The present invention refers to recombinant DNA molecules encoding fusion peptides from different allergens from Blomia tropicalis and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus having potential usefulness in prevention and treatment of allergies caused by domestic mites. Specifically, the invention discloses fusion proteins comprising different fragments of allergens Der p 1, Der p 2, Der p 7, Der p 8, Blo t 5, Blo t 8, Blo t 18, Blo t 12 and Blo t 13 with reduced serum IgE reactivity in allergic and non-allergic individuals. It also discloses methods for production of these molecules in an expression system based on E. coli and purification. The invention refers also to effective and safe vaccines.

Individuals allergic to domestic mites are in general sensitive to mites of genus Dermatophagoides, being D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae the most prevalent species worldwide. Additionally, in tropical and sub-tropical regions the presence of B. tropicalis is very abundant, being predominant sometimes in the population of mites present in house dust. In these regions, individuals allergic to mites are sensitive mostly to D. pteronyssinus and B. tropicalis (1).
About twenty allergens have been identified among domestic mites. However, only some of those have shown high reactivity frequency in the allergic population and some show cross-reactivity. Amongst B. tropicalis allergens, Blo t5 shows the highest reactivity frequency, Blo t12 and Blo t 13 show lower frequency, but induce an intense IgE in many of the sensitive individuals (2, 3).
Others as Der p1 and Der p2 are the most important D. Pteronyssinus, and between 50% and 100% of allergic individuals have IgE specific against these two allergens.
Another D. Pteronyssinus important allergen is Der p7, being estimated that 50% of individuals allergic to domestic mites shows IgE against this allergen. Allergens of mite groups 8 and 10, such as glutathione S transferase (GST) and tropomyosin, respectively, are of particular importance due to the significant crossed-reactivity observed with homologous derivate from different mite species and other organisms (4).
An allergen must produce cross-linking of IgE antibodies linked to the effector cells surface in order to induce cell activation and inflammatory response, requiring this process at least two IgE epitopes on the allergen surface. The IgE antibodies of an allergic patient may recognize continuous epitopes or discontinuous epitopes. Cross-linking of IgE antibodies on mast cells surface induce immediate release of biologically active mediators such as histamine and leukotrienes.
Decrease of allergenic capability can be achieved by intervention of IgE epitopes through mechanisms such as point mutation, amino acid deletion and disturbance of the natural molecular bending. Reordering amino acid segments conforming the primary sequence of the allergen also modifies the allergenic capability.
In some studies fusion or hybrid proteins have been generated to provide a better allergen-specific immunotherapy. Fusion proteins have been generated by using several portions of different allergens linked to form a unique molecule, intended to obtain vaccines poorly reactive to IgE antibody, which decreases the anaphylaxis risks, and to deliver to the patient only those allergens involved in development of allergic response (5).
A number of patents is known in this field related to pollen allergens (U.S. Pat. No. 7,862,828) and to domestic mites, as shown in documents US20080274059; US20110052640; US20070065468; US20060233839; US20090130130 and WO2007140505.
In fact, document U.S. Pat. No. 7,862,828 describes a method to prepare fusion allergens, consisting of two or more recombinant polypeptides from grass pollen, to be used as immunotherapeutic agent comprising: (a) to provide a polynucleotide sequence which codifies the fusion allergen, (b) to introduce said polynucleotide sequence into the host cell, (c) to grow the host cell to express the sequence, (d) to recover the fusion allergen expressed from the grown cell, (e) to assay the fusion allergen as a candidate for immunotherapy, by delivering the allergen to a test animal and to select those inducing the strongest immune response and generation of IgE blocking antibodies in comparison to that obtained with the individual components.
On this case, the polypeptide has at least two different allergenic proteins or their fragments. The hybrid polypeptide, the polynucleotide and the cell are useful for drug preparation for treatment of allergenic disorders or for prophylactic vaccination. Among allergenic sources for allergenic proteins, grass pollen, mites, bee venom or animal hair allergens may be the most important. Specific examples of allergenic proteins are group 1, group 2, group 4, group 5, group 6, group 11, group 12 and group 13 of allergens from the most important grass pollen, Der p 1 and Der p 2 (mites), phospholipase from bee venom, and Fel d 1 (cat).
On the other hand, document US20080274059 reveals fusion protein comprising a group 1 allergen and a group 2 allergen from genus Dermatophagoides fused at group 1 allergen N— o C—, where they may be Der p 1 or proDer p 1, and, from group 2, where they may be Der p 2. This document includes claims for the nucleic acid to develop the fusion protein, the expression cassette, the vector containing this cassette and a cell of any type including cassette or expression vector, and a vaccine composition including the fusion protein on a pharmaceutically acceptable support. The fusion protein is applied to prevent or treat allergic reactions to mites. The expression cell may be Escherichia coli, Pichia pastoris or Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
The United States Patent Application 20110052640 reports a hypoallergenic hybrid polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of at least 50 amino acids of a sequence selected from group 1 and 2 allergens from dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus), and where a linkage epitope to IgE antibody of said allergen is deleted. Included are either the polypeptide having 70% sequence identity, the corresponding polynucleotide, the vector, the expression host cell including the polynucleotide, the method to produce the polypeptide and the pharmaceutical composition that comprises the polypeptide. The group 1 allergen is Der p 1, and that of group 2 is Der p 2. The obtained polypeptide keeps immunogenic capabilities, being particularly useful for allergy treatment. Additionally, production methods for these polypeptides in heterologous expression systems and efficient purification methods are described
Patent US20070065468 reports a product for specific reduction of immunoglobulin E (IgE) as well as the allergic reaction, specifically a chimeric polypeptide having at least two mite allergens. It includes amino acid sequence for those allergens such as Der p 1, Der p 2 and Blo t 5. Allergens can be expressed in Escherichia coli or CHO—K1.
Patent US20060233839 describes a recombinant protein with an allergen derived from Der p1 where the protein has a reduced allergenic activity, important in relation to the allergen in natural state and comprising three mutation sites. In addition to Der p 1 allergen, ProDer p 1 and Der p 3 with ProDer p 3 and PreProDer p 3 are included. Claims include the nucleic acid molecule, the expression vector, the cell transformed for production of recombinant protein, and the immunological composition used for patient treatment.
Document US20090130130 refers to an isolated polypeptide, derivative or fragment composed by (a) a polypeptide, its derivate isoform, or a fragment thereof, comprising a non-helicoidal mutant of at least an allergen from group 5 mites and, (b) a polypeptide, its derivate isoform, or a fragment thereof comprising at least a substituted, added or deleted amino acid, or at least a chemical modification, where the polypeptide exhibits reduction in reactivity equal to or higher than IgE from the natural polypeptide, in subjects allergic to at least one allergen from group 5 mites. This polypeptide from the group 5 allergens may be Blo t 5, Der p 5, Der f 5, or Der m 5. Claims include nucleic acids sequences, a vector/host cell comprising nucleic acid molecules, a pharmaceutical preparation including the polypeptide or a vaccine.
Patent WO2007140505 reports a hypoallergenic protein comprising an allergen fused to or conjugated with at least a second non-allergenic protein or a fragment thereof. Included are claims for nucleic acid molecules encoding a hypoallergenic molecule or fusion protein, the vector, the host cell, an antibody addressed against the hypoallergenic or fusion protein, and the vaccine which may comprise it. The protein is derivate from Phl p 5, Fel d 1, Der p 2, Der p 7, Der p 21, Clone 30, Alt a 1, Par j 1, Ole e 1, Fel d 2, Can f 1, Can f 1, Art v 1, Amb a1, Alt a 2 or Alt a 6 having a terminal blunt in C- or N-terminus, and exhibiting reduced capability to IgE in comparison to native Phl p 5. The second protein is a viral, bacterial, fungal, or protozoan protein. For example, it is a virus capsid protein, preferably from picornaviridae.
Additionally, it is known that Linhart and collaborators (6) built, by PCR-based recombination, a fusion molecule composed by the most important allergens from timothy grass, in the order Phl p6, Phl p2, Phl p5 y Phl p1, which was expressed in E. coli as a 79 kDa protein. This molecule demonstrated to be useful for immunotherapy since it induced lymphoproliferation in a degree similar to that induced by a equimolar mix of the individual allergens in an model of mice allergic to pollen, induced Thl and IgG profile cytokine production, able to block degranulation of mast cells incubated in the presence of the allergen.
The concept of fusion proteins has been also explored with mite allergens; a fusion protein composed by Der p1 and Der p2 portions showed lower IgE reactivity in comparison to native allergens and may induce mice to produce blocking IgG, which suggests their usefulness in immunotherapy (7).
Recently, Bussieres L. and collaborators (8) built several hybrid proteins composed by Der p1, Der p2 portions and a Der p1 precursor (pro-Der p1), showing that they are able to induce basophile degranulation in individuals allergic to domestic mites, and by "immunoblotting" with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, the conservation of B epitopes of native allergens was demonstrated.
Nevertheless, there is a non-satisfied need for vaccines based on recombinant molecules that contain several antigenic regions from mites common in tropical and subtropical areas, which may be suitable alternatives to immunotherapy schemes currently known, which are based on application of natural extracts from complete allergens, and which may be able to decrease the anaphylaxis risk and to improve the treatment efficacy.

