A control system for controlling the rotational speed of the printing cylinders of a printing machine in order to eliminate register offset or doubling phenomena on the printed matter. The control system uses one or more sensors to determine the operating condition of the printing unit. The relevant operating condition parameters include the frequency of the AC line from which the printing machine operates and the position of the printing cylinders at the time the change in rotational speed is to occur. Based on the operating condition of the printing unit, a controller selects an appropriate timing ramp for increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the printing cylinders. The various timing ramps are stored on a memory and correspond to the different operating conditions of the printing unit. Once, the appropriate timing ramp has been selected, the controller controls the rotational speed of the drive motor that rotates the printing cylinders in a manner that is proportional to the rate of change and duration characteristics of the selected timing ramp.

Sheet-fed offset printing machines generally have direct current speed-controlled drive motors to drive the printing cylinders of a printing machine at a desired rotational speed. Direct current motors make it possible to implement predefined rotational speed ramps for increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the printing cylinders in the individual printing units of the printing machine. In other words, the rotational speed of the printing cylinders is changed according to a predefined timing function. Generally, the rotational speed of the printing cylinders is increased according to a speeding-up ramp that is as flat as possible, i.e., in a relatively large time interval. The large time interval avoids the situation in which after a first sheet has run into the machine and the individual printing cylinders have been switched to the printing-on position, the load moment caused by the additional starting torsion leads to a register offset or doubling phenomena on the printed product. Increasing the rotational speed of the printing cylinders as slowly as possible also has the advantage of allowing the inking and/or damping solution feeds to adapt the metering of the ink and/or damping solution to the increasing rotational speed of the printing cylinders.
Particularly in the case of sheet-fed offset printing machines having a speed-controlled direct current motor within the main drive, the rotational speed of the printing cylinders is often slowed down according to a very steep retardation ramp, i.e., in a relatively short time interval. Thus, it is only when the rotational speed of the printing cylinders is rapidly decreased that very high moments act on the printing cylinder or printing units and cause the drive trains to rotate relative to each other because of elasticity. It is precisely in this operating situation that register offsets or doubling phenomena occur. Moreover, when the rotational speed of the printing cylinders is reduced this rapidly, it is not possible to adapt the metering of the ink and/or damping solutions to the decreasing rotational speed of the printing cylinders given the design limitations of the inking and/or damping units.
DE 4 132 766 A1 discloses a speed regulating device for the drive motor of a printing machine that allows direct influencing of the torque acting on the drive train. However, it is not possible to flexibly adapt the speeding-up or slowing-down ramps as a function of the operating state of the machine (e.g., as a function of whether the printing cylinders are in a printing-on or printing-off position). Thus, although this speed regulating device limits the torque when the printing machine is slowed down, the slowing down ramps are not adapted in terms of their duration or slope to the adjusting motors effecting the ink and/or damping solution feed.
DE 4 137 482 A1 discloses a controller arranged between the converter control device and the machine control system for slowing-down the drive motor of a printing machine. The controller includes a rotational speed set-point timer and implements the slowing-down operation with reference to a speed/time coordinate system according to a three-phase characteristic curve. Using this controller, rapid slowing down is limited with phases of soft slowing down at the start and end of a slow down period. As a result, shock-like loading during the beginning and the end of the slowing-down operation is reduced. The disadvantages explained above, with respect to the possibility of tracking the ink and/or damping solution feed via appropriate adjustments while slowing down, are not overcome.
DE 3 214 707 A1 discloses a control system for a printing machine drive motor which has a starting-up torque control system to influence the starting-up torque when restarting the continuous printing speed for a drive motor of a printing machine. With this system, however, only those register offset or doubling phenomena which are caused by torsion when speeding up from a basic speed to a continuous printing speed are avoided or reduced.
EP 0 243 728 B1 discloses a safety system for a printing machine in which the main drive can be stopped under program control in accordance with the operating situations present. However, this stopping under memory and program control is not carried out in order to adapt the slowing down to the printing process.

Control system for the drive of a printing machine


A liquid oral composition is disclosed which contains a cationic bactericide as the active ingredient and a hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. The composition has satisfactory long-term stability and can be ejected from a container and easily applied to oral tissues. It can be kept adherent especially to the surfaces of teeth for a certain period.

Cationic bactericides have potent bacteriostatic ability and high plaque formation inhibitory activity because of their excellent adsorbability onto tissues, and are hence useful for the treatment and prevention of oral diseases such as periodontitis, tooth decay, and halitosis. However, because of their cationic nature, cationic bactericides when used in combination with anionic ingredients, e.g., anionic thickeners or surfactants, may react with the anionic ingredients to lose their bactericidal activity. In order to avoid this inactivation of cationic bactericides, oral compositions employing a combination of a cationic bactericide and a nonionic thickener were proposed (see, JP-A-2-223511 (corresponding to EP 0 368 130) and JP-A-3-127718 (corresponding to EP 0 422 803)). (The term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application".) However, since the compositions disclosed in these references are ordinary dentifrices and are mostly rinsed away by mouth washing after use, the pharmaceutical preparation not remaining adsorbed on oral tissues is removed.
For improving the effectiveness of such a drug, measures in enhancing the adhesive properties of a preparation itself were proposed. A generally employed technique for improving the adhesion of a preparation to wet surfaces, e.g., the mucous membrane in the oral cavity, is to incorporate a carboxyvinyl polymer, polyacrylic acid, or an analogue thereof, which each shows excellent adhesion to the mucous membrane in the oral cavity. Examples of such preparations include solid preparations for oral use and the high-viscosity gel containing a carboxyvinyl polymer and a hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose in combination as proposed by the present inventors (see JP-A-7-267839). However, these conventional preparations still have the problem that the cationic bactericide may lose its bactericidal activity when used in combination with an anionic ingredient, e.g., a carboxyvinyl polymer. Furthermore, solid preparations and high-viscosity gels have poor spreadability and are less apt to evenly spread over the whole surfaces of the oral cavity.
On the other hand, liquid oral compositions proposed so far include an aqueous gel for oral cavity containing a hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, in which hydroxyl groups have been converted to hydrophobic groups, and having high thixotropic properties (see JP-A-6-100424) and a liquid dentifrice containing an abrasive material and hence having enhanced long-term stability (see JP-A-4-210908). Furthermore, sprayable compositions where gel-forming cellulosic polymer was compounded therein were proposed (see EP 0 679 390). However, no oral composition has been suggested which contains a cationic bactericide as the active ingredient and is satisfactory in stability, ease of administration, and adhesive property.


