A method is provided for welding in an automated way a sphere onto a metal sheet. The method includes the following steps: providing a sphere; providing a first electrode; picking up the sphere by use of the first electrode; providing a metal sheet; providing a second electrode; pressing the metal sheet and sphere together such that the sphere is pressed against the metal sheet by the first electrode, and the metal sheet is pressed against the sphere by the second electrode; and welding the sphere and the metal sheet together by generating a welding current between the two electrodes.

The present invention relates to a method for welding a sphere onto a metal sheet.
The use of spheres or spherical geometry and, additionally or optionally, spheroidal geometry, as joining elements or fastening elements in the construction of motor vehicle bodies is already known from earlier patent applications, some of which are not prior publications. An essential condition for an industrialization of this production method lies in the success of connecting in an automated way the corresponding spherical or spheroidal bodies to a metal sheet as precisely and reliably as possible.
The object of the invention is to provide a method, in particular an automated method, that is configured for connecting a sphere to a metal sheet and that makes it possible to achieve a high degree of positioning accuracy and a high joint strength.
This and other objects are achieved by providing a method for welding a sphere onto a metal sheet, the method comprising the acts of: providing a sphere; providing a first electrode; picking up the sphere by use of the first electrode; providing a metal sheet; providing a second electrode; pressing the metal sheet and sphere together in such a way that the sphere is pressed against the metal sheet by the first electrode and that the metal sheet is pressed against the sphere by use of the second electrode; and welding the sphere and the metal sheet together by generating a welding current between the first and second electrodes.
The basic idea of the invention consists of connecting the sphere to the metal sheet by resistance welding. Resistance welding enables short cycle times and a high degree of positioning accuracy.
This method makes it possible to position the sphere with a high degree of accuracy. An additional advantage lies in the fact that this method produces hardly any welding splatter, as compared to other welding methods, so that this method facilitates a clean, high quality, joint made by welding.
The method according to the invention provides that a sphere that is to be welded onto a metal sheet is picked up by means of a first electrode. In the next step, the metal sheet and the sphere are pressed together. In this context the sphere is pressed against the metal sheet by way of the first electrode, and the metal sheet is pressed from the backside of the metal sheet against the sphere by way of a second electrode, so that the result is a buildup of a defined contact pressure. Finally, the sphere is connected to the metal sheet by welding in a step that lasts a few fractions of a second, in that a welding current, which flows through the metal sheet and the sphere, is generated between the two electrodes.
It can be provided that the welding current is generated for less than one second, in particular for less than 60 ms, and more particularly for less than 10 ms.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the welding current is generated by discharging a capacitor. This feature that has the advantage that a very high welding current can be generated for a short period of time at a comparatively low cost.
Picking up the sphere by use of the first electrode can be achieved by way of a suction device that is provided on the first electrode or is integrated in the first electrode. For this purpose, a face side of the first electrode can have a recess, into which the sphere is sucked by way of the suction device such that at least one side of the sphere that is to be welded still protrudes from the recess. The suction device can be arranged on the first electrode or can be at least partially or totally integrated into the first electrode. The recess can be configured, for example, in the form of a hemisphere, conically, or in any other manner in the form of a cup. What is important is that the recess be configured in such a way that when the sphere is sucked up, the sphere is positioned in a defined manner, i.e. exactly with respect to the first electrode. Preferably, the sphere touches an inner side of the recess along a small circle of the sphere.
In order to automate the picking up of the sphere by use of the first electrode, a feed device can be used. It can be provided that the sphere is held initially at the feed device and then transported into the area of the face side of the first electrode by way of the feed device. As soon as the sphere is situated in the "suction area" of the first electrode, the sphere can be sucked in by the first electrode and, in so doing, can be delivered to the first electrode.
The feed device can be designed as a pivotable feed device. The sphere can be brought into the suction area or, more specifically into the area of the face side of the first electrode, by pivoting the feed device about a pivot axis. Similarly, the feed device can also be provided with a suction device for sucking in and holding the sphere that is to be transported. For this purpose the feed device can have a recess, into which the sphere is sucked, so that the sphere protrudes at least so far out of the recess that it can be sucked in by the suction device of the first electrode.
The above-described method lends itself especially well to welding metal spheres onto the metal sheet of motor vehicle bodies. The spheres can be, for example, steel spheres or aluminum spheres; or the spheres can be spheres made of a different metal or, more specifically, a metal alloy. The above-described method lends itself especially well to an automated process by use of a robot.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for welding a sphere onto a metal sheet by a welding current between electrodes

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A spark plug comprising: a center electrode extending in a direction of an axis of said spark plug; a cylindrical insulator which has a shaft hole, and which holds said center electrode in said shaft hole in a state where a tip end of said center electrode is projected from a tip end face of said insulator; a metal shell which holds said insulator; and a ground electrode in which one end is joined to a tip end face of said metal shell, and which extends from said one end toward another end, wherein said ground electrode has an inner side face which faces said center electrode, and an outer side face which is a back face with respect to said inner side face, said outer side face is formed as an arcuately curved face when viewed from a side of said another end in an extending direction of said ground electrode, and a columnar noble metal tip is joined to said inner side face.

A spark plug is used as an ignition device which performs a spark discharge while using a gap between a center electrode and a ground electrode that are exposed in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, as a spark discharge gap. Conventionally, in order to realize a prolonged lifetime of a spark plug, a tip of a noble metal alloy (hereinafter, also referred to merely as noble metal tip) which is excellent in spark wear resistance and resistance to oxidation at high temperatures (hereinafter, the spark wear resistance and the resistance to oxidation at high temperatures are often referred in combination as durability) is joined to a tip end portion(s) of one or both of the electrodes which will function as the starting point of a spark discharge (for example, see JP-A-8-339880). When a noble metal tip which is excellent in durability is used, it is possible to reduce the diameter of the noble metal tip which will function as the starting point of a spark discharge. Therefore, a configuration where the lifetime can be prolonged, and, when the tip is made very thin, spread of flame (hereinafter, also referred to merely as flame developing property) which is an ignited air-fuel mixture is not impeded can be realized (for example, see JP-A-2002-313524).
Before a very thin noble metal tip is used as means for improving the flame developing property, various improvements have been made because of the following reason. A spark plug is used while a male thread formed on a metal shell is fastened to a female thread formed in an internal combustion engine. In the mounting process, it is very difficult to mount a spark plug in consideration of the direction of the ground electrode. When an air-fuel mixture proceeds from the periphery of the spark plug to a place where a spark discharge occurs, and when the air-fuel mixture is ignited and then a flame develops, the movement of the air-fuel mixture or the development of the flame is blocked by the presence of the ground electrode, and hence there arises a problem in that the combustion efficiency is lowered.
In order to solve such a problem, a configuration which is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-11-121142, and in which a ground electrode has a circular section shape (hereinafter, such a ground electrode is referred to merely as round ground electrode) has been proposed. When this configuration is employed, a phenomenon that a flow of an air-fuel mixture is blocked by the ground electrode and a gas flow is separated from the ground electrode can be prevented from occurring, or another phenomenon that a flame in a growth process is contacted with the ground electrode, and hence heat is drawn from the flame, thereby impairing the development of the flame can be prevented from occurring.

