A method for producing recombinant adeno-associated virus in the absence of contaminating helper virus or wild-type virus involves culturing a mammalian host cell containing an rAd/AAV hybrid virus, an AAV rep sequence and an AAV cap sequence under the control of regulatory sequences directing expression thereof. The rAd/AAV hybrid virus contains a rAAV construct to be packaged into an AAV virion in an backbone containing the adenoviral sequences necessary to express E1a and E1b gene products and to permit replication of the hybrid virus. The method of the invention permits replication of the hybrid virus and production of rAAV virion in this host cell in the absence of a helper virus and obviates a subsequent purification step to purify rAAV from contaminating virus.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a replication-deficient parvovirus, the genome of which is about 4.6 kb in length, including 145 nucleotide inverted terminal repeats (ITRs). Two open reading frames encode a series of rep and cap polypeptides. Rep polypeptides (rep78, rep68, rep62 and rep40) are involved in replication, rescue and integration of the AAV genome. The cap proteins (VP1, VP2 and VP3) form the virion capsid. Flanking the rep and cap open reading frames at the 5xe2x80x2 and 3xe2x80x2 ends are 145 bp inverted terminal repeats (ITRs), the first 125 bp of which are capable of forming Y- or T-shaped duplex structures. Of importance for the development of AAV vectors, the entire rep and cap domains can be excised and replaced with a therapeutic or reporter transgene [B. J. Carter, in xe2x80x9cHandbook of Parvovirusesxe2x80x9d, ed., P. Tijsser, CRC Press, pp. 155-168 (1990)]. It has been shown that the ITRs represent the minimal sequence required for replication, rescue, packaging, and integration of the AAV genome.
When this nonpathogenic human virus infects a human cell, the viral genome integrates into chromosome 19 resulting in latent infection of the cell. Production of infectious virus and replication of the virus does not occur unless the cell is coinfected with a lytic helper virus, such as adenovirus (Ad) or herpesvirus. Upon infection with a helper virus, the AAV provirus is rescued and amplified, and both AAV and helper virus are produced. The infecting parental ssDNA is expanded to duplex replicating form (RF) DNAs in a rep dependent manner. The rescued AAV genomes are packaged into preformed protein capsids (icosahedral symmetry approximately 20 nm in diameter) and released as infectious virions that have packaged either + or xe2x88x92 ss DNA genomes following cell lysis.
AAV possesses unique features that make it attractive as a vector for delivering foreign DNA (i.e., a transgene) to cells, and various groups have studied the potential use of AAV in the treatment of disease states. As used in this application, the term xe2x80x9ctransgenexe2x80x9d means the DNA desired to be delivered to an animal, the DNA being non-AAV DNA. However, progress towards establishing AAV as a transducing vector for the delivery of DNA in the form of a desired transgene has been slow for a variety of reasons.
One obstacle to the use of AAV for delivery of DNA has been lack of highly efficient schemes for encapsidation of recombinant genomes and production of infectious virions. See, R. Kotin, Hum. Gene Ther., 5:793-801 (1994). One method which addresses this problem involves transfecting a recombinant AAV (rAAV) (which has the DNA to be delivered, but lacks rep and cap genes) into host cells followed by co-infection with wild-type (wt) AAV (which supplies the rep and cap genes) and adenovirus (which supplies at least the four adenovirus genes: E1, E2, E4 and VAI, which have been stated to be necessary for rAAV production) [see, e.g., Carter, cited above]. However, in this method co-infection is mandatory and leads to unacceptably high levels of wt AAV resulting from non-homologous recombination and contamination of the rAAV produced with wt AAV. The contamination with other viruses or plasmids demands purification of rAAV. Incubation of cells with rAAV in the absence of contaminating wt AAV or helper adenovirus yields little recombinant gene expression.
A widely recognized means for manufacturing transducing AAV virions for gene therapy entails co-transfection with two different, complementing plasmids. One of these plasmids contains a therapeutic or reporter transgene sandwiched between the two cis acting AAV ITRs. The AAV components that are needed for rescue and subsequent packaging of progeny recombinant genome are provided in trans by a second plasmid encoding the viral open reading frames for rep and cap proteins. In this system, the Ad helper functions are provided by a wt adenovirus or by replication-defective adenovirus with the missing E1 gene supplied by HEK 293 cells. Other variants of this method have been described. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,785, which refers to a mammalian host cell stably transfected with a rAAV genome and with AAV rep and cap genes, and a method for producing rAAV by infecting this host cell with a helper virus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,776 refers to packaging systems and processes for packaging AAV vectors in which the AAV p5 promoter is replaced with a heterologous promoter. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,856 refers to constructs and methods for AAV vector production in which the homologous p5 promoter is moved to a position 3xe2x80x2 of the rep genes, optionally flanking the rep/cap genes and repositioned p5 promoter with FRT sequences.
There remains a need in the art for additional compositions and methods permitting the efficient production of AAV and recombinant AAV viruses for use as vectors for somatic gene therapy without the inefficiency, contamination and purification problems present in the methods previously described.
The present invention allows for the efficient production of rAAV containing a desired transgene DNA. Particularly, the present invention provides both compositions and methods which enable the production of a rAAV without producing contaminating re-assembled wt AAV during rAAV production.
In one aspect, the invention provides a replication-competent hybrid adenovirus/AAV virus containing a recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector and sufficient adenoviral sequences to permit replication of said hybrid virus in a selected host cell. In one embodiment, the hybrid virus contains a functional deletion in the wild-type adenoviral E3 region and/or a deletion of non-essential adenoviral sequences in the E4 region, such that the hybrid virus contains the sequences required for E4 ORF6 function.
In another aspect, the invention provides an adenovirus/AAV hybrid virus containing (a) adenovirus 5xe2x80x2 cis-elements necessary for replication and packaging; (b) a recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector; (c) a deletion of adenoviral sequences from the E3 region; (d) nucleic acid sequences encoding adenovirus E1a and adenovirus E1b under the control of regulatory sequences directing expression of the E1a and E1b gene products, wherein said E1a and E1b nucleic acid sequences are located in the site of the E3 region and; (e) adenovirus 3xe2x80x2 cis-elements necessary for replication and packaging. In one suitable embodiment, the hybrid virus provides all sequences necessary to provide helper function for packaging the rAAV.
In another aspect, a method for producing recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) in the absence of contaminating helper virus or wild-type virus, comprising the step of culturing a host cell comprising a replication-competent rAd/AAV and an AAV rep sequence and an AAV cap sequence under the control of regulatory sequences directing expression thereof. Suitably, the method further involves the step of controlling replication of the rAd/AAV hybrid following infection, thereby enhancing production of rAAV. In a preferred embodiment, the method of the invention simplifies purification steps because the replication-competent rAd/AAV provides the rAAV construct to be packaged and all necessary adenoviral sequences, there is no helper virus used and there is insufficient adenovirus sequence in the host cell to permit homologous recombination to a contaminating wt virus.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention are described further in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof

Compositions and methods for helper-free production of recombinant adeno-associated viruses

The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


A flexible infrared emissive module comprises an electrically insulating carrier layer (12), an electrically conductive layer (14) mounted to the carrier layer, an electrically insulating top layer (18) mounted to the carrier and electrically conductive layers on one side of the carrier layer and an electrically insulating bottom layer (16) mounted to the other side of the carrier layer. The carrier layer comprises a vinyl film, and the top and bottom layers comprise a polyester film, which are mounted to the carrier layer by a heat and pressure sensitive adhesive. The electrically conductive layer comprises a fibrous composite of a fluoroelastomer and carbon, wherein the electrically conductive layer is comprised mainly of the fluoroelastonier. Electrical current is supplied to the electrically conductive layer from an electrical power source (3) by a networked series-parallel power and ground plane circuit (20) that provides even distribution of the electrical current and circuit redundancy enabling the module to continue to function with little or no change in infrared emission after being perforated by projectiles.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of heat emitting devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a unitary, composite, flexible, laminated infrared emissive module having redundant circuitry that is well suited for use as an infrared target.
II. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that objects having a surface temperature greater than absolute zero are capable of dissipating energy into the environment in the form of infrared radiation. Under certain circumstances, devices which emit infrared radiation can be utilized to heat objects or structures and can be utilized as a target for weaponry having infrared detection devices that "see" infrared emitting device's thermal signature.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,398, Ellis et al. describe a solid state electrically conductive laminate. The laminate has a substantially continuous, electrically conductive layer of substantially uniform thickness comprised mainly of carbon that emits infrared radiation when an electric current is passed through it. This layer is specifically described as a homogeneous blend of about 60% to about 98% by weight of graphite, about 1.5% to about 20% by weight of manganese dioxide, and about 0.5% to about 20% by weight of zinc oxide. The electrically conductive layer is described as being applied to a flexible binder by silkscreen application. A pair of busbars having opposite electrical polarity arc placed in contact with the electrically conductive layer in varying arrangements. However, the busbars are not in a networked series-parallel power and ground plane circuit arrangement and if one of the busbars is dissected, major portions, if not all, of the electrically conductive layer cease to emit infrared radiation. The electrically conductive layer is disposed between a pair of barrier layers, which are additionally disposed between a pair of insulating layers.
Rosa, a co-inventor of U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,398 described above, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,422,646, 4,546,983 and 4,659,089 describes infrared targets likewise having a substantially continuous, electrically conductive layer of substantially uniform thickness comprised mainly of carbon that emits infrared radiation when an electric current is passed through it. The electrically conductive layer is not well described except that it is comprised mainly of carbon. This device also has a pair of busbars of opposite electrical polarity, except that each busbar is respectively connected at each end thereof to its mating electrical pole of an electrical source. This device likewise does not have a networked series-parallel power and ground plane circuit arrangement, and if one of the busbars is dissected, major portions, if not all, of the electrically conductive layer cease to emit infrared radiation. As a target, this device's usefulness is limited, because once the busbars have received a relatively few number of "hits" by a projectile fired by a weapon, it ceases to produce an even thermal signature. It appears that this device is improved over the device described by Ellis et al. only in that both ends of each busbar is connected to a respective pole of an electrical power source and does not have barrier layers.


