A method and system for operating a non-invasive blood pressure monitor that utilizes an SpO2 plethysmograph signal to determine the initial inflation pressure for the blood pressure cuff of the NIBP monitor. A pulse sensor is placed on the patient's limb distal to the blood pressure cuff such that as the blood pressure cuff is inflated, the pulse signals from the pulse sensor will be reduced. When the blood pressure cuff reaches systolic pressure, the pulse signals from the pulse sensor will be initially attenuated and eventually eliminated, thus providing an indication that the cuff pressure has reached systolic pressure for the patient. The central processor of the NIBP monitor compares the pulse signals during cuff inflation to an average pulse signal and terminates the inflation of the blood pressure cuff upon sufficient attenuation. The use of the SpO2 plethysmograph signal to determine the initial inflation pressure reduces both the over-inflation of the blood pressure cuff and the under-inflation of the blood pressure cuff which increases the rate at which the blood pressure measurement can be made while increasing patient comfort.

Automated blood pressure monitoring has rapidly become an accepted and, in many cases, essential aspect of human healthcare. Such monitors are now a conventional part of the patient environment in emergency rooms, intensive and critical care units, and in the operating theater.
The oscillometric method of measuring blood pressure involves applying an inflatable cuff around an extremity of a patient's body, such as a patient's upper arm. The cuff is inflated to a pressure above the patient's systolic pressure and then the cuff pressure is reduced either continuously or incrementally in a series of small steps. A pressure sensor measures the cuff pressure, including the cuff pressure fluctuations resulting from the heart pumping activity that then causes pressure or volume oscillations in the artery under the cuff. The data from the pressure sensor is used to compute the patient's systolic pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and diastolic pressure.
An example of the oscillometric method of measuring blood pressure is shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,360,029; 4,394,034; and 4,638,810, which are commonly assigned with the present invention.
During the use of a conventional NIBP monitoring system, the blood pressure cuff is placed around the arm of a patient and is inflated to a pressure that fully occludes the brachial artery to prevent blood flow. The cuff is then progressively deflated and a pressure transducer detects pressure pulses as blood begins to flow past the pressure cuff. As can be understood, the selection of the initial inflation pressure determines the amount of time and deflation required before the NIBP system begins to detect cuff oscillations and blood flow. If the initial inflation pressure is selected well above the systolic blood pressure for the patient, the NIBP system over inflates the blood pressure cuff, resulting in patient discomfort and extended measurement time. Alternatively, if the initial inflation pressure is selected below the systolic blood pressure for the patient, the blood pressure cuff must re-inflate to obtain an accurate reading. Therefore, it is desirable to inflate the blood pressure cuff slightly above the systolic pressure to enhance the performance of the NIBP monitoring system.

Method and system of determining NIBP target inflation pressure using an SpO


A rotary electric machine capable of optionally adjusting output characteristic and an electric motor vehicle using the rotary electric machine are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotary electric machine capable of changing its output characteristic and to a vehicle driven by the rotary electric machine.
2. Background Art
A conventional technique related to the electric motor includes a gap between the stator teeth and the rotor magnet being adjusted.
As shown in FIG. 6, when a fastening-adjusting member 160 is loosened by an operation made to a head 162, a bushing 146 and a drum rotary member 125 move away from each other with the restoring force of a resilient member 161. As a result, the gap G between a rotor magnet 141 and a motor stator 130 increases. When the fastening-adjusting member 160 is tightened, the bushing 146 and the drum rotary member 125 approach each other, so that the gap G decreases.
The above constitution is devised to cope with the change in the specification of a product. In other words, the device for adjusting the gap between rotor and stator related to an axial gap motor is disclosed as an embodiment capable of adjusting the gap only before the device being attached to the product, not as an embodiment capable of adjusting the gap while the product is in operation for operating the product under an optimum condition. While part of the specification describes electromagnetic operation and manual operation, no specific embodiment is disclosed. This is due to the absence of the necessity for examining a means of solving the problem of actively changing the characteristic of an electric motor such as the driving source of an electric motor vehicle by optionally changing the gap while the product is in operation.
Another conventional electric motor relates to a reel motor for rotary-driving a reel of a tape recorder. The invention relates to an axial gap motor, disclosing a manner of adjusting the gap between rotor and stator by controlling the axial displacement using both a spring attached to a shaft and magnetic force of an electromagnet by changing the current flowing through the electromagnet in proportion to the current flowing through the motor. However, the gap adjustment in consideration of the motor rotational speed cannot be made with the combination of the spring and the electromagnet proportional to the current flowing through the motor. When the gap, as in the electric motor vehicle, must be adjusted to cope with the constant changes in the road conditions, such as uphill gradient and vehicle speed, it is impossible to do so with a gap controlling device that makes all such conditions represented with the current flowing through the motor. Therefore, a more active and intelligent gap adjusting device is needed.
Another conventional electric motor relates to a control device for a generator for use in vehicles. According to the invention, the generator characteristic is changed by adjusting the gap of a radial gap motor. However, because the rotor is displaced with a solenoid, fine control cannot be made and it is hard to apply the device to the motor in electric motor vehicles that require fine control according to the driving force and the vehicle speed. It is especially hard to realize the control in an axial gap type that exhibits a wide change in the characteristic with a slight change in the gap. While an example is shown there in which the stator is moved with a motor and screw, it is impossible to move the rotor, while it is rotating, with such a constitution.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Motor-generator with adjustable axial gap for vehicle

Abstract: A rotary electric machine is constituted with: a rotary shaft 220; a rotor 40 connected to the rotary shaft 220; a stator 31 placed opposite the rotor 40; a stepping motor 60 serving as an adjusting motor for adjusting the position of the rotor 40 relative to the stator 31 in the rotary axis direction; and a movable member 47 or the like that is engaged to the rotor 40 and converts the rotation of the adjusting motor 60 into the displacement of the movable member 47 in the axial direction of the rotary shaft 220.


The method of the present invention is for producing at least hydrogen from a gaseous hydrocarbon. The gaseous hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, butane, propane and combinations thereof. The method proceeds by exposing the gaseous hydrocarbon with the supported catalyst to microwave radiation. The supported catalyst has a support of a lattice of a non-metallic amorphous solid and at least one catalytic metal having atoms interspersed throughout the lattice of the support. A preferred embodiment is a lattice of carbon with at least one catalytic metal interspersed throughout the lattice. Examples include char.

Conversion of natural gas or gaseous hydrocarbons of methane, ethane, butane, propane and combinations thereof is useful in the commodity chemical industry. Such conversion utilizing microwave energy has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,394 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,038.
More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,164 to Ravella et al. mentions microwave conversion of gaseous hydrocarbon (butane) by using "plasma initiators" that are metal (e.g. tungsten, iron, nickel, copper, etc.) with tungsten preferred or non-metal (e.g. carbon, alumina, metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal sulfides, etc.) with carbon preferred. The plasma initiator is used singly or as a spaced plurality with at least 0.25 cm spacing between plasma initiators. Ravella et al. require the presence of hydrogen to maintain activity of the plasma initiator. The mole ratio of plasma initiator (tungsten) to gaseous hydrocarbon (butane) used by Ravella et al. was from 0.0032 to 0.0048 depending upon the reaction time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,038 to Wan discusses microwave conversion of a gaseous hydrocarbon (methane) by using a metal powder catalyst. Wan requires a mole ratio of metal powder catalyst to gaseous hydrocarbon (methane) of about 0.4. Wan pre-treats the metal powder with hydrogen prior to performing conversion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,581 to Wan discusses microwave conversion of a gaseous hydrocarbon (methane) to a product that is primarily acetylene by using pulsed microwave energy of at least 1.5 kW (1500 W).
It is a long felt need in the art of microwave conversion of gaseous hydrocarbons to perform the conversion without hydrogen either added to the gaseous hydrocarbon or used to pre-treat the catalyst. It is a further long felt need to reduce the quantity of catalyst material necessary for the conversion.

Catalytic microwave conversion of gaseous hydrocarbons


A mask set and method for forming FinFET semiconductor devices provides a complementary set of fin-cut masks that are used in DPT (double patterning technology) to remove fins from non-active areas of a semiconductor device, after the fins are formed. Adjacent fins, or adjacent groups of fins, are removed using pattern features from different ones of the multiple fin-cut masks.

FinFET (fin field effect transistor) devices have become very popular in semiconductor device manufacturing because of the increased integration levels they provide. FinFET devices utilize fin-like structures formed over the surface of a substrate and provide increased surface area relative to planar semiconductor devices. Fins are generally formed of semiconductor material such as silicon and are narrow thin-like structures formed over the surface of a substrate. FinFET devices include field effect transistors formed on the fins. The added surface area provided by the fin is used as the channel and source/drain regions of the FinFET devices. Other active devices also utilize the additional area afforded by the fins. A greater number of FinFET devices than planar transistors, can be produced on a given footprint area of a substrate. Further, for a given footprint area on a substrate, a FinFET transistor can be formed to include larger source/drain areas, larger channel areas and larger gate areas than a comparable planar transistor formed on the substrate surface, thereby increasing the device speed for FinFETs. Fins are generally formed parallel to one another over a substrate for ease of manufacturing and due to limitations and photolithography and etching processes.
In the manufacture of FinFET devices, the fins are generally initially formed throughout the die including in active areas where they will be utilized and also in other areas where they are not needed. The fins are subsequently removed from areas where they are not needed. The removal of fins from some areas but not others is susceptible to patterning problems that are associated with non-uniformities and irregularities in the masks used to remove the fins from the undesired areas.

