects tested. One comparative laboratory study demonstrated that marketed citronella-based insect repellents protected against mosquito bites for an average of less than 20 minutes. In general, citronella-based repellents provide considerably shorter protection than DEET repellents. Therefore, they require more frequent reapplication to maintain their effectiveness. For maximum repellent effectiveness of these products, it is recommended to repeat applications at one-hour intervals.
Soybean Oil
This repellent may provide longer-lasting protection than citronella-based repellents. In some studies, one soybean oil product provided complete protection against mosquito bites for as long as 3.5 hours, and against blackflies for as long as 10 hours. However, the benefits of soybean oil as an insect repellent have not been extensively documented.
Eucalyptus
A derivative, p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), isolated from the oil of the lemon eucalyptus plant has shown promise as an insect repellent. A 30% PMD preparation appears to provide protection comparable to 20% DEET but requires more frequent reapplication to maintain the same level of protection. PMD-based repellents show low toxicity, but care must be taken to keep them out of the eyes because PMD can cause significant eye irritation.
A search for the perfect topical insect repellent has continued. The ideal agent would remain effective for at least 8 hours and have no toxic side effects. No available topical insect repellent meets those criteria.
There remains a need for an oral inhibitor of biting insects that would fulfill all of the criteria listed in Paragraph 0011 above. Such an agent would inhibit multiple species of biting arthropods, including but not limited to mosquitoes, remain effective for at least 8 hours, cause no irritation to the skin or mucous membranes, cause no systemic toxicity especially in children, be resistant to being rubbed or washed off and not have an unpleasant taste or smell.

Compositions and methods for an orally administered inhibitor of biting insects


The present invention provides systems and methods for protecting a wound and managing exudate released from the wound comprising a dressing having a support cushion for surrounding the wound and periwound region; a wicking strip for application in the periwound region between the support cushion and the wound; and a reservoir for application over the wicking strip, the wicking strip configured to transfer exudate from the wound to the reservoir, where the exudate is sequestered. Various alternative embodiments are described in which the wicking strip may be custom-fit to approximate an irregular wound margin, to apply a preferred pressure gradient to the periwound regions, to periodically apply fluids to the wound bed or to apply negative pressure wound therapy. Methods of applying the dressing also are provided.

Wounds occur when the integrity of tissue is compromised, affecting one or more layers of the epidermis or underlying tissue. Acute wounds may be caused by an initiating event, such as a accident-related injury, surgical procedure or by operation of an infectious disease, and generally take the form of punctures, abrasions, cuts, lacerations, or burns. Chronic wounds are wounds that generally do not heal within three months, due to one or more of: ischemia of the vessels supplying the tissue, venous hypertension or compromise of the immune response, such as observed, for example, with venous ulcers, diabetic ulcers and pressure ulcers. Depending on etiology, such as diabetes, venous insufficiency, or cardiovascular failures, acute wounds may become recalcitrant and even chronic.
The introduction of bacteria from external sources into the wound typically causes inflammation that activates the patient's immune response, in turn causing white blood cells, including neutrophil granulocytes, to migrate towards the source of inflammation. While they fight pathogens, such neutrophils also release inflammatory cytokines and enzymes that damage cells. In particular, the neutrophils produce an enzyme called myeloperoxidase that in turn is metabolized to produce reactive oxygen species that kill bacteria. Collaterally, such enzymes and reactive oxygen species damage cells in the margin surrounding the wound, referred to as the "periwound," thereby preventing cell proliferation and wound closure by damaging DNA, lipids, proteins, the extracellular matrix and cytokines that facilitate healing. Because neutrophils remain in chronic wounds for longer than in acute wounds, they contribute to higher levels of inflammation. Moreover, the persisting inflammatory phase in chronic wounds contributes to exudate (fluid that flows from the wound) with high concentrations of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). Excess MMPs results in degradation of extracellular matrix protein. In addition to damaging the wound, exudate damages the periwound tissue exposed to it as well. In particular, exudate that flows out of the wound and onto periwound region may damage the fragile skin, which is already compromised due to the patients underlying etiology, such as diabetes. Such damage may degrade the periwound skin and cause its breakdown and turn it into a wound. Thus, exudate flow onto the periwound region will cause many complications, including, the potential for increasing the size of the wound and prolonging its healing. Such damage to the skin in the periwound region (periwound skin) makes it more susceptible to tearing and resultant intense pain as dressings or devices adhered to them are removed. Other complications include infection of the periwound region and intense itching.
Patients suffering from chronic wounds frequently report experiencing severe and persistent pain associated with such wounds, which may arise from necrosis of and/or nerve damage of the skin and underlying tissue. Treatment for such pain often consists of low dose analgesics, while topical antibiotics and/or debridement, which seeks to remove necrotic tissue from the wound, may be used to control the bacterial load at the wound site.
Conventional wound treatment also typically involves covering the wound with a dressing to prevent further contamination and infection, to retain moisture, and to absorb exudate. While exudate contains biochemical compounds that benefit wound healing as noted above, its excessive amount in wound or its presence in the periwound region facilitates degradation of tissue, and the exudate additionally serves as a growth medium for bacteria. The consistency of exudate varies, depending on the type of wound and the stage of healing. For example, exudate may be watery, extremely viscous, or somewhere in between. Moreover, the sizes of wounds can vary greatly, as can their care.
Although a wide variety of dressings have been developed, few previously-known wound treatment systems properly manage exudate, e.g., removing a sufficient amount of exudate from the wound site, while protecting the periwound region from damaging contact with the exudate. Moreover, conventional systems typically do not address the pain created by the wound treatment system, particularly where the wound treatment system continuously contacts the wound. For example, gauze, which is applied directly onto a wound, is capable of absorbing only a limited amount of exudate, and readily transports excess exudate onto the periwound region, causing maceration and damage. Moreover, the gauze typically is in direct contact with the wound and adheres to it, so that normal motion of the patient results in rubbing, itching and discomfort. In addition, removal of the gauze at periodic intervals is painful and frequently disrupts any healing that may have occurred.
Some previously-known approaches to wound treatment attempt to reduce adhesion between the wound and the dressing by applying additional substances. For example, the wound and dressing may be soaked in saline water to loosen adherence and/or soften any scabs that formed, thus facilitating removal of the dressing. Or, for example, antibiotic ointments such as polymyxin B sulfate or bacitracin can be applied to reduce sticking. However, such methods are not always satisfactory because soaking a particular wound in water or applying ointments may not be practicable or recommended.
Some previously-known dressings are promoted as being "non-stick" or "non-adherent," such as TELFA™ and XEROFORM™, and other brands that may be composed of materials such as hydrocolloids, alginates, and hydrofilms. Regardless of the level of adherence of such dressings to the wound, continuous contact between the dressing and wound disturbs the fragile wound matrix, and may undermine the growth of blood vessels and epithelial cells in the wound bed. Such disturbance often occurs when the dressing is removed, or simply as a result of the contact between the bandaged area and the patient's environment. Pain is often concomitant with such disturbances. In addition, previously-known "non-stick" dressings usually do not absorb sufficient amounts of exudate, and thus require frequent monitoring and changing. These drawbacks add to the cost of use and limit the applicability of such previously-known wound treatment systems.
Previously-known dressings commonly have only a limited ability to manage wound exudate. As noted above, prolonged exposure of otherwise healthy skin to exudate may cause degradation of the periwound region. The moisture of the exudate may cause maceration, which is a softening of the skin that compromises its integrity and makes the skin in the periwound region vulnerable to physical insult and infection.
Some previously-known dressings attempt to manage exudate to address the foregoing issues, but provide either limited benefit and/or at a much higher perceived cost. For example, a foam dressing such as ALLEVYN® (marketed by Smith & Nephew, Largo, Fla., USA) is designed to absorb large amounts of exudate. However, use of this product is restricted to highly exuding wounds, because its highly absorptive properties can result in desiccation of wounds that are not highly exuding, thereby impeding healing. In addition, because foam used in that product cannot be conformed to the size and shape of the wound, the dressing typically overlaps with the periwound region. Consequently, exudate absorbed by the foam is transported throughout the foam and onto the periwound region, where prolonged exposure leads to maceration and degradation of the periwound region. Other previously-known dressings, such as ACQUACEL® hydrofiber dressing (available from ConvaTec, Inc., Princeton, N.J., USA) contact the wound bed, and are intended to absorb exudate and transfer and sequester the exudate in a layer disposed atop the wound. This and similar previously-known dressings do not entirely contain or absorb exudate. Moreover, like foam and other previously-known dressings, hydrofiber dressings essentially plug the wound surface, and create an osmotic environment in which the fluidic osmotic pressure within the wound bed approximates that of the surrounding tissue. Consequently, exudate is not sufficiently drawn from the wound, and its buildup in the wound may adversely affect the wound and periwound region. Furthermore, ALLEVYN®, ACQUACEL®, and similar previously-known dressings do not provide an adequate moisture vapor transfer rate (MVTR) away from the wound environment, thus creating the potential for an over-hydrated environment that hinders wound healing.
Other previously-known wound treatment systems, such as the V.A.C.® system, available from Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (San Antonio, Tex., USA), employ a mechanically operated contact-based dressing that continuously vacuums exudate from the wound bed. It and other dressings incorporating the concept of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy have proven particularly useful in healing large wounds, such as surgical wounds. However, such systems are costly, difficult to apply and time consuming. In addition, because such systems require insertion of a sponge (for the V.A.C.® system) or gauze (as commercialized by other wound care companies) directly into the wound bed, they likely cause considerable pain and discomfort for the patient, and may not be appropriate for many types of wounds.
Several previously-known dressings also have been developed that are promoted as "non-contact" dressings, which seek to prevent adhesion of the wound tissue to dressing, or to facilitate certain treatments that by their nature cannot contact the wound, e.g., thermal therapy. Such dressings are commonly formed as an inverted cup or a raised bandage that covers the wound without contacting it. Such previously-known dressings, however, also have failed to adequately heal wounds and protect the periwound region. Such non-contact dressings are provided in pre-formed shapes and sizes, and have limited deformability, thus limiting their ability to prevent exposure of the periwound skin to exudate. Additionally, the limited deformability of such previously-known dressings makes application of such dressings difficult or impossible to wounds on small surfaces or in areas with complex topology, such as the ankle or foot. Previously-known non-contact dressings also do not allow the pressure applied to the periwound region to be readily managed, and may result in the formation of pressure rings around the wound, thereby inducing ischemia in the wound and surrounding tissue. Finally, such previously-known dressings do not provide any mechanism to stimulate the flow of exudate, nor do they sequester exudate away from the wound in any appreciable volume. Such previously-known dressings also trap humidity over the wound and periwound region, leading to maceration, periwound degradation and impeded healing.