An address detection circuit for high speed detection of long addresses which utilizes a memory which is addressable at a shorter address length than the length of the address to be detected includes a subfield address generator which generates N (N being an integer greater than 1) subfield addresses obtained by dividing an input address by N. A subfield indicating signal generator generates a subfield indicating signal for indicating the order in which the N subfields are inputted. The subfield and subfield indicating signal form a memory address, which is generated N times. An address comparator compares the memory addresses and memory addresses stored therein and generates comparison signals. A decision circuit decides that when the comparison signals prove to be identity signals N number of times, the input address represents the address to be detected and generates an address detection signal.

The present invention relates to address detection circuits, and more particularly to an address detection circuit for use in communication systems having a plurality of communication nodes wherein communication is controlled on the basis of transmit/receive addresses included in packet signals and the like.
Whereas addresses are used in the reception or routing of packet signals, such processing as address detection and address calculation have conventionally been achieved with a computer. However, real time processing is difficult in this manner because the processing speed is not high enough. Meanwhile, there is proposed an address detection circuit using a memory which compares the addresses of packet signals with addresses stored therein to make real time processing possible. However, when a memory is used for address detection, the number of bits for address representation increases with the extension of the address length, and accordingly the memory capacity has to be increased. Since long addresses, such as 16-bit, 32-bit or even 48-bit ones, are used in local area networks or the like, the memory-based address detection circuit is hardly applicable for practical purposes.

Address detection circuit using a memory


The present invention advances prior art animal food products by providing an animal food product formulated with Garicinia mangostana L., or Mangosteen fruit, from the Mangosteen plant. The addition of Mangosteen to the animal food product of the present invention serves to provide significant health advantages not found in prior art animal food products.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to animal food products, and more particularly to animal food products for domestic, exotic and companion animals. Specifically, the present invention relates to an improved animal food product and composition enhanced with Garcinia mangostana L. ("Mangosteen") or Mangosteen dietary fiber.
2. Background
Animal Food Products
Animal food products designed for domestic animals, livestock, or pets, and particularly companion animals, such as dogs and cats, are generally and preferably prepared as full-feeding foods, which means that the particular composition contains all the necessary nutrients and supplements needed to maintain the health and vigor of the pet. The food composition is balanced in nutrition so that a diet limited to that particular feed will fulfill all of the pet's nutritional needs. Such food products are achievable in two ways. First, industry guidelines, as set and monitored by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), are provided in order to ensure a proper balance of nutrients; and second, each animal food product is actually tested in its specific formulations in appropriate feeding studies.
The typical ingredients contained within a pet food formulation are protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals. Each of these is present in varying percentages by weight of the specific formulation or composition, sufficient to meet the complete nutritional requirements of the pet. In addition, other ingredients may be added depending upon the specific needs of the animal for which the food is intended.
A wide variety of different animal food formulations are commercially available. Most include either wet or dry type products. The definition of wet or dry is derived from the percentage of water existing in the formulation by weight. Typically, such animal food formulations are designed to be consumed by any breed. In the past, the nutrients or ingredients in these formulations are not typically designed to provide specific advantages to a pet if desired or needed. Recently however, animal food formulations have been designed with a specific goal in mind. Many animal food formulations available on the market today are specialized in that they may cater to animals of different ages, different breeds, or those with certain needs, such as obesity, bone loss, etc. Other formulations address different energy requirements among animals. An additional segment of the animal food market incorporates differences in ingredient usage or product form, which tend to lend themselves to more attractive tastes or varieties.
Garcinia mangostana L.
Garcinia mangostana L. ("Mangosteen") is an evergreen tree about ten to twenty-five meters tall. Mangosteen fruit is often called "Queen of Fruits" due to its pleasant flavor. The mangosteen fruit is round with slightly flattened ends and is about 6 to 7 cm in diameter. It has a smooth thick, firm rind that is pale green when immature and dark purple or red-purple when ripe. Enclosed by the rind is the edible pulp in four to eight white segments. Some fruits have no seeds (seedless) while others have 1-5 fully developed seeds.


The gas turbine exhaust sound suppressor, or exhaust silencer, and method are for a gas turbine and reduce low frequency exhaust flow noise while avoiding the creation of additional acoustical standing waves, e.g. from wake shedding at certain predictable frequencies. A plurality of elongated flow obstruction members, e.g. pipes or airfoils, extend within the exhaust passage to reduce acoustic waves within the exhaust flow, and at least some of the elongated flow obstruction members have different widths. Each of the elongated flow obstruction members is positioned at a respective angle within a predetermined angular range transverse to the flow direction, with the predetermined angular range being greater than or equal to 10 degrees from normal to the flow direction.

A gas turbine engine includes a compression section, a combustion section, and a turbine section. A flow path for the gases extends axially through the engine. The compression section has a rotor assembly that includes an array of rotor blades that are angled with respect to the approaching gas flow. The compression section also has a stator assembly that includes an array of stator vanes. Duct walls extend circumferentially with respect to the flow path to form the boundaries for the working medium gases in the fan section.
As the rotor assembly rotates, the blades increase the pressure of the gases. The rotor blades also increase the velocity of the gases and direct the flow of gases from the engine axial direction to the blade rotation direction. The gases are then flowed past the rotor blade array to the stator vane cascade, which redirects the flow of gases to the axial direction. By reorienting the flow in this manner, the stator vane cascade increases the recovery of the flow energy of the gases into thrust.
As the working medium gases travel along the engine flow path, the gases are pressurized in the rotating compression section, which causes the gas temperature to rise. The hot, pressurized gases are burned with fuel in the combustion section to add energy to the gases. The gases are then expanded through the rotating turbine section to produce useful work and for pressurizing the gases in the fan and compression sections.
The gas flow through the engine generates acoustic energy or noise. The main sources of noise in a gas turbine engine exhaust are combustion noise, turbulent noise, and fan noise. Combustion noise originates within the combustion chamber of the gas turbine. Turbulent noise includes all the dynamic instabilities resulting from the high velocity exhaust stream such as the jet noise resulting from the localized flow separation at boundary discontinuities, or periodic high velocity flow impact on exhaust duct structural boundaries. Fan noise results from the periodic passage of the individual turbine blades which creates pressure pulsations that propagate downstream in the exhaust duct in the same way that inlet fan noise is generated and propagates out the gas turbine inlet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,441 to Tolmon describes a broad band acoustic attenuator for attenuating gas turbine engine noise using a plurality of axially extending, open-ended, perforated cylinders concentrically arranged within the exhaust duct of the gas turbine engine for attenuating noise therefrom without imposing significant back pressure penalties.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,964 to Lange describes a combined device for positioning between the outlet of a gas turbine and a steam generator. The combined device acts as a sound-absorber and as a diffuser and is designated a gas turbine muffler. The gas turbine muffler has an inner zone, which widens out in the flow direction at a relatively large angle. Deflector elements arranged in this inner zone delineate diffuser channels that are located between adjacent deflector elements. The diffuser channels widen out in each case at a significantly smaller acute angle of less than seven degrees. In addition to decelerating the stream of gas and hence, in addition, increasing the pressure, the narrow diffuser channels also bring about sound-absorption by reducing the regions of turbulence, making the stream more uniform, and aligning the stream.
The silencing of gas turbine installations in industrial environments may include attenuating the noise from the atmospheric inlet and the exhaust openings. The sound from the gas turbine enclosure, auxiliaries, and driven equipment also may be considered in the silencing approach. Some degree of attenuation can be attained by natural factors, such as divergence, directivity, air absorption, and duct configurations. Further sound control, however, is typically obtained through the use of adequate silencer or sound suppressor.
A sound suppressor normally contains one or more passages which are lined with sound absorbing material, incorporated in structures that protect them from erosion from air flow. To attenuate low frequency sounds, thick baffles widely spaced are typically used; whereas for high frequency sounds, sound absorption is obtained by using thin baffles closely spaced. Increased attenuation may be achieved by incorporating bends or elbows into the sound suppressor.
Some conventional exhaust sound suppressors address attenuation of low frequency noise by attempting to disrupt in-duct acoustical standing waves by using pipes installed normal to the flow direction, or plates installed parallel to the flow direction. However, these approaches may introduce flow effects, e.g. wake shedding, that cause additional acoustical standing waves where none had existed before.