Method for removing semiconductor fins using alternating masks

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


To remove hydrophobic particles from the surface of a hydrophilic printing plate, particularly when the printing plate is used in offset printing, an ionized reactive gas is conducted to the surface of the printing plate, and applied thereto, to cause the hydrophobic particles to form volatile reaction products, which are then removed by suction. The gas can be generated either in a burner, preferably supplied with an oxygen/hydrogen mixture, emitted from nozzles spaced between 10 to 50 mm from the printing plate, in which the printing plate and nozzle are relatively moved at a rate of about 20 mm/sec; or, alternatively, the ionized gas is generated in form of a plasma by a plasma generator, for example a magnetron, operating at 2.45 GHz, which plasma is conducted to the surface of the printing plate in a reaction chamber which is physically sealed with respect to the printing plate, so that the reaction with the hydrophobic particles can there occur. The reaction chamber is coupled to a high-vacuum pump, to maintain a vacuum in the order of about 0.5 mbar above the printing plate and within the reaction chamber.

It is known to transfer information on a printing place suitable for offset printing directly from electronically stored information. The printing plate may be separate from or on a printing cylinder. For example, such information which may contain printed texts, drawings, figures, images or pictures, can be transferred to an anodized aluminum plate which has a hydrophilic surface. In accordance with the image to be printed or to be transferred, organic substances which are ink-accepting, or oleophilic, are transferred on portions of the printing plate surface by an image transfer unit, in accordance with digitally controlled image information. Particles which are transferred to the plate have oleophilic characteristics, to thereby mark the portions which are to be inked. The previously hydrophilic surface of the plate is then, where ink is to be transferred, rendered hydrophobic.
The referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,697, Schneider, discloses a method and system which utilizes a thermal transfer process for transferring image information. Other arrangements and systems may be used, for example ink jet applicators or electrostatic application of particles. The printing form can be a printing plate, preferably an anodized, hydrophilic aluminum plate, or a printing cylinder having an outer jacket which has hydrophilic characteristics. The printing cylinder may have a Jacket made of ceramic, preferably Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, as well as Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, ZrSiO.sub.4, or an aluminum-magnesium silicate; it may, also, be a ceramic or glass cylinder, which can be massive, for example.
Directly imaged printing forms have to be capable of being re-used frequently. This requires that an imaged form should be capable of being regenerated, that is, the image once applied to the printing form, after printing, must be removed, or erased therefrom, so that a new printing image can be applied. Thus, the entire printing surface, after printing of a first image, must again be rendered hydrophilic over its entire circumference.
Cleaning methods well known from surface technology frequently have the disadvantage that cleaning has to be carried out in multiple stages or steps, and that the material is mechanically or abrasively stressed. Aluminum surface, in particular, when used as printing plates and which are to be rendered hydrophilic throughout the entire surface require a plurality of method steps, which is expensive. Some of the cleaning materials, additionally, cause problems in regeneration or disposal, for recycling in an environmentally acceptable manner.

Method and system for reversibly regenerating an imaged planographic printing form, particularly for use in offset printing


There is provided herein an optical system for a tip section of a multi-sensor endoscope, the system comprising: a front-pointing camera sensor; a front objective lens system; a side-pointing camera sensor; and a side objective lens system, wherein at least one of said front and side objective lens systems comprises a front and a rear sub-systems separated by a stop diaphragm, said front sub-system comprises, in order from the object side, a first front negative lens and a second front positive lens, said rear sub-system comprises, in order from the object side, a first rear positive lens, an achromatic sub-assembly comprising a second rear positive lens and a third rear negative lens, wherein the following condition is satisfied: f(first rear positive lens)≤1.8f, where f is the composite focal length of the total lens system and f(first rear positive lens) is the focal length of said first rear positive lens.

Endoscopes have attained great acceptance within the medical community, since they provide a means for performing procedures with minimal patient trauma, while enabling the physician to view the internal anatomy of the patient. Over the years, numerous endoscopes have been developed and categorized according to specific applications, such as cystoscopy, colonoscopy, laparoscopy, upper GI endoscopy and others. Endoscopes may be inserted into the body's natural orifices or through an incision in the skin.
An endoscope is usually an elongated tubular shaft, rigid or flexible, having a video camera or a fiber optic lens assembly at its distal end. The shaft is connected to a handle, which sometimes includes an ocular for direct viewing. Viewing is also usually possible via an external screen. Various surgical tools may be inserted through a working channel in the endoscope for performing different surgical procedures.
There are known various endoscopes employing in their front insertion part, optical heads for viewing the interior of a body cavity or lumen such as the lower digestive track. Such optical head normally includes at least an illumination means for illuminating the object, an objective lens system and a sensor array.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,956,703 discloses an objective lens for endoscopes comprises a front lens unit component and a rear lens unit component, between which a aperture stop is located, wherein the front lens unit component comprises, in order from the object side, a first lens having a negative refractive power, and a second lens having a positive refractive power which directs a surface of the small radius of curvature toward the object side; wherein the rear lens unit component comprises a third lens having a positive refractive power which directs a surface of the small radius of curvature toward the image side, a fourth lens having a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens having a negative refractive power; and wherein the fourth lens and the fifth lens are cemented. The following condition is satisfied: 2.0<|f3/f|<3.0 where f is the composite focal length of the total system and f 3 is the focal length of the third lens. Still, the complexity of the objects that are inspected by the endoscope (for example, the asymmetric colon environment), requires high quality images capturing a wide Field of View (FOV), which cannot be accomplished using only one detector.
More efforts have been undertaken to improve the optical design of these systems and to create a wide FOV, as seen for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,234 entitled "Compact wide angle lens", as well as U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,851 entitled "Electronic endoscope". Although these patents bring the advantage of a wide FOV they mainly provide a front view. Another disadvantage is a significant distortion in the periphery looking at the borders of the wide view image.
These disadvantages may be partially solved by using a multi image lens for example as shown in US patent application number 2005/0168616 entitled "Methods and apparatus for capturing images with a multi-image lens" or by using other Omni-directional optical solutions, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,362,516 entitled "Optical lens providing Omni-directional coverage and illumination". These technologies may support a wide FOV with relatively low distortion in the periphery of the image however they suffer from a major disadvantage of low optical resolution on side views. Another disadvantage of these technologies is the complexity and space consuming design which typically eliminates the possibility to combine other crucial features like jet, working channels and illuminating sources to the endoscope.
There is still a need in the art for endoscopes, such as colonoscopies, that provide a wide FOV, a wide range of Depth of Field/Depth of Focus (DOF) and acceptable resolution within the required dimensions of the device used of a medical application.

Optical systems for multi-sensor endoscopes


The present invention describes a validation stamp for protecting the integrity of a signature affixed to an electronic document. The validation stamp of the present invention includes a validation body and a validation signature. The validation stamp is affixed to a signed document having a document body and a document signature. The document signature and the validation signature are derived from an electronic signature defined by geometric and timing information. Specifically, the validation signature includes the timing information, and possibly the geometric information, of the electronic signature, whereas the document signature includes the geometric information, and not the timing information, of the electronic signature. To verify the integrity of the signature on the electronic document, the validation signature is first decrypted and then compared, along with the document signature, against the signed document and geometric and timing information of a signature known for the authorized signator of the electronic document.

In certain instances, office work productivity has significantly increased through advances in technology. Some of these advances in technology involve replacing paper documents in the workplace with electronic documents. One such advance provides office workers with the ability to send/receive and share documents electronically. Traditionally, many paper documents contain signatures to show authorship or indicate approval. Accordingly, it is also desirable to include signatures in the electronic documents, particularly when they are sent back and forth. As would understood, the inclusion of signatures in the electronic documents is easily achieved using graphic tablets, for example, which are computer peripheral devices for capturing handwritten data.
Once a signature is affixed to a document, people generally assume that the signature on a paper or electronic document is proof of authorship or approval. There is no guarantee, however, that the integrity of the signature, especially electronic ones, has not been compromised, for example, by being traced or otherwise forged. Generally, signatures on paper or electronic documents are vulnerable to two forms of deception. The first form of deception involves an invalid signature. An invalid signature is a signature created by a forger attempting to imitate the signature of another person, i.e., authorized signator. Such a signature is affixed on a document not authored or approved by the authorized signator. The second form of deception involves affixing a valid signature, which is a signature actually created by the authorized signator, on a document other than the original intended document. This form of deception, referred to herein as an invalid copy, is particularly difficult to detect when the signature has been "cut" from one electronic document and "pasted" onto a second electronic document since it looks exactly like the original signature.
For the aforementioned reasons, a number of people have reservations about allowing their signature to be captured electronically. Accordingly, there exists a need for protecting the integrity of a signature on an electronic document.

Validation stamps for electronic signatures


In a turbine for aeronautic engines, a first and at least a second turbine disk rotating around a common axis respectively carrying a first and a second moving-blade crown, with which first and, respectively, second axial passages are defined through which a cooling air mass for the turbine disks can pass, a device for conveying cooling air being interposed between the first and the second axial passages to receive the mass of air passing through the first axial passages and send it through the second axial passages.

