The present technology relates to a driver circuit, a control method therefor, and a transmission/reception system that enable implementation of a large amplitude signal output required for long distance transmission with low power consumption. The driver circuit includes: a current drive circuit that outputs a predetermined current; and a termination resistance circuit connected in parallel with the current drive circuit, in which the termination resistance circuit connects a termination resistance to a transmission line when the current drive circuit outputs a current, and disconnects the termination resistance from the transmission line when the current drive circuit does not output the current. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a driver circuit that outputs a signal to a long distance transmission line, and the like.

In a high-speed communication for a large attenuation transmission line such as a backplane of a server and the like, or a medium-to-long distance cable such as a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) (registered trademark) cable, current mode logic (CML) is used as a driver circuit, for example (see Non-Patent Document 1, for example).
CML is used in many high-speed communication standards such as PCIe, USB 3.0; however, since a through-current flows, there is a problem that current consumption is large. To cope with this, for products requiring low power consumption such as mobile devices, NMOS Push Pull is used recently that has no through-current and has low power consumption. However, in NMOS Push Pull, the Hi level is limited by Vgs−Vth of Push NMOS, so that it is difficult to expand the amplitude and it is considered unsuitable for long distance transmission.

Driver circuit and control method therefor, and transmission/reception system

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation


A promotional note page includes a first page portion having space for writing notes, a second page portion in the form of a business card, and a separation line for separating the first page portion from the second page portion. Letterhead notation along at least one edge of the first page portion is preferably provided. The line of separation is preferably a series of perforations. At least one flap portion may be provided, having a line of separation for separating and/or folding the flap portion from the rest of the note page. The line of separation is preferably a series of perforations. At least one line may be provided on the first portion to guide handwriting thereon. Alternatively, at least one stripe on the first portion to guide handwriting on it may be provided. Another option is at least one tab portion which can be folded over to increase thickness for securing a fastener and for aiding alignment of an attachment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of promotional stationery items, and more specifically to a note page having an aesthetically combined, detachable business card.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been stationery items marked with the sender's business name and address. While most of these items are helpful in advertising, none combines an independently useful portion with a detachable portion which would likely be saved for future reference.
One such prior item is that of Thompson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,330,730, issued on Feb. 10, 1920. Thompson teaches a billhead with a lined, detachable top portion on which the addressee writes his name and address. A gummed edge portion detachable from the top portion contains the sender's name and address. The recipient completes the top portion and returns it with a check for the amount of the bill. The gummed edge portion can be affixed to an envelope to save the trouble of addressing the envelope and to assure that it is addressed correctly. The addressee keeps the lower portion for his files. A problem with Thompson is that, although the sender's name and address are provided on the sheet, these are not provided on parts that would be saved to generate future business.
Doolittle, U.S. Pat. No. 2,135,331, issued on Nov. 1, 1938, discloses an advertising booklet. This booklet includes a front cover in the form of a business card, attached to the booklet along a perforated edge. The pages of the booklet have advertising information on them. A problem with Doolittle is that it is not stationery, or any other useful item apart from its advertising purpose. Thus the recipient is likely to discard the booklet.
Lichter, U.S. Pat. No. 2,277,596, issued on Mar. 24, 1942, teaches a combination blotter and post card. An optional, detachable coupon tab is provided. Here again, the user will not likely wish to retain the blotter once it is used, and will typically dispose of the entire item. The recipient would normally relinquish the coupon to use it, and thus be left with no permanent reminder of the supplying company.
Guttman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,612, issued on Nov. 4, 1952, provides a mailing card with advertising space. A portion of the card is detachable and can be used to obtain credit or other accommodation. Again, the detachable portion is not part of something which would likely be retained as a whole.
Pettit, U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,554, issued on Feb. 2, 1988, teaches a sheet of paper having a check or other negotiable instrument printed on one side and coupons printed on the other. If the holder tears the coupons away, the check is destroyed, and if he uses the check, he looses the coupons. This device is intended to provide alternative offers to the holder, only one of which can be selected. A problem with Pettit is that nothing remains to remind the holder of the sender once the sheet of paper is redeemed.
Tuhkanen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,580, issued on Jun. 13, 1989, discloses a combined advertising brochure and business card. Again, there is no reason for most recipients to retain any of the item. The entire item serves the recipient only as an advertisement.
Versage, U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,826, issued on Mar. 13, 1990, illustrates a greeting card containing a business related message. While a pleasant thought, this card would no doubt suffer the fate of most greeting cards at the end of the holiday or other occasion.
Geisenheimer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,311, issued on Sept. 18, 1990, teaches an article of advertising mail divided into a reply postcard and an index card. It is desired that the recipient of the item separate and keep the index card. However, the fact that the entire item is an advertisement may lead to prompt disposal together with the remainder of bulk advertising mail.
Champion, U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,950, issued on Oct. 16, 1990 discloses a combination entrance ticket and wagering coupon for parimutuel events. Once again, once the recipient redeems these portions, nothing remains to remind him of the sender.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a combination stationery item which has at least one portion which is useful to the recipient apart from being an advertisement or promotion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a business card note sheet having two page portions, the first page portion having a writing space comprising at least half of the area of one side of the sheet and providing space for writing notes, and the second page portion defining a business card.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an item which has a portion the recipient can conveniently retain to remind him of the sender.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an item which is pleasing in appearance and reasonably inexpensive to produce.


The invention relates to an electric machine comprising a stator (10, 40) provided with a plurality of teeth (11, 41), each tooth supporting at lest one individual coil (13, 46, 47), an external rotor (30) which is radially arranged outside the stator and provided with constant magnets, an internal rotor (20) radially arranged inside the stator, provided with constant magnets and connected to the external rotor (30). At least one of the external (30) and internal (20) rotors is disposed in a flux concentration.

The present invention relates to electrical machines and more particularly to those having a stator, an outer rotor and an inner rotor fastened to the outer rotor.
A machine with two concentric rotors is described in International Application WO 91/06147. The stator has teeth provided at their ends with pole shoes. The coils have heads onto which a heat-transfer fluid, such as oil, is sprayed so as to remove the heat from the windings. Such a machine is relatively complicated to manufacture.
The electric motor described in Application WO 91/06147 is also relatively long in the axial direction, especially because of the coil heads and the means of cooling them.

Rotary electric machine comprising a stator and two rotors


Novel compounds useful as chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents are provided. The compounds are analogs of polyphenol catechins that occur in green tea, such as epigallocatichin-3-gallate (EGCG), and have the structure of formula (I)

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. Current pharmacological treatments for cancer utilize a toxic dose of a compound that is administered in a precise dosing range to preferentially destroy the cancerous cells (chemotherapy), and minimize damage to healthy tissue. Despite efforts to focus the toxic effects on the cancerous tissues, severe or even life-threatening adverse effects may occur, such as serious disorders of the blood, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, and other organs. Most current anticancer drugs thus have a narrow therapeutic window: the range between the therapeutic dose and the maximum tolerated dose is very small. Due to this toxicity, as well as the fact that most anticancer drugs are administered intravenously, nearly all cancer chemotherapy must be administered in a hospital or clinic. An additional problem with most current cancer chemotherapy is that cancers frequently develop resistance to the drugs, so that recurrence of disease is common.
It is a goal of cancer researchers to discover efficacious anticancer agents while avoiding the adverse effects of chemotherapy treatments. Epidemiology offers some clues in this regard, and has led to the discovery of safe anticancer agents. By examining the practices of cultures exhibiting a lower incidence of cancer and investigating the possible sources of the decreased incidence of disease, researchers may be able to discover that the food or drink consumed by the people of that culture contains compounds that have anticancer properties. These dietary compounds possessing anticancer properties can then be modified to enhance their anticancer effects while retaining their safety. Of particular interest in this regard are certain polyphenols that occur in green tea.
Specifically, compounds such as the catechins, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (−)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG), and (−)-epicatechin (EC) have been implicated in cancer chemoprevention. Both EGCG and EGC exhibit substantial anticancer activity (EGCG is particularly potent), with ECG and EC somewhat less active.