The invention relates to a composition comprising a first modified thermostable enzyme exhibiting 3′exonuclease activity but essentially no DNA polymerase activity and a second modified thermostable enzyme exhibiting DNA polymerase activity, whereas the fidelity of an amplification process is enhanced by the use of the composition in an amplification process in comparison to the use of the single second enzyme in an amplification process and, whereas said first and said second modified thermostable enzyme is reversibly modified by an inhibiting agent which results in essentially complete inactivation of enzyme activity, wherein incubation of said first and said second modified thermostable enzyme in an aqueous buffer at alkaline pH at a temperature less than 25° C. for 20 minutes results in no significant increase in the activity of said first and said second modified thermostable enzyme, wherein incubation at a temperature greater than 50° C. in an aqueous buffer at alkaline pH results in at least tow-fold increase in enzyme activity in less than 20 minutes which allow formation of primer extension products.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of nucleic acid chemistry. Specifically, it is related to methods of amplifying nucleic acid sequences. The invention facilitates the amplification of nucleic acids under conditions of high fidelity. The invention may be used for a variety of industrial, medical and forensical purposes.
2. Description of the Invention
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a well known in vitro method for the amplification of nucleic acid sequences (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,202, 4,684,195, 4,965,188). The reaction uses two sequence specific oligonucleotide primers that hybridize to the opposite strands of the denatured target nucleic acid sequence. A heat-stable DNA polymerase catalyzes the elongation of the primers by incorporating desoxynucleotide monophosphates in the new strand.
The specificity of amplification depends on the specificity of primer hybridization. Under the elevated temperatures used in a typical PCR, the primers hybridize only to the target sequence. Under less stringent conditions, the primers may bind non-specifically to other nucleic acid sequences and initiate the synthesis of unspecific extension products. Amplification of unspecific PCR products can compete with the amplification of the target DNA and can significantly decrease the efficiency of the amplification of the target sequence.
In the past, several methods have been developed to reduce the formation of unspecific PCR products. In one method, referred to as a "hot-start" protocol, at least one critical reagent is withheld from the reaction mixture until the temperature is raised sufficiently to provide the necessary hybridization specificity. In this manner, the reaction mixture does not support the primer extension reaction until the missing component is added.
Hot start methods can be carried out manually by opening the reaction tube after an initial high temperature incubation step and adding the missing reagent. However, manual hot-start methods increase the risk of contamination and are labor intensive. Alternatively, heat labile materials, such as wax, are used to separate reaction components (U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,876). A high temperature pre-reaction incubation melts the heat labile material, thereby allowing the reagents to mix. Another method describes the use of antibodies to inhibit the DNA polymerase activity (U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,671). The antibodies are incubated with the polymerase prior to the set up of the reaction mixture to allow the formation of the antibody-DNA polymerase complex. Antibody inhibition is inactivated by denaturation of the antibody at a high temperature pre-incubation step. Additionally, the formation of extension product can also be inhibited by the addition of reagents like short oligonucleotides aptameres which bind to the DNA polymerase in a heat-reversible manner, thereby inhibiting polymerase activity (Lin & Jayasena (1997) J. Mol. Biol. 271: 100-111). However, the production of antibodies and aptameres is expensive and their application in a polymerase chain reaction may require redesign of the amplification reaction.
Non-specific amplification can also be reduced by the use of a reversibly inactivated thermostable DNA polymerase which can be reactivated by incubation in the amplification reaction mixture at an elevated temperature. Non-specific amplification is reduced because the polymerase is inactive until the temperature of the mixture has been elevated to a temperature which insures specific primer hybridization (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,773,258; 5,677,152).
Routinely, PCR is performed using the thermostable DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus (Taq DNA polymerase) which shows a 5′-3′ polymerase activity and a 5′-3′ polymerase-dependent exonuclease function. However, it does not possess a 3′-5′ exonuclease activity (Lawyer et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264: 6427-6437). The 3′-5′ exonuclease activity of DNA polymerases is referred to as "proofreading activity". This proofreading activity removes mismatched bases from the 3′ end of a primer-template duplex. It may be advantageous as it leads to an increased fidelity of replication during the amplification. As Taq DNA polymerase is deficient in 3′-5′ exonuclease activity it does not remove mismatched primer ends. However, it is able to elongate these mismatched primers thereby leading to an incorporation of base errors during amplification. Several thermostable B-type DNA polymerases exhibit 3′-5′ exonuclease activity and are used in PCR for the amplification of DNA with high fidelity. E.g., well known in the art are the DNA polymerases derived from Pyrococcus furiosus (Pfu DNA polymerase, WO 92/09689), Pyrococcus woesei (Pwo DNA polymerase available from Roche Applied Science) and Thermococcus gorgonarius (Tgo DNA polymerase, WO 981590).
Thermostable DNA polymerases with proofreading activity are also used in PCR as mixtures of DNA polymerases, at least one polymerase exhibiting such a proofreading activity (U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,149). Recently, a thermostable 3′-5′ exonuclease was shown to act as a mismatch correcting enzyme if used in PCR as a mixture with a DNA polymerase (WO 01/23583).
A repetitive series of cycles involving template denaturation, primer annealing, and extension of the annealed primers by the polymerase results in exponential accumulation of a specific DNA fragment. The primer extension products synthesized in a given cycle can serve as a template in the next cycle, therefore the number of target DNA copies approximately doubles every cycle. Thus, even smallest amounts of contaminating DNA from a previous PCR amplifications can be amplified and lead to false positive results (carry-over contamination). Therefore, methods have been developed to avoid such a contamination. In PCR amplifications it is possible to substitute dUTP for dTTP to produce uracil-containing DNA (U-DNA). Treating subsequent PCR reaction mixtures with uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) prior to amplification contaminating nucleic acids are degraded and are not suitable for amplification. dUTP can be readily incorporated by pol I-type thermostable DNA polymerases but not by B-type polymerases (Slupphaug et al. (1993) Anal. Biochem. 211:164-169). Therefore, B-type DNA polymerases can not be used in PCR amplifications if high fidelity and UNG decontamination is required.

Reversibly modified thermostable enzymes for DNA synthesis and amplification in vitro


A lamp emits pulse-shaped visible light when a wait period begins. If a radiation emission switch is not pressed in the wait period, X-ray radiation is not emitted from an X-ray source, and no charges are accumulated in photoelectric conversion elements of an X-ray imaging apparatus. In a non-read period, although signals are sequentially read from the photoelectric conversion elements, an output signal does not change. When the radiation emission switch is pressed in synchronization with a radiation-induced signal in a certain wait period, the X-ray source emits X-rays. After irradiation of X-rays, a photoelectric conversion period transitions to an actual read period. In the photoelectric conversion period, X-rays are emitted and transmitted X-ray information of a patient are accumulated in the photoelectric conversion elements of the X-ray imaging apparatus. In the actual read period, the accumulated information is read.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation imaging apparatus suitable for a variety of applications, such as medical diagnosis and industrial non-destructive inspection, and to a control method for the radiation imaging apparatus. In the present invention, radiation includes electromagnetic radiation, such as X-ray and γ-ray, α-ray, and β-ray.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, X-ray radiography systems used in hospitals are of a film radiography type and an image processing type. In a film radiography type system, a patient is irradiated with X-rays and a film is exposed to the X-rays transmitted through the patient. In an image processing type system, the X-rays transmitted through the patient are converted into electrical signals for digital image processing.
One X-ray radiography system of the image processing type is a radiation imaging apparatus including a phosphor for transforming X-rays into visible light and a photoelectric conversion device for converting the visible light into electrical signals. The phosphor is exposed to X-rays transmitted through a patient to transform body information of the patient into visible light, and the transformed body information of the patient is output as electrical signals from the photoelectric conversion device. The electrical signals can further be converted into digital signals by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter so that X-ray image information used for in recording, displaying, printing, diagnosis, etc., can be processed as digital data.
Recently, radiation imaging apparatuses including an amorphous silicon semiconductor thin-film photoelectric conversion device have been commercially available, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-307698.
FIG. 8 is a two-dimensional circuit diagram of a photoelectric conversion substrate of the related art including photoelectric conversion elements and switching elements made of amorphous silicon semiconductor thin films. For simplification of illustration, 3×3 pixels, i.e., nine pixels, are shown in FIG. 8.
In FIG. 8, a photoelectric conversion circuit unit (or a radiation detection circuit unit) 701 includes photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S3-3, switching elements (or thin-film transistors (TFTs)) T1-1 to T3-3, gate lines G1 to G3 for turning on or off the switching elements (TFTs) T1-1 to T3-3, signal lines M1 to M3, and a Vs line for applying an accumulation bias to the photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S3-3. The Vs line is biased by a power supply Vs. A shift register SR1 applies driving pulse voltages to the gate lines G1 to G3. A voltage Vg(on) for turning on the switching elements (TFTs) T1-1 to T3-3 and a voltage Vg(off) for turning off the switching elements (TFTs) T1-1 to T3-3 are supplied to the shift register SR1 from the outside.
A reading circuit unit 702 amplifies and serial converts parallel signals output from the signal lines M1 to M3 in the photoelectric conversion circuit unit 701, and outputs the resulting signals. The reading circuit unit 702 includes switches RES1 to RES3 for resetting the signal lines M1 to M3, amplifiers A1 to A3 for amplifying the signals on the signal lines M1 to M3, sample-hold capacitors CL1 to CL3 for temporarily storing the signals amplified by the amplifiers A1 to A3, switches Sn1 to Sn3 for performing sample hold, buffer amplifiers B1 to B3, switches Sr1 to Sr3 for converting parallel signals into serial signals, a shift register SR2 for supplying pulses for serial conversion to the switches Sr1 to Sr3, and a buffer amplifier Ab for outputting the converted serial signals.
FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing the operation of the photoelectric conversion device shown in FIG. 8.
In a photoelectric conversion period, all photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S3-3 are in a biased state to the electric potential of the power supply Vs and are irradiated with X-rays. The photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S3-3 generate charges (electrons and holes) proportional to the X-ray dose. At this time, the switching elements (TFTs) T1-1 to T3-3 are still in the off position, and the generated charges are accumulated in inter-electrode capacitors of the photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S3-3.
In a read period, a reading operation is performed in the order of the photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S1-3 in the first row, the photoelectric conversion elements S2-1 to S2-3 in the second row, and the photoelectric conversion elements S3-1 to S3-3 in the third row. First, the shift register SR1 supplies gate pulses to the gate line G1 associated with the switching elements (TFTs) T1-1 to T1-3 in the first row to perform the reading operation of the photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S1-3. The high level of the gate pulse corresponds to the voltage Vg(on) supplied from the outside. The switching elements (TFTs) T1-1 to T1-3 are then turned on, and the signal charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S1-3 are transferred to the signal lines M1 to M3. The signal charges transferred to the signal lines M1 to M3 are amplified by the amplifiers A1 to A3. Although not shown in FIG. 8, reading capacitors are added to the signal lines M1 to M3, and the signal charges are transferred to the reading capacitors via the switching elements (TFTs) T1-1 to T1-3. For example, the reading capacitor added to the signal line M1 corresponds to the sum of inter-electrode capacitors (Cgs) between gates and sources of the switching elements (TFTs) T1-1 to T3-1 connected to the signal line M, i.e., three capacitors.
An SMPL signal is turned on to transfer the signal charges to the sample-hold capacitors CL1 to CL3, and the SMPL signal is off to hold them. When pulses are applied from the shift register SR2 to the switches Sr1, Sr2, and Sr3 in this order, the signals held in the sample-hold capacitors CL1 to CL3 are output as an output signal Vout from the amplifier Ab in the order of the sample-hold capacitors CL1, CL2, and CL3 to an A/D conversion circuit unit. Thus, the photoelectric converted signals of the photoelectric conversion elements S1-1, S1-2, and S1-3 in the first row are sequentially output.
After the signal lines M1 to M3 are reset to a ground (GND) potential, the shift register SR1 supplies gate pulses to the gate line G2 associated with the switching elements (TFTs) T2-1 to T2-3 in the second row to perform the reading operation of the photoelectric conversion elements S1-1 to S1-3. The reading operation of the photoelectric conversion elements S2-1 to S2-3 in the second row and the reading operation of the photoelectric conversion elements S3-1 to S3-3 in the third row are sequentially performed. The sample hold of the signals on the signal lines M1 to M3 into the sample-hold capacitors CL1 to CL3 allows the signal charges of the photoelectric conversion elements S2-1 to S2-3 in the second row and the photoelectric conversion elements S3-1 to S3-3 in the third row to be transferred using the shift register SR1 while serially converting the signals for the first and second rows using the shift register SR2. Specifically, the signals on the signal lines M1 to M3 are sampled and held in the sample-hold capacitors CL1 to CL3 by the SMPL signal for the first row, and the signal lines M1 to M3 are reset to the GND potential by a cres signal (RC1). Then, gate pulses are applied to the gate line G2. Thus, while the shift register SR2 performs serial conversion on the signals for the first row, the shift register SR1 transfers the signal charges of the photoelectric conversion elements S2-1 to S2-3 in the second row.
Therefore, the signal charges of all photoelectric conversion elements from the first row to the third row can be output to obtain a single still image. The photoelectric conversion period and the read period, in which an image is obtained, are referred to a reading operation period.
In an X-ray imaging apparatus of the related art, generally, photoelectric conversion elements made of amorphous semiconductor as a main material, such as amorphous silicon or amorphous selenium, do not provide a stable photoelectric conversion in proportion to the X-ray dose due to dark current variations immediately after applying a bias.
Therefore, although not shown in FIG. 9, the X-ray imaging apparatus of the related art has an idling operation period of at least several seconds prior to the photoelectric conversion period. The idling operation period alternately includes a wait period and a read period. In the wait period, X-rays are not emitted or charges are not read. The idling operation period provides a stable dark characteristic in the photoelectric conversion period during which X-rays are emitted.
In the X-ray imaging apparatus, a radiographer, such as an X-ray engineer, presses an X-ray emission switch (or irradiation switch) to emit X-rays. However, the idling operation period makes it difficult to synchronize a reading operation of the X-ray imaging apparatus with X-ray emission. For example, if the irradiation switch is pressed in the read period of the idling operation period, X-rays enter the photoelectric conversion circuit unit 701 while reading signal charges.
In a control method for avoiding this problem, when a radiographer, such as an X-ray engineer, presses the irradiation switch, a reading operation ends in the idling operation period, and, after the confirmation, the idling operation period transitions to the photoelectric conversion period in which X-rays are emitted.
However, this control method causes a delay between pressing the irradiation switch and emitting X-rays. A slight delay may be negligible. However, medical X-ray imaging apparatuses for use in simple thoracic radiography generally have a wide radiographic range and a large number of pixels, and therefore require approximately 0.1 to 1 seconds for reading. X-ray radiography using such medical X-ray imaging apparatuses can make radiographers uncomfortable. Another problem is that a desired image cannot be obtained due to a delay although a radiographer presses the irradiation switch at a desired time. Therefore, the chance of taking the best radiographs may be lost.
Moreover, it is necessary to electrically connect the X-ray imaging apparatus and an X-ray generator via a connection cable or the like to synchronize X-ray emission with a reading operation of the X-ray imaging apparatus after the irradiation switch is pressed by a radiographer. The connection cable is inconvenient for the radiographer particularly in radiography using a portable X-ray imaging apparatus, such as a film cassette type apparatus, and reduces the radiographic efficiency. An X-ray imaging apparatus having a connection cable can break down due to the cable being tripped over or walked on, and the radiographic operation is interrupted until the broken apparatus is repaired.