As is known, a gas turbine for aeronautic engines generally comprises a number of rotating bladed sectors, each of which, in turn, comprises a turbine disk connected to adjacent turbine disks and carrying a coupled blade crown.
As is also known, turbine disks are components that are subjected to high stress, both mechanical, due to the effect of centrifugal components and, above all, thermal, since they operate in an extremely high temperature environment due to close vicinity with the flow of hot gases that impact the blades. For optimal turbine operation it therefore becomes necessary to control the operating temperature of these disks, maintaining the operating temperature below a set or critical threshold value.
To that end, it is known to send to each of the turbine disks its own cooling airflow, separate from the other cooling airflows. Each cooling airflow is normally formed by bleeding a predetermined quantity of air from the compressor and conveying the bled air to the area of connection of the blades to the respective turbine disk. In the area of connection of the blades to the disk, the air is made to flow through passages, each one being defined on one side by a slot in the turbine disk to be cooled and by the leading portion or lobe of the relevant blade, on the other. While traversing the passages, the cooling air progressively heats up, carrying away heat by convection; at the exit, the heated air is first fed into a mixing chamber where it mixes with part of the mentioned flow of hot gases, forming a mixture of lower temperature that passes over the side walls of the blade and the turbine disk, after which the same mixture is reinserted in the flow of hot gases before this flow passes over the bladed sector arranged downstream of the cooled turbine disk.
Although it is used, for various reasons, the described cooling method is found to be less than satisfactory.
First of all, cooling of the disks is performed in conditions of low efficiency and therefore the cooling capacity of the incoming air is only exploited in part. In consequence, the air exiting from the respective turbine disks has a relatively low temperature for which, when mixed with the hot gases entering the downstream stage, it significantly lowers the temperature of the hot gases in an undesired manner.
With bleeding being carried out for each turbine disk, as the number of turbine disks increases, so does the quantity of air that is used and the overall efficiency consequently decreases.


The present invention provides compositions and methods of treating and improving the symptoms of uveitis and/or macular edema using an antibody that specifically binds human interleukin-6 receptor (hIL-6R).

Interleukin-6 is a key cytokine with a wide range of biological activities, including regulation of immune reactivity, the acute-phase response, inflammation, oncogenesis and hematopoiesis (Kishimoto T., The Cytokine Handbook, A. W. Thomson, Lotze, M. T., ed. (London: Academic Press). 2003 pp. 281-304). Overproduction of IL-6 has been found to play pathological roles in chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-6 has been also consistently shown to be elevated in the vitreous of patients with non-infectious uveitis (Ongkosuwito et al., Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1998; 39(13):2659-65; Perez et al., Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2004; 12(3):193-201; Yoshimura et al., PloS One. 2009; 4(12):e8158; and Valentincic et al., Mol Vis. 2011; 17:2003-10. Epub 2011 Jul. 20).
IL-6 interacts directly with the IL-6Ra subunit and the IL-6/IL-6Ra pair forms a high affinity complex with the glycoprotein 130 (gp130) subunit. IL-6Ra also exists in a soluble form, which is involved in trans-signaling and allows IL-6 to affect cells that do not express IL-6Ra including synovial cells in the joint (Rose-John et al., J Leukoc Biol. 2006; 80(2), 227-36).
Sarilumab (SAR153191), also designated as REGN88, is co-developed by Sanofi and Regeneron. Sarilumab is a recombinant IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody of fully human sequence directed against the alpha subunit of the IL-6 receptor complex (IL-6Rα). Sarilumab is a potent and specific inhibitor of IL-6 signaling. By binding to IL-6Rα with high affinity, sarilumab blocks the binding of IL-6 and interrupts the cytokine-mediated signaling cascade. Sarilumab is being evaluated in Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of RA. In addition, a proof of concept study is now ongoing for the treatment of patients with non-infectious, intermediate, posterior or pan-uveitis. Interleukin-6 is a key element in the etiology of rheumatic conditions and inhibition of its signaling is a critical part of the mechanism of action of sarilumab.
Proinflammatory cytokines associated with RA include tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and IL-6. Interleukin-6 is expressed in a large proportion of cells in rheumatoid synovium and elevated levels of IL-6 are found in the serum and synovial fluid of patients with RA. Elevated levels of soluble IL-6R α have also been observed in a variety of inflammatory diseases, including RA (Lipsky P E. Interleukin-6 and rheumatic diseases. Arthritis Res Ther. 2006; 8 (Suppl 2): S4). Interaction of IL-6 with soluble IL-6R a results in formation of soluble complexes that are able to transactivate gp130 present on a number of cell surfaces, potentially a major pathogenic mechanism in RA (Rose-John et al., J Leukoc Biol. 2006; 80(2), 227-36). IL-6 is downstream from TNF-α and IL-1 in inflammatory cytokine cascades and may therefore represent a final common signaling pathway in a wide range of inflammatory processes. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by persistent synovitis and progressive destruction of cartilage and bone in multiple joints. Associated systemic inflammatory symptoms include fever, fatigue, anemia, increased acute phase reactants such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), and the development of auto-antibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF) (Kishimoto T., The Cytokine Handbook, A. W. Thomson, Lotze, M. T., ed. (London: Academic Press). 2003 pp. 281-304).
Uveitis is a term used to describe a group of intraocular inflammatory diseases that can occur at any age, but predominantly affects patients in the working age group (Nussenblatt et al., Ophthalmology 1985; 92(4):467-471). Non-infectious uveitis (NIU) may result from an underlying inflammatory disease, an autoimmune disorder, a tumor or as a result of trauma to the eye. In most cases, the cause remains unknown (ie, idiopathic uveitis) (Durrani et al., Br J Ophthalmol. 2004; 88(9):1159-62).
The goal in the treatment of NIU is to control inflammation, prevent loss of vision, and minimize long term complications of the disease and its treatment. Systemic corticosteroids are widely used for the management of posterior segment inflammation which requires treatment, particularly when it is associated with systemic disease or when bilateral ocular disease is present. As IL-6 has been consistently shown to be elevated in the vitreous of patients with NIU (Ongkosuwito et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1998; 39(13):2659-65; Perez et al. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2004; 12(3):193-201; Yoshimura et al., PloS One. 2009; 4(12):e8158; Valentincic et al. Mol Vis. 2011; 17:2003-10. Epub 2011 Jul. 20), blockade of IL-6 signaling throughIL-6Ra with sarilumab may have potential as a treatment in this disease.
To support the treatment of non-infectious uveitis following subcutaneous injection of sarilumab to patients, the efficacy of the murine surrogate antibody against IL-6Rα (REGN844), was investigated in a murine organ-specific T lymphocyte-mediated model of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). In the study, REGN844 given intraperitoneally (IP) to mice at dose-levels from 10 to 100 mg/kg every third day from Day 5 post-EAU induction, resulted in a dose-related inhibition of non-infectious uveitis as evidenced by reductions in retinal thickness, morphological abnormalities and inflammatory cell infiltration, confirmed by both histological and optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements. Systemic (intraperitoneal) administration of a mouse anti-murine IL6R antibody (REGN844) consistently ameliorates the development of vitreoretinal inflammation in the mouse model of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) (Cao, J, et. al: Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2013, Vol. 54, 5193).
Macular edema involves the abnormal leakage and accumulation of fluid in the macula from damaged blood vessels in the nearby retina. A common cause of macular edema is diabetic retinopathy. See Bresnick 1986 Ophthalmology, 93(7): pages 989-97. Macular edema can also occur after eye surgery, in association with age-related macular degeneration, or as a consequence of inflammatory diseases that affect the eye. In fact, any disease that damages blood vessels in the retina can cause macular edema.
Sarilumab (SAR153191), also known as REGN88, is being evaluated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and for the treatment of non-infectious intermediate, posterior and pan-uveitis. Sarilumab is a recombinant human monoclonal antibody of the immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) kappa isotype directed against the interleukin-6 receptor a-subunit (IL-6Ra). Sarilumab binds the human IL-6Ra and has been demonstrated to block interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling and to not induce signaling in the absence of IL-6. In ex vivo assays, sarilumab did not demonstrate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) on relevant cell types where sarilumab binding was verified by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis.

Compositions comprising IL6R antibodies for the treatment of uveitis and macular edema and methods of using same


Computerized methodology for organizing and/or retrieving pixel data for rendering digital images In one embodiment, the method may include transforming (12) an image depicting an object from an image-searchable domain to a pixel-searchable domain by way of spatial and temporal registration assigned to pixels forming the image The method may further include storing (14) pixel data including the spatial and temporal registration in an electronic storage Pixel data may be retrieved (16) from the electronic storage based on the assigned spatial and temporal registration An image may be reconstituted (18) with the retrieved pixel data This methodology may be used in a broad array of technical fields, such as for inspections of components of a turbine engine, medical imaging applications, ecological and biodiversity applications, etc.

Vision is an important source of information for humans, and the acquisition and utilization of images, such as digital images, has numerous applications in a broad range of endeavors, such as industrial, medical, ecological, scientific, engineering, publishing, educational, and other endeavors For example, in a power generation application there may be a large number of digital images capturing visual examinations and inspections performed throughout the manufacturing and service life of a typical component for a combustion gas turbine engine Within a given business organization, these images may be acquired by different personnel and for meeting different objectives.
To augment traditional manual visual inspections, it is known to utilize the capabilities of modern optical imaging devices with computers and software in systems, often referred to as computer aided visual inspections. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,477,154 and 8,244,025 as examples of computer aided inspection of objects based on processing of acquired images of the objects, each commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention The widespread use of digital images is intensifying the need to develop more effective ways for organizing and/or retrieving such images. Disclosed embodiments are believed to successfully address at least such needs.