Fusion proteins representing different allergens and a vaccine against allergy to mites


Apparatuses and methods for sensing fuse states are disclosed herein. An apparatus may include an array having a plurality of sense lines. A plurality of cells may be coupled to a sense line of the plurality of sense lines. A fuse sense circuit may coupled to the sense line of the plurality of sense lines and configured to receive a sense voltage from a cell of the plurality of cells. The sense voltage may be based, at least in part, on a state of a fuse corresponding to the cell of the plurality of cells. The fuse sense circuit may further be configured to compare the sense voltage to a reference voltage to provide a fuse state control signal indicative of the state of the fuse.

One-time programmable (OTP) memories continue to be used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to permanent storage of programs or bootable code, device identification, or marking particular data with an unchangeable characteristic, such as being read-only or accessible only in response to a user having particular permissions. OTP memory is often programmed by manufacturers and typically only after being implemented in a device. Some OTP memories rely on fuses to ensure that bits of the OTP memories cannot be changed. By "blowing" a fuse (or "unblowing" an antifuse), for example, a bit is permanently transitioned from an unwritten state to a written state.
An example of conventional fuses used for OTP memories are polyfuses. Polyfuses are programmable memory elements that may have a blown state or an unblown state. The unblown state may be characterized by a low resistance value, and the blown state may be characterized by a high resistance value. While polyfuses initially are in an unblown state, providing a high current to a polyfuse may cause a polyfuse to transition from an unblown state to a blown state, thereby increasing the resistance of the polyfuse. In some instances, providing the high current may vaporize a portion of the fuse, such as a metal silicide (e.g., WSi or CoSi2) layer.
Whether a polyfuse in blown or unblown may be determined using the resistance of the fuse. For example, unblown polyfuses may have a resistance between 110 ohms and 220 ohms, and have an average resistance of 165 ohms. Blown polyfuses, on the other hand typically have a resistance of at least 880 ohms. By differentiating between these respective resistances, the fuse state of a fuse may be determined.
Because polyfuses may not transition to an unblown state from a blown state, polyfuses may be used as one-time programmable memory elements. A blown state may, for example, correspond to a logical value of 0 and an unblown state may correspond to a logical value of 1, or a blown state may correspond to a logical value of 1 and an unblown state may correspond to a logical value of 0.
While use of OTP memories, generally, is well known, conventional approaches are not without their respective faults. Current programming processes often require long burning times, and OTP memory arrays can require large amounts of physical space in a device. Moreover, in many cases, OTP memories may require that particular fuse states of fuses correspond to certain logical values, limiting the manner in which OTP memory may be written. With respect to polyfuses, the relatively small resistance margin between unblown and blown states may cause difficulty when attempting to reliably differentiate between blown and unblown fuses. Some approaches have attempted to compensate for this problem, but often have impractical power consumption.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


In a behind-the-ear hearing device with a detachable support hook fastened to the hearing device, a narrow structural shape is enabled in the transition region between the support hook and the hearing device housing. The invention provides a one-part, metallic connection piece for a hearing device support hook, with a sound channel passing through this connection piece, with a fastening section, a stop and a fastening clip, such that forces affecting the connection piece over a plurality of regions of the connection piece can be passed into the housing of the hearing device. In comparison with a connection piece with a single region provided for force transfer, the cross-section of the hearing device housing can thereby be reduced in the region of the connection piece.

The invention concerns a one-part, metallic connection piece for a hearing device support hook, with a sound channel passing through this connection piece.
Behind-the-ear hearing aids are typically fastened on a support hook behind the ear of the hearing device user. In addition to the fastening of the hearing device behind the ear, the support hook normally fulfills an additional function. Namely, a sound channel normally passes through it via which the sound generated via a speaker arranged in the hearing device is conveyed to a sound tube connected with the forward end of the support hook, and via this sound tube and an ear fitting piece, into the auditory canal of the hearing device user.
It is preferable, for cosmetic reasons, and also to increase the wearing comfort with behind-the-ear hearing devices, to have optimally small and narrow housing structural shapes.
In the behind-the-ear hearing device SIGNIA S produced by Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH, the support hooks are comprised of a curved titanium tube which is partially extrusion-coated by plastic material. This tube is continuous from the attachment point at the earpiece to the forward end of the support hook.
For attachment and affixing, a fastening clip made from plastic is molded on between the actual hearing device housing and the support hook, this fastening clip comprising a bore through which an attachment screw is guided. This known hearing device in fact exhibits a particularly slim structural shape between the actual hearing device housing and the support hooks; however, the housing of the hearing device must always be open to an exchange of the support hook. A screw connection for the support hook is not possible with this structural shape since the titanium tube cannot be provided with a threading.
Furthermore, behind-the-ear hearing devices with a metal connection piece are known that comprise a threading at the forward end of the connection piece. A support hook can be screwed onto the threading. This enables a simple exchange of the support hook in the event of repair. In the known connection piece, a catch/stop via which the connection piece is attached and affixed in the housing of the hearing device is located behind the winding. Via this catch, the relatively high turning and bending moments, particularly those generated upon screwing on and removal of the support hook, are transferred from the connection piece to the hearing device housing. This known solution has the advantage that, in the transition region between the actual hearing device housing and the support hook, relatively large forces are transferred to a narrowly limited region of the hearing device housing, whereby this forward housing region can not exceed a specific structural size.

Connection piece for hearing device support hook


A method for monitoring health of a valve is presented. The method includes receiving an acoustic emission signal from a sensing device operatively coupled to the valve, selecting a region of interest signal in the acoustic emission signal, determining a plurality of current parameters based on the region of interest signal, and monitoring the health of the valve based on at least the plurality of current parameters, wherein the region of interest signal comprises acoustic emission data generated from initiation of an opening of the valve until the valve is partially opened.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a valve and more specifically to methods and systems for monitoring health of the valve.
A valve is a device configured to regulate flow of fluids. The regulation of the fluid flow is facilitated by opening and closing of the valve. Valves may be used in an oil and/or gas production systems to control the flow of oil and/or gas out of a well. Typically, gate valves are used in oil and/or gas production systems. Generally, a gate valve includes a controlled gate that moves up or down against valve seats to permit or prevent the flow of fluid through the gate valve. The working environment for a gate valve can be challenging due to high pressure and temperature of the fluid flow in the oil and/or gas production systems. Specifically, due to compressive forces typically exerted by fluids in the oil and/or gas production systems, surface of gates and valve seats tend to wear and tear. The wear and tear, in turn, may result in large actuating forces, incomplete closing of the valve, and leakage in the valve.
Typically, the wear and tear in the gate valves may lead to safety hazards, and hence health of the gate valve is regularly monitored. Gate valve health monitoring, for example, may include identification of wear and tear in the gate valve, prediction or diagnosis of a leak in the gate valve, identification of presence or absence of lubrication in the gate valve, quantification of amount of leakage in the gate valve, or the like. Current techniques to monitor the health of the gate valve includes manual intervention by experienced technicians at regular intervals. While the valve health is being monitored by the technicians, entire production is typically shut down. Even for monitoring the health of a single gate valve, the entire production system is typically shut down. The time required to manually monitor the valve's health is often long, and the effectiveness of monitoring depends on the experience of technicians. Additionally, current monitoring techniques incur significant costs due to the need to shut down the production system, mobilization of testing equipment and involvement of experienced technicians.
Accordingly, methods and systems are required to automatically monitor the valves.

Methods and systems for monitoring health of a valve


A scraper for removing residual material from a container having a curved wall. The scraper includes a spatula component and a rigid handle component. The spatula component is made of a substantially flexible material having formed thereon rigid top and side members along the upper portion. The handle component continues onto the spatula component such that a rigid spine is formed therealong. This construction allows flexing of the lower portion about the rigid spine but restricts flexing of the upper portion.

The present invention generally relates to scrapers for removing residual material from a can or a similar container. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a scraper having semi-flexible characteristics such that only a portion of the scraper is flexible, while the rest of the scraper is rigidly reinforced, thereby maximizing the scraper's utility.