Radiation imaging apparatus and control method therefor


A method of etching and cleaning objects contained in a vessel, includes etching the objects by providing etching solution into the vessel, forcing out the etching solution from the vessel by providing pressurized gas into the vessel; cleaning the objects by providing cleaning solution into the vessel; and draining the cleaning solution from the vessel. By forcing out the etching solution with a pressurized gas such as nitrogen gas, there is no density difference of the etching solution in contact with the objects, leading to uniform etching of the objects.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an etching and cleaning apparatus and method for objects, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for batch processes for objects such as a semiconductor wafer or a liquid crystal display (LCD) substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
Etching technology is very important for compact and complicated substrates. Etching is followed by a cleaning process.
For a wet etching process a batch type process is usually adopted since it can provide mass production and a low production cost.
FIG. 1 schematically shows an etching apparatus of a batch type according to a conventional art.
A vessel 10 containing substrates 12 has upper and lower openings 111 and 113 and is linked by many pipes. To the upper opening 111 are linked a first supplying pipe 10a and a first draining pipe 10d and to the lower opening 113 are linked a second supplying pipe 10b, a third supplying pipe 10c and a second draining pipe 10e. The first supplying pipe 10a is for supplying IPA (isopropyl alcohol), the second supplying pipe 10b for supplying etching solution, and the third supplying pipe 10c for supplying D.I. (deionized) water. The first draining pipe 10d is for draining etching solution and D.I. water, and the second draining pipe 10e is for draining IPA and D.I. water.
The etching process and rinsing process using the apparatus is explained. First, through the second and the third supplying pipes 10b and 10c, etching solution and D.I. water are supplied to the vessel 10 containing substrates 12, respectively. In some conditions only etching solution can be supplied, since D.I. water is for diluting the etching solution at this time.
Next, the substrates 12 are etched by the etching solution for some time.
Next, D.I. water is supplied through the third supplying pipe 10c so as to push the mixture of etching solution and D.I. water to the upper opening 111 for draining through the first draining pipe 10d. At this time D.I. water cleans the substrates 12.
Finally, D.I. water is drained through the second draining pipe 10e and IPA is supplied to the vessel 10 in order to dry the substrates 12.
However, referring to FIG. 2, during draining, the etching solution densities of the etching solution differ depending on the location of the interface of the etching solution and the D.I. water for cleaning. That is, in a certain instant during that process the density is high at the upper portion 12a of the vessel 10 and low at the middle portion 12b of the vessel, whereas at the lower portion 12c of the vessel 10 cleaning water such as D.I. water is filled. This density difference results in non-uniform etching of the substrate 12 depending on the position of the substrate 12.
During that time, while etching solution of high density is mixed with D.I. water for cleaning, an abnormal reaction such as an electric reaction occurs. When two metal layers on the substrate are etched in one process, some metals such as aluminum lose their electrons and some metals such as titanium receive the electrons. Donor metal is over etched, and the donee metal is etched less, which deteriorates the quality of etching.


A boxing equipment of the present invention includes a base, a disc member, a plastic pole, a boxing member and a sheath. The disc member is disposed on the base for housing a first end of a resilient member, and the pole is fastened to a second end of the resilient member. One end of the pole is mounted with the boxing member, while the sheath can fasten the boxing member with the pole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a boxing equipment, in which a boxing member thereof can securely fastened with a pole and can be stored easily.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As disclosed in the Taiwan Patent Pub. No. 228723, a conventional boxing equipment includes a base having a central pole, and includes a cylindrical boxing body having a central bore, in which the boxing body is a pneumatic inflatable plastic bag. When fully stored with air, the boxing body can house the central pole in the central bore. However, the boxing body slides off the pole bit by bit when it is constantly punched by the user, which cannot satisfy the training purpose.
An improved boxing equipment is provided as disclosed by the U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,443, which also includes a base having a central pole, and includes a boxing body. The central pole and an interior of the boxing body are both made of plastic foam for a better positioning performance, yet still causing another problem that the boxing body cannot be easily stored like the conventional inflatable boxing body does.


A fuel injector includes a body having a fuel injection port, and a seal ring on the body. The body has a diameter-shrink portion of which an outer diameter is shrunk. The seal ring is engaged with the diameter-shrink portion. The diameter-shrink portion has a radially concaved annular groove with which a tip end portion of the seal ring is engaged. It is restricted that the seal ring is rubbed against an inner surface of the assembling hole and the seal ring is damaged.

