A valve assembly comprises a valve body and at least one valve seat is disposed within the valve body. A groove is disposed therein concentrically around the valve seat. A poppet assembly is disposed within the valve body and comprises an imperforate valve stem and a valve plug at an end of the valve stem. For three-way flow, the valve body includes two valve seats, and a valve plug at each valve stem end. A cap is attached to an end of the valve body top and a first flexible imperforate diaphragm is disposed within the cap. A second flexible imperforate diaphragm is disposed within the valve body between the poppet assembly and the first diaphragm, and forms a leak-tight seal with the valve body. A base is attached to an opposite end of the valve body. A third flexible imperforate diaphragm is disposed in the valve body between the poppet assembly and the base, and forms a leak-tight seal with the valve body. A spring means is disposed between the base and the third diaphragm for imposing a biasing force onto the poppet assembly. A containment body is used to encapsulate the spring means and isolate it from any liquid that leaks past the third diaphragm.

Various types of fluid flow control valves are used in applications where the valve is subjected to corrosive acidic or caustic liquids, or where the purity of the liquids which flow through the valve must be maintained. Such valves are constructed of relatively inert materials, e.g., fluoropolymers or other polymeric materials, or the valve surfaces which come into contact with the flowing liquids, or which potentially can come into contact with the liquids, are coated with inert materials. Such flow control valves are commonly biased closed by a spring force and are opened by means of a solenoid actuator, or by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, or the like. When valve closure springs are used, it can be important that the force required to be exerted by the spring to close the valve is minimized. By minimizing the required spring force, the spring imparts less stress to the valve structures, thereby increasing the length of valve life.
Fluid control valves sometimes include a diaphragm which is in contact with the fluid and which provides a barrier against escape of the fluid into the valve operating mechanism or into the atmosphere. In some designs, a backup diaphragm is provided which, in combination with the barrier diaphragm, provides a chamber to contain any fluid which may leak through the barrier diaphragm. Such chambers are sometimes provided with leak ports, so that, if the barrier diaphragm fails, the fluid which passes through the diaphragm into the chamber will be detected and appropriate action can be taken.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,769 discloses a valve which incorporates a barrier diaphragm which contacts the fluid which flows through the valve. A second diaphragm is in the valve above the first diaphragm, and a leak port is between the diaphragms. Any fluid which may leak through the barrier diaphragm will be detected by means of the leak port and appropriate corrective action can be taken.
When a valve incorporates a diaphragm which contacts the fluid in a system, and the diaphragm is connected to the valve operating mechanism, as is the case with the valve disclosed in the '769 patent, any force which the fluid exerts on the diaphragm is transmitted to the valve operating mechanism and, thus, affects the operation of the valve. For example, in the '769 valve, a spring biases the valve closed and the valve opens by means of a solenoid. Any force exerted on the barrier diaphragm by the fluid in the system will tend to open the valve. Therefore, a larger spring is required to hold the valve closed than would be necessary if the valve was designed so that the force on the diaphragm tending to open the valve would be counterbalanced by another force in the opposite direction. The use of a larger spring results in more stresses than necessary being imparted on the valve structure, thereby tending to reduce the length of the life of the valve.
When a valve is provided with a diaphragm that is attached to the valve's operating mechanism which therefore moves with the mechanism as the valve opens and closes, the diaphragm can fail due to fatigue cracking. Usually, the greater the distance the diaphragm moves, and the more stretch and strain that is applied to the diaphragm during each cycle, the fewer cycles the diaphragm will be able to withstand before failing. Thus, it is important to minimize the length of diaphragm travel, and the strain on the diaphragm, to increase valve life.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,422 describes a diaphragm valve that is constructed to minimize spring force required to close the valve and, thereby reduce the stress on the valve components and increase valve life. Referring to FIG. 1, a three-way valve embodiment 10 disclosed in the '422 patent comprises a valve body 12 having a top 14 and a bottom 16, with a fluid inlet passage 18 through the side of the valve body 12 at a first location, a first fluid outlet passage 20 through the side of the valve body at a second location, and a second fluid outlet passage 22 through the side of the valve body at a third location. The first, second and third locations are spaced apart radially from each other around the body of the valve.
An upper valve seat 24 facing toward the valve body top 14 is located in the valve body between the inlet passage 18 and the first outlet passage 20. A lower valve seat 26 facing toward the valve body bottom 16 is located in the valve body between the inlet passage 18 and the second outlet passage 22. A cap 28 is removably mounted on the valve body top 14, and a first flexible imperforate diaphragm 30 is mounted on the inside of the cap. A second flexible imperforate diaphragm 32 is mounted across the upper portion of the valve body above the upper facing valve seat 24. The second diaphragm 32 is spaced below the first diaphragm 30 and forms an upper barrier for fluid flowing through the valve. The space between the first and second diaphragms forms an upper fluid containment chamber 34. A base 36 is removably mounted on the valve body bottom 16. A third flexible imperforate diaphragm 38 is mounted across a lower portion of the valve body 12 below the lower valve seat 26. The third diaphragm 38 forms a lower barrier for fluid flowing through the valve.
A poppet assembly 40 is connected between the second and third diaphragms and moves with the diaphragms. The poppet assembly 40 comprises a lower valve plug 42 connected to the upwardly facing surface of the third diaphragm 38, and an upper valve plug 44 connected to the downwardly facing surface of the second diaphragm 32. The lower valve plug 42 is configured to engage the lower facing valve seat 26 to stop the flow of fluids from the inlet 18 through the second outlet passage 22. The upper valve plug 44 is configured to engage the upper facing valve seat 24 to stop the flow of fluids from the inlet 18 through the first outlet passage 20.
A valve stem 46, which has one end integrally formed with one of the upper or lower valve plugs, extends through the center portion of the valve body 12, with the other end of the valve stem removably connected to the other valve plug. The connection between the valve stem and the valve plug forms a fluid-tight seal between the valve stem and the plug. A bolt 48 is disposed through the valve stem 46 and is used to attach the lower valve plug 42 thereto, and extends through the third diaphragm 38.
A spring 50 is in the space between the third diaphragm 38 and the base 36 for biasing the poppet assembly 40 and the connected second and third diaphragms in an upwardly direction for engaging the lower valve plug 42 with the downwardly facing lower valve seat 26 to stop the flow of fluids from the inlet 18 through the second outlet passage 22, while, at the same time, disengaging the upper valve plug 44 from the upwardly facing upper valve seat 24 to allow flow of fluids from the inlet 18 through the first outlet passage 20. Means are provided to counteract the spring force for moving the poppet assembly 40 and the connected second and third diaphragms in a downwardly direction for engaging the upper valve plug 44 with the upwardly facing valve seat 26 to stop the flow of fluids from the inlet 18 through the first outlet passage 20.
While the valve disclosed in the '422 patent is designed to use a minimum spring force for biasing the valve, and to reduce the distance the diaphragm must travel and the strain on the diaphragm so that the operation life of the valve is enhanced, there are design features of the valve that can be improved upon in an effort to: (1) further minimize the potential for contaminating chemically pure liquids by contact of leaking liquid with metallic valve elements; (2) provide an improved leak-tight seal between the respective valve plugs and valve seats; and (3) further minimize the number of potential leak paths through the valve. It is, therefore, desired to provide to the art an improved diaphragm valve for use with either chemically pure or corrosive liquids that comprises such improved design features.


A pixel, a display device including the same, and a driving method thereof are provided. The display device includes: a display unit including pixels connected to corresponding scan lines and corresponding data lines; a scan driver sequentially generating and transmitting scan signals respectively corresponding to the pixels; a data driver generating and transmitting data voltages according to corresponding image data signals to a plurality of data lines during one frame; a first power source voltage driver respectively applying a first power source voltage to the pixels; a second power source voltage driver respectively applying a second power source voltage to the pixels; and a signal controller controlling the operation of the drivers, wherein a predetermined reference voltage is transmitted through data lines during a remaining period of one frame other than a period in which the data voltage is transmitted.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a pixel, a display device including the same, and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
As display panels have become larger and lighter, a stable driving method has been developed in order to display an accurate and clear image with high-integration and high-precision in order to implement a 3D stereoscopic image.
In particular, a display device including a large-sized display panel or high-speed frame driving for driving of the 3D stereoscopic image is required. Since respective periods for initialization of a data voltage, compensation of a threshold voltage of a driving transistor, writing of data, and light emission are not sufficiently ensured by the high-speed driving mode, realization of images having accurate luminance.
In order to solve the problem, various research and development for a pixel circuit structure, a driving mode, and luminance compensation have been conducted. However, since the pixel circuit structure is complicated and power consumption may increase due to the luminance compensation or the driving mode, adverse effects including increased production costs and lack of improvement in non-uniformity of luminance may occur. Also, the driving method becomes complicated due to the complicated circuit structure and the signal connection wire, such that stable driving of the pixel is difficult and a reduction of the aperture ratio is caused.
Accordingly, a pixel and a display device including the same are required, that improves numerous aspects, such as simplification of pixel circuits and wiring, and a driving method thereof ensuring a sufficient period of each driving process and stable driving, while ensuring a pixel aperture ratio of a large scale display panel or a high resolution display panel and maintaining performance thereof.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Pixel, display device including the same, and driving method thereof


In one embodiment, a linear light emitting device comprises one or more linear extrusions collectively comprising a horizontal mounting extension, an array of light emitting diodes, a vertical support, and a linear support platform. In one embodiment, the light emitting device comprises a mounting extension that extends from the light emitting device for the bottom surface of the mounting extension to be mounted to a top rail of a vehicle cargo compartment (such as a trailer or cargo compartment of a truck) and a vertical support that positions a linear array of light emitting diodes above the top rail and oriented at a first orientation angle, such as 45 degrees, to the bottom surface of the horizontal mounting surface. In one embodiment, the linear light emitting device is mounted between two roof bows or below one or more roof bows.