Systems and methods for wound protection and exudate management


According to one embodiment, a communication apparatus includes a transmitting section, a receiving section, a confirming section, and a communication section. The transmitting section performs broadcast transmission of a command in a plurality of different channels. The receiving section receives various kinds of information necessary for establishment of wireless connection, the various kinds of information being transmitted by a peripheral apparatus that receives the command. The confirming section confirms, based on the reception of the various kinds of information by the receiving section, in which of the channels the communication apparatus is capable of communicating with the peripheral apparatus. The communication section establishes the wireless connection to the peripheral apparatus using the channel confirmed by the confirming section.

There is known a communication apparatus wirelessly connected to a peripheral apparatus to perform communication. In such a communication apparatus, in order to communicate with the peripheral apparatus, a wireless channel (a frequency) set as a transmission destination needs to be the same as a wireless channel used by the peripheral apparatus.
Such a communication apparatus cannot be wirelessly connected to the peripheral apparatus if the wireless channel used by the peripheral apparatus is unknown.

Communication apparatus, peripheral apparatus, and communication system


State of the art systems that are used for time series data prediction have the disadvantage that perform only one step prediction, which has only limited application. Disadvantage of such systems is that extent of applications of such single step predictions are limited. The disclosure herein generally relates to time series data prediction, and, more particularly, to time series data prediction based on seasonal lags. The system processes collected input data and determines order of seasonality of the input data. The system further selects encoders based on the determined order of seasonality and generates input data for a decoder that forms encoder-decoder pair with each of the encoders. The system then generates time series data predictions based on seasonal lag information distributed without redundance between encoder and decoder inputs.

Time series data prediction is an approach used to predict future data based on past/historical data. Such predictions generated using the time series data prediction approach can be used for various data analysis purposes to arrive at conclusions aiding business/process. In various scenarios, for example, characteristics of data at a time instance has dependency over past data. For example, in a business scenario, sale of certain goods spike at some specific times. An example is that sale of decorative items spike at the time of New Year celebrations. Analysis of such specific characteristics helps the users plan their activities and in turn strategies accordingly.
State of the art systems which use the time series data prediction are configured to perform only one-step/single-step prediction, which has only limited application and also it is unable to capture the non-linear properties of the data. Also, this kind of system does not consider any kind of non-linear seasonal information. Disadvantage of such systems is that extent of applications of such single step predictions using non-seasonal linear model are limited.