Spark plug including ground electrode with arcuately curved face


A digital signal processor (DSP) having a serially connected barrel shifter and arithmetic logic unit and overflow detecting method thereof is disclosed. The barrel shifter of the digital signal processor generates a first operand defined as a2.sup.N +A, where -2.sup.M .ltoreq.a<2.sup.M, 0.ltoreq.A<2.sup.N, and M and N are integers, by barrel-shifting an input data operand A. A code extender of the DSP generates a second operand defined as b2.sup.N +B, where b=0 or -1 and 0.ltoreq.B<2.sup.N, by code-extending an input data operand B. An arithmetic logic unit in the DSP adds the first and second operands and generates a result. An overflow detector monitors a parameter a of the first operand, a parameter b of the second operand and an (N-1)-th carry C.sub.N-1 from the arithmetic logic unit in order to detect an overflow condition. An output selector, responsive to an output of the overflow detector, selects either a maximum value of an effective range of the DSP when a positive overflow event occurs, a minimum value of the effective range when a negative overflow event occurs, or the result from the arithmetic logic unit when no overflow event occurs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit and method for overflow detection in a digital signal processor (DSP) having a serially connected barrel shifter and arithmetic logic unit (ALU). More particularly, the present invention relates to a DSP and overflow detection method which considers an operand output from the barrel shifter, an operand output by a code extender and a carry signal from the ALU to detect a positive or negative overflow condition without degrading the performance of the DSP.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional DSP in which a barrel shifter is serially connected to an adder. Inside a typical high-speed DSP, a barrel shifter 11 is generally connected in series with an ALU having a modified form of the adder as indicated in FIG. 1. If the serially connected barrel shifter 11 and ALU are used during a single operational clock cycle, an overflow condition may be generated. Usually, an overflow detector 15 is used to provide for the case where the sign of the overflow result is changed during the occurrence of an overflow event.
Generally, the overflow detector 15 generates a maximum value within an effective number range of the DSP of FIG. 1 when a positive overflow is generated and generates a minimum value when a negative overflow is generated. Therefore, it is desireable that the overflow detector 15 detect the overflow condition and output the appropriate value within a short time period so as not to lower the performance of the DSP.
In the circuit of FIG. 1, if barrel shifter 11 is not present, then the overflow detector 15 can sense the positive and negative overflow states by using carry signals of two highest-order bits of the ALU 14. However, when the barrel shifter 11 is connected between the input and the ALU 14, as shown in FIG. 1, then the method described above is not adequate to detect the overflow condition.
During operation of the DSP of FIG. 1, a first 32 bit operand input to a left input LEFT is converted to 40 bits by barrel shifter 11 and a second 32 bit operand input to a right input RIGHT is converted to 40 bits through code extender 13. The resulting 40 bit operands are input to the 40-bit ALU 14. When ALU 14 operates in saturation mode, then a 40 bit result is generated from the ALU 14 and is output to multiplexer 32 where the 40 bit result from ALU 14 is converted into 32 bits under the control of overflow detector 15. A 32-bit saturated result appears at the output of multiplexer 17. It is typical in DSPs that the number of bits of the ALU 14 is larger than the effective number of bits of the DSP.
A special barrel shifter is needed to sense the overflow for a portion of the result which is completely lost, but in most applications it is sufficient to sense the overflow of only the 40 bits of the result from the ALU 14. Therefore, overflow detector 15 senses overflow using the nine high-order bits (39:31) of the result from the ALU 14 and, responsive thereto, controls the multiplexer 17.
However, since the barrel shifter 11 and the ALU 14 form a critical path in the DSP, additional processing of the result from the ALU 14 degrades the performance of the DSP.
FIG. 2 illustrates another conventional overflow detection system used in the D950 core from SGS-Thomson. The overflow condition is detected in the DSP of FIG. 2 by using carry signals C30 and C31 from the ALU 14. However, since the overflow is sensed only by examining two high-order bits of the ALU without detecting an actual overflow, the actual result from the barrel shifter 11 is disregarded in determining whether an overflow has occurred.

Circuit and method for overflow detection in a digital signal processor having a barrel shifter and arithmetic logic unit connected in series


The present invention provides ester group-containing tertiary amine compounds of the formula (R1OCH2CH2)nN(CH2CH2CO2R2)3-n which, when used as additives in chemical amplification photolithography, can yield photoresists having a high resolution and an excellent focus margin. The present invention also provides a process comprising the step of subjecting a primary or secondary amine compound to Michael addition to an acrylic ester compound; a process comprising the steps of subjecting monoethanolamine or diethanolamine to Michael addition to an acrylic ester compound so as to form an ester group-containing amine compound and introducing a R1 group to the resultant ester group-containing amine compound; and a process comprising the step of effecting the ester exchange reaction of an ester group-containing tertiary amine with R2OH.

1. Filed of the Invention
This invention relates to novel ester group-containing tertiary amine compounds which are useful as additives for novel chemical amplification resists suitable for fine processing techniques.
2. Description of the Related Art
While increasingly finer pattern rules are required as the degree of integration and speed of LSIs become higher, far ultraviolet lithography is regarded as a promising fine processing technique of the next generation. Far ultraviolet lithography is capable of processing down to a size of 0.2 μm or less, and when a resist material having low light absorption is used, permits the formation of patterns having sidewalls substantially perpendicular to the substrate. Moreover, a technique using a high luminance KrF excimer laser as the light source of far ultraviolet radiation is attracting attention in recent years. In order to employ this technique as a mass production technique, a resist material having low light absorption and high sensitivity is desired.
From this point of view, chemically amplified positive resist materials using an acid as the catalyst have recently been developed (as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-27660/'90 and Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 63-27829/'88). These resist materials have excellent characteristics such as high sensitivity, high resolution and high dry etching resistance, and are hence particular promising for use in far ultraviolet lithography.
One disadvantage of chemically amplified resists is that, if the resist is allowed to stand for a long time between light exposure and PEB (Post Exposure Bake), the formed line patters have a T-top shape, i.e. the patterns have a thickened upper part (this problem is referred to as PED (Post Exposure Delay)). Another disadvantage is the so-called footing phenomenon in which the lower part of the patterns is thickened in the neighborhood of the substrate especially when the substrate comprises a basic material such as silicon nitride or titanium nitride. It is considered that the T-top phenomenon is due to a reduction in the solubility of the resist film at the surface, and the footing phenomenon on the substrate surface is due to a reduction in the solubility of the resist film in the neighborhood of the substrate. Moreover, a problem arises in that a dark reaction eliminating an acid-labile group proceeds during a period of time extending from light exposure to PEB, resulting in a reduction in line dimensions.
These problems present serious drawbacks when chemically amplified resists are put to practical use. Owing to these drawbacks, conventional chemically amplified positive resist materials have been unsatisfactory in that dimensional control is difficult not only in lithographic steps but also in substrate processing by dry etching (see, for example, W. Hinsberg et al., J. Photopolym. Sci. Technol., 6(4), 535-546(1993); and T. Kumada et al., J. Photopolym. Sci. Technol., 6(4), 571-574(1993)).
In chemically amplified positive resist materials, the problems of PED and footing on the substrate surface are considered to be closely related to basic compounds present in air or on the substrate surface. The acid formed in the surface of the resist film by exposure to light is inactivated by reaction with basic compounds in air. As the standing time till PEB is prolonged, the amount of acid inactivated increases and, therefore, the acid-labile group becomes hard to decompose. Consequently, a hardly soluble layer is formed at the film surface and the patterns assume a T-top shape.
It is well known that the addition of a basic compound suppresses the influence of basic compounds in air and is hence effective against PED (U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,989, WO 98/37458, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 63-149640/'88, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 5-113666/93, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 5-232706/'93 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,695) and Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 5-249662/'93 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,712 and 20010038964)).
Well-known basic compounds are nitrogen-containing compounds such as amine compounds and amide compounds having a boiling point of 150° C. or above. Specific examples thereof include polyvinylpyridine, aniline, N-methylaniline, N,N-dimethylaniline, o-toluidine, m-toluidine, p-toluidine, 2,4-lutidine, quinoline, isoquinoline, formamide, N-methylformamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, acetamide, N-methylacetamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, 2-pyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone, imidazole, α-picoline, β-picoline, γ-picoline, o-aminobenzoic acid, m-aminobenzoic acid, p-aminobenzoic acid, 1,2-phenylenediamine, 1,3-phenylenediamine, 1,4-phenylenediamine, 2-quinolinecarboxylic acid, 2-amino-4-nitrophenol, and triazine compounds such as 2-(p-chlorophenyl)-4,6-trichloromethyl-s-triazine. Among them, pyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone, o-aminobenzoic acid, m-aminobenzoic acid, p-aminobenzoic acid and 1,2-phenylenediamine are especially preferred.
These nitrogen-containing compounds are weak bases, and can mitigate the T-top problem. However, when a highly reactive acid-labile group (e.g., an acetal group such as 1-ethoxyethyl) is used, it is impossible to control the reaction, i.e., the diffusion of the acid. The addition of a weak base has been disadvantageous especially in that the dark reaction during PED proceeds in unexposed regions and causes a reduction in line size (slimming) and a film loss at the line surface in the case of an acetal-derived acid-labile leaving group. In order to solve these problems, it has been effective to add a strong base. However, it may not be definitely said that a compound having a higher basicity is more effective. In fact, the addition of so-called superstrong bases such as DBU (1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-7-undecene), DBN (1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]-5-nonene), proton sponge, and quaternary amines (e.g., tetramethylammonium hydroxide) has failed to produce a sufficient effect.
The effects produced by the addition of a basic compound to a resist composition include not only an improvement in environmental stability, but also an enhancement in resolution. The addition of a base reduces sensitivity, but enhances contrast in acid release. In exposed regions where the number of moles of the acid released is smaller than the number of moles of the base added, the acid is inactivated by neutralization with the base, and is unable to cause a catalytic reaction. However, as soon as the neutralization point is exceeded, an acid is suddenly released to cause a catalytic reaction.
The phenomenon of sudden acid release induced by the addition of a base in the vicinity of the neutralization point was called a proton jump by Hatakeyama et al. (SPIE Symp. Proc., 3333, 62(1998)). Moreover, Hatakeyama et al. carried out a close investigation on the mechanism of a proton jump and proposed a competitive reaction theory that the neutralization reaction between the acid formed by exposure to light and the base takes place at the same time as the reaction catalyzed by the acid occurs (J. Photopolymer. Sci. Technol., Vol. 13(4), p. 519(2000)). They solved kinetically the neutralization reaction between the acid formed photochemically and the base added, and showed that a base having a greater reaction rate constant can give higher contrast.

