An in-dwelling port for providing repeated entry to a body during and/or after an operation is described. The port may include an external portion secured to a body outside an incision and a collapsible insertion portion that is inserted through the incision. The collapsible portion collapses when no instrument or lumen is present to permit the body to return to substantially a normal profile around the incision.

In minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as laparoscopic procedures, one or more small incisions are made in a body to allow access for the necessary surgical tools. If there is a need to re-enter the body after a surgical procedure, a mechanism for doing so must be put in place. For targeted or prophylactic chemotherapy, post-operative applications of a substance can be made by re-instituting an environment in the patient in which subsequent applications of the substance may be made. This may be accomplished by leaving a port device in the patient after the surgical procedure, or by surgically placing a port in the patient in preparation of a non-surgical treatment regimen.
The port may be a device capable of providing a sanitary access point to a body, where the device is a resealable mechanism that attaches to the exterior of the skin and the interior wall of the skin. The port permits a device for applying a substance to the body to be reconnected to the patient at a later time to apply the substance or other treatment. One example of this type of port is an enteral feeding tube port.
The design of re-entry ports typically focuses on semi-rigid tubes, such as feeding ports which are meant to transverse from outside the body into an organ such as the stomach. These devices often have a bulb or protrusion at the insertion end to maintain the location of the tube in the organ being accessed, and consist of a rigid or semi-rigid tube or lumen. Catheters, such as urethral catheters for access into the bladder tend to be flexible catheters, usually with a balloon or some type of protrusion that is used to anchor the catheter into the organ to prevent its movement back through the body channel. Intravenous ports, ports or needles that are inserted into a vein, are generally taped or perhaps sutured in place to prevent the accidental removal of the device. Other devices such as flat tubes with holes, sometimes under suction have been used as drains for wounds or to prevent fluid buildup in the chest cavity.


According to one embodiment, a display device includes a display module and a stand having a tilt mechanism which adjusts an upright angle of the display module. The tilt mechanism includes a fixed portion provided on the stand, a movable portion provided on the display module, a hinge shaft which pivotably couples the fixed portion and the movable portion together, and a lock member which limits pivoting of the movable portion with respect to the fixed portion. The lock member is movable between a lock position where the lock member engages with the movable portion so as to prevent the display module from falling down through at least a predetermined angle and a release position where the lock member leaves the movable portion so as to allow the display module to pivot freely.

1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to a thin display device such as a liquid crystal television which has a desk stand. Moreover, the present invention relates to the structure of a stand that supports a thin display module having, for example, a liquid crystal display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device such as a television or a computer monitor comprises a display module using, for example, a liquid crystal display panel. Such a display module has a significantly reduced thickness in order to improve the commercial value of the module; the depth dimension of the display module is formed to be extremely small compared to the width and height dimensions of the display module.
Thus, when the display module is installed on a television base or a desk, keeping the unitary display module upright is difficult. Thus, conventional display devices are equipped with a dedicated desk stand that supports the display module.
A desk stand disclosed in Jpn. Registered UM Publication No. 3130612 has a base placed on an installation surface such as a television base, and a leg portion that projects upward from the base. The leg portion is coupled to the base via a pivot shaft, for example, a bolt, and supports the display module.
The display module is pivotable around the pivot shaft through a predetermined angular range in a front-back direction of the base. The pivoting allows an operator to freely adjust the display module to an upright angle at which the operator can view a display screen of the liquid crystal display panel easily.
On the other hand, the desk stand is shaped to extend significantly forward and backward from the display module so as to be able to support the display module in a stable posture. Thus, for example, when the display device is placed in a box for packing, if the display module remains upright on the desk stand, the box in which the display device is accommodated unavoidably needs to be large.
Consequently, given that the display device is packed, the range of pivoting of the leg portion with respect to the base is desirably increased such that the display module can be brought down to a position where the display module is substantially parallel to the base of the desk stand.
However, while the display device is on the installation surface, when the display module is brought down along the installation surface to a position where the display module is substantially parallel to the installation surface, the display module projects forward or backward from the table stand.
As a result, the position of the center of gravity of the display module is significantly displaced from the desk stand. Thus, disadvantageously, the posture of the display device may be unstable, or the display device as a whole falls down on the installation surface.


Systems and methods for scalably provisioning cryptographic devices in a distributed computing environment are described. In some embodiments, a cryptographic interface controller capable of generating a plurality of hardware-emulated cryptographic devices in response to requests is implemented. In some embodiments, a cryptographic interface controller may present hardware-emulated cryptographic devices to computing entities, such as standalone computer systems or virtual computing systems, as standard cryptographic devices, such as through a Universal Serial Bus interface.

Cryptographic authentication and processing, and the management thereof, is an important part of modern data security. As computing requirements and data volumes increase over time, the technical requirements of ensuring the security thereof also increase. Various types of cryptoprocessors exist for managing and processing cryptographic information, such as hardware security modules (HSMs), trusted platform modules (TPMs), and smart cards, many of which are capable of processing data and attendant cryptographic operations. However, as computing architectures evolve toward more multipolar, distributed models, such as cloud computing archetypes, flexible servicing and provisioning of cryptographic capabilities are desirable from the perspectives of efficiency, capacity, and capability.

User-configurable cryptographic interface controller


Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to maintain a repository of stored executable images including a unique instance of an executable image comprising an operating system and at least a portion of one or more applications, and to provide substantially simultaneous executable access to a plurality of virtual or physical machines to execute portions of the executable image without constructing additional instances of the executable image. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

As the virtualization of information technology infrastructure increases, so does the amount of storage space that is used. This trend may accelerate with the implementation of various cloud-computing scenarios. Indeed, the ease of virtualization tends to lure administrators into creating any number of virtual machines (VMs) without regard for the disk space that might be needed.


A charger positioning adjuster, which is included in an image forming apparatus and disposed facing a charger uniformly charging a surface of an image carrier using corona discharging, includes a mounting part provided at a position on which the charger is detachably attached, a positioning member attached to the mounting part and positioning the charger by contacting thereto, and a spacer disposed between the mounting part and the positioning member and adjusting a distance between the surface of the image carrier and the charger.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a charger positioning adjuster to position a charger that uniformly charges a surface of an image carrier, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus incorporating the charger positioning adjuster.
2. Related Art
Corona chargers or chargers using a corona discharging technique are known to uniformly charge a surface of an image carrier that is included in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The corona chargers are good for high-speed apparatuses for its wider range of application of a charging bias in comparison with those of a charging roller and a charging brush. Compared with low-speed or middle-speed apparatuses, typical high-speed apparatuses are requested to provide higher image quality, and therefore are demanded to have a higher level with respect to deviation in image concentration in a main scanning direction that is a longitudinal direction of the charger. To enhance the deviation of image concentration in the main scanning direction, various configurations have been disclosed to prevent occurrence of deviation of a surface potential of the image carrier in a main scanning direction by reducing the deviation of the distance between a corona charger and the image carrier in the main scanning direction. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication JP H03-101767-A discloses a technique to automatically control a deviation of a distance between a charger and an image carrier by using an electric drive source in order to reduce the deviation of surface electric potentials after charging a surface of the image carrier.
Since the deviation of distances between the corona charger and the image carrier in the main scanning direction occurs due to variation of parts and/or assembly, it is less likely to cause fluctuation of the distances while the image forming apparatus is in operation.
Appropriate timing to adjust the deviation of the distances of the corona charger and the image carrier in the main scanning direction is before the factory shipping and/or at replacement of a corona charger. When the corona charger is integrally provided with a process cartridge, the deviation of the distances of the charger and the image carrier is also adjusted at replacement of the process cartridge.
Thus, if an electric drive source is used as disclosed in JP H03-101767-A, the deviation can be reduced even though the image forming apparatus is not used often. However, this configuration also requires an installation space and a drive transmission system to transmit a driving force of the electric drive source to the charger. Therefore, the configuration can be improved in order to achieve a simpler and more space-saving configuration.

Charger positioning adjuster and image forming apparatus incorporating same


A circuit designing method and apparatus for the design of a large-scale logic circuit. A circuit configuration for a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) is revised in response to a genetic algorithm and then a logic circuit for providing a target output is designed. A collection of grammar rules for feeding out the PLD circuit configuration is applied as a chromosome, and the chromosome (a collection of grammar rules) is revised to feed out the chromosome giving the most suitable circuit configuration. The chromosome length is proportional to the number of grammar rules and does not depend upon the scale of the PLD circuit. Consequently, even for a large PLD circuit, it is possible to design the circuit configuration within a suitable calculating time.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a circuit designing device and a circuit designing method, and more particularly a circuit designing device and a circuit designing method in which a circuit configuration is changed in accordance with a genetic algorithm.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case that a complex logical circuit for use in controlling a robot or the like was to be designed, a designer combined many basic logical elements to each other in accordance with his experience to design a logical circuit. However, in recent years, a method for designing a logical circuit without requiring any experience-based knowledge on the basis of a GA (genetic algorithm) has been introduced by Mr. Higuchi et al. as "a basic experiment of a hardware development through a genetic study" in the book entitled of "Genetic Algorithm (edited by Hiroaki Kitano, Sangyoh Tosyo Publishing Company)", for example.
In this prior art method, the circuit configuration of a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) represented by an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is repeatedly changed in response to the GA so as to make a logic device for performing a target output.
The PLD has a plurality of logical cells capable of dynamically selecting the type of basic logical calculations such as AND logical calculation, OR logical calculation or the like and can change the type of logical calculation performed by each of the logical cells and patterns of circuit connection between these logical cells.
In GA, items to cause the target to be most adapted are expressed by genes and then chromosome is generated by connecting these genes. Then, a plurality of chromosomes are repeatedly revised to cause the item to approach the most suitable state.
In the prior art, a function of the logical cell in the PLD and a pattern of circuit connection between the logical cells are expressed by chromosomes and the chromosomes (circuit configuration of PLD) are revised in response to GA so as to make a logical circuit performing a target output.