Method and system for time series data prediction based on seasonal lags


An intersect-line apparatus has two conductor plates. An HE-mode dielectric resonator and four dielectric strips to be coupled to the resonator are disposed between the two conductor plates. The adjacent four dielectric strips are spaced from each other substantially at 90 degrees. Accordingly, signals propagating in two strip lines positioned substantially at 180 degrees and signals propagating in the remaining two strip lines cross each other within the dielectric resonator without interfering with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dielectric line apparatus and, more particularly, to a dielectric intersect-line apparatus in which a dielectric resonator is disposed at the intersecting portion of the lines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dielectric lines through which electromagnetic waves propagate along dielectric strips inserted between two parallel conductors are used in a dielectric line apparatus in a microwave or a millimeter band. The above type of dielectric line apparatus is configured in, for example, the following manner. Components, such as an oscillator, a circulator, and a mixer, are formed into modules, which are then disposed at predetermined positions, thereby forming an integrated circuit. Alternatively, several circuit elements are integrally provided between two conductor plates, thereby forming an integrated circuit.
Whichever structure the dielectric line apparatus has, in order to miniaturize the overall apparatus, it is important to design the apparatus to achieve the optimal routing of the dielectric lines by suitably locating the individual modules, since the dielectric lines are disposed substantially in the same plane. This may be achieved by designing the arrangement of electronic components and wiring patterns on a circuit board in the following manner. Wiring patterns are positioned to cross each other if necessary. Dielectric lines through which electromagnetic waves propagate in different directions are also located to intersect each other, thereby efficiently integrating the components in a limited space.
For example, an intersect-line apparatus may be formed, as shown in FIG. 12, by using a cross-shaped dielectric strip. In FIG. 12, a cross-shaped dielectric strip 3 is inserted between conductor plates 1 and 2 so that electromagnetic waves propagate through the dielectric strip 3 in two intersecting directions.
However, by merely using a cross-shaped dielectric strip in the above manner, non-continuous portions are generated in the dielectric lines, thereby failing to achieve matching and increasing the reflection at the intersecting portion. Accordingly, the above type of dielectric line apparatus is not suitable for use where low reflection-characteristics are demanded. Further, by merely using a cross-shaped dielectric strip, mode conversion disadvantageously occurs in the intersecting portion, and signals are transmitted in different modes at the intersecting portion of the dielectric strip from one line to the other line.

Dielectric waveguide with at least one dielectric resonator and a plurality of dielectric strips coupled with said at least one resonator


A game for improving soccer skills is provided which has a target preferably in the shape of a soccer goal. The target has a number of different sections which correspond to different point values based on the degree of difficulty in reaching the particular section The section boxes should be differentiated from one another in an easily identifiable manner, such as by color. Another element of game involves providing a mechanism for coordinating the different sections of the target to a particular section of the foot. This may be done, for example, by providing a shoe with different colored designations for various locations on the shoe. To play the game, one or more players take turns kicking a soccer ball from a set distance at the target. The player chooses which target section will be aimed for and takes notice of the color of the section. The player then kicks the ball with the portion of the shoe having the color which matches the chosen section. If the player hits the matching section of the target, the player receives the indicated value of points.

This invention relates to a game for the development of soccer skills. More particularly, the invention relates to a game wherein a person can achieve points by kicking a soccer ball with a designated part of the foot against a designated section of a target coordinated to that part of the foot.
In the game of soccer, it is important to be able to control the soccer ball with the foot. It is a great advantage if a player can control the ball using the various portions of the foot, such as the inside, outside, and instep, with accuracy. This allows for the player to be able to quickly react to a ball coming from any direction, and just as quickly, to deliver the ball to a new location without the need to reposition.
One of the principle reasons that soccer is the most popular sport worldwide, and has the fastest growing participation among young people in the United States, is the low equipment cost compared to other participant sports. The only real need is the soccer ball itself. Therefore, it is important that a mechanism which aids a person in improving their soccer skills is also simple and economical.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a game for improving soccer skills which is simple and economical.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a game in which players will develop an important skill while enjoying the fun of competing for points.


A system for optimizing storage racks in a warehouse that includes a plurality of storage racks that each include one or more horizontal bars that are adjustable along a plurality of elevations on the storage racks, placement of the one or more horizontal bars defining a plurality of rack openings within each storage racks; a historical inventory database that is programmed to store historical inventory data for the warehouse, the historical inventory data identifying pallets stored in the warehouse and times at which the pallets were stored; and a computer system including one or more processors that are programmed to determine a pallet distribution profile for the warehouse, to determine a plurality of rack types and quantity of rack types for the warehouse, and to designate each of the plurality of storage racks as one of the plurality of rack types to generate a rack arrangement for the warehouse.

Warehouse racks are much like bookshelves in that they have a fixed outer shell with adjustable-height shelves. As with bookshelves, horizontal members (the rack levels, such as shelves) on a warehouse rack can be placed at arbitrary heights. Warehouse racks have been used with standard shelf heights to define rack openings that are uniform in size throughout a rack. For example, warehouse racks have traditionally been configured so that every rack opening has the same size.
Warehouse racks are used to store pallets of goods. Pallets are generally flat transport structures that support goods in a stable manner and that also include structures that are adapted to fit forklifts and/or other devices/machines to move pallets. Stacked on top of pallets are packages of various products. The weight and volume stacked on a pallet varies, resulting in a mix of heights for a given inventory profile. Warehouse racks have been configured so that the openings have a standard width and depth that will accommodate pallets being picked and put by forklifts or other machines/devices. The height of rack openings have traditionally been standardized as well, so that each opening is uniform and interchangeable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


To enable a worker to be able to quickly and correctly verify that a slide-type cam member has moved into a closed position, making it possible for a housing of a mating connector to be moved into a completely engaged position, a resilient latch 40 member, which extends toward a housing 12 from an upper end of a side wall section 33 of a cam member 30, is located on the cam member 30. A latch section 50, which has an aperture 54 that receives a protrusion 42 of the latch member 40, is located on an upper part of the housing 12. As the cam member 30 is moved from a first position to a closed position, the latch member 40 is depressed downward as a result of the protrusion 42 moving along a second surface 55 of the latch section 50. When the cam member 30 has moved into the closed position, the protrusion 42 is received by the aperture 54 and, by virtue of the interrelationship, the latch member 40 resiles to its original shape. When this occurs, a first surface 41 of the latch member 40 is brought into contact with the second surface 55 of the latch section 50, thereby producing an audible sound signifying complete engagement between matable connectors.