Tertiary amine compounds having an ester structure and processes for preparing the same


The present invention describes a container end closure which utilizes a material that is adapted to provide a visible indicator when the internal pressure of the contents increase to a predetermined level. In one embodiment, an interruption in a reinforcing bead incorporated in the end closure is deformed to visually notify a consumer of spoilage due to bacterial activity and to substantially prohibit the use of traditional can openers to access the spoiled contents within the container.

Containers have been used for decades to provide a safe, convenient and cost effective means for storing food products and beverages (hereinafter "food"). Generally, the consumable food is processed, placed in a container, and vacuum packed. In addition, some foods are post processed by heating or retorting to a predetermined temperature to further insure pathogen elimination. Since it is difficult to visually ascertain the state of contents inside opaque containers, it is desirable to provide a storage container which employs a means to indicate to the consumer that the internal pressure of the container has lost its vacuum, thereby indicating possible spoilage, tampering, or that the airtight seal has been compromised.
However, some canning techniques and processes require post-heating to destroy bacteria, which results in the presence of a positive internal pressure within the container. Thus, there is a significant need for an indication device that warns the public of spoilage when the container is not vacuum-sealed. Another drawback to traditional indication devices is that they are often very subtle, wherein it may be totally overlooked by the consumer. Further, some consumers may choose to take the risk that the warranty indicator is incorrect or that the contents are still acceptable, thus creating a significant health risk. Thus, there is a need for a substantially failsafe indicator device that substantially prevents a user from opening the container.
Anaerobic (bacterium that do not need oxygen to survive), and aerobic, (those bacterium that require oxygen for survival), occur frequently in nature. Both types produce byproducts as the result of their normal respiratory cycle such as water and carbon dioxide. Fortunately, most forms of bacteria are innocuous or even helpfull to mankind. However, some are harmful to man and may cause gastrointestinal discomfort or death in the young, elderly, and infirm. For example, a substantial percentage of the cases of clostridium botulism, a potentially harmful toxin generated by the activities of some bacteria, can be directly linked to the improper canning of food.
Thus there is a long-felt and unresolved need in the field of food preparation and storage to provide a container that is employed with a means to quickly and reliably identify food spoilage, and which substantially inhibits a consumer from gaining access to the contaminated contents therein by use of a conventional can opener. Furthermore, there is a significant need for a deformable indicator device which is used with pressurized containers and which selectively deform when a predetermined increase in pressure occurs.

Selectively deformable container end closure


A configurable device interface enhances the ability of a processor to communicate with other devices. A configurable serial interface promotes efficient data transmission and reception. The configurable serial interface includes a source of transmit data that the configurable serial interface may access even while data reception is simultaneously completing.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to an external device interface engine. In particular, this disclosure relates to an external interface engine for digital signal processors or other types of processors.
2. Related Art
Processors, such as digital signal processors ("DSPs"), communicate with external devices, including other processors and/or memories. Some processors use state machines to facilitate the communication with an external device. These processors may require one state machine for each type of external device with which the processor communicates. Additionally, a separate state machine may be required for each operation that each external device performs.
The proliferation of state machines adds significant time and monetary costs to the design and fabrication of processors. Furthermore, because the state machines and processors often operate at different data rates, wait states must be added to a processor to match the data rate of the state machines. The wait states reduce the processor's efficiency by preventing the processor from proceeding with its operations until it receives a data ready response from the state machine.
Additionally, when a processor, such as a DSP, communicates with a serial device it sends and receives data on a bit-by-bit basis. Some systems directly connect an output of the processor to a serial device. These systems reduce the processor's efficiency since the processor may need to match the rate of data transfer to that of the serial device as well as synchronize the timing of the data rate transfer to the serial device. Other systems may implement an interface between the processor and a serial device. In these systems, the processor must synchronize the timing of the data transfer to the serial interface. Failure to synchronize the timing can result in multiple channels creating a temporal mismatch with respect to one another which may lead to the erroneous processing of the data by the processor and/or the serial device.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved external device interface engine, such as an external memory interface engine or a serial communication input output interface engine.

Serial communication input output interface engine

HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED


Disclosed is an image receiving sheet for thermal-transfer recording medium, which comprises a support and provided thereon, an image-receiving layer containing a resin having a dyeability to a thermal diffusible dye, wherein said image-receiving layer contains an inorganic oxide capable of absorbing UV-rays.. An image receiving sheet for thermal-transfer recording medium is improved in an image preservabilities, a light-fastness and a dye-bleeding resistance.

As for the techniques for obtaining color hard-copies, the color-recording techniques applied with an ink-jet system, an electrophotographic system or a thermal-transfer system have been studied so far. Among these systems, the thermal-transfer system has the following advantages that the operation or maintenance can readily be performed, that the apparatus can be miniaturized, that the cost can be saved and that the running cost can also be made inexpensive.
The thermal-transfer systems may be classified into the following two: namely, a system in which a transfer-sheet comprising a support bearing a thermally fusible ink-layer thereon (hereinafter referred sometimes to as a thermal-transfer recording material) is heated by a thermal-head so that the ink may be so fused as to be transferred from the thermally fusible ink-layer onto an image-receiving sheet for thermal-transfer recording use; and the other system (which may be so-called a thermal diffusion-transfer system or a sublimation-transfer system) in which a transfer-sheet comprising a support bearing an ink layer containing a thermally diffusible dye (or, a sublimatable dye) thereon is heated by a thermal-head so that the thermally diffusible dye may be transferred from the ink-layer onto the image-receiving sheet for thermal-transfer recording use. The latter system is more advantageous for full-color recording, because image gradation can be controlled by changing the dye-transfer amount so as to meet the thermal-energy variations of a thermal-head.
When a thermal-transfer recording operation is carried out in the thermal diffusion-transfer system, the dyes applicable to a thermal-transfer recording material play an important role. However, none of the conventional dyes have been satisfactory to improve the stabilities of the resulting image including, for example, the heat resistance, light fastness, fixing property and image-bleeding resistance thereof.
For improving the above-mentioned points, Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereinafter referred to as JP OPI Publication) Nos. 59-78893/1984, 59-109394/1984 and 60-2398/1985 disclose the image forming processes in which a chelation-type thermal-diffusible dye is used, so that an image may be formed, by the resulting chelated dye, on an image-receiving sheet for thermal-transfer recording use.
Although the above-given image-forming processes may be excellent as the processes for improving a heat resistance and a fixing property, the light fastness and image-bleeding resistance of the resulting image in storage have not been satisfactory.
As disclosed in JP OPI Publication No. 59-158287/1984, 63-74686/1988, 63-145089/1988, 59-196292/1984, 62-229594/1987, 63-122596/1988, 61-283595/1986, 1-171887/1989 and 1-204788/1989, the proposals have been made therein for adding the UV absorbent and light stabilizer into the image-receiving layer with the purpose of improving the light fastness of an image. However, when making use of the compounds described therein, the compounds may be colored or the light fastness of the resulting image and the heat stability of the compounds are not satisfactory.
Among the cases of the above-mentioned proposals, in the case of using a light stabilizers of the metal complex salt type as described in JP OPI Publication Nos. 63-122596/1988 and 1-171887/1989 and in the case of the image forming processes in which an image is formed by the chelated dyes as described in JP OPI Publication Nos. 59-78893/1984, 59-109394/1984 and 60-2398/1985, a coloration is produced when trying the combination use of an ordinary organic UV absorbent, because the UV absorbent and the metal ions are chelated together.
JP OPI Publication Nos. 63-193884/1988, 63-194981/1988, 1-208293/1989, 1-280529/1989, 1-283191/1989, 2-139551/1990, 2-252585/1990 and 2-265793/1990 and Japanese Patent Examined Publication (hereinafter referred to as JP Examined Publication) No. 3-9878/1991 propose each that an image preservability is to be improved by covering an image-recorded image-receiving layer surface with a covering film or a resin layer. In these proposals, however, there still remain the following difficulties. An image is bled when covering with a protective material; the light fastness of an image covered with a protective material and the bleeding resistance of a stored image are not satisfactory; and an image quality may not be maintained in forming the image. Even in the other cases, a coloration is similarly produced when making metal ions present as described before.