Can scraper having flexbile characteristics


A method of manufacturing a display device includes forming a gate electrode on a substrate, a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode, and an active layer on the gate insulating layer, the gate electrode made of extrinsic polycrystalline silicon, the active layer made of intrinsic polycrystalline silicon; forming an etch stopper on the active layer; forming source and drain electrodes spaced apart from each other on the etch stopper; forming an ohmic contact layer each between a side of the active layer and the source electrode and between an opposing side of the active layer and the drain electrode; forming a gate line connected to the gate electrode; and forming a data line crossing the gate line.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Until recently, display devices have typically used cathode-ray tubes (CRTs). Presently, many efforts and studies are being made to develop various types of flat panel displays, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, plasma display panel (PDP) devices, field emission displays, organic electroluminescence display (OELD) devices and the like, as a substitute for CRTs. Recently, active matrix type LCD devices, PDP devices, OELD devices and the like have been widely used. The active matrix type display devices include a TFT substrate, which is referred to as an array substrate, and the array substrate includes a plurality of thin film transistors formed in a plurality of pixels, respectively.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an array substrate for a display device according to the related art. For example, FIG. 1 shows an array substrate of an LCD device among display devices.
Referring to FIG. 1, the array substrate includes a gate line and a data line 33 crossing each other on a substrate 11 to define a pixel region P. A thin film transistor Tr is connected to the gate line and the data line 33. The thin film transistor Tr is formed in a switching region TrA. The thin film transistor Tr includes a gate electrode 15, a semiconductor layer 28, and source and drain electrodes 36 and 38. The semiconductor layer 28 includes an active layer 22 made of intrinsic amorphous silicon and both ohmic contact layers 26 made of extrinsic amorphous silicon. A gate insulating layer 18 is formed on the gate line and the gate electrode 15. A passivation layer 42 is formed on the thin film transistor Tr and includes a drain contact hole 45 exposing the drain electrode 38. A pixel electrode 50 is formed on the passivation layer 42 and contacts the drain electrode 38 through the drain contact hole 45.
A semiconductor pattern 29 is formed below the data line 33. The semiconductor pattern 29 includes a first pattern 23 made of intrinsic amorphous silicon and a second pattern 27 made of extrinsic amorphous silicon.
In the related art array substrate, a portion of the active layer 22 below the ohmic contact layers 26 has a thickness t2 more than a thickness t1 of a portion of the active layer 22 between the ohmic contact layers 26. This thickness difference is caused by a manufacturing process, and due to the thickness difference, a property of the thin film transistor Tr is degraded.
FIGS. 2A to 2E are cross-sectional views illustrating forming the thin film transistor of FIG. 1. For convenience' sake, FIGS. 2A to 2E does not show the gate electrode and the gate insulating layer.
Referring to FIG. 2A, an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 20, an extrinsic amorphous silicon layer 24 and a metal layer 30 are formed on a substrate 11. Then, a photoresist pattern is formed on the metal layer 30. The photoresist pattern includes first portions 91 and a second portion 92, and the first portions 91 are at both sides of the second portion 92. The first portions 91 have a thickness more than the second portion 92.
Referring to FIG. 2B, the metal layer (30 of FIG. 2A), the extrinsic amorphous silicon layer (24 of FIG. 2A) and the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer (20 of FIG. 2A) are etched using the photoresist pattern to form a source-drain pattern 31, an extrinsic amorphous silicon pattern 25 and an active layer 22.
Referring to FIG. 2C, an ashing process is performed to remove the second portion (92 of FIG. 2B). The first portions 91 are partially removed and the thickness of the first portions 91 decreases.
Referring to FIG. 2D, the source-drain pattern (31 of FIG. 2C) is etched using the ashed photoresist pattern to form source and drain electrodes 36 and 38 spaced apart from each other.
Referring to FIG. 2E, a portion of the extrinsic amorphous silicon pattern (25 of FIG. 2D) between the source and drain electrodes 36 and 38 is dry-etched to form ohmic contact layers 26 below the source and drain electrodes 36 and 38, respectively. The dry-etching process continues enough to completely remove the portion of the extrinsic amorphous silicon pattern between the source and drain electrodes 36 and 38, and thus, a portion of the active layer 22 between the source and drain electrodes 36 and 38 is etched to a predetermined extent. Accordingly, the portion of the active layer 22 between the source and drain electrodes 36 and 38 has a thickness t1 less than a thickness t2 of a portion of the active layer 22 below the ohmic contact layers 26. If the dry-etching process is not performed enough, the extrinsic amorphous silicon pattern might remain on the portion of the active layer 22 between the source and drain electrodes 36 and 38. To prevent this, the dry-etching process continues to be performed until the active layer 22 is partially removed.
However, such a dry-etching process causes the active layer 22 not to be uniform. Further, the portion of the active layer 22 between the source and drain electrodes 36 and 38 to be damaged by the dry-etching. Accordingly, a property of the thin film transistor is degraded.
Further, since the active layer 22 is made of amorphous silicon, an electric property of the thin film transistor is not excellent. For example, a mobility of the active layer 22 is as low as about 0.1 cm2/V·s to 1.0 cm2/V·s. Accordingly, there is a limit in employing the amorphous silicon active layer 22 into a thin film transistor for a driving circuit.
A polycrystalline silicon type thin film transistor has been proposed, which is manufactured by crystallizing an amorphous silicon layer using a laser apparatus. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an array substrate, including a polycrystalline silicon type thin film transistor, for a display device according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 3, an active layer 55 on a substrate 51 is made of polycrystalline silicon and includes an active portion 55a, and source and drain portions 55b and 55c at both sides of the active portion 55a. The source and drain portions 55b and 55c are doped with n+ or p+ ions. To dope the source and drain portions 55b and 55c, an ion implantation apparatus is additionally required. This causes production costs and processes to increase. Further, since the ion implantation apparatus is newly added, manufacturing apparatuses and processes for the array substrate should be newly configured.

Display device and method of manufacturing the same


An optical system for use in an optical pickup device for recording and/or reproducing information on an optical recording media, the optical system having an optical axis and comprising: an objective system for converging a light beam emitted from a light source on the optical recording media; an optical aberration correcting element comprising two lenses arranged on an optical path between the light source and the objective system and having an adjustable distance in the direction of the optical axis, the optical aberration correcting element comprising a ring-shaped phase structure formed in at least one lens surface of the optical aberration correcting element, and wherein the ring shaped phase structure is non-periodic and comprises a plurality of concentric ring surfaces k (k=1 . . . N), and each of the ring surfaces has a step in the direction of the optical axis between the adjacent ring surface.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an optical system, an optical pickup device, and a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for a sound and/or image.
2. Technical Background
Conventionally, an optical disc known as a compact disc (CD) or a digital versatile disc (DVD) has been widely used for the recording of digital data, for example, accumulation of music information and visual information or the recording of computer data.
Therefore, because of the coming of information society, an increase of capacity of optical disc has been recently required strongly.
As to the optical disc, to improve a recording capacity (recording density) of data per unit area, a spot diameter of a converging spot obtained from an optical system for optical pickup is shortened. As well known, the spot diameter is proportional to λ/NA (here, λ denotes wavelength of light emitted from a light source, and NA denotes a numerical aperture of an objective lens). Therefore, to shorten the spot diameter, the shortening of wavelength of light emitted from a light source in the optical pickup device and the heightening of numerical aperture of an objective lens arranged oppositely to the optical disc are effective.
As to the shortening of wavelength in the light source, the research of a blue-violet semiconductor laser emitting a laser beam of wavelength of around 400 nm has been developed and will be put to practical use in near future.
However, in the optical system having the high numerical aperture or the shortened wavelength, an amount of aberration in the whole optical system is easily changed due to non-uniform or partially-changed thickness of a protective layer of the optical disc, a change in wavelength of light emitted from the light source, difference between light sources and/or a change in temperature of the optical system. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain a spot of light having small diameter.
In the optical pickup device, laser power in the recording of information is generally larger than that in the reproduction of information. Therefore, when a reproduction mode is changed to a recording mode, there is a case where mode hopping occurs. In this mode hopping, a central wavelength of light is immediately changed by several nanometers due to a change in output power. A change in focal position caused by the mode hopping can be obviated by focusing an objective lens. However, because it takes several nanoseconds for the focusing of the objective lens, a problem has arisen that the recording of information cannot be correctly performed due to the change in focal position in a period of time of several nanoseconds. The shorter the wavelength of light emitted from the light source is, the larger the change in focal position is. Therefore, the shorter the wavelength of light is, the larger the deterioration of the wave front aberration of the light due to the mode hopping is. Therefore, the optical pickup device using the blue-violet semiconductor laser as the light source requires the correction of the focal position of the converging spot which changes with the wavelength of light.
Also, when an objective lens having the high numerical aperture is made of a plastic lens, there is a probability that an amount of spherical aberration changes due to a change in temperature. In this case, the correction by moving a part of a converging optical system is possible. However, because the change in temperature occurs non-periodically, it is required to always observe the converging spot, the aberration and the temperature per se. As a result, cost of the manufacturing of the device is heightened.
To solve the problem of the change in wavelength, a ring-shaped diffraction pattern is formed on an optical surface of an objective lens, and axial chromatic aberration is corrected by using the diffraction function of the diffraction pattern. Therefore, the change in focal position caused by the change in temperature can be suppressed to a low degree in the optical pickup device using the blue-violet semiconductor laser as the light source. An objective lens of this optical pickup device is disclosed in a Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H09-311271.
Further, as an optical system relating to the correction for the change in temperature, an objective lens for correcting a change in wavelength of light of a light source caused by the change in temperature by using the diffraction is disclosed in a Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H11-337818.
However, because the diffraction pattern has a very fine structure, the fabrication of a mold for the objective lens having the diffraction pattern is difficult. Also, a problem has arisen that transmittance of light in the objective lens is easily lowered due to the effect of a fabrication error in the fabrication of the diffraction pattern.
Further, the finer the diffraction pattern is, the larger the effect of the fabrication error on the transmittance of light is. Therefore, because the diffraction pattern in a peripheral portion of the lens is finer than that in a central portion, the objective lens has a transmittance distribution having a low transmittance in the peripheral portion. As a result, a problem has arisen that the converging spot according to the transmittance distribution is enlarged.