In a configuration in which a body of a fuel injector is inserted into an assembling hole formed at a specified position of the internal combustion engine, it is required that no gas leaks from a fuel injection space (for example, a combustion chamber or an intake pipe) through a clearance between an inner surface of the assembling hole and an outer surface of the body.
Conventionally, an annular seal ring is disposed in the clearance. Specifically, as shown in JP-2005-155394A1 (US-2007-0272214A1), a diameter-shrink portion is formed on the body of the fuel injector, and the annular seal ring is provided on the diameter-shrink portion. Then, the body is inserted into the assembling hole.
However, in the conventional configuration, when the body is inserted into the assembling hole, the outer surface of the annular seal ring slides on the inner surface of the assembling hole along with a friction force. Due to the friction force, the annular seal ring may be pushed up and is displaced from the specified position of the diameter-shrink portion. If the body is further inserted into the assembling force, the annular seal ring is strongly rubbed between the inner surface of the assembling hole and the outer surface of the body. The annular seal ring may be damaged.


The present invention provides solid forms of (R)—N-(2-(5-fluoropyridin-3-yl)-8-isopropylpyrazolo[1,5-a][1,3,5]triazin-4-yl)-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-3-amine maleate (Compound 2) represented by the formula:

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a transcription factor that without ligand exists in the inactive state in the cytoplasm bound to HSP90. Upon ligand binding, AHR translocates to the nucleus where it dimerizes with ARNT forming a functional transcription factor. AHR/ARNT binds dioxin response elements (DRE) in the promotor of many genes where it modulates gene transcription. The most well documented genes regulated by AHR are the cytochrome P450 genes Cyp1b1 and Cyp1a1, where activation of AHR greatly increases expression of these genes. Therefore, Cyp1b1 and Cyp1a1 mRNA levels are a selective readout of AHR activation (reviewed in Murray et al., 2014).
Many exogenous and endogenous agonists of AHR exist that activate the receptor. The best characterized exogenous ligand class are the dioxins. One of the first endogenous ligands to be characterized is kynurenine, generated by TDO (Opitz 2011) or IDO (Mezrich 2010). Kynurenine is a stable metabolite in the IDO/TDO pathway and is the product of tryptophan degradation. Kynurenine has been shown to activate AHR as measured by an increase in Cyp1a1 and/or Cyp1b1 mRNA levels in multiple cell types, along with other DRE-driven genes.
AHR activation has pro-tumor effects by acting directly on the tumor cells and indirectly by causing immunosuppression, therefore not allowing the body's own immune system to attack the tumor. For example, AHR activation through multiple ligands leads to increased expression of FoxP3 and results in a polarization of CD4+ T-cells toward a suppressive subset called Foxp3+ T-regulatory cells (Tregs). These T-reg cells inhibit the proliferation of activated T cells (Funatake 2005, other refs). Interestingly, kynurenine has been shown to induce immunosuppressive Tregs through AHR. Kynurenine does not affect T-reg generation in AHR-null T cells or when an AHR antagonist is added (Mezrich). In addition to T-regs, AHR activation also leads to expansion of suppressive Trl T cells (Gandhi 2010). It has also been shown that expression of IDO is regulated by AHR activation in both tumor cells and T cells, leading to increased immune suppression (Vogel). It is likely there is also a role for AHR in immune suppressive myeloid cells (Nguyen 2013). Immune suppression is often associated with high levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and there is evidence that AHR is involved in activation of many of these cytokines, such as IL-10 (Gandhi 2010, Wagage 2014).
There remains an unmet need to develop inhibitors of AHR for treating diseases, disorders and conditions associated therewith.

Solid forms of (R)-N-(2-(5-fluoropyridin-3-yl)-8-isopropylpyrazolo[ 1,5-a][1,3,5]triazin-4-yl)-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-3-amine maleate as aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) inhibitors


A plastic card-type coin holder folder device for carrying coins fits in a card-carrying section of a wallet. A rigid card the thickness of the coins has circular cut-outs in which to position the coins. Thin plastic strips across a lower portion of a front of the rigid card hold the coins from the front. A thin plastic backing has holes along the top of the coins for pushing the coins forward to retrieve them from the front. A thin plastic cover attaches to the top of the rigid card and folds down over the front of it and is secured by tucking the cover into one of the coin retaining strips.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for carrying coins and particularly to a plastic card-type coin holder folder for carrying in a card-carrying section of a wallet or the like comprising a rigid plastic card body receives the coins in circular cut-outs with two thin coin retaining strips attached to the front of the plastic card across the bottoms of the coins for securing the coins in the card and with a thin back sheet having a hole at the top of each coin to assist removal of the coins by pushing the coins forward, and a cover that folds over the plastic body and is secured by tucking said cover into one of the coin retaining strips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Money of high value is in the form of bank notes, and space is provided in wallets for the bills as well for credit cards and similar documents. Sometimes a small zippered coin pouch is added in the construction of a wallet, but if filled with coins, it tends to add bulk to the wallet and the user cannot fully close the wallet.
Coin holders in the form of a small pocket or a small bag are well known, but inconvenient to use, since the user has to carry both the wallet and the coin holder. Coins are often tossed in a purse, pocket, bag or similar article but this is not practical because it is difficult to remove the coins at the time when the coins are needed.
Prior art devices do not adequately provide a card sized flat coin holder within a folder that secures the coins and yet enables easy removal of the coins.
U.S. Pat. No. 618,497, issued Jan. 31, 1899 to Crabb, provides a coin carrier with paired curved slots cut into one of three panels. The slots form a band over the coin inserted through both slots. The other two panels fold over the coin panel to enclose it.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,437, issued May 12, 1970 to Shaad, claims a currency-holding card for coins and paper money with a double layer of material forming one panel having a pair of partial circle cutouts in one sheet leaving a band in between to go over a coin. A pocket is provided for paper money. A second panel closes over the first to cover the coins.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,827,888, issued Oct. 20, 1931 to Greer, discloses a book-type coin bank for receiving and containing coins that has a plurality of sheets that are adhesively attached to each other, which have coin holding apertures. The device is made of such a size as to be conveniently carried in a pocket.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,843,879, issued Feb. 2, 1932 to Love, illustrates a coin purse having a body portion provided with plurality of different sizes apertures for retaining and carrying coins, said purse also has a cover flap with snap fastening closure devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,547, issued Nov. 20, 2001 to Pianezzola, is for a pocket-size container for metal coins that has a structure in the form and dimensions of a normal credit card, debit card and similar documents, which has a plurality of recesses. A coin is inserted into each of the recesses according to measure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,716, issued Jul. 26, 1977 to Marks, shows a pocket-sized card holder for keys, coins and/or similar items comprised of a thin card having a depressed region therein for receiving and containing the items and a pressure resealable, at least partially adhesively-coated lid which covers the depressed region and which can be stripped or peeled back to expose the contained items. The holder is preferably of credit card size for convenience in carrying, with overall thickness only fractionally greater than the items contained.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,398, issued Sep. 6, 1983 to Smoczynski, claims a coin carrying plastic card of a size for carrying in a card carrying section of a wallet or the like. The device includes a plastic card body of a first thickness, a hole in the plastic card body for receiving a coin of a second thickness, an edge on the card surrounding the hole, the hole being of slightly larger than the corresponding dimension of the coin so that the edge on the card lies in contiguous relationship to the edge of the coin, the first thickness being of a sufficiently high proportion of the second thickness so that the edge of the card surrounding the hole will provide support to the edge of the coin, and pressure-sensitive tape affixed to one side of the card and extending across the hole for adhesively securing the coin to the card while permitting selective removal and replacement thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,835, issued Mar. 20, 2001 to Morse, protects a change card including a plurality of bays which is configured to hold a combination of coins that allows a user to make exact change for any purchase and/or to receive all of the change resulting from a purchase. The change card includes a body on which the plurality of bays is disposed. Each of the bays is adapted to releasably receive a coin. The change card may be configured to be about the same size as a credit card. A change card configured for use in the United States may include a predetermined number of bays consisting of four bays for receiving pennies, one bay for receiving a nickel, two bays for receiving dimes, and three bays for receiving quarters, which totals 10 coins. Accordingly, exact change may be made for a purchase of given dollar amount and any fractional amount in cents, ranging from 1¢ to 99¢ with only these 10 coins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,030, issued Aug. 7, 1990 to Guridi, puts forth an emergency key holder card which includes a credit card sized key holder card for retaining emergency keys, an emergency coin holder, toothpicks, identification labels, magnifying glass, calendar, or various linear measuring devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,610, issued Nov. 17, 1981 to China, concerns a holder for keys, coins and the like is generally rectangular in cross-section so that it has an appearance similar to that of a standard credit card. The card-like holder includes a tray member and an insert member which is receivable within the tray member. The tray member includes a rigid frame having opposed faces and an aperture for receiving the insert member. The tray member also includes a flexible film which is disposed over one of the frame faces to form a backing for the frame aperture. The insert member conforms in configuration to the frame aperture so as to be receivable therein. The insert includes a rigid holder portion having a pair of opposed faces and an aperture for receiving the item to be contained in the holder. The insert also includes a flexible film member disposed over one of the insert holder portion faces to form a backing for the insert aperture.
What is needed is a card sized flat coin holder within a folder that secures the coins and yet enables easy removal of the coins.