Circuit designing method and circuit designing device


A write driver circuit with a write-per-bit data masking function, comprising a masking register for inputting data to be written in a memory cell and generating masking data with respect to the input data, a first output controller for determining masking of the input data in response to an output signal from the masking register, a second output controller for determining masking of an inverted one of the input data in response to the output signal from the masking register, and an output unit for transferring output data from the first and second output controllers to data input/output lines of a memory device. According to the present invention, a WPB data masking operation is not performed at the column active step but at the row active step. Therefore, a write speed is enhanced by removing a conventional write delay time resulting from the execution of the WPB data masking operation at the column active step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a write driver circuit with a write-per-bit (referred to hereinafter as WPB) data masking function, and more particularly to a write driver circuit for performing a WPB data masking operation instead of a data input buffer so that a WPB operation can be accomplished at high speed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a WPB data masking operation is performed in a memory device with a large number of banks. The execution of the WPB data masking operation is determined according to the input of a row active command and enabled according to the input of a column active command.
In other words, because the WPB data masking operation is performed by an input buffer of the memory device and a plurality of memory banks share the input buffer, the enabling of the WPB data masking operation is determined according to which one of the banks is made column-active.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional input buffer with a WPB data masking function. As shown in this drawing, the input buffer comprises an input unit 1 for inputting data IN to be written in a memory cell, through an input pad, first and second delay circuits 2 and 3 for delaying output data from the input unit 1, respectively, a first latch circuit 4 for latching output data /din from the first delay circuit 2 in response to a load column register enable signal lcr, a second latch circuit 5 for latching the output data /din from the first delay circuit 2 in response to a load masking register enable signal lmr, an output unit 6 for transferring output data from the second delay circuit 3 and first latch circuit 4 to a write driver circuit (not shown), and an output controller 7 for controlling the output of the output unit 6 in response to an output signal from the second latch circuit 5 and a WPB signal. The output controller 7 includes an inverter for inverting the WPB signal, and a NOR gate for NORing the output signal from the second latch circuit 5 and an output signal /WPB from the inverter. The write driver circuit is adapted to write output data from the output unit 6 in a memory cell in response to a normal data/block write data output enable signal (not shown).
The operation of the input buffer with the above-mentioned construction will hereinafter be described.
If data to be written is inputted through the input pad, then it is delayed by the first and second delay circuits 2 and 3, respectively. The output data din from the second delay circuit 3 is transferred as normal write data to the write driver circuit through the output unit 6. The output data /din from the first delay circuit 2 is latched by the first and second latch circuits 4 and 5, respectively, in response to the load column register enable signal lcr and load masking register enable signal lmr and then transferred as block write data to the write driver circuit through the output unit 6.
At this time, the output data from the output unit 6 is transferred or blocked to the write driver circuit according to a state of an output signal from the NOR gate in the output controller 7.
Namely, in the case where data to be masked is present, the WPB signal is enabled high in logic and then inverted into low in logic by the inverter. The low logic signal from the inverter is applied to one input terminal of the NOR gate, the other input terminal of which is applied with the output signal from the second latch circuit 5 which is low in logic.
As a result, the output signal from the NOR gate becomes high in logic to turn off output terminals of the output unit 6. Thereafter, when the masking operation is required to be released, the WPB signal is disabled low in logic so that the normal write operation can be performed.
As mentioned above, the conventional WPB data masking operation is performed by the input buffer to mask the data input to the write driver circuit. To this end, the conventional WPB data masking operation should be executed when the column active signal is inputted.
For this reason, which one of the banks made column-active must inevitably be determined at the initial clock of the WPB operation. Such a determination step delays the write execution, resulting in the formation of a critical path.

Write driver circuit with write-per-bit data masking function

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to a portable light pen dispensing device comprising: a housing, an electronics module located in said housing and comprising a light source capable of irradiating skin and stimulating regeneration of the skin to treat skin disorders, a battery for powering the electronics module, wherein the light source comprises one or more LEDs, wherein the electronics module comprises drive means arranged to control the operation of the light source to emit light in a mixed driving mode so as to limit the temperature of the LED while ensuring a sufficient fluency allowing for the skin to be treated.

Photodynamic therapy, PDT, has now reached the level of being an accepted treatment for a number of situations, among which are acne, wrinkles or even several forms of cancer.
Irradiating skin with light stemming from LEDs for treating skin disorders is known, for example to treat acne. The document US 2011/0224598 describes a method of treating inflammatory acne on the skin of a patient, the method comprising irradiating the skin of the patient with radiant infrared light emitting diode (LED) light, subsequently applying the photosensitizing agent 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) onto the skin of the patient and irradiating the ALA treated skin with visible LED light. The method described demands high constraint from a patient, as s/he has to undergo an initial 15-minute exposure to light, followed by a 60-minute application of ALA and then a final light exposure of 23 minutes. Such sessions have to be repeated regularly for the therapy to become effective.
It is known that by irradiating skin by emitting light as invisible light in the range of 800 nm to 1100 nm can be used to heal skin diseases. For example, it is known that irradiating the skin with a wavelength of around 835 nm is used for wound healing and around 1070 nm for cold sore surface treatment.
In general, by emitting light of a certain wavelength, for example from 400 to 700 nm, treatment of a skin condition can be performed. LEDs can trigger natural intracellular photo-biochemical reactions. To have any effect on a living biological system, LED-emitted photons must be absorbed by a molecular chromophore or photoacceptor. Light, at appropriate doses and wavelengths, is absorbed by chromophores and other light-absorbing entities within the mitochondria and cell membranes of cells. For example, it is known that by irradiating the skin with a wavelength of around 630 to 660 nm, a stimulation of cell metabolism is caused that activates the generation of collagen in the skin allowing to regenerate the skin, such as reducing wrinkles It is known that a threshold level of power of irradiation must be achieved before such natural process can happen and that the irradiation must take place for a certain duration.
Thus, the time and power of irradiation is important to generate collagen.
Furthermore, the irradiation heats the skin. It is known that too much heat, this uncontrollable level of temperature can have undesirable photo-biochemical reactions or may incur damage to the skin, so that such should be avoided. There are several ways described to limit such heating of the skin.
The document DE 3134953 describes an infrared irradiation device that comprises an infrared light source that is designed as an infrared laser and whose light is directed at the area of skin to be treated medically/therapeutically. The infrared laser is controlled by a control circuit and emits coherent infrared pulse signals at a frequency of 0.1 Hz to 5 kHz, preferably 8 to 50 Hz. The frequency can be adjusted by means of an adjustment member as a function of the skin temperature, that can be measured by means of a temperature sensor and can be displayed in an optical display arrangement. The output of the infrared laser is low, so that the irradiated area of skin is not appreciably heated. According to this document, the skin should not heat to more than 42° C. to avoid damage.
The document WO 91/18646 discloses a device and method for photothermotherapy effected by pulsed ultraviolet, visible or infrared laser radiation passing through a system that assures the necessary laser pulse fluence to a bio-tissue treatment region. While the pulsed local heating of micro regions in the tissue reaches therapeutic levels a unit measuring the local heating by a single pulse and the average heating by a train of pulses controls, by way of feedback, a control unit that determines the pulse energy and repetition period and the total exposure dose to provide a required therapeutic effect without risk of thermal damage to the exposed tissue region.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,424 discloses an apparatus for external medical treatment with light. A light-emitting device is provided that is adapted to be held in close proximity to the body of an individual and that includes light-emitting diodes or corresponding elements that are adapted to emit monochromatic light of a first wavelength. The light emitting device is driven by a drive arrangement for causing the light-emitting device to emit the monochromatic light over a first predetermined time period in a first state, and thereafter emit selectively monochromatic light of a different wavelength than the first wavelength and over a second predetermined time period in a possible second state. The drive arrangement causes the light-emitting device to pulsate the emitted light in accordance with a predetermined pulse frequency or series of pulse frequencies over the respective time periods, and causes the light-emitting device to emit the pulsating light with a pulse length that lies within an interval of about 60% to about 90% of the time between respective start edges of two mutually sequential pulses.
The document EP 1140288 discloses an apparatus for external medical treatment administered with the aid of light. The apparatus includes a light-emitting device that is intended to be held against or in the close proximity of the patient's body, and means for driving the light-emitting device, wherein the light-emitting device includes light-emitting diodes or corresponding elements adapted to emit monochromatic light, wherein the drive means is adapted to cause the light-emitting device to emit one or more types of monochromatic light over one or more predetermined time periods and to pulsate the light emitted in accordance with a predetermined pulse frequency or series of pulse frequencies over said time periods, wherein said drive means includes a computer and circuits for driving the light-emitting diodes, wherein the computer includes input means for inputting data relating to an intended treatment, wherein the computer is adapted to deliver electric signals to the drive circuits, wherewith intended light-emitting diodes function to emit light within predetermined time periods and at predetermined pulse repetition frequencies. The invention is characterised in that at least the drive circuits of the drive means are mounted in the light-emitting device.
Although such devices may avoid overheating of the skin, they are complicated and often require a separate computer for controlling the operation thereof. Moreover, some of said devices require a skin temperature sensor.
The present invention addresses these problems in a handheld and battery-operated light pen dispenser as defined in the appended claims.


