A foldable two wheeled scooter includes a steering post with a front wheel at a lower end and handlebars at an upper end. A support tube connects with a folding mechanism enclosed in a protective housing and supportively connects with a running board having a rear wheel. The protective housing prevents a user from being harmed when moving the scooter from an upright position to a folded down position.

Two wheeled scooters have long been known as a recreational device. A relatively long running board is supported above a running surface by two wheels attached at ends of the board. The two wheels are aligned so that the board can be rolled forward. To provide necessary stability of the overall structure when rolling forward, a steering post must be fixed at a front end and rise to the level of a rider's hands. A handlebar is fixed to a top end of the steering post so a user can grasp the ends of said handlebar to stabilize and guide the scooter in a forward direction. A front wheel is typically connected with the steering post by a steering mechanism so that a direction of the front wheel changes upon a rider's moving the handlebars about an axis formed by the steering post.
The structure of scooter described above necessarily results in an L-shaped device, where the running board and wheels form one part of the "L" and the steering post and handlebars form the other part of the "L". Since scooters typically are used only occasionally, it has long been known that storage of said scooters present a unique problem as an L-shaped device. It has also been long known to provide mechanisms to that the L-shaped structure could be in some manner disassembled or folded to reduce the storage difficulties of said scooters.
While it would appear most desirable that an L-shaped device such as the two wheeled scooter should be provided with folding means located at the vertex of its L-shape, that vertex location is the place most challenging to incorporate such folding means. The vertex of the L-shape of a two wheeled scooter is the part of its structure which must be designed most sturdily so that it does not fail in use. If the steering post of a two wheeled scooter bends or breaks, a rider moving even at moderate speeds can be seriously hurt. Folding means incorporated at the vertex location have in the past introduced serious flaws in the scooter's structure, many of which could result in structural failure during use.
In addition to structural failure, prior art folding means for two wheeled scooters have incorporated an inherently dangerous feature. The act of folding the L-shape of the device clearly involves moving a relatively heavy steering post with unwieldy handlebars down from an upright position toward a top surface of the running board. The act of releasing the steering post from the upright position in prior art folding means often brings a user's hands near to the vertex location. In any case, a user's hands or feet may inadvertently be found in the path of the collapsing steering post and/or handlebars when the scooter is being folded down. In such a case, many prior art folding means do not adequately protect the user from injury during the collapsing or folding operation. A user's finger or toes in many prior art devices be trapped and/or crushed in the folding operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,701 discloses a folding means for said scooters. It is clear the folding means permit a user to inadvertently place one or more fingers inside opposing armatures or flanges that scissor together in the folding operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,387 discloses another folding means for said scooters. The mechanism shown includes a structure wherein the steering post folds down to the level of the running board for carrying or storage. The folding means is shown as an open framework of the dangerous scissoring flanges and armatures described above. No protective measures are shown or described that would protect a user from inadvertent injury.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,501 discloses yet another folding means for said scooters. The mechanism shown includes a structure wherein the steering post folds down to the level of the running board for carrying or storage. The folding means is shown as an open framework of the dangerous scissoring flanges and armatures described above. No protective measures are shown or described that would protect a user from inadvertent injury.
There is a need for a folding means for a two wheeled scooter with excellent structural integrity while providing easy release for the steering post from an upright position and protecting the user from harm during the folding operation.


An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for utilizing excess inventory of parts used in end products and having part numbers. The method comprises: determining a summary of at least one end product utilizing at least one excess part number, wherein the summary includes a total quantity of the at least one excess part number required to produce a respective end product; and based on a selection of at least one end product from the summary and at least one corresponding quantity, generating a report of end products that, for each quantity of end products, lists the dollar value of excess parts consumed to produce the quantity of end product; and the dollar value of additional parts to be purchased to produce the quantity of end product. The invention also includes a system and storage medium.

Surplus inventory (e.g., parts that have inventory but no demand) and excess inventory (e.g., parts that have inventory but no current demand) can be problematic for manufacturers as they can cause increased costs and reduced profits. Inventory specialists are individuals responsible for finding new and innovative ways to reduce inventory levels. Tools for shortening the supply chain pipeline and reducing lead times have been the focus of many of these specialists. One attempt at solving the surplus/excess inventory problem involves the development of a build plan for end products that would consume as many of these surplus/excess parts as possible. The build decision has been solved in the past in a manual fashion by investigating individual choices one at a time. Not only is this labor intensive, but when excess parts could be used on several alternative end items, each of which might consume various quantities of other excess parts, the problem becomes too complex for the manual approach.
What is needed is a method of assessing and evaluating an optimal build plan for end products that will consume surplus/excess parts held in inventory with minimal additional purchase requirements.

Method, system, and storage medium for utilizing excess and surplus inventory

International Business Machines Corporation


A system may include computing equipment and a handheld video overlay accessory. A video overlay accessory may include one or more light sources, an image sensor, and processing circuitry. The video overlay accessory may include an image projector that projects images onto external objects. The video overlay accessory may include a partially transparent beam splitter and a display that projects display content onto the partially transparent beam splitter. A user that views a scene through the partially transparent beam splitter may view the display content apparently overlaid onto the scene. Light sources in the video overlay accessory may be laser diodes or other light-emitting diodes that project tracking spots such as infrared tracking spots on to external objects. The image sensor may be used to capture images of the tracking spots. The processing circuitry may determine distance and position information based on the captured images.

This relates generally to systems that display visual information and, more particularly, to systems that overlay visual content on real-world objects.
Electronic devices often have input-output components. For example, an electronic device may contain an output component such as a display providing visual output to a user. In conventional systems, devices commonly have a display that presents device-generated visual content to the user. In some systems, the device-generated visual content may be altered based on the information about the environment around the device.
For example, a map may be displayed on the display that is oriented based on the orientation of the device in the real world. As another example, images of a real-world scene are sometimes captured and displayed on the device display while device-generated visual content is overlaid on the captured images that are displayed. However, it can be challenging to present device-generated display content combined with real-world scene content using conventional image capture and display systems.
It may therefore be desirable to provide improved image overlay systems.

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC


An illumination device for a refrigerator and a method of controlling the same are provided. The illumination device includes a lamp assembly that irradiates light to an inside of a storage chamber of the refrigerator, a base plate mounted on a side within the storage chamber, wherein the lamp assembly is provided on a side of the base plate, a watertight cover formed to enclose the lamp assembly blocking direct penetration of water into the lamp assembly, and at least one fastening device formed on a side of the base plate. The at least one fastening device surrounds an outer surface and an inner surface of entire lower edge of the watertight cover along a side of the watertight cover forming a recess-prominence engagement with the watertight cover. Lamps provided in the lamp assembly are individually controlled through a manipulation panel mounted on the main body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to an illumination device for a refrigerator, which illuminates a storage chamber forming the interior of the refrigerator and includes a lamp adapted to be turned on or off depending on the opening or closing of the door of the refrigerator, and a method of controlling the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, refrigerators are appliances fabricated for the purpose of storing food at a low temperature, wherein such refrigerators are configured so that one or more storage chambers provided within the refrigerators can be cooled by a refrigeration cycle implemented by a plurality of electric components and circulating working fluid.
Such refrigerators tend to get larger in size, and to be multi-functionalized and diversified in construction due to the change of living environment. According to this tendency, various refrigerators, including kimchi refrigerators, are developed.
In addition, a technology of irradiating various colored lights to one or more products stored in the storage chamber have been developed and are applied, wherein light emitting diodes so called LEDs are frequently employed so as to irradiate various colored lights within storage spaces as described above.
Now, a lidded kimchi refrigerator will be described by way of an example for the purpose of convenience in description and understanding. However, it is natural that the present invention can be variously applied regardless of the type of a refrigerator.
A typical lidded kimchi refrigerator: includes a main body provided with a storage chamber which is upwardly opened so as to introduce one or more products to be stored, such as kimchi, into the storage chamber; a door rotatably connected at a side of the opening of the main body so as to selectively shield the storage chamber; and a lamp assembly mounted on the bottom surface of the door for irradiating light to the interior of the storage chamber.
However, the kimchi refrigerator configured as described above has the following problems.
Because the lamp assembly is mounted on the bottom surface of the door, there is a problem in that moisture or water may be directly penetrated into the lamp assembly due to user's carelessness when food is introduced into the storage chamber. Like this, if moisture or water is penetrated into the lamp assembly, there is a problem in that one or more lamps and/or power devices provided within the lamp assembly come into contact with the moisture or water, thereby causing the lamp assembly to be fractured, which may injure the user.
Occasionally, the lamp assembly may continuously illuminate the storage chamber or entirely illuminate the entire storage chamber regardless of the used area of the storage chamber. As a result, there is a problem in that power is unnecessarily consumed due to the lamp assembly.