Researchers studying these naturally occurring polyphenols have determined that EGCG is not only the most abundant of the above catechins, but also the most potent chemopreventive component in green tea. A large number of in vitro and in vivo studies have shown EGCG to possess a wide variety of anticancer activities. In animal studies, orally administered EGCG and related green tea polyphenols have shown efficacy in preventing and treating cancers of the lung, breast, liver, skin, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, and colon (Hirosi et al. (1997) Cancer Lett. 112:141–147). As an antioxidant, EGCG exerts antimutagenic and chemoprotective effects through neutralization of free radicals, protection of DNA from strand breaks and other damage caused by reactive oxygen species (Anderson et al. (2001) Carcinogenesis 22:1189–1193), and inhibition of oxidation of some carcinogenic substrates of human cytochrome P450 (Muto et al. (2001) Mutat. Res. 479:197–202). In general, EGCG inhibits the metabolic activation of procarcinogens by cytochrome P450, which represents a significant chemoprotective activity against carcinogenesis (ibid).
Another proposed anticancer activity of EGCG involves the induction of apoptosis. One mechanism of apoptosis appears to be binding of EGCG to Fas on the cell surface, which triggers Fas-mediated apoptosis (Hayakawa et al. (2001) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 285:1102–1106). Other researchers have suggested that normal cells are not affected by the apoptotic effects of green tea polyphenols because EGCG and other constituents of green tea cause the induction of p57, which acts to inhibit apoptosis in untransformed cells (Hsu et al. (2001) Anticancer Res. 21(6A):3743–3748).
Other anticancer mechanisms include, without limitation: inhibition of topoisomerases I and II (Suzuki et al. (2001) Biol. Pharm. Bull. 24:1088–1090); inhibition of nuclear factor kappa-B (NFκB), possibly through inhibition of the IκB kinase complex (Yang et al. (2001) Mol. Pharmacol. 60:528–533), which results in the suppression of NO synthesis and subsequent generation of carcinogenic nitrites; scavenging of carcinogenic nitrites (Pannala et al. (1997) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 232:164–168); inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases involved in tumor metastasis (Isemura et al. (2000) Biofactors 13:81–85; Demeule et al. (2000), Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1478:51–60); inhibition of the androgen receptor in prostate cancer (Ren et al. (2000) Oncogene 19:1924–1932); inhibition of cellular hyperproliferation induced by overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (Liang et al. (1997) J. Cell Biochem. 67:55–65); and inhibition of angiogenesis, at least in part by suppressing the induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (Jung et al. (2001) Br. J. Cancer 84:844–850).
EGCG can be obtained as the natural product (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,679 to Bailey et al.) or chemically synthesized using an enantioselective synthesis recently developed at SRI International (Menlo Park, Calif.); see Zaveri (2001) Organic Letters 3(6):843–846. However, EGCG per se is not a viable candidate for use as a therapeutic agent because it is only minimally bioavailable when administered orally, and in addition, EGCG is extensively conjugated by action of the liver. Because of the poor absorption when given orally, one would have to drink at least 8–10 cups of green tea a day to gain its chemopreventive benefit (EGCG is present in green tea at a concentration of about 200 mg per brewed cup; see Mukhtar et al. (1999) Toxicol. Sci. 52 (suppl.):111–117). Furthermore, green tea contains 70 mg of caffeine per cup, so drinking enough for chemoprevention would result in caffeine-related side effects. These are being observed in the ongoing clinical trials of green tea.
Several researchers have attempted to synthesize analogs of EGCG that overcome the aforementioned limitations inherent in EGCG itself. For example, it is not yet known which of the enantiomers of EGCG is responsible for the anticancer activity of this compound. An enantioselective synthesis of EGCG was devised involving synthesizing the three aromatic fragments separately, and then assembling them in a stereoselective fashion (Li and Chan (2001) Organic Letters 3(5):739–741). These authors however did not report any results regarding the relative efficacy of either enantiomer. Zaveri (2001), supra, describes synthesis of a 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl ester analogue of EGCG and the 2α,3β enantiomer thereof. Although both compounds described by Zaveri were found to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell lines in vitro, the potency of these compounds was somewhat less than that of EGCG itself.
Accordingly, there is a need for synthetic strategies for generating analogs of EGCG and other green tea polyphenols, in order to optimize the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects of these compounds. The present invention is the result of extensive, systematic research to design novel flavanoids related to EGCG, but optimized to enhance their anticancer activity and retain a low toxicity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Analogs of green tea polyphenols as chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents

Abstract: wherein R1 through R11 are defined herein. Preferred R4 moieties are selected from O, S, NH and CH2, and in exemplary compounds, R4 is O and R5 is a tri-substituted aroyloxy substituent, such as a 3,4,5-substituted benzoyloxy group. Pharmaceutical compositions are provided as well, as are methods of chemotherapy and chemoprevention.


A system for synchronizing party information and call-state information between two or more telephone switches involved in establishing a multiparty communication session has at least one server application for serving information and receiving information and a translation service for translating received information between formats of telephony and those of digital messaging. The system uses a digital network to propagate the information between switches in a dynamic message format.

Telephone call processing and switching systems are, at the time of the present patent application, relatively sophisticated, computerized systems, and development and introduction of new systems continues. Much information on the nature of such hardware and software is available in a number of publications accessible to the present inventors and to those with skill in the art in general. For this reason, much minute detail of known systems is not reproduced here. One document which provides considerable information on intelligent networks is "ITU-T Recommendation Q.1219, Intelligent Network User's Guide for Capability Set 1" dated April, 1994. This document is incorporated herein by reference.
Telephony applications have enabled communications centers to service clients in ways that are relatively efficient and that provide considerable sharing of information between call points and end users. Today, telephony applications are intelligent systems capable of being installed and used within the local network as well as within the larger Internet or other suitable networks.
A large technical support operation serves as a good example in this specification of the kind of application of telephony equipment and functions to which the present invention pertains and applies, and a technical support organization will be used from time to time in the current specification for exemplary purposes. Such a technical support system, as well as other such systems, typically has a countrywide or even worldwide matrix of call centers for serving customer's needs. Such call center operations are more and more a common practice to provide redundancy and decentralization.
In a conventional call center, a relatively large number of agents handle telephone communication with callers. Each agent is typically assigned to a telephone connected to a central switch, which is in turn connected to a public-switched telephone network (PSTN), well known in the art. The central switch may be one of several types, such as a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) for example. An automated call distributor (ACD) is another common type of call switch. Often a service control point (SCP) switch, which may be a PBX, is typically available within a network segment for accepting first-party calls local to the switch and routing those calls to other destination points, such as regional call centers.
Intelligent call routing and processing may be on several levels. Pre-routing may be done at SCPs and further routing may be, and almost always is, accomplished from individual call centers. As described above a call center typically involves a central switch, which may be, for example, an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD), or a Private Branch Exchange (PBX). The central switch is connected to the PSTN, as is well known in the art. Agents, trained to handle customer service, man telephones connected to the central switch. The local equipment is often referred to in the art as Customer Premises Equipment (CPE).
If the call center consists of just a central switch and connected telephone stations, the routing that can be done is very limited. Switches, such as ACD and PBX and the like, although increasingly computerized, are limited in the range of computer processes that may be performed. For this reason additional computer capability in the art has been added for such central switches by connecting computer servers adapted to run control routines and to access databases. The processes of incorporating computer enhancement to telephone switches is known in the art as Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), and the hardware and software used is referred to as CTI equipment.
In a CTI-enhanced system telephone stations connected to the central switch may be equipped also with computer terminals, so agents manning such stations may have access to stored data as well as being linked to incoming callers by a telephone connection. Such stations may be interconnected in a network by any one of several known network protocols, with one or more servers also connected to the network one or more of which may also be connected to a processor providing CTI enhancement, also connected to the central switch of the call center. It is this processor that provides the CTI enhancement for the call center.
When a call arrives at a call center, whether or not the call has been pre-processed at a SCP, typically the telephone carrier (network provider) makes the telephone number of the calling line available to the receiving switch at the call center in one of several known formats.
In state-of-art systems known to the inventor, complex call routing and processing is accomplished using extra intelligence beyond that of a normal switch. CTI processors may be made available at network level and at end service points to help route calls more efficiently and to provide robust information about the call and call parties. In many cases, both in service and business communication call states change or are modified when being established in a network. For example, the number of parties to a call can change dynamically or from different points of control.
It is possible that when calls are established between different PBXs, for example, information about the call including current call-state information may be lost in the process. A typical example of a call established by more than one switch where information may not be available to all parties is exemplified by the following exemplary description:
A first caller (C1) initiates and establishes a connection through a first PBX (PBX1) to a second caller (C2) monitored by the same PBX. C2 may after being established in session with C1 decide to bring a third caller (C3) into the conversation through a second PBX (PBX2) so that all three callers may conference. However, C3 may only receive caller identification information about C2 because C2 is the sole party that initiated the addition of C3 by placing an additional call to C3 and then bridging the party connection at PBX2.
A problem with current art call handling among multiple switches is that for each state change, defined as a possible call state related to one or more actual or potential parties of a call, the latest PBX has no information that C1, for example, is already in a session with C2. Likewise, C1 will receive no information about C3 except by voice after state has changed or on word of C2. The only bi-directional identification information exchange is between C1 and C2 (root). Depending on the business scenario, C1 may not wish to conference with C3 without proper identification. Likewise, C3 may be unaware of C1 and may not wish to participate if the identity of C1 were known to C2. This example reflects a simple three-party scenario and it will be appreciated by the skilled artisan that more than three parties and more than two switches may be involved in a complex multiparty session.
Therefore, what is clearly needed is a system that enables multiple PBXs involved in servicing a multiparty communication session to share information about all call-related events that may occur in an active multiparty session including the identification information of all of the parties and potential current call or connection states of the parties involved.