In an example information search method, if a first terminal performs a first search based on a first keyword, and does not obtain a result, the first terminal generates a request for performing a second search, and sends, to a network device, the request for performing the second search. The network device sends a second request to a second terminal. The second terminal performs the second search based on the first keyword, obtains a second search result, and sends the second search result to the first terminal. Through this technique, it can be effectively ensured that a user finds a search result corresponding to the first keyword, and that user privacy is also ensured.

The rise of mobile terminals brings a large amount of instant messaging (IM) software, so that people communicate more conveniently. In a process in which a user uses instant messaging, a client locally stores historical chat records by default, and the historical chat records can include historical records of point-to-point chats and historical records multi-party chats. However, a chat record in an existing instant messaging system (for example, WeChat) is not stored or backed up in a cloud. If the user locally deletes the chat record, the chat record cannot be restored. In many cases (for example, actively deleting, deleting by mistake, uninstalling an app and reinstalling the app, reinstalling a system, and replacing a mobile phone), the user may encounter this problem: Some previous chat records, links, or images that the user wants to search for cannot be obtained. However, due to problems such as user privacy, the chat record cannot be stored in the cloud or another network device. Therefore, once lost, a local chat record cannot be found.

Information search method, terminal, network device, and system


A base station and a base station controller are used for providing data communication channels using random access (RACHs) for mobile stations. The base station or the base station controller provides for notifying channel information on an RACH. Each mobile station provide for determining whether or not a packet can be sent and for shifting from one RACH to another based on the channel information. The base station and the base station controller further provide for transferring a packet to a mobile station over the RACH. The base station controller provides for terminal identifier management and packet division and reconstruction for transferring a packet between mobile stations or between a mobile station and the LAN.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a packet data transmission system in radio communication systems centering on telephones such as a digital cellular system and a digital cordless telephone system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional radio communication system consisting of a plurality of base stations, a switching system, and a plurality of mobile stations existing in a radio zone formed by the base stations, to transmit and receive telephone and data signals between the base and mobile stations, a TCH is assigned between the mobile and base stations using a CCH, then the TCH is used to execute one-to-one two-way data communication between the mobile and base stations.
For example, as described in Japanese Patent Unexamined No. Hei 6-77886, when receiving a data communication request from a mobile station, the base station and switching system select one or a plurality of TCHs in accordance with the channel use state and if the requested TCH can be selected, assigns the TCH to the mobile station, which then executes data communication on the assigned TCH.
On the other hand, to transmit and receive data between a plurality of mobile stations and a base station, in the radio communication system a common channel is provided for accommodating a plurality of mobile stations and data is transmitted and received by making random access in the common channel in addition to the above-mentioned method of assigning a TCH between mobile and base stations by the line switching for providing a one-to-one two-way data communication line. The random access method is used for a CCH in the line switching.
For example, as described in Japanese Patent Unexamined No. Hei 5-95358, in channel contention control in the random access system, an up link signal from a mobile station to a base station and a down link signal are put into slots on a common channel, the slots of the up and down link signals are synchronized with each other, and transmission disable/enable information for controlling mobile station transmission is suffixed to each of the slots making up the down link signal.
In each base station, the up link channel is monitored in each slot and in the slot detecting an up link signal from a mobile station, the transmission disable/enable information suffixed to the slot of down link signal is changed to transmission disable for disabling other mobile stations from originating calls in the next slot for avoiding signal collision.
When receiving the transmission disable/enable information indicating transmission disable from the base station, the mobile station where up link information to the base station occurs continues to monitor the transmission disable/enable information until the information is changed to transmission enable. When the information is changed to transmission enable, the mobile station judges transmission start or standby in the next slot according to the transmission probability.
In the above-mentioned data communication by the line switching, one mobile station occupies one TCH and high-speed data communication can be conducted, but a connection delay occurs because of the TCH assignment process. In the data communication by the random access system, the connection delay is small, but if a plurality of mobile stations access one TCH, high traffic is handled and the throughput lowers. To use a plurality of TCHS, management among the TCHs is required.
In the invention, radio physical channels for transmitting and receiving user information are called communication channels (TCHS) and those for transmitting and receiving control information used for radio channel establishment and call connection are called control channels (CCHs). However, to use all or some of TCHs to transmit and receive the control information, all or some of the TCHs are logically called TCH attendant control channels (ACHs). Further, when a TCH is used to transmit and receive a telephone signal, it is logically called a voice channel (VCH) and when a TCH is used for data communication using random access, it is called a random access channel (RACH).
That is, the VCH and RACH represent different channels in function, but are TCHs as radio physical channels.


An apparatus for securing the milk intake components of a suction device to the nipples of a nursing mother's breasts is configured as a bandeau or tube top. Alternatively, the apparatus may be configured as a halter top. The apparatus includes a chest piece for positioning around a nursing mother's chest and two openings formed in the front of the chest piece for receiving the milk intake components of the suction device. Optional closures such as Velcro.RTM. strips, snaps, hooks and eyes or buttons/button holes located on the chest piece permit adjusting the fit of the apparatus around the mother's chest. The halter top configuration may include a neck strap for adjusting the fit around the nursing mother's neck. Optional closures located on the neck strap permit adjusting the fit of the neck strap around the nursing mother's neck.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for extracting breast milk, and more particularly, to an apparatus for securing suction devices to a nursing mother's breasts.
2. Description of Related Art
For many years, new mothers have elected to breast-feed their babies. Over the last decade, there has been a trend of more mothers selecting this feeding method. A growing number of employers are offering support to working mothers who continue to breast-feed their babies after returning from maternity leave. An integral part of the support offered by these companies is the opportunity for the women to extract breast milk while at work, either in the employee's office or in a special room or facility set aside for this purpose.
Mothers who wish to extract breast milk for later use by their infants have several options. Some mothers use electric, battery or manual breast pumps manufactured by companies such as Medela, Inc. Typically, a breast pump has a suction device that is secured to the nipple(s) of the mother's breast(s). Tubes connect to the suction device and to the breast pump, which creates a suction on the breast(s) to extract the breast milk. The suction device must be secured continuously and firmly to the breast(s) during the extraction procedure.
A mother may also use the breast pump and attachments to extract breast milk from both breasts simultaneously. A nursing mother may not wear any clothing on her upper body during the milk extraction procedure. Alternatively, if she is wearing a nursing brassiere, the mother may lower or remove the shield or flap portion of the nursing brassiere to expose the nipple(s) of her breast(s). Thereafter, she places the suction devices connected to the breast pump over the nipple(s) of her breast(s) and manually holds the suction devices firmly thereto throughout the procedure.
Various garments are available to assist new mothers in extracting breast milk using a breast pump. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,166 (the "'166 Patent") describes a nursing brassiere. Various attachments, such as slings, buttons, etc. are added to the nursing brassiere to hold the breast shields of the nursing brassiere in place against the mother's nipples.
The inventor distinguishes between a breast shield and a suction device. As used herein, breast shield refers to a fabric flap manufactured as part of, or permanently secured to, a nursing brassiere. Alternatively, a breast shield may be removably secured to the nursing brassiere. The breast shield may be lowered or removed to expose the breast for breast-feeding a baby or for milk extraction using mechanical means such as a breast pump. Breast shield may also refer to a removable, fabric pad placed inside the nursing brassiere that may help prevent milk leakage from the mother's breasts before and/or after the milk extraction procedure. These removable breast shields are usually disposed of on a routine basis after use. Breast shields are relatively inexpensive to purchase. During use, a breast shield lies over, or rests upon, a significant portion of the breast.
In contrast, a suction device is a removable, non-fabric apparatus that is used only during mechanical milk extraction, rather than during breast-feeding of a baby. The suction device includes various components, such as a milk intake component, various cylinders and caps. A suction device is not connected to a nursing brassiere, either temporarily or permanently. The milk intake component of the suction device is secured firmly and tightly to a nursing mother's nipples. The milk intake component covers a limited portion of the mother's breast, specifically the nipples and surrounding area. The other components of the suction device, such as the cylinders and caps are integrally connected to the milk intake component and have no physical contact with the mother's breasts.
While prior art garments may be suitable for some mothers, they have certain disadvantages. For example, breast milk extraction using a breast pump can be extremely time-consuming, e.g., thirty minutes per session. This is particularly common if the mother is using a breast pump that is limited to extracting milk from one breast at a time. Moreover, newborn babies often need to be fed eight to twelve times per day. Therefore, new mothers must extract breast milk many times a day in order to have an adequate supply of milk for their growing infants and to relieve the pressure in the mothers' breasts caused by a build-up of milk.
In addition, a mother must physically hold or otherwise secure the suction device to her breast(s). She may use one hand to hold the suction device in place and have one available hand if the breast pump uses only one suction device. However, it is difficult to do many tasks with only one hand. If a mother is using a breast pump with two suction devices, she is able to extract the breast milk twice as fast, but neither hand is available during the extraction procedure. As a result, the mother is effectively prevented from conducting any other activity during every milk extraction session. Depending on the number of times per day that a mother extracts milk, she may spend several hours each day connected to the suction devices of a breast pump and be unable to do anything else.
This is a major disadvantage for mothers who wish to extract breast milk from both breasts while simultaneously undertaking other activities, such as reading, writing, placing or receiving telephone calls, eating, etc. Moreover, working mothers who continue to extract breast milk for their babies are completely prevented from undertaking work activities several times per day. It is unrealistic to expect that working mothers will continue to follow a milk extraction regime if the mothers must spend one to two hours per day in this activity and very little can be accomplished during that time, not even a telephone call.
Often, breast pumps and their attachments do not provide adequate coverage to the breast area during the milk extraction procedure. Mothers, particularly those who work, are sometimes interrupted while extracting breast milk. Both the mother and the interrupting person may be embarrassed by the exposure of the mother's chest area.
Another disadvantage of the prior art apparatus is the cost. A mother typically uses a breast pump and related attachments for a short period of time, e.g. six to twelve months. Many of the breast pump aids, including garments such as nursing brassieres, are rather expensive. The purchase price of these devices may be prohibitive considering the relatively short time period during which a mother will be extracting milk from her breasts.
The apparatus of the '166 Patent also has numerous disadvantages. For example, the device uses numerous complicated attachments to hold the breast pump attachments to each breast. Specifically, the apparatus of the '166 Patent requires fasteners to be added to the suction devices and/or the nursing brassiere, or a harness-type strap arrangement for holding the breast shields against the breasts. The '166 Patent also discloses flaps to be attached to the nursing brassiere. However, the flaps permanently alter the nursing brassiere, so that it may no longer be suitable for breast-feeding.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus for securing suction devices to a nursing mother's breasts that overcomes the disadvantages of prior art apparatus.