Optical system having an objective system and an optical aberration correcting element


A reduced weight, low profile, stacked patch antenna includes an `active` antenna patch element, a `parasitic` antenna patch element, and a tuning stub portion of a microstrip feed, which resonate at respectively different frequencies. The tuning stub is located adjacent to the active patch element, so that electromagnetic field energy associated with the tuning stub is coupled to the active and parasitic patches of the stacked patch structure, thereby creating a distributed resonance characteristic, having an augmented bandwidth compared with that of a conventional patch antenna. Manufacture of the stacked patch antenna is facilitated by the use of both a proximity feed and the interleaving of layers of adhesive material among the respective components of the stacked structure.

Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 68/781,530 entitled: "Flat Panel-Configured Lightweight Modular Antenna Assembly Having RF Amplifier Modules Embedded in Support Structure Between Radiation and Signal Distribution Panels," by S. Wilson et al, filed on even date herewith, assigned to the assignee of the present application and the disclosure of which is herein incorporated, describes and illustrates a lightweight antenna sub-panel architecture, which is particularly suited for airborne and space deployable applications.
In accordance with this improved antenna sub-panel architecture, a respective antenna sub-panel comprises a generally flat front or outer facesheet to which an array of antenna elements is affixed. This front facesheet is bonded to a first surface of a structurally rigid, thermally stable, lightweight intermediate structure, preferably formed as a honeycomb-configured metallic support member. A rear facesheet supporting a plurality of printed wiring boards containing beam-forming and signal distribution networks and additional printed wiring boards which contain DC power and digital control links is mounted to a second surface of the intermediate honeycomb-configured support member.
The intermediate honeycomb support member has a plurality of slots which retain RF signal processing (amplifier and phase/amplitude control) circuit modules, so as to provide a highly compact, integrated architecture, that is readily joined with other like laminate sub-panels, to provide an overall antenna spacial configuration that defines a prescribed antenna aperture. The thickness of the intermediate support member is defined in accordance with the lengths of the RF signal processing modules, such that input/output ports of the RF modules at opposite ends thereof are substantially coplanar with the conductor traces on the front and rear facesheets, whereby the RF modules provide the functionality of RF feed-through coupling connections between the rear and front facesheets of the antenna sub-panel.
In order to attain modular structure design objectives of reduced weight, low profile and decreased manufacturing and assembly complexity, the radiation elements that are distributed on the outer surface of the front facesheet are preferably patch-configured components. Since conventional patch antenna elements are pin-fed, narrow bandwidth devices (typically on the order of seven to ten percent), not only do they require a multi-step assembly and connection process, but the resulting panel structure has limited radiation performance capabilities.

Stub-tuned, proximity-fed, stacked patch antenna


The table document preparation module prepares a table document containing cells, the read-out attribute setting module sets a read-out attribute specifying a way of reading-out cell data supplied through the setting screen from the table document preparation module being assisted by the setting display module, and voice-generating data generation module generates voice-generating data for the table document according to the way of reading out specified by the read-out attribute, and the voice synthesis module synthesizes voices according to the voice-generating data.

In association with remarkable development in the field of computer software, it has become possible to generate on a computer a table document in which a plurality of cells are arrayed in row and column directions and obtain a desired result of spreadsheet computing by giving data such as a computing formula or a numerical value to each cell constituting the table document.
Also in recent years, it has become possible to realize a text-voice synthesizing technology for reading out a text phonetically using a software, and by combining this software for synthesizing voices for a text with the software for spreadsheet computing described above, it is possible to read out a table document on a computer for the purpose of checking or correcting the input data.
To read out the table document, as shown in FIG. 60, a combination of three functions, namely a spreadsheet computing module 90 (spreadsheet computing software), a buffer module 91 (for temporally storing character information), and a text-voice synthesizing module 92 (software for synthesizing voice for a text) are required.
With the spreadsheet computing module 90, which is a first function, by operating the keys a table document is prepared and displayed on the screen. To read a table document, the table document prepared by the spreadsheet computing module 90 is temporally stored as character information for display in the buffer module 91 which is a second function. The table document prepared with the spreadsheet computing module 90 is sent via the buffer module 91 to the text-voice synthesizing module 92. In the text-voice synthesizing module 92, voice synthesis is executed according to the received table document, namely the character information for display. As a result, the table document is read out.
Generally, as only minimum required information is inputted into a cell, additional information such as, for instance, a unit is not appended to the numerical value displayed in each cell, although, on a display screen, it is possible to understand the hidden information such as a unit from a title (item name) of a row or a column.
However, when a table document is phonetically outputted, data in each cell of the table document is sent to the text-voice synthesizing module 92 in a form of character information for display, so that a character string displayed in each cell is read out as it is. For this reason, if a character string is a numerical value, it is difficult to determined whether it is an amount of money, a date, or any other value with a unit, and if checking is executed without understanding the relation between an item and each numerical value, finding out an error becomes more difficult as compared to a case where output on the display screen is checked.
As an analogous technology, the inventions disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 4-20996, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 4-24715, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 5-46607 that teaches a better way of understanding the words or numerical values when read out. These publications disclose a technology for phonetically outputting the format information additionally such as an item name or a unit corresponding to a character string such as a word or a numerical value.
In the technology as disclosed in the publications above, when a character string displayed in a cell is read out, an item name or a unit corresponding to the character string is additionally read out, it becomes easier for listeners to understand a item name or a unit (such as a measure) to which a character string belongs, however, as far as an item name is concerned, it becomes odd information when only collation by reading out is required, and this odd information gives the listener an unnecessary load while phonetically understanding the information, and when the character string is a numerical value, the arrangement of figures in the character string or the number of figures can be understood, but if a position, where a unit is inserted into a character is not correct, the numerical value becomes information having a completely different meaning, which makes it difficult to correctly collate a table document by reading out.

Method and apparatus for reading-out/collating a table document, and computer-readable recording medium with program making computer execute method stored therein


A plastic molded product includes a plastic body provided with a plurality of holes, which are recessed in a common depth direction, on a surface of the plastic body. The holes include: an inner surface including an inlet a specific reference plane perpendicular to the depth direction and including at least a portion of the inlet and a depth reference point, which is spaced away from a center point on an inlet side of the specific reference plane toward a bottom side of the hole, the depth reference point being spaced away by a distance equal to ¼ of a maximum value of an inlet side bore diameter on the specific reference plane. A deepmost portion of the inner surface of the hole is in a position which coincides with the reference point or is deeper than the reference point toward the bottom side.

Plastic molded products have different specular glossiness. Among plastic molded products in related art, as an example of a plastic molded product having small specular glossiness, there is a plastic molded product using a mold which is subjected to wrinkling processing. The wrinkling processing refers to processing in which a surface of the mold is not mirror finished, fine irregularities are formed on the surface, and a pattern thereof is transferred to a molded product.
Generally, electric discharge processing and sandblast processing are known as examples of the wrinkling processing in the related art. When the plastic molded product is molded by the mold which is subjected to the electric discharge processing or the sandblast processing, an entire surface of the plastic molded product becomes rough.
As another example of the wrinkling processing, laser processing that forms small holes having conical shapes, more specifically, small holes in which diameters of circles gradually decrease toward bottoms, on a surface of a mold is known (Patent Literature 1). When molding is performed using the mold subjected to such laser processing, a large number of fine conical protrusions are formed on a surface of a plastic molded product.