Gas turbine exhaust sound suppressor and associated methods


A motor vehicle latching system with a locking mechanism 9, which comprises at least a catch and at least a pawl for ratcheting of the catch, with an operating lever 1 which can be rotated to open a motor vehicle door and with a transmission element 2 by means of which rotation of the operating lever 1 can be transmitted into pivoting of a triggering lever 3 to disengage the locking mechanism 9. For the coupling of the transmission element 2 with the operating lever 1, the transmission element 2 shiftably reaches through a coupling opening 5 of the operating lever 1. A coupling section 4 of the transmission element 2 which is located in the coupling opening 5 is arch-shaped. Especially reliable operation of the motor vehicle latching system can thus be enabled.

The alignment of the operating element in relation to the transmission element normally changes in the coupling area by rotation of the operating element. With the current motor vehicle latching systems, it can therefore sometimes be the case that the operating lever in the coupling area jams with the transmission element as a result of the changed alignment. This can result in malfunctions when the locking mechanism is opened.
Publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,445 B publishes a class-specific coupling connection with a transmission rod. A cardan system is described in DE 197 27 837 A1.
The aforementioned features known from the state of the art can be combined individually or in any combination with one of the objects and embodiments according to the invention described hereafter.
It is the object of the invention to provide a motor vehicle latching system developed further. A motor vehicle latching system according to the main claim solves the task. Advantageous embodiments result from the sub-claims.


The present invention provides a buckle and frame for a restraint system resisting to a harsh environment. The buckle comprising a frame having a base wall, the base wall includes a debris exit opening; and a cover which encloses the frame and forms at least one vent opening and at least one passage which couples the debris exit opening to the vent opening. Debris, dust and other foreign objects which find there way into the buckle are not necessarily trapped but rather are presented with a means of exiting the buckle via the vent opening.

Commercially viable applications of the invention include, for example, off-road applications such as recreational equipment (go-karts, dune buggies, all terrain racing, etc.), cargo tie-down industry, heavy equipment applications, forklift or material handling equipment, and agricultural equipment.
The prior art safety restraint systems includes combination buckle and tongue devices incorporated in a belt or webbing system to safely secure an individual or occupant in a seat. Many of the prior art systems include a locking mechanism having a frame and a pawl for locking the tongue to the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,262 discloses a load bearing safety belt buckle construction. The buckle includes a housing having a latch plate with a cam surface. A tongue plate having an abutment surface is inserted into the housing whereupon a spring urges the cam surface to engage with the abutment surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,377 discloses a multi point buckle assembly. The buckle assembly includes a metal base. A latch member includes a latch lug biased by a latch spring for engaging an opening of a tongue.
Safety restraint systems for use in a harsh environment, such as off-road or earth moving equipment, are subject to particular problems. For example, the prior art buckle assembly frame acts in an enclosing manner that houses the sliding button and traps dust and debris between the button surfaces and the frame surfaces.
The ejection slide provides a plastic-on-plastic arrangement. Such an arrangement may suffer from galling due to the harsh dusty environment. The cover of certain prior art systems include features which introduce horizontal ledges which allow dust and debris to settle and accumulate thereupon and which eventually may gall internal components of the system. The size of the button face area is relatively small and obstructed too easily to activate, particularly by someone wearing heavy working gloves.
The prior art systems suffer other disadvantages. For example, the portion of the sliding button which acts upon the locking pawl engaging device is not sufficient. In addition, the button portion does not provide a backup in the event the primary device fails.

Buckle and frame for restraint system resistant to a harsh environment


Methods, systems, and media for timing presentation of content are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: causing a first video content item to be presented on a user device of a user, wherein the video content item is provided by a video sharing service; identifying a promotion for the video sharing service that is to be presented to the user during a time window; determining a probability that the user will select the promotion if the promotion is presented at a first time point within the time window in connection with the first video content item; determining whether to present the promotion at the first time point based on at least on the probability; in response to determining that the promotion is to be presented at the first time point, causing the promotion to be presented on the user device at the first time point in connection with the first video content item; and, in response to determining that the promotion is not to be presented at the first time point, causing the promotion to be presented on the user device at a second time point in connection with a second video content item, wherein the second time point is within the time window and wherein the second time point is after the first time point.

Users frequently use websites associated with particular services or applications associated with particular services to view media content (e.g., stream or download media content, such as music, television shows, movies, videos, etc.), connect with other users (e.g., via social networking services), perform tasks (e.g., purchase items, edit documents, receive or send messages, etc.). In many cases, a service may want to notify a user of different features available through the service. For example, a service that provides media content may want to notify a user about a premium option through which media content may be downloaded rather than streamed. As another example, a service may want to notify a user about a premium option through which media content may be viewed without advertisements or with fewer advertisements. However, it can be difficult to time presentation of such notifications. For example, in some cases, presenting too many notifications to a user or presenting notifications at particular times may cause a user to stop using the service.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide new methods, systems, and media for timing presentation of content.


A disclosed apparatus and method reduce the likelihood of multiple bit single event upset (SEU) errors in space-deployed memory devices and memory macros. For each memory, a bit selection layer effectively increases the mux of the memory bit table, thereby reducing the word size while increasing the word capacity, without changing the total memory capacity. As a result, the separation between the physical bit storage locations for each word is increased, thereby reducing the likelihood of multiple bit SEU errors. A buffer can be implemented if the memory lacks individual bit write control. The memory can be implemented in a core integrated circuit (IC) of an multi-chip module (MCM) hybrid integrated circuit (HIC), and the bit selection layer and/or buffer can be implemented in a chiplet or chiplets of the MCM-HIC.

Many computing devices require access to high density, high speed electronic memory, which can be provided as dedicated high density integrated circuits (memory "chips") as well as high speed, low latency internal memory "macros" that are included, for example as cache memory, within a larger integrated circuit. All such devices are referred to generically herein as "memory devices," or simply as "memories." Typically, successful operation of the computing device depends upon the ability to store data in the memory and retrieve the data therefrom rapidly and in large quantities, with virtually no errors. To that end, such memories often include error detection features such as the ability to generate and store "parity" bits, so that the rare occurrence of a memory error can be detected, and so that program operation can be halted and/or other corrective action can be taken when an error does occur.
Improvements in lithography, clean room technology, and other integrated circuit manufacturing methodologies have greatly reduced the presence of manufacturing defects in memory devices that might lead to defect-related errors and failures, sometimes referred to as "hard" errors. However, memory errors can sometimes occur due to environmental factors. In particular, exposure to electromagnetic noise or radiation can cause memory devices to experience so-called "soft" errors, whereby memory content is spontaneously and randomly changed without the presence of a hardware defect, and without the occurrence of any permanent damage to the device. For this reason, in applications that require a very high degree of reliability, efforts are typically made to avoid these environmental sources of soft errors. For example, care is usually taken not to locate a computing device near to an electric motor, microwave transmitter, electron beam devices that generate ionizing radiation, and/or other environmental sources of electromagnetic energy and/or radiation. And when such sources cannot be avoided, as for example in some military applications, efforts are made to shield the electronic memory devices from these causes of soft errors.
However, in certain applications, such as in space-based applications, exposure to cosmic rays and other forms of radiation can be unavoidable, and can lead to a specific type of soft error that is referred to as a "single event upset" (SEU) or simply as an "upset," wherein one or more bits are changed due to impact of a single cosmic ray, without damage to the device itself. Unfortunately, it can be difficult and/or cost prohibitive to provide radiation "hardening" that will adequately protect electronic memory devices from SEUs. For that reason, such devices often implement protocols that not only detect SEU memory errors, but also correct such errors. Examples include implementations of "Hamming" codes, such as "Single Error Correction and Double Error Detection" (SECDED), which impose a relatively minimal speed and memory size burden.
However, SECDED and similar error correction methods are often unable to provide correction of "multi-bit" errors, i.e. when more than one upset occurs in a given data entry within the memory. SECDED, in particular, is able to detect and "flag" instances where two separate bits within a data entry are changed due to SEUs. However, SECDED is not able to correct the errors when two bits in a data entry (such as a word or byte) have been changed by an SEU.
In some relatively mature memory designs, having resolutions for example of 0.5 um or greater, the impact region for a single cosmic ray or other radiation event can be smaller than the area that is occupied by a single bit, thereby reducing the likelihood of multi-bit errors resulting from a single radiation "impact." However, as devices have become more highly integrated, and the internal dimensions have been scaled to ever smaller dimensions, it has become more common for individual radiation impacts to affect a plurality of proximal memory bits, and thereby to generate a plurality of bit errors in a single data entry. Furthermore, as density requirements have increased, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) has become preferred over other static random access memory (SRAM), because fewer transistors are required. In DRAM, elemental data bits are represented by small packets of spatially localized charge, which can be highly sensitive to cosmic rays and other radiation impacts, further increasing the likelihood of multi-bit errors.
As a result, relatively simple error correction methods based on Hamming codes, such as SECDED, have become increasingly insufficient. Instead, some applications implement more sophisticated error detection and correction (EDAC) methods, such as redundant storage of data, that are able to correct "multi-bit" SEU errors, i.e. SEU errors that affect more than one bit in a given data entry. However, while these approaches can be effective, they can significantly increase cost and/or significantly reduce system performance.
One approach would be to design special memory devices that implement a memory storage technology that is less vulnerable to radiation and/or are otherwise designed to be less vulnerable to radiation impacts. However, space-based, military, and many other radiation-sensitive applications tend to be specialized, such that devices are needed in low volumes, rendering design and manufacture of novel memory devices cost prohibitive.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus and method for increasing the reliability of high density memory devices when subject to radiation exposure, without incurring the high costs and/or performance loss associated with sophisticated EDAC approaches, and without requiring design of novel, special purpose high density memory devices.