Image-receiving sheet for thermal-transfer recording medium


A tray table apparatus including a tray table and a tray table support assembly coupled to the tray table. The tray table and the tray table support assembly are configured to transition between a stowed position and a deployed position. The tray table support assembly includes: a support shelf; a support arm having a first end pivotably coupled to the support shelf so as to be pivotable about a first pivot axis and a second end, the tray table pivotably coupled to the second end of the support arm so as to be pivotable about a tray table pivot axis; and an adjustable pivot stop positioned to limit pivot movement of the support arm about the first pivot axis in the deployed position, such that a selected adjustment position of the adjustable pivot stop determines an angle of inclination formed between the support arm and the support shelf.

Tray tables for use in the bed are common, and for people who choose or need to eat, read, or work in bed, having a bedside tray table that extends out over the bed when needed and stows out of the way is an indispensable convenience. Such stowable tray tables are known in the art, however they often are attached to limitations that turn their use into a frustrating convenience. For example, some stowable tray tables have too many degrees of freedom, such as is seen in the tray table disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,220,578, as all the degrees of freedom make the tray table too easily bumped out of the position in which it is set. Others have more limited degrees of freedom, but some of those degrees of freedom are not easy to use for a person who is lying in the bed and needs to adjust the position of the bed tray, such as the tray table disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,054,122.
For a person who is lying in bed, having a tray table with limited degrees of freedom is acceptable when the degrees of freedom provided make the tray table easy to use for a person lying in the bed and at the same time provide a sufficiently stable platform which may be used and not too easily bumped out of position. It is therefore desirable that a stowable tray table for use in the bed meet a balance between usability and stability. At the same time, another desirable feature for some stowable tray tables is that they can be stowed entirely out of sight when not in use.


The invention relates to a steering actuator piston with a rack (6) for an aircraft landing gear (1) characterized in that the piston comprises a body (10) made of a lightweight alloy having an externally threaded main span (11) terminated on one side by a shoulder (12) and extended on the other side by a skirt (13), the body having screwed to it a tapped bronze bushing having on its outer wall at least one groove for receiving a seal, the skirt having a drilling to receive a pin for securing the piston to the rack, the bushing extending in service between the shoulder and the pin so that it is retained axially between the shoulder and the pin.

Landing gear comprising a steerable lower part is known. This lower part generally comprises a rod mounted slidably in a casing of the landing gear against a suspension force, the rod bearing at its lower end an axle which receives one or more wheels. This landing gear bears in certain cases a collar or a sleeve mounted rotatably on the casing of the landing gear while being connected to the steerable lower part by a torque link. The collar or the sleeve is provided with a toothed ring which cooperates with the rack of a steering actuator in order to pivot the steerable lower part. By way of example, mention will be made of the auxiliary landing gear of the AIRBUS A320 which is provided with such rack actuation.
The rack is connected at its two ends to pistons which are slidably mounted with sealing in cylinders extending on either side of the landing gear so as to define therein two chambers of a hydraulic actuator.
Often, such pistons are made entirely of bronze for reasons of simplicity. However, making them in this way proves to be cumbersome. Furthermore, if in production the outside diameter of the piston does not meet the specifications, the whole of the piston is scrapped. Likewise, if in service the piston wears to the point of no longer meeting the dimension specifications, the whole of the piston must be scrapped to be replaced by a new piston.


A holder for suspending ophthalmic lenses and lens blocks of various diameters from a rod in a lens and block cleaning machine has a frame with a horizontal base member and a pair of upright members extending upwardly, one from each end of the base member. A hanger extending from the upper ends of the upright members is adapted to suspend the frame from the rod. Pairs of pins extend forwardly from the front and rearwardly from the back of the base member along parallel spaced apart first and second axes in a horizontal plane. Arms are pivotally pinned to the upright members for rotation about axes parallel to the first and second axes from lowest positions approximately sixty degrees below horizontal to highest positions approximately sixty degrees above horizontal. Detents prevent rotation of the arms below the lowest position or above the highest position. Torsion springs connected between the upright members and the arms bias arms toward their lowest positions. Another pin extends from the other end of each arm along axes parallel to the first and second axes. The axes are located and spaced so that the arcs generated by the axes of the pins on the arms when the arms are rotated between their lowest and highest positions are above the horizontal plane and between vertical planes extending through the first and second axes.

This invention relates generally to equipment used in the generation and finishing of ophthalmic lenses and more particularly concerns a holder for suspending ophthalmic lenses and the lens blocks used in the generation and finishing of ophthalmic lenses in a lens and lens block cleaning machine.
It has been general practice in the industry that polished lenses and used lens blocks are cleaned by hand prior to coating or reuse, respectively. The assignee of the present invention has developed a machine for the purpose of cleaning lenses and lens blocks. During development of the machine, a variety of holders have been used for supporting the lenses and lens blocks in the machine. While the presently known holders have served their purpose, it is a relatively complicated process to load the lenses into the holders, especially without touching the polished faces of the lenses during the loading and unloading process to and from the machine.
It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a holder for ophthalmic lenses and lens blocks which is easily loaded and unloaded. Another object of this invention is to provide a holder for ophthalmic lenses and lens blocks in which the loading and unloading processes do not require touching of the polished faces of the lens. It is also an object of this invention to provide a holder for ophthalmic lenses and lens blocks which is able to receive and hold lenses and blocks of a variety of diameters. A further object of this invention is to provide a holder for ophthalmic lenses and lens blocks which improves the efficiency of the lens and block cleaning machine in the lens and block cleaning process.

Holder for ophthalmic lenses and lens blocks


The present invention relates to the production of anti non functional P2X7 receptor monoclonal antibodies from hybridoma cell lines.

Purinergic (P2X) receptors are ATP-gated cation-selective channels. Each receptor is made up of three protein subunits or monomers. To date seven separate genes encoding P2X monomers have been identified: P2X1, P2X2, P2X3, P2X4, P2X5, P2X6, P2X7.
P2X7 receptors are of particular interest as the expression of these receptors is understood to be limited to cells having potential to undergo programmed cell death, such as thymocytes, dendritic cells, lymphocytes, macrophages and monocytes. There is some expression of P2X7 receptors in normal homeostasis, such as on erythrocytes.
Interestingly, a P2X7 receptor containing one or more monomers having a cis isomerisation at Pro210 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and which is devoid of ATP binding function has been found on cells that are understood to be unable to undergo programmed cell death, such as preneoplastic cells and neoplastic cells. This isoform of the receptor has been referred to as a "non functional" receptor.
Antibodies generated from immunisation with a peptide including Pro210 in cis bind to non functional P2X7 receptors. However, they do not bind to P2X7 receptors capable of binding ATP. Accordingly, these antibodies are useful for selectively detecting many forms of carcinoma and haemopoietic cancers and to treatment of some of these conditions.
WO02/057306A1 and WO03/020762A1 both discuss a probe for distinguishing between functional P2X7 receptors and non functional P2X7 receptors in the form of a monoclonal antibody.
To date it has been very difficult to obtain a hybridoma that generates useful amounts of antiserum against non functional P2X7 receptors, and in particular, antiserum that can be used in a range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Indeed, apart from the hybridomas and antibodies forming part of this invention, the Applicant is unaware of any other hybridomas or monoclonal antibodies against anti-non functional P2X7 receptors that could be robustly used in applications to detect or treat cancer and other conditions associated with non functional P2X7 receptor expression.

Hybridomas producing antibodies against non functional P2X7 receptor


New compositions are disclosed that comprise the phytochemical Diindolylmethane (DIM), as well as its precursor, Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), and cogener, 2-(Indol-3-ylmethyl)-3,3′diindolylmethane (LTr-1), acceptable carriers and/or excipients. These compositions are administered to prevent or reduce symptoms associated with mastalgia, endometriosis and HPV-related conditions including cervical dysplasia.