Illumination device for refrigerator and method of controlling the same


According to the present invention, each of the cylinders of an engine is provided with a first and a second swirl ports for generating a swirl of intake air in the cylinder. The second swirl port is located at the position downstream of the first swirl port with respect to the direction of swirl generated by the first intake port. The helical air passages of the first and the second intake port have a bottom which opens to the cylinder and an upper wall facing the bottom and an end wall defining the end of the helical air passage. The angle .theta..sub.1 between the upper wall and the end wall of the helical air passage of the first (upstream) intake port is formed smaller than the same (the angle .theta..sub.2) of the helical air passage of the second (downstream) intake port. By forming the angle .theta..sub.1 small, intake air flowing through the first intake port rotates a large amount before it flows into the cylinder and a strong swirl is formed by the intake air from the first intake port. On the other hand, since the angle .theta..sub.2 is relatively large, intake air flowing through the second intake port flows into the cylinder before it rotates sufficiently. Therefore, the intake air from the second intake port flows into the cylinder without interfering with the swirl in the cylinder. Thus, the flow resistance of the second intake port decreases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intake system for an internal combustion engine. More specifically, the invention relates to an intake system having two swirl intake ports on each cylinder of the engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
An intake system in which two swirl intake ports are disposed on each cylinder of the engine in order to generate a strong swirl of intake air in the cylinder is known in the Art. For example, this type of the intake system is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-158459. The intake system in the '849 publication disposes two helical type swirl ports on the cylinder. The helical type swirl port has a helical air passage which gives a rotational velocity to the intake air flowing therethrough. In the '849 publication, the swirl port located upstream with respect to the flow direction of the swirl in the cylinder rotates the flow of intake air therethrough by a large amount before it flows into the cylinder while the swirl port located downstream with respect to the swirl in the cylinder rotates the flow of intake air therethrough by only a half turn before it flows into the cylinder.
In the '849 publication, the helical air passage of the upstream swirl port has a relatively large height at the end thereof in order to rotate the flow of intake air by a large amount. In contrast to this, the helical air passage of the downstream swirl port has a relatively small height at the end thereof in order to rotate the flow of intake air therethrough by only a half turn.
By setting the amount of rotation of the flow of intake air through the downstream swirl port small, the tangential (rotational) velocity, i.e., a velocity in the horizontal direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder), of the intake air at the outlet of the downstream swirl port becomes smaller than the tangential velocity of the upstream swirl port. Therefore, a downward velocity component becomes dominant in the flow of intake air from the downstream swirl port, and the intake air from the downstream swirl port flows downward from the downstream swirl port and is subject to less interference with the cylinder wall. Further, since the flow of the intake air from the downstream swirl port has smaller tangential velocity, the intake air from the downstream swirl port hardly interferes with the swirl of intake air generated by the upstream swirl port. Therefore, the swirl in the cylinder is not disturbed or weakened by interference with the flow of intake air from the downstream swirl port.
In the '849 publication, the amount of rotation of the flow of intake air through the downstream swirl port is kept small by setting the height of the end portion of the helical air passage thereof small. However, in the actual intake system, it is difficult to keep the amount of rotation of intake air small only by setting the height of the end portion of the helical air passage small. Therefore, in some cases system in the '849 publication, the flow of intake air from the downstream swirl port interferes with the cylinder wall and the swirl in the cylinder. Such interference causes an increase in the flow resistance of the downstream swirl port and a decrease in the amount of the intake air therethrough. Further, this interference between intake air from the downstream swirl port and the swirl in the cylinder weakens the swirl. This adversely affect the combustion in the cylinder.

Intake system for an internal combustion engine


A system for enabling network convergence and interworking between multiple communications networks is disclosed. A subscriber is associated with a plurality of communications networks each utilizing its own schemes, protocols, and standards for effectuating communication therein. A main centralized database storing subscription, network, service, and location data associated with each of the communications networks is provided. A main administrative node for defining and providing new subscription, subscriber preference, and parameters is further provided. The main centralized database and the administrative node then communicate with corresponding functions within each of the communications networks to provide centralized information sharing, data control, and network resource management across the plurality of associated communications networks.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communications network and, in particular, to the management of multiple services within multiple communications networks.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of different types of telecommunications and data communications, a number of different services and features are available to users. For example, a Mobile Station Integrated Service Digital Service (MSISDN) number, Mobile Identification Number (MIN), or International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number may be assigned to a particular mobile telecommunications user enabling the mobile user to utilize mobile service within a mobile telecommunications network. An Internet Protocol (IP) address may be assigned to a particular node or device to receive and to transmit Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) packets over the associated TCP/IP network such as the Internet. Furthermore, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) addresses are utilized to communicate packet data between two associated nodes within an ATM network. Another type of communications network is a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) network which is a cellular radio network specification that allows CDPD users to send computer data over existing cellular networks. With the help of Interworking Functions (IWF) and other communications devices, a mobile station or terminal is capable of communicating over different communications networks. As an illustration, a mobile subscriber can communicate voice, data, fax, e-mail, etc., over different types of networks.
In order to access and utilize different networks, a user or subscriber needs to maintain a separate subscription, account, and/or address for effectuating communication within the respective communications network. Each of these communications networks is therefore individually maintained and operated. However, due to different communications protocols and network architectures, no common interface exists between different communications networks. Consequently, any changes or updates in data associated with a particular subscriber within one communications network need to be manually and/or separately updated within another applicable communications network. Moreover, there is no seamless inter-networking functionality between different communications networks.
As an illustration, a mobile equipment or station is assigned with a mobile identification number and an IP address. As described above, the MSISDN, MIN, or IMSI number may be associated within a mobile telecommunications network, and the IP address may be associated with the CDPD, Internet, or other data network. Because of its ability to associate with any given mobile telecommunications node, the mobile station is capable of traveling within a particular geographic area and being served by different mobile switching centers (MSCs). As the mobile station travels from a first MSC coverage area to a second MSC coverage area, the mobile station, the serving MSC, and associated visitor location register (VLR) perform a location update to inform a centralized database known as a home location register (HLR) of the mobile station's current location. Such location information is then utilized by the mobile telecommunications network to route an incoming call connection to the MSC/VLR currently serving the called party mobile station. However, even though the mobile telecommunications network is updated with the latest location information, in order to further receive data over the cellular network, a similar location update needs to be performed within the CDPD network. Such redundant location or subscriber data updates within multiple communications networks are rather inefficient and inconvenient. Furthermore, since compatibility and interface are not currently feasible between different types of communications networks, a first communications network is not able to utilize information available within a second communications network. Moreover, in order for a subscriber or user (e.g., mobile user, operator, system administrator, network controller, etc.,) to review or to ascertain subscription or service data associated with a plurality of communications networks, the user needs to individually evaluate the relevant data associated with each communications network. In summary, there is no global scheme for enabling a subscriber or user to review all of the communications networks and subscription data associated thereto.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism to enable a subscriber or user to consolidate and manage multiple networks and associated services in a more efficient and centralized manner.

System for controlling multiple networks and associated services


A separating agent for chromatography is provided that is useful for the separation of specific compounds, e.g., for the optical resolution of amino acids. This separating agent for chromatography provides a higher productivity and contains a crown ether-like cyclic structure and optically active binaphthyl. This separating agent for chromatography containing a crown ether-like cyclic structure and optically active binaphthyl is provided by introducing a substitution group for binding to a carrier into a specific commercially available 1,1′-binaphthyl derivative that has substituents at the 2, 2′, 3, and 3′ positions, then introducing a crown ether-like cyclic structure, and subsequently chemically bonding the binaphthyl derivative to the carrier through the substitution group for binding to the carrier.

Various separating agents having various specific structures adapted to the compounds to be separated are known as separating agents for chromatography. The following, for example, are known for these specific structures: crown ether-like cyclic structures, binaphthyl structures, phenyl ester structures, and phenyl carbamate structures.
Within the sphere of separating agents for chromatography that contain a crown ether-like cyclic structure and a binaphthyl structure, a separating agent for optical isomers is known in which a binaphthyl derivative having a crown ether-like cyclic structure bridging across the individual naphthyl rings in the binaphthyl is adsorbed on a carrier (refer, for example, to Patent Document 1). This separating agent for optical isomers is suitable for the optical resolution of compounds that have an amino group, e.g., amino acids.
In addition, as separating agents for chromatography in which the aforementioned binaphthyl derivative is supported by chemical bonding to a carrier, separating agents for chromatography in which the binaphthyl structure or the crown ether-like structure of a binaphthyl derivative with formula (i) or (ii) below is bonded by chemical bonding to the surface of a carrier, for example, are known (refer, for example, to Nonpatent Documents 1 and 2 and Patent Document 2). The separating agent for chromatography containing the binaphthyl derivative with formula (i) is known to have the optical resolving power with respect to amino acids, while the separating agent for chromatography containing the binaphthyl derivative with formula (ii) is known to lack the optical resolving power with respect to amino acids. Furthermore, with regard to the separating agent for chromatography that contains the binaphthyl derivative with formula (i), art is also known in which the residual silanol groups in the silica gel used as the carrier are protected by treatment using n-octyltriethoxysilane (for example, Nonpatent Document 2), and the optical resolving power with respect to α-amino acids, amines, and amino alcohols is known to be improved by this treatment.