The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to light emitting devices such as light fixtures, light bulbs, replacement light bulbs, devices comprising light emitting diodes, and their components and method of manufacture. Light emitting devices are needed within vehicle cargo compartments, such as those of a semi-trailer truck or cargo compartment of a truck, for example, that can survive the tight packing of cargo, fit into the pre-existing interior, and illuminate without shadows.


An over-the-wire electrophysiology catheter which has an emitting electrode on the distal tip electrically connected to a source of high frequency electrical energy. The intravascular device is configured to be advanced through a patient's cardiac veins or coronary arteries and preferably is also provided with sensing electrodes for detecting electrical activity of the patient's heart from within a blood vessel of the heart. The device forms large lesions in tissue adjacent to the blood vessel in which the device is located without significantly damaging the blood vessel to effectively terminate signals causing arrhythmia.

This invention generally relates to an intravascular catheter for ablating tissue of a patient's heart and particularly to an ablation catheter which can be advanced through the patient's coronary arteries or cardiac veins to treat arrhythmia from within the blood vessel.
Prior methods for treating a patient's arrhythmia include the use of antiarrhythmic drugs such as sodium and calcium channel blockers or drugs which reduce the Beta-adrenergic activity. Other prior methods include surgically sectioning the origin of the signals causing the arrhythmia or the conducting pathway for such signals. More frequently, however, to terminate the arrhythmia the heart tissue which causes the arrhythmia is destroyed by heat, e.g. applying a laser beam or high frequency electrical energy (RF or microwave) to a desired location on the patient's endocardium.
In the latter instance, the location of the tissue site causing or involved with the arrhythmia must be accurately know in order to e able to contact the desired location with a tissue destroying device. A major problem with ablating the site of the origin of the signals or a conductive pathway is to accurately determine the location of the site so that an excessive amount of healthy tissue is not damaged or destroyed along with the arrhythmogenic site, while at the same time ensuring that the arrhythmia does not return. For example, the average arrhythmogenic site consists of an area of about 1.4 cm.sup.2 of the endocardial tissue, whereas a re-entrant site might be much larger. RF ablation techniques produce lesions about 0.5 cm.sup.2 in area, so several lesions may be necessary to completely ablate an area of interest. If the arrhythmogenic or reentrant site is not accurately mapped, much healthy tissue surrounding the site will be unnecessarily damaged or destroyed.
A variety of prior methods have been used to detect electrical activity within a patient's heart to facilitate the mapping of electrical activity causing the arrhythmia. A number of these prior methods are disclosed in U.S. Patents which use elongated intravascular signal sensing devices with one or more electrodes on a distal portion of the device which are advanced through the patient's vasculature until the distal portions of the sensing devices are disposed within one or more of the patient's heart chambers with one or more electrodes in contact with the endocardial lining. While this procedure is widely used, it does not always allow the site of the arrhythmogenic signals to be accurately determined.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,411 (Littmann et al.) which issued on Apr. 23, 1996, reference is made to intravascular devices which are advanced through a patient's coronary arteries or cardiac veins to desired locations in the patient's epicardium where electrical activity is detected by means of electrodes on the distal ends of the devices to locate arrhythmogenic sites or conductive pathways causing or involved with the arrhythmia. In copending application Ser. No. 08/207,918, filed Mar. 8, 1994 an intravascular device is described which uses RF energy to occlude a blood vessel in order to destroy tissue distal to the catheter by creating ischemic conditions therein.
While these prior devices provided many advantages, there were no ways of controlling the temperatures of the emitting electrodes.


A recording method for an opto-magnetic disk apparatus by which pit edge recording of an opto-magnetic disk can be achieved and the track recording density is enhanced. The recording method is applied to an opto-magnetic disk apparatus wherein a light emitting element is driven with a pulse signal to form pits on a record face of a disk and a magnetic field is applied to such pit portions to modulate the pits. According to the method, the amount of information to be included in a pit modulated is made equal to or greater than 2 bits, and the period of the pulse signal to drive the light emitting element is changed in response to a bit or bits for a fraction to be recorded.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an opto-magnetic disk apparatus which can be overwritten by magnetic modulation, and more particularly to a recording method by which a track recording density of an opto-magnetic disk apparatus is enhanced.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Opto-magnetic disk apparatus which make use of magnetic modulation are already known. General construction of an exemplary one of conventional opto-magnetic disk apparatus is shown in FIG. 10.
Referring to FIG. 10, the conventional opto-magnetic disk apparatus shown is of the pulse-driven type and includes a semiconductor laser 1 which serves as a light emitting element and is driven by a laser driving pulse signal SL of a predetermined period. Laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser 1 is collimated into parallel rays of light by a collimate lens 2, passes a beam splitter 3 and is focused on a record face Da of a disk D by an objective lens 4. When the laser 1 emits laser light in response to a driving pulse signal SL in this manner so that a laser spot is formed on the record face Da of the disk D, the record face Da is heated to a temperature higher than its Curie point by energy of the laser light so that a pit is formed on the record face Da. A magnetic head 5 is disposed above the disk D and magnetically modulates the pit formed by heat of the laser spot on the record face Da in accordance with a modulation signal SR conforming to record data.
In a reproducing operation, the semiconductor laser 1 is continuously driven so that a spot of laser light scans pits formed on the record face Da of the disk D and the pits are read by a pin photodiode 6. Thus, reproduction of information conforming to a Kerr rotational angle according to modulation of the pits is performed.
FIG. 11 illustrates such recording operation as described above. Referring to FIG. 11, a waveform (A) shows a clock pulse signal S.sub.C ; waveform (B) shows a laser driving pulse signal S.sub.L ; waveform (C) shows a modulation signal S.sub.R for the magnetic head; drawing (D) shows pits formed on the record face Da of the disk D; drawing (E) shows a cross-sectional view of a modulated condition of the record face Da; and waveform (F) shows a temperature variation of the record face Da at a pit P.sub.1.
According to the conventional recording method for an opto-magnetic disk apparatus as shows in FIG. 10, the semiconductor laser 1 is intermittently driven in the period t by the laser driving pulses S.sub.L in synchronism with the clock pulses S.sub.C. If the time for which the laser 1 emits light in response to a laser driving pulse S.sub.L is t.sub.0, then the record face Da of the disk D is heated for a period of time substantially equal to the driving time t.sub.0, and areas thus heated make pits P.sub.1, P.sub.2, P.sub.3, . . . shown in FIG. 11. The thus heated pits P.sub.1, P.sub.2, P.sub.3, . . . are magnetically modulated in response to a modulation signal S.sub.R for the magnetic head shown by the curve (C) of FIG. 11. In the drawing (D) of FIG. 11, the pits P.sub.1 and P.sub.4 modulated in accordance with the value "1" of the modulation signal S.sub.R applied to the magnetic head 5 are indicated by hatching lines while the other pits P.sub.2, P.sub.3 and P.sub.5 modulated in accordance with the value "0" of the modulation signal S.sub.R are indicated without hatching lines.
Magnetic modulation of a pit proceeds such that, as seen from the waveform (F) of FIG. 11 a pit is heated by a laser spot so that the temperature of the record face of the disk rises beyond the Curie point and then a direction of a magnetic field by the magnetic head 5 is recorded when the temperature drops across the Curie point. A demodulation condition when a semiconductor laser in the present day is used and driven by a pulse exhibits such a steep variation as seen from the drawing (E) of FIG. 11.
The recording method of the pulse-driven type shown in FIG. 11 is superior in that magnetic domains of pits can be made short to achieve a considerably high track recording density comparing with other recording methods.
The above described conventional recording method, however, is disadvantageous in that, since each pit records information of only one bit as seen from FIG. 11, further enhancement of the track recording density is severely limited. In particular, in order to further enhance the track recording density with the recording method of FIG. 11, the length of a pit should further be reduced. However, since a pit heated by a laser spot presents such a thermal response as seen from the curve (F) of FIG. 11, if it is taken into consideration that the time t.sub.A until magnetic modulation of a pit after heating thereof is several tens nanoseconds and also a variation of the laser power and cooling rates on the inside and the outside of a disk are taken into consideration, in order to achieve a high S/N ratio, the pulse period must be set to a value higher than the time t.sub.A. Accordingly, there is a limitation in enhancement of the track recording density.
Further, it seems an idea to effect pit edge recording making use of such a steep rising edge of a modulation condition as seen from the curve (F) of FIG. 11. Such pit edge recording is performed by 2-7 modulation based on RLL (Run Length Limited) coding. In particular, a code of "100", "1000" or the like is recorded for each rising edge of modulation. In this instance, however, the length of a pit in the time base direction must necessarily be controlled in accordance with a length of a code. However, with a conventional method wherein the frequency and the phase of laser pulses are fixed, it is very difficult, for the reason that the influence of a thermal characteristic of a record medium is high and also for some other reasons, to freely control the bit length.