This sort of connector with a slide-type cam member is configured like the connectors disclosed in Japanese UM Publication No. 6-11275 and No. 6-54255, for example, so that the housing can be completely engaged with the housing of a mating connector by sliding or moving the cam member from a first and open position, from which the cam member can be connected with the housing of the mating connector that is in a temporarily engaged position, to the closed position, whereby the cam member is moved into a position at which it completely engages with the housing of the mating connector.
In order to correctly carry out the task of connection with a mating connector, it is preferable that the worker is able to quickly verify that the cam member has moved completely to the closed position. However, with the conventional connectors that are provided with a cam member, it has been difficult for workers to confirm whether or not the cam member has completely moved to the closed position. Consequently, performing the connection has been difficult, and there was also a high probability that the connection ended without the cam member sliding to the closed or connected position. In particular, there have been cases, depending on the technical field, such that the worker groped around to make the two connectors connect and this made it all the more difficult for the worker to verify that the cam member had moved to the completely closed position.
In view of the situations described above, the object of this invention is to provide a connector with a cam member that enables the worker to quickly and correctly verify that the slide-type cam member was moved to the completely closed or connected position and that the connection with the mating connector was properly made.
An electrical connector assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,771 and comprises first and second connector housings and a camming slide for mating and unmating the housings. The first housing has flanges extending from the mating face thereof and has slots in the flanges which receive cam followers on the cam slide. The second housing has cam tracks in its sidewalls which also receive the cam follows. The camming slide has a web which is spaced from the rear face of the second housing and arms which extend from the web across the sidewalls of the second housing and which overlap the flanges on the first housing. The cam followers project from the internal surfaces of the arms and extend through the slots and are dimensioned to be received in the camming slots on the second housing. Recessed surfaces are located an the inner surfaces of the arms and projections are provided at left hand ends of the recesses which ride over projections on the flanges thereby retaining the camming slide in position when the housings are at a mated condition.
An electrical connector housing assembly is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,400 which comprises a male housing, a female housing in which the male housing is movably fitted, a cam member is movably fitted on the female housing so that the cam member can be moved relative thereto in order to fasten both housings together, and a detecting member being provided on the cam member and the female housing for detecting whether both housings are completed mated to each other.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, a connector assembly with a cam member of the present invention comprises connectors whose housings can be completely engaged by sliding a slide-type cam member attached to one of the housings from a first position to a closed position, wherein the cam member is provided with a resilient latch, which is positioned outsides of the housing. When the cam member has been moved to the closed position, the latch member has a first surface that extends in a direction nearly parallel to the direction in which the cam member slides and is resiliently deformable in a direction nearly perpendicular to the direction of sliding, The housing is also provided with a latch section, which has a second surface that extends in a direction nearly parallel to the direction of sliding. The resilient latch member is provided with a protrusion, and it bends and deforms in a direction nearly perpendicular to the resilient latch member as it engages against the latch section when the cam member is slid from the first position to the closed position; the latch section is provided with a hole or aperture that receives the protrusion when the cam member is moved to the closed position, thereby causing the resilient latch member to be restored to its original state. The second surface of the latch section is provided at a position when it will produce an audible sound when it comes into contact with the first surface of the resilient latch member when it has been restored to its original state.
During the use of a connector with the cam member of this invention, when the slide-type cam member is moved from the first position to the closed position, the first surface of the resilient latch and the second surface of the latch section will come into contact with each other and make an audible sound when the resilient latch member is restored to its original state. Consequently, the worker who performs the task of connecting the connector with a mating connector will be able to quickly and accurately verify that the cam member has moved to the closed position by listening to hear whether or not the audible sound was produced. Due to the resilient latch member and latch section being provided in positions on the outside of the housings, the audible sound propagates well, and the worker can easily verify that the audible sound was produced. In addition, because a vibration is transmitted in the housings and cam member when the first surface makes contact with the second surface of the resilient latch member of the latch section, the worker can verify that the cam member has moved to the closed position by feeling the vibration with his hand, along with hearing the audible sound.


It is intended to provide an antibody specific to HbA1c, antibody-producing cells capable of supplying the antibody in a stable state in the future, and a method of constructing the antibody-producing cells without any probability factors, and a method which comprises fusing mouse spleen cells, which have been sensitized with an immunogen composed of a compound containing the following structural formula (I) and a binding protein, with a myeloma-origin cell line, obtaining monoclonal antibody-producing cells by cloning, and then purifying and acquiring the monoclonal antibody produced by these cells into the culture supernatant

Conventionally, as an immunogen required for production of anti-HbA1c antibodies, HbA1c itself has been generally used. HbA1c has a structure similar to that of hemoglobin A0 (hereinafter abbreviated as HbA0) which constitutes 90% of the total amount of hemoglobin. Whereas HbA0 has no sugar chain at the N-terminus of its β chain, HbA1c has a fructose binding to the N-terminus of its β chain. This is the only difference between HbA0 and HbA1c. Therefore, most of the antibodies which are produced using HbA1c itself as an immunogen can also recognize HbA0. Among the antibodies for hemoglobin, there are only a small number of antibodies capable of recognizing only HbA1c. Conventionally, such a group of antibodies have been screened for those that bind to HbA1c.
Such screening work is labor-intensive and costly. Therefore, it may be conceived to use an epitope capable of recognizing only HbA1c. However, in most cases, an epitope alone does not have sufficient antigenicity or immunogenicity in production of an antiserum or antibodies. Therefore, an animal is immunized with an epitope in conjunction with an adjuvant or a carrier. However, immunization of an animal with a carrier and an epitope is conventionally labor-intensive and is not necessarily efficient to obtain an intended antiserum or antibodies, and is also costly. Moreover, acquisition of an intended antibody depends on probabilistic factors, and the above-described method cannot be said to be reliable. No monoclonal antibody without cross reactivity to HbA0 has been obtained, and there has been conventionally no established method with which such a monoclonal antibody can be reliably and simply produced.
In order to solve the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a peptide fructose compound and a protein conjugate which are immunogens capable of producing anti-HbA1c antibodies, preferably only anti-HbA1c antibodies, where the probabilistic factors are removed and the antibodies have no cross reactivity to HbA0. Another object of the present invention is to provide an antiserum or antibodies produced using such a peptide fructose compound or a protein conjugate. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing an antibody-producing cell capable of supplying an antibody specific to HbA1c and without cross reactivity to HbA0 and capable of stably supplying such an antibody for future use, where the probabilistic factors are removed.