Apparatus and method for reducing radiation induced multiple-bit memory soft errors

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


At least one magnetic field sensing device and an RF transceiver are integrated in a discrete, single-chip package. Rather than requiring at least two separate chips to wirelessly transmit the device output, an integrated, single chip solution can be used. The single chip integration of the at least one magnetic field sensing device and the RF transceiver can reduce the physical space required and, therefore, allow such devices to be smaller, lighter, and possibly more portable.

Magnetic field sensors have applications in magnetic compassing, ferrous metal detection, position sensing, and current sensing. They may be used to detect variations in the magnetic field of machine components and in the earth's magnetic field, as well as to detect underground minerals, electrical devices, and power lines. For such applications, an anisotropic magneto-resistive (AMR) sensor, a giant magneto-resistive (GMR) sensor, a colossal magneto-resistive (CMR) sensor, a Hall sensor, a fluxgate sensor, or a coil sensor that is able to detect small shifts in magnetic fields may be used.
MR sensors, for example, may be formed using typical integrated circuit fabrication techniques. Permalloy, a ferromagnetic alloy containing nickel and iron, is typically used as the magneto-resistive material. Often, the permalloy is arranged in thin strips of permalloy film. When a current is run through an individual strip, the magnetization direction of the strip may form an angle with the direction of current flow.
As the magnetization direction of the strip changes relative to the current flow, its effective resistance also changes. Strip resistance reaches a maximum when the magnetization direction is parallel to the current flow and reaches minimum when the magnetization direction is perpendicular to the current flow. Such changes in strip resistance result in a change in voltage drop across the strip when an electric current is run through it. This change in voltage drop can be measured and used as an indication of the change in the magnetization direction of an external magnetic field acting on the strip.
To form the magnetic field sensing structure of a MR sensor, several permalloy strips may be electrically connected together. The permalloy strips may be placed on the substrate of the MR sensor as a continuous resistor in a "herringbone" pattern or as a linear strip of magneto-resistive material, with conductors across the strip at an angle of 45 degrees to the long axis of the strip. This latter configuration is known as "barber-pole biasing." The positioning of conductors in a "barber-pole biasing" configuration may force the current in a strip to flow at a 45-degree angle to the long axis of the strip. These magneto-resistive sensing structure designs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,584 titled "Magnetoresistive Magnetic Sensor" and assigned to the same assignee as the current application. U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,584 is hereby fully incorporated by reference.
An MR sensor often includes a number of straps through which current may be applied for controlling and adjusting sensing characteristics. For example, MR sensor designs often include set, reset, and offset straps. These straps can improve the performance and accuracy of the MR sensor, but require driver circuitry for proper operation. Additionally, the MR sensor typically includes other components used for signal conditioning and electrostatic discharge protection, such as operational amplifiers, transistors, capacitors, and so on.
An RF transceiver is commonly used to wirelessly transmit data. For example, RF transceivers are used in short range communication systems. Typically, the RF transceiver is connected to one or more antennas. When receiving data, the RF transceiver filters and down converts RF signals into analog or digital baseband signals. When sending data, the RF transceiver filters, up converts, and amplifies analog or digital baseband signals into RF signals.
By combining the functionality of the MR sensor with that of the RF transceiver, the output of the MR sensor can be wirelessly transmitted. As a result, the output of the MR sensor can be easily obtained. For example, an MR sensor may be located on a pipeline valve to determine the position of the valve (e.g., whether the valve is open or closed). The position of the valve can be wirelessly transmitted to a pipeline control station by the RF transceiver. As a result, a pipeline operator can determine the position of the valve without having to go into the field to manually determine the position of the valve.
Typically, to wirelessly transmit data from an MR sensor at least two chips are placed separately on a printed circuit board. For example, Honeywell's Radio on a Chip (part number HRF-ROC09325) along with data acquisition, data formatting, and control electronics may be used to transmit output data from one or more of Honeywell's MR sensors, such as part numbers HMC1501 and HMC1512. In some applications, multiple chips on a printed circuit board is too unwieldy and inefficient due to the physical space requirements of the RF transceiver chip, the MR sensor chip, and any additional chips required for operation of the MR sensor.
Single chip designs with an MR sensor and other additional circuitry have been described. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0207400 describes the integration of an MR sensor with a SET/RESET driver, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0207035 describes the integration of an MR sensor with a semiconductor device, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0254726 describes the integration of an MR sensor with a GPS receiver. These applications are assigned to the same assignee as the current application and are hereby fully incorporated by reference. Single chip packaging for an RF transceiver has also been described. However, none of these designs suggest integrating an RF transceiver on the same chip as the MR sensor.
Thus, a single-chip design that would minimize the physical space required to integrate an MR sensor with an RF transceiver would be desirable.

Single chip MR sensor integrated with an RF transceiver


The present invention provides a human lysophospholipase (NHLP) and polynucleotides which identify and encode NHLP. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, agonists, antibodies and antagonists. In addition, the invention provides methods for producing NHLP and for treating or preventing disorders associated with expression of NHLP.

Lysophospholipase (LPL) is a widely distributed enzyme which occurs in numerous isoforms. These isoforms vary in molecular mass, substrate metabolized, and optimum pH required for activity, and they regulate the activity of intracellular lipids. Small isoforms, approximately 15-30 kD, function as hydrolases; large isoforms, those exceeding 60 kD function both as transacylases and hydrolases. LPLs hydrolyze lysophosphatidylcholine to produce saturated fatty acid and sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and they are regulated by lipid factors such as acylcarnitine, arachidonic acid and phosphatidic acid.
Sugimoto, H. et al. (1996; J. Biol. Chem. 271:7705-11) isolated a monomeric, 24 kD LPL from rat liver which hydrolyzed lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylinositol, lysophosphatidylserine, and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine at pH 6-8.0. In an assay measuring LPL hydrolysis of 1-palmitoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine, the substrate dependence curve was sigmoidal, the enzyme was active from pH 5.5-9.0, and activity was not affected by Ca.sup.2 +, Mg.sup.2 +, or EDTA. Km and Vmax were calculated to be 0.17 mM and 1.55 .mu.M/min/mg.
The cDNA for this LPL was isolated, and the deduced amino acid sequence showed a conserved GXSXG motif and similarity to esterases from Pseudomonas fluorescence and Spirulina platensis. Transcripts encoding LPL were isolated from spleen, heart, brain, lung, stomach, testis, and liver. Experiments showed that DMSO treatment of an HL-60 (myelocytic leukemia) cell line induced granulocyte differentiation, produced a 3-fold increase in the 24 kD LPL, and correlated with the release of arachidonic acid.
The role of LPL in human tissues has been investigated in various research studies. When lysophosphatidylcholine is formed or imported into the cell membrane, it causes lysis. Selle, H. et al. (1993; Eur. J. Biochem. 212:411 16) characterized the role of LPL in the hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine in erythrocyte membranes. Endresen, M. J. et al. (1993) Scand. J. Clin. Invest. 53:733-9) reported that the increased release of free fatty acids into the sera of pre-eclamptic women is attributable to the hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine by LPL. In renal studies, LPL was shown to protect NA+,K+-ATPase from the cytotoxic and cytolytic effects of cyclosporin A (Anderson, R. et al. (1994) Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 125:176-83).
The discovery of a human lysophospholipase and the polynucleotides encoding it satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions which are useful in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disorders associated with cell proliferation, inflammation, and immune response.