2.1. Introduction
In the typical life-cycle of modern women, the mid-thirties until the cessation of menstrual periods is defined as "peri-menopause". Women are classified as perimenopausal if menses have been experienced in the last 12 months, but with irregularity or changes in menstrual flow. During this stage of life women suffer increasing incidence of both recurrent breast pain, or "mastalgia", and endometriosis, describing the painful condition of persistence of abnormal endometrial tissue in the abdominal cavity. These two conditions, common to the perimenopause, are poorly understood and presently lack medical therapy that is both effective and reasonably free of side effects (Prior J C, 1998, "Perimenopause: the complex endocrinology of the menopausal transition", Endocr. Rev. 19:397-428).
While a contributing role of estrogen status has been suspected in these conditions, few consistent abnormalities in endocrine status have been identified. Circulating estrogen levels are normal in both mastalgia and endometriosis patients. There is accumulating evidence that describes diminished progesterone production during the perimenopause that may create a relative "dominance" in the activity of estrogen. However, no one theory or endocrine imbalance explains the occurrence of mastalgia and endometriosis (Santoro N et al., 1996, "Characteristics of reproductive hormonal dynamics in the perimenopause", J. Clinical Endocrinology and Metab. 81:1495-501). Similarly, changes in estrogen to progesterone balance in women have not been associated with the occurrence of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-related cervical dysplasia.
2.2. Mastalgia
Recurrent, cyclical breast pain or "mastalgia" is one of the most common reasons for women's visits to their doctors. It has been estimated that 50-70% of all women experience significant mastalgia at some point in their life. In its most common form, mastalgia is a chronic condition of recurring pain, which is worse during the few days before menses (Blue J et al., 1998, "Mastalgia review: St. Marks Breast Centre", New Zealand Medical Journal 111(1059):33-34). Traditionally, treatment choices for mastalgia have ranged from dietary manipulation (caffeine, fat, and alcohol reduction) or evening primrose oil to hormonal medications (bromocriptine and danazol) for severe breast pain. Bromocriptine (Parlodel) and danazol have a response rate of 70%, but have reported adverse side effects of up to 30-35% (Gateley C A and Mansen R E, 1991, "Management of the painful and nodular breast", British Medical Bulletin 47:284-94; Nazli K et al., 1989, "Controlled trial of the prolactin inhibitor bromocriptine (Parlodel) in the treatment of severe cyclical mastalgia", British Journal of Clinical Practice 43(9):322-7; Kontosolis K et al., 1997, "Comparison of tamoxifen with danazol for treatment of cyclical mastalgia", Gynecol. Endocrinol. 11:393-397). The use of medroxyprogesterone acetate to support levels of progesterone, possibly low in this condition, provided relief no better than placebo in a controlled trial (Maddox P R et al., 1990, "A randomized controlled trial of medroxyprogesterone acetate in mastalgia", Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 72(2):71-6).
The approach of dietary supplementation for mastalgia has been explored by earlier investigators. This included the addition of high doses of evening primrose oil, beta carotene, and vitamin A to the diet of affected women. Evening primrose oil is used by British physicians as an initial intervention to control mastalgia because of its non-hormonal composition. Though it has been found to normalize the ratio of essential fatty acids to saturated fatty acids in the serum of women with mastalgia, the therapy requires 3 to 4 months for benefit. Improvements were seen in up to 40% of patients but side effects included bloating and nausea (Maddox P R, 1989, "The management of mastalgia in the UK", Hormone Research 32:21-27). Italian researchers explored the addition of combinations of beta carotene and Vitamin A (retinol) in the management of mastalgia. (Santamaria L et al., 1989, "Beta-carotene supplementation associated with intermittent retinol administration in the treatment of pre-menopausal mastodynia", Boll Chim Far 128:284-287). Some success was reported, but the high doses of retinol required (150-300,000 I.U per day) are in the range associated with significant side effects which include headache, skin lip and mouth dryness, nausea, dizziness, and alopecia. Based on the common occurrence of mastalgia as a disorder in women, the need exists for more effective therapy with acceptable risks and side effects (Ashley B, 1998, "Mastalgia", Lippincotts Primary Care Practice 2(2):189-93).
2.3. Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease that affects as many as 15% of fertile women and up to 50% of infertile women. Its occurrence increases with age and is greatest in the perimenopausal years (Tzingounis V A and Cardamakis E, 1997, "Modem approach to endometriosis", Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 816:320-330). Endometriosis refers to the presence of functional endometrial glands and stroma in abnormal locations outside the uterine cavity. Despite extensive research, the natural history and pathogenesis of endometriosis is still poorly understood and remains controversial. As with mastalgia, most therapeutic approaches have been directed at hormonal therapy. The most common therapy involves the use of Danazol. Danazol is a synthetic steroid with androgenic action suppressing the pituitary gland cycling necessary for menstrual periods. Amenorrhea, or lack of menstrual periods results. Though providing some relief from the pain of endometriosis adverse side effects are experienced in up to 80% of women using Danazol (Greenblatt R B et al., 1971, "Clinical studies with an anti-gonadotropin—danazol", Fertil Steril 22:102). Notably these side effects include weight gain, fluid retention, acne, decreased breast size, hot flushes and mood changes. In addition to Danazol, other hormonal manipulations used in the management of endometriosis involve use of gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues (GnRH) and the drug gestrinone, a synthetic steroid derived from 19-nortestosterone. The side effects associated with these therapies are significant and include the spectrum of symptoms associated with hypoestrogenism and menopause. These include hot flushes, night sweats, and osteoporosis (Telimaa E J et al., 1987, "Placebo-controlled comparison of danazol and high-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate in the treatment of endometriosis", Gynecol Endocrinol 1:51; Thomas E. J. et al., 1987, "Impact of gestrinone on the course of asymptomatic endometriosis", Br. Med J., 294:272). Clearly, more benign approaches to the management of the pain of endometriosis are needed.
2.4. Cervical Dysplasia
Cervical dysplasia, also known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), refers to the occurrence of abnormal cells and tissue involving the surface of the uterine cervix, which consists of the lowest part of the uterus. Anatomically, the cervix provides the portal of entry from the vagina to the interior of the uterus. Its surface consists of an epithelial "transition-zone" where superficial, flattened cells characteristic of vaginal mucosa abruptly change to cuboidal epithelial cells characteristic of the interior surface of the uterus (endometrium). The designations CIN I, II and III refer to mild, moderate, and severe dysplasia/carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the cervical epithelium, respectively. This histological grading scheme is based largely on the extent to which the thickness of the epithelium is replaced by abnormal, mitotically active cells with enlarged, hyperchromatic nuclei (Ferenczy A et al., "Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Condyloma", In R. J. Kurman, Editor. Blaustein's Pathology of the Female Genital Tract, Springer-Verlag, 1987). Untreated, a subset of dysplastic lesions will advance to cervical cancer, with a frequency that increases dramatically in CIN III lesions (Ostor A G, 1993, Int. J. Gynecol. Path. 12:186-192).
In many developing countries, cervical cancer is the most common cancer (excluding skin) in women and the major cause of cancer-related deaths in women (Parkin D et al., 1993, Int J Cancer 54:594-606). In the United States, abnormalities on Papanicolaou, or "Pap" smears are detected in millions of women annually, resulting in an estimated annual cost of $6 billion for patient evaluation and treatment (Kurman R et al., 1994, JAMA 271:1866-9).
Cervical dysplasia in women is a common condition that is linked to infection by HPV (Walboomers J M et al., 1999, "Human papillomavirus is a necessary cause of invasive cervical cancer worldwide", J Pathol. 189(1):12-9). While dependent on the presence of HPV, the occurrence of cervical dysplasia in women has not been related to estrogen or progesterone levels. Regarding estrogen metabolism, the severity of cervical dyplasia, documented by stage of CIN on biopsy, has been associated with a reduced 2-hydroxy metabolism of estrogen in some women (Sepkovic et al., 1995, "Estrogen Metabolite Ratios and Risk Assessment of Hormone-related Cancers", Annals New York Academy of Sciences 768:312-316).
The most common methods used to treat cervical dysplasia include removal or eradication of the abnormal tissue, using methods such as cryosurgery, laser vaporization, and surgical removal. Due to the potential for harm to normal tissue, and recurrence of dysplasia following surgery, a need clearly exists for more effective and less invasive therapy.
2.5. Dietary Indoles
3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM), as well as its precursor, Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), and cogener, 2-(Indol-3-ylmethyl)-3,3′-diindolylmethane (LTr-1), are natural phytochemicals and part of the family of dietary indoles discovered in cruciferous vegetables. DIM and I3C are found in cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts (Bradfield C A and Bjeldanes L F, 1987, "High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of anticarcinogenic indoles in Brassica oleracea", J. Agric. Food Chem. 35:46-49). DIM, together with the linear trimer, LTr-1, are formed after the enzymatic release of I3C from parent glucosinolates found in all cruciferous vegetables.
It is now known that there is a connection between dietary cruciferous indoles and estrogen metabolism. H. Leon Bradlow, Ph.D. and his group at the Strang Cancer Prevention Laboratory in New York were the first to establish the link between phytonutrients from cruciferous vegetables and estrogen metabolism. They showed that supplemental use of I3C can act to promote a dramatic change in the metabolism of estrogen (Michnovicz J J et al., 1997, "Changes in levels of urinary estrogen metabolites after oral indole-3-carbinol treatment in humans", J Natl Cancer Inst. 89(10):718-23). This change in metabolism has the power to greatly reduce estrogen exposure as a risk for cancer and provides a dietary approach to improving estrogen metabolism. I3C has been shown to increase 2-hydroxy estrogen metabolism in women (Bradlow H L et al., 1994, "Long-term responses of women to indole-3-carbinol or a high fiber diet", Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 3(7):591-5). When cruciferous phytochemicals are added to the diet, estrogen metabolism is shifted. This produces a predominance of 2-hydroxy and 2-methoxyestrogens (Michnovicz J J et al., 1997, "Changes in levels of urinary estrogen metabolites after oral indole-3-carbinol treatment in humans", J Natl Cancer Inst. 89(10):718-23). An increased proportion of 2-hydroxy metabolites is correlated to protection from breast cancer. This relationship has been documented in case-control studies (Ho G H et al., 1998, "Urinary 2/16 alpha-hydroxyestrone ratio: correlation with serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 and a potential biomarker of breast cancer risk", Ann Acad Med Singapore 27:294-299; Schneider J. et al., 1982, "Abnormal oxidative metabolism of estradiol in women with breast cancer", Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 79:3047-3051). The 2-hydroxy metabolites have been called "good estrogens" (Bradlow H L et al., 1996, "2-hydroxyestrone: the 'good' estrogen", J Endocrinol. 150 Suppl:S259-65), and may function as antioxidants (Komura S et al., 1996, "Catecholestrogen as a natural antioxidant", Ann N Y Acad Sci. 786:419-429).
With regard to prior art and the dietary indoles, the supplemental use of I3C, which converts in part to DIM, LTr-1, and other compounds after passage through the stomach, has been the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,787, describing the use of I3C and related dietary indoles to reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Despite this use, no relationship between fibromyalgia and estrogen status has been documented (Bengtsson A. and Henriksson, K. G., 1986, "Primary fibromyalgia. A clinical and laboratory study of 55 patients", Scand J. Rheumatol 15(3):340-7). Published reports have demonstrated some clinical improvement following dietary supplementation with I3C in recurrent laryngeal papillomatosis and cervical dysplasia (Rosen C A et al., 1998, "Preliminary results of the use of indole-3-carbinol for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis", Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery 118: 810-5; Jin L. et al., 1999, "Indole-3-carbinol prevents cervical cancer in human papilloma virus type 16 (HPV16) transgenic mice", Cancer Res. 59(16):3991-7; Baugh S M et al., 1998, "Treatment of cervical dysplasia with indole-3-carbinol", Ray A. Barlow Scientific Symposium, Louisiana State University Medical School, Shreveport, La.; Bell M C et al., 2000, "Placebo-controlled trial of indole-3-carbinol in the treatment of CIN", Gynecol Oncol. 78(2):123-9). These diseases are both conditions related to the presence of the human papilloma virus. Reports of adverse side effects with I3C use in animals and in at higher doses in individuals with respiratory HPV infection (Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis ["RRP"]) have discouraged further clinical testing of I3C (Rosen C A et al., 1998, "Preliminary results of the use of indole-3-carbinol for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis", Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery 118:810-5; Wilker C et al., 1996, "Effects of developmental exposure to indole-3-carbinol or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on reproductive potential of male rat offspring", Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 141(1):68-75). I3C's use is associated with a number of safety concerns in reproductive-age women due to its enzyme-inducing actions and developmental toxicity.
Thus, the individual metabolic products of I3C are being investigated to discover safer and more effective alternatives to I3C. Following oral administration of I3C, DIM is but one of many derivatives generated from I3C. I3C is highly reactive in stomach acid, which leads to the production of a large number of biologically active byproducts distinct from DIM. DIM arises from I3C as one of the reaction products in more neutral pH environments, not typically seen in the gastric environment. I3C exposure to acid produces many non-DIM products, including indolo(3,2,b)carbazole (ICZ), and the cyclic trimer, 5,6,11,12,17,18-hex-hydrocyclononal[1,2-b:4,5-b′:7,8-b]:triindole, and others which are more highly enzyme inductive than DIM (De Kruif C A et al., 1991, "Structure elucidation of acid reaction products of indole-3-carbinol: detection in vivo and enzyme induction in vitro", Chem Biol Interact 80(3):303-15).
DIM differs from I3C in its structure and in its chemical and biological properties. Unlike I3C, DIM is an acid-stable indole with less influence on carcinogen metabolism than I3C and non-DIM products from I3C (Bradfield C A and Bjeldanes L F, 1987, "Structure-activity relationships of dietary indoles: a proposed mechanism of action as modifiers of xenobiotic metabolism", J Toxicol Environ Health 21(3):311-23). Unlike I3C, DIM has been shown to influence estrogen metabolism in animals without the need for intra-gastric conversion into other indole reaction products (Jellinck P H et al., 1993, "Ah receptor binding properties of indole carbinols and induction of hepatic estradiol hydroxylation", Biochem Pharmacol 45:1129-1136).
In cell culture, DIM has been shown to have both growth promoting and growth inhibitory properties. In MCF7 breast cancer cells, DIM promoted growth when tested in the absence of estrogen (Riby J E et al., 2000, "Ligand-independent activation of estrogen receptor function by 3,3′-diindolylmethane in human breast cancer cells", Biochem Pharmacol 60(2):167-77). When tested in colon cancer cells, DIM demonstrated selective growth inhibitory activity which was not observed in non-cancerous colon cells (Gamet-Payrastre L et al., 1998, "Selective cytostatic and cytotoxic effects of glucosinolates hydrolysis products on human colon cancer cells in vitro", Anti-Cancer Drugs 9:141-148).
In another study, oral DIM was shown to impede the growth of carcinogen-induced breast cancer in animals (Chen I. et al., 1998, "Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated antiestrogenic and antitumorigenic activity of diindolylmethane", Carcinogenesis 19(9):1631-9).
There have been no reports on the usefulness of DIM or LTr-1 in the treatment or prevention of mastalgia, endometriosis or HPV-related conditions, including cervical dysplasia. Isolation and formulation requirements for DIM as a pure substance limited its availability for animal experiments. Pure, isolated DIM was not available for human use prior to Summer, 1998. Use of DIM and LTr-1 in absorption enhancing formulations for improving the balance of estrogen metabolites has been the subject of earlier investigation by the present inventor and provides the basis of U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,915. This work has allowed for the present investigation of the use of dietary indoles as dietary supplements to beneficially impact mastalgia, endometriosis, and cervical dysplasia.
Therefore, safer and more consistently effective treatments are needed for mastalgia, endometriosis and HPV-related conditions, including cervical dysplasia.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Phytochemicals for the treatment of cervical dysplasia