Computerized method for transforming an image from an image-searchable domain to a pixel-searchable domain


The heating and/or the cooling of the three columns is ensured by a closed nitrogen cycle. Carbon monoxide is withdrawn in liquid form from the third column, then is brought through a pump at the pressure of utilization and is warmed under this pressure.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the production of carbon monoxide and hydrogen from a gaseous mixture essentially comprising these two substances and methane, of the type in which: the starting gaseous mixture is washed with liquid methane in a first column to provide gaseous hydrogen and a washing liquid; the hydrogen which is dissolved in the washing liquid is separated from the latter in a second column, and the remaining liquid is separated by distillation in a third column to provide a carbon monoxide of production at the top of this third column.
(b) Description of Prior Art
In the known technique, in order to use only one single compressor for the entire apparatus, carbon monoxide is withdrawn in gaseous form from the third column and is used as a cycle gas to provide heating and/or cooling for the three columns.
This utilization of an open cycle of carbon monoxide has the following disadvantages:
on the one hand, the compression of carbon monoxide presents certain difficulties of achievement because for example of the possibility, during the compression, of giving chemical reactions producing a decomposition of the molecule of carbon monoxide leading to the formation of compounds (carbon, carbon dioxide, . . . ) which reduce the reliability of the separation and compression unit; PA0 on the other hand, the utilization of a cycle of carbon monoxide produces in the unit a mass of this gas which is present therein, in liquid and gaseous form, which is a source of a risk in case accident.
The invention, while relying on a single compressor for the whole apparatus, aims at overcoming these disadvantages, i.e. eliminating the risks associated with the compression of gaseous carbon monoxide and reducing the potential risks associated with the mass of gaseous and liquid carbon monoxide which is present in the apparatus.

Process and apparatus for the production of carbon monoxide and hydrogen

L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude


Methods, systems and devices are described for determining a measurable capacitance for proximity detection in a sensor having a plurality of sensing electrodes and at least one guarding electrode. A charge transfer process is executed for at least two executions. The charge transfer process includes applying a pre-determined voltage to at least one of the plurality of sensing electrodes using a first switch, applying a first guard voltage to the at least one guarding electrode using a second switch, sharing charge between the at least one of the plurality of sensing electrodes and a filter capacitance, and applying a second guard voltage different from the first guard voltage to the at least one guarding electrode. A voltage is measured on the filter capacitance for a number of measurements equal to at least one to produce at least one result to determine the measurable capacitance for proximity detection.

Capacitance sensors/sensing systems that respond to charge, current, or voltage can be used to detect position or proximity (or motion or presence or any similar information), and are commonly used as input devices for computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), media players and recorders, video game players, consumer electronics, cellular phones, payphones, point-of-sale terminals, automatic teller machines, kiosks, and the like. Capacitive sensing techniques are used in applications such as user input buttons, slide controls, scroll rings, scroll strips, and other types of inputs and controls. One type of capacitance sensor used in such applications is the button-type sensor, which can be used to provide information about the proximity or presence of an input. Another type of capacitance sensor used in such applications is the touchpad-type sensor, which can be used to provide information about an input such as the position, motion, and/or similar information along one axis (1-D sensor), two axes (2-D sensor), or more axes. Both the button-type and touchpad-type sensors can also optionally be configured to provide additional information such as some indication of the force, duration, or amount of capacitive coupling associated with the input. Examples of 1-D and 2-D touchpad-type sensor based on capacitive sensing technologies are described in United States Published Application 2004/0252109 A1 to Trent et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,411, which issued to Gillespie et al. on Mar. 9, 1999. Such 1-D and 2-D sensors can be readily found, for example, in input devices of electronic systems including handheld and notebook-type computers.
A user generally operates a capacitive input device by placing or moving one or more fingers, styli, and/or objects, near the input device an in a sensing region of one or more sensors located on or in the input device. This creates a capacitive effect upon a carrier signal applied to the sensing region that can be detected and correlated to positional information (such as the position(s), proximity, motion(s), and/or similar information) of the stimulus/stimuli with respect to the sensing region. This positional information can in turn be used to select, move, scroll, or manipulate any combination of text, graphics, cursors, highlighters, and/or any other indicator on a display screen. This positional information can also be used to enable the user to interact with an interface, such as to control volume, to adjust brightness, or to achieve any other purpose.
Although capacitance sensors have been widely adopted, sensor designers continue to look for ways to improve the sensors' functionality and effectiveness. In particular, engineers continually strive to reduce the effects of spurious noise on such sensors. Many capacitive sensors, for example, currently include ground planes or other structures that shield the sensing regions from external and internal noise signals. While ground planes and other types of shields held at a roughly constant voltage can effectively prevent some spurious signals from interfering with sensor operation, they can also reduce sensor resolution or increase parasitic effects, such as by increasing parasitic capacitance. Therefore, the performance of such devices is by no means ideal.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for quickly, effectively and efficiently detecting a measurable capacitance while preventing at least some of the adverse effects that can result from spurious noise signals and/or enhance resolution. Moreover, it is desirable to create a scheme that can be implemented using readily available components, such as standard ICs, microcontrollers, and passive components. Other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods and systems for guarding a charge transfer capacitance sensor for proximity detection


An active matrix type liquid crystal display device where display pixels are constituted on a substrate by scanning signal lines, video signal lines, pixel electrodes, common electrodes and active elements in order to obtain an image having good visual field angle characteristics and a high display quality with less residual image. The substrate is opposed to another substrate having a color filter forming a liquid crystal alignment film, and the liquid crystal layer is held by the two substrates. The electrodes and the active elements are so constituted that an electric field can be applied to the liquid crystal layer substantially in parallel with the substrate. The video signal lines, the common electrodes and the pixel electrodes are bent within a range of 60 to 120 degrees relative to the direction of liquid crystal alignment.

A conventional technology for applying an electric field to a liquid crystal composition layer is proposed, for instance, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-36058 and No. 7-159786 in which an electric field is applied to a pair of comb like electrodes formed on a substrate of an active matrix type liquid crystal display device. Heretofore, a display system in which a direction of a primary electric field applied to a liquid crystal composition layer is substantially parallel with a surface of the substrate is referred to as a transverse electric field system.
FIG. 1 shows such a conventional example of a transverse electric field system. In this example, comb like pixel electrodes 5 and 6 are straight and positioned in parallel with one another.
In the above-described transverse electric field system having a conventional pixel electrode structure of FIG. 1, it is known that visual field angle characteristics will change drastically with the change of a pretilt angle as shown in FIG. 10. Thus, in order to achieve good visual angle characteristics in the transverse electric field system, a combination of an alignment film of a very small pretilt angle and liquid crystal is required. According to the experiment, it is desirable that a pretilt angle is less than one (1) degree as shown in FIG. 10.
However, in a vertical electric field system incorporated in liquid crystal displays most widely used today have a pretilt angle of 3–8 degrees between an alignment film and liquid crystal. The vertical electric field system is a display system wherein a direction of a primary electric field is almost vertical to the surface of a substrate. When an alignment film and liquid crystal with one (1) degree of pretilt are used in a liquid crystal display of the vertical electric field system, a reverse tilt domain will be created by the electric field of video signal lines and pixel electrodes, resulting in a significant deterioration in the display quality.
Because of the foregoing reasons, a set of alignment film and liquid crystal to be used in a liquid crystal display based on the transverse electric field system is different from a set of alignment film and liquid crystal to be used in a liquid crystal display system based on the vertical electric field system. When producing liquid crystal display devices of different display systems by the same production facility, alignment films and liquid crystal must be constantly changed, which decreases a production efficiency.

Liquid crystal display device comprising pixel and common electrodes inclined in first and second directions to form a zigzag shape which is symmetrical relative to alignment direction of liquid crystal


The present invention is related to enhancing the function of anti-tumor antibodies by regulating FcγRIIB-mediated activity. In particular, disrupting SHIP activation by FcγRIIB enhances cytotoxicity elicited by a therapeutic antibody in vivo in a human. The invention further provides an antibody, e.g., an anti-tumor antibody, with a variant Fc region that results in binding of the antibody to FcγRIIB with reduced affinity. A variety of transgenic mouse models demonstrate that the inhibiting FcγRIIB molecule is a potent regulator of cytotoxicity in vivo.