Methods and apparatus for accomplishing call-state synchronization and event notification between multiple private branch exchanges involved in a multiparty call

Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc.


A power saving device includes a first switch coupled between an input node and an output node, wherein the input node is coupled to a power source and the output node is coupled to an electronic device, a detection unit detecting the magnitude of a current, a charge unit coupled to the output node, wherein the charge unit correspondingly generates a detection signal in response to magnitude of the current, a battery pack coupled to the charge unit, a second switch disposed between the output node and the battery pack and a controller. When magnitude of the current in response to the detection signal is lower than a threshold current and battery capacity of the battery back is higher than a predetermined capacity, the controller outputs a set of control signals to turn off the first switch and turn on the second switch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a power-saving device and in particular to a power saving device for reducing power consumption of the electronic system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to prevent pollution, reducing power consumption is needed. Electronic products today are designed to comply with environmental regulations in a number of countries and regions in the world.
In the process of improving power consumption of the electronic system, as the electronic system is still connected to the power source, it is hard to reduce power consumption when the electronic system is in the standby mode (or the shutdown mode). With respect to today's technologies, there are only two ways to reduce power consumption. The first one is to reduce power consumption of the chips in the standby mode (or in the shutdown mode) by using a low-power chip. The second one is to enhance the conversion efficiency of the output power module by using the high-efficiency output power module. However, the low-power chip and the high-efficiency output power module will increase cost.
Therefore, it is needed to propose a new power saving device to reduce power consumption of the electronic system when operating in the standby mode (or the shutdown mode) without drastically increasing the cost.


An optical link exhibiting net gain without the use of optical or electronic amplifiers. The link includes a high-power laser, a high-sensitivity external modulator for intensity modulating the laser output, an optical fiber, and photodiode detector. The electrical input port of the external modulator is impedance-matched to the output port of an electrical signal source using a transformer double-tuned circuit. The link exhibits electrical transfer efficiency (i.e., gain) proportional to the square of the optical bias power and modulator sensitivity, and much lower insertion loss than prior art links. The link can be advantageously used wherever low-insertion loss, high bandwidth, and low distortion transmission of electrical signals is required over distances up to ten kilometers.

Fiber optic communication links are increasingly used in a variety of electric signal transmission applications ranging from cable television distribution, telecommunications, electromagnetic field sensors, and radar. A prime motivation for using these links is that the optical fiber transmission medium offers significant advantages such as high bandwidth, low loss per unit length, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and low weight. Unfortunately, many of these advantages are not realizable in practice because of limitations in the electrical-to-optical and optical-to-electrical conversion process.
To understand why this is so, consider one type of optical link wherein information is impressed upon a carrier light wave by modulating the current of a semiconductor diode laser. This process, referred to as direct modulation, is presently the most widely used technique for optical links.
However, direct modulation optical links have not been as widely accepted as their original proponents had expected. Where such links are to be used in place of a coaxial cable analog systems designers typically prefer links exhibiting efficient transfer of electrical power, low noise figure, and high dynamic range. Digital systems designers typically prefer high signal to noise ratio, low bit error rates, and efficient transfer of input current to output current, to enable high fan out. All of these features have heretofore been difficult to achieve with optical links.
For example, although the loss of the optic fiber itself may be less than 1 decibel per kilometer (dB/km), the electrical-optical-electrical conversion process typically results in a zero-length link insertion loss of 30 to 50 dB.
In another type of system, the laser is operated at a constant power level, and an optical modulator is coupled to the laser output. This so-called external modulation approach does have some advantages. For example, it allows the use of a laser that emits light at a fixed optical power level, thereby eliminating concern over the laser's linearity.
Known theory predicts that the ratio of the output electrical power to the input modulation signal power depends upon the square of the optical power available at the output of the modulator. See generally Gagliardi, R. M. and Karp, S., Optical Communications, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1976), pp. 141-155. However, insertion losses less than 30 dB, have not been observed in practical externally modulated optical links.
Thus, even when external modulation is used, existing optical links usually exhibit low transfer efficiency, whether transfer efficiency is defined as the ratio of link output electrical power to link input electrical power, as in the case of analog links intended to carry analog signals, or as the ratio of output current to input current, as in the case of digital links.
The transfer efficiency problem can be overcome somewhat by using an electronic amplifier at the receiver side of the link, or by using an avalanche photodiode or photomultiplier as the detector. In some applications, such as cable television, where a number of detectors are necessary, the expense of such an approach is undesirable and may be prohibitive, however.
Because the optical fiber medium itself provides increased efficiency in transferring light from the laser to the photodetector, it is quite common to reduce the amount of input laser power as much as possible. Operation at lower power levels is also encouraged by historical concerns, dating back to the design of early free space optical systems, that in the interest of efficiency, such systems should operate at low power levels. See Pratt, W. K., Laser Communications Systems, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1969), p. 16. Thus although higher power lasers have been used with free space optical communications systems and bulk-type, low efficiency modulators, there has seldom been an attempt to explore the use of higher power lasers in optical fiber links.
In certain applications, low optical power is used because of modulator stability problems in short wavelengths such as 100 microwatts (.mu.W) at a wavelength of 830 nanometers (nm) or because of limited power available from the laser, such as 1 milliwatt (mW) at 1300 nm.
Thus, many prior art optical fiber links typically operate at fairly low optical power levels--either because of historic reasons or because of practical considerations.
Existing rationale thus appears to be that there is little advantage to increasing the optical power in optic fiber links beyond the milliwatt power level, in spite of the theoretical teaching that link transfer efficiency improves with the square of optical power. An optical link exhibiting net electrical power gain has never been demonstrated.
Theoretical calculations of others, such as in Bulmer, C. H. and Burns, W. K., "Linear Interferometric Modulators in Ti:LiNbO3", IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, (New York: Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers), Vol. LT-2, No. 4, August 1984, pp. 512-521, imply that an improvement in link dynamic range will be observed with an increase in optical power. See also Cochran, S. R., "Low-Noise Receivers for Fiber-Optic Microwave Signal Transmission", IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, (New York: Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers), Vol. LT-6, No. 8, August 1988, pp. 1328-1337, wherein the sources of noise in an optical link receiver are discussed and mathematical relationships for their relative amplitudes are derived. However, neither of these references shows how to achieve shot-noise limited performance in an externally modulated optical communications system without using an electronic amplifier, avalanche photodiode detector, or photomultiplier.
What is needed is a way to improve electrical to electrical transfer efficiency of an optical link, as well as it other operating characteristics. The improvement should be such that optical links are attractive in a broad range of signal transmission applications, such as cable television distribution, telecommunications networks, and electromagnetic sensing.
The approach should be simpler and less costly than present techniques such as active electronic amplifiers or avalanche photodetectors.
It is also desirable to provide a mechanism for increasing the transfer efficiency of an externally modulated optical link by increasing sensitivity of the optical modulator, without necessarily decreasing the link's electrical bandwidth.


Array assay devices and methods for using the same in array based assays are provided. The subject devices are characterized by having a base dimensioned to hold a substrate having at least one array, a cover dimensioned to cover the substrate and a snap-fit for holding the cover and the base together to enclose a space between the base and the cover. The subject invention also includes methods for performing an array assay. In the subject methods, a subject device is provided and a substrate having at least one array is positioned on the base. The snap-fit is engaged to hold the cover and the base together to enclose a space between the base and the cover. Next, a sample is contacted with the at least one array and an array assay is performed. The subject invention also includes kits which include the subject devices.

Array assays between surface bound binding agents or probes and target molecules in solution may be used to detect the presence of particular biopolymers. The surface-bound probes may be oligonucleotides, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, antibodies or other molecules capable of binding with target molecules in solution. Such binding interactions are the basis for many of the methods and devices used in a variety of different fields, e.g., genomics (in sequencing by hybridization, SNP detection, differential gene expression analysis, identification of novel genes, gene mapping, finger printing, etc.) and proteomics.
One typical array assay method involves biopolymeric probes immobilized in an array on a substrate such as a glass substrate or the like. A solution containing analytes that bind with the attached probes is placed in contact with the substrate, covered with another substrate to form an assay area and placed in an environmentally controlled chamber such as an incubator or the like. Usually, the targets in the solution bind to the complementary probes on the substrate to form a binding complex. The pattern of binding by target molecules to biopolymer probe features or spots on the substrate produces a pattern on the surface of the substrate and provides desired information about the sample. In most instances, the target molecules are labeled with a detectable tag such as a fluorescent tag, chemiluminescent tag or radioactive tag. The resultant binding interaction or complexes of binding pairs are then detected and read or interrogated, for example by optical means, although other methods may also be used. For example, laser light may be used to excite fluorescent tags, generating a signal only in those spots on the biochip that have a target molecule and thus a fluorescent tag bound to a probe molecule. This pattern may then be digitally scanned for computer analysis.
As will be apparent, control of the assay environment and conditions contributes to increased reliability and reproducibility of the array assays. However, merely placing a slide over the substrate or positioning a cover slip over the substrate, as is commonly done, is often insufficient to allow precise control over the assay and is labor intensive as well.
During an array assay such as a hybridization assay, the assay is often performed at elevated temperatures and care must be taken so that the array does not dry out. Using a second slide positioned over the substrate allows contents to leak and/or evaporate which can result in the array drying out during use, adversely impacting the assay. In addition, the substrate cannot be tipped or moved from the horizontal position without risk that the substrate or cover slip will slip off. Maintaining the array in a humid environment may reduce drying-out, but offers only an incomplete solution.
Various chambers or containers have been developed to eliminate the use of a substrate or cover slip and facilitate the above described array assays. However, while many of these chambers are effective, they often require the user to manually assemble the apparatus around an array using screws to maintain the structure together. Such procedures take time and may introduce contaminants into the array due to the increased handling thereof during assembly of the apparatus.
Thus, there continues to be an interest in the development of new devices for array-based hybridizations and methods of using the same. Of particular interest is the development of an array assay device, and methods of use thereof, that is easy to assemble and use, includes minimal components, prevents drying out of the array and that may also be capable of testing multiple samples with multiple arrays without cross contamination.