The binaphthyl derivative with formula (i) has promise as a separating agent effective for the optical resolution of amino acids and, while it can be synthesized using commercially available products as the starting materials, the synthesis route is lengthy and there remains room for investigation from a productivity perspective.


A method of preparing a carbon nanotube composite with metal particles on a surface thereof, including: introducing an acylhalide group to the surface, causing a reaction of the acylhalide group with an amine group of a polysiloxane to bond the polysiloxane to the surface by the amide groups, and introducing metal particles to other functional groups of the polysiloxane to bond the metal particles to the surface of the carbon nanotube composite.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carbon nanotube (CNT) composite and a preparation method of the same, and particularly to a CNT composite on which metal particles can be uniformly fixed, that has improved mechanical and electrical properties, and that can be applied to various industrial fields, and a preparation method of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNT) was reported by lijima in 1991, numerous studies regarding CNT as a nano-material have been undertaken, and remarkable improvements in the physical and mechanical properties of the CNT have been reported by many researchers.
Recently, interest in the CNT has increased because the CNT is expected to contribute to future nano-engineering fields when it is used as a reacting template for growing nanotubes or nanorods of other materials. Particularly, applied research on nano-electron device technologies such as a CNT memory and a logic device that will overcome the limitations of the present semiconductor technology, a field emission emitter and a display application technology using its superior field emission property, application technologies of a fuel cell and a lithium ion battery using its large surface area, a composite for an electromagnetic shield and a highly sensitive material, a highly sensitive nano-sensor, and the like are being carried out at home and abroad.
Furthermore, research on CNT-nanoparticle composites of which the nanoparticles are bonded to the CNT is actively being undertaken. According to the research, the CNT-nanoparticle composite can be applied to a catalyst, a chemical sensor, or a nano-sized electromagnetic device, because it is possible to apply the properties of the nanoparticles as well as the properties of the CNT itself. For such applications, various technologies for fixing the nanoparticles to the CNT while maintaining the inherent properties of the CNT and the nanoparticles are being developed.
Particularly, since the CNT-metal nanoparticle composite can be utilized as many forms of electronic materials, various methods for fixing the metal nanoparticles to the CNT have been suggested. For example, a preparation method of the composite by physically mixing the CNT and metals has been suggested, but it has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to apply the composite as an electronic material, because the metals are not properly bonded to the CNT in the composite, or are not dispersed uniformly and are agglomerated together. Accordingly, a method of chemically bonding the metal to the CNT has been suggested, but it has a problem that the metal nanoparticles are not uniformly fixed to the CNT and the size of the metal particles fixed thereto is not uniform.

Method of preparing carbon nanotube composite surface having metal particles

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A rupture disc of a thermoplastic material in which metal wires or carbon fibers are imbedded. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, at least one of the wires is designed as an electrical conductor through which current flows.

Rupture discs have long proven their worth in industrial and scientific operations as safety devices. In comparison with safety valves, they have the advantage of responding virtually without inertia to pressure changes and being capable of opening large cross sections without delay.
There is a series of requirements for materials to be used to produce rupture discs. They must, in particular, have rupture values reliably reproducible, they must be easy to roll or otherwise form into sheets, and they should be corrosion resistant. Metals in the annealed, pure state and alloys are used to a great extent as such materials. Non-metals such as plastics, e.g. silicone rubber, are now increasingly being used for this purpose.
In practice it has been found that rupture discs do not always adequately withstand pulsating pressure loads. Such periodic pressure fluctuations occur, for example, if vessels are fed by piston engines. The rupture discs tend to vibrate, causing the disc material to display the effects of fatigue; in addition, the rupture values change after a period of greater or lesser duration.
Tests have been undertaken to counter the difficulties described. For instance, the relieving surfaces have been divided up, i.e. the rupture disc surfaces reduced and, to compensate for this, the number of relieving cross sections are correspondingly increased. Although this solution to the problem leads to success with regard to the mechanical stability of the rupture discs, it is technically complex and therefore not cost-effective.


A photoconductive imaging member includes a hole blocking layer, a photogenerating layer, a charge transport layer, and an optional overcoating layer, wherein at least one of the charge transport layer and the optional overcoating layer is formed in a sol-gel process.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to sol-gel processes used to form photoreceptor layers, and photoreceptors including such layers. More particularly, the present invention relates to sol-gel processes used to form layers of a photoreceptor structure, particularly charge transfer and overcoat layers, and layers and photoreceptors formed thereby.
2. Description of Related Art
In the art of xerography, also known as electrostatographic or electrophotographic printing, a xerographic plate or drum, known as a photoreceptor or imaging member, comprising a photoconductive insulating layer is imaged by first uniformly depositing an electrostatic charge on the imaging surface of the photoreceptor and then exposing the photoreceptor to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation such as light or a laser source, which selectively dissipates the charge in the illuminated areas of the plate while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image in the non-illuminated areas. This electrostatic latent image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic marking particles or toner particles on the imaging surface.
Generally, layered photoresponsive imaging members are described in a number of U.S. patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,900, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, wherein there is illustrated an imaging member comprised of a photogenerating layer, and an aryl amine hole transport layer. For example, charge transport layers comprised of aryl diamines dispersed in polycarbonates, like MAKROLON® are known. Examples of photogenerating layer components include trigonal selenium, metal phthalocyanines, vanadyl phthalocyanines, and metal free phthalocyanines. Additionally, there is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,006 a composite xerographic photoconductive member comprised of finely divided particles of a photoconductive inorganic compound dispersed in an electrically insulating organic resin binder. The binder materials disclosed in the '006 patent can comprise resins that are substantially incapable of transporting for any significant distance, injected charge carriers generated by the photoconductive particles.
There are also disclosed in U.S. Patent No.3,871,882 photoconductive substances comprised of specific perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid derivatives. In accordance with the teachings of this patent, the photoconductive layer is preferably formed by vapor depositing the perylene derivatives in a vacuum. Also, there is specifically disclosed in this patent dual layer photoreceptors with perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide derivatives, which have spectral response in the wavelength region of from 400 to 600 nanometers. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,463, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated a layered imaging member with a chloroindium phthalocyanine photogenerating layer. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,189, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated a layered imaging member with a nonhalogenated perylene pigment photogenerating component. Both of the aforementioned patents disclose an aryl amine component as a hole transport layer and wherein there can be selected a resin binder.
Moreover, there are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,427 electrographic recording media with a photosemiconductive double layer comprised of a first layer containing charge carrier perylene diimide pigments, and a second layer with one or more compounds which are charge transporting materials when exposed to light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,427 discloses the use of highly-loaded dispersions of perylene bisimides, with bis(2,6-dichlorophenylimide) being a preferred material, in binder resins as charge generating layers in devices overcoated with a charge transporting layer such as a poly(vinylcarbazole) composition. U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,029 illustrates the use, in devices similar to those of the '427 patent, of bisimides and bisimidazo perylenes in which the perylene nucleus is halogenated, preferably to an extent where 45 to 75 percent of the perylene ring hydrogens have been replaced by halogen. U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,189, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, illustrates layered photoresponsive imaging members prepared with highly-loaded dispersions or, preferably, vacuum evaporated thin coatings of cis- and trans-bis(benzimidazo)perylene (4a, X=1,2-phenylene) and other perylenes overcoated with hole transporting compositions comprised of a variety of N,N,N′,N′-tetraaryl-4,4′-diaminobiphenyls. U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,164 illustrates the use of perylene bisimides and bisimidazo pigments in which the 1,12-and/or 6,7 position of the perylene nucleus is bridged by one or two sulfur atoms wherein the pigments in the charge generating layers are either vacuum evaporated or dispersed in binder resins and a layer of tetraaryl biphenyl hole transporting molecules.
In U.S. Pat. Nos.4,869,988 and 4,946,754, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, there are described layered photoconductive imaging members with transport layers incorporating, for example, biarylyl diarylamines, N,N-bis(biarylyl)anilines, and tris(biarylyl)amines as charge transport compounds. In the above-mentioned patents, there are disclosed improved layered photoconductive imaging members comprised of a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer optionally dispersed in an inactive resinous binder, and in contact therewith a charge transport layer comprised of the above-mentioned charge transport compounds, or mixtures thereof dispersed in resinous binders.
It is also indicated in the aforementioned patents that there may be selected as resin binders for the charge transport molecules those components as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,006 including polycarbonates, polyesters, epoxy resins, polyvinylcarbazole; and also wherein for the preparation of the charge transport layer with a polycarbonate there is selected methylene chloride as a solvent.
Organic photoreceptors, i.e., photoreceptors that utilize organic compounds in the charge generation and/or transport layers, have recently been used to provide improved performance. Such organic photoreceptors typically provide improved performance in terms of better charge acceptance, wider spectral sensitivity, lower cost, and easier manufacture. However, such organic photoreceptors also generally provide decreased performance in terms of shorter operating life due primarily to increased wear and scratch rates.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Sol-gel processes for photoreceptor layers