A display device and a method for manufacturing the display device are provided. The display device includes: a display panel, including a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate, wherein the first substrate includes a single-substrate area beyond the second substrate; a display driving circuit electrically connected to the display panel; a lens assembly arranged at the single-substrate area of the first substrate and configured to collect light information; and an image sensor arranged at the single-substrate area of the first substrate, connected to the display driving circuit, and configured to receive the light information collected by the lens assembly.

A camera module of a terminal such as a mobile phone mainly includes a lens assembly and an image processing assembly. With development of science and technology, a terminal with a narrow bezel and a small thickness become a trend. Due to limitation of a size of the camera module, a thickness of a mobile phone cannot be further reduced, and thus, a screen-to-body ratio of a screen of the mobile phone is limited.

Display device and manufacturing method of the same

BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A method using a floatable offshore depot to provide sheltered area using a tunnel for safe and easy launching or docking of watercraft and embarkation or debarkation of personnel. The method can be used to transfer equipment between the watercraft and the floatable offshore depot using an internal dock side of the tunnel. The floatable offshore depot can have a buoyant hull, a keel, a main deck, and at least two connected sections between the keel and the main deck. The connected sections can extend downwardly from the main deck toward the keel and can have an upper cylindrical side section, a transition section, and a lower cylindrical section. The method uses the tunnel at an operational depth, with a tunnel opening to an exterior of the buoyant hull to receive the watercraft.