A modular stent graft system and associated surgical methods are provided that incorporates an external stent-based locking mechanism to prevent disarticulation of the legs from the bifurcated graft as well as other features that overcome many of the difficulties of the prior art associated with delivering and securing the bifurcated grafts to the intended deployment site within the human aorta.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to intraluminal vascular implant devices. More particularly, this invention relates to intraluminal stents and grafts.
2. State of the Art
An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a sac caused by an abnormal dilation of the wall of the descending aorta as it passes through the abdomen. The aorta is the main artery of the body, supplying blood to all organs and parts of the body except the lungs. It is typically described as three parts: the ascending aorta which rises upward from the left ventricle of the heart, the aortic arch which bends over to extend downward; and the descending aorta which passes down through the thorax and through the abdomen and finally divides into the two iliac arteries (which supply blood to the pelvis and lower extremities).
The aneurysm ordinarily occurs in the portion of the aorta below the kidneys. When left untreated, the aneurysm will eventually cause the sac to rupture with ensuing fatal hemorrhaging in a very short time. The repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms has typically required major abdominal surgery in which the diseased and aneurysmal segment of the aorta is removed and replaced with a prosthetic device, such as a synthetic graft.
As with all major surgeries, there are many disadvantages to the foregoing surgical technique, the foremost of which is the high mortality and morbidity rate associated with surgical intervention of this magnitude. Other disadvantages of conventional surgical repair include the extensive recovery period associated with such surgery; difficulties in suturing the graft to the aorta; the loss of the existing thrombosis to support and reinforce the graft; the unsuitability of the surgery for many patients, particularly older patients exhibiting co-morbid conditions; and the problems associated with performing the surgical procedure on an emergency basis after the aneurysm has already ruptured.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages of conventional surgical repair, catheter-based techniques have been developed for repairing abdominal aortic aneurysms by delivering an aortic stent graft to the aneurysm site via a catheter, and expanding the stent such that it secures the graft within the aorta. Stent grafts have been developed in order to not only simply hold open a passageway, but also to bridge across diseased vasculature from healthy vessel to healthy vessel.
Briefly, a stent graft is inserted over a guide wire, from the femoral or iliac artery and deployed within the aneurysm by a catheter, resulting in maintenance of blood flow from an aorta of acceptable (usually normal) caliber above to a portion of aorta or iliac artery(s) of acceptable (usually normal) caliber below the aneurysm. The aneurysm sac is thus excluded. Blood within this excluded sac thromboses and the aneurysm thus has no flow within it, presumably reducing the pressure and thus its tendency to burst.
Presently available stent grafts however have a number of problems. For example, current stent grafts are prone to persistent leakage around the area of the stent graft. Hence, pressure within the sac stays at or near arterial pressure and there is still a risk of rupture. There are 3 common types of such leakage. The first type is direct leakage around the stent graft. This can be persistent from the time of insertion because of poor sealing between the stent graft and vessel wall, or can develop later because the seal is lost. In addition, this problem can develop because the stent graft is not adequately fixated within the descending aorta, which allows the stent graft to migrate in relation to the aneurysm as the aneurysm grows, shrinks, elongates or shortens with time after treatment. The second type of leakage can occur because there are side arteries extending out the treated segment of blood vessel. Once the aneurysm is excluded by the device, flow can reverse within these blood vessels and continue to fill the aneurysm sac around the stent graft. The third type of leakage is direct leakage through the graft. Such leakage can occur in devices that use extensive amounts of metal in the stent and/or sutures to affix the graft to the stent. In these devices, the metal and/or sutures can abrade causing a rupture in the graft and leakage therefrom. Modular devices typically have connections that rely on friction alone. Such connects can disarticulate, thus causing leakage therefrom.
Some of the presently available stent grafts are also limited in their application to only select patients due to limitations in their design, including:
limited flexibility—which can cause difficulties during delivery and possible incompatibility for patients with a tortuous iliac artery, a tortuous aorta, and/or a tortuous aneurysm;
limited conformity with changing aneurysm shape—which can cause leakage;
required infrarenal fixation (i.e., fixation below the renal arteries)—which results in incompatibility for patients with a short infrarenal neck (i.e., a relatively short distance of healthy vasculature below the renal arteries);
limited sizes—which results in incompatibility for patients with an aneurysm size different from such limited size; and/or
required delivery by a large diameter catheter—which results in incompatibility for patients with an iliac artery and/or aorta that is tortuous or possibly heavily calcified and diseased (which are frequently associated with AAA).
Thus, there remains a need in the art for an improved stent graft that does not suffer from the limitations of the prior art designs.

Modular stent graft employing bifurcated graft and leg locking stent elements


Methods, systems, and devices are provided for synthesizing one or more chemical products from a renewable oil, comprising the step of flowing a fluid which comprises a renewable oil through a high voltage electrical field effective to catalyze a chemical reaction involving the renewable oil. Examples of renewable oils include vegetable oils, animal fats, bio-oils, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the fluid further comprises an alcohol mixed with the oil, and the chemical reaction produces biodiesel and an etherified glycerin. In one embodiment, the biodiesel is further reacted to produce acetic acid.