Array assay devices and methods of using the same


An apparatus having a code strip carrier that is illuminated by an illumination system and a plurality of read heads is disclosed. Each code track includes a plurality of dark and light stripes. Each read head is positioned to detect light from a corresponding one of the code tracks as that code track moves relative to the read head, the read head generating a signal indicative of the intensity of light reaching that read head. One of the code tracks includes a first absolute position track that provides an indication of the absolute position value when the code strip carrier is at each of a plurality of predetermined absolute positions relative to the origin position. A different one of the code tracks includes an incremental position track for generating a digital value indicative of a displacement of the code strip carrier relative to the last predetermined absolute position.

An absolute encoder provides a readout of the position of an apparatus relative to some predetermined location. For example, an absolute shaft encoder provides a readout of the number of degrees the shaft would need to be rotated to return to a predetermined starting position.
Conventional absolute encoders utilize a series of fiducial marks and detectors to provide the above-described readout. In general, if the device provides an N-bit readout of the location, there are N separate sets of fiducial marks, one per bit. The marks for each set are arranged as a "track". There are also N separate detectors, one per track. The fiducial marks are normally placed on the moving apparatus, and the detectors are placed on a device that is fixed relative to the moving apparatus such that each set of fiducial marks moves past the corresponding detector as the apparatus moves. Each detector provides a signal when one of the associated fiducial marks passes the detector. However, systems in which the detectors are on the moving apparatus and the fiducials are on the fixed surface are also known.
This type of arrangement has severe alignment requirements that substantially increase the cost of encoders based on this type of design. In particular, the individual sets of fiducial marks must be aligned relative to one another. Similarly, detectors must also be aligned relative to one another. The alignment tolerance is determined by the smallest distance that is to be resolved. Hence, systems in which N is large are particularly costly both in terms of the number of encoding tracks and detectors and in terms of the alignment costs.

Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


A touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof and a touch display device are disclosed. The touch panel includes: a base substrate; and a first touch electrode on the base substrate, the first touch electrode including a plurality of first touch electrode lines intersecting with one another, wherein in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, each of the first touch electrode lines include at least two laminated transparent conductive layers, which include a laminate of a first metal oxide layer and a first metal layer, or a laminate of the first metal oxide layer and a first graphene layer.

A metal mesh is a metal mesh pattern made of an oxide or a metal material such as silver or copper on a glass/polyethylene glycol terephthalate (glass/PET) thin film. The metal mesh has a theoretical minimum surface resistance of 0.1 ohm/□, and reduces signal interference due to an electromagnetic shielding function, but a touch sensor fabricated with the metal mesh has a very obvious Moire interference fringe due to a relatively thick line width (the line width exceeding 5 μm) of the pattern, and thus is only suitable for display screens having a large viewing distance.

Touch panel and manufacturing method therefor, and touch display device

Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


A portable survey meter for measuring radiation, the portable survey meter comprising: a radiation detector configured to perform measurements of radiation; a range sensor configured to measure range data of distances from the portable survey meter to real world structures in at least two dimensions; and a processing unit configured to align the measured range data with reference range data so as to determine an instantaneous position of the portable survey meter in at least two dimensions relative to the real world structures as a fixed frame of reference, whereby each measurement is performed at a known position.

The present invention relates to a portable survey meter and a method for measuring radiation. More particularly, an embodiment of this invention relates to an autonomous, portable survey meter for collecting spatially registered radiation measurements within a region such as a nuclear facility.
When operating or decommissioning a facility containing radioactive material it is frequently necessary to understand the distribution of activity such that its effects on the environment and any persons entering that environment can be determined. It is often the case that the physical properties of such a facility need to be determined also. Conventional methods for determining this information typically involve bulky equipment and rely on external references such as markers or fixed reference points, at various positions around the facility. This is often not permitted or practical in a potentially contaminated environment.
A radiological survey of a facility may be performed, with the positions and measurements recorded. At a later point in time, it may be desirable to repeat the survey to determine how the distribution of radiation has changed. Radiological measurements are sensitive to the position at which they are taken. It is important therefore that the measurements made in the repeat survey are taken from the same positions as in the previous survey.


Mechanic's recliner chair including a rectangular wheeled platform having a molded plastic chair form affixed thereto with the back reclined to an angle of approximately 44.degree. from horizontal, and a seat inclined to approximately 20.degree. from horizontal. The platform may include drawer means for containing tools, manuals, etc., and other facilities for holding ratchets, wrenches, etc.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mechanics' support apparatus, generally referred to in the art as creeper devices, and more particularly to an improved reclining chair apparatus specifically adapted for use by mechanics carrying out alignment operations using modern automated wheel alignment equipment.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the automotive repair industry, a wide variety of mechanics' creeper devices and rolling seats are available. However, most such devices are intended for use beneath a partially jacked vehicle (i.e., the familiar creeper platform) or alongside a vehicle (for example, the rolling utility seat). Recently, new creeper designs have included raisable portions to provide support to head and neck during long periods of work beneath an automobile.
With the advent of new wheel alignment apparatus such as the type described in applicant's co-pending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 08/544,378 filed Oct. 10, 1995, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE ALIGNMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLE WHEELS", it is convenient to place the automobile being aligned on a fixed or raisable rack that positions the vehicle approximately 24" to 36" above the shop floor to enable convenient access to the underside of the car for wheel alignment adjustment purposes while at the same time allowing wheel orientation to be detected. Although the above-mentioned creeper devices having adjustable back and head support portions can be used with an auto at this elevation, they are clumsy to use because of their size and length, and have other disadvantages relating to poor access and transportability of tools, stowage considerations, and ease of mobility. Furthermore, when the back support portion is inclined, the user tends to slide forward on the seat support portion.
There is therefore a need for a lightweight reclining chair having the attributes of stability in use, adequate back support, good access to tools, and smallness in size.


The invention provides adenoviral vectors (preferably replication competent) comprising both an E3 sequence and at least one adenoviral gene under transcriptional control of a target cell-specific transcriptional response element. These vectors display significantly improved cytotoxicity, which is especially useful in the cancer context, in which selective destruction of target cells is desirable. The invention further provides host cells comprising the vectors. The invention further provides methods of using the adenoviral vectors.