Stable offshore depots for supporting offshore oil and gas operations are known in the art. Offshore production structures, which can be vessels, platforms, caissons, buoys, or spars, for example, each typically, include a buoyant hull that supports a superstructure. The buoyant hull includes internal compartmentalization for ballasting and storage, and the superstructure provides drilling and production equipment, helipads, crew living quarters, and the like.
In offshore work, on drilling and production platforms for example, a major operating cost arises from the transportation of support and supplies from on-shore facilities. Nearly everything must be carried by boat or by air. Such supply lines are subject to adverse weather and sea states, which have greater effect the farther the supplies must travel.
Accordingly, stable floating structures designed to be towed out to sea and moored close to several production platforms within a given field are known in the art. These structures may be used to provide shelter for transportation vessels and to provide support facilities, including storage, maintenance, firefighting, medical, and berthing facilities. Offshore bases, depots, or terminals may provide a reduction in platform operating costs, as they would allow safer and more cost effective transport of personnel and be supplied from the shore, which can be temporarily staged and distributed to local platforms. Prior art includes floating offshore support structure, which include a sheltered interior for receiving boats.
A floating structure is subject to environmental forces of wind, waves, ice, tides, and current. These environmental forces result in accelerations, displacements and oscillatory motions of the structure. The response of a floating structure to such environmental forces is affected not only by its hull design and superstructure, but also by its mooring system and any appendages. Accordingly, a floating structure has several design requirements: Adequate reserve buoyancy to safely support the weight of the superstructure and payload, stability under all conditions, and good seakeeping characteristics. With respect to the good seakeeping requirement, the ability to reduce vertical heave is very desirable. Heave motions can create tension variations in mooring systems, which can cause fatigue and failure. Large heave motions increase danger in launching and recovery of small boats and helicopters and loading and offloading stores and personnel.
The seakeeping characteristics of a floatable offshore depot are influenced by a number of factors, including the waterplane area, the hull profile, and the natural period of motion of the floating structure. It is very desirable that the natural period of the floating structure be either significantly greater than or significantly less than the wave periods of the sea in which the structure is located, so as to decouple substantially the motion of the structure from the wave motion.
Vessel design involves balancing competing factors to arrive at an optimal solution for a given set of factors. Cost, constructability, survivability, utility, and installation concerns are among many considerations in vessel design. Design parameters of the floating structure include the draft, the waterplane area, the draft rate of change, the location of the center of gravity ("CG"), the location of the center of buoyancy ("CB"), the metacentric height ("GM"), the sail area, and the total mass.
The total mass includes added mass i.e., the mass of the water around the buoyant hull of the floating structure that is forced to move as the floating structure moves. Appendages connected to the structure of the buoyant hull for increasing added mass are a cost effective way to fine tune structure response and performance characteristics when subjected to the environmental forces.
Several general naval architecture rules apply to the design of an offshore vessel. The waterplane area is directly proportional to induced heave force. A structure that is symmetric about a vertical axis is generally less subject to yaw forces. As the size of the vertical hull profile in the wave zone increases, wave-induced lateral surge forces also increase. A floating structure may be modeled as a spring with a natural period of motion in the heave and surge directions. The natural period of motion in a particular direction is inversely proportional to the stiffness of the structure in that direction. As the total mass (including added mass) of the structure increases, the natural periods of motion of the structure become longer.
One method for providing stability is by mooring the structure with vertical tendons under tension, such as in tension leg platforms. Such platforms are advantageous, because they have the added benefit of being substantially heave restrained. However, tension leg platforms are costly structures and, accordingly, are not feasible for use in all situations.
Self-stability (i.e., stability not dependent on the mooring system) may be achieved by creating a large waterplane area. As the structure pitches and rolls, the center of buoyancy of the submerged hull shifts to provide a righting moment. Although the center of gravity may be above the center of buoyancy, the structure can nevertheless remain stable under relatively large angles of heel. However, the heave seakeeping characteristics of a large waterplane area in the wave zone are generally undesirable.
Inherent self-stability is provided when the center of gravity is located below the center of buoyancy. The combined weight of the superstructure, buoyant hull, payload, ballast and other elements may be arranged to lower the center of gravity, but such an arrangement may be difficult to achieve. One method to lower the center of gravity is the addition of fixed ballast below the center of buoyancy to counterbalance the weight of superstructure and payload. Structural fixed ballast such as pig iron, iron ore, and concrete, are placed within or attached to the buoyant hull structure. The advantage of such a ballast arrangement is that stability may be achieved without adverse effect on seakeeping performance due to a large waterplane area.
Self-stable structures have the advantage of stability independent of the function of mooring system. Although the heave seakeeping characteristics of self-stabilizing floating structures are generally inferior to those of tendon-based platforms, self-stabilizing structures may nonetheless be preferable in many situations due to higher costs of tendon-based structures.
Prior art floating structures have been developed with a variety of designs for buoyancy, stability, and seakeeping characteristics. An apt discussion of floating structure design considerations and illustrations of several exemplary floating structures are known in the industry.
Various spar buoy designs as examples of inherently stable floating structures in which the center of gravity ("CG") is disposed below the center of buoyancy ("CB"). Spar buoy hulls are elongated, typically extending more than six hundred feet below the water surface when installed. The longitudinal dimension of the buoyant hull must be great enough to provide mass such that the heave natural period is long, thereby reducing wave-induced heave. However, due to the large size of the spar hull, fabrication, transportation, and installation costs are increased. It is desirable to provide a structure with integrated superstructure that may be fabricated quayside for reduced costs, yet which still is inherently stable due to a center of gravity located below the center of buoyancy.
Prior art discloses an offshore platform that employs a retractable center column. The center column is raised above the keel level to allow the platform to be pulled through shallow waters en-route to a deep water installation site. At the installation site, the center column is lowered to extend below the keel level to improve vessel stability by lowering the center of gravity. The center column also provides pitch damping for the structure. However, the center column adds complexity and cost to the construction of the platform.
Other offshore system hull designs are known in the art. Octagonal hull structures with sharp corners and steeply sloped sides to cut and break ice for arctic operations of a vessel. Unlike most conventional offshore structures, which are designed for reduced motions, Srinivasan's structure is designed to induce heave, roll, pitch and surge motions to accomplish ice cutting.
Drilling and production platforms with a cylindrical hull, wherein the structure has a center of gravity located above the center of buoyancy and therefore relies on a large waterplane area for stability, with a concomitant diminished heave seakeeping characteristic. Although, the structure has a circumferential recess formed about the buoyant hull near the keel for pitch and roll damping, the location and profile of such a recess has little effect in dampening heave.
It is believed that none of the offshore structures of prior art, in particular offshore depots or terminals that are arranged to provide shelter to the boats that are used for transportation of supplies and personnel to offshore platforms, are characterized by all of the following advantageous attributes: Symmetry of the buoyant hull about a vertical axis; the center of gravity located below the center of buoyancy for inherent stability without the requirement for complex retractable columns or the like, exceptional heave damping characteristics without the requirement for mooring with vertical tendons, and the ability for quayside integration of the superstructure and "right-side-up" transit to the installation site, including the capability for transit through shallow waters. An offshore depot or terminal possessing these entire characteristics is desirable.
It is believed that none of the offshore structures of prior art, in particular offshore depots or terminals that are arranged to provide shelter to the boats that used for transportation of supplies and personnel to offshore platforms, are characterized by all of the following advantageous attributes: Symmetry of the buoyant hull about a vertical axis, the center of gravity located below the center of buoyancy for inherent stability without the requirement for complex retractable columns or the like, exceptional heave damping characteristics without the requirement for mooring with vertical tendons, and the ability for quayside integration of the superstructure and "right-side-up" transit to the installation site, including the capability for transit through shallow waters. An offshore depot or terminal possessing these entire characteristics is desirable.
A need exists for an offshore depot that provides kinetic energy absorption capabilities from a watercraft by providing a plurality of dynamic movable tendering mechanisms in a tunnel formed in the offshore depot.
A further need exists for an offshore depot that provides wave damping and wave breakup within a tunnel formed in the offshore depot.
A need exists for an offshore depot that provides friction forces to a buoyant hull of a watercraft in the tunnel.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.


Apparatus and methods relating to channel equalization include a method including: generating a first output signal in a frequency domain based on a communications signal of a channel; determining a first channel response based on the first output signal and one or more pilot signals of the communications signal; generating a first equalized signal based on the first output signal and the first determined channel response; generating a first decision signal based on the first equalized signal; generating an output signal in a time domain based on the first decision signal; determining a second channel response based on the time domain output signal; generating a second output signal in the frequency domain based on the second channel response; generating a second equalized signal based on the first and second output signals and the time domain output signal; and generating a second decision signal based on the second equalized signal.

This document relates to channel equalization in receivers.
When a signal is transmitted over a channel, the received signal may be different from the transmitted signal. For example, a signal transmitted wirelessly may be attenuated by the time it reaches a receiver. These changes to the transmitted signal are called channel effects. If, for example, a transmitter or a receiver are moving during transmission or reception, respectively, the channel effects may include Doppler effects.
Receivers may employ systems and techniques to model these channel effects and remove or reduce them through channel equalization.


A turbine nozzle includes a mid vane mounted between a pair of end vanes in outer and inner bands. The mid vane includes a first pattern of film cooling holes configured to discharge more cooling air than each of the two end vanes having respective second patterns of film cooling holes.