Peptide fructose and protein conjugate with the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A method for driving development devices of an image forming apparatus including the steps of: (a) simultaneously rotating gear cams of the respective development devices for colors Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan) and K (black); (b) determining whether the frame of the development devices is lifted to a preset position; (c) rotating a developing roller; (d) coating a developer liquid on an image portion of a photoreceptor belt; (e) determining whether the image portion has passed through a transfer roller or not; (f) simultaneously rotating the gear cams of the respective development devices for colors Y, M, C and K if the image portion has passed through the transfer roller; (g) determining whether the distance between the frame and the photoreceptor belt is a preset value; (h) simultaneously stopping the gear cams of the respective development devices for colors Y, M, C and K if the distance between the frame and the photoreceptor belt is the preset value; and (i) simultaneously removing drip lines by simultaneously reversely rotating first and second squeegee rollers in the respective development devices. Therefore, the overall configuration becomes simplified, thereby reducing the fabrication cost, as well as making maintenance and repair thereof easy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for driving a development unit for an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a method for driving a development unit for an image forming apparatus which can simultaneously remove drip lines generated during development from the respective developing devices for colors Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan) and K (black).
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus reproduces characters or images onto a recording medium according to transferred characters or picture image data signals. An image forming apparatus generally includes a photoreceptor member, e.g., a photoreceptor drum or a photoreceptor belt, which forms a latent electrostatic image, a charging unit which charges the photoreceptor member, and an exposure unit which forms a latent electrostatic image having a predetermined pattern by scanning light onto the charged photoreceptor member. An image forming apparatus also includes a development unit which develops the latent electrostatic image by supplying a development medium, e.g., a toner or a developer liquid, on the exposed latent electrostatic image, and a transfer unit which transfers the developed image to the recording medium by applying pressure or heat.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general image forming apparatus. Referring to FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor belt 104 installed to circulate around first, second and third belt rollers 101, 102 and 103. A discharger 105 removes charges remaining in the photoreceptor belt 104, whereas charger 106 newly charges the photoreceptor belt 104. Exposure units 107, 108, 109 and 110, each having a laser scanning unit (not shown), scan a laser beam for the purpose of selectively discharging the image forming portion of the photoreceptor belt 104 thereby forming an image-shaped pattern. Development units 111, 112, 113 and 114 for respective colors Y, M, C and K, develop the latent electrostatic image formed on the photoreceptor belt 104. A drier 115 dries the developer liquid supplied to the latent electrostatic image. Finally transfer unit 116 transfers an arbitrarily developed image formed on the photoreceptor belt 104 to a recording medium 117 such as a sheet of paper or a film.
The development unit 111 includes a developing roller 111a for coating the developer liquid on the photoreceptor belt 104, a developer liquid supplier 111b which supplies the developer liquid to the developing roller 111a, and a cleaning roller 111c which removes developer liquid embedded on the rear surface of the developing roller 111a. The developer liquid develops latent electrostatic images formed on the photoreceptor belt. The development unit 111 also includes, first and second squeegee rollers 111d and 111e which remove the developer liquid remaining on the photoreceptor belt 104, as well as includes first and second blades 111f and 111g which remove the developer liquid embedded on the first and second squeegee rollers 111d and 111e. The development unit 111 further includes a developer liquid recovery container 111h for recovering the developer liquid removed by the cleaning roller 111c and the blades 111f and 111g.
The drier 115 includes a heating roller 115h which dries the developer liquid embedded on the photoreceptor belt 104.
The transfer unit 116 includes a transfer roller 116t disposed close to the first belt roller 101, wherein the photoreceptor belt 104 is interposed therebetween to reciprocally rotate, thereby transferring the image on the photoreceptor belt 104 to the transfer roller. The transfer unit 116 also includes a fixing roller 116p disposed close to the transfer roller 116t to reciprocally rotate therewith, thereby fixing the image transferred to the transfer roller 116t onto the recording sheet 117.
In the image forming apparatus having the aforementioned configuration, when the developing roller 111a of the development unit 111 makes contact with the photoreceptor belt 104 to supply a developer liquid thereto and is then removed from contact with the photoreceptor belt 104, a drip line 200d having a shape in the form of a dripping fluid is formed on the photoreceptor belt 104, as shown in FIG. 2. The drip line 200d causes poor printing such as blotted images. Conventionally, the drip line 200d is removed by the first and second squeegee rollers 111d and 111e. In other words, as shown in FIG. 2, if the drip line 200d is formed on the photoreceptor belt 104, the first squeegee roller 111d is first rotated in the same direction as the direction in which the photoreceptor belt 104 travels, until the drip line 200d gets closer to the first squeegee roller 111d. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the first squeegee roller 111d is reversely rotated and the first blade 111f is brought into contact with the first squeegee roller 111d. Accordingly, developer liquid 200 is caught in the first blade 111f and drops downward. As a result, the drip line 200d is removed.
According to the conventional drip line removing method, the drip lines of the respective development units 111, 112, 113 and 114 for the colors Y, M, C and K are sequentially removed. Thus, development units and power transmission mechanisms are separately provided for each. In other words, four frames, four motors, four shafts, eight cams and each power transmission system must be provided for the respective units. Accordingly, the overall configuration becomes complex, which increases the fabrication cost as well as makes maintenance and repair difficult.

Method for driving development unit for image forming apparatus to simultaneously remove drip lines


The invention is concerned with novel vinylogous acid derivatives of formula I:

The invention relates to novel vinylogous acid derivatives of formula I, a process and an intermediate for the manufacture of such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, and the use of such compounds. The compounds of formula I are useful as Chymase inhibitors.
Chymase is a serine proteinase with an expression pattern strictly limited to a sub-population of mast cells (MCT mast cell). Chymase is activated only upon mast cell activation and degranulation which restricts the enzyme activity to MCT positive tissues. Chymase is specifically cleaving a number of pathologically relevant substrates (Raymond, W. W., S. W. Ruggles, et al.; JBC 2003 278(36): 34517-34524) whereby it can activate Angiotensin II, Endothelin, TGFb, Il1, SCF, collagenase and degrade proteins like Thrombin, FN, APO A1,2. This pattern renders chymase an attractive target for allergic, inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. Indeed a number of successful animal studies with chymase inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy in atopic animals, vascular injury and atherosclerosis (Doggrell S A, Wanstall J C Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2005 February; 83(2):123-30; Lindstedt K A, Kovanen P T. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2004 October; 15(5):567-73; Reed C E, Kita H. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004 November; 114(5):997-1008; Takai S, et al, Eur J. Pharmacol. 2004 Oct. 6; 501(1-3):1-8; Takai S, et al, Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2004 October; 25(10):518-22; Takai S, Miyazaki M. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2003 June; 1(2):217-24).
Thus inhibition of chymase appears a useful modality in Allergy, Asthma, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, critical limb ischemia, vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque patients, unstable angina, congestive heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, ischemia reperfusion injury, cardiomyopathy, restenosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic nephropathy, irritable Bowel Disease, Crones disease, wound healing (burns/ulcers in Diabetes/CLI).

Abstract: wherein A and R1 to R5 are as defined in the description and in the claims, as well as physiologically acceptable salts thereof. These compounds are useful as chymase inhibitors.


A polyurea elastomer which exhibits a reduced moisture transfer rate is disclosed. The elastomer includes an isocyanate, an amine terminated 1,2-polyoxybutylene diol and a chain extender. The isocyanate is preferably a quasiprepolymer of an isocyanate and a material selected from at least one polyol, a high molecular weight polyoxyalkyleneamine or a combination thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to polyurea elastomers and, more specifically, to spray and reaction injection molded polyurea elastomers which exhibit reduced moisture vapor transmission.
2. Description of Background Art
Elastomer systems are commonly recognized as, among other things, coating materials, with spray polyurea elastomer systems being particularly useful when employed in this capacity; rooftops and floorings are particularly well suited substrates. In addition to coating applications, spray polyurea elastomers are also employed in other open mold spraying applications for part production. Polyurea elastomers are also used for part production in closed mold applications, such as reaction injection molding (RIM) and reinforced reaction injection molding (RRIM).
There are many applications where it is desirable to employ a coating material which will resist the transmission of water. For example, substrates like steel and concrete will experience less corrosion when coated by a spray polyurea elastomer with a reduced moisture vapor transmission rate; landfills can be lined with a polyurea elastomer barrier film exhibiting a reduced moisture vapor transmission rate to reduce or prevent moisture penetration which can cause leaching of materials from the landfill; and environments which require low humidity can be lined with such a polyurea elastomer. In these coating applications, a prime consideration is the rate at which the spray polyurea elastomer coating will transmit moisture vapor. A polyurea elastomer with a higher moisture vapor transmission rate will not provide the corrosion protection or prevention of leaching which is required by these applications. Such a failure can not be tolerated in an environmentally sensitive application.
In accordance with the present invention the moisture vapor transmission of a polyurea elastomer is substantially reduced, thereby overcoming those shortcomings identified above.