The interaction of antibodies and antibody-antigen complexes with cells of the immune system effects a variety of responses, including antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), phagocytosis, inflammatory mediator release, clearance of antigen, and antibody half-life (reviewed in Daëron, Annu. Rev. Immunol., 1997; 15:203-234; Ward and Ghetie, Therapeutic Immunol., 1995; 2:77-94; Ravetch and Kinet, Annu. Rev. Immunol., 1991; 9:457-492, each of which is incorporated herein by reference).
Antibody constant domains are not involved directly in binding an antibody to an antigen, but exhibit various effector functions. Depending on the amino acid sequence of the constant region of their heavy chains, antibodies or immunoglobulins can be assigned to different classes. There are five major classes of immunoglobulins: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM, and several of these may be further divided into subclasses (isotypes), e.g., IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4; IgA1 and IgA2. The heavy chain constant regions that correspond to the different classes of immunoglobulins are called α, δ, ε, γ, and μ, respectively. Of the various human immunoglobulin classes, human IgG1 and IgG3 mediate ADCC more effectively than IgG2 and IgG4.
Papain digestion of antibodies produces two identical antigen binding fragments, called Fab fragments, each with a single antigen binding site, and a residual "Fc" fragment, whose name reflects its ability to crystallize readily. The Fc region is central to the effector functions of antibodies. The crystal structure of the human IgG Fc region has been determined (Deisenhofer, Biochemistry, 20:2361-2370 (1981), which is incorporated herein by reference). In human IgG molecules, the Fc region is generated by papain cleavage N-terminal to Cys 226.
The effector functions mediated by the antibody Fc region can be divided into two categories: (1) effector functions that operate after the binding of antibody to an antigen; these functions involve the participation of the complement cascade or Fc receptor (FcR)-bearing cells; and (2) effector functions that operate independently of antigen binding; these functions confer persistence in the circulation and the ability to be transferred across cellular barriers by transcytosis (Ward and Ghetie, Therapeutic Immunology, 1995, 2:77-94, which is incorporated herein by reference).
While binding of an antibody to the requisite antigen has a neutralizing effect that might prevent the binding of a foreign antigen to its endogenous target (e.g., receptor or ligand), efficient effector functions are also required for removing and/or destroying foreign antigens.
Several antibody effector functions are mediated by Fc receptors (FcRs), which bind the Fc region of an antibody. FcRs are defined by their specificity for immunoglobulin isotypes: Fc receptors for IgG antibodies are referred to as FcγR, for IgE as FcεR, for IgA as FcαR and so on. Surface receptors for immunoglobulin G are present in two distinct classes—those that activate cells upon their crosslinking ("activation FcRs") and those that inhibit activation upon co-engagement ("inhibitory FcRs"). Activation FcRs for IgG require the presence of the Immune Tyrosine Activation Motif (ITAM) to mediate cellular activation. This 19 amino acid sequence, found in the cytoplasmic tail of the receptors or their associated subunits, interacts with src and syk families oftyrosine kinases sequentially. Upon crosslinking of an activation FcγR by an immune complex, ITAM sequences trigger the activation of these tyrosine kinases, which in turn activate a variety of cellular mediators, like PI3K, PLCγ and Tec kinases. The net result of these activation steps is to increase intracellular calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum stores and opening of the capacitance coupled calcium channel to generate a sustained calcium response. These calcium fluxes are critical for the exocytosis of granular contents, stimulation of phagocytosis and ADCC responses and activation of specific nuclear transcription factors. Opposing these activation responses is the inhibitory FcγR. Inhibitory signaling is dependent on a 13 amino acid cytoplasmic sequence called the Immune Tyrosine Inhibitory Motif (ITIM). Upon co-ligation of an ITAM containing receptor to the inhibitory FcγR, a critical tyrosine residue in the ITIM becomes phosphorylated, leading to the recruitment of a specific SH2-containing inositol polyphosphate 5 phosphatase called SHIP. SHIP catalyzes the hydrolysis of the membrane inositol lipid, PIP3, thereby preventing activation of PLCγ and Tec kinases and abrogating the sustained calcium flux mediated by the influx of calcium through the capacitance coupled channel.
Three subclasses of FcγR have been identified: FcγRI (CD64), FcγRII (CD32) and FcγRIII (CD16). Because each FcγR subclass is encoded by two or three genes, and alternative RNA splicing leads to multiple transcripts, a broad diversity in FcγR isoforms exists. The three genes encoding the FcγRI subclass (FcγRIA, FcγRIB and FcγRIC) are clustered in region 1q21.1 of the long arm of chromosome 1; the genes encoding FcγRII isoforms (FcγRIIA, FcγRIIB and FcγRIIC) and the two genes encoding FcγRIII (FcγRIIIA and FcγRIIIB) are all clustered in region 1q22.
The mouse expresses two activation FcγRs, FcRI and FcRIII, oligomeric surface receptors with a ligand binding α subunit and an ITAM containing γ subunit. The inhibitory receptor is FcγRIIB, a single chain receptor with an ITIM sequence found in the cytoplasmic tail of the ligand binding a chain. FcRIIB and FcRIII bind monomeric IgG with an affinity constant of 1×106; hence, under physiological conditions they do not bind monomeric IgG, but interact with multimeric IgG immune complexes with low affinity and high avidity. FcRIII is the physiologically important activation FcR for mediating inflammatory disease triggered by cytotoxic antibodies or pathogenic immune complexes. FcRIII is expressed on NK cells, macrophages, mast cells and neutrophils in the mouse. It is not found on B cells, T cells or circulating monocytes. FcRIIB is found on B cells, macrophages, mast cells, neutrophils. It is not found on T cells or NK cells. FcRII and III have greater than 90% sequence identity in their extracellular, ligand binding domain.
The situation in the human is more complex. There are two low-affinity activation FcRs for IgG—FcγRIIA and FcγRIIIA. FcγRIIA is a single-chain low affinity receptor for IgG, with an ITAM sequence located in its cytoplasmic tail. It is expressed on macrophages, mast cells, monocytes, neutrophils and some B cells. It is 90% homologous in its extracellular domain to the human inhibitory FcRIIB molecule, which has an ITIM sequence in its cytoplasmic domain, expressed on B cells, macrophages, mast cells, neutrophils, monocytes but not NK cells or T cells. FcRIIIA is an oligomeric activation receptor consisting of a ligand binding α subunit and an ITAM containing γ or ζ subunit. It is expressed on NK cells, macrophages and mast cells. It is not expressed on neutrophils, B cells or T cells. In addition, a receptor with greater than 95% sequence identity in its extracellular domain called FcRIIIB is found on human neutrophils as a GPI-anchored protein. It is capable of binding immune complexes but not activating cells in the absence of association with an ITAM containing receptor like FcRIIA. FcRII and FcRIII are about 70% identical in their ligand binding extracellular domains.
Thus, in the human, IgG cytotoxic antibodies interact with four distinct low-affinity receptors—two of which are capable of activating cellular responses, FcRIIA and FcRIIIA, one of which is inhibitory, FcRIIB and one of which will bind IgG complexes but not trigger cellular responses, FcRIIIB. Macrophages express FcRIIA, FcRIIB and FcRIIIA, neutrophils express FcRIIA, FcRIIB and FcRIIIB, while NK cells express only FcRIIIA. The efficacy of a therapeutic anti-tumor antibody will thus depend on the specific interactions with activation, inhibition and inert low-affinity FcRs, differentially expressed on distinct cell types.
Well-defined tumor models for which therapeutic anti-tumor antibodies have been developed are known. For example, antibodies directed against the HER2/neu growth factor receptor prevent the growth of breast carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Similarly, antibodies directed to the CD20 antigen on B cells arrests the growth of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (Taji, H. et al., Jpn. J. Cancer Res., 1998, 89:748, which is incorporated herein by reference). These antibodies were developed based on their ability to interfere with tumor cell growth in vitro and are representative of a class which include those with specificities for the EGF receptor (Masul, H. et al., J. Cancer Res., 1986, 46:5592, which is incorporated herein by reference), IL-2R (Waldmann, T. A., Ann. Oncol., 1994, 5 Supp. 1:13-7, which is incorporated herein by reference) and others (Tutt, A. L. et al., J. Immunol., 1998, 161:3176, which is incorporated herein by reference). HERCEPTIN®, a humanized antibody specific for the cellular proto-oncogene p185HER-2/neu (Pegram, M. D. et al., J. Clin. Oncol. 1998, 16:2659; Carter, P. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1992, 89:4285-4289, each of which is incorporated herein by reference), and RITUXAN®, a chimeric antibody specific for the B cell marker CD20 (Leget, G. A. and Czuczman, M. S., Curr. Opin. Oncol., 1998, 10:548-51, which is incorporated herein by reference), are approved for the treatment of HER-2 positive breast cancer and B cell lymphoma, respectively. A number of in vitro studies indicated that the critical mechanism responsible for the anti-tumor activities of HERCEPTIN® and its mouse parent molecule 4D5 are due to receptor-ligand blockade (Kopreski, M. et al., Anticancer Res., 1996, 16:433-6; Lewis, G. D. et al., Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 1993, 37:255-63, each of which is incorporated herein by reference), while other in vitro studies have suggested that activities such as antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) may be of importance (Carter, 1992, supra; Lewis, G. D. et al., Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 1993, 37:255-63, which is incorporated herein by reference). In vitro studies with RITUXAN® and its murine parent 2B8 have suggested a direct pro-apoptotic activity may be associated with this antibody (Shan, D. et al., Blood, 1998, 91:1644-52, which is incorporated herein by reference).
Thus, multiple mechanisms have been proposed for the ability of anti-tumor antibodies to mediate their effects in vivo, including extended half-life, blockade of signaling pathways, activation of apoptosis and effector cell mediated cytotoxicity. The elucidation of a mechanism that enhances the ability of anti-tumor antibodies to effectively treat tumors is highly desirable.

Enhancement of antibody-mediated immune responses


A vacuum device (10) has a collapsible cover (18) capable of maintaining a seal with a flexible surface (64) such as human tissue. A set of shaping members (20) support the cover (18) against collapse into the evacuated region in the interior, yet readily flex to maintain the seal with the deforming tissue without the need for an excessive sealing force.