A communication control system using an ATM network and constructed by a small number of virtual connections. Fixed or semi-fixed virtual connection connect each user interface and a corresponding connectionless service processor and interconnect the connectionless service processors. A data packet received from a user terminal is converted into an ATM cell by the user interface and delivered to the connectionless service processor through the virtual connection. In the connectionless service processor, an ATM cell is transferred into a virtual connection located in the direction in which the destination user interface is provided to thereby carry out routine to the ATM cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication control systems using an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Network and more particularly to a communication control system using an ATM network, which is constructed by a small number of virtual connections.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13 shows a conventional communication control system using an ATM network. The ATM network system of FIG. 13 includes six user interfaces IMF1-IMF6 which are connected to the corresponding groups of user units E11-E1m, E21-E2n, E31-E3o, E41-E4p, E51-E5q, and E61-E6r. The user interfaces IF1-IF6 are connected to an ATM network 10, which have many fixed or semi-fixed virtual connections 11 which interconnect user interfaces IF1-IF6 in a mesh-like manner.
In such an arrangement, user interfaces IF1-IF6 convert data packets outputted by user units E11-E1m, E21-E2n, E31-E3o, E41-E4p, E51-E5q, and E61-E6r to ATM cells and deliver the converted ATM cells to virtual connections 11 connected to a destination user interface.
However, this conventional system requires the virtual connections whose number is given by EQU N.times.(N-1)/2
where N is the number of user interfaces. Thus, as the scale of the system becomes large, a great number of virtual connections is required. Such system is not practical.

Communication control system using an asynchronous transfer mode network


This invention involves racks or tray arrays for use in clinical laboratories, in particular, to support tubes and other containers holding body fluid specimens. The invention allows the user to "build" racks or arrays of larger and/or smaller capacity, depending upon the user's requirements, by rapid snapping together of a plurality of identical modular tube units. The racks or units may have a variety of size openings for accommodating different size specimen containers, and containers of different configuration. Thus, the user can maintain stable support of a great many containers simultaneously for handling in the laboratory, thus avoiding the danger of dropping or spilling specimens. The arrangements of the invention may be comprised of reusable, autoclavable moldable plastic materials, or less expensive throw away moldable materials. The individual components making up the tube rack array may be of a variety of geometric configurations.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rack arrays or arrangements for supporting a variety of different sizes and configurations of body fluid specimen containers or tubes in a clinical laboratory environment. More particularly, this invention relates to individual components of such an array which may be joined together to provide a greater or lesser amount of capacity for storing and/or holding in an upright manner a plurality of tubes of the kind discussed above.
As will be understood, in the present environment of infectious diseases, it has become important to take body fluid specimens to a great degree from many patients, whether or not they may be patients in a hospital or simply in a clinical laboratory for an examination. Because of the huge increase in examinations for such infectious diseases such as AIDS, and hepatitis, many tubes and/or containers are accumulated in a clinical laboratory in a short period of time for examination of the specimens contained in those tubes and/or containers. Because of this, it becomes most important to be able to arrange such tubes and/or containers in a stationary and or storage arrangement until such time as the specimen contained in the containers can be examined
Moreover, in certain instances, the containers need to be exposed for a period of time to increased temperature levels and a specifically controlled environment to develop the cells in a specimen taken from an individual patient. In some instances, the support trays or arrays of the invention allow for the exposure of a larger quantity of such tubes and/or containers in a closed environment under certain temperature conditions in order to enhance the development and/or improvement of the specimen for subsequent examination.
Because of this great increase in the number of such specimen containers, it becomes most important for the laboratory technician to be able to quickly arrange for the support of large quantities of such containers or tubes which arrive in the laboratory for handling. In many instances, these tubes may be of a variety of different dimensions. Some have a conical bottom so that the tubes will not stand alone. Thus, with the invention here, the technician may join together a plurality of modular units in a single array or arrangement for accommodating, for example, tubes having conical bottoms and having a diameter of, for example, 12 mm. up to, perhaps, 61 mm.
With the arrangement herein, all of these varieties of tubes or other containers may be held and supported for handling simultaneously for subsequent examination or exposure to whatever activity is required in order to examine or otherwise treat the specimens contained in the container. Again, while the general arrangement of the modular unit making up the arrangement or array of the invention is universal in its general size and application, the unit may be joined together with other units by the end user in a "mix and match" arrangement to accommodate the differing size of tubes and/or containers involved. The modular racks are also arranged to, as discussed above, accommodate containers with a conical bottom surface or the containers may be flat bottomed or round. Finally, the modular arrangements of the invention, which may be joined together in an appropriately desired array or arrangement for container support, may be comprised of materials which are autoclavable in the laboratory. That is, once they have been used and contaminated, they may be autoclaved for disposal. Alternatively, if desired and/or required because of the specimen character involved, the units may be comprised of a cost effective a material which may be discarded after each use.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.


A photo-voltaic cell has a first and second two-dimensional array of contact points on the first surface, each coupled to a respective one of base and emitter areas in or on the semi-conductor body. Electrically separate first and second conductor structures on the first surface emanate from each contact point, coupled to contact points of the first and second two-dimensional array respectively. The first conductor structure comprises sets of first conductor line branches, the first conductor line branches of each set branching out from a respective one of the contact points of the first two-dimensional array in at least three successive different directions at less than a hundred and eighty degrees to each other. The second conductor structure comprise second conductor line branches in at least three different directions in areas between respective pairs of adjacent non-parallel ones of the first conductor line branches, each second conductor line branch coupled at least to a respective one of the contact points of the second two-dimensional array.

The collection efficiency of photovoltaic cells depends on many factors, including the design of the conductor system that is used to conduct currents from charge carriers of mutually opposite polarity in the cell from the emitter and base. In the art, two classes of conductor systems are known: one class in which electrically separate grids are provided for the emitter and base on the front and back surface of the cell and one class in which electrically separate grids for the emitter and base are provided on the same surface (the back surface). Conventionally grids are used that have one or more relatively wide central conductor lines, called the bus bar and parallel straight linear fingers of relatively narrow elongated shape emanating from the central conductor line. Thus effectively, H shaped connection pattern are provided, the bus bar forming the horizontal line of the H.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,573,445 shows photovoltaic cells with separate base and emitter grids on opposite surfaces wherein the density of the fingers is varied with distance from the central line. The document also shows photo-voltaic cells wherein the area covered by the front surface grid is reduced by using repeated sub-regions each with conductor lines that radiate from one or more concentric circular lines, with an increasing number of bifurcations in the radiating lines with distance from the centre.
In the class of photovoltaic cells wherein both electrically separate grids are provided on the back surface, interdigitated conductor grids are used. Such cells are called IBC cells (Interdigitated Back Contact cells). Each grid has a H- or E-shaped pattern with a series of straight parallel fingers of a long narrow shape emanating from a bus bar. The fingers of both grids run in parallel, the length of each finger of one grid extending between the lengths of a different pair of fingers of the other grid. In this way each fingers of both grids can be realized in close proximity of a finger of the other grid.
However, the bus bars give rise to efficiency loss due to enhanced recombination underneath the central lines, which is sometimes called electric shading.