Apparatus for securing suction devices to a nursing mother's breasts


A host device 1 includes an NG table 10 for storing addresses specifying areas of a bulk memory 3 into which data cannot be written, a performance-guaranteed environment determination means 11 for determining whether or not the current environment of the bulk memory 3 is outside a performance-guaranteed environment where the performance of the bulk memory 3 is guaranteed, and control means 12, 13, 14, and 15 for writing data in an area of the bulk memory which is specified by an address which is not stored in the NG table 10 when the performance-guaranteed environment determination means 11 determines that the current environment is outside the performance-guaranteed environment. Therefore, even if the current environment of the bulk memory is outside the performance-guaranteed environment, the host device can normally write data in the bulk memory, thereby improving the reliability of the system.

Conventionally, when a defective area exists in a bulk memory disposed as an information storage medium, information about the defective area is stored in a part of the bulk memory, and, when access to the defective area occurs, access to the bulk memory is enabled or disabled with reference to the information.
As such a technology for accessing a bulk memory having defective areas, an information storage method of and an information storage apparatus for enabling stable continuous recording of information in an information storage medium even if many defective areas exist in the information storage medium, and a method of reproducing the information recorded in the information storage medium are known (refer to patent reference 1, for example). In accordance with this technology, information per file is recorded in the information storage medium, and a contiguous data area which is a continuous record area provided for reducing the frequency of access to an optical head and for making it possible to continuously record information in the information storage medium is defined. This contiguous data area is defined so as to extend over either of another file record area which is already recorded in the information storage medium, or a defective area on the information storage medium, and an extent is defined, as an information storage place, with respect to areas divided by the other file record area or the defective area on the information storage medium.
[Patent reference 1] Japanese Patent No. 3376364
By the way, for a bulk memory typified by a related art hard disk, a set of conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and vibrations, under which the manufacturer of the bulk memory guarantees the performance of the bulk memory, i.e., a performance-guaranteed environment is provided. Such a bulk memory has a function (called a smart function) of, when an error occurs while the bulk memory is placed in the performance-guaranteed environment, recording information about the error in a log area which is disposed within the bulk memory. Therefore, a host device connected to the bulk memory can know both the occurrence of any error and the status of the bulk memory when the error occurs by referring to the log area.
However, when the related art bulk memory is used outside the performance-guaranteed environment and an error occurs, any information about the error is not recorded in the log area of the bulk memory. Therefore, when the related art bulk memory is used outside the performance-guaranteed environment and an error occurs, the host device cannot know the fact.
On the other hand, in recent years, bulk memories have come to be adopted by systems, such as car-navigation systems, which are used under severe conditions, so as to provide improvements in the functionality and performance of the systems. In such a related art system, even if the system is placed outside a performance-guaranteed environment, there is a necessity to write data in the bulk memory. Generally, the bulk memory is designed so as to have a certain margin against writing of data when it is placed outside the performance-guaranteed environment, and therefore writing of data into the -bulk memory attains success in most cases even if the bulk memory is placed outside the performance-guaranteed environment.
A problem with the related art system is however that when data are written into the bulk memory which is placed outside the performance-guaranteed environment, if an error occurs, a host device connected to the bulk memory cannot know the occurrence of the error, and therefore cannot grasp whether the bulk memory is operating normally, thereby decreasing the reliability of the system.
The present invention is made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information storage system that can write data in a bulk memory normally and can increase its reliability even if it is placed outside a performance-guaranteed environment.


A gene encoding a polypeptide having an activity of digesting sulfated fucogalactan which is useful in sugar chain engineering reagents, analyzing the structures of sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharides and preparing degraded products of the polysaccharides; a genetic engineering process for producing the polypeptide; and the polypeptide obtained by the process.

Brown algae contain a variety of sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharides. For example, sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharides such as (1) sulfated fucans consisting of fucose and sulfate groups; (2) sulfated fucoglucuronomannans containing glucuronic acid, mannose, fucose and sulfate groups, e.g., the sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharide-U as described in WO 97/26896 (approximate molar ratio of constituting saccharides, fucose:mannose:galactose:uronic acid:sulfate group=10:7:4:5:20; hereinafter referred to as U-fucoidan); and (3) sulfated fucogalactan consisting of fucose and galactose, e.g., the sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharide-F as described in WO 97/26896 (approximate molar ratio of constituting saccharides, fucose:galactose=10:1; hereinafter referred to as F-fucoidan), or the sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharide-G as described in WO 00/50464 (approximate molar ratio of constituting saccharides, galactose:fucose=2:1; hereinafter referred to as G-fucoidan) are known. Almost all of these sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharides are macromolecular anions. Therefore, they behave in a chemically and physically similar manner in various purification steps, making it difficult to separate them from each other. For this reason, biological activities of sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharides derived from brown algae have often been examined without separating them from each other. Therefore, it was difficult to identify the sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharide that was responsible for the observed biological activity.
To date, correlation between an activity and a molecule is known for the sulfated fucan fraction as described in Agricultural and Biological Chemistry, 44 (8): 1965-1966 (1980), which is responsible for anticoagulant activity, and U-fucoidan as described in WO 97/26896, which is responsible for an apoptosis-inducing activity against tumor cells.
The use of the sulfated fucan fraction as an anticoagulant in place of heparin has been examined. However, it is required to obtain a highly pure sulfated fucan in order to use it as a pharmaceutical avoiding side effects due to unexpected activities. Thus, a method therefor has been desired.
Regarding U-fucoidan, it is similarly required to conveniently obtain a highly pure sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharide-U in order to prepare a pharmaceutical utilizing the apoptosis-inducing activity against tumor cells. Thus, a method therefor has been desired.
Generally, enzymatic degradation is the most efficient manner utilized for structural analyses of polysaccharides and production of oligosaccharides. Furthermore, only one polysaccharide can be readily removed from a mixture of polysaccharides which are hardly separated from each other as follows. The polysaccharide to be removed is converted into a smaller molecule using an enzyme that specifically degrades the polysaccharide. The mixture is then subjected to molecular weight fractionation such as ultrafiltration.
It has been reported that abalones, scallops, sea urchins, marine microorganisms and the like produce enzymes that degrade sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharides. However, only a trace amount of such an enzyme is generally contained in an organism. In addition, since such an organism has plural sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, various purification steps are required for obtaining a single enzyme. For example, the sulfated fucogalactan-degrading enzyme as described in WO 00/50464 was separated using its activity as an index, although it is unknown if it was isolated as a single protein. As described above, it is difficult to purify and collect a large amount of a single naturally occurring sulfated fucogalactan-degrading enzyme. Furthermore, it is necessary to add a sulfated fucogalactan or sulfated fucose-containing polysaccharides including a sulfated fucogalactan to a culture in order to obtain a sulfated fucogalactan-degrading enzyme from a marine microorganism. Thus, there are problems that the cultivation procedure is made complicated and the cost is made high.
There are further problems as follows. If a sufficient amount of a naturally occurring sulfated fucogalactan-degrading enzyme protein cannot be obtained as described above, it is almost impossible to obtain information about the amino acid sequence or the nucleotide sequence for the enzyme. Information about the N-terminal amino acid sequence might not be obtained due to blocking of the enzyme protein at the N-terminus even if a sufficient amount could be obtained.
In addition, there may be unexpected problems as follows. Even if a gene encoding such an enzyme could be obtained, the gene might not be expressed or the expression level might be low due to the incompatibility between the gene and the expression promoter or the host. Alternatively, a recombinant enzyme retaining an enzymatic activity might not be obtained due to formation of inclusion bodies.