Various surgical procedures require that a region of tissue be positioned and manipulated. Two types of devices for holding and manipulating objects are clamps and vacuum devices.
Clamps and forceps apply opposing forces from two directions. However, access to two sides (e.g., front and back) of a piece of tissue is not always available. When only one side of the tissue is available, a portion of the tissue must be "pinched" between the jaws of the clamp. This can be traumatic to the tissue.
Clamps can easily apply excessive forces to local areas. For example, in vascular surgery, excessive clamping force can collapse a blood vessel. In such a collapse, the tubular vessel is flattened, stopping the flow of blood and potentially damaging the vessel tissue.
Vacuum devices present an alternative to clamps and forceps. The vacuum device is held adjacent to a surface to create an enclosed volume. Vacuum may be drawn in the enclosed volume through a port. The enclosed volume is otherwise sealed from its surroundings. Forces and displacements applied to the vacuum device are communicated to the surface via the suction pressures.
However, standard vacuum cups designed for use on rigid surfaces do not work as well on surfaces of flexible materials such as human tissues. When force is applied to soft tissue, the tissue deforms. In some casesm the deformation is linear and elastic and easily quantified. More often with biological tissues, the deformation is highly nonlinear, and may include a time-dependent, visco-elastic component. For example, human tissue exhibits both elastic and visco-elastic properties. As a result the deformation of human tissue depends on both the force currently applied and also on the cumulative past history of forces applied to the tissue. When forces are applied to human tissue for extended periods, the tissue typically undergoes large deformations and the seal with a standard vacuum cup can be easily lost.
To avoid losing the seal with flexible human tissues, a deeped vacuum cup has been developed and is currently used for childbirth extraction. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5281229 Neward discloses an obstetrical vacuum extractor cup. In cups such as these, the deep walls of the cup enable a seal to maintained even with highly deformed tissue. The cup is axisymmetric; the deep walls have a circular cross section prevent buckling and collapse of the cup when a vacuum is drawn.
While such a vacuum is drawn within these deepened cups, the cups can impose large forces and/or deformations to the tissue. These forces to the tissue can be significant even when no overall net force is applied to the cup.
For example, when no force is applied to the handle of a deepened cup, calculation of a force balance shows that no net force is applied from the cup to the tissue. (In this calculation, the small weight of the cup is neglected). To achieve the zero net force on the tissue, the pulling force on the tissue caused by the vacuum in the interior of the cup is balanced by an equal pushing force applied to the tissue by the rim of the cup. These forces which act on the tissue when no net external force is applied to the vacuum device are defined herein as residual forces.
The residual forces can cause undesirable deformations and possible trauma to the tissue. Obstetrical cups create a large deformation called an "artificial caput succedaneum" on a portion of the fetal head. This condition requires a considerably long period for a complete cure and sometimes leaves a permanent scar on the head of the fetus. Additionally, the gross distortion of the infant scalp causes bruising. This bruising elevates the blood levels of bilirubin, which the immature infant liver is not yet capable of removing, and jaundice can result.
Furthermore, the effectiveness of the vacuum device diminishes after the shape of the tissue conforms to the shape of the rigid cup. After the tissue has deformed to the cup shape, any additional deformation can result in loss of the seal between the cup and the tissue.
An alternative to deepened cups are cups of a very small diameter. With smaller diameter cups, the applied forces are much smaller. Furthermore, the elastic and viscoelastic effects are mitigated by the small length scales. Small length scales mean that the tissue must be deformed to a smaller radius of curvature to separate from the cup. Correspondingly higher stresses are encountered; the materials appear effectively stiffer as the length scales decrease. However, the small forces that these small cups can deliver severely limit their usefulness for securely holding tissue.
Therefore, there is a need for a system for holding tissue during surgery which can be easily applied from one side of the tissue, which can securely hold the tissue without excessive deformation or damage, and in which the residual forces are very small.


Protective assemblies for zippers described may include a protective barrier for preventing migration of particles and/or organisms between opposite surfaces of the barrier. When a zipper assembly is brought to a closed position, a zipper slider may form a connection with the barrier resulting in an obstruction to block infiltration of small particles or organisms (e.g., bed bugs, allergens, dust mites, small particles, etc.). The barrier may be attached to an article, such as a padded material for use with a bedding/furniture cover. In some embodiments, a cover may be implemented to enclose a portion of the zipper slider. The barrier may include one or more padding materials for preventing migration of small particles or organisms past obstructions formed by the padding material(s).

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to the use of a barrier with a zipper assembly. In some aspects, a barrier may be used with a zipper assembly to prevent the infiltration of small particles and/or organisms from one side of a barrier to an opposite side of the barrier.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Bed bugs are a type of small parasitic insect that prefers to feed on human blood and that can dwell within bed mattresses. To prevent bed bugs from reaching a person sleeping on a mattress, a fabric cover or encasement may be provided to surround the mattress so as to prevent the bugs from escaping. The encasement is typically placed around the mattress and closed by a zipper so that the bed bugs encounter the barrier of the fabric cover and are unable to exit.
Zippers are commonly used for temporarily joining two edges of material, typically fabric, for a wide range of daily applications, such as in the usage of clothing, luggage/bags, furniture and bedding materials. FIG. 1A depicts a conventional zipper assembly 10 having two strips of fabric tape 40 each affixed to corresponding zipper tracks 32, 34. The zipper tracks each have a number of teeth 36 that can be enmeshed together to form a set of linked zipper tracks 30. A zipper slider 20, having a Y-shaped channel, is manipulated by a user pulling a tab 22 to move the zipper slider along the rows of teeth so as to bring opposing rows of teeth together into a mesh, or to separate previously enmeshed teeth. Depending on the direction in which the slider is manipulated, the zipper can be opened or closed.
The zipper may be pulled in a direction (e.g., upward) so as to reach a closed position and such that the linked zipper tracks 30 may largely restrict the passage of small particles or organisms from one side of the zipper to the other. However, for standard zipper assemblies, even when closed, a small space (e.g., about 5 mm2 in area) through which small particles or organisms might move will almost inevitably exist at the top of the zipper.

Protective barrier for a zipper assembly


A cylinder liner capable of oil storage and lubrication used for a model engine is provided. The cylinder liner is disposed in a cylinder of the model engine. A piston is provided in the cylinder liner to reciprocate axially. The inner wall of the cylinder liner is honed to form a plurality of grooves. The inner wall of the cylinder liner is further formed with at least one grooved trough. The grooved trough is adapted to store an oil film to provide a lubrication effect between the piston and the cylinder liner during the reciprocation of the piston. The present invention enhances the protection for the piston and the cylinder liner and lowers the temperature during the running of the model engine. The piston can be reciprocated smoothly for a long time at a high speed so as to enhance the efficiency and service life of the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a model engine, and more particularly to a cylinder liner capable of oil storage and lubrication used for a model engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional model engine. The model engine comprises an engine main body 1. The engine main body 1 is longitudinally provided with a cylinder liner 2. A piston 3 is provided in the cylinder liner 2. The piston 3 is movable in the cylinder liner 2 in the axial direction of the cylinder liner 2. The piston 3 is further connected with a connecting rod 4. One end of the connecting rod 4 is pivotally connected under the piston 3. The connecting rod 4 extends downward to extend out of the cylinder liner 2. The other end of the connecting rod 4 is pivotally connected with a crankshaft 5. The crankshaft 5 is transversely disposed under the cylinder liner 2 and extends out of the engine main body 1. Thereby, when the model engine is running, the piston 3 is reciprocated in the cylinder liner 2 to bring the crankshaft 5 to turn through the connecting rod 4, so that the power generated by the model engine is outputted through the crankshaft 5.
FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the cylinder liner and the piston of the conventional model engine. FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of the cylinder liner of the conventional model engine. When the model engine is running, the piston 3 must be close contact with the cylinder liner 2 for the energy generated by explosion of the oil film in the cylinder liner 2 to convert into kinetic energy to reciprocate the piston 3, preventing the kinetic energy generated by explosion of the oil film from overflowing through the gap between the piston 3 and the cylinder liner 2. However, when the piston 3 is reciprocated in the cylinder liner 2, the reciprocation of the piston 3 will bear great damping if the frictional resistance between the piston 3 and the cylinder liner 2 is too large. This causes a high temperature and reduces the power output efficiency of the model engine. In order to avoid the aforesaid situation, the inner wall of the cylinder liner 2 is honed to form a plurality of oblique cross groves a. The depth of the grooves a on the inner wall of the cylinder liner 2 is very shallow in the range of 0.001 to 0.002 centimeter. Both Chinese Patent Publication No. 102189502 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,086 disclose the method to form the grooves a on the inner wall of the cylinder liner 2. The grooves a formed by honing processing not only keep close contact between the piston 3 and the cylinder liner 2 but also decrease the contact area of the piston 3 and the inner wall of the cylinder liner 2. The ragged surface formed by the grooves a on the inner wall of the cylinder liner 2 has the function to store the oil film so as to increase the lubrication effect and to reduce the frictional resistance to lower the temperature.
For keeping close contact between the piston 3 and the cylinder liner 2, the depth of the grooves a on the inner wall of the cylinder liner 2 is limited to in the range of 1 to 2 micrometers, such that the lubrication effect by storing the oil film is limited.
In view of this, another engine is developed accordingly. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of another conventional cylinder liner and the piston. FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged view of the cylinder liner. The outer wall of the piston 6 is provided with a plurality of annular members 7 to accumulate an oil film when the piston 6 is reciprocated in the cylinder liner 2. Through the accumulated oil film, when the piston 6 is reciprocated, a layer of oil film is formed between the piston 6 and the inner wall of the cylinder liner 2 to achieve a lubrication effect so as to lower the damping when the piston 6 is reciprocated. The annular members 7 fitted on the outer wall of the piston 6 cause a gap between the piston 6 and the wall of the cylinder, and they may be degraded and deformed easily to result in the loss of the compression ratio of the engine. The power output efficiency of the engine is reduced, so the engine needs further improvement.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a further conventional cylinder liner and the piston. FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the cylinder liner. The outer wall of the piston 8 is formed with a plurality of grooves 9. The grooves 9 are adapted to store an oil film. When the piston 8 is reciprocated in the cylinder liner 2, the oil film stored by the grooves 9 forms a layer of oil film between the piston 8 and the inner wall of the cylinder liner 2 to provide a lubrication effect so as to lower the damping when the piston 8 is reciprocated. Because the piton 8 is a movable part, the oil film stored by the grooves 9 is easily flung out by the centrifugal force caused by the reciprocation of the piston 8. Thus, the oil film stored by the grooves 9 cannot continue to provide the lubrication effect. This results in an increase of the frictional resistance to bear great damping during the piston 8 is reciprocated. In particular, when the piston 8 is reciprocated at a high speed, the centrifugal force is greater and the oil film in the grooves 9 is flung out constantly. The grooves 9 are almost impossible to store the oil film, so the lubrication effect is not good. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.