A curable silicone composition comprising at least the following components: (A) a diorganopolysiloxane having in one molecule at least two alkenyl groups; (B) at least two resin-like organopolysiloxanes that have different mass-average molecular weights as reduced into standard polystyrene measured gel permeation chromatography and that are composed of SiO4/2 units, R12R2SiO1/2 units, and R13SiO1/2 units, wherein R1 is an optionally substituted univalent hydrocarbon group that is free of aliphatic unsaturated bonds and R2 is an alkenyl group; (C) an organopolysiloxane that contains in one molecule at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms; and (D) a hydrosilylation catalyst; possesses excellent flowability and filling ability and that can be prepared without extreme viscosity even if the composition contains resin-like organopolysiloxanes required to form a cured silicone body of appropriate strength and hardness.

Curable silicone compositions that contain a resin-like organopolysiloxane are known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (hereinafter referred to as "Kokai") H07-53872 discloses a curable silicone composition that contains a diorganopolysiloxane having both molecular terminals capped with vinyl groups, a resin-like organopolysiloxane that contains alkenyl groups, an organohydrogenpolysiloxane, and a platinum-type catalyst. Kokai 2000-198930 discloses a curable silicone composition that contains a diorganopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups in one molecule, a resin-like organopolysiloxane that contains alkenyl groups, an organohydrogenpolysiloxane, and a platinum-type catalyst. Furthermore, Kokai 2001-2922 discloses a curable silicone composition that contains a diorganopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups in one molecule, a resin-like organopolysiloxane that contains alkenyl groups, an organohydrogenpolysiloxane, and a platinum-type catalyst.
When the amount of resin-like organopolysiloxanes contained in such curable silicone compositions is increased, it becomes possible to obtain a cured silicone body with appropriate hardness, reduced surface tackiness, and sufficient strength. However, the compositions themselves are extremely viscous and therefore have low flowability and filling ability.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a curable silicone composition that possesses excellent flowability and filling ability and that can be prepared without exhibiting an extreme viscosity even if the composition contains resin-like organopolysiloxanes required to form a cured silicone body of appropriate strength and hardness.


Ultrasonic apparatus for clot dissolution includes a radiator for coupling ultrasonic waves and a piezoelectric crystal, connected with said radiator, for the intravascular generation of ultrasonic waves; said ultrasonic waves being propagated along a longitudinal axis of said piezoelectric crystal. A seed liquid is introduced proximate the radiator for promoting cavitation of intravascular fluid. In addition, enhancement of clot dissolution by chemical agents is shown to be significantly increased when combined with ultrasonic energy.

The present invention is generally related to the use of ultrasonic energy for the ablation and dissolution of blood clots in vessels and is more particularly directed to the intravascular generation of ultrasonic energy for removal of intravascular blockages by ablation thereof.
Ultrasonic energy has been considered for removal of intravascular blockages due to both atherosclerotic plaque and intravascular blood clots. It has been shown that ultrasonic energy is useful in fragmenting plaque and thrombosis, either as a result of mechanical action thereon or cavitation thereof, in which high energy ultrasound applied to liquids generates vapor-filled microbubbles, or "cavities," with the concomitant rapid expansion and collapse of the cavities, accompanied by local intense hydraulic shock leading to fragmentation or dissolution of the thrombosis.
Heretofore developed equipment for the ultrasonic elimination of plaque and the like has included apparatus for the generation of the ultrasonic energy exterior to the body and the transmission of the ultrasonic energy into the body through a transmission wire to the stenosis site. Although good ultrasonic plaque ablation has been shown using an intravascular device consisting of a 2 mm titanium ball which is vibrationally excited by a 0.015 inch (0.38 mm) diameter titanium wire, these devices do not allow deployment in desired regions due to the stiffness of the transmission wire.
Unfortunately, as the wire diameter is reduced to lower the stiffness thereof, it is more difficult to deliver sufficient energy to the ball for surgical procedures.
As set forth in co-pending application Ser. No. 07/625,919 filed Dec. 10, 1990, a miniature ultrasonic ablation tool mounted at the tip of a flexible catheter and deployed in small diameter arteries is useful for removal of intra arterial atherosclerotic plaque and/or blood clots. This reference is incorporated herewith, including all drawings and specification, by this specific reference thereto.
Naturally, an ultrasonic transducer sized for arterial insertion must be approximately 1/1000 the conventional size. This represents a tremendous reduction in available mechanical output energy and forces an emphasis on careful management of output energy and on understanding energy transfer during the ablation process.
In U.S. Ser. No. 07/625,919, a device is described which allowed the maximum possible transfer of acoustic energy from piezoelectric crystal to the target medium even for devices with diameters of 2 mm and length 8 mm. Acoustic outputs which have been achieved by this device cause ablation and/or dissolution effects. However, the rates are relatively slow.
The improved miniature ultrasonic ablation/dissolution apparatus of the present invention is specifically useful for clot dissolution, as distinguished from plaque ablation. It has been found that with specific structure, as hereinafter discussed, enhanced clot dissolution occurs, without damage to artery walls or significant disturbance to plaque. Hence, the present invention is specifically directed to removal of clot blockages in arteries.


A sun visor for a vehicle may include a sun visor body (10) and a mirror unit (20) attached to the sun visor body (10). The mirror unit (20) may have a rotatable attachment (35) that can rotate along the attached face of the sun visor body (10). Further, the mirror unit (20) may have a mirror holder (22) with a mirror. The mirror holder (22) is rotatably connected around a rotatable axis to the rotatable attachment (35). The rotatable axis may extend along the rotatable face of the rotatable attachment (35). The mirror holder (22) may be displaceable between a stored position along the sun visor body (10), and a used position protruding from the sun visor body (10) at some angle. The mirror of this sun visor is angle-adjusted in two independent directions. The directions are perpendicular to each other. Therefore, it is easy to set a preferable reflecting angle to the mirror and the construction may be simple.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sun visor with a mirror for vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
With regard to a sun visor with a mirror, typically called a vanity mirror, the angle of the mirror is solely adjusted by adjusting the angle of the sun visor body. However, the rotational axis for the sun visor is commonly situated at a top corner of the sun visor body and the mirror is usually mounted at the center of the sun visor body. Therefore, adjustment of the angle of the mirror can involve considerable displacement of the mirror, and this limits the angular viewing range through the mirror. Further, the sun visor body is significantly larger than the mirror, and handling the sun visor body in order to adjust the angle of the mirror is vexatious complication.
In order to solve such a problem, sun visors for vehicles having a displaceable mirror located against the sun visor body have been disclosed, e.g. in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No.3-110910, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No.2-78412, and Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No.2-64421. These mirror holders are attached to the sun visor body via a ball joint. In these structures, the adjusting ranges of the angle of the mirror are still limited by factors such as the thickness of the sun visor body.
Recently, there have been increasing safety promotions to use a child-car seat when transporting children. It is desired to be able to easily watch the children from the front seat while they are seated in the child-car seat, which is usually placed on the rear seat. For this purpose, it is thought that one could use the mirror attached to a sun visor. However, in such a situation, the sun visor would be constantly arranged in a used position, i.e., a position used for sun shading, causing the passengers in the vehicle to feel surrounded by the sun visor or to have their outward vision limited.


A shroud segment for a gas turbine engine, the shroud segment constructed from a composite material including reinforcing fibers embedded in a matrix, and having a cross-sectional shape defined by opposed forward and aft walls, and opposed inner and outer walls, the walls extending between opposed first and second end faces, wherein the inner wall defines an arcuate inner flowpath surface; and wherein a compound fillet is disposed at a junction between first and second ones of the walls, the compound fillet including first and second portions, the second portion having a concave curvature extending into the first one of the walls.

This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to shrouds made of a low-ductility material in the turbine sections of such engines.
A typical gas turbine engine includes a turbomachinery core having a high pressure compressor, a combustor, and a high pressure turbine in serial flow relationship. The core is operable in a known manner to generate a primary gas flow. The high pressure turbine (also referred to as a gas generator turbine) includes one or more rotors which extract energy from the primary gas flow. Each rotor comprises an annular array of blades or buckets carried by a rotating disk. The flowpath through the rotor is defined in part by a shroud, which is a stationary structure which circumscribes the tips of the blades or buckets. These components operate in an extremely high temperature environment, and must be cooled by air flow to ensure adequate service life. Typically, the air used for cooling is extracted (bled) from the compressor. Bleed air usage negatively impacts specific fuel consumption ("SFC") and should generally be minimized.
It has been proposed to replace metallic shroud structures with materials having better high-temperature capabilities, such as ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). These materials have unique mechanical properties that must be considered during design and application of an article such as a shroud segment. For example, CMC materials have relatively low tensile ductility or low strain to failure when compared with metallic materials. Also, CMCs have a coefficient of thermal expansion ("CTE") in the range of about 1.5-5 microinch/inch/degree F., significantly different from commercial metal alloys used as supports for metallic shrouds. Such metal alloys typically have a CTE in the range of about 7-10 microinch/inch/degree F.
CMC materials are comprised of a laminate of a matrix material and reinforcing fibers and are orthotropic to at least some degree. The matrix, or non-primary fiber direction, herein referred to as interlaminar, is typically weaker (i.e. 1/10 or less) than the fiber direction of a composite material system and can be the limiting design factor.
Shroud structures are subject to interlaminar tensile stress imparted at the junctions between their walls, which must be carried in the weaker matrix material. These interlaminar tensile stresses can be the limiting stress location in the shroud design.
Accordingly, there is a need for a composite shroud structure with reduced interlaminar stresses.