An electric water pump, which can not only ensure more reliable waterproof and cooling performance, provides enhanced durability and operational reliability, and is able to reduce the number of parts and has a more compact structure, compared to the conventional technique.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to electric water pumps and, more particularly, to a structure of an electric water pump which is provided to circulate a coolant for an engine of a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
As is well known to those skilled in the art, a water pump for an engine is provided to circulate a coolant used to cool the engine. The use of electric water pumps, which operate independently of an engine and are able to optimize the flow rate of a coolant, has recently increased thus improving the fuel efficiency of the engine.
Such an electric water pump is basically provided with a motor and electronic devices which are powered by electricity. Therefore, reliable waterproof and cooling performance must be ensured. In addition, the durability and operational reliability must be sufficiently high. Further, the electric water pump is preferably configured to be compact.
An exemplar of the prior art is Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0055279 A.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


A method is provided for developing a software module including support for multiple versions of an operating environment. The method includes determining a first set of references associated with a first version of an application operating environment. A second set of references associate with a second version of the computing environment is determined. A first class loader is associated with the first version of the computing environment. A second class loader is associated with the second version of the computing environment. The method also includes encapsulating the first set of references, the second set of references, the first class loader, and the second class loader in a software module, wherein the second set of references are obscured from the first class loader.

Java technology is both a high-level, object-oriented programming language and a platform. As with most technologies, newer versions of the Java platform are periodically released. Ideally software vendors try to develop applications or tools that require the lowest level of Java as possible to ensure that a broad range of customers can use their products. However, one problem experienced by software vendors who develop applications is that applications developed for an earlier version of Java are not generally compatible with new versions of Java. The following is an example of this problem discussed with respect to a Java Database Connectivity ("JDBC") driver.
A certain minimum level of Java Runtime Environment ("JRE") is always required for a specific version of Java Database Connectivity ("JDBC") specification. For example, the prerequisite level for JDBC 2 is JRE 1.2, for JDBC 3 is JRE 1.4, and for the latest JDBC 4 is JRE 6.0. In order to support a specific version of JDBC specification, a seemingly straightforward solution is to always require a database driver to run with the prerequisite level of Java system. For example, Microsoft's SQL Server 2005 JDBC Driver is JDBC 3 compliant and runs on the JRE 1.4 and later versions. In addition to standard JDBC functionalities, a number of database drivers also include vendor-specific features, most of which do not depend on the underlying level of Java system. Moreover, from the customers' perspective, many of them do not like to move to a new level of Java system too fast for stability reason. Furthermore, vendors who develop applications based on database drivers also prefer a low prerequisite level of Java system for easy adoptability of their products. However, the previous solution forces the minimum level of Java system for the database driver to be the same as that for the highest supported JDBC specification.
Many database driver vendors thus adopt an alternative solution, which spins off a new stream for support of each JDBC specification with a different prerequisite level of Java system. For example, Sybase provides a stream "conn2.jar" for JDBC 2 support on JRE 1.2 and a stream "conn3.jar" for JDBC 3 support on JRE 1.4. Oracle provides a stream "classes12.zip" for JDBC 2 support on JRE 1.2 and a stream "ojdbc14.jar" for JDBC 3 support on JRE 1.4. However, one of the major drawbacks for this solution is that code is duplicated all over the place among separate streams. Besides, each additional stream means additional development, service, and testing effort. This is why some database driver vendors use a third solution, which splits new classes for new JDBC support to avoid dual stream process.
The classes are compiled under different prerequisite levels of Java systems and then bundled together at the end. For example, Cloudscape has a set of major classes for JDBC 3 and another set of major classes for JDBC 4. JDBC 3 specific classes are compiled using JRE 1.4, and JDBC 4 specific classes are compiled using JRE 6.0. At the end, all of these classes are bundled in one Java Archive (JAR) file. However, the JAR file with byte-code compiled under different Java systems is still inadequate and insufficient under certain circumstances. This mixed byte-code solution is not compatible under an IDE, such as Eclipse, because of the multiple Java system build requirement. In addition, it may work for support of one connectivity type with a single inheritance hierarchy, but it does not fit well for support of multiple connectivity types, which most major database vendors have, due to the fact that Java system does not support multiple inheritance hierarchy.
Therefore a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.

Single stream processing with multi-version support of application operating environments


A utensil that emits light from a handle portion thereof for a limited period of time. The handle portion may be in the form of a chemiluminescent light stick. A head portion of the utensil has a hollow interior proximal end adjacent to a solid distal end. The hollow interior is sized to receive the light stick, with the hollow interior having at least one burr to provide a frictional fit and to hold the received light stick therein.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a utensil adapted to be illuminated. More specifically, the invention relates to a utensil adapted to receive and hold a chemiluminescent light stick to the utensil.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chemiluminescent light stick consists of an elongated flexible tube sealed at both ends. Two isolated chemicals are housed within the tube. One of the chemicals is stored in a self-contained glass vial within the tube. Upon breakage of the glass vial, the two chemicals mix resulting in a chemical reaction that creates a cold light for a limited duration.
There are numerous products that invite the use of a chemiluminescent light stick to provide color and illuminating characteristics. Some products are in the form of amusement products, edible compositions, and a variety of other products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,364 to Plante discloses a lollipop with a chemiluminescent light stick. The lollipop has a candy portion comprised of an edible composition, and a stick in the form of a chemiluminescent light stick. To illuminate the handle portion of the lollipop, the stick is bent to break an internal barrier of the stick. Another example is found in international application number WO 96/24007 to Diehl, which discloses a stemmed drinking utensil that may be illuminated. The stem of the drinking glass functions as a conduit adapted to receive a chemiluminescent light stick. Prior to inserting the light stick into the conduit of the stem, the light stick is flexed to break an internal barrier, resulting in emission of light. Thereafter, the light stick is inserted into the stem conduit to enable the stem portion of the drinking utensil to emit light.
It is further known in the art to use one or more batteries in conjunction with electronic circuitry to illuminate novelty food items. Examples of such patents include U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,748 to Schlotter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,373 to Coleman et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,606 to Fernandez et al. However, there are drawbacks associated with use of electronic circuitry and food items or items that are adapted to come into contact with the food. Some of the drawbacks include cost, safety, and the ability to clean and/or recycle the illuminated item for later use.
Although it is known in the art to apply the use of a chemiluminescent light stick to a drinking utensil and to edible substances in place of electronic circuitry and batteries, there is no teaching in the art to apply the use of a chemiluminescent light stick to utensils in a safe and reliable manner. Accordingly, there is therefore a need for a utensil that emits light for a limited period of time in a safe and economical manner.


An improved, panel-mounted fuel reserve valve for a recreational vehicle fuel system. The valve body is molded plastic with a cruciform-symmetrical arrangement of throughbores defining the fuel inlets, the fuel outlet and a valve bore for receiving an internal valve assembly. In the illustrated embodiment the fuel inlets are coaxial, the fuel outlet and the valve bore are coaxial, and the internal valve assembly includes a ball valve element which mates with O-ring type seals associated with the fuel inlets. In a preferred form the valve includes molded hose connectors inserted in the fuel inlets, the hose connectors having valve seat portions which define retainers for the O-rings to hold them firmly and precisely against the ball valve element in the valve body. The invention is also a method for achieving the inventive valve body structure with little or no "flash" or injection leakage which would affect the valve sealing tolerances inside the valve body.