The field of this invention generally related to chemical production methods employing electro-catalytic reaction mechanisms, and more particularly, to methods and systems using vegetable oil and other non-petroleum oil feedstocks to make biodiesel, acetic acid, glycerol, select fatty acids and polymers, and the like.
Chemical syntheses are ubiquitous and important to numerous industries throughout the world, particularly the industries involved in the production of organic chemicals, polymers, pharmaceuticals, inorganic chemicals, and specialty chemicals. Due to the time and cost of various chemical synthesis processes, industries are always striving to improve current devices and methods for chemical synthesis; including for example, ways to reduce the time and cost of purification/separation steps involved, methods to decrease the energy cost of production, methods to increase overall product yields, and improvements in the efficiency of chemical synthesis.
Biodiesel
Fossil fuels, particularly coal, oil, and natural gas, are the primary fuels of industrialized society. However, the supply of fossil fuel is limited and non-renewable, and its use is believed to contribute to substantial environmental pollution and health issues. Based on some recent estimates of consumption rate, the U.S. will deplete its natural reserve of all fossil fuels by 2036, and by the year 2041, the entire planet will deplete its natural reserve of all fossil fuels if this same rate of consumption continues to grow. Furthermore, roughly 22 gigatons of carbon dioxide (CO2) presently are being released into the atmosphere each year from use of fossil fuels, and more than 1.5 million tons of sulfur dioxide pollution are produced in the U.S. each year by vehicle engines burning fossil fuel. Because, the natural environment cannot rapidly reuse the CO2, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere continues to increase. Thus, there is a tremendous resource and environmental burden to find alternative renewable energy sources to the non-renewable fossil fuel.
A viable alternative to fossil fuel is biodiesel, a renewable source of energy. Biodiesel (or bio-fuel) is the name for a variety of ester-based fuels (e.g., fatty esters) generally made from vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, canola or hemp oil, or sometimes from animal fats through a simple transesterification process. This renewable source is as efficient as petroleum diesel in powering unmodified diesel engine. Since the introduction of biodiesel fuel in South Africa prior to World War II, work has proceeded to increase its viability as a fuel substitute. Recent environmental and economic pressures have hastened the need to enhanced development of this renewable energy source.
Biodiesel offers many advantages. Biodiesel runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel engine; thus, no engine modifications are necessary. Biodiesel can be used alone or mixed in any amount with petroleum diesel fuel. For example, a 20% blend of biodiesel with (petroleum-based) diesel fuel is called "B20," a 5% blend is called "B5," and so on. This renewable fuel can be stored anywhere that petroleum diesel fuel is stored and all diesel fueling infrastructure including pumps, tanks and transport trucks can use biodiesel without modifications. In addition to the compatibility with diesel-based infrastructures, biodiesel can provide a net reduction in CO2 emissions, and biodiesel produces no sulfur dioxide when burned. Furthermore, biodiesel is considered biodegradable and non-toxic.
Conventional biodiesel improves engine emissions in most categories when compared to pipeline petroleum diesel fuel. Blends containing higher concentrations of conventional biodiesel, however, disadvantageously show a proportional increase in emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX). For instance, it is well documented that use of a conventional biodiesel blended with petroleum diesel fuel in a 80% petroleum/20% biodiesel blend results in increased nitrous oxide emissions by 2 to 11%. Presently, NOX emissions are a significant limitation to the widespread adoption of biodiesel fuels.
Some researchers have sought to address the NOX issue by the addition of certain fuel additives to the biodiesel. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,090 to Bradin discloses a fuel additive composition including fatty acid alkyl esters and glyceryl ethers. The additive-containing fuel is made by a multi-step process that includes separation of glycerol from biodiesel, conversion of glycerol to glycerol ether, and then addition of the glycerol ether back into the biodiesel fuel. Other researchers describe controlling engine emission NOX by adding water to the fuel, which cools the combustion process and reduces the formation of NOX. However, that process undesirably lowers fuel BTU value by replacing fuel with water. It would be desirable to provide a biodiesel fuel that would lower NOX emissions without lowering fuel BTU value, and to provide simpler and less expensive methods producing such fuels.
Conventional methods of producing biodiesel fuel or fuel additive use existing technologies that relate to surfactant manufacturing processes. These are widely known and practiced through out the industry. Traditionally, biodiesel is synthesized via transesterification, as exemplified in FIG. 1. Transesterification, in relation to biodiesel, involves taking a triglyceride molecule or a complex fatty acid, neutralizing the free fatty acids, removing the glycerin, and creating an alcohol ester. This is accomplished by mixing a wood alcohol, e.g., methanol, with sodium hydroxide to make sodium methoxide. This dangerous liquid is then mixed into vegetable oil. As the reaction proceeds, contaminant formation of glycerol and possibly some surfactant occurs. The entire mixture then settles, with glycerin on the bottom and methyl esters, or biodiesel, on top (supernatant). Expensive separation of these contaminants is required to produce pure methyl ester or biodiesel.
This typical industry process method includes the use of catalytic reactions with high temperature and pressure. The combined utilization of these factors is to excite electrons to migrate back and forth across the surface of the catalysis to drive the reaction process to completion. Process challenges include issues of improving the decontamination processes for regenerating the catalysis, reducing dependency on homogenous catalysis that produce unwanted species during the reaction, developing continuous large volume processes to help reduce costs, reducing environmental impact of decontamination processes, constructing better heterogeneous catalysis without dependency on rare earth materials, constructing a catalysis to work more efficiently with heavier crude oils, improving pharmaceutical process purity with better catalytic reactions, lower temperature and pressure requirements of catalytic reactions, improving surface pour area of catalysis to accept larger molecules, reducing contamination reactions inside the catalysis during production operations, researching to find catalysis that perform reactions in a shorter time period, and improving molecular bonding during catalytic reactions.
After the reaction, the unreacted methanol, or ethanol, and the catalyst must be removed to purify the methyl ester. The necessity of this further processing is the crux of the problem with conventionally produced biodiesel fuels: They are not cost competitive with petroleum diesel fuel in part due to the process expense. In fact, most biodiesel fuels are more than 1.5 times higher in production cost than petroleum derived diesel. Thus, there is a need in the industry for devices and methods which reduce the use of catalysts and increase useable byproducts, such as hydrogen gas in the production of biodiesel.
Another problem of conventional biodiesel fuel is the cost of refined oil. Crude vegetable oil has considerable free fats that react with the catalysis to form fuel contaminants, such as surfactant and glycerol. Therefore, crude vegetable oil is not a suitable oil source for conventional biodiesel production. These contaminants are costly to remove and formation must be avoided or reduced whenever possible. Conventional biodiesel production requires a homogenous catalysis that produces unwanted side reactions; however, such side reactions preferably should be minimized or eliminated from the process.
Reaction time for conventional batch processes of making biodiesel typically ranges from 1 to 8 hours, and separation time for contaminant removal adds 8 to 16 hours. Thus, a gallon of biodiesel requires about 24 hours of processing time. Some researches have attempted to alleviate the problem of the slow reaction rate. Examples include the use of non-reactive co-solvents, which converts the two-phase system into a single-phase system. For instance, Canadian Patent Application No. 2,131,654 discloses using simple ethers, such as tetrahydrofuran (THF) and methyltertiarybutylether (MTBE) as co-solvents. Molar ratios of alcohol to triglyceride of at least 4.5:1 and more preferably at least about 6:1 are disclosed, with typical ratios being in the range of 6:1 to 8:1. The reaction is further discussed by D. G. B. Boocock et al in Biomass & Bioenergy, 11(1): 43-50 (1996). However, this process still produced numerous byproducts which require expensive and time-consuming purification techniques. For these reasons, conventional processes are not economically competitive with petroleum diesel.
Various esterification processes are described in the art. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,506 to Kawahara et al. (disclosing (a) esterification of free fatty acids in the presence of an acid catalyst, (b) allowing the product mixture to separate into a fat layer and an alcohol layer so as to obtain a refined fat layer, and (c) then subjecting the fat layer to transesterification with a base catalyst); U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,411 to Stern et al. (disclosing a multi-step reaction involving acid transesterification with alcohol in the presence of 1-60% water and separating a resulting glycerol phase, reducing the free acidity of the remaining ester phase and then transesterification in the presence of a base catalyst); U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,186 to Jeromin et al. (disclosing a process for reducing the free acid content of fats and oils by esterification with an alcohol in the presence of an acidic cation exchange resin); U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,126 to Basu et al. (disclosing esterification of mixtures of fats and oils by using a calcium acetate/barium acetate catalyst, with undesirable process conditions of 200° C., 500 psi, and a reaction time of three hours); U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,965 to Foglia et al. (disclosing use of lipases to transesterify mixtures of triglycerides and free fatty acids, with reactions requiring 4 to 16 hours to reach conversion rates of 95%); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,708 to Johnson et al. (disclosing reaction of triglycerides with methanol in the presence of base to produce fatty acid methyl esters). Various carboxylation processes also are known. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,971 to Gupta (disclosing reacting pure glycerol with isobutylene in the presence of an acid catalyst in a two phase reaction to produce mono-, di- and tri-tertiary butyl ethers of glycerol); U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,524 to Tyssee (disclosing method of electrolytic carboxylation and dimerization of olefinic nitrites, esters and amides); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,201 to Tyssee (disclosing a procedure for electrolytic monocarboxylation of olefinic nitriles, esters and amides in which the reaction is moderated by protons to direct it toward monocarboxylation); U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,581 to Pintauro (disclosing electrocatalytic process for hydrogenating an unsaturated fatty acid, triglyceride, or mixtures thereof as an oil or fat); U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,203 to Ball et al. (disclosing use of blends of diethanolamine derivatives and biodiesel as an additive for improving lubricity in low sulfur fuels and to fuels and additive concentrates comprising said lubricity additives.)
Examples of other fuel production methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,057 to Ergun et al., which discloses a method for producing fatty acid methyl ester, including compounding saturated and unsaturated higher fatty substances from at least one of vegetable and animal with an alkaline solution dissolved in alcohol to form a mixture, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,230 to Min et al., which discloses a method for manufacturing cleaner fuels, in which NPC (Natural Polar Compounds), naturally existing in small quantities within various petrolic hydrocarbon fractions, are removed from the petrolic hydrocarbon. U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,645 to Quiqley discloses low sulfur fuel compositions, which exhibit improved lubricity compared to the low sulfur fuels alone.