(Not applicable)
This invention relates to the field of adenoviral vectors and transfection. More specifically, the invention relates to target cell-specific adenoviral vectors containing E3.
In spite of numerous advances in medical research, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the United States. In the industrialized nations, roughly one in five persons will die of cancer. Traditional modes of clinical care, such as surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have a significant failure rate, especially for solid tumors. Neoplasia resulting in benign tumors can usually be completely cured by removing the mass surgically. If a tumor becomes malignant, as manifested by invasion of surrounding tissue, it becomes much more difficult to eradicate. Once a malignant tumor metastasizes, it is much less likely to be eradicated.
A major, indeed the overwhelming, obstacle to cancer therapy is the problem of selectivity; that is, the ability to inhibit the multiplication of tumor cells, while leaving unaffected the function of normal cells. For example, in prostate cancer therapy, the therapeutic ratio, or ratio of tumor cell killing to normal cell killing of traditional tumor chemotherapy, is only 1.5:1. Thus, more effective treatment methods and pharmaceutical compositions for therapy and prophylaxis of neoplasia are needed.
One possible treatment approach for many of these cancers is gene therapy, whereby a gene of interest is introduced into the malignant cell. Various viral vectors, including adenoviral vectors, have been developed as vehicles for gene therapy. The virtually exclusive focus in development of adenoviral vectors for gene therapy is use of adenovirus merely as a vehicle for introducing the gene of interest, not as an effector in itself. Replication of adenovirus has been viewed as an undesirable result. In the treatment of cancer by replication-defective adenoviruses, the host immune response limits the duration of repeat doses at two levels. First, the capsid proteins of the adenovirus delivery vehicle itself are immunogenic. Second, viral late genes are frequently expressed in transduced cells, eliciting cellular immunity to the virus-infected cells. Thus, the ability to repeatedly administer cytokines, tumor suppressor genes, ribozymes, suicide genes, or genes which convert prodrug to an active drug has been limited by the immunogenicity of both the gene transfer vehicle and the viral gene products of the transfer vehicle as well as the transient nature of gene expression.
Adenovirus can cause persistent infections in humans and animals. The strategies of C type adenovirus (type Ad2 and Ad5) for evading host immune recognition are many, and generally involve E3, a delayed early transcription unit whose transcription is induced by the 289R E1A protein. During early stages of infection, the E3 promoter drives expression of nine alternatively spliced mRNAs that are polyadenylated at one of two sites, E3A and E3B. Wold et al. (1995) Curr. Topics Microbiol. Immunol199 (Pt.1):237-274. None of the E3 proteins is apparently required for adenovirus replication in cultured cells or in the lungs of hamsters or cotton rats, but they appear to play a role in evasion of host immune surveillance.
Six proteins which are encoded by the Ad-E3 region have been identified and characterized: (1) a 19-kDa glycoprotein (gp19k) is one of the most abundant adenovirus early proteins, and is known to inhibit transport of the major histocompatibility complex class I molecules to the cell surface, thus impairing both peptide recognition and clearance of Ad-infected cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs); (2) E3 14.7 k protein and the E3 10.4 k/14.5 k complex of proteins inhibit the cytotoxic and inflammatory responses mediated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF); (3) E3 10.4 k/14.5 k protein complex downregulates the epidermal growth factor receptor, which may inhibit inflammation and activate quiescent infected cells for efficient virus replication; (4) E3 11.6 k protein (adenoviral death protein, ADP) from adenovirus 2 and 5 appears to promote cell death and release of virus from infected cells. Other studies have indicated that the E3-encoded 10.4K/14.5K complex proteins down-modulate the apoptosis receptor Fas/Apo-1. Elsing and Burger (1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95:10072-10077; and Shisler et al. (1997) J. Virol. 71:8299-8306. The functions of three E3-encoded proteinsxe2x80x943.6 k, 6.7 k, and 12.5 kxe2x80x94are currently unknown. Wold et al. (1995).
Traditionally, the pervasive dogma regarding the role of E3 in adenoviral vectors for gene therapy was that E3 should be deleted. E3 was viewed as non-essential for replication, and its deletion allowed insertion of foreign genes. Indeed, until quite recently, all adenoviral vectors lacked the E3 region.
More recently, it has been demonstrated that incorporation of E3 genes in the engineered adenovirus reduces the antiviral immune response and prolongs expression of foreign genes delivered by adenoviral vectors. It was shown that insertion of E3 genes in recombinant adenovirus facilitates re-administration of a functional vector for long-term gene expression and correction of an inherited metabolic disorder. Horwitz et al. (1995) Curr. Topics Microbiol. Immunol. 199(Pt 1):195-211. Other studies have indicated that, while expression from E3-deleted vectors is essentially turned off eight weeks after gene transfer, an E3-containing vector supported transgene expression with therapeutic levels of human factor IX in vivo for more than 4 months. Poller et al. (1996) Gene Ther. 3:521-530. The enhanced stability was attributed to efficient E3 region-mediated suppression of the host""s antiviral immune response. More recently, it was demonstrated that a wild-type E3-containing adenoviral vector could direct prolonged expression of a non-immunogenic transgene. Persistence of this gene expression was also attributed to the presence of the B3 region. Wadsworth et al. (1997) J. Virol. 71:5189-5196. Further, when a recombinant adenovirus vector encoding hepatitis B surface antigen and containing an intact E3 region was used to infect chimpanzees, greater viral persistence, as indicated by the duration of virus shedding, was observed compared to counterpart vectors lacking E3. This phenomenon was attributed to evasion of host immune response. Chengalvala et al. (1997) Vaccine 15:335-339. However, the above-described E3-containing adenoviral vectors were not replication competent and target cell specific. All of these studies employed adenovirus as a vehicle for expressing a transgene.
Use of adenoviral vectors as therapeutic vehicles for cancer has been reported. See, for example, Bischoff et al. (1996) Science 274:373-376; WO 96/349969; WO 96/17053. Some of these approaches utilize target cell-type specific transcriptional regulatory elements to selectively drive adenoviral replication (and thus cytotoxicity). U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,443; see also WO 95/11984; WO 96/17053; WO 98/39465; WO 98/39467; WO 98/39466; and WO 98/39464. These vectors were deleted for E3.
Based on the teachings of the prior art, inclusion of E3 is not indicated in the context of using adenoviral vector replication for its cytotoxic effects (as opposed to using an adenoviral vectors as gene delivery vehicles), as suppression of the host""s cytotoxic T cell response would not be considered a positive or desirable result. Further, inclusion of E3 into replication-competent adenoviral vectors would not be indicated since the well-accepted understanding in the art is that E3 is not necessary for viral replication.
Besides cancerous cells, it is often desirable to selectively destroy certain unwanted cells or tissues. Apart from surgery, however, which is invasive, there is a dearth of methods available, particularly non-invasive methods, which would allow such selective cytotoxicity and/or suppression.
There is a need for vector constructs that are capable of rapidly eliminating cancerous cells in a minimum number of administrations and which are suitable for use in cancer ablation treatments. There is also a need for an ability to selectively destroy, or impair, unwanted cells, regardless of cell type and/or regardless of anatomical location.
All publications and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The invention provides target cell-specific adenoviral vectors (i.e., they are preferentially cytotoxic toward a specific target cell) comprising E3 (or an E3 sequence, or a portion of an E3 region), compositions, host cells, and kits comprising these vectors, and methods using these vectors. Preferably, the vectors are replication competent. These target cell-specific vectors express E3-encoded protein(s) and exhibit significantly greater cytotoxicity and/or enhanced adenoviral production per cell.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides an adenovirus vector comprising (a) an adenovirus gene under transcriptional control of a target cell-specific transcriptional regulatory element (TRE); and (b) an E3 region. In another aspect, an adenovirus vector of the invention comprises (a) an adenovirus gene under transcriptional control of a target cell-specific transcriptional regulatory element (TRE); and (b) an E3 sequence. In some embodiments the adenoviral gene under transcriptional control of a target cell-specific TRE is one that is essential for adenoviral propagation, such as E1A and/or E1B. In some embodiments, the target cell-specific TRE confers cell type-specific transcriptional regulation on the operably linked adenoviral gene. In other embodiments, the target cell-specific TRE is a cell status-specific TRE.
In other embodiments, the invention provides an adenovirus vector comprising (a) an adenovirus gene under transcriptional control of a target cell-specific transcriptional regulatory element (TRE); and (b) a portion of an E3 region.
In another aspect, the invention provides a replication competent adenovirus vector comprising an E3 sequence (or E3 region) under transcriptional control of a target cell specific TRE.
In another aspect, E3-containing, target-cell-specific adenoviral vectors of the invention further contain one or more transgenes. In some of these embodiments, a transgene can be under transcriptional control of a heterologous TRE, which may be a target cell-specific TRE.
In another aspect, the invention provides an adenoviral vector comprising an E3 region (or a portion of an E3 region, or an E3 sequence) under transcriptional control of a target-cell specific TRE.
In another aspect, the invention provides a host cell comprising an adenovirus vector(s) described herein.
In another aspect, the invention provides compositions comprising an adenovirus vector(s) described herein, preferably further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
In another aspect, the invention provides kits which contain an adenoviral vector(s) described herein.
In another aspect, methods are provided for propagating an adenovirus specific for mammalian cells which permit the function of a target cell-specific TRE, said method comprising combining an adenovirus vector(s) described herein with mammalian cells that permit the function of a target cell-specific TRE, such that the adenovirus vector(s) enters the cell, whereby said adenovirus is propagated.
In another aspect, methods are provided for conferring selective cytotoxicity in target cells, comprising contacting the cells with an adenovirus vector(s) described herein, whereby the vector enters the cell.
The invention further provides methods of suppressing tumor cell growth, more particularly a target tumor cell, comprising contacting a tumor cell with an adenoviral vector of the invention such that the adenoviral vector enters the tumor cell and exhibits selective cytotoxicity for the tumor cell.
In another aspect, methods are provided for detecting a cell which allows the function of a target cell-specific TRE, which comprise contacting a cell in a biological sample with an adenovirus vector(s) of the invention, and detecting replication of the adenovirus vector(s), if any.

Target cell-specific adenoviral vectors containing E3 and methods of use thereof


A novel crystalline form of 3-{[5-(azetidin-1-ylcarbonyl)pyrazin-2-yl]oxy}-5-[(1-methylethyl)oxy]-N-1H-pyrazol-3-ylbenzamide is described in the specification. This compound is a glucokinase (GLK or GK) activator and useful as a pharmaceutical agent in the treatment or prevention of a disease or medical condition mediated through GLK, leading to a decreased glucose threshold for insulin secretion. Processes for the manufacture of the crystalline form, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the crystalline form and the use of the crystalline form in medical treatment are also described.