STICHTING ENERGIEONDERZOEK CENTRUM NEDERLAND


An electronic prize verification and display apparatus that provides an interactive interface with a consumer to receive information, such as an alphanumeric data sequence that includes a plurality of digits, indicative of a prize to be awarded to that consumer. The display apparatus compares the received alphanumeric data sequence with a predetermined series of winning sequences and displays a prize won by the consumer or a message encouraging the consumer to try again. The alphanumeric data sequence could be a prize code printed on a consumer product, such as a paper cup. Upon purchase of the product, a consumer would enter the prize code into the electronic prize verification and display apparatus to determine if the prize code was a winning code, and if so, the prize won. To facilitate entry of the prize code and display of an appropriate message to the consumer, the electronic prize verification and display apparatus preferably includes a keypad and liquid crystal display. As each digit of the alphanumeric data sequence is entered into the apparatus, it is displayed on the liquid crystal display. Upon entry of a predetermined number of digits, or upon actuation of an appropriate key by the consumer, the entered sequence is compared to the predetermined series of winning sequences for verification.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to an improved interactive electronic prize verification and display system and method for use in conducting consumer promotions and more particularly relates to such a system and method wherein a prize code printed on a concealed portion of a consumer article, such as a paper cup, is entered into the interactive electronic prize verification and display system by a consumer to determine if the article entitles the consumer to a prize.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A variety of consumer promotion programs wherein a prize indicating indicia is placed on a consumer product have been used in the past. Of primary importance in conducting such programs is the enjoyment experienced by a consumer of the product, thus encouraging the consumer to purchase additional products. Typically, such consumer promotions include an indicia, or code, imprinted on a consumer product that indicates a prize won by the consumer. In such cases, in addition to being inexpensive and easy to manufacture, it is also important that the indicia be either obscured or not readily decipherable as a winning code, as well as tamper resistant.
Otherwise, fraud can occur wherein the winning products are removed prior to distribution to a consumer. Furthermore, an electronic or other apparatus has been used in combination with the indicia to increase the degree of interactivity with the consumer, thus heightening the excitement and enjoyment of the consumer. Where such an apparatus is used, the ability to easily manufacture and maintain such apparatus is critical.
Prior consumer promotions typically involved the separate manufacture of a peelable label to be affixed at a later time to the consumer product or the forming of a layer of material on the product which is subsequently scratched off by the consumer. In the former, the peelable label is removed by the consumer to reveal whether a prize has been won, while in the latter, the consumer scratches the layer of material from the product to uncover a prize. Such labels and scratch layers provide security by obscuring the winning indicia and are generally tamper resistant in that they reveal attempts to surreptitiously obtain the indicia. Such labels and scratch layers, however, are expensive to manufacture and present further difficulties in the manufacture of the associated consumer product to which the label or scratch layer is to be attached. Furthermore, such labels do not provide significant consumer interaction, and thus are less desirable then other promotions having greater interaction with the consumer.
To overcome the expense and difficulties associated with the manufacture of peelable layers and scratch coatings, consumer products have been designed wherein the prize indicating indicia is concealed in a tamper resistant manner within a natural form of the consumer product. For example, U.S. Pat. 4,518,639 to Phillips discloses a game cup having game information printed inside the rolled lip of the cup. The cup includes a snap-out section that is used to unroll the lip of the cup to reveal the printed game information. While concealing the game information inside the rolled lip, the device and method of Phillips simply provides the prize on the consumer product without coding the prize information to prevent easy selection and removal of the winning cups prior to consumer distribution. In order for a consumer promotion utilizing games or prizes to be effective, precautionary measures should be taken to ensure that a product having a winning code is not readily identifiable. In addition, as with peelable labels and scratch coatings, this method does not provide significant consumer interaction, and thus is less desirable then other promotions having greater interaction with the consumer.
U.S. Pat. 4,573,954 to Berger et al. discloses an on-the-cup (OTC) promotion in which a machine printed and machine readable code is placed on each cup. The machine readable code contains promotional prize information and is scanned and interpreted by a cup scanner to determine if the cup is a prize winner. Thus, while Berger et al. provides security (in the form of a machine readable code that is not readily decipherable to the naked eye) and increased consumer interaction, a complex scanning mechanism is required to be placed at a plurality of point-of-sale locations in order to interpret the machine readable codes. The scanning mechanism includes a scanning head having a code illuminating light and a photodetector that is driven by a motor and worm screw mechanism to scan the machine readable code. Thus, the costs associated with manufacturing and maintaining such a complex apparatus in connection with the consumer promotion is undesirable.
In view of the above, it is evident that a system and method is needed for conducting consumer promotions that provides for inexpensive and easy fabrication of the consumer product that still prevents fraud in the promotion, and that provides for increased user interaction, and thus enjoyment, on the part of a consumer of that product without a complex apparatus that is both expensive to manufacture and maintain. More specifically, a need exists for an electronic prize verification and display apparatus and method in which a code concealed on a consumer product in a tamper resistant manner can be verified as a winning or losing code through the use of an inexpensive and easily maintained apparatus that provides for heightened user interaction and enjoyment.

Electronic prize verification and display apparatus


The invention provides a thermal tolerant mannanase that is a member of the glycoside hydrolase family. The invention further discloses this mannanase as ManA. ManA has been isolated and characterized from Acidothermus cellulolyticus. The invention further provides recombinant forms of the identified ManA. Methods of making ManA polypeptides, including fusions, variants, and derivatives, are also disclosed. Methods of using mannanase A, including for the processing of food and for use in food stuffs as bulking agents and the like, are also disclosed.

Plant biomass is the most abundant source of carbohydrate in the world due to the lignocellulosic materials comprising the cell walls of all higher plants. Plant cell walls are divided into primary and secondary cell walls. The primary cell wall, which provides structure for expanding cells (and hence changes as the cell grows), is composed of three major polysaccharides, cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin, and one group of glycoproteins. The secondary cell wall, which is produced after the cell has completed growing, also contains polysaccharides and is strengthened through polymeric lignin covalently cross-linked to hemicellulose.
Hemicellulose is a general term used to refer to cell wall polysaccharides that are not celluloses or pectins. Hemicellulose sugar backbones include a variety of compounds, including xylans, xyloglucans, arabinoxylans and mannans. One of the chief constituents of hemicellulose is the aldohexose glucose, mannose, which also may be in the form of a pyranose ring structure, β-D-mannose. With respect to mannose, the glycosidic linkage is on the 1-carbon as a β-bond, having available linkage sites at the 2-, 3-, 4-, and 6-carbons.
A particularly rich source of mannans is the hemicellulose content of softwood, and in particular, the waste material from softwood processing in paper manufacturing. One of the more important hemicelluloses in softwood is galactoglucomannan, which is composed of a backbone of β-(1,4)-linked D-mannopyranose and D-glucopyranose in a ratio of approximately 3:1, respectively (Sjostrom, E. (1992) Wood Chemistry, 2nd Ed., Academic Press: New York, N.Y., pp 63–70). Other sources of mannans include the endosperm of copra and ivory palm nuts, guar beans, coffee beans, and roots of konjak (Amorphorphallus konjac).
Enzymatic degradation of the β-linkages in β-1,4-D-mannans requires the coordinate action of several mannanases. Mannanases have been identified in Bacillus (Emi et al., (1972) Agr. Biol. Chem. 36:991–1001), Aeromonas (Araki et al., (1983) Agr. Kyushu Univ. 27:89–98), Streptomyces (Takahashi et al., (1984) Biol. Chem. 48:2189–2195) and several fungal species (Hashimoto et al., (1969) J. Nippon Nogeikagaku Kaishi 43:317–322).
Mannanases are given an Enzyme Commission (EC) designation according to the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Eur. J. Biochem. 264:607–609 and 610–650 (1999)). β-mannosidase (EC 18.104.22.168) (Hylin et al., (1964) J. Biol. Chem., 239:990) and β-mannanase (EC 126.96.36.199) (Reese, E. T., (1965) Can. J. Microbiol. 11:167) cleave the β-mannoside linkages in β-1,4-D-mannans to yield D-mannose and manno-oligosaccharides, respectively. Other mannanase activities have been identified, for example, exomannanase (1,4-β-D-Mannan mannohydrolase) (EC 3.2.1.xx—unassigned) and exomannobiohydrolase (1,4-β-D-Mannan mannobiohydrolase) (EC 220.127.116.11) (McCleary, B. V., (1988) Methods Enzymol. 160:589–595; Araki et al., (1982) J. Biochem. 91:1181).
Industrial applications of hemicellulases, and mannanases in particular, are primarily targeted at situations where selective removal of hemicellulose is required to elevate the value of a complex substrate, such as in foods, feeds, and paper pulp. Food industry applications include the processing of coffee (Godfrey, T, (1983) in Industrial Enxymology: The Applications of Enzymes in Industry, Godfrey and Reichelt, eds., MacMillan Press: Basingstoke, UK, pp 340–351) the maceration of fruits and vegetables (Biely, P, (1985) Trends Biotechnol. 3:286–290), and bread preparation (Maat et al., (1992) Xylans and Xylanases, Visser, J., Beldman M., Kusters-van Someren and Voragen, eds., Elsevier: New York, N.Y., pp 349–360). Feed industry applications includes the processing of poultry feed (van Paridon et al., (1992) Xylans and Xylanases, Visser, J., Beldman M., Kusters-van Someren and Voragen, eds., Elsevier: New York, N.Y., pp 371–378).
In addition, mannanases can be useful in the production of biofuels from plant biomass, where the mannanases participate in the hydrolysis of the hemicellulose fraction to simpler sugars, which are then converted to ethanol via fermentation.
Highly thermostable enzymes have been isolated from the thermophile Acidothermus cellulolyticus gen. nov., sp. nov., a bacterium originally isolated from decaying wood in an acidic, thermal pool at Yellowstone National Park (Mohagheghi et al., (1986) Int. J. Systematic Bacteriology 36(3):435–443). One cellulase enzyme produced by this organism, the endoglucanase EI, is known to display maximal activity at 75° C. to 83° C. (Tucker et al., Bio/Technology, 7(8):817–820). E1 endoglucanase has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,944. The A. cellulolyticus E1 endoglucanase is an active cellulase; in combination with exocellulase CBH I from Trichoderma reesei, E1 gives high levels of saccharification and contributes to a degree of synergism. Baker et al., (1994) Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 45/46:245–256. The gene encoding E1 catalytic and cellulose binding domains and linker peptide were described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,655. The potential exists for the successful, commercial scale expression of heterologous mannanases, and in particular thermal stable mannanases. Like the E1 endoglucanase, thermal stable mannanases would likely have the desirable characteristic of maximal activity at elevated temperatures, as well as potentially having the thermal tolerant associated properties of resistance to acid inactivation, proteolytic inactivation, and solvent inactivation (Cowan D A in Danson M J et al. (1992) The Archaebacteria, Biochemistry and Biotechnology at 149–159, University Press, Cambridge, ISBN 1855780100). E1 has also been expressed as a stable, active enzyme from a wide variety of hosts, including E. coli, Streptomyces lividans, Pichia pastoris, cotton, tobacco, and Arabidopsis (Dai Z, Hooker B S, Anderson D B, Thomas S R. Transgenic Res. 2000 February; 9(1):43–54).
There is a need within the art to generate alternative mannanase enzymes capable of assisting in the commercial scale processing of mannans to simpler sugars for use in the food, feed, paper pulp and biofuels industries. Against this backdrop the present invention has been developed.