Recreational boats, jet skis, ORVs, snowmobiles and the like typically have fuel systems which are accessible to the operator. Access and operator control over the fuel system typically extends to an on/off fuel reserve valve with a two-or three-position switch operating between "on" (main fuel tank feed), "reserve" (reserve fuel tank feed), and shutoff positions. These valves have a main fuel inlet, a reserve fuel inlet and a fuel outlet. An internal valve assembly is operated by an external handle or switch to selectively open and close flow from the fuel inlets to the fuel outlet. Known types of internal valve assemblies include rotary discs, tapered or sleeve-type valve bodies, and multi-position ball valves.
One type of prior art fuel reserve valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,837 issued May 26, 1992 and co-owned with the present application. This prior art valve is an undertank-mounted valve with fuel inlet ports on the side mounted to the tank, and an outlet port to the engine on the opposite side of the valve. The valve uses a ball-type valve element. The valve is somewhat difficult to manufacture, as it requires a large number of intersecting core pins in the mold to form the various inlets, outlets and internal chambers. This results in an increase in "flash" (plastic leaking around the mating faces of the core pins) due to insufficient, uneven mating pressure on the core pins.
There is sometimes a need to mount a fuel reserve valve on a control panel of the vehicle, rather than under the fuel tank. Such valves typically have a threaded portion or coupling which is screwed into a mating threaded hole in a panel. This mounting arrangement dictates a different valve geometry than that used in undertank-mounted valves of the type in U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,837; i.e., all of the fuel inlet and outlet connectors must be located on one side of the valve so that hose connections can be made on the same side of the panel. A prior art panel-mounted valve is shown in FIG. 1, comprising a die cast metal body with main and reserve fuel inlets and a fuel outlet all formed on the front face of the valve below a threaded panel mounting plug. The valve of FIG. 1 uses a sleeve-and-plug type internal valve assembly.
There are a number of problems inherent in the prior art valve design of FIG. 1. The valve body is die cast and generally of low quality in terms of tolerances, especially sealing tolerances; the sleeve-type seal has a large sealing area which quickly becomes gritty, hard to turn, and prone to failure in actual use; and the valve is relatively expensive. Additionally, the fuel inlet and outlet arrangement limits the flexibility of connections with the fuel tank and the engine.
The present invention overcomes the problems associated with the prior art valve of FIG. 1 by providing an inexpensive, reliable, panel-mounted fuel reserve valve with superior sealing and improved connection options.

Reserve fuel valve and method for making


This invention pertains to alkyl substituted bi(cyclohexylamine) and derivatives having a high trans, trans-isomer distribution. This isomer distribution represents a thermodynamic mixture of the isomers and provides for extended pot life and extended thermal properties in epoxy resins which are not seen with the kinetic isomer mixture. The bridged cyclohexylamine and derivatives are represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl;. R.sup.2 is C.sub.1-4 alkyl; and PA1 R.sup.3 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl. The invention also relates to epoxy resins cured with the bridged bi(cyclohexylamines).

It is well known in the preparation of epoxide resins, which are generally glycidyl polyethers of polyhydric alcohols, that they can be cured by reacting with a polyamine. There is substantial literature available with respect to various types of amine curing agents for polyepoxide resin systems and representative literature include the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,644 discloses reacting polyepoxide resins with hydrogenated aromatic primary or secondary diamines where the aromatic amine has at least two amine hydrogens. Aromatic polyamines which are suited for hydrogenation include phenylenediamine, toluenediamine, 3,3'-diaminodiphenyl, p,p'-methylenedianiline and so fourth. The hydrogenated aromatic amines provide epoxy resin products having excellent hardness and excellent resistance to solvents and water.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,437,282 and 3,560,443 disclose the curing of epoxy resins with 4,4'-methylene-bis(2-alkylanilines) such as 4,4'-methylene-bis(2-ethylaniline) and 4,4'-methylene-bis(2-isopropylaniline). Utilization of these aromatic amine curing agents provide for extended pot life in epoxy resins relative to methylenedi(aniline). The '443 patent discloses a variation to the '282 disclosure in that epoxy resins are cured with the 4,4'-methylene-bis(2-alkyl-6-methylaniline) derivatives. In contrast to the '282 patent the amine in the '443 patent is a dialkyl substituted bridged aromatic amine having alkyl groups in each ortho position to each amine group. The '443 curing agents provide for extended pot life and yet provide epoxy resins having a good heat distortion temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,610 discloses the use of di-tertiary alkylene-bis(cyclohexylamines) which include 2,2-bis(4-dimethylaminocyclohexyl)propane and bis(4-dimethylaminocyclohexyl)methane as curing catalysts. In contrast to prior art tertiary amines, they provide epoxy resins having good mechanical properties in terms of flexural strength, impact strength, etc. Prior to this development it was customary to use primary and secondary amines where the amines would react with the epoxy resin for crosslinking.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,181 discloses adducts of polyepoxide resins and cycloaliphatic or cycloaliphatic-aliphatic di-primary diamines. Cycloaliphatic di-primary amines suited for adduct formation include diaminocyclohexanes and bridged cyclohexylamines where the bridge is a methylene or a propylidene group and representative compounds include 2,2-di(4-aminocyclohexyl)propane and 4,4'-methylene-bis(2-methylcyclohexylamine). Also included is 3-aminomethyl-3,5,5-trimethyl-1-cyclohexylamine or isophoronediamine as it is sometimes called.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,571 discloses the formation of surface coatings comprising epoxy resins and amine curing agents such as a cycloaliphatic di-primary amines, e.g. 1,2-diaminocyclohexane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,687 discloses various tetraalkylated bis(cyclohexylamine) derivatives which include bis(3,5-dimethyl-4-aminocyclohexyl)methane and bis(3,5-diethyl-4-aminocyclohexyl)methane. These bridged cyclohexylamine derivatives are suggested as being suited as valuable intermediate products for the production of polycondensation resins and lacquers. Representative condensation resins include polyurethanes and polyamides.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,925 discloses various bridged bi(cyclohexylamine) derivatives as curing agents. Each cyclohexylamine group has two alkyl groups where the alkyl groups are in the 2 and the 5 position and the main groups are in the 4 position. Specific curing agents include 2,2',5,5'-tetramethylmethylenedi(cyclohexylamine). The tetraalkyl substitution pattern in a bridged cyclohexylamine derivative provides for extended pot life by retarding activity of the amine as a curative and the tetraalkyl substitution also enhances thermal properties of the epoxy resin.

Thermodynamic mixture of alkyl substituted bi(cyclohexylamine) isomers


A plumbing device includes a housing that fits over a rod according to examples of the present disclosure. The rod is movably positioned in the housing. A pin connected to the rod is contained within an elongate opening in the outer surface of the housing. The pin serves as a stop for the rod in an extended position and retracted position.

Faucets are devices which control a flow of liquid from a pipe or container by opening or closing an orifice in the faucet housing. Some faucets utilize spring-loaded seals, which have a faucet seat and a seal spring, to keep water from running when the faucet is off. When the seals wear out, the faucet leaks and the seals must be replaced.


A drive solenoid, a yoke, an armature and at least one contact are mounted in a housing of an electromagnetic switching device. The drive solenoid, yoke and armature are inductively intercoupled, in such a way that when an inrush current is applied to the drive solenoid, the armature can be displaced into a pickup position, thus directly or indirectly actuating the contact. The yoke and/or armature contain(s) pulverulent magnetic material.

Electromagnetic switching devices are known. By way of example, reference is made to EP-A-0 505 194.
Electromagnetic switching devices such as power circuit breakers and contactors contain magnetic drives which include a solenoid, a yoke and an armature. The yoke and the armature in this case consist of magnetizable material, for example iron sheets. If an inrush current is applied to the solenoid, a magnetic flux is produced in the yoke, exerts a force on the armature and picks it up. The armature is consequently displaced into a pickup position.
In the case of a contactor, the displacement of the armature has the effect that switching contacts connected to the armature are moved, and consequently main electrical contacts of the switching device are closed. Once application of the inrush current to the drive solenoid is completed, the armature is moved back into a starting position by restoring springs and, as a result, the contacts are opened.
In the case of power circuit breakers, magnetic trips in which a current to be monitored flows through the drive solenoid are used. If this current exceeds a predetermined value (that is to say the inrush current), the armature is displaced and, as a result, the breaker latching mechanism is actuated, which in turn brings about the opening of the contact.
In the prior art, the yoke and the armature include laminated cores which are produced from individual iron sheets that are connected to one another—for example by rivets. The production from individual metal sheets that are insulated from one another is necessary in this case in particular for the avoidance of eddy currents and associated eddy current losses.
In the prior art, it is disadvantageous in particular that, as a result of the sheeting, only limited degrees of freedom of form are possible and that the sheets can only be connected to the housing and actuating elements by appropriate fastening elements. The solenoid also has to be connected to the housing or the yoke by a separate insulating frame. Furthermore, in the prior art, the striking together of the yoke and armature has the effect of restricting the service life of the magnetic system.
It would be desirable for the yoke and the armature to be able to have any desired three-dimensional structures, which would make it possible for the magnetic circuits to be optimally configured. It should also be possible for the yoke, the drive solenoid and the housing to be connected to one another in a simple and low-cost way, in particular without additional fastening elements. Furthermore, there should be good thermal coupling, to allow any heat loss occurring to be dissipated and so-called hot spots to be avoided. Furthermore, the service life of the magnetic system should be just as long as the mechanical service life of the switching device.