Sulfated fucogalactan digesting enzyme gene


Provided herein are multi-stage broadband amplifier configured to achieve a high gain-bandwidth product in a non-distributed architecture and methods for designing the same. The broadband amplifier can include an input stage having a broadband matching unit and an input buffer unit, a gain stage having an RLC network and a amplifier unit and an output stage having a common collector amplifier and an RC compensation unit.

Broadband amplifiers are key components in fiber-optic communication systems, future millimeterwave communication systems, and broadband test instruments, to name a few. Distributed amplifiers (DAs) have dominated broadband amplifiers design for the last two decades and have proved sufficient to realize broadband signal amplification covering multi-octave frequency bands. For instance, a Traveling Wave Matching (TWM) design technique has been developed from the DA concept for broadband matching and has been applied to the design and demonstration of several single stage DAs in K. L Koon, et al., "High Gain and Ultra Wideband SiGe/BiCMOS Cascaded Single Stage Distributed Amplifier for 4G RF Front-End Applications," 14th IEEE 2003 International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communication Proceedings, pp. 2180-2184 and in Virdee, A. S, et al., "Experimental Perfdrmance of Ultrabroadband Amplifier Design Concept Employing Cascaded Reactively Terminated Single-stage Distributed Amplifier Configuration," Electronics Letters, Volume 36, Issue 18, Aug. 31, 2000, pp. 1554-56. Previously, a series of resistors, inductors and capacitors (R, L and C) was employed in each stage of the cascode distributed amplifier implemented with InP HEMTs in H. Shigematsu et al., "A 49-GHz preamplifier with a transimpedance gain of 52 dBΩ using InP HEMTs," IEEE J. Solid State Circuits., vol. 36, no. 9, pp. 1309-1313, September 2001. A high gain-bandwidth product was reported, however, these amplifiers consumed large power and were larger in size due to the distributed amplification technique. In most DA amplifiers, the operable bandwidth that can be achieved is typically between one-tenth and one-third of the cutoff frequency (fT) of the amplifier, i.e., the frequency at which the transistor current gain in the amplifier is equal to one. Thus, to achieve a high bandwidth, the amplifier typically requires a high fT. However, fabrication costs for high fT amplifiers are great due to poor yields and other fabrication difficulties.
Many publications have reported broadband amplifiers with high gain-bandwidth products. To achieve high gain-bandwidth products in broadband amplifiers, one typically relies on either device technology, i.e. using transistors with very high fT values and maximum frequencies (fmax), circuit topology, i.e. designing distributed amplifiers (DAs), or operating transistors with high current density to achieve high fT and fmax. These options typically lead to more expensive technology, higher dc power consumption, and poor reliability, respectively.
Therefore, a broadband amplifier capable of achieving a high gain-bandwidth product while using typical transistors operated at typical current densities for biasing is needed, which will alleviate the reliability, dc power consumption and cost concerns of the conventional implementations.


A plasma display device includes a circuit board on which a driving circuit is to be mounted and a first heat sink fastened to one side surface of a semiconductor device, the first heat sink being disposed spaced apart from the circuit board, and the semiconductor device being disposed between the first heat sink and the circuit board. By improving the heat dissipation characteristics of a plasma display panel, a more stable display device can be provided and the thickness of the plasma display device can be reduced. Further, rocking of the semiconductor device can be decreased, and the possibility of damage can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display device, and more particularly, to a plasma display device which can improve heat dissipation characteristics and reduce its thickness by changing a heat radiation structure.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A plasma display panel (PDP) excites a phosphor by vacuum ultraviolet rays (VUV) generated when mixtures of inert gases are discharged to emit light and to display an image.
The PDP can be easily made large, thin, and simple so that the PDP can be easily manufactured and has higher brightness and emission efficiency than other flat panel displays. In particular, since an alternate current surface discharge type three electrode plasma display panel has wall charges accumulated on the surface thereof during discharge to protect electrodes from sputtering generated by the discharge, the AC surface discharge type three electrode PDP is driven at a low voltage and has a long life.
In order to drive the PDP, drivers for supplying driving signals to the electrodes formed on the panel are required.
Much heat is generated in a driving circuit of the PDP, and in particular, a switching operation is performed too frequently for a sustain discharge according to screen brightness. Therefore, too much heat is generated during driving of the PDP, and picture quality characteristics are degraded due to local heat dissipation of the panel.
Moreover, in the case that a heat dissipation device, such as a heat sink, is made large to enhance heat generation characteristics, this results in a cost increase and an increase in the overall thickness of a plasma display device, thereby restricting the design.


An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of developing devices, each of which stores a toner, a developing device installation section, in which the developing device is detachably installed, a color display unit that displays a toner color corresponding to the toner stored in the developing device, and a detector that detects whether the toner color in the developing device matches the toner color corresponding to the developing device installation section, after the developing device is installed in the developing device installation section.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, and a development unit.
2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a color image forming apparatus, there is a tandem type image forming apparatus in which latent images formed on a plurality of photoconductors are manifested in toner images by a developing device for each color, and the toner images are sequentially transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt or a transfer material to form a color image. As an example, forming a color image is realized by sequentially superimposing four color toner images of black (Bk), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) formed on the photoconductors onto the intermediate transfer belt or the transfer material.
Further, an apparatus is known in which a developing device and a device used for an image forming process such as a photoconductor are formed integrally to form a process cartridge, which is integrally detachable from the image forming apparatus. In the case of the tandem type color image forming apparatus, four process cartridges of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are installed, corresponding to the toner color to be replenished. Heretofore, there has been an instance where a process cartridge was installed by mistake, in a place where a process cartridge for another color was to be installed. In this case, since the toner supplied from the image forming apparatus does not match with the color toner stored in the developing device of the process cartridge, a mismatching color toner may be mixed in the developing device. To prevent such mistake in installation, the structure of a section of the apparatus body where the process cartridge is to be installed (hereinafter, "station") is made different for each color, thereby preventing a process cartridge from being installed in a section for a mismatching color. Accordingly, the structure itself of the process cartridge should be different for each color, and parts different for each color need to be produced. Hence, it becomes necessary to provide a separate production line and a model of the process cartridge for each color, thereby increasing the production cost.
Therefore, various units have been proposed, to prevent mistakes in installation, even if a common process cartridge is used. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-83862 (hereinafter, "document (1)") discloses an apparatus in which a common process cartridge is provided with a storage unit to store the color of toner replenished for the first time. When installed in the station, the process cartridge compares the toner color stored in the storage unit with the toner color recorded in the apparatus body. Thus, if the process cartridge is installed in a station for a different color, the color stored in the storage unit does not match with the color stored in the apparatus body, and the image forming operation is suspended or an alarm is displayed. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-24536 (hereinafter, "document (2)") discloses a process cartridge common to respective colors in which a seal of a color that is same as the toner color stored in the developing device in the process cartridge is attached to a color identification display section. By this seal, users can recognize the color of the process cartridge, thereby preventing a process cartridge from being installed in a station for a mismatching color. Thus, in documents (1) and (2), a common process cartridge can be used, and it is not necessary to provide a separate production line and a model of the process cartridge for each color, thereby decreasing the production cost. Further, the user does not have to store process cartridges for each color, thereby reducing the user's management load.
However, in the case of the process cartridge in document (1), there is no identification display that can be recognized by the user. Therefore, once the process cartridge is taken out from the apparatus, the user cannot recognize which color toner is stored in the process cartridge. Therefore, the user may install the process cartridge in a station for a mismatching color. Further, in the case of the process cartridge in document (2), there is an identification display, and the user can recognize which color toner is stored in the process cartridge, but there is no detector that detects mistakes in installation. Therefore, if the user erroneously installs a process cartridge in a station for a mismatching color, and executes the image forming operation without noticing the error installation, a mismatching color toner may be mixed in the developing device of the process cartridge.
In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge, which avoid erroneous installation by users, and can detect error in installation, if any.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-80090 (hereinafter, "(3)") discloses a unit in which pin holes of a number corresponding to the color types are provided in the process cartridge. By changing the position of a pin to be inserted in the pin hole, the shape of the process cartridge becomes different for each color. Accordingly, the parts can be shared, thereby reducing the production cost. Further, a guide groove is provided for guiding the pin provided in the process cartridge in the insertion direction at a position corresponding to the color. Thus, erroneous installation of the process cartridge is prevented.
However, in (3), error in installation of the process cartridge is prevented by a difference between the shape of the apparatus body and the shape of the process cartridge. Therefore, if the user pushes the process cartridge into the apparatus body without noticing that it is a process cartridge for a different color, the apparatus body may get damaged or the pin may break.