In a system for reading data encoded on a single, secure, personal, portable database of private information, such as an optical memory card, a method of interaction between an optical card user, a broker and an agency seeking a transaction with the card user. The user is provided with a blank optical memory card which he encodes with the user's personal transactional information such as credit card numbers. The agency and user are provided with access to a transaction site. The user is able to use the single, secure medium to conduct many transactions. The user selects the encoded information that is needed to conduct the transaction with an agency. The information is read and transmitted to a broker who completes the transaction. Here, the agency is not provided with access to the information and the information is not stored in company or network database or on a network.

When transactions are conducted on-line or in person, specifically, business, personal, governmental or health transactions, customers must provide an agency with which the transaction is conducted with personal information. Such personal information may include address, telephone number, social security number, credit card numbers and bank account numbers. This information is highly valuable to other companies. Many times after a transaction is conducted the customer's personal information is sold to other companies without the customer's consent. In today's society, especially because most companies have access to the Internet and are able to easily transfer information to others, it is difficult for the customer to keep such personal information private. The more transactions the customer conducts, the more agencies have access to that customer's personal information and the more likely it is that the customer's personal information will be distributed to other companies on-line or otherwise.
Additionally, customers have many different cards with various types of personal information. For example, a customer may have a card with his or her bank account number, a card with his or her social security number and numerous credit cards with his or her credit card numbers. Numerous cards are necessary as one agency may only accept a certain type of card. At times, the number of cards one customer may have may be overwhelming and difficult to keep track of. Carrying such a large number of cards increases the risk of losing one or more cards. Without even realizing it, a customer may be putting the lost card in the hands of someone who may use it to the customer's disadvantage.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a user with a secure single medium such as an optical memory card (known in the art) that stores the user's personal information and that is used in conjunction with a method to conduct various transactions. It is a further object to provide a user with a method of conducting a transaction wherein the user is able to securely transmit personal information on-line to a broker who assists in conducting the transaction rather than providing an agency with direct access to that information. It is an additional object of the invention to allow a user the choice as to what type of transaction he or she wishes to conduct with the secure single medium wherein the choice is made using a transaction site such as, for example, the broker's web site, a kiosk including a reader/writer, a monitor and personal computer, or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). It is a further object of the invention that the user is able to transmit personal information directly to the agency if desired.
Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide the user with a choice as to which personal information to transmit and whether to transmit the personal information to an agency directly or to the broker. It is a further object of the invention that the agency is able to advertise its product and services at the transaction site. A transaction site may, for example, be a computer having a reader/writer or the kiosk and include the broker's e-commerce site. It is another object of the invention that a personalized web page appears when each agency and user accesses the broker's e-commerce site.

Optical memory card based e-commerce business method


A component for a vehicle interior is disclosed. The component may comprise a structural substrate, an airbag chute and a structure coupling the chute and structural substrate. The structure may comprise a rib injection molded onto the structural substrate; the structure may be bonded to the structural substrate. The chute may be welded to the structure and/or the structural substrate. The structural substrate may comprise a panel comprised of fibers; the structure may be comprised of resin. The structure may comprise an interface bonding the chute and structural substrate; the interface may comprise a molded feature/resin feature/mounting area on the structural substrate; a structure/material/rib injection molded on the structural substrate; a bond; an attachment; a composite or resin material; a material comprising fibers; polypropylene with fibers. The component may comprise a trim component; an instrument panel; a trim panel.

It is known to provide a trim component for a vehicle interior provided as an instrument panel, door panel and various other components. It is known to form the trim component with fibers by a compression forming process.
It would be advantageous to provide an improved trim component for a vehicle interior. It would also be advantageous to provide an improved trim component formed from a panel with a structure configured to secure an airbag chute to the panel during deployment of an airbag.

Shanghai Yanfeng Jinqiao Automotive Trim Systems Co. Ltd.


Composition of matter for application to a body surface or membrane to administer pergolide by permeation through the body surface or membrane, the composition comprising pergolide to be administered, at a therapeutically effective rate, alone or in combination with a permeation enhancer or mixture. Also disclosed are drug delivery devices containing the pergolide or pergolide and enhancer composition and methods for the transdermal administration of the pergolide and pergolide/enhancer composition.

Pergolide, 8-[(methylthio)methyl]-6-propylergoline, a compound based on the ergoline ring system, is reported to be a dopaminergic agonist that also decreases plasma prolactin concentrations. When used for treating Parkinson's Disease, pergolide is used as a conjunctive therapy with levodopa.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,182, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, describes the preparation of pergolide and its oral or parenteral administration as a prolactin inhibitor and in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease.
German patent application DE 4240798, incorporated herein its entirety by reference, describes a pharmaceutical composition containing ergot derivatives, including pergolide, for protection of nerves. The composition may be delivered orally, sublingually, parenterally, percutaneously or nasally.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,405 incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, discusses stabilized pergolide oral compositions that demonstrate reduced decomposition when exposed to light.
The dopaminergic agonist effect of pergolide has resulted in its use in a variety of treatments, in addition to the treatment of Parkinson's Disease. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,204, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, discusses a method of controlling tobacco use by orally or parenterally administering a direct dopamine receptor agonist such as pergolide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,429, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, discusses a method of treating psychostimulant abuse by orally or parenterally administering a dopamine agonist such as pergolide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,234, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, discusses a method of inhibiting bone demineralization by administering, preferably orally, an ergot derivative, such as pergolide.
The oral administration of pergolide in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease is initiated with 0.05 mg/day dosage for the first 2 days. The dosage is then gradually increased by 0.1 or 0.15 mg/day every third day over the next 12 days of therapy. The dosage may then be increased by 0.25 mg/day every third day until an optimum therapeutic dosage is achieved at a range of about 1.5 to 8.0 mg/day. Generally, the daily dose is divided into three oral doses. The side effects of oral administration include, but are not limited to nausea, vomiting, dizziness and orthostatic hypotension.
The transdermal route of parenteral delivery of drugs and other biologically active agents ("agents") has been proposed for a wide variety of systemically acting and locally acting agents on either a rate-controlled or non-rate-controlled basis and is described in numerous technical publications such as the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,598,122; 3,598,123; 3,731,683; 3,797,494; 4,031,894; 4,201,211; 4,286,592; 4,314,557; 4,379,454; 4,435,180; 4,559,222; 4,568,343; 4,573,995; 4,588,580; 4,645,502; 4,704,282; 4,788,062; 4,816,258; 4,849,226; 4,908,027; 4,943,435; and 5,004,610, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. The transdermal administration of a related compound, lisuride, for treating Parkinson's Disease, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,252,335 and 5,229,129, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.
When first investigated in depth in the late 1960's, the transdermal route of administration appeared to offer many advantages, particularly with respect to agents that had short half lives and therefore required frequent, repeated dosing or were subject to a high degree of first-pass metabolism by the liver when orally administered. The peaks and valleys in blood concentration resulting from frequent periodic doses of short half-life agents would be eliminated and replaced by substantially constant plasma concentration. This would not only improve individual compliance but also would eliminate the alternating periods of high side-effects and ineffective blood concentrations associated with period dosing. Administering the agent through the skin directly into the blood stream would also eliminate first-pass metabolism of orally administered agents.
It was initially assumed, theoretically, that any short half-life agent of high potency and skin permeability would be suitable for safe and effective transdermal administration. This assumption, however, has not been proven true.
The failure of the transdermal route to fulfill the initial expectations of its potential as an administrative portal was primarily due to the incredible variety of properties with which nature has endowed the skin to permit it to perform its function as the primary barrier to prevent the ingress of foreign substances into the body. See Transdermal Drug Delivery: Problems and Possibilities, B. M. Knepp, et al, CRC Critical Reviews and Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, Vol. 4, Issue 1 (1987).
Thus, the transdermal route of administration, rather than being available to every short half-life agent of high potency and skin permeability, was found to be available only to those few agents that possess the proper combination of a host of characteristics, most of which are unpredictable, required to render the agent suitable for safe and effective transdermal administration.
The most significant of these characteristics are the following:
1. Skin Permeability. The permeability of the skin to the agent must be sufficiently high so that the agent can be administered at a therapeutically effective rate through an area of skin no greater than about 200 cm.sup.2 and preferably no greater than 50 cm.sup.2. The person-to-person variation in skin permeability at similar sites should also be considered. PA1 2. Skin Binding. The skin beneath the transdermal delivery device has the capability of creating a skin depot of drug by absorbing, adsorbing, or binding a certain amount of agent. The amount of agent so bound must be supplied to the skin before the agent can be delivered into the blood stream at steady, therapeutically effective rates. If large amounts of the agent are bound in the skin, significant delays in the onset of therapeutic effect ("lag time") will be observed together with corresponding delays and termination of effect upon removal of the device. The potential also exists for toxic quantities of potent agents to be contained within the skin beneath the device. Skin binding is not related to skin permeability. Agents that are highly permeable may also be highly bound causing a lag time sufficiently long as to render them unsuitable for their intended use. PA1 3. Irritation. The skin reacts to many topically applied substances, particularly those maintained under occlusion, by blistering or reddening accompanied by unpleasant burning, itching, and stinging sensations. Animal models are used to screen for irritation. Animal models, however, often produce both false positives and false negatives. There is also a wide interpersonal variation in susceptibility to irritation. An agent must be minimally irritating in a large percentage of the potential individual population in order to be suitable for safe and effective transdermal administration. PA1 4. Sensitization. Sensitization is an allergic reaction which is induced when an agent is first applied to the skin and is elicited upon continued exposure which may occur immediately or after a long period of seemingly harmless exposure. PA1 5. Pharmacokinetic Properties. The half-life of an agent is the time after administration that half of the amount administered has been eliminated from the body. Because blood concentrations of continuously administered agents will continue to increase for approximately six half-lives before steady-state constant blood concentrations are achieved, an agent must have a relatively short half-life to be suitable for continuous transdermal administration. The transdermal half-lives of most agents have not been determined. When half-lives of agents determined from intravenous administration are compared with half-lives determined from transdermal administration, the transdermal half-lives are generally longer but there can be wide variation in half-life between individuals based upon factors such as age, sex, health, and body type. PA1 6. Pharmacodynamic Properties. Constant blood levels may not produce the desired therapeutic effects. For example, a therapeutic effect may only be observed at peak blood concentration obtained from bolus dosing but the peak concentration cannot be maintained because of side effects associated therewith. Also, continuous administration of many agents produces tolerance that may require either some agent-free interval or continually increasing and therefore potentially hazardous doses of the agent. PA1 7. Potency. Although a certain degree of potency is required for transdermally administered agent to be effective, it is also possible for an agent to be too potent. As potency increases, lower blood concentrations are required and much smaller quantities are administered. Because of normal inter-individual variations and skin permeability, it may not be possible to precisely control whether a individual is receiving 1 .mu.g/hr or 2 .mu.g/hr, for example. For a highly potent agent, a 1 .mu.g/hr administration may be totally ineffective and a 2 .mu.g/hr rate fatal. Thus, the therapeutic index of an agent, which is the ratio of toxic blood concentration to the therapeutic blood concentration, becomes extremely significant. A highly potent agent should also have a relatively wide therapeutic window in order to be suitable for transdermal administration. PA1 8. Metabolism. One of the perceived advantages of transdermal administration was that it avoided the "first-pass" metabolism of the agent by the liver that is associated with oral administration. It has now been recognized, however, that the skin is also a large metabolizing organ in the body for some drugs. Thus, although first-pass metabolism that occurs after an orally administered agent enters the blood stream can be avoided, skin metabolism, which occurs before the agent enters the bloodstream, cannot be avoided. Skin metabolism is capable of creating metabolites that are inert, irritating, toxic, or comparable in biological activity to that of the agent. An agent, to be suitable for transdermal administration, must have the metabolic properties that are consistent with its therapeutic use on continuous administration.
The sensitization may be local, elicited by topical exposure, which manifests itself as contact dermatitis accompanied by blistering, itching, reddening and burning at the site of application. More seriously, the sensitization may be systemic, elicited by topical application but manifesting itself by more general allergic reactions at sites other than the site of application. Most seriously, the systemic sensitization may be elicited by oral or intravenous administration of the drug. If the latter occurs, the individual will be unable to take the drug by any route of administration.
Animal models are used to screen for sensitization. Animal models, however, produce both false positives and false negatives. There is also a wide variation in the allergic reaction between individuals as well as between sexes, races and skin types. It is obvious that a useful transdermal agent must be minimally sensitizing in a large percentage of the potential individual population.
The above summarizes the primary characteristics that effect suitability of an agent for transdermal administration that have been recognized to date. There are undoubtedly others, some of which have not yet been recognized, and, in order for an agent to be suitable for transdermal administration, it must possess the right combination of all these characteristics, a combination of which, as illustrated by the very few drugs that are now suitable for administration from transdermal delivery devices, is quite rare and unpredictable.