Polyurea elastomer with reduced moisture vapor transmission


The disclosed embodiments include systems and methods to evaluate a formation dip of a formation bedding. The system includes memory configured to store a color image indicative of a log of a formation bedding. The system also includes a processor configured to execute instructions to filter colors of the color image to determine one or more cusps of the formation dip, and cross correlate a reference wave with the one or more cusps of the formation dip to match curvatures of the reference wave with the one or more cusps of the formation dip illustrated in the color image, wherein the curvatures of the reference wave are based on one or more parameters of the formation bedding. The processor is further operable to generate a wave that matches the one or more cusps of the formation dip with the reference wave, where the wave is indicative of the formation dip.

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods to evaluate a formation dip of a formation proximate a wellbore.
Data indicative of a formation dip of a downhole formation, such as the relative dip of the downhole formation, the true vertical dip of the downhole formation, and the apparent dip of the downhole formation, are often gathered during preparation, drilling, and completion stages of a hydrocarbon well. Data indicative of the formation dip of the formation are sometimes obtained from logs of the formation obtained during logging while drilling (LWD) and measurement while drilling (MWD) operations and are analyzed to determine how to prepare a well path along the downhole formation to reach hydrocarbon resources deposited in the downhole formation, how to guide a drill bit along the well path, and to provide other useful information during hydrocarbon preparation, drilling, and production stages.
However, logs of the formation may not always clearly indicate the formation dip of the formation. Operators may sometimes manually examine the logs of the formation to estimate the formation dip. However, such manual procedures take time, and accuracy is not guaranteed.
The illustrated figures are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, design, or process in which different embodiments may be implemented.


Thin diamond films can be selectively deposited imagewise on a substrate by gas phase synthesis. The substrate may be either a silicon substrate or a basal thin diamond film formed beforehand on a substrate by gas phase synthesis. Where a silicon substrate is used, its surface is first abraded to give a surface roughness suitable for gas phase synthesis of diamond. When a basal thin diamond film is used, a coating material capable of withstanding a temperature higher than a substrate temperature required for gas phase synthesis of diamond and having a high etching selectivity to diamond is needed to cover areas other than where the thin diamond film is to be newly formed. When a lift-off method is used, a thin masking film having a melting point higher than a temperature to be employed for gas phase synthesis of diamond can also be used in place of the coating material described above.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the selective deposition of thin diamond films by gas phase synthesis, and specifically to a process for selectively growing by gas phase synthesis thin diamond films on desired areas of a silicon substrate or on desired areas of a surface of a basal thin diamond film formed beforehand on a desired substrate by gas phase synthesis. This process is useful for the development of new devices and materials in the semiconductor field, the Electronic fields, and the like.
2. Discussion of the Background
It has been known that a thin diamond film can be formed on a substrate by gas phase synthesis, namely, by using as a raw material a gas mixture of a hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, and a hydrogen gas, and by subjecting it to cracking or plasma reaction in a vacuum chamber. A variety of processes has been proposed to practice this technique. It has now been recognized by identification characterization of various properties such as crystallinity, the directionality of crystalline growth and thermal conductivity that various thin diamond films so formed by gas phase synthesis have properties identical to natural diamond.
As examples of potential application fields making use of such properties of thin diamond films formed by gas phase synthesis, various attempts have heretofore been made to use them as abrasive coatings for cemented carbide (WC) tools, heat sinks for ICs, coatings for speaker diaphragms and so on. In such applications, it is required to deposit thin diamond films uniformly on substrates or base materials. Accordingly, selective deposition has not been attempted at all.
As a further example of an application field of the thin film technology, there is the semiconductor field. This field is considered to have the greatest future prospect and development as an application field of thin diamond films. Current semiconductors are mainly Si semiconductors which employ a silicon wafer as a substrate. If it becomes feasible to form a thin diamond film on a silicon wafer and further to form the thin diamond film as a fine pattern on the order of micrometers by selective deposition, it will be possible to use thin diamond films as heat sinks for certain specific elements of integrated circuits, as insulators between circuit wirings in integrated circuits, in high performance devices fabricated by hybridization of Si and thin diamond films, as optical waveguides using thin diamond films, and the like.
Under the current level of technology for depositing a thin diamond film on a silicon substrate, it is essential as shown in FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c) to abrade a surface of a silicon wafer 1 with diamond powder or paste of a particle size on the order of several micrometers to provide an abraded wafer 1' having a number of scratches 21 in the surface and then to deposit a thin diamond film 22 thereon by gas phase synthesis. Owing to the existence of the surface scratches 21, the diamond nucleation density is increased substantially so that the thin diamond film 22 can be obtained as a continuous polycrystalline thin diamond film. If the above abrasion were not applied, no diamond would practically be formed on the silicon wafer. On the contrary, the abrasion results in uniform formation of diamond particles on the surface of the silicon wafer, whereby diamond eventually grows into a continuous film. It is therefore impossible to form a circuit or pattern, which has a desired configuration, with a thin diamond film.
As is known very well, diamond has the highest hardness among all the materials and also has a high thermal conductivity and excellent heat resistance and radiation resistance. Using gas-phase-synthesized diamond, the development of environment-resistant electronic devices, semiconductor devices and the like, which are equipped with such attractive properties, are now under way.
For the application of gas-phase-synthesized diamond in the field of such electronic technology, there has been an outstanding demand for the development of a technique for permitting selective formation or deposition of thin diamond films on desired areas of a surface of silicon substrate or wafer. With a view toward meeting this demand, the present assignee has proposed the following process for the gas phase synthesis of diamond (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 297298/1987).
Namely, prior to gas phase synthesis of diamond on a silicon substrate, desired areas of a surface of the substrate, on which diamond is to be deposited, are selectively covered with a masking material. The remaining areas other than those covered with the masking material are coated with an amorphous material such as amorphous silicon. The masking material is then stripped off to expose the surface of the substrate, followed by the application of gas phase synthesis thereby to deposit a thin diamond film on the thus-exposed surface areas of the substrate.
Since the above technique has made it possible to form a thin diamond film on a surface of a silicon substrate in accordance with a desired pattern, trial fabrication of diamond semiconductors and the like has been further facilitated.
The above technique has however been found to involve such problems that when a silicon substrate is used as a basal substrate, the maximum breakdown voltage of the resulting device is governed by silicon as the basal substrate and the device is prone to damages due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between silicon and diamond when used at elevated temperatures.
If a technique can be established to permit the deposition of an additional thin diamond film in accordance with a desired pattern by gas phase synthesis on a surface of a basal thin diamond film formed beforehand on a silicon substrate by gas phase synthesis, the above-described problems can be solved by etching off the silicon substrate alone, if necessary, after forming a semiconducting device on the basis of such a technique.