Homeopathic compositions. Implementations of topical homeopathic compositions may include an actives portion including a plurality of active ingredients and a base including a plurality of inactive ingredients where the plurality of active ingredients include tinctures and/or homeopathic preparations of Actaea spicata, Aesculus hippocastanum, Arnica montana, Atropa belladonna, Bellis perennis, Bryonia alba, Calendula officinalis, Causticum, Cimicifuga racemosa, Hypericum perforatum, Kali Carbonicum, Ledum palustre, Lithium Carbonicum, Rhododendron chrysanthum, Rhus toxicodendron, Ruta graveolens, Salicylicum Acidum, and Stellaria media and one or more tinctures and/or homeopathic preparations selected from the group consisting of Althaea officinalis, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Guaiacum, Rhamnus californica, or any combination thereof.

1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to compositions used in homeopathic treatment of symptoms, diseases, and injuries.
2. Background Art
A large number of plant and animal extracts and chemicals have been observed to, in diluted quantities, enable healing and reduction of symptoms associated with diseases and injuries of the human or animal body. Homeopathic compositions operate using dilute concentrations of substances that modify the frequency of the diluent and produce a corresponding response in the human or animal body when taken externally or internally. Homeopathic compositions have been described as being effective by delivering a small amount of a substance that in large quantities would create the symptom being observed thereby allowing the body to properly develop a response that ultimately is able to eliminate the cause of the symptom being observed. A wide variety of conditions are treated using homeopathic compositions, including pain reduction, swelling, inflammation, joint pain, and many others.


A semiconductor device and method for producing such a device is disclosed. One embodiment provides a semiconductor functional wafer having a first and second main surface. Component production processes are performed for producing a component functional region at the first main surface, wherein the component production processes produce an end state that is stable up to at least a first temperature. A carrier substrate is fitted to the first main surface. Access openings are produced to the first main surface. At least one further component production process is performed for producing patterned component functional regions at the first main surface of the functional wafer in the access openings. The end state produced in this process is stable up to a second temperature, which is less than the first temperature.

The invention relates to a method for producing a semiconductor device, and to a semiconductor device.
The complex production methods for modern semiconductor components and circuits include a multiplicity of processes which on the one hand for design reasons, that is to say with regard to the geometrical arrangement of component regions formed by the respective processes, should be performed in a specific sequence and on the other hand must be performed or should at least expediently be performed at respectively specific process temperatures. Reliable production methods having a high yield have had to be developed with regard to the mutual optimization of these two requirements.
Elevated requirements are being made of the technology since it has become established practice to form essential functional regions of semiconductor devices not only in the first main surface of a semiconductor wafer but indeed also in the opposite second main surface thereof, and since especially particularly thin semiconductor components and circuits have been employed industrially on a huge scale and have therefore became an object of mass production. This involves for example IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors) or freewheeling diodes, for applications at high voltages of hundreds of volts, and also integrated circuit arrangements including such components. In the production of such semiconductor devices, handling poses particular problems, as is known, from the standpoint of the low mechanical stability.
For handling thin semiconductor wafers, as an intermediate product in the production of semiconductor devices with a small active substrate thickness, there have been a series of proposals, including for example soldering on a carrier or sacrificial wafer for mechanical stabilization.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Method for producing a semiconductor device including connecting a functional wafer to a carrier substrate and selectively etching the carrier substrate


Antisense compositions targeted against an mRNA sequence coding for a selected protein, at a region having its 5′ end from 1 to about 25 base pairs downstream of a normal splice acceptor junction in the preprocessed mRNA, are disclosed. The antisense compound is RNase-inactive, and is a phosphorodiamidate-linked morpholino oligonucleotide containing uncharged phosphorodiamidate linkages interspersed with cationic phosphorodiamidate linkages. Such targeting is effective to inhibit natural mRNA splice processing, produce splice variant mRNAs, and inhibit normal expression of the protein.

Inhibition of protein expression by antisense targeting of DNA or RNA coding for the protein has been the subject of extensive study. Many reported procedures have employed phosphorothioate-linked oligonucleotides, which are charged, nuclease-resistant analogs of native DNA. The antisense mechanism involved is based on the activation of RNase, which cleaves the target nucleic acid to which the oligomer is bound. While these compounds have shown high activity, they also tend to show high levels of side effects, i.e. by cleavage of non-target RNA or by non-antisense mechanisms, such as nonspecific binding to proteins.
Another class of antisense oligomers, termed RNase-inactive, do not promote cleavage of bound RNA and are believed to act by sterically blocking the molecular machinery from transcribing, processing, or translating the target sequence. While these compounds tend to produce fewer side reactions, such as nonselective cleavage, than phosphorothioate oligomers, it has generally been necessary to target specific regions of RNA, such as the AUG start codon, for successful inhibition.
More recently, targeting of the splice acceptor junction of nuclear (unspliced) RNA by RNase-inactive oligomers has been reported. Kole and Dominski (U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,593) reported suppression of missplicing of β-globin RNA, in order to combat variants of β-thalassemia which result from such aberrant splicing. In this case, the aberrant splice junction was targeted, to direct splicing back to the normal site. RV Giles et al., Antisense & Nucleic Acid Drug Dev. 9:213-220 (1999), targeted a splice junction to induce missplicing of c-myc mRNA. In each of these cases, the region targeted is still somewhat restricted, in that the antisense oligomer spans the intron/exon splice junction of the pre-mRNA. Due to the advantages accorded by the use of uncharged, RNase-inactive oligonucleotides, a demonstration of further flexibility in targeting would be quite useful.

Splice-region antisense composition and method


Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for determining the number of available shots and an image-shooting apparatus. The method includes: determining a current shooting mode; acquiring an average value of a picture size before current shooting in the current shooting mode, where the average value of the picture size is calculated according to storage space occupied by pictures shot before the current shooting in the current shooting mode and the number of the pictures shot before the current shooting in the current shooting mode; and determining, according to currently available storage space and the average value of the picture size, the number of available shots before the current shooting. The technical solution of the present invention improves precision of the determined number of available shots.

Displaying the number of available shots (that is, the number of remaining shots) is a technology often employed in an image-shooting apparatus, and this technology is used to display to a user how many pictures can still be taken when shooting. Currently, the method for determining the number of available shots generally includes: acquiring the size of remaining storage space M of the image-shooting apparatus, acquiring a size of space P required by each picture in a current scenario, and calculating an estimated value of the number of available shots N=M/P. The size of the space P required by each picture may be affected by many factors, such as resolution, compression ratio, and effect, that is to say, the size of the space P required by each picture varies in different shooting modes. Therefore, how to acquire the size of the space P required by each picture in different shooting modes becomes a difficult problem for determining the number of available shots currently.
In the prior art, to solve the problem for acquiring the size of the space P required by each picture, the size of the space P required by each picture is pre-estimated according to image parameters set in each shooting mode, correspondence between the shooting mode and the size of the space P required by each picture in the shooting mode is preset in the image-shooting apparatus, and the preset size of the space P required by each picture is used in calculating the number of available shots each time; however, an actual size of each shot picture may not be the same as P, so an error may exist in the calculated number of available shots, and precision is not high.

Method for determining the number of available shots and image-shooting apparatus


A threaded center line cage assembly includes a cylindrical intervertebral spacer member to which is attached a winged end cap. The spacer member is implanted along a center line or median plane between a pair of adjacent vertebrae to engage inner regions of mutually facing surfaces of the vertebrae. The end cap engages edge regions of the vertebrae to provide lateral support thereto, in cooperation with the spacer member. The spacer member is provided with threads having roots which vary in a conically diminishing manner in a posterior direction and then become constant to form an effectively funnel shaped profile to the thread roots. The funnel shaped profile of the roots tends to promote a desired lordosis between the adjacent vertebrae.