Thus, there is a need for developing devices and methods to improve chemical reaction performance, particularly with respect to the production of biodiesel, while lowering production costs and yielding higher quality products. These improvements include efficiency improvements in conversion reactions, as well as final product purity, energy savings, and lowering production costs of biodiesel.
Polymerization
There also exists a need for improved devices and methods for efficient synthesis of polymers. Currently, many polymerization techniques in the art result in multiple reactions which require tedious separation and/or purification steps. Reducing the reaction steps such as purification and separation steps are invaluable to industries, saving millions of dollars in production cost and reaction time. For example, polyesters are important polymers with multiple usages; thus industries would benefit for an efficient synthesis technique. Thus, there is also a need in the industry for devices and methods for improving the efficiency and cost of production for the synthesis of polymers.
Surfactant
Another widely commercialized chemical industry relates to surfactants. A surfactant is a material that can greatly reduce the surface tension of water when used in very low concentrations. This material or molecule is made up of water soluble (hydrophilic) and water insoluble (hydrophobic) components. The hydrophobe may be for example the equivalent of an 8- to 18-carbon hydrocarbon, and can for example be aliphatic, aromatic, or a mixture of both. The synthesis of surfactant typically requires some form of catalyst, an oil or fat, and strong base such as sodium hydroxide. Similar to the syntheses described above, the current methods and devices for the production of surfactant requires several separation and/or purification steps and the use of catalysts, which can be toxic.
The sources of hydrophobes are normally natural fats and oils, petroleum fractions, relatively short synthetic polymers, or relatively high molecular weight synthetic alcohols. The hydrophilic groups give the primary classification to surfactants, and are anionic, cationic and non-ionic in nature. The anionic hydrophiles are for example carboxylates (soaps), sulphates, sulphonates and phosphates. The cationic hydrophiles may be for example some form of an amine product. The non-ionic hydrophiles associate with water at the ether oxygens of a polyethylene glycol chain. In each case, the hydrophilic end of the surfactant is strongly attracted to the water molecules and the force of attraction between the hydrophobe and water is only slight. As a result, the surfactant molecules align themselves at the surface and internally so that the hydrophile end is toward the water and the hydrophobe is squeezed away from the water.
Surfactants have wide commercial usage. Representative examples of surfactant usage include soaps, detergents, fabric softeners, shampoo, cosmetics (e.g., skin care formulations, sunscreens), environmental remediation (e.g., remediation of contaminated aquifers, soil stabilization, sludge treatment, enhanced oil/petroleum recovery and/or dispersants), mineral flotation, and medical applications (e.g., liposome drug delivery). It would be desirable to provide improved and more efficient processes and devices for surfactant synthesis.
Acetic Acid
Acetic acid (CH3COOH) is a carboxylic acid, which is used in a variety of products and processes. Acetic acid is essential in widespread industrial applications from textile to herbicide industries. In one particular process, acetic acid is used in the manufacture of acetate esters, where it is used to make materials such as cellulose acetate (used in rayon and photographic film) and polyvinyl acetate (used in latex paints and wood glues). It is an ideal solvent for many organic compounds and some inorganic compounds. Chemically, acetic acid shares most of the properties of carboxylic acids in general, including the ability to react with alcohols and amines to produce esters and amides, respectively. In addition, it can react with alkenes to produce acetate esters. When heated above 440° C., it decomposes to produce carbon dioxide and methane, or to produce ketene and water.
Acetic acid is the chemical component that gives vinegar, typically 4-8% acetic acid by volume, its sour taste. Many countries require that the acetic acid found in vinegar be produced by natural fermentation rather than by non-biological means. Vinegar is manufactured by fermenting various starchy, sugary, or alcoholic foodstuffs with Acetobacter bacteria. Commonly used feed stocks include apple cider, wine, and grain or potato mashes. The vinegar is then distilled from the fermentation broth.
Industries producing acetic acid face expensive separation and purification challenges. Most acetic acid made for industrial uses one of three chemical processes: butane oxidation, acetaldehyde oxidation, or methanol carbonylation.
When butane is heated with air in the presence of various metal ions, including those of manganese, cobalt, and chromium, peroxides form and then decompose to produce acetic acid according to the chemical equation:C4H10+2½O2→2CH3COOH+H2O  EQ. 1Typically, the reaction is conducted at temperature and pressure conditions of 150° C. and 55 atm. Several side products are formed, including butanone, ethyl acetate, formic acid, and propionic acid. These must be removed after reaction to purify the product.
Under similar conditions and using similar catalysts used for butane oxidation, acetaldehyde can be oxidized by the oxygen in air to produce acetic acidCH3CHO+½O2→CH3COOH  EQ. 2Using modern catalysts, this reaction can have an acetic acid yield greater than 95%. The major side products are ethyl acetate, formic acid, and formaldehyde, all of which have lower boiling points than acetic acid and are readily separated by distillation. Acetaldehyde oxidation is the second most widely-used method of acetic acid production, second only to methanol carbonylation.
In the methanol carbonylation reaction, methanol and carbon monoxide react to produce acetic acid according to the chemical equation:CH3OH+CO→CH3COOH  EQ. 3
Because both methanol and carbon monoxide are relatively inexpensive, methanol carbonylation long appeared to be an attractive method for acetic acid production, and patents on such processes were granted as early as the 1920's. However, the high pressures needed (200 atm or more) discouraged commercialization.
Today the principal methods of producing acetic acid industrially, with greater than 60% of the world's total acetic acid output per year, comprise improved methods of carbonylation of methanol. Over the years, improvements in catalysis have increased the selectivity of the reaction and decreased the pressure and temperature requirements of the process. For example, in 1960, BASF introduced a commercial process using a cobalt catalyst, which operates at high temperatures and pressures (250° C. and 680 bar), with a selectivity of methanol to acetic acid of about 90%. In 1966, the Monsanto Company found that using a rhodium catalyst made the reaction possible under milder conditions (180° C., 30-60 bar), with a selectivity of about 99% relative to methanol. In 1995, BP Chemicals introduced the Cativa process, which is based upon an iridium catalyst, and boasts improved catalyst stability, better reaction rates, and reduced by-product formation. In all of these processes, however, an organometallic species must be present with the reactants for the reaction to proceed.
Typically, the catalyst is a homogenous catalyst, which is evenly dispersed in a liquid phase. This homogeneously catalyzed reaction proceeds at 22 bar and 192° C., where methanol and carbon monoxide react to form acetic acid as shown by EQ. 3. However, due to the complexity of the catalytic reaction, some of the intermediates are not converted to acetic acid. The main by-products are hydrogen gas, methyl acetate, acetaldehyde, propionic acid, and methyl iodide. Hydrogen is formed in the system by the water-gas shift reaction,CO+H2O→CO2+H2  EQ. 4which combines carbon monoxide and water to form carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas. This reaction consumes a minor amount of products, and proceeds since the reactor is at a high temperature and pressure.
Methyl acetate, an intermediate, can react with water to form acetic acid. This reaction requires the presence of a catalyst and the reaction temperature and pressure to proceed. The following equation shows the reaction of the methyl acetate by-product to acetic acid when combined with water at reaction conditions.CH3COOCH3+H2O→3/2CH3COOH+H2  EQ. 5Propionic acid is the main impurity in the final product, since its chemical properties are similar to those of acetic acid. Propionic acid is generated from the carbonylation of ethanol, which can be present as an impurity in the methanol feed or from reduction of acetaldehyde by hydrogen in the system. The following equation shows the carbonylation of ethanol to form propionic acid.CH3CH2OH+CO→CH3CH2COOH  EQ. 6Finally, as part of the interaction between the iridium catalyst and ruthenium promoter, iodine is added and removed from the iridium atoms. When the reactants are removed, the cycle is not complete and the methyl iodide results as a by-product. Methyl iodide is generated by the reaction of methanol with hydrogen iodide, which occurs at the end of the catalytic cycle. The following equation shows the formation of methyl iodide.CH3OH+HI→CH3I+H2O  EQ. 7It is important to recuperate this species, as it contains iodide that is vital to the catalytic cycle. In addition, methyl iodide is a hazardous material, so its recovery is not only advantageous, but a necessity in order to avoid hazardous emissions.
It therefore would be desirable to provide improved methods of acetic acid and glacial acetic acid syntheses, which would produces fewer unusable byproducts and which would obviate or diminish the need to use organometallic catalysts.
Fatty Acids
A variety of fatty acids are known, and some fatty acids are essential to the human body. Some of these essential fatty acids cannot be made by the body and thus must be consumed as part of the human diet. Two essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that cannot be made in the body: linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. (See FIGS. 2 and 3.) Within the body, both of these can be converted to other PUFAs, such as arachidonic acid, or omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the body, polyunsaturated fatty acids are important for maintaining the membranes of all cells and for making prostaglandins which regulate many body processes, including inflammation and blood clotting. High levels of omega-3 fatty acids, for example, are found in oily fish, and are believed to explain the low levels of heart disease observed in populations with fish-rich diets. The fats also enable the lipid-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K to be absorbed from food, and may aid in regulating body cholesterol metabolism.
Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid. It is biologically inactive before it is catalyzed by the body into other omega-6 fatty acids gamma linoleic acid (GLA), dihomo-gamma linoleic acid (DHGLA) and arachidonic acid (AA). Linoleic acid occurs widely in plant glycerides or fats. Common sources include many vegetable oils such as flax seed, safflower, soybean, peanut, and corn, as well as dairy fats. It is essentially insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, ether, oils and fixed alkali hydroxides. Linoleic acid is essential in human nutrition and is used also for soaps, animal feeds, paints, drying protective coatings, emulsifying or smoothing and wetting agents, and in biochemical research. Linoleic acid appears to protect against strokes and to lower blood cholesterol, according to reports by the Journal of the American Heart Association. Other researchers report that linoleic acid may reduce the risk of ischemic stroke by lowering blood pressure and improving circulation in small blood vessels. The conjugated form of linoleic acid or CLA has been associated with health benefits such as lowered risk of cancer and atherosclerosis. Prepared CLA is available as a supplement.
Other useful fatty acids include oleic acids, as well as palmitic (C15H31COOH) and steric acids (C17H35COOH). Soybean triglycerides contain linoleic and oleic polyunsaturated fats. Fatty acids, such as these, would be useful as or useful in dietary supplements (e.g., fat burners, cholesterol reducers, biochemistry), paints, coatings, emulsifiers, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, soaps, and margarine. It would be desirable to provide new synthetic methods for making fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic polyunsaturated fats.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of electro-catalytic reaction to produce mono alkyl esters for renewable biodiesel