The present invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and, more specifically, to turbine nozzles therein.
In a gas turbine engine, air is pressurized in a compressor and mixed with fuel in a combustor for generating hot combustion gases. Energy is extracted from the gases in a high pressure turbine (HPT) which powers the compressor, and additional energy is extracted in a low pressure turbine (LPT) which powers an upstream fan in an exemplary turbofan aircraft engine application, or drives an output drive shaft in marine and industrial applications.
The HPT and LPT include corresponding turbine nozzles which are heated by the hot combustion gases during operation. The first stage nozzles in the HPT and LPT each includes a row of hollow stator vanes integrally joined at opposite ends thereof to radially inner and outer bands. The stator vanes have identical airfoil configurations for channeling the combustion gases to a downstream row of turbine rotor blades extending radially outwardly from the perimeter of a supporting rotor disk.
The stator vanes also include identical cooling circuits therein in which corresponding partitions extend between the opposite pressure and suction sides of the airfoils to define several flow channels extending radially in span between the two bands for circulating in the airfoil a portion of pressurized cooling air bled from the compressor during operation.
The cooling circuits may have various conventional configurations and commonly include various rows of film cooling holes extending through the opposite pressure and suction sides of each airfoil for discharging the spent cooling air in corresponding thin films of cooling air that create thermally insulating blankets of air for externally protecting the vanes from the hot combustion gases.
The combustion gases first reach the stator vanes along the leading edges thereof which are typically protected by corresponding rows of film cooling or gill holes distributed along the span of each airfoil. The combustion gases then flow through corresponding nozzle channels between adjacent vanes and leave the nozzle along the trailing edges of the vanes. The thin trailing edges typically include a row of film cooling outlet slots that discharge another portion of the spent cooling air from the internal cooling circuits.
Since the nozzle vanes have specific aerodynamic airfoil configurations for use in extracting energy in the HPT and LPT, the velocity and pressure distributions of the combustion gases over the differently configured pressure and suction sides of each vane are different, and correspondingly create different heat loads on the vanes. Furthermore, each vane is fixedly mounted at its opposite ends to the outer and inner bands which are also subject to the heat loads of the combustion gases.
Since the nozzle is an annular structure, the heat loads from the combustion gases cause the nozzle to expand in diameter as it is heated, and to correspondingly contract in diameter as the heat, and corresponding operating temperature, are reduced.
This expansion and contraction of the annular turbine nozzle due to the change in heat loads from the combustion gases creates significant thermal stresses in both the individual vanes and supporting bands. Since the gas turbine engine operates in repeating cycles over its expected lifetime, the turbine nozzle is subject to heating and cooling cycles which introduce low cycle fatigue (LCF).
The life of the turbine nozzle is typically limited by the accumulating cycles of LCF experienced by the nozzle. The LCF life of the nozzle is typically limited by any one location in the nozzle that experiences the most accumulated fatigue from the LCF cycles which could eventually lead to a corresponding reduction in nozzle strength and the introduction of undesirable crack damage in the nozzle.
However, the LCF limited location in the turbine nozzle is a function of the specific operating cycle of the engine, and of the specific design of the nozzle itself including its specific cooling configuration.
The LCF life of the typical turbine nozzle is correspondingly increased by circumferentially dividing the annular nozzle into small segments typically including one or two nozzle vanes in corresponding segments of the outer and inner bands. Segmenting the annular nozzle interrupts the hoop continuity thereof and reduces the magnitude of thermal stresses therein.
However, segmenting the annular turbine nozzle correspondingly requires suitable seals between those segments which increase the complexity of the nozzle, and may reduce its overall efficiency.
A single vane nozzle segment fully uncouples the circumferential continuity of the annular nozzle, and allows the individual nozzle vane to freely expand and contract with its corresponding band segments.
In a two vane nozzle segment, or doublet, the individual vanes are no longer free to expand and contract alone, but are subject to the expansion and contraction of the second vane and its integral connection to the common band segments.
And, a three vane nozzle segment, or triplet, further increases thermal restraint since any one of the three vanes is integrally interconnected with the other two vanes by the corresponding band segments.
In particular, thermal expansion of the three vane segment tends to straighten the circumferential curvature or arc of the outer band which introduces tensile loads in the two outboard or end vanes, while correspondingly introducing compression loads in the middle or mid vane.
Since the vanes themselves, their cooling configurations, and the mounting band segments are typically identical from segment to segment, the different thermal loads experienced in the segments introduce different thermal stresses in the vanes and bands which adversely affect the LCF life of the nozzle. Since the middle vane in the three vane nozzle segment is structurally trapped by the two end vanes and the common supporting bands, the LCF life limiting location may be found in the middle vane.
The complexity of the modern gas turbine engine turbine nozzles and their hostile operating environment therefore require a balance of engine performance or efficiency and LCF life.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a turbine nozzle having an improved configuration for increasing both aerodynamic efficiency and LCF life thereof.


A paving stone is provided that can be laid in a plurality of open patterns, each presenting a different amount of drainage area, while retaining an interlocking relationship between adjacent stones of the pattern. In the preferred embodiment, the stone can also be laid in a closed pattern, with no drainage areas provided other than the drainage at the boundaries of the stones. Each side surface of the stone has an odd number of faces, arranged in a stair-step shape. Preferably, each of the side surfaces is symmetrical about the center face, and all sides, or at least opposite sides, are identical.

Paving stones of the type to which the present invention relates are manufactured slab elements usually molded of ceramic material, most commonly concrete, into predetermined shapes which, when arranged in a pattern, form a covering for the ground or other surface area which is generally intended to bear pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
Bricks, cut stones and slab elements of various types have been used in the past to cover roads and walkways to form a pavement or ground cover arrangement. In forming the ground cover pattern, the elements are often laid adjacent each other in an array to fully cover the area being paved. The most common shape of element used historically is the rectangular brick like shape which can easily be arranged to fully cover the ground without resort to combinations of stones of different sizes or shapes to do so. Such elements are laid with or without grout or mortar joints which rigidly join one element with another.
A type of ground cover finding increasing use is that formed of the paving stones laid without mortar or grout, usually with joints filled with particulate material such as sand. The advantages which such ground covers present are an ability to tolerate movement and deformation without exhibiting the cracking and breaking which may result with ground covers in which rigid grout or mortar joints are employed.
One disadvantage of most of the paving stones of the prior art, when laid without mortar or grout filling the joints, is that the drainage area between adjacent stones is narrow, typically 3/8" or less, the width of a typical mortar joint. This small spacing is necessary to that the adjacent faces of adjacent stones provide structural support to each other, to hold the stones in place and level. For certain applications, such spacing is inadequate to provide the necessary drainage that the site requires.
A further disadvantage of the stones of the prior art is that the spacing between the stones, and thus the relative portion of the surface area that will accommodate drainage, is fixed for stones of a given shape. Frequently, different sites have different drainage requirements, calling for different portions of the paved surface area to be open for drainage.
Another disadvantage found with some paving stones of the prior art, as for example the simple rectangular elements such as bricks and rectangular stones, is that, when used with sand or other loose fill joint material, surface water flowing on the pavement area formed of such a ground cover has a tendency to wash the joint material from between the elements. A further disadvantage of many such elements is that they have a tendency to tilt or yield under locally heavy loads.
One solution to both the problem of the washing of joint material from between the elements and to the problem of movement under load has been the introduction of mortarless or groutless paving stones of the interlocking type. Such interlocking paving stones are for example those disclosed in the Hair U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,544,305 and 4,973,192 and of Barth U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,128,357 and 4,834,575.
An objective in the design of interlocking paving stones, as seen in the Hair and Barth patents, is the creation of shapes which will interlock in such a way as to fully cover the area being paved with a minimum of different stone shapes. It is highly desirable that stones of a single size and shape be capable of forming an interlocking pattern which fully covers the ground without the need for filler stones of different shapes. Such a characteristic reduces the number of costly molds and the need for distributors and installers to maintain inventories of different stones.
It has also been an objective, difficult in many cases to achieve, to shape the stones in a way that they will not only interlock satisfactorily and form a pattern which fully covers the area being paved, but which will do so with shapes which present boundaries which contribute to a particular aesthetic pattern. By the very nature of the stones, the boundaries which define their shapes make the primary contribution to the overall appearance of the patterns. Unfortunately, not all aesthetically desirable shapes are easily made to interlock effectively. The desire to provide certain shapes in paving stones makes it difficult to design stones which interlock effectively. Thus, the desire to form patterns which yield certain aesthetic effects imposes a constraint on the stone characteristics which preclude the utilitarian properties for which the interlocking stones are desired.
In addition, many paving stones of the prior art have, when attempting to achieve the aesthetic and interlocking pattern forming objectives, failed to produce a stone that is capable of bearing heavy loads and resisting breakage.
Accordingly, there has existed a need for an interlocking paving stone with sides angled and shaped to fully cover the ground with stones of a single size and shape, which are sufficiently strong to gear heavy loads, which can be laid to provide adequate drainage for the requirements of the site, and which can be laid so as to provide a variety of drainage area ratios with a stone of a single shape.

Interlocking paving stone for closed and open drainage patterns