Process for the selective deposition of thin diamond film by gas phase synthesis


A method for generating an image sequence using an image capture device, the method comprising using image data generated using the device and representative of an existing image of a sequence to assist a user of the device to capture one or more subsequent images for the sequence in order that said existing and the or each subsequent image are captured at substantially the same location and device orientation, and an image capture device operable to assist a user in generating an image sequence.

It can be desirable to capture a number of images in the form of a time-lapse image sequence in order to track development of a particular object or scene over time. For example: changing weather; growth of plants; changing seasons; development of children etc. are all things which can be monitored using a sequence of images captured at respective different times. The time period of interest can be relatively long—for example, weeks, months, a year, or multiple years, or in certain circumstances can be short.
It is currently difficult for a photographer, especially a consumer photographer, to reliably generate a time-lapse image sequence. This is due to a number of factors including: The time period is typically too long for a image capture device such as a digital camera or videocamera to be left in one place; the camera may be needed for other uses; the location may not be secure enough to leave a camera; or the location may not offer adequate protection against the weather, for example.
Furthermore, in the case of moving/animate objects, such as people for example, the subject needs to be re-positioned before each image is captured in order that a sequence accurately depicts a change in some property of the subject over time.
Conventionally, time-lapse photography is effected by leaving a camera permanently in position and set to automatically take photographs separated by a pre-set time interval. This is inappropriate for the long-term time-lapse photography described above, and for consumer-type image capture devices.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method, system and apparatus for negotiating parameters for an IPSec connection between a requesting client and an iSCSI system using a computer system other than an iSCSI system are provided. By design, the iSCSI system monitors TCP (Transmission Control protocol) port 500 for secure requests. When a request enters port 500, the iSCSI system transmits all information received on port 500 to a computer system better suited to handle IPSec parameter negotiations. After the computer system has negotiated the parameters, the parameters are passed to the iSCSI system for a secure data transaction to ensue.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to communications networks. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for providing security to iSCSI data transaction.
2. Description of Related Art
Data storage is an essential part of any company's infrastructure. Rapidly increasing storage capacities and network speeds challenge storage system performance, whether it is at the enterprise level or below. IP storage addresses the requirements of a range of environments from single server to computer room, Internet data center, campus and WAN (wide area network).
IP storage, known as iSCSI, is a new emerging technology. ISCSI allows requests for data, transmission and reception of data over the Internet. ISCSI lets a corporate network transfer and store SCSI commands and data to any location with access to the WAN or the Internet.
As is well known, SCSI is a commonly used industry standard protocol for storage devices. Using the SCSI protocol, drive control commands and data are sent to the drives. Responses and status messages, as well as data read from the devices, are passed through SCSI controllers. In a system supporting iSCSI, a user or software application issues a command to store or retrieve data on a SCSI storage device. The request is processed by the operating system and is converted to one or more SCSI commands and data request. Both data SCSI commands and request go through encapsulation and, if necessary, encryption procedures. A packet header is added before the resulting IP packets are transmitted over an Ethernet connection. When a packet is received, it is decrypted (if it was encrypted before transmission), and disassembled, separating the SCSI commands and request. The SCSI commands are sent on to the SCSI controller, and from there to the SCSI storage device. Because iSCSI is bi-directional, the protocol can also be used to return data in response to the original request.
An iSCSI session begins with an iSCSI initiator (a client) connecting to an iSCSI target (typically, using TCP) and performing an iSCSI login. The login creates a persistent state between initiator and target, which may include initiator and target authentication, session security certificates, and session option parameters. Once the login is successfully completed, the iSCSI initiator may issue SCSI commands encapsulated by the iSCSI protocol over its TCP connection to be executed by the iSCSI target.
Thus, a login provides an opportunity for an initiator and target to setup an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) connection in order to transact data over a virtual private network (VPN). However, an iSCSI machine is usually a computer system that has a limited operating system (OS). Having a computer system with a limited OS negotiating and configuring an IPSec connection may not be very effective.
Consequently, what is needed is an apparatus, system and method of having a computer system with a more-complete-OS handle the IPSec connection negotiations with an iSCSI initiator.

International Business Machines Corporation


A device combines a fuel control valve in a hollow can and a carbon canister, which can be further combined with a fuel tank. The device has a first chamber for preventing draining fuel and a second chamber containing active carbon. The first chamber is formed with a gas tube which is connected to the fuel tank and a gas channel connected to the second chamber. The second chamber is formed with a gas return tube. As such, the device combining the fuel control valve and the carbon canister is constructed. The hollow can is assembled to a lateral wall of the fuel tank and the gas tube can be connect with the fuel tank to form an integral structure.

In conventional, to solve the problem of evaporation of fuel gas in the fuel tank of a car, generally, a fuel gas return channel is added to the fuel tank. Through the negative pressure, the fuel gas returns to the gas inlet end of an internal combustion engine to be used by the engine. Thereby the fuel gas cannot vent outside to cause pollution.
In above mentioned gas return channel, a carbon canister (C/N) is arranged for absorbing evaporated fuel gas. To prevent the drainage of the fuel as the car is tilted, a fuel control valve is added to the gas return tube for closing the gas return tube immediately as the car falls down so that the fuel gas and the fuel will not drain out to cause pollution. Besides, to prevent an over large expansion pressure of the fuel gas in the fuel tank to induce explosion or deformation of the fuel tank, a bypass valve is serially connected to the gas return tube adjacent to the fuel tank. When the fuel tank or the gas return tube is blocked, the valve can be opened for releasing fuel pressure to protect the fuel tank.
Conventionally, the gas return tube connected to the fuel tank and the gas inlet of the engine is formed by using soft tubes to be connected between the fuel control valve and the bypass valve or connected between the fuel control valve, the carbon canister and the bypass valve. However, the longer the soft tubes or the larger number the soft tubes is used, the greater the resistance in the gas return tube is presented, which will reduce the absorption force of negative pressure. Thereby fuel gas cannot be reused smoothly. Furthermore, conventional fuel control valve, carbon canister and bypass valve, etc. have complicated structures so that the manufacturing and assembling processes are time consuming and cost ineffective. The soft tubes may be arranged disordered to occupy a larger space.