Formulations for transdermal delivery of pergolide


A contact element comprises an electrically conductive layer and a masking layer. A contact side of the contact element is at least partly covered by the masking layer and the electrically conductive layer. The electrically conductive layer and the masking layer form a contact surface having alternating regions of the masking layer and the electrically conductive layer.

Contact elements for electric plug connectors have high plug-in forces, which result in wear of the contact element, especially if relative movements between the contact element and a counter contact element occur. In miniaturized plug connectors and in plug connectors having a plurality of contact elements, such as contact pins, the necessary plug-in forces for obtaining a final plug state of the plug connector are high. Contact surfaces of the plug connectors have limited wear resistance and are generally stationary contact surfaces for which a necessary plug-in force increases as a number of contact elements increases.
Lubrication can be applied to the contact elements or mechanical assistance such as levers can be used to lower the plug-in forces necessary to reach the final plug state. Mechanical assistance, however, renders the plug connector more complicated and more expensive, while lubrication must also meet requirements for shelf life and temperature stability.
Contact elements can have noble metals, such as gold, silver, palladium, or tin, on an entire contact surface of the contact element. These metal coatings increase the resistivity of the contact element against corrosion without remarkably reducing the electric conductivity of the contact element. These noble metals, however, are precious metals and increase the cost of the plug connectors.

Contact element and method for production thereof


A vehicle fuel pump assembly, method of construction thereof, and a fuel tank assembly is provided. The fuel pump assembly includes a non-conductive plastic reservoir and an electrically powered fuel pump disposed in the reservoir. The fuel pump is configured to receive fuel through an inlet and to dispense fuel through an outlet. A fuel filter assembly having a non-conductive plastic housing is disposed in the reservoir and a coating of conductive material is bonded to the housing. A conductive lead is configured in electrical communication with the coating and is further configured for attachment to an electrical ground.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to in-tank fuel pump assemblies.
2. Related Art
Modern vehicles are known to incorporate fuel tanks with fuel pumps contained therein, sometimes referred to as in-tank fuel pumps, wherein the fuel pumps have components constructed from impregnated conductive plastic materials, wherein the plastic is mixed with the conductive material and molded. Accordingly, the conductive plastic materials are molded from a mixture of plastic and conductive material which are premixed in a plastic resin manufacturing process. The conductive material within the molded component provides a conductive path through which electrostatic charges can be dissipated while also providing shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI). However, a problematic issue with this type of molded material is the unpredictability of the conductive path and EMI protection provided. With the inherent variations of conductive material content and disbursement within the plastic material, the ability to provide a uniform and effective conductive path and barrier to EMI is jeopardized.

Fuel pump assembly with grounded plastic components and fuel tank assembly therewith and method of contruction thereof


A prism sheet of an LCD includes a body part made of a transparent resin material and a plurality of polypyramid-shaped optical unit structures formed in a intaglio type on the body part. The plurality of optical unit structures have intaglio-type polypyramid shapes in an inside of their polygonal structure. A center of the intaglio portion corresponds to a vertex of the polypyramid, thereby forming a point.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-luminous flat display device, and more particularly, to an optical sheet of a backlight unit in a liquid crystal display device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, a variety of flat panel displays have been developed to overcome weight and volume drawbacks of cathode ray tubes (CRTs).
Such flat panel displays include a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, a field emission display, a plasma display panel (PDP), an electro-luminescence (EL) and the like. Research for enhancing the display quality and increasing the screen size of the flat panel displays are being actively performed.
Among such flat panel displays, the LCD itself is a non-luminous device, which displays images using a light source such as a lamp and has advantages of small size, lightweight, low power consumption characteristics. In particular, the LCD displays information using electrical and optical properties of liquid crystal molecules interposed in an inside of a liquid crystal display.
Unlike the CRT, the LCD essentially needs a separate unit for irradiating light, i.e., a backlight unit, because the liquid crystal molecules interposed between a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate and a color filter substrate do not emit light on their own.
The backlight unit includes: a mold frame having a receiving space; a reflector mounted on the lowest surface of the receiving space for reflecting light toward a liquid crystal display panel; a light guide plate disposed on the reflector for guiding light; a lamp unit disposed between the light guide plate and a sidewall of the receiving space for emitting light; optical sheets stacked on the light guide plate for diffusing and concentrating light; and a top chassis disposed on the mold frame for enclosing the liquid crystal display from a predetermined portion of the edge of the liquid crystal display to a side portion of the mold frame.
The optical sheets include: a diffusion sheet for diffusing light; a prism sheet disposed on the diffusion sheet for concentrating the diffused light and transferring the concentrated light to the liquid crystal display; and a protective sheet for protecting the diffusion sheet and the prism sheet.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a related art LCD.
Referring to FIG. 1, the related art LCD 60 includes: a backlight unit 50 for generating light; and a display unit 40 for receiving the light from the backlight unit 50 and displaying images.
The backlight unit 50 includes: a lamp unit 51 for generating light; and a light guide unit for guiding the light generated by the lamp unit 51 toward the liquid crystal display 10.
The display unit 40 includes: the liquid crystal display panel 10; and an upper polarizer 30 and a lower polarizer 20 respectively disposed on an upper surface and a lower surface of the liquid crystal display panel 10. The liquid crystal display panel 10 includes: a TFT substrate 11; a color filter substrate 12 each having electrodes formed thereon; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the TFT substrate 11 and the color filter substrate 12.
More specifically, the lamp unit 51 includes: a lamp 51a for generating light; and a lamp reflector 51b enclosing the lamp 51a. The light generated by the lamp 51a is provided into a light guide plate 52, which will be described later. The lamp reflector 51b reflects the light generated by the lamp 51a toward the light guide plate 52, thereby increasing amount of light provided to the light guide plate 52.
The light guide unit includes a reflective plate 54, the light guide plate 52, and optical sheets 53. The light guide plate 52 is disposed at one end of the lamp unit 51 to guide the light emitted from the lamp unit 51 so that the light emitted from the lamp unit 51 is incident into the LCD panel 10.
The reflective plate 54 is disposed beneath the light guide plate 52 and reflects light leaked from the light guide plate 52 toward the light guide plate 52 again.
The plurality of optical sheets 53 are disposed on the light guide plate 52 to enhance efficiency of the light passing through the light guide plate 52. Specifically, the optical sheets 53 include a diffusion sheet 53a, a prism sheet 53b, and a protective sheet 53c, and are sequentially stacked on the light guide plate 52.
The diffusion sheet 53a scatters the light that is incident from the light guide plate 52, thereby making the brightness distribution of the light uniform. The prism sheet 53b has a plurality of prisms repeatedly formed on its upper surface and concentrates the light diffused by the diffusion sheet 53a in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the LCD panel 10. Accordingly, the light that has passed through the prism sheet 53b mostly progresses in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the LCD panel 10, so that a uniform brightness distribution is obtained.
The protective sheet 53c provided on the prism sheet 53b functions not only to protect the upper surface of the prism sheet 53b, but also to diffuse light so as to make uniform the distribution of the light that is incident from the prism sheet 53b.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are a cross-sectional view and a perspective view of the prism sheet shown in FIG. 1, respectively.
Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the related art prism sheet 200 includes: a body part 210 through which the light diffused by the light guide plate and the diffusion sheet is initially introduced, and a protrusion part 220 shaped in a isosceles triangle prism having a predetermined vertical angle α, for maintaining a path of the diffused light constantly. The protrusion part 220 has a plurality of isosceles triangle prisms linearly arranged on the body part 210 in a stripe form.
In case the protrusion part 220 of a triangle prism shape is installed toward a front side, namely, the protrusion part becomes a light outputting surface and faces the liquid crystal display panel, diffused light introduced from the body part 210 is refracted and concentrated to a front side, but light incident into an incline plane of the protrusion part is lost, not contributing to improvement of a front brightness due to a total internal refraction.
To overcome such a problem, the prism sheet may be conversely arranged so that the protrusion part 220 becomes a light receiving surface and faces the light guide plate. In this case, however, a front brightness can be improved but the viewing angle becomes narrow, which is not suitable for a flat display requiring a wide viewing angle such as a television for a home use.
Further, two prism sheets may be overlapped and used in such a way that arrangement directions of the protrusion parts thereof are crossed each other. However, such an arrangement increases a number of parts used in the LCD and manufacturing costs.