Thermal tolerant mannanase from acidothermus cellulolyticus


A vehicle travel track control device which includes a forward image capture device which captures an image ahead of a vehicle, and side image capture devices which capture an image on the left side and/or the right side of the vehicle. When it is possible to properly execute a travel track control on the basis of captured forward image information ahead of the vehicle, the travel track control is executed on the basis of the captured forward image information sent from the forward image capture device, and when it is not possible to properly execute a travel track control on the basis of the captured forward image information, the travel track control is executed on the basis of at least captured side image information sent from the side image capture devices.

Vehicle travel control devices have already been known which control vehicle travel by controlling steered angle of steered wheels so that it conforms to a target steered angle in a vehicle having a steered angle varying device which can vary a relationship of steered angle of steered wheels relative to steering position of a steering input means such as a steering wheel. As a type of vehicle travel control devices, various vehicle travel track control devices have been proposed which calculate a target steered angle of steered wheels for the vehicle to travel along a target travel line and control steered angle of the steered wheels so that it conforms to the target steered angle.
For example, in the below-mentioned patent citation 1, a vehicle travel track control device is described which is configured to determine whether or not a vehicle escapes from a lane on the basis of forward captured image information sent from a camera that captures a forward image ahead of the vehicle and map information sent from a navigation system.


A technique for implementing an admission control scheme for data flows is disclosed. In one embodiment, the technique is realized by determining a current error value in response to a queue size in a packet buffer; generating a packet drop probability based at least in part on the current error value; receiving a data packet having a data type; and determining whether to reject or accept the received data packet at a queue based at least in part on the packet drop probability and a predetermined flow rejection threshold. In addition, the technique may involve determining whether a randomly generated number is less than or equal to the packet drop probability and determining whether a count variable is greater than or equal to an inter-drop interval.

Due to limited networking resources in many of today's Internet Protocol (IP) networks, sporadic and periodically sustained congestion occurs. In addition, as the number of competing flows increases, the ability of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) flows to share a bottleneck link fairly and efficiently decreases. High packet losses experienced by TCP flows also cause long and unpredictable delays as a result of TCP timeouts. Thus, most congestion control mechanisms strive to maintain high network utilization, avoid network overload, and thus avoid high queuing delays and packet loss.
IP provides a high degree of flexibility in building large and arbitrary complex networks. The ubiquitous, multi-service, connectionless, cross-platform nature of IP has contributed to the success of the Internet. A recent rise in usage and popularity of IP networks (e.g., the Internet) has been paralleled by a rise in user expectations regarding the quality of services offered by these networks. Unfortunately, due to limited networking resources (e.g., bandwidth, buffer space, etc.) in many networks, sporadic and periodically sustained congestion is imminent.
Consequently, service providers need to not only evolve their networks to higher speeds, but they also need to plan for new services and mechanisms to address varied requirements of different customers. At the same time, service providers would like to maximize sharing of costly network infrastructure by controlling the usage of network resources in accordance with service pricing and revenue potential. A rapidly rising bandwidth demand and a rising need for service quality have resulted in efforts to define mechanisms for efficient network control and service delivery.
A major part of the traffic transported in today's Internet is elastic traffic, particularly those from TCP applications. TCP flows are connection-oriented in nature and elastic in resource requirements. Elasticity stems from TCP's ability to utilize a network bottleneck, adapting quickly to changes in offered load or available bandwidth. However, TCP's ability to share a bottleneck link fairly and efficiently decreases as the number of flows increases. For example, performance of TCP becomes significantly degraded when the number of active TCP flows exceeds a network's bandwidth-delay product measured in packets. In this case, congestion occurs due to contention for limited network resources (e.g., bandwidth, buffer space, etc.). If this situation is not detected and prevented, congestion collapse may occur where a network is loaded to such a level that data goodput (e.g., which may be defined as throughput minus retransmissions) falls to almost zero.
A large number of flows may lead to high network utilization, but it is important to note that high network utilization is only good when packet loss rate is low. This is because high packet loss rates can negatively impact overall network and end-user performance. For example, a lost packet consumes network resources before it is dropped, thereby impacting efficiency in other parts of a network. A high packet loss rate also causes long and unpredictable delays as a result of TCP timeouts. It is therefore desirable to achieve high network utilization with low packet loss rates.
Although current TCP end-system control mechanisms may address network congestion, a TCP flow may still achieve near zero goodput when a large number of flows share a bottleneck link. Also, with a network heavily loaded with a large number of flows, current network-based control mechanisms may reach their limits of useful intervention to prevent excessive packet loss or even congestion collapse.
These reasons, among others, suggest the need for controlling the number of TCP flows in a network. Mechanisms for overload control in IP networks may involve per-connection TCP admission control. An admission control for TCP flows may be achieved without changing the end-system protocol stacks by either intercepting (e.g., dropping) TCP connection setup (SYN) packets in the network or sending artificial TCP connection reset (RST) packets to end systems. The RST based approach has the disadvantage of potentially faster application level retries, for example.
Admission control, in general, checks whether admitting a flow would reduce service quality of existing flows, or whether an incoming flow's quality of service (QoS) requirements can not be met. Admission control may play a crucial role in ensuring that a network meets a user's QoS requirements.
Overall network user utility may be increased by increasing network capacity (via switch, router and link capacities, for example), or by implementing an intelligent traffic management mechanism (e.g., admission control, active queue management (AQM)). Another option may involve over-provisioning a network so that under natural conditions the network is rarely overloaded. However, when there is a focused overload to part of a network (e.g., when a popular web site is heavily accessed, or some event not accounted for in traffic engineering happens), network devices (e.g., switches, routers) must have mechanisms to control resource usage. When such events happen, there are not enough resources available to give reasonable service to all users. Over-provisioning network bandwidth and keeping the network lightly loaded in order to support adequate service quality is not a cost-effective solution and cannot be achieved at all times.
In addition, a popular web-site may be flooded with web browser hits due to a promotional, sporting or other "news-breaking" event. Thus, users are left with either accepting a significant service degradation or the service provider has to increase investment on over-provisioning bandwidth. This gives rise to a key question of who would pay for increased capacity associated with over-provisioning bandwidth. As e-commerce becomes a highly competitive market, service providers who attempt to over-provision in the place of using admission control may not be cost-effective. The service providers who gain performance and reliability while keeping costs down are the ones who gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Current schemes propose use of various forms of on-line estimates of the number of active flows or the bandwidth of flows to make admission control decisions. Particularly, some current schemes use total transmission bandwidth, an estimated aggregate arrival rate and a buffer size to determine when the admission of a new flow is likely to cause a target overflow probability to be exceeded. However, these schemes do not provide a tight integration of AQM into TCP admission control thereby resulting in inefficient control of TCP flows. Incorporating AQM in TCP admission control provides the advantage of throttling the rate of a TCP connecting setup in addition to the ability to detect incipient congestion early and convey this information to the end systems. AQM schemes drop incoming packets in a random probabilistic manner where the probability is a function of recent buffer fill. An objective is to provide a more equitable distribution of packet loss, avoid the synchronization of flows, and at the same time improve the utilization of the network. The drop probabilities reflect actual network behavior and provide simple measurable and controllable quantities for admission control. The use of on-line measurements and estimation derived from AQM for admission control is appealing because of its simplicity and the ability to deal with sources that cannot be characterized. It allows admission control be built on top of AQM. The scheme does not require additional measurements or accounting beyond those needed for AQM.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a technique for implementing an admission control scheme for TCP flows which overcomes the above-described inadequacies and shortcomings of current schemes. More particularly, it would be desirable to provide a technique for implementing an admission control scheme for TCP flows that efficiently integrates AQM in a cost effective manner.