Device combing fuel control valve and carbon canister, or fuel tank


An animated decoy simulating the external appearance and certain head and neck movements of a wild turkey. The decoy is essentially hollow, and the neck includes a plurality of interconnected, longitudinal segments. In a first embodiment, the head and neck are pivotally movable in an up and down manner with respect to the body, and the head is movable in a twisting motion with respect to the neck. First and second motors, independently actuable by an RF transmitter, with appropriate motion transfer linkages, effect movement of the decoy parts. In a second embodiment, a motor is actuable in response to audible sounds, such as live or simulated turkey call, to effect pivotal up and down movement of the decoy head and neck

The present invention relates to decoys for attracting predetermined species of birds, and more particularly to decoys with movable parts actuable to simulate life-like movements of turkeys, or the like.
Decoys having an external appearance simulating a particular type or species of bird have long been used as a means of attracting such birds. Many types of such decoys are directed to water fowl, and include means for propelling a floating decoy over the water and/or for effecting movement of the wings, head, or other components of the decoy. Examples of such water fowl decoys are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 109,998 of Hart, 378,410 of Trimble, 2,835,064 of Webb, 3,768,192 of Caccamo, 4,322,908 of McCrory, 4,845,873 of Hazlett and 3,689,927 of Boston, the latter including remote, radio-controlled means for effecting movement of the decoy.
Other, land-based decoys have been provided with means for effecting movement of the entire decoy or head and neck portions thereof to simulate life-like movements of live birds. Such decoys are typified by those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,576,209 of Berger, 3,916,553 of Lynch et al, 4,965,953 of McKinney and 5,036,614 of Jackson.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel animated bird decoy with improved structure and operation for simulating live bird movements.
Another object is to provide a life-like wild turkey decoy with means for effecting multiple head and neck movements realistically simulating a live bird.
A further object is to provide a wildfowl decoy having movable head and neck portions which are actuated in response to actual bird calls or other audible sounds.
Still another object is to provide an animated bird decoy having both electrical and mechanical components which operates very quietly, and is intermittently actuated.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.


A golf cart handle adapted to be gripped using one's hands includes a central portion adapted to be mounted on the golf cart and a pair of laterally disposed winged portions. Each of the winged portions is connected to the central portion at an angle such that each of the winged portions extends outwardly, upwardly and rearwardly of the central portion.

Golf is a game which has an enthusiastic following throughout the world. In addition to the selections of clubs ordinarily used by a golfer, golfers traditionally carry accessories such as umbrellas, additional sportswear dictated by the changes in weather, extra golf balls and the like. Accordingly, most golf bags are designed having a primary compartment for the reception of clubs and supplementary compartments or pockets for various accessories as mentioned. A complete golf bag carrying 16 golf clubs permitted under U.S.G.A. rules as well as accessories can be quite bulky and heavy.
Some golfers, due to the size and weight of the golf bag, prefer to play a round of golf utilizing a gas powered or electrically-powered golf cart vehicle. Other golfers prefer to walk the golf course in order to obtain the healthful benefit of exercise and to more fully enjoy the game. Golfers who prefer to walk the golf course are faced with the choice of carrying their clubs, which can become tedious and tiring, or transporting the bag, golf clubs and accessories on a cart of the type generally known as a pull cart.
Pull carts generally include a frame member with a pair of wheels, an elongated handlebar and a handle. The golf bag can be detachably secured to the frame. In improved versions of the golf carts, the carts are collapsible, generally having a pair of wheels which can be moved from a collapsed position adjacent to the frame to an extended position by means of arms or support members slidably or pivotally attached to the frame.
Most non-motorized golf carts are pulled or pushed by means of a single grip U-shaped or oval-shaped handle which is generally attached to the top of the handlebar often in a manner whereby the handlebar is telescoped or pivoted into a storage position during transport. Examples of this simple handle structure are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,455,030, 5,193,842 and 5,232,065. The problem with using this type of handle is that pushing or pulling of a golf cart creates unequal pressure on the back, shoulders and arms. In all too many cases, the golfer is subjected to discomfort and pain during or following his or her round of golf. Some attempts have been made to provide a double grip handle to alleviate the aforementioned problem. These handles are shown in U.S. Design Pat. Des. 186,428 as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,681,341 and U.S. Design Pat. Des. 357,104. While the latter type of handles may offer some relief from the aches and pains caused by prior art golf carts, it remains desirable to provide an improved golf cart handle which will place equal pressure and reduce stress on the back, shoulders and arms of the golfer pushing or pulling the cart. It is also important to provide a golf cart handle which will not increase the storage and transport volume of the golf carts currently available.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a golf cart handle for use with a pushable/pullable golf cart.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a golf cart handle which is light-weight, durable and economical to manufacture.
It is another object of the invention to provide a golf cart handle which may be retrofitted on existing golf carts.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a golf cart handle which is manipulable using two hands or one hand.
It is yet a further object of the invention to orient a golf cart handle at an angle which will create equal pressure on the anatomy of the golfer pushing/pulling the golf cart.
In one aspect of the invention, a golf cart handle adapted to be gripped using one's hands comprises a central portion adapted to be mounted on the golf cart and a pair of laterally disposed wing portions, each of the wing portions being connected to the central portion at an angle such that each of the Wing portions extends outwardly, upwardly and rearwardly of the central portion. The central portion and the wing portions are each formed with an continuous, inner wall having a top segment merging with a bottom segment and defining a substantially elongated slot for receiving the fingers of one's hand. Each of the walls includes a scalloped formation along the bottom segment thereof. The central portion and each of the adjoining wing portions are formed with a notch for receiving the thumb of one's hand. Each of the wing portions is oriented at an angle in the range of 140.degree. to 150.degree. relative to the central portion. Each of the wing portions is joined to the central portion along a line which is displaced appropriately 60.degree. from a horizontal axis bisecting the central portion. Each of the wing portions extends downwardly from the horizontal axis bisecting the central portion at an angle in the range of 50.degree. to 55.degree..
In another aspect of the invention, a handle to be attached to the handlebar of a non-motorized golf cart adapted to be pushed and pulled using one's hands comprises a central planar portion adapted to be mounted on the frame of the golf cart, the central planar portion providing a first pistol style grip adapted to be gripped by one's hand. A pair of laterally disposed winged planar portions is angularly connected to the central planar portion, each of the wing planar portions providing a second pistol style grip adapted to be gripped by one's hand. With this construction, the golf cart is pushable and pullable using the first pistol style grip or the second pistol style grip.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a handle to be fixed to a pullable/pushable golf cart comprises a central portion adapted to be mounted on the handlebar of the golf cart, the central portion having a top wall and a bottom wall connected by a pair of sidewalls. The handle includes a pair of laterally disposed wing portions, each of the wing portions being angularly and fixedly attached to one of the sidewalls of the central portion, and each of the wing portions having a top wall and a bottom wall connected by a pair of side walls. Each of the central portions and the wing portions are formed with an aperture for receiving the fingers of one's hand to be wrapped about the bottom wall of the central portion or the bottom walls of the winged portions. Each of the bottom walls of the central portion and the winged portions are formed with notches for receiving the thumb of one's hand.
Still yet a further object of the invention resides in a handle to be fixed to a handlebar of a golf cart adapted to be pushed and pulled using one's hand. The handle comprises a central planar portion adapted to be mounted on the handlebar of the golf cart, the central planar portion having an interior and an exterior. The handle includes a pair of winged planar portions diverging from the plane of the central portion, each of the wing portions having an interior and an exterior fixed to the exterior of the central planar portion. At least the interiors of the winged planar portions have aperture means for locating and retaining the fingers of one's hands. The exteriors of the central planar portion and the winged planar portions have notch means for locating and retaining the thumbs of one's hands. The interior of the central planar portion includes further aperture means for locating and retaining the fingers of one's hand.
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, claims and drawings.