The present application is directed to a center line threaded cage with a winged end cap for implantation between a pair of adjacent vertebrae in order to provide spacing, orientation, and support to the vertebrae and to promote fusion between the vertebrae.
In the human spine, the pad or disc between vertebrae is sometimes damaged or deteriorates due to age, disease, injury, or congenital defect. The vertebrae may also become compressed or otherwise damaged. Because of this, surgery is often utilized to place spacers or interbody devices between the vertebrae which provide proper spacing of the vertebrae and which also promote fusion between the vertebrae. When a device of this type is utilized for purposes of promoting fusion, it is often referred to as a fusion cage or an intervertebral fusion device. When utilized to promote fusion, the interbody devices often are windowed and packed with bone fusion material to promote growth of the bone between the vertebrae. Sometimes such material is packed between a pair of devices that are placed in close proximity to one another between the vertebrae to promote growth of bone and, therefore, fusion between the vertebrae.
In the past, interbody devices have typically been either generally rectangular or cylindrical in shape. The cylindrical devices have an advantage that they can be threadably received more or less directly between and into the adjacent vertebrae. For this purpose, the vertebrae are typically first spaced apart, and then a tool is utilized to create a partial bore in each vertebra which with spacing of the vertebrae allows the interbody device to be received between the vertebrae. Because of the natural space between the bones, the interbody device usually engages the bones only along an upper surface and a lower surface thereof. When the cage is of a cylindrical threaded type, the upper and lower surfaces are curved and essentially designed to engage the portion of the vertebrae where bone is unremoved during boring to create an opening for the device.
When interbody devices of this type are used, it is desirable that the device engage as much surface of bone as possible to provide strength and to reduce the likelihood of subsidence of the device into the bone, resulting from contact pressure of the interbody spacer on an intervertebral surface of a vertebra, since part of the bone is spongy by nature, especially near the center. The remainder of the structure mainly functions to support the two engagement surfaces, unless the device is also used as a cage within which to pack bone fusion material. Because it is also desirable in such structures to maintain weight and volume as low as possible, in order to make the device more compatible with the body, it is also desirable to make the entire device as small and lightweight as possible, while maintaining sufficient strength to prevent catastrophic failure.
As noted above, the mutually facing intervertebral surfaces of an adjacent pair of vertebrae have different characteristics over their areas. Central regions of the surfaces are somewhat spongy, such that there is a tendency of the interbody spacers to subside or sink into the vertebrae in the central regions. In contrast, outer or edge regions of the surfaces are more solid and generally harder. When a fusion cage is implanted, particularly a threaded cylindrical cage, it has previously been the practice to implant two such cages in side-by-side relation except where a wide flat device is used to essentially replace the disc. This done for lateral stability of the vertebrae, so that the vertebrae do not pivot laterally relative to the interbody implant. Two such cylindrical cages have also been used to increase the area of bearing surfaces engaging the vertebral surfaces to thereby minimize subsidence of the cages into the vertebrae. Implanting such a pair of cylindrical cages requires that two bores be cut into the vertebral surfaces to receive the two cages.

Threaded center line cage with winged end gap


A bow sight having a support member with a sight unit disposed at one end a sight pin disposed within the sight unit, a guide member integrally joined to the sight unit and being detachably joined to the support member, a fixed adjustment bar extending from the guide member, and a flexible cable interconnected to the sight pin at one end and fixed to the adjustment bar at the other end.

This invention relates to an improvement in a bow sighting device. Depending on the weight and aerodynamic characteristics of the arrow, a bow sight allows the archer to increase the probability of accurately striking the desired target. Of course, the weight of the arrow requires that the archer aim higher vertically as the distance to the target increases.
It is desirable to provide a bow sight which allows the archer to adjust the sight pin either up or down while in the act of shooting an arrow. The archer draws the string with an arrow attached and the sight pin on the target. Then, by the archer extending the index finger of the bow hand, it comes into contact with adjustment knob attached to the bow sight by means of a flexible shaft and then rotating the knob so as to move the sight pin either up or down to accommodate for either a closer or longer shot. In known systems, it is not easy to maintain an accurate adjustment, especially in tense hunting situations where the sight pin can easily be moved from its desired position when the adjusted rod is bumped.


Described is a method of diagnosing, treating, or monitoring a treatment for Kawasaki disease in a subject. The method includes detecting the level of a biomarker in a sample obtained from the subject, the biomarker being IL-7F, sCD40L, MPIF-1, E-selectin, IP-10, or IL-33. The level is compared to a cut-off level. Also described is a kit for carrying out the method.

Kawasaki disease (KD), a multisystem inflammatory condition observed in younger children, can cause acute vasculitis, most notably affecting the coronary arteries. Without treatment, approximately 20-25% of children with KD develop coronary artery abnormalities (CAAs). Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment can reduce the incidence of CAAs to approximately 5%, but early detection is necessary.
KD diagnosis is difficult, especially at the early stage. Currently, KD diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, including fever for ≥5 days, bilateral conjunctival injection without exudate, polymorphous exanthema, changes in the lips and mouth (erythema and cracking of lips, strawberry tongue, and diffuse injection of oral and pharyngeal mucosae), changes in the extremities (erythema and edema of the hands and feet), and cervical lymphadenopathy (≥1.5 cm in diameter). However, overlapping clinical features and laboratory parameters between KD and other conditions make definitive diagnosis difficult, and no specific laboratory tests are available.
Therefore, identification of specific biomarkers to facilitate KD diagnosis by laboratory analysis would be valuable for preventing serious KD sequelae, especially CAAs.

Diagnosis and treatment of Kawasaki disease


Device (1) for the preparation of coffee, wherein a water/coffee powder mixture is introduced into a cylindrical space (10). The cylindrical peripheral wall (15) is made as a vertical screen and by rotation/centrifugation the prepared beverage is forced through the filter to the outside, whilst granular coffee material remains behind. The top part (17) and the bottom part (19) of the holder (16) are made such they can be moved with respect to the cylinder wall. The motor (26) for rotation is above or below the top part or, alternatively, bottom part. Furthermore, there is a construction for producing the displacement of the top part or bottom part of the holder with the same motor.

Such a device is disclosed in GB 1 506 074. In this publication a rotary holder part is described, the rotation of which is achieved with a motor, which is not shown and which is connected via a V-belt to a pulley located beneath the bottom part. The rotation shaft is of hollow construction and a shaft can move up and down inside it under the influence of a magnet fitted outside it in order to be able to open the holder part to remove or supply coffee.
This is a complex construction that takes up a great deal of space and moreover is not easy to clean. As a result of the use of a magnet the problem arises that either there is insufficient force for opening the holder or opening takes place with an appreciable jolt.
In the British patent specification, after the water has been propelled through the rotating filter with the powder layer thereon it is fed into a coffee collection chamber and from there directly to a discharge, from which a cup of coffee can be drawn off. The collection chamber downstream of the filter is many times larger than the volume of a single cup of coffee.


A bivalent binding agent having a first monovalent binder that binds to a polypeptide epitope of a target polypeptide, a second monovalent binder that binds to a posttranslational polypeptide modification on the target polypeptide and a linker. Further disclosed are methods for the detection of a posttranslationally modified target polypeptide, for making the disclosed bivalent binding agent, and for use of the disclosed bivalent binding agent in histological staining procedures.

The primary structure of a polypeptide, i.e. its sequence, is determined by the nucleic acid coding for it. However, knowing the primary structure of a polypeptide is only part of the story. Many polypeptides—estimates range from 50 to 90%—undergo secondary modifications. Dependent e.g. on the type of secondary modification, the percentage of modified polypeptides and/or e.g. on the exact position/location of a secondary modification, a polypeptide with one and the same primary structure can assume quite different biological functions.
Secondary protein modifications finely tune the cellular functions of each protein. Understanding the relationship between post-translational modifications and functional changes ("posttranslatomics") is enormous effort going on all around the world, not unlike to the human genome project. Proteomics, combined with separation technology and mass spectrometry, makes it possible to dissect and characterize the individual parts of post-translational modifications and provide a systemic analysis.
While some decade ago a protein has been thought of as a linear polymer of amino acids, it first became evident that such polypeptide chain may be decorated with simple amino acid modifications. However, very complicated modifications in one protein are lately discovered in many processes. A variety of chemical modifications have been observed in a single protein and these modifications alone or in various combinations occur in a time- and signal-dependent manner. Post-translational modifications of proteins determine their tertiary and quaternary structures and regulate their activities and functions. The progress in "posttranslatomics" has led to many ground-breaking insights into the interplay of secondary modification and biological function for example in relation to regulation of biochemical pathways and to disease states involving these proteins.
Detection and quantitation of a secondarily modified polypeptide, however, requires sophisticated tools and techniques. Frequently various types of separation and optionally fragmentation techniques are combined with mass spectroscopy in order to identify a posttranslationally modified polypeptide.
The immunological detection of a posttranslationally modified polypeptide has consistently turned out to be rather difficult. Various types of problems may be encountered. It may be difficult to obtain a required immunogen in sufficient purity and quantity. The antibodies obtained according to standard immunization and screening methods may not have the required specificity and/or affinity. Especially when there is a need for an antibody of highly reproducible, consistent quality, e.g. a monoclonal antibody, it may turn out very demanding to obtain such an antibody. Such antibody would have to bind strongly to an epitope consisting of the secondary modification and parts of the polypeptide carrying it. However, many binding agents generated by routine procedures show cross-reactions to other polypeptides with the same kind of posttranslational modification, do not exhibit the required affinity to the epitope recognized and/or show cross-reactivity to the non-modified polypeptide.
Many of the larger polypeptides even comprise several sites for one type of posttranslational modification to occur. There may be e.g. several threonine residues that are glycosylated in a statistical manner. Assessing the glycosylation status of such polypeptide might require several different antibodies with specificity for each of the positions potentially carrying the posttranslational modification.