Technique for implementing an admission control scheme for data flows


The present invention is generally directed to electroluminescent Ir(III) compounds, the substituted 2-phenylpyridines that are used to make the Ir(III) compounds, and devices that are made with the Ir(III) compounds.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electroluminescent complexes of iridium(III) with fluorinated phenylpyridines. It also relates to electronic devices in which the active layer includes an electroluminescent Ir(III) complex.
2. Technical Background
Organic electronic devices that emit light, such as light-emitting diodes that make up displays, are present in many different kinds of electronic equipment. In all such devices, an organic active layer is sandwiched between two electrical contact layers. At least one of the electrical contact layers is light transmitting so that light can pass through the electrical contact layer. The organic active layer emits light through the light-transmitting electrical contact layer upon application of electricity across the electrical contact layers.
It is well known to use organic electroluminescent compounds as the active component in light-emitting diodes. Simple organic molecules such as anthracene, thiadiazole derivatives, and coumarin derivatives are known to show electroluminescence. Semiconductive conjugated polymers have also been used as electroluminescent components, as has been disclosed in, for example, Friend et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,190, Heeger et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,109, and Nakano et al., Published European Patent Application 443 861. Complexes of 8-hydroxyquinolate with trivalent metal ions, particularly aluminum, have been extensively used as electroluminescent components, as has been disclosed in, for example, Tang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,678.
Grushin et al., U.S. patent application 2002/0190250, disclose electroluminescent iridium compounds with fluorinated phenylpyridines, and devices made with such compounds.
Burrows and Thompson have reported that fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium can be used as the active component in organic light-emitting devices. (Appl. Phys. Lett. 1999, 75, 4.) The performance is maximized when the iridium compound is present in a host conductive material. Thompson has further reported devices in which the active layer is poly(N-vinyl carbazole) doped with fac-tris[2-(4′,5′-difluorophenyl)pyridine-C′2,N]iridium(III). (Polymer Preprints 2000, 41(1), 770.) Electroluminescent iridium complexes having fluorinated phenylpyridine, phenylpyrimidine, or phenylquinoline ligands have been disclosed in published application WO 02/02714.
However, there is a continuing need for electroluminescent compounds.

Electroluminescent iridium compounds with fluorinated phenylpyridine ligands, and devices made with such compounds


A spinning reel has a reel body, a rotor rotatably supported to the reel body, a bail arm extending between a pair of arm portions of the rotor and pivotably switchable between an open position and a line-takeup position, a toggle mechanism disposed inside the arm portions for retaining the bail arm either to the open position or to the line-takeup position and a return mechanism for returning the bail arm from the open position to the line-takeup position when the rotor is rotated in a line-takeup direction. The invention further provides the reel with a returning force adjustment mechanism for variably setting at a desired value a reaction force needed for returning the bail arm from the open position to the line-takeup position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spinning reel, and more particularly to a spinning reel including a reel body, a rotor rotatably supported to the reel body, a bail arm extending between a pair of arm portions of the rotor and pivotably switchable between an open position and a line-takeup position, a toggle mechanism disposed inside the arm portions for retaining the bail arm either at the open position or the line-takeup position, and a return mechanism for returning the bail arm placed at the open position to the line-takeup position.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional spinning reel of the above-described type is known from e.g. a Japanese laid-open utility model gazette No. 62-80570. In this convention, the toggle mechanism includes a projecting member urged in a projecting direction by means of a compression spring, relative to a pivot member pivotable about an axis extending in parallel with a pivot axis of the bail arm. Further, the return mechanism includes a contact member which comes into contact with the pivot member during rotation of the rotor in the line-takeup direction and pivots the bail arm toward its line-takeup position.
Assume now that the spinning reel such as the above-described convention having the means for automatically switching the bail arm to its line-takeup position in association with rotor rotation is used for a bait casting. That is, in casting a fishing gear, if for instance the handle now has its longitudinal axis aligned normal to the direction in which a fishing rod is swung, a pivotal force may act on the handle which force will urge the handle towards its line-takeup direction. Then, if this pivotal force is strong, this pivotal force from the handle may pivot the rotor to the line-takeup direction thus erroneously switching the bail arm to its line-takeup position. In this respect, the convention has room for improvement.
Incidentally, if the bail arm is switched over to the line-takeup position in the course of casting of the fishing gear, it becomes impossible to feed the fishing line from the spool, whereby the fishing line may be broken.
In view of the above problem, it is conceivable to use e.g. a strong spring in the toggle mechanism so as to prevent the bail arm from being switched over to its line-takeup position by the pivotal force from the handle. However, the bail arm is frequently used during fishing activity; and therefore, such a large operation load will make the operations uncomfortable. In addition, this will also increase operational resistance when an angler switches the bail arm to its line-takeup position by rotating the handle, the operation will become troublesome for an angler to do other type of fishing than the bait casting. Thus, in this respect too, the convention has room for improvement.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved spinning reel which is effective in preventing erroneous switching of the bail arm during a rod swinging action and which also allows easy and comfortable handle operation regardless of the type of fishing.


The present invention relates to an integrated paint bucket cleaning and drying machine, including a frame and a conveying carrier tape, the conveying carrier tape is disposed with a loading port matching with the paint bucket. The upper part of the frame is sequentially provided with a cleaning mechanism and a drying mechanism and on the frame located under the cleaning mechanism and the drying mechanism is disposed a fixing device. The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning lift cylinder disposed on the frame, a cleaning machine matching with the paint bucket is connected below the cleaning lift cylinder, and the cleaning lift cylinder is matched with the cylinder rotating device disposed on the frame. The drying mechanism includes a drying lift cylinder disposed on the frame, a drying machine matching with the paint bucket is connected below the drying lift cylinder. The drying lift cylinder is matched with cylinder rotating device disposed on the frame. The invention adopts a tightly conveyed conveying carrier tape as a carrier to continuously move the paint buckets, and matching with the cleaning mechanism and the drying mechanism to realize continuous and automatic cleaning and drying, greatly improving the efficiency of cleaning and drying the paint bucket.

With the acceleration of the urbanization process, a large number of houses need to be renovated, and most of the renovations will use paint in the bucket, wherein large paint buckets are mainly used on the construction site. The large paint bucket is good in quality, and is more durable than the common household plastic bucket, therefore is widely used by the workers. Every spring festival, some workers carry paint buckets by train home. The structure of the paint bucket is generally as shown in FIG. 1 and includes a cylindrical bucket body 7; and a hook mounting block 8 is disposed on an outer side of the upper part of the bucket body 7. The hook mounting block 8 is mounted with a hook 9 used for lifting. In order to adapt to different environments, the bottom of the bucket body 7 mostly has a fixing cavity 10 which is open downward. It is necessary to clean the paint buckets with paint cleaning solutions to make the use of the paint bucket safer. The existing cleanings methods is to wipe with a rag, which is inefficient and requires two steps of scrubbing and drying, and it is time consuming and laborious.

Integrated paint bucket cleaning and drying machine


The instant device is made up of a guide wire component, a proximal wedge component and a distal wedge component with the proximal wedge component having a side with an inclined medial face, two suture grooves on this side above its inclined face, a stop face inclined obtusely to and outwardly from its inclined face and a guide wire hole through its head extending through its length and terminating in its inclined face as well as serrated bone biting edges located on its opposite side and with the distal wedge component having two suture thread holes in its medial face and at its base and a guide wire hole on the side where its inclined face is found below and between its two suture thread holes and at its base, and a stop face inclined obtusely and inwardly from its inclined face as well as a beveled bone biting edge at its top such that simultaneous application of downward pressure on the head of the proximal wedge component and upward pressure on suture thread threaded through suture thread holes in the distal wedge component, after separation of those two components from the guide wire component subsequent to these two components having been guided along the guide wire previously placed into a hole previously drilled in bone, in the drilled hole in bone serves to firmly and permanently lodge these two components within the drilled hole in bone in order to permit the suture thread to be then tied to soft tissue to be thereby firmly anchored to the bone.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to that panoply of devices that serve to anchor to bone, suture materials for the purpose of facilitating adherence of soft tissues such as muscle and ligament tissues in close apposition to such bone by way of such suture materials being sewn thereto and therein.
2. Possible Prior Art
The following patents may bear somewhat on the essence of the instant invention. However, the instant invention represents a manifest improvement upon and variation from any other arguably similar devices current in or out of vogue within the scope of the field of such devices.
______________________________________ Inventor Invention Pat. No. Date ______________________________________ 1. Goble et al Harpoon Suture Anchor 5,141,520 8/25/92 2. Gatturna et al Suture Anchor 4,898,156 2/6/90 3. Chow Surgical Implement 5,176,682 1/5/93 4. Anspach, Jr. Suture Anchoring 5,102,421 4/7/92 and Method of Forming 5. Fischer et al Bone Fastener 4,716,893 1/5/88 6. Goble et al Ligament Anchor 4,870,957 10/3/89 System 7. Hayhurst et al Bone Anchor and 5,037,422 8/6/91 Method of Anchoring a Suture to a Bone ______________________________________