Image forming apparatus, process cartridge, and development unit


A peptide having part or all of the amino acid sequence QKRKRKKSRYKSWSVP (which is part of VEGF) has the ability to inhibit angiogenesis.

VEGF is a secreted polypeptide which is essential for formation of the vascular system in embryogenesis and plays a major role in angiogenesis in a variety of disease states. VEGF expression is upregulated by hypoxia and several cytokines in diverse cell types, and elicits multiple biological activities in vivo and in vitro including the differentiation, proliferation, migration and survival of endothelial cells, increased vascular permeability, monocyte migration, and increased endothelial production of the vasodilatory factors NO and prostacyclin. VEGF-induced NO and prostacyclin production are in turn implicated in both angiogenesis and several vascular protective effects of VEGF, including increased permeability, and inhibition of intimal vascular smooth muscle cell hyperplasia and thrombosis.
Human VEGF exists in multiple isoforms of 121, 145, 165, 189 and 206 amino acids, generated by alternative mRNA splicing, of which VEGF121, VEGF145 and VEGF165 are known to be secreted and biologically active forms. Two distinct protein tyrosine kinase receptors for VEGF have been identified, Flt-1 (VEGFR1) and KDR/Flk-1 (VEGFR2). KDR/flk-1 is thought to be the receptor which primarily mediates the mitogenic effects of VEGF in endothelial cells and angiogenesis in vivo; the function of Flt-1 in endothelial cells is unknown. A non-tyrosine kinase transmembrane protein, neuropilin-1 (NP-1), has been identified as an additional receptor for VEGF which specifically binds VEGF165, and enhances binding of VEGF165 to VEGFR2. The role of NP-1 in mediating biological effects of VEGF is still largely unknown.

VEGF peptides and their use for inhibiting angiogenesis


An engine controller controls an actuator for selectively executing spark-ignited combustion and compression-ignited combustion of an internal combustion engine in accordance with an engine operational state. The controller is comprises of a deterioration recognition section for recognizing a deterioration state of the engine or the actuator during the spark-ignited combustion. The engine controller is configured to change at least one of a switching condition between the spark-ignited combustion and compression-ignited combustion and an operational condition for the compression-ignited combustion, during the spark-ignited combustion, in accordance with the deterioration state of the engine or the actuator recognized by the deterioration recognition section.

The present invention relates to a controller for an internal combustion engine executing spark-ignited combustion and pre-mixed compression-ignited combustion. More specifically, the invention relates to a technical matter intended for stabilization of compression-ignited combustion even when an engine or an actuator becomes a deterioration condition.
In an internal combustion engine which basically performs spark-ignited combustion, a method in which a part of the engine operation area adopts compression-ignited combustion system instead of spark-ignited combustion system is known. This method makes it possible to reduce NOx emissions and highly efficiently operate the engine. It is expected to optimally control the compression-ignited combustion so as to provide a stable compression-ignited combustion operation over a wide operation range.
According to the description of JP-A No. 82229/2001 or JP-A No. 108218/2003, it is effective for the compression-ignited combustion to control the combustion by means of a mass of internal EGR (fuel injection during a negative valve overlap period) using a variable valve mechanism for an inlet valve and outlet valve of an engine cylinder or by means of a multiple injection.
In the compression-ignited combustion, there is no physical ignition equipment such as spark plug and the piston compression allows a pre-mixed mixture to self-ignite. The control over ignition timing or the like requires accurate fuel injection control or valve timing control. When an actuator for the fuel injection system or the variable valve becomes deteriorated, the compression-ignited combustion is subject to large variations between cylinders or cycles. The stable compression-ignited combustion becomes unavailable.
There is a need for a solution of implementing the stable compression-ignited combustion even when the actuators become deteriorated. According to the technology described in JP-A No. 108218/2004, for example, in order to improve the compression-ignited combustion, the negative valve overlap period or the fuel injection quantity during the negative valve overlap period is changed in accordance with a peak value or a peak timing of a cylinder pressure in the compression-ignited combustion. In this manner, the pressure peak value or the pressure peak timing can be controlled to an appropriate value even when the actuator for the engine or the fuel injection system becomes deterirated.
The technology described in the patent document performs combustion control by using combustion control means such as the variable valve mechanism and the fuel injection quantity based on a combustion state recognized during the compression-ignited combustion. However, when the deterioration of the engine or its actuators become in remarkable advanced stage, such combustion control can be not enough good any more to the deterioration, as a result, temporary knocking or misfire may occur before or during the compression ignition control.
On the other hand, when the multiple injection controls stabilization of the compression-ignited combustion, the applicants experimentally confirmed that a low load area and a high load area must use one-time fuel injection equivalent to approximately a Minimunm Reliable fuel injection quantity (the minimum fuel injection quantity ensuring stable injection for the fuel injection system) of the fuel injection system. Even when normal injection pulse width correction is performed for a deteriorated fuel injection system, these operation areas may not be able to use a specified fuel injection quantity according to the minimum reliable injected quantity. The above-mentioned patent documents give no consideration to these problems and make no mention of a technique of detecting the fuel injection system deterioration or a specific technique of controlling the deterioration detection (recognition).


A catalytic converter of the type having an inlet plenum between a converter inlet and an axial inlet face of a substrate and an outlet plenum between a converter outlet and an axial outlet face of the substrate, wherein a first axial length of the inlet plenum is in a range of 20-40% of the first axial length of the inlet plenum summed with a second axial length of the outlet plenum to minimize flow resistance in said catalytic converter.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to catalytic converters. More particularly, the invention relates to optimizing back pressure in short plenum catalytic converters.
2. Prior Art
Traditionally, catalytic converters have had enough room under the vehicle to optimize plenum length for the application. A pair of plenums are important in a catalytic converter to let exhaust gasses from a relatively small diameter inlet pipe expand to flow through the catalyst channels and contract at the other end of the catalyst to enter the relatively small diameter outlet tube. A 50% split of the total plenum length (inlet plus outlet) between the inlet and outlet sides of the catalytic converter has been the standard for many years. Fifty percent of the total plenum length on the inlet side of the catalytic converter and fifty percent of the total plenum length on the outlet side of the catalytic converter is very effective as long as the total length can be engineered essentially without restriction. Commonly 80 millimeters or more has been used with a 50/50 split. This requires both that sufficient space is available and that materials cost allows for a longer converter.
With increasingly smaller cars having less room for catalytic converters and tighter control on materials cost, the plenum length must be reduced in newer vehicles. With reduced plenum lengths, back pressure is increased which can be significant in wide open throttle conditions relative to total horsepower and torque available in the drive train of the automobile. Equal plenum length, however, remains the standard.
An object of the invention is to reduce back pressure in a catalytic converter having a short total plenum length.
It is another object of the invention to reduce total cost for producing a catalytic converter through reduction of materials.
It is yet another object of the invention to produce a catalytic converter maintaining a high catalyst efficiency.
Advantageously, the particular construction of the invention employing unequal length input and output plenums in a catalytic converter accomplishes the foregoing objects of the invention.
Advantageously, according to a preferred example, this invention provides a catalytic converter of the type having an inlet plenum between a converter inlet and an axial inlet face of a substrate and an outlet plenum between a converter outlet and an axial outlet face of the substrate, wherein a first axial length of the inlet plenum is in a range of 20-40% of the first axial length of the inlet plenum summed with a second axial length of the outlet plenum to minimize flow resistance in said catalytic converter.