Prism sheet of liquid crystal display device and backlight unit using the same


A method is provided for controlling spark advance based on a fuel modifier. Initially, engine fueling is reduced according to a known dynamic crankshaft fuel control (DCFC) methodology. As a result, the engine tends to run rougher. In response, spark advance is varied based on the overall fuel multiplier reduction from the DCFC methodology. For instance, a look-up table, or mathematical function based on the DCFC multiplier can be utilized as the basis for the spark advance.

The present invention generally relates to engine control systems for automotive vehicles and, more particularly, to a method of controlling engine stability based on a fuel modifier.
2. Discussion
Recent advances in automotive vehicle engine control systems have led to the development of dynamic crankshaft fueling control systems. For instance, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,969, entitled "Method for Processing Crankshaft Speed Fluctuations for Control Applications" issued Sep. 22, 1998, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein, discloses one such dynamic fueling control system. According to this system, the amount of fuel delivered to the engine is reduced to obtain superior catalyst light off and engine out hydrocarbon reduction. However, as the fuel to air ratio is leaned out, the engine's burn rate is slowed down and engine stability becomes rougher. Such engine roughness is quantified in the art as the coefficient of variance of torque or COV. Thus, with the reduction of fuel, overall drivability of the vehicle becomes harder. From a calibration stand-point, this trend is particularly noticeable when 1300 drivability index fuel is used.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a system for use in conjunction with a dynamic crankshaft fuel control system to reduce COV and engine roughness.

Spark advance modifier based on a fuel modifier


The present invention relates to test systems for testing integrated circuit devices and to calibration associated systems and methods. One embodiment of the invention provides an auto-calibration system. The system includes: a plurality of delay line elements (DLEs) adapted to be connected in a loop; a state machine coupled to the plurality of DLEs and operative to provide state data for the plurality of DLEs; a start oscillation signal receiving circuit coupled to the loop and operative to trigger the loop in response to receipt of a start oscillation signal; and a calibration circuit coupled to the loop and operative to acquire calibration data for the plurality of DLEs.

The present invention relates to test systems for testing integrated circuit devices and to calibration associated systems and methods.
To test high-speed devices, conventional test systems generate multiple high-frequency timing signals in order to format signals for each of the device-under-test (DUT) pins being tested. Each timing signal typically appears as a low-to-high voltage transition (a "rising edge"). The circuitry used to generate these timing signals generally may be divided into two portions: a first portion, called the "timing marker generation circuit" or an "edge generator circuit;" and a second portion, called the "formatter." The timing marker generation circuit converts data received from a computer processing unit (CPU) to a software word, the software word including information about the time for a timing signal transition (i.e., the "timing marker" or "timing edge"). The formatter applies an edge type (e.g., the rising edge) to inputs of a pin electronics device at a time determined using information contained in the software word.
In a typical test system, the timing generation circuit converts data received from the CPU to software words for transmission to a formatter. The software words indicate a desired output level and the desired timing of the output level. In conventional test systems, the formatter generally is a dedicated resource per DUT pin and drives or strobes the input of a pin electronics (PE) device that is coupled to a DUT pin at a fixed frequency, usually the test system frequency. One can describe a PE device as including electronic buffers and comparators that communicate back and forth with a DUT. The formatter generally includes two complementary formatting circuits—a drive circuit for generating test signals to be applied to inputs of the PE device and a response circuit for receiving the signals from outputs of the PE device coupled to the DUT.
The drive circuit outputs accurate timing edges or formatted signals. The drive circuit outputs certain signals, which may include two formatted signals, such as drive-high (DHI) and drive-inhibit (DINH). For example, a typical drive circuit can output formatted signals DHI and DINH to the PE device. The PE device uses formatted signals DHI and DINH, or similar markers, to determine whether to drive a DUT pin to a predefined logic state, such as high, low, or tri-state.
The response circuit generates timing markers, such as StbHi, StbLo, StbOff, and StbZ, which are used with event type information to strobe signals coming from the PE, such as above comparator high (ACH) and below comparator low (BCL), to determine whether the DUT pin passes or fails a test. If the event type indicates a state different than the actual state of signals ACH and BCL, the response circuit generates and transmits a "fail" signal. The test system then records the data generated by the response circuit, creates a data log and transfers the data to the CPU or to local memory for analysis.
Test systems for testing high-speed integrated-circuit devices, such as microprocessors and microcontrollers, have become increasingly sophisticated due to high-speed requirements. Formatters play a crucial role in establishing the accuracy, and indeed, the functionality of a test system. Evolving system architectures, testing paradigms, and DUT specifications pose new challenges and requirements on the design of timing critical circuitry. Notable among these requirements is the requirement that current and future test systems hardware bring down the total cost of test through better hardware integration and software support. Modern test systems hardware needs to be both modular and flexible.
GaAs or Bipolar technologies are well known to be suited for high-speed (e.g. around 800 Mbps) and high accuracy (less than +/−100 ps edge placement accuracy) timing applications. However the use of GaAs or Bipolar technologies results in a relative increase in hardware costs. Furthermore, the use of these technologies results in a relative increase in system size and power consumption.
On the other hand, CMOS technologies are well known to be suited for low cost, small size and low power applications that do not require highly accurate edge placement (e.g., less than +/−100 ps). Temperature and voltage variation are factors in reduction of edge placement accuracy (EPA) in CMOS. In other words, temperature and voltage variation are examples of timing error factors in CMOS.
As an example of an article addressing the impact of temperature variation on CMOS technology, R. Hägglund and L. Wanhammar, in "Tuning and compensation of Temperature Effects in Analog Integrated Filters," (listed as being published in Proc. Swedish System-on-Chip Conf., Arild, Sweden, May 20–21, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) discuss tuning strategies for integrated filters and compensation schemes to decrease the temperature dependence of the transconductance value of a differential gain stage. The Hagglund article notes that an increase in temperature causes CMOS transistors to conduct a larger current. Thus, given temperature variations of a specified size, neither the transconductance value nor the drain-source resistance have a constant value and therefore the gain, bandwidth and phase response vary with the temperature, affecting the transfer function.
As another example of an article that discusses attempts to solve timing error factors in CMOS technology, Okayasu, M. Suda, and K. Yamamoto, in "CMOS Circuit Technology for Precise GHz Timing Generator" (listed as being presented on Oct. 9, 2002 at the 2002ITC International Test Conference in Baltimore Md., and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) discuss CMOS circuit technology for a GHz timing-generator.
Given that bipolar technologies typically result in relatively large system size and power consumption and given that CMOS technology typically does not result in relatively accurate edge placement (e.g., less than +/−100 ps), a need exists for test systems that are suitable for high-speed and high accuracy timing applications and that are low cost and have small size and low power consumption relative to conventional systems.