A motor part of a fuel pump is a brushless motor having a stator and a rotor. The stator has a core, a coil set and an insulator, which holds the core and the coil set in an insulated manner. The coil set has a plurality of coils wound about a tooth part and a plurality of crossing wires connecting the coils. The insulator is formed by stacking central ring parts of a plurality of stator units in an axial direction. At least one of crossing wire holder parts is formed of a combination of guide projections, which are formed on the different central ring parts. The length of the brushless motor in the axial direction can thus be shortened.

According to a conventional brushless motor, current supply to a coil set wound about a core of a stator is controlled to continuously switch over magnetic field so that a rotor provided inside the stator is rotated. A coil wire wound about one of a plurality of core parts, which forms the core, and a coil wire wound about another core part are connected by crossing wires. Holder parts for holding the crossing wires are formed on the stator.
For example, in JP 2007-129847A (US 2007/0103014 A1), a positioning member including a plurality of projections arranged in a radial direction is formed. Each crossing wire is laid between the adjacently arranged projections of the positioning member so that the plurality of crossing wires is juxtaposed and held in the radial direction.
The positioning member is formed in a step shape and the plurality of crossing wires is held while being shifted in position in an axial direction. The holder part thus becomes long in the axial direction. The plurality of crossing wires is only pushed in between the adjacently arranged projections. No configuration is provided to prevent the crossing wires from dropping out. The crossing wires thus tend to drop out from the positioning member due to, for example, injection pressure, applied to resin-mold the crossing wires at a later manufacturing step. As a result, dropout of the crossing wires causes various flaws such as damage and short-circuit.

Brushless motor with crossing wire holder


A controller is configured to accept a user input from an input interface, access a memory storing tree information that includes pieces of information about a plurality of hierarchized elements, and generate a screen command related to a display screen of a display. The controller causes elements included in the tree information to be displayed on the display. When an element located in the center in the width direction of the display receives an expanding operation, child elements are expanded one layer below the element. When a parent element of child elements goes beyond the center in the width direction, in response to the width direction slide operation, the child elements subordinate to the element are hidden on the display.

In Patent Document 1 below, a device for displaying pieces of multi-layered screen information systemized in a tree shape (hereinafter referred to as "tree information") is disclosed. Since many pieces of information are included in the tree information, it may be difficult to display all the tree information in one screen.
In the conventional device described above, a title name and a number are given to each of the pieces of screen information hierarchized in the tree information. Further, in this device, assistance screen information is prepared in which sets of the title name and the number are hierarchically displayed similarly to relationships in the tree information.
In the above conventional device, when information is provided for a user, the assistance screen information can be displayed on a display first. By specifying a desired title or number from among the titles or numbers included in the display, the user who receives provision of the display can call screen information corresponding to the title or the number. Thus, according to the above conventional device, the user can efficiently call desired information from the tree information that may have a huge amount of information.

Tree-information-providing device and program product for tree information provision


Disclosed is a novel transdermal delivery system for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Using phospholipids as vehicles, DHEA can be administered into and through the skin when topically applied. Numerous advantages apply to this modality of therapy.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the adrenal hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA, Chemical Abstracts registry number 53-43-0, systematic name 3-beta-hydroxyandrosten-17-one) and to improved compositions and methods for topical administration thereof.
DHEA is the major secretory product of the human adrenal gland and is the most abundant hormone in the body. It is weakly active as a sex hormone but is a precursor within the body for the androgen testosterone in the male and for estrogenic hormones such as estrone and estradiol in the female. Once DHEA is released into the body from the adrenal gland it is converted into the sulfate ester DHEA-S by the liver.
The liver and the kidney are the principal organs involved in clearing steroid hormones from the circulation.
Hepatic metabolism accomplishes two functions for DHEA: a decrease in the biologic activity of the hormone, and an increase in its water solubility, because of conversion to the hydrophilic sulfate form that can be excreted in urine.
Amounts of DHEA in the circulation change with age (Table 1) and it has therefore been postulated that they may be involved in the maturing and aging process in humans.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ REFERENCE RANGES OF DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULFATE Age (years) Males, micrograms/ml Females, micrograms/ml ______________________________________ Newborn 1.7-3.6 1.7-3.6 Prepubertal 0.1-0.6 0.1-0.6 Postpubertal-29 1.4-7.9 0.7-4.5 30-39 1.0-7.0 0.5-4.1 40-49 0.9-5.7 0.4-3.5 50-59 0.6-4.1 0.3-2.7 60-69 0.4-3.2 0.2-1.8 70-79 0.3-2.6 0.1-0.9 ______________________________________ Source: Smith Kline Beecham Clinical Laboratories Co.
Blood levels of DHEA-S peak at approximately 20 years of age and then decline past that age in many individuals. Clinical studies have shown a correlation between a decrease in DHEA-S and an increase in age related conditions.
The plasma half-life of free DHEA is under twenty minutes. In its bound form as DHEA-S it dissociates more rapidly from the binding proteins, making them more susceptible to degradation. The episodic secretion of DHEA, combined with this short plasma half-life results in wide fluctuations in plasma free DHEA levels. By contrast, the steroid sulfates (with significantly less biological activity), such as DHEA-S, which bind with high affinity to albumin, are cleared slowly from the circulation and have high stable plasma concentration.
2. Prior Art
El-Rashidy U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,532 discloses a transdermal dosage form for administering dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), utilizing a pressure-sensitive medical grade silicone adhesive material which contains DHEA and a permeation enhancer therefor. A "permeation enhancer" is defined as a compound compatible with DHEA that facilitates the uptake of DHEA through the skin and thus enables a therapeutically effective dosage of DHEA to be administered to the patient. The permeation enhancers contemplated are aromatic or aliphatic carbocyclic compounds that have pendant hydroxyl groups, such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD), and the like, as well as mixtures thereof.
El-Rashidy states that "DHEA in the presently contemplated dosage forms can be administered to lower elevated blood cholesterol levels, for prophylactic or palliative treatment of patients suffering from AIDS, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and the like afflictions." However, no results of such administration to patients are disclosed.
Loria U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,008 cites such clinical uses of DHEA as topical treatment of patients suffering from psoriasis, gout, and hyperlipemia, and administration to postcoronary patients. Loria further discloses the conversion of DHEA, both in the body and by chemical synthesis, to 5-androstene-3-beta-17-beta-diol and 5-androstene-3-beta-7-beta-17-beta-triol, and teaches the clinical use of these two metabolites in preference to DHEA.
Fawzi et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,450 discloses that lecithin enhances the penetration of a drug through the skin as well as a pharmaceutical composition adapted for transdermal administration comprising an active ingredient and an effective amount of lecithin. An active ingredient is defined as "an effective amount of any therapeutically active drug". The "preferred drugs" recited by categories and specific compounds do not include DHEA or any steroid or any kind of hormone.
Hsia et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,090 discloses a method of lowering serum cholesterol levels in mammals comprising topically administering a phospholipid containing composition such as lecithin with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, which can be "any carrier that does not affect the affinity of the phospholipid for cholesterol". The phospholipid containing composition can be present, for example, in a patch which can be adhered to the skin of the individual such that topical administration is effected. There is no mention of any clinically active material to be used together with lecithin. Hence there is no teaching that a phospholipid is of any benefit in increasing serum levels of any substance.
DuBois U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,113 discloses dietetic, laxative, or cosmetic products which are emulsions of an aqueous phase in an oily phase, in which the aqueous phase contains an extract of hydrodispersible lecithin enriched in phosphatidylcholine, and the oily phase is composed principally of oily paraffin hydrocarbons and a purified lipo-soluble lecithin extract. The products can contain an inert mineral powder such as kaolin, talc or calcium carbonate, and monoglycerides melting above 50.degree. C., as well as a variety of flavors. There is no mention or suggestion of transdermal administration of any therapeutic by using the disclosed composition.
Against this background there remains a need for improved methods and compositions for topically administering DHEA and achieving novel therapeutic utilities thereof.