Catalytic converter end plate inlet/outlet plenum length ratio


In order to carry out selective dimerization of propylene principally into branched dimers, a catalytic composition resulting from at least partly dissolving a nickel compound mixed or complexed with a tertiary phosphine carrying a functional group is used in a medium resulting from mixing at least one quaternary ammonium halide and/or at least one quaternary phosphonium halide, at least one aluminum halide and optionally at least one organometallic aluminum compound.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for selective dimerization of propylene principally into branched dimers. More particularly, it relates to a process in which propylene is brought into contact with a catalytic composition resulting from at least partly dissolving a nickel compound mixed or complexed with a tertiary phosphine carrying a functional group in a medium resulting from mixing at least one quaternary ammonium halide and/or at least one quaternary phosphonium halide, at least one aluminum halide and optionally at least one organometallic aluminum compound.
2. Description of the Prior Art
French Patent No. 2,611,700 describes the use of liquids of ionic nature formed from aluminum halides and quaternary ammonium halides as solvents for organometallic nickel complexes to catalyze olefin dimerization. The use of such media, which are not miscible with aliphatic hydrocarbons, in particular with the products from olefin dimerization, enables homogeneous catalysts to be used more effectively. French Patent No. 2,659,871 describes a liquid composition with an ionic nature resulting from bringing quaternary ammonium halides and/or quaternary phosphonium halides into contact with alkylaluminum dihalides and optionally also an aluminum trihalide. That same patent describes the use of such media as solvents for transition metal complexes, in particular nickel complexes containing no nickel-carbon bond, which are transformed into catalysts for olefin oligomerization. In the present text, such media will henceforth be termed xe2x80x9cmolten saltsxe2x80x9d, as they are liquid at moderate temperatures.
During those studies, it was shown that the most active and most stable nickel catalysts are obtained in xe2x80x9cmolten saltsxe2x80x9d constituted by one molar equivalent of an ammonium halide and/or a phosphonium halide with one equivalent and more of an aluminum trihalide, and optionally any quantity of an alkyl aluminum dihalide. That formulation has been shown to be particularly interesting as nickel complexes dissolved in it have high catalytic activity.
Further, it has been shown that under the conditions described in French Patent No. 2,611,700? the xe2x80x9cphosphine effectxe2x80x9d, as described by G. Wilke et al., in Ind. Eng. Chem., 1970, 62, No. 12, p. 34, and in U. K. Patent No. 1,058,680, which reports the influence of substituents carried by the phosphorus atom on the mode of enchainment of propylene molecules during catalytic dimerization by nickel, rapidly disappears over time. That unexplained phenomenon has deleterious consequences since it does not produce the desired selectivities.
French Patent No. 2,710,280 shows that adding an aromatic hydrocarbon to a xe2x80x9cmolten saltxe2x80x9d can overcome this problem and result in catalysts with high activity which are more stable and which have a high selectivity for the most highly branched isomers. However, the aromatic hydrocarbon is continuously extracted in the organic phase constituted by the products, which implies that it must be separated and recycled to the reactor.
It has now been discovered that the use of a tertiary phosphine carrying a functional group or a nickel complex formed with a tertiary phosphine that is soluble in the xe2x80x9cmolten saltxe2x80x9d results in catalysts for which the selectivity for the most highly branched isomers is high and stable over time and for which the activity is high.
The invention provides a process for selective dimerization of propylene into branched dimers in which a catalytic composition comprising at least one nickel compound mixed or complexed with at least one tertiary phosphine carrying a functional group is used, at least partly dissolved in a non aqueous medium with an ionic nature (xe2x80x9cmolten saltxe2x80x9d type medium), resulting from bringing at least one aluminum halide (product B) into contact with at least one quaternary ammonium halide and/or at least one quaternary phosphonium halide (product A), the xe2x80x9cmolten saltxe2x80x9d type medium possibly further comprising at least one organometallic aluminum compound (product C).
Thus the xe2x80x9cmolten saltxe2x80x9d type medium, in which the nickel compound mixed or complexed with at least one tertiary phosphine carrying a functional group or at least one phosphite carrying a function croup is dissolved, is constituted by mixing:
a) at least one quaternary ammonium and/or quaternary phosphonium halide, more particularly a chloride and/or bromide (product A);
b) at least one aluminum halide (product B); and
c) optionally, at least one organometallic aluminum compound (product C).
Preferred quaternary ammonium and/or phosphonium halides that can be used within the context of the invention (product A), are:
those with general formula NR1R2R3R4X (with the exception of NH4X), PR1R2R3R4X, R1R2Nxe2x95x90CR3R4X or R1R2Pxe2x95x90CR3R4X, where X represents Cl or Br and R1, R2, R3 and R4, which may be identical or different, each represent hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl residue containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example saturated or unsaturated alkyl, cycloalkyl or aromatic groups, aryl groups or aralkyl groups, containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, it being understood that preferably, only one of substituents R1, R2, R3 and R4 represents hydrogen;
or one of the following general formulae:
xe2x80x83where the nitrogen-containing or phosphorus-containing heterocycles containing 1, 2 or 3 nitrogen and/or phosphorus atoms are constituted by 4 to 10 atoms and X, R1 and R2 are defined as above.
Examples which can be cited are tetrabutylphosphonium chloride, N-butyl pyridinium chloride, ethylpyridinium bromide, 3-butyl- l-methyl imidazolium chloride, diethylpyrazolium chloride, pyridinium hydrochloride, trimethylphenyl ammonium chloride and 3-ethyl-1-methyl imidazolium chloride. These salts can be used alone or as a mixture.
The aluminum halides used as products B of the invention are essentially aluminum chloride and bromide.
The organometallic aluminum compounds used as optional products C of the invention have general formula AlRxX3-x in which R is a linear or branched alkyl residue containing 2 to 8 carbon atoms, X is chlorine or bromine and the value of x is 1, 2 or 3. Examples of organometallic aluminum compounds that can be used are isobutylaluminum sesquichloride, ethylaluminum sesquichloride, dichloroisobutyl aluminum, dichloroethyl aluminum and chlorodiethyl aluminum.
The components of the xe2x80x9cmolten saltsxe2x80x9d as defined above are generally used in A:B mole ratios of 1:0.5 to 1:3, preferably 1:1 to 1:2; product C is used in a mole ratio of at most 100:1 with product B, preferably 0.005:1 to 10:1. However, the components and their proportions must be such that the mixture is liquid at the temperature at which the nickel compound and the functionalized tertiary phosphine are introduced, although the catalytic dimerization reaction can be carried out at a temperature which is lower than or higher than the fusion temperature of the catalytic composition.
Examples of nickel compounds used in the catalytic compositions of the invention are the chloride, bromide, sulfate, carboxylates (for example the 2-ethylhexanoate), phenates and acetyl acetonate. It is also possible to use organometallic nickel complexes which may or may not contain phosphines. These nickel complexes are used as a mixture with a functionalized tertiary phosphine. It is also possible to use nickel complexes that are already complexed with a tertiary phosphine carrying a function.
The functional phosphines used as a mixture with (or to complex) the nickel compounds of the invention have general formulae PRxe2x80x21Rxe2x80x22Rxe2x80x23 and Rxe2x80x21Rxe2x80x22Pxe2x80x94Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x94PRxe2x80x21Rxe2x80x22, where Rxe2x80x21, Rxe2x80x22 and Rxe2x80x23, which may be identical or different, are alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or aralkyl radicals containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms at least one of which carries a functional group such as an amine, a cyclic amine, a nitrogen-containing heterocycle, an ester, an acid, an alcohol, a quaternary ammonium, a quaternary phosphonium, a sulfonium, a sulfonate or a phosphonate and Rxe2x80x2 is a divalent aliphatic residue containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
The functional phosphines can be selected from compounds containing pyridine or imidazole substituents or their quaternized derivatives containing pyridinium or imidazolium substituents that satisfy formulae 1 to 7 defined below.
Examples of functional phosphines carrying a pyridine substituent are 2-dicyclopentyl-phosphinoethyl-4-pyridine with formula (1), 2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-2-pyridine with formula (2), 2-diisobutylphosphinoethyl-4-pyridine with formula (1b), 2-diisopropylphosphinoethyl-4-pyridine with formula (4) and their quaternization derivatives with formula (3), where R is an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and X is a weakly coordinating anion. Examples of weakly coordinating anions which can be cited are tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, tetrachloroaluminate, hexafluoroantimonate, carboxylate anions such as acetate, trifluoroacetate, trifluorosulfonate, and the anions N(CF3SO2)2xe2x88x92 and C(CF3SO2)3xe2x88x92. Examples of quaternization derivatives are 2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-N-ethyl pyridinium tetrafluoroborate with formula (3a), or 2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-N-ethyl pyridinium chloride with formula (3b).
Examples of functional phosphines carrying an imidazole substituent which can be cited are 2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-N-imidazole with formula (5), 2-diisopropylphosphinoethyl-N-imidazole with formula (7), 2-diisobutylphosphinoethyl-N-imidazole with formula (7b) and their quaterization derivatives with formula (6), where R is an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and X is a weakly coordinating anion (as defined above), such as 2-dicyclopentyl-phosphinoethyl-1-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate with formula (6a).
As examples of nickel compounds that can be used to constitute the catalytic compositions of the invention, can be cited the complex complexes [NiCl2, 1.5P(2-dicyclopentylethyl-4-pyridine)]2, [NiCl2, 2P(2-dicyclopentylethyl-N-ethyl pyridinium tetrafluoroborate)], [Ni2Cl4, (2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-N-ethyl pyridinium tetrafluoroborate)3, 1.5 CH2Cl2], NiCl2, 2 pyridine mixed with at least one equivalent of functionalized tertiary phosphine or functionalized phosphite, nickel chloride mixed with at least one equivalent of 2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-4-pyridine, nickel acetate mixed with at least one equivalent of 2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-4-pyridine, nickel (2-ethyl hexanoate) octoate mixed with at least one equivalent of 2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-4-pyridine and 2-dicyclopentylphosphinoethyl-4-pyridine xcfx80-allyl nickel chloride.
The compounds forming part of the catalytic composition of the invention can be mixed in any order. The mixture can be produced by simply bringing them into contact followed by agitation until a homogeneous liquid is formed. This mixture can be produced outside the dimerization or oligomerization reactor or, as is preferable, in the reactor.
The propylene which undergoes the selective dimerization of the invention can be used pure or diluted in an alkane, such as those found in C3 cuts from oil refining processes, such as catalytic cracking or steam cracking.
The catalytic propylene dimerization reaction can be carried out in a closed system, in a semi-open system or continuously, with one or more reaction stages. Vigorous agitation must be carried out to ensure good contact between the reactant or reactants and the catalytic mixture. The reaction temperature can be from xe2x88x9240xc2x0 C. to +70xc2x0 C., preferably xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. to +50xc2x0 C. It is possible to operate above or below the fusion temperature of the medium, the dispersed solid state not being a limitation to the proper conduct of the reaction. The heat engendered in the reaction can be eliminated using any means known to the skilled person. The pressure can be from atmospheric pressure to 20 MPa, preferably atmospheric pressure to 5 MPa. The reaction products and the reactant or reactants that has/have not reacted are separated from the catalytic system simply by decanting, then fractionation.
The entire disclosure of all applications, patents and publications, cited above and below, and of corresponding French application 00/01511, filed Feb. 4, 2000, are hereby incorporated by reference.
The following examples illustrate the invention without limiting its scope.