Calibration-associated systems and methods


A chip-scale optical approach to performing multi-target detection is based on molecular biosensing using fiber-optic based fluorescence or light scattering detection in liquid-core waveguides. Multiplexing methods are capable of registering individual nucleic acids and other optically responsive particles, and are ideal for amplification-free detection in combination with the single molecule sensitivity of optofluidic chips. This approach overcomes a critical barrier to introducing a new integrated technology for amplification-free molecular diagnostic detection. Specific examples of liquid-core optical waveguides and multi-mode interferometers are described; however, they can be implemented in a number of different ways as long as a series of excitation spots is created whose spacing varies with the excitation wavelength.

The inventive subject matter described herein is related to the subject matter described in the following U.S. Patents and Published Patent Applications invented by Drs. Holger Schmidt and Aaron Hawkins. These patent documents enable novel devices and methods in the fields of integrated optofluidics (e.g., based on micron-scale liquid-core optical waveguides where light and fluids are guided on a chip, enabling novel methods for on-chip detection and manipulation of single particles for a new class of portable biomedical analytic instruments); nanopores in optofluidic devices (e.g., nanoscopic openings in membranes are used as electrical single molecule detectors using optofluidic devices to combine both electrical and optical detection on a single chip); and single-photon nonlinear optics (e.g., atomic vapor cells on an integrated optical waveguide chip enable the guiding of light through small volumes of rubidium vapor, which in turn enables the study of quantum interference effects on a chip, including induced transparency, slow light and single photon nonlinearities):                Publication Number: U.S. Pat. No. 8,005,332B2        Title: Integrated optical vapor cell apparatus for precision spectroscopy        Publication Date: 2011 Aug. 23        Publication Number: U.S. Pat. No. 7,995,890B2        Title: Device for light-based particle manipulation on waveguides        Publication Date: 2011 Aug. 9        Publication Number: U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,053B2        Title: Integrated electrical and optical sensor for biomolecule analysis with single molecule sensitivity        Publication Date: 2008 Oct. 28        Publication Number: U.S. Pat. No. 7,391,949B2        Title: Low loss hollow core optical waveguide        Publication Date: 2008 Jun. 24        Publication Number: U.S. Pat. No. 7,248,771B2        Title: Integrated sensor with electrical and optical single molecule sensitivity        Publication Date: 2007 Jul. 24        Publication Number: U.S. Pat. No. 7,149,396B2        Title: Apparatus for optical measurements on low-index non-solid materials based on arrow waveguides        Publication Date: 2006 Dec. 12        Publication Number: U.S. Pat. No. 7,127,146B2        Title: Apparatus for optical measurements on low-index non-solid materials based on arrow waveguides        Publication Date: 2006 Oct. 24        Publication Number: US20110253295A1        Title: Integrated Optical Vapor Cell Apparatus for Precision Spectroscopy        Publication Date: 2011 Oct. 20        Publication Number: US20090175586A1        Title: DEVICE FOR LIGHT-BASED PARTICLE MANIPULATION ON WAVEGUIDES        Publication Date: 2009 Jul. 9        Publication Number: US20080278710A1        Title: Integrated Optical Vapor Cell Apparatus for Precision Spectroscopy        Publication Date: 2008 Nov. 13        Publication Number: US20070122097A1        Title: Low loss hollow core optical waveguide        Publication Date: 2007 May 31        Publication Number: US20060251371A1        Title: Integrated electrical and optical sensor for biomolecule analysis with single molecule sensitivity        Publication Date: 2006 Nov. 9        Publication Number: US20060098927A1        Title: Integrated sensor with electrical and optical single molecule sensitivity        Application Date: 2005 Oct. 14        Publication Date: 2006 May 11        Publication Number: US20060008227A1        Title: Apparatus for optical measurements on low-index non-solid materials based on arrow waveguides        Publication Date: 2006 Jan. 12        Publication Number: US20040252957A1        Title: Apparatus for optical measurements on low-index non-solid materials based on arrow waveguides        Publication Date: 2004 Dec. 16
FIG. 1a shows a planar optofluidic platform the inventors have developed for ultrasensitive fluorescence detection. (This platform is described in detail in the above-cited US patent documents.) Liquid-core antiresonant reflecting optical waveguides (ARROWS) with typical core dimensions of 5×12 μm (see SEM, bottom center, with super-imposed image of the guided mode) are interfaced with solid-core waveguides (see SEM in bottom right) at different points of the liquid core [26] (bracketed numerals refer to the literary references cited below). The devices are fabricated on a silicon chip using standard microfabrication techniques involving deposition of dielectric layers in combination with sacrificial layer etching [28-33]. Excitation light enters the liquid core through an orthogonally intersecting solid-core ARROW. Fluorescence from molecules in the core is collected perpendicularly in the chip plane and guided along the liquid-core channels [34]. This arrangement enables single particle sensitivity by creating femtoliter optical excitation volumes [35,36]. Fluidic reservoirs at the channel ends allow for channel filling and insertion of electrodes to induce electrokinetic particle movement. The photograph in the bottom left of FIG. 1 illustrates the optofluidic chip under test. This platform has successfully been used for fluorescence analysis of a variety of particles, including microbeads [37-39], single dye molecules [35,36], liposomes [40] and ribosomes, and virus capsids [41].
FIG. 1b shows the molecular beacon approach that can be used for specific detection of nucleic acids. Beacon detection is both highly sensitive and specific [42-44]. FIG. 1c shows the on-chip detection of single HPV-18 (human papillomavirus) DNA molecules as they flow by the excitation spot. This shows that amplification-free detection of pathogen nucleic acids is possible on a small optofluidic chip.
Integrated biosensing platforms are a topic of intense current research interest. With a wide range of biological targets (cells to molecular biomarkers), sensing mechanisms (optical, electrical, magnetic etc.), and deployment locations (clinical research labs to point-of-care), a unified description is virtually impossible. There is, however, widespread agreement over the fact that emerging molecular diagnostic instruments need to be compact, inexpensive, and simple in construction and use, while featuring high sensitivity and specificity. Simultaneous detection of multiple targets ("multiplexing") is a valuable feature of such platforms.
Multiplex detection has been applied to different diagnostic targets, including nucleic acids (e.g. DNA microarrays [1,2], multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) [3,4]), proteins (protein microarrays [5,6]) and others (e.g. ELISAs (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays [7,8]). Detection is typically accomplished using optical fluorescence which bears the potential of both spatial (multiple detection locations) and spectral (multiple wavelengths) multiplexing and possible combinations of both. PCR methods are excellent examples for the significance of multiplexing. They are the current gold standard for molecular diagnostics, and the underlying nucleic acid detection is ideally suited for next generation genome-based analysis with a broad range of applications, including pathogen detection [9-11], mutation analysis [12,13], cancer detection [14-16], disease monitoring [17,18], and forensic studies [19-21]. Commercially available kits (e.g. Qiagen) allow for up to ˜16× multiplexing in 1000 parallel reactions, while research platforms such as the Virochip have demonstrated parallel amplification of up to 1,000 targets [22-24]. However, multiplex PCR is complex and slow [22] and requires a target amplification step with several drawbacks [10]. Therefore, an on-chip approach for molecular diagnostics that provides 10-100× target multiplexing without the need for target amplification is highly significant.

Multiplex fluorescent particle detection using spatially distributed excitation

The Regents of the University of California


An apparatus and method for processing soil in a subterranean situs is provided wherein a pressurized slurry is introduced through a soil processing tool and mixed with the soil. A single engine drives first and second pumps and a programmable, computerized process control system allocates driving power from the single engine to the first and second pumps to optimize the mixing of the slurry and soil while maximizing the amount of soil being processed.

The present invention relates in general to an apparatus and method for processing soil in a subterranean earth situs; and more particularly, to an improvement over the method and apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,964 dated Mar. 14, 1995. The present invention, among other things, utilizes a single engine, as opposed to the dual engines of U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,964. The single drive engine is used in combination with first and second hydraulic pumps, one pump being used to pressurize slurry for the processing of subterranean soil and the other pump is used to rotate the processing tool.
It is known in the prior art to process soil in a subterranean situs as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,964. The text of U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,964 is incorporated by reference as though set forth in full herein. The present invention includes several significant improvements over U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,964 and prior art patents referenced and summarized at columns 1 and 2 of that patent.
In particular, the present invention utilizes a single, relatively high horsepower engine carried on the rear of a crane to provide the necessary power for rotating the soil processing tool and to pressurize the slurry which is introduced into the subterranean situs typically along with the soil processing tool. The present invention also provides a programmable, computer operated system for allocating driving power from the single drive engine to optimize the mixing of slurry and soil while simultaneously maximizing the amount of soil being processed. The present invention also provides a leader column provided with guide means and a top drive allowing for the use of multiple sections of cylindrical collar stock, whereas U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,964 required the use of a square Kelly driven by a rotary table. The square Kelly of U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,964 operates without a leader column or guides and typically experiences instability during start-up and operation.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for processing soil in a subterranean situs utilizing power provided by a single engine and allocating that power to pressurize slurry and to drive the soil processing tool in a manner to optimize the mixing of the slurry and soil and to maximize the amount of soil being processed.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for processing soil in a subterranean situs utilizing cylindrical collar stock together with a leader column and guides, resulting in a drive mechanism with greatly increased stability, ease of operation and dependability, all at a reduced cost.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for processing soil in a subterranean situs utilizing a process control system receiving as input variables such as the soil and slurry characteristics of each subterranean situs to determine the appropriate slurry injection pressure while maximizing the amount of soil being processed.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for processing subterranean soil incorporating a pull-down winch responsive to a programmable and computerized process control system to advance a soil processing tool at a rate determined by the process control system.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a soil processing system utilizing a crane having a single engine carried at the rear of the crane for driving hydraulic pumps for pressurizing slurry and rotating the processing tool and wherein a spotter is carried at the front of the crane to position the leader column and wherein the slurry pump is carried on the spotter.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the drawings wherein:


A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for controlling a first climate control device is provided. An operational mode is obtained for each of a plurality of climate control devices. The operational mode of each of the plurality of climate control devices is compared with a desired operational mode of the first climate control device. A determination of whether any of the operational modes of the plurality of climate control devices differs from the desired operational mode. The first climate control device is placed in the desired operational mode dependent on the comparison of the operational modes of the plurality of climate control devices with the desired operational mode.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and computer program product for synchronizing climate control devices in a network system.
2. Description of Related Art
Locales or facilities having wide fluctuations in daily temperatures often require air conditioning and heating at different times of the day. A climate control conflict may arise in a facility requiring both daily air conditioning and heating when two or more climate control zones are commonly located in the facility. For example, automated climate control systems having multiple zone environments include thermostats deployed at separate locations in a facility. The thermostats will select either an air conditioning mode or a heating mode based on the sensed temperature and the parameters programmed in the climate control system.
In multiple zoned environments, a situation may arise in which an automated and/or a manual climate control system has one or more climate control devices activated in an air conditioning mode and one or more climate control devices activated in a heating mode. Such a situation results in inefficient energy usage. The automatic thermostats may be manually synchronized so that all climate control devices are activated in a common mode. However, such a solution defeats the purpose of deploying an automated climate control system. The manual thermostats have no way of notifying the user of an inconsistent setting with other thermostats. No automated solutions are known for enabling synchronization of multiple climate control devices in an automated climate control system featuring multiple peer thermostats.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a method and system for synchronization of climate control devices in a climate control system having no master controller or master thermostat. It would be further advantageous to provide a climate control system featuring peer thermostat control units that control respective climate control devices in which the operation of the climate control devices are synchronized.

Method and system for synchronizing climate control devices

International Business Machines Corporation


The ceramic structure 10 includes a discoid ceramic base 12 and an electrode 14 buried in the ceramic base 12. The ceramic base 12 is a sintered body composed principally of alumina or a rare-earth metal oxide and has a thermal expansion coefficient of 7.5 to 9.5 ppm/K over the range of 40° C. to 1200° C. The electrode 14 is composed principally of metal ruthenium. The electrode 14 may be formed in the shape of a sheet. Alternatively, the electrode 14 may be patterned in the manner of a one-stroke sketch so as to extend over the entire cross section of the ceramic base 12.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceramic structure, a member tor a substrate-holding apparatus, and a method fear producing the ceramic structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Substrate-holding apparatuses have been widely used when elements and devices, such as semiconductors, are produced from tabular materials such as a silicon substrate, a glass substrate, and various single-crystal substrates by precision patterning. Various types of substrate-holding apparatuses are known. Examples thereof include an electrostatic chuck and a vacuum chuck that are capable of adsorbing a substrate thereon; a heater capable of heating a substrate; and a substrate-holding apparatus that includes both the electrostatic or vacuum chuck and the heater. In particular, the electrostatic chuck and the heater include a base having a surface on which a substrate is to be held and an electrode composed of a conducting substance which is buried in the base in a specific pattern. Thus, the electrostatic chuck and the heater are capable of generating an electrostatic force, Joule's heat for heating, and the like.
For example, PTL 1 discloses an electrostatic chuck that includes a ceramic base and an electrode buried in the ceramic base. It is described that, the ceramic base is composed of aluminium oxide, aluminium nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, sialon, boron nitride, silicon, carbide, and a mixture of the above compounds. It is described that the electrode is composed of a metal such as aluminium, iron, copper, silver, gold, titanium, tungsten, molybdeum, and platinum; a graphite or a carbon; a ceramic such as silicon carbide, titanium nitride, and titanium carbide; and a mixture of the above substances.

Ceramic structure, member for substrate-holding apparatus, and method for producing the ceramic structure


The present invention relates to methods and compositions for regulating the activity of imidazoline receptors. In particular, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising imidazoleacetic acid-ribotide (IAA-RP), imidazoleacetic acid-riboside (IAA-R) and its related congeners such as pros-linked ribotide and riboside. The invention is based on the discovery that IAA-RP and to a lesser extent IAA-P bind with a high affinity to imidazoline receptors. Antibodies to IAA-RP and IAA-R are additionally provided, as well as screening methods for identification of compounds that either promote or antagonize the activity of IAA-RP, IAA-R and its related congeners. The invention further relates to diagnostic and prognostic methods for detection of abnormalities in levels or activity of IAA-RP and IAA-R. The invention encompasses treatment of disorders related to the imidazoline system, including hypertension, glaucoma, psychiatric (e.g., depression), neurological (e.g., motor disorders, neurodegenerative disorders), diabetes and disorders related to platelet aggregation.

Imidazoline receptors are now generally recognized as a unique set of non-adrenergic high affinity binding sites for a number of agents that to date also bind to α2-adrenergic receptors (Eglen, R. M. et al., 1998, Trends in Pharmacol. Sci. 19:381-390; Regunathan, S. and Reis, D. J., 1996, Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 36:511-44). Although only one imidazoline receptors has been cloned, evidence including differences in selectivity and binding affinity of ligands, the structure of binding proteins, cellular distribution and activities indicate that they are different from α2-adrenergic receptors. The nonadrenergic imidazoline receptors are important in mediating the hypotensive actions of clinically important imidazoline drugs such as clonidine, rilmenidine and moxonidine.
For example, unique imidazoline receptors, are present in pancreatic islet and beta-cells (Morgan, N. G., et al., 1995, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 763:361-373). Activation of these receptors by imidazolines causes release of insulin. Some of this activity may be due to imidazoline-induced closure of K+ channels such as the K+ ATP-sensitive channels which permits intracellular levels of K+ to accumulate, causing cell depolarization and eventual exocytosis of hormone or transmitter into plasma or extracellular fluid. It is noteworthy that channels such as the K+ ATP-sensitive channels exist throughout the body, and are particularly abundant in brain. These pancreatic imidazoline receptors have recently been designated as I3 receptor subtypes (Eglen, R. M. et al., 1998, TIPS 19:381-390). However, the I3 subtype may not be linked to K+ ATP channels. Chan et al. (1997, Brit. J. Pharmacol. 120:926-932), showed that imidazolines and preparations of CDS (clonidine-displacing substance, see below) from bovine brain caused release of insulin and stimulated K+ ATP channels.
One or more endogenous ligands selectively bind to the imidazoline receptors although attempts to identify this endogenous ligand(s) have failed. A possible ligand, referred to as "clonidine displacing substance" (CDS), has been discovered as an entity isolated from mammalian brain and the periphery that is capable of displacing radio-labeled clonidine and its radio-labeled congeners from membranes (Atlas, D. et al., 1987, J. Cardiovascular Pharmacology 10 (Suppl. 12): S122-S127; Atlas, D. 1991, Biochemical Pharmacology 41:1541-1549; Atlas, D., 1995, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 763:314-324). Antibodies have been prepared against the drug clonidine, which presumably interact with CDS. Such antibodies are found to be immunoreactive in tissues throughout the body and also show a heterogeneous regional distribution within the brain.
A recent study proposed that agmatine, a known compound isolated from bovine brain, is CDS (Li, G. et al., 1994, Science 263:966-968; Regunathan, S. and Reis, D. J., 1996, Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 36: 511-544; but see Eglen, R. M. et al., 1998, TIPS 19:381-390). Agmatine was further suggested to be an endogenous neurotransmitter because it was found within an extract of CDS activity from whole brain and because it appeared to bind to a class of imidazoline receptors. However, comparisons of the biological activities of agmatine, e.g., effects on blood pressure versus effects of endogenous clonidine-displacing substance at imidazoline and α2-adrenergic receptors produced in virtually all laboratories, indicated that agmatine differed from "classical CDS." For example, agmatine displaces labeled clonidine from a subset of its nonadrenergic binding sites identified as imidazoline 2A and 2B sites. However, because those I2A and I2B sites are now known to be enzymes, i.e. portions of monoamine oxidase A and B, the search for the identity of CDS that acts at membrane-bound imidazoline receptors has continued (Eglen, R. M. et al., 1998, TIPS 19:381-390).
Several laboratories have harvested CDS and most preparations show similar physiochemical properties. There is widespread consensus that CDS is present in small amounts in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid and periphery (including plasma) of mammals. It is soluble in water and methanol, but generally insoluble in organic solvents. Size exclusion chromatography indicated that it is a small molecule (≦1000 Da). CDS is resistant to several proteases, including trypsin and chymotrypsin, and is devoid of amino acids; thus it is not a peptide. CDS appears to have no free amino groups as activity is retained following reaction with fluorescamine and ninhydrin. CDS is stable in both weak acids (pH 2) and weak bases (pH 10.5), is thermostable (at 110° C.) and retains activity following multiple freeze-thaw and lyophilization cycles. Because CDS can be retained on both anion and cation exchange resins and because its migration patterns shifted markedly with changes in ambient pH on gel electrophoresis, it is very likely that CDS is amphoteric, possibly a zwitterion. In addition, CDS shows maximal UV absorbance between 206-220 nm.

Methods and compositions for regulating imidazoline receptors