A single panel display may have discrete, dedicated segments associated with each of the primary colors. The segments may not be equally sized in some embodiments. The light from a light source may be split into color portions that are adjusted to accommodate to the differently sized segments dedicated to different colors.

This invention relates generally to projection displays.
A projection display system typically includes one or more spatial light modulators (SLMs) that modulate light for purposes of producing a projected image. The SLM may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) such as a high temperature polysilicon (HTPS) LCD panel or a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) microdisplay, a grating light valve or a MEMs (where "MEMs" stands for micro-electro-mechanical devices) light modulator such as a digital mirror display (DMD) to modulate light that originates from a lamp of the projection display system.
In typical projection display systems, the lamp output is formatted with optics to deliver a uniform illumination level on the surface of the SLM. The SLM forms a pictorial image by modulating the illumination into spatially distinct tones ranging from dark to bright based on supplied video data. Additional optics then relay and magnify the modulated illumination pattern onto a screen for viewing.
The SLM typically includes an array of pixel cells, each of which is electrically controllable to establish the intensity of a pixel of the projected image. In some projection display systems, SLMs are transmissive and in others, they are reflective. For the purposes of simplification, the discussion will address reflective SLMs.
An SLM may be operated in an analog manner by applying analog voltages to each pixel to effect a range of projected pixel brightnesses from black to grey to white. An SLM may also be operated in a digital manner so that each pixel has only two states: a default reflective state which causes either a bright or a dark projected pixel and a non-default reflective state which causes the opposite projected pixel intensity. In the case of an LCOS SLM, the pre-alignment orientation of the liquid crystal material and any retarders in the system determine whether the default reflective state is normally bright or normally dark. For the purposes of simplification, the discussion will denote the default reflective state as normally bright, i.e., one in which the pixel cell reflects incident light into the projection lens (the light that forms the projected image) to form a corresponding bright pixel of the projected image. Thus, in its basic operation, the pixel cell may be digitally-controlled to form either a dark pixel (in its non-default reflective state) or a bright pixel (in its default reflective state). In the case of a DLP SLM, the states may represent the pixel in a co-planar position to the underlying substrate.
Although its pixels are operated digitally, the above-described digitally-driven SLM may also be used in an application to produce visually perceived pixel intensities (called "gray scale intensities") between the dark and bright levels. For such an application, each pixel may be controlled by pulse width modulation (PWM), a control scheme that causes the human eye to perceive gray scale intensities in the projected image, although each pixel cell still only assumes one of two states at any one time. The human visual system perceives a temporal average of pixel intensity when the PWM control operates at sufficiently fast rates.
In the PWM control scheme, a pixel intensity (or tone) is established by controlling the time that the pixel cell stays in its reflective state and the time that the pixel cell remains in the non-reflective state during an interval time called a PWM cycle. This type of control is also referred to as duty cycle control in that the duty cycle (the ratio of the time that the pixel cell is in its reflective state to the total time the pixel cell is in its non-reflective and reflective states) of each PWM cycle is controlled to set the pixel intensity. A relatively bright pixel intensity is created by having the pixel cell spend a predominant proportion of time in its reflective state during the PWM cycle, while a relatively dark pixel intensity is created by having the pixel cell spend a predominant amount of time in its non-reflective state during the PWM cycle.
Projection displays with single microdisplay panels that serve all three primary colors may be desirable to meet mass market price targets for large screen, high definition, televisions. Known single-panel display systems suffer from brightness losses and/or visual artifacts that consumers may find objectionable. For example, single-panel light engines may time share the single panel for red, green, and blue images, while illumination is sequentially modulated by means of a color wheel or spinning prism. For example, with a color wheel, with green data displayed, green illumination is applied to the panel. With blue data displayed, blue illumination is applied to the panel. With red data displayed, red illumination is applied to the panel. In a scrolling prism system, all three narrow color strips of red, green, and blue illumination move down or across the panel. The data must be synchronized to display the correct data for the color of impinging illumination.
Another approach for single-panel light engines uses microdisplay panels illuminated with white light, but integral to the panel are pixel-sized filters or diffractive or dispersive elements in a per pixel pattern to segregate incoming light by wavelength. In such systems, each pixel modulates light from a single color band, either red or green or blue.
Using time sequential illumination by red, green, and blue light may be subject to limitations, depending on whether the system is modulated by a color wheel or a rotating prism. If the illumination is modulated by the color wheel, the system brightness may suffer because only one-third of the illumination wavelengths are passed by the color wheel to impinge on the SLM Further, during periods when the color spoke transitions through the illuminating beam, the panels must be held in their dark state. When this is not done, the display does not achieve full saturation in each of the primary colors. Together, these two effects significantly reduce the brightness of a colorwheel based system. In the rotating prism approach, the illumination is modulated by color prefiltering and then bands of red, green, and blue light are scrolled by the rotation of the prism. Thus, all wavelengths of the illumination source pass through the prism onto the SLM. However, some rows or columns of a scrolling panel must also be held dark where the colors transition. Thus, the overall reflecting surface is reduced. Overall, color sequential systems may be less bright than non-temporal systems.
Further, color sequential illumination may cause visual artifacts. These artifacts are known as color breakup artifacts and are the result of an object of interest moving across the screen and being imaged by the viewer's eye. If the eye and the object have relative motion, the subsequent retinal images do not overlap spatially. Instead, there will be a motion displaced blue image, then a motion displaced red image, then a motion displaced green image. The eye does not fuse the three color records in such cases and color break up is perceived. The image can still exhibit color breakup in video systems when color fields are sequentially updated as rapidly as 2000 Hertz.
Thus, there is a need for better ways to make improved single-panel projection displays.

Projection display with color segmented microdisplay panel


In an analog to-digital converter, an analog signal is applied to a signal node of a binary weighted capacitor array during a sampling interval to charge capacitors of the capacitor array. A reference voltage is selectively applied to individual capacitors of the capacitor array during a coding interval to redistribute charge among the capacitors and to thereby minimize a voltage at the signal node. A compensating signal responsive to transitions of an error producing signal is coupled to the signal node during the sampling and coding intervals. The bit pattern corresponding to the sample of the analog signal is determined from which capacitors of the array have the reference voltage applied thereto for minimizing the voltage at the signal node. The analog-to-digital converter is useful for codecs used in telephony applications for encoding and decoding voice signals and the like.

A known analog to digital converter uses charge redistribution in a binary-weighted capacitor array to digitally encode analog signals. A sample of the analog signal is applied to a signal node to charge capacitors of the capacitor array, and a reference voltage is selectively applied to individual capacitors of the array to redistribute charge within the array until the voltage at the signal node is minimized. The pattern of reference voltages that is applied to the individual capacitors of the array to minimize the voltage at the signal node determines the bit pattern for the digitally encoded sample of the analog signal.
When such known analog-to-digital converters are implemented as part of a monolithic integrated circuit, other signals may be capacitively coupled to the signal node of the capacitor array. Such capacitive coupling causes a voltage offset at the signal node, and this voltage offset effectively shifts the decision levels for the digital encoding process away from their intended values, causing bit errors in the digitally encoded signal.
For example, the sign bit of the digitally encoded signal may be present in the integrated circuit near the signal node of the capacitor array and may be coupled to the signal node via parasitic capacitances. In known circuits, the sign bit has been inverted and integrated over time, and the integrated signal has been applied to the signal node to compensate for voltage offset due to parasitic coupling of the sign bit to the signal node. This approach averages out encoding errors over time, but particular bits of the encoded signal are still in error.

Analog-to-digital converter with error signal compensation and method for its operation


In an embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a molded-in insert for high strength retention in a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite structure. The insert has a cylindrical body and at least one circumferential groove formed in the cylindrical body, the groove having a substantially concave configuration, having a groove radius of 0.025 inch or greater, and having the groove radius greater than or equal to a groove depth.

1) Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to inserts for use in structures, and more particularly, to molded-in inserts for use in composite structures and parts in aircraft, spacecraft, and other vehicles.
2) Description of Related Art
Inserts may be used in the assembly of composite and metal structures or parts for various transport vehicles, such as aircraft, spacecraft, rotorcraft, watercraft, automobiles, trucks, buses, or other transport vehicles. Such inserts may be used to receive mating fasteners, provide attachment points for multi-part assemblies, and provide load transfer points. Examples of such inserts may include press-fit inserts, swaged inserts, molded-in inserts, threaded inserts, or other suitable inserts or fittings.
Methods for installing inserts into composite and metal structures or parts may include, for example, mold in place methods, such as where molded-in inserts are installed during molding, or for example, more expensive post-molding methods, such as where press-fit inserts or swaged inserts are installed after molding.
Known press-fit inserts and swaged inserts may be pressed into an opening in metal structures or parts after molding without the use of special tools or fasteners. However, known press-fit inserts and swaged inserts designed for press-fit installation in metal structures or parts may not work well with fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite structures or parts due to the non-ductile nature of the fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material. Such non-ductile fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material may lead to over-stressing of the material around the insert if the fit is too tight or may lead to poor retention of the insert if the fit is too loose, thus resulting in an improper fit. Thus, a proper fit of such known press-fit and swaged inserts may be difficult to attain with non-ductile materials such as fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material. Moreover, post-molding methods for installing known press-fit inserts or swaged inserts may incur increased labor and manufacturing costs, increased set-up and operating time, and increased final part cost.
Known molded-in inserts and threaded inserts may be molded into the composite or metal structure or part during molding. For example, FIG. 2A is an illustration of a front perspective view of a known molded-in insert 30 that may be molded in place in injection molded structures or parts. The molded-in insert 30 has knurled surfaces 34 with sharp knurls 36 and has a groove 38 with sharp edges 40, sharp internal corners 42, and a small width 44. Further, FIG. 2B is an illustration of a front perspective view of a known molded-in threaded insert 32 that may be molded in place in injection molded structures or parts. The molded-in threaded insert 32 has knurled surfaces 34 with sharp knurls 36, has groove 38 with sharp edges 40 and sharp internal corners 42, and small width 44, and has internal threads 46. Such known molded-in insert 30 and molded-in threaded insert 32 may use the knurled surfaces 34 and/or grooves 38 with sharp edges 40, sharp internal corners 42, and small internal radii 44 to retain such molded-in insert 30 and molded-in threaded insert 32 in place in thermoplastic composite parts.
However, such known molded-in insert 30 and molded-in threaded insert 32 may not work well with compression molded fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite structures or parts due to difficulties in filling the small radii 44 or the sharp internal corners 42 of the groove 38 during the molding process. FIG. 3 is an illustration of a cross-sectional top view of the known molded-in insert 30 showing the knurled surface 34 with sharp knurls 36 after being compression molded in place in a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite part 50 comprised of a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material 52 having reinforcing carbon fibers 54 in a resin matrix 55. The reinforcing carbon fibers 54, in general, do not flow into or enter void areas 56 between the knurls 36, and thus, the formation of such void areas 56 of incomplete consolidation may be promoted within the carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material 52, which can undermine retention strength of the molded-in insert 30 within the carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite part 50. Moreover, the reinforcing carbon fibers 54 of the carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material 52 may not flow into the small radii 44 (see FIGS. 2A, 2B) and/or sharp internal corners 42 (see FIGS. 2A, 2B) and may thus limit retention strength to the capability of the resin matrix 55 alone, which may be relatively weak.
Further, such known molded-in insert 30 and molded-in threaded insert 32 may have sharp edges 40 (see FIG. 4) which may cut reinforcing carbon fibers 54 during the molding process. FIG. 4 is an illustration of a cross-sectional side view of known molded-in insert 30 showing the groove 38 with sharp edges 40 and sharp internal corners 42 molded in place in the carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite part 50 comprised of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material 52 having reinforcing carbon fibers 54 in a resin matrix 55. The pressures on and flow of the carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material 52 during molding may cause the reinforcing carbon fibers 54 to have difficulty flowing into the sharp internal corners 42, thus creating void areas 56 of incomplete consolidation. Pressures on and flow of the carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material 52 during molding may cause the reinforcing carbon fibers 54 to be cut or severed when pressed against the sharp edges 40, such as at locations 58. Cut or severed reinforcing carbon fibers 54 may undermine retention strength of the molded-in insert 30 within the carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite part 50.
FIG. 5A is an illustration of a cross-sectional side view showing void areas 56 of incomplete consolidation where reinforcing carbon fibers 54 of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material 52 are forced to flow around a relatively sharp edge 60 of a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite part 62. FIG. 5B is an illustration of a close-up view of the circled portion 5B of FIG. 5A showing the void areas 56 of incomplete consolidation. Such void areas 56 of incomplete consolidation may undermine retention strength of molded-in inserts within the fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite parts or structures.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a molded-in insert and method for high strength retention in fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite parts or structures that provide advantages over known devices and methods.

Molded-in insert and method for fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite structure


The invention provides compositions having a Factor VIIa active site inhibitor domain and a tissue factor domain for the inhibition of FVIIa. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel compositions as well as their use in diagnostic, therapeutic, and prophylactic methods.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to novel compositions which bind to and inhibit an activity associated with plasma Factor VII/Factor VIIa. Specifically, the invention provides molecules having a Factor VIIa active site inhibitor domain and a tissue factor domain. According to a preferred aspect, the two domains of the hybrid molecule of the present invention are linked via flexible peptide linker domain. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel compositions as well as their use in diagnostic, therapeutic, and prophylactic methods.


A method is described for using an E-domain peptide for the induction of apoptosis in a cancer cells. In particular, the invention relates to methods for using a-type E-domain peptide from trout IGF and/or a b-type E-domain peptide from human IGF for the induction of apoptosis in a broad spectrum of cancer cells. The peptide species can be a homologue of the E-domain of IGF-1 or a fusion protein comprising the E-domain of IGF-1. It can be administered to one or more cancer cells alone or in a pharmaceutically acceptable composition.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGF's) are mitogenic peptides that regulate embryonic development, post-natal growth and cellular differentiation in vertebrates. The functions of mature IGF peptides have been extensively studied in various in vitro and in vivo systems. IGF's, including IGF-I and IGF-II, are among the members of a family of structurally and evolutionarily related peptides that also include insulin and relaxins. Like many hormones, IGF's are initially translated as pre-pro-peptides that undergo post-translational processing to result in the mature peptides.
The mature form of mammalian IGF-I is a basic protein of 7.5-kDa. The pre-pro-peptides of the mammalian IGF-I consist of an amino-terminal signal peptide, followed by the mature peptide with B, C, A and D domains, and a carboxyl-terminal E domain (See FIG. 1A for a schematic representation). The signal peptide at the amino-terminal end and the E-domain peptide at the carboxy-terminal end of the pre-pro-peptide are proteolytically cleaved from the peptide to result in the mature, biochemically active species.
To date, multiple forms of pro-IGF-I have been identified in species from fish to mammals (Shamblott, Chen, Mol Mar Biol Biotechnol. 2: 351-61, 1993; Rotwein, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 83:77-81, 1986). In humans, three alternative spliced isoforms of pro-IGF-I (pro-IGF-I-a pro-IGF-I-b and pro-IGF-I-c) have been reported (Rotwein, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 1986; Rotwein, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 261: 4828-32, 1986; Chew, et al., Endocrinology, 136: 1939-44, 1995). These three pro-IGF-I isoforms differ only in the carboxyl-terminal E-domain regions that are normally removed in vivo from the mature IGF-I. The E-domains of pro-IGF-I-a, pro-IGF-I-b and pro-IGF-I-c contain 35, 77 and 40 amino acid residues, respectively. The first 15 amino acid residues at the N-terminus of E-domains (referred to as the common region) share identical sequences. The amino acid sequences following the common region vary between the three isoforms of human pro-IGF-I (see FIG. 1B).
Similar diversity of pro-IGF-I E-domains is also found in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykis), where four different isoforms have been identified, designated for consistent reference herein as pro-IGF-I Ea-1, Ea-2, Ea-3 and Ea-4 (Shamblott, Chen, Mol. Mar. Biol. Biotech., 1993). Nucleotide sequence comparison of the four size forms of rainbow trout IGF-I mRNAs is consistent with the above observations concerning the Ea peptides in that the size differences among these mRNA species are due to insertions or deletions in the E domain regions of the molecules (See FIGS. 1A and 1B). The predicted amino acid residues of the common region of the four Ea peptides share identical sequences among themselves, as well as with pro-IGF-I E-peptides of human, mouse, and rat species (See FIG. 1B). The presence of the C-terminal 20 amino acid residues, sharing 70% identity with their human counterparts, identifies them as a-type E-peptides. The Ea-1 peptide of the rainbow trout (rt) pro-IGF-I (SEQ ID NO: 5) is a polypeptide of 35 amino acid residues, comprising the first 15 and the last 20 amino acid residues. Ea-2 (SEQ ID NO: 4) and Ea-3 (SEQ ID NO: 3) peptides differ from Ea-1 by virtue of either a 12- or 27-amino acid residue insertion between the first and last segments of the Ea-1-peptide sequence, respectively (see FIG. 1B). The Ea-4 peptide (SEQ ID NO: 2) contains both insertions. The predicted numbers of amino acid residues in each E-peptide are, thus, 35 (SEQ ID NO: 5), 47 (SEQ ID NO: 4), 62 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and 74 (SEQ ID NO: 2), respectively. There has not been any report on the presence of b-type IGF-I mRNA in rainbow trout (Shamblott and Chen, 1993).
FIG. 1B shows the amino acid sequences of the human Eb peptide (hEb) (SEQ ID NO:1) and the trout Ea peptides. Despite not having complete homology at the primary level, preliminary studies (unpublished data of this laboratory) indicate that hEb and trout Ea-4 peptide have very similar tertiary structures, particularly in the amino-terminal region containing the common sequences, and can compete effectively for binding to cell receptors specific to E-domain peptides.
Despite the presence of multiple E-domain variants, assigning biological function to the IGF E-domains has been elusive. Proteolytic processing of the pro-IGF's, resulting in the cleavage of E-domains from IGF's, is believed to be similar to the cleavage of the C-peptide of proinsulin (Foyt, et al., Insulin-Like Growth Factors: Molecular and Cellular Aspects, pp 1-16. Boca Raton: CRC press, 1991). In the past, it was generally accepted that E-domains, like the C-peptide of pro-insulin, possess little or no biological activity other than their potential roles in the biosynthesis of mature IGF. The C-peptide of pro-insulin is believed to have an essential function in the biosynthesis of insulin in linking the A and B chains in a manner that allows correct folding and inter-chain disulfide bond formation. In spite of the earlier reports indicating certain physiological effects of the insulin C-peptide (Johansson, et al., Diabetologia, 35: 121-28, 1992; Johansson, et al., Diabetologia, 35: 1151-58, 1992; Johansson, et al., J. Clin. Endo. Metab., 77: 976-81, 1993), it has not been widely accepted until recently. The C-peptide has now been shown to have many beneficial effects on various abnormalities in diabetic animal models and patients (Ido, et al., Science, 277: 563-66, 1997; Forst, et al., J. Clin. Invest. 101: 2036-41, 1998; Sjoquist, et al., Kidney Int., 54: 758-64, 1998). Moreover, recent studies further demonstrated specific binding of C-peptide to cell surfaces in a manner that suggests the presence of G-protein-coupled membrane receptors (Rigler, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 96: 13318-23, 1999). It is now thought that C-peptide may thereby stimulate specific intracellular signal transduction leading to the biological activities of C-peptide (Wahren, et al., Am. J. Physiol. Endo. Metab. 278: E759-68, 2000; Kitamura, et al., Biochem J., 355: 123-29, 2001).
Tian et al. (1999) have recently reported that recombinant rainbow trout Ea-2-, Ea-3- and Ea-4-peptides possess mitogenic activity in several non-transformed cell lines, including NIH 3T3 cells and caprine mammary epithelium cells (CMEC) (Panschenko et al., 1997). Since trout Ea-2- and Ea-4-peptide contains a signal motif for peptidyl C-terminal amidation (Shamblott and Chen, 1993; Barr, 1991), and a bipartite consensus nuclear localization sequence is also present in Ea-4-peptide (Shamblott and Chen, 1993; Dingwall and Laskey, 1991), the present inventors have concluded that these peptides potentially possess other novel biological activities. Thus, the present inventors demonstrate that novel biological activities are associated with both the Ea peptides of the rainbow trout pro-IGF-I, and with the human Eb peptide.
The present invention is based on the observation that in oncogenic cell lines, for example, human breast cancer cells, colon cancer cells, neuroblastoma cells, and trout hepatoma cells, Ea-peptides and human Eb-peptides induce morphological differentiation and inhibit anchorage-independent cell growth.