International patent application PCT/GB2006/002471 (WO2007/007041) discloses the Agent in 2 different crystalline forms (Example 39k). One was crystallised from acetonitrile and had a melting point (melting onset) 108.5° C. This form will hereinafter be referred to as Form A. The other crystalline from described on page 176 of WO2007/007041 had a melting point (melting onset) of 113.8° C. This form will hereinafter be referred to as Form A′. The preparation of Form A is also described in the Example hereinafter. Form A and Form A′ convert to the amorphous form in aqueous media. The amorphous form has a different solubility profile to the Form A. Stable crystalline forms that do not convert to other forms with different solubilities in aqueous media are preferred for pharmaceutical formulations.


A product display merchandiser comprising a base configured to be coupled to a shelving unit, a tray defined by at least one sidewall, wherein the tray is movable relative to the base, a lens positioned at a front end of the tray, and a lighting element configured to illuminate the lens. A retrofitting system comprising a light pipe and a body for connecting the light pipe to a merchandiser.

Product displays, such as merchandisers, are frequently used in retail environments to display products for sale. It is advantageous for these product displays to be configured to provide consumers easy access to the displayed product as well as facilitate easy reloading by store employees. In addition to ease of use considerations, manufacturers of product displays seek to minimize materials and manufacturing costs associated with the product displays.
One problem with conventional merchandisers is that they typically require intricate structures to make them more user friendly to both end consumers and the retail store clerks or associates who stock and/or restock the merchandisers with displayed product. For example, tray or drawer-type merchandisers that pull out like a drawer to assist store associates in stocking/restocking the merchandiser often require intricate structures that are expensive to manufacture, hard to assemble, and often require operation of inconveniently located release mechanisms to get the tray or drawer to slide out from the display for stocking or restocking purposes.
In addition, conventional tray or drawer type merchandisers require the displayed product to be pressed against pushers during stocking/restocking which can make the merchandiser harder to stock/restock and can cause damage to the product being stocked/restocked depending on how much force is exerted against the product between the person stocking/restocking the displayed product and the pushers of the merchandiser.
While some conventional merchandisers allow flexibility by offering adjustable width side members so that the merchandiser can be used to merchandise products of different size, conventional merchandisers do not allow the merchandiser to be repurposed from displaying one product to two separate products or vice versa.
Additionally, conventional merchandiser may block light from the ambient lighting of the stores or from lights integrated in the shelving unit from illuminating the products. Further, conventional attempts to illuminate displays do so inefficiently and/or in ways that do not illuminate the displayed product in desired manners.
Accordingly, it has been determined that a need exists for improved product display merchandisers that are not only easy to use, for both consumers and store associates, but also minimally expensive to produce and that offer improved features and functions over conventional merchandisers.
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale or to include all features, options or attachments. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Illuminated merchandiser, retrofit kit and related methods


A computer network includes a plurality of components governed by policies from a policy manager. Where conflicts arise between policies, a conflict management policy is inherent in the system and is implemented to detect and resolve such conflicts.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to Policy Based System Management especially for distributed computer systems. The invention further relates to conflict resolution in computer systems.
2. Related Art
Distributed systems are a well known phenomenon for large organisations. Such systems consist of a large number of heterogeneous components and the systems and their components provide significant management burdens for system administrators. Various solutions for management of distributed systems such as Open View (Hewlett Packard) and TeMIP (Compaq) are available but these require significant manual intervention. As a result as the complexity of the system increases, management capability is further stretched. Most current solutions are centralised and suffer significantly from heterogeneity problems arising from the use in different distributed systems of different types of communication protocols and methods.
Recently attention has been given to system management based on policies, for example the Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF) policy framework which specifies general requirements for policy based management and applies it to management of internet routers with the intent of making the configuration more straightforward. The open view solution identified above as well as secure policy managers (Cisco Systems) and Policy Based Network Management (PBNM-Intel) all contain implementations based on the IETF policy framework. The existing solutions, however, assume a single point of control with a centralised policy repository and decision making. The known solutions further focus on specific applications such as network quality of service.
Although the use of policies to specify the behaviour of the system is expected to have wider applicability than individual items of network equipment, extending also to software processes running on this equipment, the existing centralised management approach is not a scaleable solution.
FIG. 1 shows a distributed system designated generally 10 including a variety of sub networks 12, 14, 16 each having a range of components 12a, 12b, 14a, 14b, 14c, 16a. The system is controlled from a central point of control 18 which includes a centralised policy manager 20. The problem with this type of system is that it is unlikely that all the policy-controlled elements will themselves be capable of interpreting policies and evaluating appropriate behaviour in response to changing circumstances. The range of components requiring management may be far greater than that considered in most policy based management work.
The particular problem with such systems is the relative inflexibility of the system. Significant front-end manual intervention is often required when further components are added to the system both in updating policies relevant to the additional component and in rewriting existing policies to avoid any conflict problems.

British Telecommunications public limited company


Described is a bezel for an electronics enclosure. The bezel frame includes a frame, first and second plunger mechanisms, a shuttle, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a cam disposed in a path of lateral movement of the first plunger mechanism. The cam is located between that plunger mechanism and a tab of the shuttle. The orientation of the cam determines the extent of lateral movement of the plunger mechanisms. In one orientation, the cam restricts the lateral movement of the first plunger mechanism and urges the shuttle into a position that restricts the lateral movement of the second plunger mechanism. Consequently, neither plunger mechanism is able to move far enough laterally to disengage from a mounting structure.

Electronics equipment is often mounted in racks or other such structures. Bezels attached to the mounting structures protect the front-facing portion of the equipment and allow technical personnel access to the equipment for maintenance and repair. Typically, the mounting structure includes vertical rails with latches to which the bezel is mounted. Latches of the bezel attach to the latches on the vertical rails.
A locking mechanism, often located midway along the length of the bezel, is often used to prevent unauthorized removal of the bezel from the rails. When locked, the locking mechanism prevents personnel from operating the bezel latches to release the electronics equipment from the rail latches.
Equipment manufacturers often include a badge or identity plate having the manufacturer's name or logo on the front side of the bezel. Sometimes the badge is located near the middle of the bezel. The location of the locking mechanism, if located near the center of the bezel, can interfere with this desired presentation of the badge. Consequently, if the badge is to remain centrally located, the location of the locking mechanism should be displaced to one side of the bezel. The displacement of the locking mechanism, however, can pose a difficulty in ensuring that the latch mechanisms on opposite sides of the bezel can be locked. Thus there remains a need for a bezel that includes a locking mechanism displaced from the front center of the bezel and can limit operation of both latch mechanisms when the bezel is locked. The present invention satisfies this need and provides additional advantages.

Locking mechanism for securing the bezel of an electronics enclosure to a rack structure


The object of the invention is to provide a method and device with which it is possible, in a simple and rapid way, to form a buttonhole in a fabric which requires no further marking.

The present invention relates firstly to a method for producing a buttonhole in a fabric, in which an opening is formed in the fabric by means of an ultrasonic welding treatment, after which the edges of this opening are fused, to form the buttonhole. Secondly, the present invention also relates to a device for forming a buttonhole in a fabric.
Hitherto, there have been two known ways of forming buttonholes in a fabric. In a first way, first of all the location where the buttonhole is to be positioned and the length of the buttonhole are marked on the fabric, after which the buttonhole is stitched onto the fabric. Then, the opening of the buttonhole is formed in the stitched area. In a second way, first of all the location where the buttonhole is to be positioned and the length of the buttonhole are marked on the fabric, after which the opening is formed in the fabric by means of a knife or blade. To prevent fraying, the openings which have been formed are then stitched up at their sides.
The drawback of forming buttonholes in this way is that it is labor-intensive.
In the field of window decoration, widespread use is made of curtains, for example Roman blinds, voile curtains, lined curtains, etc. To enable curtains to hang correctly, one or more tunnels are provided in the fabric, extended over the entire width of the curtain. For example, in the case of Roman blinds, various tunnels of this type are provided over the entire height of the curtain, at the same or different distances from one another.
Reinforcements are worked into the said tunnels, for example in the form of a lead tape, reinforcing bars (or ribs), etc.
Shower curtains provided with reinforcements of this type can also be used to screen off showers.
High-quality curtains must allow the reinforcements to be removed from the curtain in a quick and simple way, so that the reinforcements can be replaced, for example when they become worn or broken or when the curtains need to be cleaned. The latter is important in particular for Roman blinds, in which primarily reinforcing rods are used.
To allow the reinforcements to be removed from the curtain in a simple way, it is known to provide a buttonhole at least one of the ends of each tunnel, preferably on the underside.
Forming buttonholes in a tunnel of a curtain in the traditional manual manner described above, i.e. by means of stitching, has the drawback that the buttonholes are not always sufficiently in the center and that the buttonholes of a plurality of tunnels are not always aligned with one another.