An apparatus uniformly heats a plurality of foods in addition to controlling the temperatures of the foods. The heat source has input means, a plurality of temperature detectors, comparison means, and control means. The apparatus detects temperatures of at least two foods, namely one near to the heat source and another far from the heat source by using the temperature detection means, and controls the output of heat from the heat source by comparing these two temperatures with the set-temperature. The apparatus can raise the temperature of foods of lower temperature while maintaining the foods of high temperature at the set-temperature. The plurality of foods can be thus uniformly heated.

A conventional cooking heater using a high frequency is a microwave oven depicted in FIG. 10. A cooking heater 1 had a front door 2 through which a user can insert or remove foods to/from a chamber 3. A high-frequency-generator 4 is disposed in the cooking heater 1, and the high frequency is irradiated into the chamber 3 through an irradiation opening 5 formed on a ceiling of the chamber 3. The irradiation opening 5 is not always formed on the ceiling, but it may be formed on a rear face or side face. The irradiation opening 5 may be formed in plural. A humidity sensor 6 senses humidity produced by the cooking. The user can identify the cooking progress by using the humidity sensor 6. A weight sensor 7 adjusts a cooking time depending on a weight of each food. These sensors are not always used together, but are used independently or used with other sensors.
When cooking foods by such a cooking heater using a high frequency as described above, several cooking methods are available: (1) heating for a predetermined time, (2) automatic cooking through controlling the operation according to a humidity and weight detected by the sensors, (3) programmed cooking which specifies an output of high frequency and irradiation time in detail. Since these methods are used properly for types of foods, quantities and details of cooking, a good result is obtained depending on a condition.
However, heat values from each food by high-frequency-heating are not the same but differ from each other, therefore, in principal, fine temperature adjustment is difficult for this heating method. It is also difficult for this high-frequency-heating to heat foods uniformly. In the case of heating a plurality of foods simultaneously in the chamber, not only types of foods and quantities, but also location of foods within the chamber changes the heating characteristics. Uniform heating of plural foods thus becomes much more difficult. The problem of uniform heating when heating up plural foods simultaneously is also found in cooking heaters other than the high-frequency cooking heater. For example, when using an oven having a heater on its ceiling, the nearer a food is placed from the ceiling, the sooner the food is heated, and the farther is a food placed to the heater, the slower the heating process. In the case of a convection oven, uniform heating over all of the foods is also difficult, and uneven heating inevitably occurs due to a location of the hot air outlet and placement of food in the chamber.
Although the conventional cooking heater has a function for heating the foods uniformly without unevenness as stated above, it has still a drawback that it cannot heat up plural foods uniformly and simultaneously.
The invention overcomes the above drawback, namely, by heating up the plural foods uniformly when heating up the plural foods simultaneously.

Method for heating a plurality of foods uniformly, and cooking heater using this method


The present application provides seal assemblies for reducing leakages between adjacent components of turbomachinery. The seal assemblies may include outer shims, and at least a portion of the outer shims may be substantially impervious. At least one of the outer shims may be configured for sealing engagement with seal slots of the adjacent components. The seal assemblies may also include at least one of an inner shim and a filler layer positioned between the outer shims. The at least one inner shim may be substantially solid and the at least one filler layer may be relatively porous. The seal assemblies may be sufficiently flexible to account for misalignment between the adjacent components, sufficiently stiff to meet assembly requirements, and sufficiently robust to operating meet requirements associated with turbomachinery.

The present application relates generally to seals for reducing leakage, and more particularly to shim seals for reducing leakage between adjacent stationary components of turbomachinery.
Leakage of hot combustion gases and/or cooling flows between turbomachinery components generally causes reduced power output and lower efficiency. For example, the hot combustion gases may be contained within a turbine by providing pressurized compressor air around the hot gas path. Typically, leakage of the high pressure cooling flows between adjacent stator components (such as shrouds, nozzles, and diaphragms) into the hot gas path leads to reduced efficiency and requires an increase in burn temperature, and thereby an increase in NOx (CO produced at low temperature, only occurs at part load), and a decrease in engine gas turbine efficiency to maintain a desired power level as compared to an environment void of such stator-stator leakage. Turbine efficiency thus can be improved by reducing or eliminating stator-stator leakage locations.
Preventing leakage between stator-stator component junctions with seals is complicated by the fact that adjacent stator components have surfaces of different shapes and may expand differently under high temperature conditions causing misalignment between the components. Further, the seals must pass manufacturing, assembly and installation limitations, meet robustness constraints associated with turbomachinery, and withstand the relatively high forces and temperatures produced in turbomachinery.
Currently, turbomachinery typically employ woven metallic cloth based seals between adjacent stator components to limit the leakage of cooling flows therebetween. Such cloth seals often have a porous woven wire mesh cloth layer wrapped around a metal shim with a curved "shepherds hook" on either side. Manufacturing variations, however, involved in creating the "shepherds hook" and in assembling cloth seals result in cloth seals that do not adequately reduce or substantially eliminate the leakage rate between adjacent turbomachinery components, such as a stator-stator junctions. Similarly, some cloth seals may tend to become crimped or otherwise plastically deformed within the space or gap between components during installation or assembly, and thereby perform less effectively than desired.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to reduce or substantially eliminate leakage between turbomachinery components, such between adjacent stator components, by utilizing seals. It is further desirable that such seals are substantially temperature resistant and wear resistant (i.e., long component life), sufficiently flexible so as to provide adequate sealing during use and any misalignment, and meet the manufacturing, assembly, installation and robustness requirements associated with turbomachinery.


A mowing system capable of being pulled behind a tractor or other prime mover utilizes a support apparatus for supporting a grass cutter adapted to cut grass as the cutter is rotated and moved forwardly into cutting relationship with grass. The support apparatus includes a wheeled frame for supporting the cutter for rotation and including a guard disposed on the forward side of the cutter. A pair of arm members are pivotally connected between the rear of the tractor and the wheeled frame to accommodate pivotal movement of the wheeled frame between an operative position at which the cutter is positioned for cutting grass disposed generally to one side of the tractor and a deflected position. A biasing mechanism, such as a spring, is connected between the tractor and the frame for biasing the frame from the deflected position toward the operative position so that when the frame is positioned in its operative position and moved by the tractor so that the guard is moved against an upstanding object, the frame can be pivoted by the object toward the deflected position in opposition to the force of the biasing mechanism to accommodate movement of the guard past the object and so that upon movement of the guard is moved past the object, the biasing mechanism returns the frame to its operative position.

This invention relates generally to mowing equipment and relates, more particularly, to mowing apparatus for use with a prime mover, such as a tractor.
There exists several mowing systems which employ a rotating cutter and which are capable of being powered along the ground by means of a prime mover. One such system, shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,566, is a string trimmer system used in conjunction with a riding lawn mower.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for supporting a rotating grass cutter for use with a prime mover, such as a tractor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus which protects the rotating grass cutter from damage by an upstanding object.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus for supporting a portable string trimmer for use.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus which is uncomplicated in construction and effective in operation.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved system which utilizes such support apparatus.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a system which is particularly well-suited for trimming grass over a ditch or around or along upstanding objects such as fence posts, chain-link fences and cemetery headstones.


The invention concerns a device (1) designed to be fixed at the outlet of a tube (2) or pipe delivering a fluid, characterized in that it comprises means for displaying the flow rate and means for displaying the outlet temperature of said fluid.

The present invention relates to a device adapted to be fixed at the outlet of a tube or a flexible pipe making it possible to display the flow rate of a fluid, in particular water, as well as its temperature at the outlet of the tube or pipe.
Drinking water resources on the planet are not inexhaustible and one of the major stakes in years to come will be the control of the consumption of water.
Access to water resources is easy and the consumers, particularly in industrialized countries, are not very inclined to survey their consumption.
However, it is difficult to master one""s water consumption when one does not know exactly what one is consuming.
Another drawback of such easy access to water are the risks of domestic accidents.
In effect, a large number of such domestic accidents, in particular involving children, come from burns caused by a water temperature which is much too high.
The generalization of devices of mixer faucet type has only amplified the phenomenon, the physical separation of the hot water and cold water supplies having disappeared.
Like the consumption of water that the consumer can master only with difficulty, without validly knowing the flow rate, the temperature cannot be efficiently monitored if this same consumer cannot reliably assess it, without having to place his/her finger or hand under the water jet.
In this context, the present invention proposes a device making it possible to assess the flow rate as well as the temperature of a fluid, for example water, at the outlet of a tube or a pipe, in order to control the consumption of this fluid and to avoid domestic accidents.
To that end, according to the invention, the device designed to be fixed at the outlet of a tube or a pipe delivering a fluid is characterized in that it comprises means for displaying the flow rate and means for displaying the outlet temperature of said fluid.
The means for displaying the flow rate and the means for displaying the temperature are advantageously constituted by the same element and comprise a propeller.
The means for displaying the temperature are preferably made from a material reacting to the variations in temperature.
According to a preferred form of embodiment, the means for displaying the flow rate and the temperature of the fluid are located in the axis of outlet of the fluid and the device comprises a substantially cylindrical body adapted to receive the means for displaying the flow rate and the temperature of the fluid.
In order to allow visual display, the body presents a transparent display window or, preferably, is totally transparent.
In addition, the device advantageously comprises means for filtration, for treatment of the fluid or reagents to the pollutants contained in this fluid.

Device for visual display of the flow rate and the temperature of a fluid


In a system comprising the disclosed server and a plurality of player terminals, it is possible to suitably and easily alter the accessories and character class of player characters. The server has: a memory means that stores player character data of a plurality of player terminals; a means that confers data indicating the fact that a player character indicated in a party formation command has been added to the same party when a party formation command has been input from a player terminal; a means that acquires changes regarding the accessories or player class of the player character in each player terminal, and updates the character data stored in memory; a means that extracts the other players that form the same party as the player character for which changes have been output; and a means for transmitting said changes to the terminals of the other players that were extracted.

In a conventional known video game, such as a role playing game, it is possible to alter character classes, such as a solider, a warlock and a blacksmith, and accessories, such as arms, a protective gear, clothes and an ornament, regarding a player character operated by a player in a game through an operation input by the player as patent related documents 1 and 2 shown below.

Computer networked multi-player character gaming system