Detection of a posttranslationally modified polypeptide by a bivalent binding agent


An artificial intelligence (AI) device may acquire user information, use information of a home appliance and weather information, acquire whether use of the home appliance is recommended and a recommended use time of the home appliance from the user information, the use information of the home appliance and the weather information, using an appliance use recommendation model, and output a recommendation comment indicating information on use of the home appliance based on the recommended use time.

Recently, skin care devices for user's skin care, such as LED masks, or stylers for managing clothes have been released, in addition to existing home appliances such as TVs, washing machine, refrigerators, etc.
However, home appliances which are not daily necessaries, such as skin care devices, stylers, etc., are purchased at high prices but may fail to settle down in the user's existing lifestyle. Therefore, the frequency of use of such home appliances may be reduced and such home appliances may be frequently neglected.
When expensive home appliances which may fail to settle down in the user's existing lifestyle are neglected, cost loss may occur from the viewpoint of a user.

Artificial intelligence device and operating method thereof


Methods and systems for providing content are disclosed. Content may be provided to a first device. A manifest file may be generated. The content may be provided to a second device.

As content viewing devices become more mobile and widespread, users desire to access content anytime, anywhere, and via a variety of different devices. Users may desire to view the same content on various devices causing multiple downloads of the same files. Providing such services is very demanding on network resources. Thus, there is a need for more sophisticated methods of providing content, for example, to multiple devices.

Efficient data distribution to multiple devices


When operating a mobile station in an Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS)-compliant mode of operation, a first performance of the mobile station (110) in the EGPRS-compliant mode of operation is evaluated based upon received operating parameters. A second performance of the mobile station (110) in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)-compliant mode of operation is also determined based upon the received operating parameters. The EGPRS-compliant mode of the mobile station (110) is switched to the GPRS-compliant mode of operation whenever the second performance is evaluated to be preferable to the first performance.

Various types of networks exist and mobile stations operate in different operating modes within these networks. For example, mobile stations sometimes operate in Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS)-compliant, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)-compliant, and Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS)-compliant modes. Some modes have advantages over others under different conditions. For instance, the UMTS mode offers higher bandwidth and throughput than EGPRS and GPRS. The EGPRS mode allows the use of higher coding schemes providing for the more efficient transfer of data when compared to GPRS.
In many modes of operation, data blocks are transmitted through networks, but sometimes have to be retransmitted when the blocks become lost or misplaced. A packet scheduler is used to transmit the data blocks, but this scheduler and the mobile station to which the blocks are ultimately being sent are often separated by several network entities and an air interface. Consequently, a substantial time delay is usually present. The delay necessitates that the packet scheduler send downlink data blocks in advance of the amount of time equal to the downlink propagation delay such that there are almost always downlink data blocks transiting to the mobile station.
Previous approaches have not allowed mobile stations to fully utilize the benefits of operating in some operating modes, such as the EGPRS-compliant mode. Specifically, the Radio Link Control (RLC) and the Medium Access Control (MAC) layers in EGPRS/GPRS systems use a sliding window protocol to track segmented blocks while in transit. To keep the window moving, acknowledgements must be frequently requested by the packet scheduler. These acknowledgements erode the uplink throughput, which is needed for uplink data transfers. Since the amount of delay is large between the scheduler and the mobile station, it is very costly whenever a data block is missed and retransmission is required. In the case of EGPRS-compliant mobile stations, these mobiles cannot gain all the benefits of incremental redundancy resulting in the inability to use high EGPRS coding schemes.
In other previous approaches, when an EGPRS-compliant mobile station in the downlink direction is multiplexed with a GPRS-compliant mobile station in the uplink direction, the EGPRS-compliant mobile station often transfers data blocks at a lower channel coding scheme even when Radio Frequency (RF) conditions would permit a higher channel coding scheme. Consequently, the higher coding schemes used by EGPRS-compliant mobile stations cannot be used.
In addition, EGPRS-compliant mobile stations require more memory than GPRS-compliant mobile stations in order to accommodate larger window sizes and support higher coding schemes. This requirement results in the multi-slot capacity of the EGPRS-compliant mobile stations being reduced as compared to the GPRS-compliant mobile stations. Consequently, the mobile stations operating in EGPRS mode transfer data at a lower bandwidth and lower coding scheme thereby reducing the throughput of data transferred.
Furthermore, when the packet scheduler in a EGPRS/GPRS network is separated from the mobile station by several network entities, the packet scheduler may be connected to other network entities via different types of links such as E1 cables. The bandwidth available over these E1 cables (backhaul bandwidth) may be reduced due to cost constraints with the operator. This causes limitations to the rate at which data is transferred to mobile stations.
All of these problems result in less than optimal performance for mobile stations when operating in modes such as EGPRS mode. Less system throughput, slower communications, and/or increased user frustration often results because of these shortcomings.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. 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. It will further be appreciated that 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. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

System and method for switching operating modes of a mobile station


An ergonomic pillow for individuals who sleep on their sides. A characterizing feature of the invention is a recess along a lower front portion of the pillow which provides a protective space for a side, sleeper""s arms. The pillow is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion which is set back from the upper portion to form the recess. Between the upper and lower portions is a flat planar member which distributes the loads of the side sleeper over the area of the lower pillow portion. In a first aspect of the invention, the protective recess extends across the front portion of the pillow. In further aspects, protective recesses are provided for the shoulders and arms of the side sleeper. A rear portion of the pillow is lowered for sleeping without a recess.

This invention relates to orthopedic bedding and more particularly to a pillow for improving comfort and treating sleep deprivation of patients who sleep on their sides.
The quality and quantity of sleep strongly affects mental and physical health and feelings of well being. Many individuals prefer to sleep on their sides (xe2x80x9cside sleepersxe2x80x9d) rather than in prone or supine positions. This preference is primarily for comfort, although obesity, impairment, habit, or illness may require this position as well.
Currently, standard and specialized pillows do not adequately provide for a side sleeper""s needs or comfort. When the side sleepers head, or head and pillow, rest on his arm and/or shoulder, especially after extended periods of recumbency, pain, dysesthesias and paresthesias often occur. The discomfort and annoyance causes the sleeper to change positions frequently, may awaken him, and may diminish the quality and quantity of sleep. Chronic restlessness and wakefulness can cause sleep deprivation with subsequent diurnal fatigue and depression.
The present invention is an ergonomic pillow for individuals who sleep on their sides. The pillow reduces discomfort and restlessness to improve the quality and quantity of sleep. Various positions are considered for accommodating the side sleeper""s head, neck, shoulder and arm to prevent nocturnal compression of the arm and shoulder. It is a further objective to provide a comfortable pillow which is multi-functional and multi-positionable to accommodate various sleeper positions and recumbent activities.
The invention broadly comprises an ergonomic segmented pillow having upper head and lower base portions enclosed in a thin cover; and a removable outer cover. One distinguishing feature of the invention is that a rigid sheet divides the upper and lower portions. The rigid sheet elevates the side sleepers head and maintains the pillow in a level position by distributing loads across the lower portion of the pillow. Another distinguishing feature of the invention is a recess in the front of the pillow for protecting the side sleepers arm.
In a first embodiment of the invention, a recessed front portion of a pillow extends along the entire length of the pillow. In alternate embodiments, additional recessed portions are provided in the center and opposite ends of the pillow. The pillow may also be used without the recesses by interchanging the front and rear portions of the pillow.
In employing the teaching of the present invention, a plurality of alternate constructions can be adopted to achieve the desired results and capabilities. In this disclosure, only several aspects of the invention are discussed. However, these aspects are intended as examples and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.
Further features and benefits will be apparent by reference to the drawings and ensuing detailed description of a preferred embodiment which discloses the best mode contemplated in carrying out the invention. The exclusive rights which are claimed are set forth in the numbered claims following the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

Orthopedic side sleeper comfort pillow and method