Method for forming a buttonhole in a fabric

Abstract: The object of the invention is achieved by providing a method for producing a buttonhole in a fabric, in which an opening is formed in the fabric by means of an ultrasonic welding treatment, after which the edges of this opening are fused, to form the buttonhole.


The present invention relates to a method of controlling movement of suspended particulates or marine life in a body of water. The method includes introducing into the body of water containing suspended particulates or marine life a containment/exclusion boom having a curtain formed of a flexible fabric that controls the passage of suspended particulates or marine life through the curtain and injecting a gas into the water in a manner effective substantially to remove fouling material from the curtain. Further, the present invention relates to a method of cleaning fouling material from a boom curtain suspended in a body of water, a containment/exclusion boom for controlling movement of suspended particulates or marine life in a body of water, and use of the boom of the present invention for filtering intake water or reducing transmission of energy of the shock wave of an underwater explosion.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling movement of suspended particulates and/or marine life in a body of water. More specifically, the present invention relates to a containment/exclusion boom and a method of controlling movement of suspended particulates and/or marine life.
Industrial plants and power plants utilize water from nearby water sources for cooling purposes. Consequently, a problem of the ingestion of particulates or marine life (e.g., fish, fish eggs, larvae, zebra mussels, vegetation, etc.) into the cooling system water intakes by suction, random entry, or other means is created. The same problem exists in any similar facility where water or materials in the water are required for some purpose and are obtained from water bodies containing particulates and/or marine life.
Floating barrier or containment boom systems have been devised to contain pollutants in lakes and seas. Typically, they employ a series of buoyant boom sections that have segments of curtains or skirts attached thereto. The curtains are typically made of water-impervious, non-oil-absorbent, flexible sheet material. The curtains extend downward into the water below the boom section and are usually stabilized by at least a weighted ballast integrated into the lower edge of the curtain. These systems employ various, sometimes elaborate, mechanical means for securing boom sections to curtain segments and for interconnecting boom curtain sections to form a continuous containment system. Such booms may be provided in small sections and require extensive subassembly prior to deployment, which represents an increase in labor requirements as well as an increase in deployment time. These increases represent an increased cost and delay in deployment of containment boom systems.
Some containment systems employ a series of cables, wires, and other structural supports to provide rigidity and/or stability to the curtain segments and the system as a whole. Due to the rigidity, some prior art booms are susceptible to the movement of contaminants beneath the boom curtain. When exposed to wind-generated currents, tidal currents, or wave conditions, such booms have been known to break under the load, to be overtopped by waves, or to have pollutants propelled over and under the boom. Inadequate curtain length also contributes to the passage of contaminants beneath the containment system.
Further, the materials used in these conventional containment systems may be sensitive to certain environmental conditions (e.g., pollutants, salt water, and ultraviolet light) and, thus, too quickly deteriorate. For instance, metal parts may rust and corrode. Further, these curtain fabrics may lose flexibility or crack at low temperatures, or may deteriorate due to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light.
In addition, conventional containment systems are not adapted for use in certain exclusion applications, such as preventing suspended particulates or marine life from entering water intake systems. With most boom systems used in controlling water pollutants, water passes in two directions (i.e., during tidal fluctuations). Accordingly, any suspended particulates or marine life that may attach to the boom curtain is washed away from the boom curtain by the reversal of direction of the water flow. With the use of such conventional boom systems in controlling suspended particulates or marine life from entering a water intake, the water only passes in one direction, which means that the curtain material will become clogged with suspended particulates or marine life contained in the water and the containment system will fail. Moreover, most conventional containment systems are also not equipped to handle significant uni-directional flow rates employed in many water intake systems. The stresses placed on conventional containment system by the water flow may itself cause the containment system to fail.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,261 to Gunderson, III (xe2x80x9cGundersonxe2x80x9d) relates to a floating containment boom for containment and isolation of water-born pollutants. The containment boom includes a flotation unit, a ballast, a continuous curtain of at least one sheet of geosynthetic fabric, and at least two tow cords. Gunderson, however, does not disclose a satisfactory method of controlling marine life from entering water intake structures. Further, Gunderson does not disclose a means of removing fouling material from the curtain, nor does it disclose a means of preventing damage to the curtain in the event that the curtain becomes fouled by particulates or marine life.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming these deficiencies.
The present invention relates to a method of controlling movement of suspended particulates or marine life in a body of water. The method includes introducing into the body of water containing suspended particulates or marine life a containment/exclusion boom having a curtain formed of a flexible fabric that controls the passage of suspended particulates or marine life through the curtain and injecting a gas into the water in a manner effective substantially to remove fouling material from the curtain.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of cleaning fouling material from a boom curtain suspended in a body of water. The method includes injecting a gas into the water in a manner effective substantially to remove fouling material from the boom curtain.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a containment/exclusion boom for controlling movement of suspended particulates or marinc life in a body of water. The boom includes a support system positioned in the body of water which has a floor and a water surface. A curtain made of a flexible fabric that allows movement of water therethrough and controls the passage of suspended particulates or marine life therethrough is connected to the support system with the curtain extending substantially from the floor to a position at or above the water surface. The boom also includes a gas injection system for injecting gas into the body of water, whereby the gas substantially removes fouling material from the curtain.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the containment/exclusion boom of the present invention is suitable for reducing transmission of energy from the shock wave of an underwater explosion. This aspect relates to a method that includes introducing into a body of water a first boom system which substantially surrounds a detonation site, the first boom system having a curtain having two sheets of flexible fabric, and injecting a gas between the two sheets of flexible fabric before detonation of an underwater explosive at the detonation site.
Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of filtering intake water for a plant, such as a power plant or the like. The method includes securing a containment/exclusion boom of the present invention in a body of water about a water intake system and periodically injecting a gas into the water in a manner effective substantially to remove fouling material from the curtain of the boom.
The containment/exclusion booms of the present invention are able to be used in a method of controlling marine life from entering intakes, because fouling material may be cleaned from the boom curtain. In addition, removing fouling material from the curtain reduces the stress placed on the boom by the water flow, thereby minimizing and/or preventing damage to the boom as well as preventing the curtain from being ripped away from its anchoring system.