Compositions and methods for inducing apoptosis in tumor cells


Apparatus for use in deploying and retrieving marine seismic cable while a vessel maintains a nominal forward speed, including a secondary reel located aft of the cable main reel wherein the streamer is wrapped at least twice around the secondary reel in a manner to avoid overlap.

Since the marine seismic industry has progressed to towing multi-equipment, including two or more streamers, from one vessel, there has been a substantial increase in the operational down time whenever it is necessary to make repairs to a single streamer. Retrieving only a single streamer from among a plurality of towed equipment requires that the vessel maintain a nominal forward motion throughout. Utilizing present methods and apparatus, reeling in a single streamer while the vessel maintains a nominal forward motion results too frequently in damage to the streamer, i.e., holes, pinched wires and crushed bulkheads. Thus, the present industry norm dictates that the vessel be backed up while retrieving a streamer. This requires that all towed equipment be picked up, substantially increasing the effort and operational down time.
Streamers are complex cables usually comprised of a fluid filled jacket having a diameter of three or more inches. Some of the newer cables utilizing fiber optics may have diameters closer to two inches. There are various and numerous types and builders of seismic cables with associated varieties of includable equipment and means for their attachment. Generalizing with respect to this variety, cables are typically comprised of multiple electric lines, steel stress members, bulkheads, interconnects, hydrophones, program plugs, bird collars, and other equipment, predominantly encased in a polyurathene or PVC jacket. The typical jacket wall thickness is about 1/8 of an inch
Streamer lengths typically run between 2000 to 5000 yards. Each length is comprised of multiple sections. A section may run approximately 50 yards. Sections are connected by rigid connectors, several inches in length. Some connectors may exceed a foot in length. The connectors are held to the jacket by attachment means such as punch lock bands. Sections frequently contain, coupled within their length, other equipment, such as program plugs or bird collars. The plugs are comprised of rigid cylinders approximately twelve to fifteen inches long and are fixed within the jacket by attachment means such as punch lock bands. Bird collars are usually screwed around the circumference of the jacket, intermediate the sections.
A seismic cable must be handled with care. The length of the housing for certain of the included equipment dictates that the cable not be wound upon a drum with a curvature too great to accommodate certain straight cylindrical portions. The punch lock band attachment means, as well as the connectors themselves, the bulkheads, program plug housings and other included equipment, offer sharp corners, edges or points. They can penetrate or tear the jacket if inappropriately handled or juxtaposed under pressure. The cable, as mentioned above, is filled with a fluid for pressure purposes, for ballast and to satisfy other equipment needs such as that of the hydrophones. Holes in the jacket require that the jacket be repaired or replaced.
A seismic cable retrieved while the vessel maintains a nominal forward speed will be retrieved under significant tension The tension is such that layers of the streamer, when successively wrapped around a main cable reel, may frequently manage to puncture the jacket, pinch wires or crush bulkheads and equipment on the underlying layers. It is because of this potential for harm to the cable when wrapped under tension that the present industry norm dictates that seismic cables be retrieved while slowly backing the vessel through the water.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for retrieving marine seismic cables wherein a single cable can be safely retrieved while the vessel maintains a nominal forward motion. Maintenance of nominal forward motion obviates the need to retrieve all towed equipment, thereby saving work and operational down time.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a feedback indication of the tension under which the cable is being retrieved. If the tension exceeds a threshold level, the reeling process can be slowed or stopped and/or the vessel's rate of forward motion can be decreased.
It is further object of the invention for the retrieval apparatus to function to facilitate a level wind for the main reel.

Apparatus for marine seismic cable retrieval and deployment


A closure fitting for enclosing a portion of one or more carrier conduits between a first containment conduit section and an opposed second containment conduit section has: (a) a first cylindrical hollow body; (b) a second cylindrical hollow body, the second body being reversibly attached in fluid tight communication to the first body; (c) a first seal for sealing the first body to the first containment conduit section and a second seal for sealing the second body to the second containment conduit section, wherein and (d) a third seal for reversibly sealing the first body to the second body. In the invention, at least one of the first or second seals allows one of the bodies to axially move with respect to its containment conduit section.

A containment conduit is often used to house one or more carrier conduits, where the carrier conduits transport hazardous materials. The purpose of the containment conduit is to contain leaks that may develop in the carrier conduits.
When one of the carrier conduits is in need of repair or when it is desired to modify one of the carrier conduits, the containment conduit surrounding that carrier conduit must be cut into to allow access to the carrier conduit. This results in an open section in the containment conduit, typically defining a first containment conduit section and an opposed second containment conduit section. After repairs or modifications are accomplished to the carrier conduit, the two containment conduit sections must be sealed to one another—to thus reestablish the overall seal of the containment conduit. Typically, a closure fitting is employed to seal the two containment sections to one another.
Also, closure fittings are frequently employed during the initial installation of a carrier conduit within a containment conduit when the containment conduit is either pre-existing or is otherwise fixed in place.
Prior art closure fittings typically comprise one or more couplings that slide over the exposed open ends of the two containment sections and seal the two containment sections to one another. It is also typical that the one or more couplings must be simultaneously cemented or welded (depending on the containment pipe material) to the exposed open ends of the containment conduit sections. The drawback to such prior art closure fitting is that it is difficult to accomplish quality simultaneous cementing or welding jobs. Also, the fully assembled closure fitting is permanently attached to the conduit sections, so that, if a problem were to develop with the repair or modification to the containment pipe, the closure fitting must be cut away and replaced.
Accordingly, there is a need for a closure fitting that provides easier assembly and can be easily separated after installation to provide access to the one or more carrier pipes.