Process for selective dimerization of propylene principally into branched dimers


An electrophoresis apparatus for detecting samples migrating in migration portions includes a plurality of gel separation portions separate from one another and having respective ends disposed along a straight line, a plurality of migration portions equal in number to the gel separation portions and disposed along a straight line following respective ones of the gel separation portions, a light source for generating light which passes through the migration portions, the light propagating along a straight line extending through all of the migration portions, a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective points where the light from the light source passes through respective ones of the migration portions, the optical fibers being equal in number to or greater in number than the migration portions, and an optical detector optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for receiving light from the migration portions via the optical fibers.

The present invention relates to a method of detection of DNA and protein and of DNA base sequencing determination and to an apparatus therefor.
It relates more particularly to a fluorescence detection type gel electrophoresis apparatus.
For DNA base sequencing by electrophoresis gel separation, a radioisotope label has been used as a label for a DNA fragment. Due to the inconvenience of this method, however, a method of using a fluorophore label has come to be increasingly employed. See, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/506,986 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,942) and Bio/Technology Vol. 6, July 1988, pp.816-821. As an excitation light source, this method uses an argon laser with an output of 20 to 50 mw and a wavelength of 488 nm or 515 nm to detect a DNA fragment of 10.sup.-16 mole/band to 2.times.10.sup.-18 mole/band. As fluorophores, the method has used FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate with a maximum emission wavelength of 515 nm), SF (succinyl fluorescein with a maximum emission wavelength of 510 nm to 540 nm), TRITC (tetrarhodamine isothiocyanate with a maximum emission wavelength of 580 nm) and Texas Red (sulforhodamine 101 with a maximum emission wavelength of 615 nm).
Normally, electrophoresis is performed with a polyacrylamide gel plate which is provided between two glass plates. In recent years, a capillary gel electrophoresis method has been developed, where gel is formed in a capillary. Use of a capillary having a smaller diameter increases the surface area per volume of gel; this feature facilities the dissipation of Joule heat, permitting application of high voltage. A high-speed electrophoresis separation is provided by the capillary gel electrophoresis method.
The first examples of the capillary gel electrophoresis method in the prior art are described in Nucleic Acids Research, Vol. 18pp. 1415 to 1419 (1990), Journal of Chromatography, Vol. 516, pp. 61-67 (1990), and Science, Vol. 242, pp. 562-564 (1988). Another method of using one migration lane for base sequence determination is disclosed in Nature, Vol. 321, pp. 674-679 (1986) and elsewhere.
The above-mentioned conventional technique, however, has disadvantages in that the sensitivity is insufficient, and the entire equipment must be made greater in size because the Ar laser is greater in size than a He-Ne laser.
In the prior art, gel electrophoresis has been used for DNA analysis including DNA sequencing. In recent years there have been growing demands for DNA sequencing such as genome analysis. At the same time, there has become available on the market a DNA sequencer which measures DNA fragments on a real-time basis by labeling them with a fluorophore, while performing gel electrophoresis separation; this device has already been put into practical use. This DNA sequencer uses a gel plate (polyacrylamide gel), which is provided with 30 to 40 migrating lanes. The gel plate is exposed to the laser beam at specified intervals from the electrophoresis starting point, and the sequencer detects the fluorescence emitted by the DNA fragments labeled with a fluorophore passing through the irradiated site.
However, the throughput of the DNA sequencer available on the market is as small as 10,000 bases to 20,000 bases/day; this has been one of the problems hindering genome analysis. To ensure high throughput, it is effective to increase the speed of electrophoresis and to provide a great number of migrating lanes, thereby increasing the number of samples to be detected at one time.
In recent years there has been developed a capillary gel electrophoresis apparatus which enables electrophoresis separation in a short time. Furthermore, a capillary array electrophoresis apparatus has been developed; it allows simultaneous measurement of many samples with an arrangement of a great many capillaries, thereby providing a high throughput.
The following capillary array electrophoresis apparatus of this type has been reported, an apparatus where an array of the capillaries placed on a flat board is secured to an X-Y table, and is exposed to a laser beam from above to detect fluorescence according to the direction of the laser beam (Nature, Vol. 359, pp. 167-169 (1992)). In this apparatus, only one capillary is exposed to the laser beam at one time, and the capillary gel is scanned mechanically at a specified speed to measure fluorescence signals from all capillaries.


A webpage classification method and apparatus, a computing device and a machine readable storage medium are disclosed. Each corpus word in a corpus is converted into a vector by using a word-to-vector tool word2vec, and therefore a processing process such as comparison between corpus words or similarity analysis is converted into vector calculation, so as to more conveniently implement computer automation, thereby improving webpage classification efficiency. Moreover, corresponding corpus words are screened according to preset classification seed words, and a corpus word unrelated to a webpage type may be removed, thereby improving webpage classification accuracy.

With rapid development of the Internet, more abundant information comes from the network. Webpage classification is performed according to information presented in a webpage. This not only may help a user rapidly and conveniently find preferred information in a network application aspect, but also may determine preferred information of different users according to types of webpages browsed by the users at a demand analysis stage of network related product development.
In a related technology, for webpage classification, massive webpages generally need to be parsed, characteristic data is extracted from uniform resource locators (URL) and headers of the webpages and used as training data, and a classification model established based on a classification algorithm is trained by using the training data, to obtain a webpage classifier. Therefore, when a target webpage is classified, target characteristic data of the target webpage is first extracted, then the target characteristic data is analyzed according to the foregoing webpage classifier, and a type of the target webpage may be learned. Frequently used classification algorithms include a decision tree classification method, a native Bayesian classifier algorithm (native Bayesian classifier), a support vector machine (Support Vector Machine, SVM) based classification algorithm, a neural network method, a k-nearest neighbor method (kNN), a fuzzy classification method and the like.
It can be seen that, for webpage classification implemented based on the foregoing method, characteristic data includes a large quantity of short sentences or words, and a data processing amount is large; particularly, for a Chinese webpage, characteristic data of the Chinese webpage is mostly Chinese words, processing complexity is higher, and corresponding webpage classification efficiency is relatively low.

Webpage classification method and apparatus, calculation device and machine readable storage medium

Guangzhou UCWeb Computer Technology Co., Ltd.


A belt-drive tensioning system for a motor drive positioning system, especially for X-Y digital plotters. The tensioning system employs spring-loading involving motion along only one translational direction to accurately preset and maintain constant the desired belt tension. Preferred embodiments to provide a self-contained modular unit include a dual plate assembly in roller-bearing relationship, and the use of V-shaped mounting springs.

There are many applications for positioning systems having accurate controllable motor drives. One common application is in X-Y plotters. The typical plotted employs an X-axis friction drive mechanism for the chart or like media, and a Y-axis direct drive for the pen, the combination of movements allowing the plotter to produce virtually any kind of line drawing on the chart.
One of the essential conditions for the drive mechanisms in such apparatus is that there should be minimum slippage and backlash in the system. This is required because the execution of a line drawing by the plotter requires that the chart continuously move back and forth in the X-direction, and it is important that the X-axis drive mechanism be capable of repeatedly positioning the chart to very close tolerances at the selected positions along the X-axis. The same requirement, of course, exists for the Y-axis drive mechanism for the pen.
These problems are exacerbated when a belt-pulley system is employed in the drive mechanism. The latter system is preferred mainly because it reduces the cost of the drive mechanism, and it somewhat simplifies the location of parts in a housing that historically keeps getting smaller and smaller. But, to satisfy the requirements indicated above with a belt-pulley drive system requires a mechanism not only for providing the proper tension on the belt, but also for maintaining the belt tension at the correct value and substantially constant during the lifetime of the product.
In one known system, a spring-leaded, cam-driven, idler roller operates against the outer surface of the belt producing a reverse wrap which provides the required tension. However, this arrangement offers certain disadvantages.

Single degree of freedom belt drive tensioning system for a plotter apparatus