Transdermal delivery of dehydroepiandrosterone


A method for distinguishing between in-band signaling and user data transmissions of a communication system. The method includes the assignment of separate training bit sequences, one for in-band signaling transmissions and another for user data transmissions. During transmission, the training bit sequence associated with the type of transmission being sent is used as the training bit sequence. The method further includes the correlation of the received training bit sequence with both the training bit sequence assigned to in-band signaling and the training bit sequence assigned to user data. The training bit sequence having the highest correlation energy indicates the type of data contained in the communication transmission.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains in general to a method for distinguishing between control signaling and user data, and more particularly, to a method for distinguishing between in-band signaling and user data in a communication channel of a communication system.
2. Description of Related Art
In a given communication network conforming to any one of a number of communication network protocols, there are two broadly defined types of transmissions. The first type is referred to as "user data." User data comprises communication messages which are the intended subject of the communication network and include speech, facsimile data, and electronic data, among others. The second type of transmission is control signaling which is communicated via the communication network in order to control the functioning of the network. Control signaling is a part of the overhead necessary to implement the communication system. Typically, communication network protocols are designed to accommodate both types of transmissions over the same physical communication channel while at the same time maintaining separation between them using different logical channels.
In the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) standard, user data is transmitted over a traffic channel while a portion of the control signaling is transmitted over a different logical channel called a Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH). Situations occur, however, where the Slow Associated Control Channel does not have the bandwidth necessary to facilitate transmission of all the control information. Examples of when this might occur include DTMF signaling, providing supplementary services, and handoff directives.
In the case of a handoff directive, for example, a telephone conversation needs to be handed over from one base station to another. This handoff requires a large amount of control information to suddenly be communicated over the communication network. The Slow Associated Control Channel is incapable of transmitting the requisite large amount of information and therefore a Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH) implemented on the logical channel comprising the traffic channel is used to transmit the signaling information necessary to effectuate the handover in place of a 20 millisecond segment of speech. This substitution of control signaling for user data is commonly referred to as in-band signaling. While in-band signaling does not seriously degrade the quality of the user data transmission, it places additional overhead on the communication system.
Since the substitution of control signaling for user data occurs at random time periods from the perspective of the receiver, a method to distinguish between user data and in-band signaling is required. In the GSM standard, user data is distinguished from in-band signaling through the use of a "stealing flag" bit, which is associated with each 57 bits of encrypted user data. Two 57 bits of encrypted data along with two stealing flag bits and other control bits form what is referred to as a normal burst. Four such normal bursts taken together form a Fast Associated Control Channel. Although this solution in GSM is relatively simple to implement, the bits which are used for stealing flags are lost to other uses and become fixed overhead of the overall communication system, thereby decreasing the bandwidth available for user data.
There is a need, therefore, for a method of distinguishing between in-band signaling and user data which does not unnecessarily waste communication bits.

Method and apparatus for distinguishing in-band signaling from user data


A roof module (10) of a motor vehicle roof (2), especially of a passenger car (1), which is mounted on a fixed body structure and which forms the top of the motor vehicle roof (2), to increase utility, the roof module is provided with guide rails (18) for movable attachment of at least one roof module component (17, 23, 26).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a roof module of a motor vehicle roof, especially of a passenger car, which is mounted on a fixed body structure and which forms the top of the motor vehicle roof.
2. Description of Related Art
German Patent Application DE 199 19 505 A1 and corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,204, disclose a motor vehicle roof with a roof module which, as a pre-mounted unit for attachment to the two lateral lengthwise roof members, is pushed in from the front or from the back on the lengthwise roof members and is attached securely thereto, thus securely closing the roof opening. A subsequently variable configuration or use of the motor vehicle roof is neither intended nor possible here.
German Patent Application DE 34 29 880 A1 discloses a roof for motor vehicles which is formed as a premounted assembly or roof module and which can be detachably connected to the body from its interior by means of quick-acting or snap closures. The entire roof module can be provided in different configurations which can be removed in their entirety from the body and can be replaced by one another.


A substrate undergoes a semiconductor fabrication process at different temperatures in a reactor without changing the temperature of the reactor. The substrate is held suspended by flowing gas between two heated surfaces of the reactor. Moving the two heated surfaces in close proximity with the substrate for a particular time duration heats the substrate to a desired temperature. The desired temperature is then maintained by distancing the heated surfaces from the substrate and holding the heated surface at the increased distance to minimize further substrate heating.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor processing and, more particularly, to the heat treatment of substrates, including semiconductor wafers or flat panel displays.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reactors which can process a substrate while suspending or floating the substrate without directly mechanically contacting the substrate, e.g., by floating the substrate on gas cushions, have relatively recently been developed for semiconductor processing. These reactors may be called floating substrate reactors and such a reactor is commercially available under the trade name Levitor® from ASM International, N.V. of Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
In the Levitor® reactor, which is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,565 B1, a substrate, such as a wafer, is supported by two opposite gas flows emanating from two heated and relatively massive reactor blocks located on opposite sides of the substrate. The boundary surfaces of the reactor blocks facing the wafer are substantially flat and a small gap of less than about 1 mm is typically maintained between each block and the corresponding wafer surface. The small gap results in a particularly rapid heat transfer from the heated blocks to the wafer by conduction through the gas. The heat-up of the wafer is thus very uniform, as the wafer is not mechanically contacted during the heat treatment. In comparison, where a transport arm transports a substrate into the reactor and then continues to support the substrate during processing, mechanical contact during processing by support fingers of a transport arm results in cold spots on the wafer during heat-up at the contact positions with the support fingers, as the support fingers represent extra thermal mass that needs to be heated and that locally slows down the heat-up rate. Alternatively, where a substrate is transported to the reactor and then handed off to support pins that remain in the reactor after processing, mechanical contact during processing by those support pins results in hot spots on the wafer at the contact positions when the wafer is handed-off and contacts the support pins. Also, by floating a substrate during processing, thermal stresses, possibly resulting in crystallographic slip, are advantageously avoided.
A method utilizing a floating substrate reactor, such as the Levitor® reactor, to achieve a high degree of reproducibility in the thermal treatment for a series of substrates, which are successively treated one by one, is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0027094 A1, published Feb. 6, 2003, and assigned to ASM International, N.V. In that method, the temperature is measured close to the boundary surface of a reactor block so that withdrawal of heat from the reactor block by the placement of a relatively cold substrate in the reactor is measured at that boundary surface. The reactor block is typically continuously heated and the cold substrate is placed in the vicinity of the reactor block only after the reactor block has reached a desired temperature, as measured at the boundary surface. The cold substrate typically will absorb heat and reduce the temperature of the reactor block. The substrate is then removed after processing and before the temperature of the continuously heated reactor block rises to the desired temperature again. After the temperature of the reactor block rises to the desired temperature, another substrate is placed in the vicinity of the reactor block.
An advantage of reactors such as the Levitor® reactor is that the relatively massive reactor blocks of the reactor act as thermal "fly-wheels," resulting in a very stable temperature and reproducible performance. Ideally, for the most efficient operation, the reactor has a constant temperature set-point all the time.
Different process requirements, however, may require different treatment temperatures. From a semiconductor fabrication operation point of view and the standpoint of process efficiency, one thermal treatment reactor should be able to perform these different processes. However, changing the temperature of reactors such as the Levitor® reactor, and cooling-down the reactor, in particular, is a very time-consuming process that can negatively influence the applicability of such a reactor for performing sequences of processes requiring different process temperatures.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for thermally treating a substrate in a floating substrate reactor at different temperatures.

Method for the heat treatment of substrates


A resonant converter arrangement comprises two resonant converters, each having a resonant circuit through which current is switched alternately in opposite directs by respective switch elements. The outputs of the two resonant converters are combined to provide an output of the arrangement which has an amplitude that is dependent upon the relative phase of the outputs of the two resonant converter. For the later purpose, switch controller controls the switch element for one of the two resonant converters, in accordance with such relative phase of the two resonant converters.

This invention relates to resonant converters of the type which are commonly used for converting one source of electrical energy to another source having predetermined characteristics. Such resonant converters are well generally comprise a series resonant circuit, through which current is switched alternately in opposite directions at a frequency close to the resonant frequency of the circuit; an output is developed across one element of the resonant circuit, with an amplitude that can be controlled in accordance with the switching frequency.
These known resonant converters have the disadvantage that control of an output current by controlling the switching frequency will normally only permit an output current reduction down to about 5% of a nominal output current, and thus current reduction from nominal down to zero is not feasible. Moreover, wide switching frequency variations, say from 20 kHz to 60 kHz, produce a correspondingly wide variation in noise which is undesirable for some applications wherein a predictable noise spectrum associated with a constant switching frequency would be an advantage.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a resonant converter in which the foregoing shortcomings of the known converters are obviated or diminished.


Poly(arylene sulfide sulfone) polymers recovered from a reaction mixture produced by contacting at least one haloaromatic sulfone, at least one sulfur source, and a polar organic compound at polymerization conditions are treated with (1) a haloaromatic sulfone mixture comprising at least one haloaromatic sulfone and a polar organic compound followed by contacting the polymer with (2) a zinc compound. The two-step treatment improves the melt stability and extrudate quality of the polymer.

This invention relates to the treatment of poly(arylene sulfide sulfone) polymers and the polymers thus treated.
Poly(arylene sulfide sulfone) polymers are thermoplastic polymers of interest for film, fiber, molding, and composite application because of their high glass transition temperatures and good mechanical and electrical properties and chemical resistance.
An important aspect of thermoplastic polymers is the ability to withstand the high temperatures encountered in injection-molding processes for an extended period of time so that they can be molded rapidly and efficiently into almost any desired shape. An increased flow rate allows filling of thin-walled sections of molds at decreased pressures. Using higher molecular weight poly(arylene sulfide sulfone) polymers result in improved mechanical properties.
Another important aspect of such polymers is melt stability as evidenced by the extrudate quality, which includes gassiness preferably having a low number of bubbles in a given area, preferably a light color good clarity, and very smooth surface. It is also important that the extrudate quality be maintained for a period of time sufficient to produce molded objects, i.e. melt stability.
It is therefore desirable to produce a poly(arylene sulfide sulfone) polymer which would withstand high temperatures for an extended period of time without becoming unmanageably viscous, exhibit desirable melt flow properties, and exhibit good extrudate quality to be used in such areas as electrical components, wire coatings, automotive parts, composites, and the like.

Method of treating poly(arylene sulfide sulfone) polymers and polymers