Containment/exclusion boom and methods of using the same


An acoustic wave device includes first and second 3-IDT acoustic wave filters provided on a piezoelectric substrate. A second IDT in the first acoustic wave filter is electrically connected to a second IDT in the second acoustic wave filter and a third IDT in the first acoustic wave filter is electrically connected to a third IDT in the second acoustic wave filter to cascade the first acoustic wave filter with the second acoustic wave filter. An acoustic wave resonator is connected to a first IDT in the first acoustic wave filter. In the acoustic wave device, NA/NB is in a range from about 2.6 to about 3.5 and fB/fa is in a range from about 0.995 to about 1.010.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acoustic wave device used as, for example, a band-pass filter. More particularly, the present invention relates to a resonator-type acoustic wave device in which first and second acoustic wave filters are cascade connected with each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Band-pass filters used at the transmission side of mobile phones must have greater amounts of attenuation in reception-side passbands. In contrast, for example, personal communication systems (PCSs) must have sufficiently small insertion losses in the passbands and sufficiently large amounts of attenuation in blocking bands near the passbands because of the narrow interval between the transmission bands and the reception bands. Accordingly, such systems must have sufficiently steep filter characteristics.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-349590 discloses a surface acoustic wave device capable of increasing the amount of attenuation in the blocking band near the high-frequency side of the passband. FIG. 17 is a schematic plan view of the surface acoustic wave device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-349590.
A surface acoustic wave device 1001 includes a piezoelectric substrate 1002. An electrode structure shown in FIG. 17 is provided on the piezoelectric substrate 1002 to define the surface acoustic wave device in which first and second longitudinally-coupled resonator-type surface acoustic wave filters 1003 and 1004 are cascade connected with each other.
Specifically, the first surface acoustic wave filter 1003 is cascade connected with the second surface acoustic wave filter 1004.
The first surface acoustic wave filter 1003 includes a first interdigital transducer (IDT) 1003a and second and third IDTs 1003b and 1003c that are arranged on either side of the first IDT 1003a in the direction in which surface waves propagate. Reflectors 1003d and 1003e are arranged on either side of the portion in which the IDTs 1003a to 1003c are arranged in the direction in which the surface waves propagate.
Similarly, the second surface acoustic wave filter 1004 includes a first IDT 1004a, second and third IDTs 1004b and 1004c that are arranged on either side of the first IDT 1004a in the direction in which the surface waves propagate, and reflectors 1004d and 1004e. Referring to FIG. 17, one end of the IDT 1003a in the first surface acoustic wave filter 1003 is connected to an input electrode pad 1005 and the other end thereof is electrically connected to a ground electrode pad 1006. One end of the second IDT 1003b is connected to one end of the third IDT 1003c via a connection electrode 1007. The other end of the second IDT 1003b is connected to a first signal line 1008 and the other end of the third IDT 1003c is connected to a second signal line 1009. A surface acoustic wave resonator 1010 is provided between the first surface acoustic wave filter 1003 and the second surface acoustic wave filter 1004. The surface acoustic wave resonator 1010 includes an IDT and first and second reflectors arranged at either side of the IDT.
The first signal line 1008 and the second signal line 1009 are connected to one end of the IDT of the surface acoustic wave resonator 1010. Third and fourth signal lines 1011 and 1012 are connected to the other end of the IDT of the surface acoustic wave resonator 1010. The third signal line 1011 is connected to one end of the second IDT 1004b in the second surface acoustic wave filter 1004. The fourth signal line 1012 is connected to one end of the third IDT 1004c. The other end of the second IDT 1004b is connected to the other end of the third IDT 1004c via a connection electrode 1013. One end of the central first IDT 1004a is connected to a ground electrode pad 1014 and the other end thereof is connected to an output electrode pad 1015.
In the surface acoustic wave device 1001, the impedance characteristics at an anti-resonance point of the surface acoustic wave resonator 1010 can be used to increase the amount of attenuation at the high-frequency side of the passband and to increase the steepness of the filter characteristics at the high-frequency side of the passband.
However, since it is necessary to connect the surface acoustic wave resonator 1010 in series between the first and second surface acoustic wave filters 1003 and 1004 in the surface acoustic wave device 1001 described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-349590, it is necessary to provide a sufficiently large space between the first and second surface acoustic wave filters 1003 and 1004. In other words, since it is necessary to arrange the surface acoustic wave resonator 1010 between the first and second surface acoustic wave filters 1003 and 1004, to connect the first and second surface acoustic wave filters 1003 and 1004 to the surface acoustic wave resonator 1010 via the signal lines 1008, 1009, 1011, 1012, etc., and to provide the ground electrode pads 1006 and 1014, it is necessary to provide a large amount of space between the stages. Accordingly, it is difficult to reduce the size of the surface acoustic wave device 1001.
In order to resolve such a problem, the surface acoustic wave resonator may be connected in series between either of an input terminal and an output terminal and the first surface acoustic wave filter or the second surface acoustic wave filter in a structure in which first and second longitudinally-coupled resonator-type surface acoustic wave filters are cascade connected with each other. However, the symmetry between the configuration from the input terminal to the first surface acoustic wave filter and the configuration from the second surface acoustic wave filter to the output terminal is adversely affected in such a structure. In other words, since the configuration at the input side is asymmetric with the configuration at the output side, it is necessary to design the surface acoustic wave filter at each stage in order to achieve the impedance matching. However, a specific design method for the first and second surface acoustic wave filters is unknown in the above configuration.
In recent years, various boundary acoustic wave devices utilizing boundary acoustic waves have been proposed, instead of the surface acoustic wave devices. Also in the boundary acoustic wave devices, a specific design method for first and second surface acoustic wave filters to improve the filter characteristics by using a similar structure is unknown.


A fitness apparatus includes a chassis, two linkages, two handlebars, two cranks and two joint bars. Each of the linkage includes a first linking-up part and second linking-up part transversally. The first linking-up parts are pivotably attached to the cranks for revolution of the cranks relatively to the chassis. Each of the handlebars includes a lower portion pivotably attached to the second linking-up portion, and an upper portion which can be held by the user to move along a closed elliptical trajectory. Each of the joint bars includes a rear and portion pivotably attached between the upper portions and the lower portions, and a front end portion pivotably attached to the chassis. In this way, the user's arms can take exercise effectively along an elliptical trajectory to further prevent the user from suffering sports injury resulting from incorrect posture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fitness apparatus and more particularly, to a fitness apparatus capable of moving hands along an elliptical path.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the technology makes progress and the society prospers to enhance the living standard of people, a variety of needs for pastime become relatively high, such as exercise and fitness, sports, travel, and consumer products. Among the needs, the exercise and fitness can be outdoor or indoor. The common indoor fitness apparatuses are miscellaneous, such as elliptical exercise machines, treadmills, flywheel bikes, large weight training machines, or fitness benches. Among them, the elliptical exercise machines can guide users' feet for circulatory exercise along a closed trajectory shaped like an ellipse. Such elliptical exercise is similar to actions of the user's feet while the user is walking and inflicts less impact on the user's joints, no the elliptical exercise machines are very popular among the consumers and have been sold increasingly on the market.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,480 disclosed a classical elliptical exercise machine, in which the exercise trajectory is shaped like an ellipse because one end of one support bar is moved along an circular trajectory relatively to a crank mechanism and the other end of the same is limited to a linear trajectory for reciprocating movement.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,682,290, one end of a leg support bar is pivotably attached to an external end of a crank to limit the leg support bar to a circular trajectory and the other end of the same is pivotably attached to a bottom end of a pivoting bar to be limited to an arc-shaped trajectory for forward and backward swing. However, each of the aforesaid prior patents puts emphasis on the elliptical exercise of the user's legs and the user's hands could do nothing but grasp the handlebars to do such a boring to-and-fro swing exercise.
In light of the above, Taiwan Patent No. M252461 disclosed an elliptical exercise machine capable of simulating arm exercise, in which the elliptical exercise machine is formed of a framework and two handlebars connected with one end of the framework. Each of the handlebars includes a bottom end pivotably attached to a front end of one of treadles. Each of the treadles includes a distal end pivotably attached to a periphery of a rotary member, e.g. flywheel, and the two treadles correspond to each other on the rotary member for checkered circulatory exercise along a virtual elliptical path, so in this way, the handlebars can do circulatory movement together therewith. However, the arm swing trajectory generated by the aforesaid elliptical exercise machine is shaped like a circle, so the simulated arm swing is still apparently different from what the user does while walking in practice and is not generally ergonomic. Besides, the rotary member is located at the distal end of the framework, so a longer link is needed to transmit the power to the handlebar located at the front end of the framework. In this way, such elliptical exercise machine is limited in selection of the link and cost of material and its size is relatively larger to make the space be ineffectively utilized.


A new cultivar of Gaillardia named ‘ORANGES AND LEMONS’, an herbaceous perennial, that is distinguishable by an erect, compact habit, large composite planar sterile inflorescences which are composed of ray florets which are orange and yellow in color and disc florets which are orange in color. In combination these traits set ‘ORANGES AND LEMONS’ apart from all other existing varieties of Gaillardia known to the inventor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of blanket flower, an herbaceous perennial that is grown for use as an ornamental landscape and container plant. The new invention is known botanically as Gaillardia×grandiflora and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name 'ORANGES AND LEMONS'. Gaillardia is in the family Compositae, under which the commonly referred to "flower" is actually the inflorescence, and is made up of smaller ray florets and disc florets. The ray florets themselves have the appearance of "petals".
'ORANGES AND LEMONS' arose in the summer of 2002 at the inventor's nursery in Hampshire, England as a single chance seedling which was discovered, isolated and then asexually propagated by the inventor as described herein.
The inventor had grown a crop of plants of the variety Gaillardia 'Dazzler' (unpatented), hereinafter referred to as 'Dazzler', from commercially available seed of 'Dazzler' which the inventor had sown in February 2002. In June or July 2002, by which time the seedlings of 'Dazzler' had been transplanted into 9 cm diameter containers and were in flower, the inventor observed a single plant which displayed larger inflorescences with an uncharacteristic orange coloration of the ray florets. Each ray floret was observed to be approximately twenty-five percent longer and broader than the typical ray floret of 'Dazzler'. The inflorescences themselves were observed to be flat or planar rather than concave as is typical of 'Dazzler'.
The female parent of 'ORANGES AND LEMONS' is Gaillardia 'Dazzler' (unpatented). The male parent plant is unknown. 'ORANGES AND LEMONS' differs from the parent plant, Gaillardia 'Dazzler' in respect of the coloration of its ray florets, the size and form of each inflorescence, the overall height and habit of a mature plant, and fertility or sterility. Specifically, the ray florets of 'ORANGES AND LEMONS' are colored orange and yellow, whereas the ray florets of 'Dazzler' are colored predominantly red; an individual inflorescence of 'ORANGES AND LEMONS' is approximately twenty-five percent larger than an individual inflorescence of 'Dazzler' and is also flat rather than concave in form; a mature plant of 'ORANGES AND LEMONS' is 10 cm to 20 cm taller than 'Dazzler' and is also more stiffly erect; and 'ORANGES AND LEMONS' is sterile whereas 'Dazzler' is fertile and sets viable seed.
The first asexual reproduction of 'ORANGES AND LEMONS' was accomplished in September 2002 when the inventor removed and rooted approximately ten nodal cuttings from the originally discovered and isolated plant. The cuttings rooted successfully and since that time subsequent generations have been determined stable and true to type when compared with the original selection which the inventor has retained.

Gaillardia plant named ‘ORANGES AND LEMONS’