An optical transceiver antenna has a pair of cartridges supported by a pan/tilt mount. A lens at forward end of a cartridge interfaces light between an end of a light relay element retained by an axial deflection device and free space. The forward end of a cartridge also terminates first ends of actuator wires that are mutually rotationally displaced a distance of 90° from one another in a plane normal to a boresight axis of the antenna. The actuator wires have second wire terminations at the axial deflection device which are mutually rotationally displaced a distance of 90° from one another in a plane passing through the axial deflection device normal to the boresight axis. Heating currents are supplied to the actuator wires, causing their lengths to change, thereby flexing the axial deflection device and light relay element off boresight.

In the course of installing an optical (e.g., laser-based) communication system, the user/installer must adjust the angular orientation of each of a pair of spaced apart optical communication (transmit/receive) units in order to achieve the required line-of-sight alignment therebetween. This adjustment generally requires coordination between two installation personnel, one at each transceiver site, and may typically involve the use of a separate sighting telescope (that has been calibrated at its manufacturing facility) through which the user looks to determine the pointing direction of the optical antenna. While looking through the sighting scope, the user adjusts the orientation of the optical antenna until the remote antenna is centered in the cross-hairs of the sighting scope.
Because calibration of the sighting scope may be carried out in the presence of physical disturbances, and since disturbances may also be present during installation of the optical communication unit, the laser beam transmitted by the optical antenna may not intercept the remote optical antenna, when the unit is adjusted on the basis of the sighting scope alone. The installer may have to-carry out a trial and error visual search routine, with the aid of a person at the remote site, in order to realize accurate beam incidence upon the remote optical antenna. The time required to conduct this exercise adds to the cost of installation.
Moreover, even where the sighting scope is relatively accurately calibrated (either at the factory or by trained personnel at a field site), the initial calibration may impacted over the passage of time due to thermal stresses, vibration and weather. Thus an installed system may be subject to a recurring recalibration cost. In addition to the calibration problem, the user may replace or upgrade one or more subsystems of an installed optical antenna. This may require access to one or more optical antenna components which compromises the line of sight calibration, so that the system has to be recalibrated after the change-out or upgrade.

Active alignment system for free space optics


A zoom camera has a push button switch that is constituted of a single disc virtually radially divided into sections, and switches disposed behind the sections one by one. The single disc is supported in a center such that the single disc tilts in a different direction when pushed at one of the sections, and returns to a horizontal state by a spring force. One of the switches is actuated to output a signal when a corresponding one of the sections is pushed. The push button switch doubles as a mode setting operation member and a zooming operation member. When the mode setting operation is designated by a manually operable switch, the signals from the switches are used for the mode setting. Otherwise, the signals from the switches are used for zooming.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom camera, and more particularly to a mode set up device for a campact zoom camera which is compact and has improved handling for setting a mode. The present invention also relates to a control method for the zoom camera with a manual focus mode.
2. Background Arts
Recent compact cameras often have an electric zoom lens and a variety of operation modes including different focusing modes and different flash modes. The focusing modes include an autofocus mode and a manual focus mode. The flash modes include a pre-emission mode for avoiding red-eye phenomenon and an on-flashing mode for flashing illumination light at each exposure. Most of these compact cameras are provided with operation members such as small buttons for mode setting.
In the manual focus mode, a subject distance is predetermined by the photographer, so the photographer can release the shutter the moment the aimed subject moves in that subject distance range.
As the variety of operation modes is getting wider, the number of operation members is getting larger. On the other hand, since zooming is the most frequent operation, zooming operation members should not be too small for ease of handling. To maintain a sufficiently large area or space for the zooming operation members, other mode set-up operation members have been made so small that the efficiency and handling facility in mode setting is unsatisfactory in the conventional compact zoom camera.
Moreover, as the compact zoom camera has a small size, inexpensive zoom lens system, a valid focusing range varies depending upon the focal length. Specifically, the nearest in-focus range or the shortest subject distance the lens system can be focused on changes with the focal length during zooming. Therefore, a subject distance manually selected at a particular focal length can be less than the nearest in-focus range valid for a different focal length. If the photographer releases the shutter in that condition, an exposure is made through the zoom lens system focused on the nearest in-focus range rather than the manually selected subject distance, so that a aimed main subject is taken out-of-focus.

Zoom camera, mode set up device and control method for zoom camera


A plasma chamber for use in isotope enrichment has a microwave feed to the ECRH microwave horns, which feed is led into the plasma chamber behind the sputter plate and perpendicular to the magnetic field for improved microwave waveguide routing and ease of microwave window handling and maintenance. Improved collector design includes a collector assembly placed behind the plasma source comprising a dump plate and flat and shield collector. A ring collector is provided outside the main plasma region in the case where two opposing magnetic mirrors are used and the resonant ions maintained between them. An improved collector assembly can also be provided by disposing the collector assembly in front of the plasma source region and having a double shield-and-slat collector for capturing high energy resonant ions or permitting passage of low energy ions therethrough. Sputter sources for nonconducting materials can be provided by using a thin surface coating applied to a metal backing. The surface coat has a thickness of approximately one ion implantation depth so that the backing plate bleeds the charge from the surface coat. The thin surface coat may continually be replenished within directed jet vapor from a plasma or a doped or filled conductive plasma sputter plate may be employed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of plasma chambers and in particular to separation of isotopes by using magnetic mirrors in a plasma chamber in combination with improved collectors and plasma sources.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has devised extensive technologies relating to gaseous diffusion processes to separate isotopes. In addition the prior art has also devised a method for separating isotopes in a neutral dense plasma. In this prior art process, such as described by Dawson, "Isotope Separation by Magnetic Fields," U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,677 (1978), incorporated herein by reference, a neutral mixture of positive and negative ions of a desired product and electrons are injected into a partial vacuum to form a neutral dense plasma in a magnetic field where one of the isotopes of the product is given more energy than the others. The differential energy is imparted by selectively driving the desired isotope at its resonant frequency which is close to, but different from the cyclotron frequency of the other isotope(s). The cyclotron resonant frequency will generally depend upon the plasma density, the relative concentration of electrons if the plasma contains electrons, the strength of the magnetic field, the ratio of a charged mass of a particular isotopes and on various physical parameters of the plasma apparatus itself, such as the ratio of the plasma column length to its radius. The selected isotope is separated for others on the basis of the differential energy imparted to it. The separation is practiced by utilizing the differential diffusion of the ions across a magnetic field or magnetic mirrors may be utilized which confine the more energetic species. Dawson, however, failed to disclose and failed to find any operable mechanism for collecting the confined isotopic species.
Magnetic mirrors are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of Dawson in which a magnetic field in a downward direction is shown by arrow 71 and another magnetic field is provided going in an upward direction as shown by arrow 72. The two magnetic areas are separated by field free space 73. FIG. 7 illustrates the path of an ion 76 as it enters space 77. The particle collides at 78 with another particle and its path is changed to a downward spiral illustrated as 80. By subsequent collisions such as shown at 81, the particle moves eventually into the field free space 73 and then into the second magnetic field space 82 eventually to emerge at 83. The diffusion time of particle 76 depends on the Larmor radius, which is the radius of the spiral 80. Each collision of the particle transport the orbit of the ion by up to the diameter of the helix 80. As a result of the collision the particle has a roughly equal probability to move toward the left instead of toward the right. A second such particle is shown at 84. The more energetic species of ion will diffuse across magnetic spaces 77 and 82 more rapidly than the less energetic ions.
A pair of magnetic mirrors can also be used to confine a hotter species between the mirrors, while a cooler, less energetic species flows out of the mirror space as described in connection with FIG. 8 of Dawson. As an ion moves into a mirror region its transverse motion builds up at expense of its longitudinal motion. The effect is stronger the larger the initial transverse motion, i.e. motion perpendicular to the axis of the chamber and lines of the magnetic field. Hence, an ion, which has been heated in a transverse direction, upon reaching the right hand end of the chamber is returned toward the left as shown in 95, because it does not have enough longitudinal energy to pass through the mirror. The path of the less energetic ion is shown at 96. Conversely because this ion has less energy, it has less transverse motion and hence comparatively speaking a larger longitudinal motion. Due to its higher energy in the longitudinal direction, it can escape the magnetic mirror as shown at 97. As a result, the less energetic ions escape the mirror while the more energetic ions are confined between the two mirrors. However, the process of Dawson, called the Calutron process, realized only low isotope purities on the collected or plated product.
Therefore, what is needed are improvements to the Calutron process wherein isotope separation purities may be increased and product output increased.

Isotope separation using a high field source and improved collectors

The Regents of the University of California


A method for conducting a secure transaction over a network includes the steps of receiving a price and a transaction identifier from a merchant, the transaction identifier identifying a purchase selection made by a user, receiving a user identifier from a user, receiving a financial institution selection from the user, initiating a communication session with the selected financial institution, receiving a financial-institution user-identifier from the user, communicating the financial-institution user-identifier to the selected financial institution, communicating to the selected financial institution a request to transfer funds, receiving the funds from the selected financial institution, and sending the funds to the merchant.

Purchases of goods and services over the internet have transformed from what was once a novel way of conducting a business transaction to a now well-known mainstream method of acquiring those goods and services. These "on-line" transactions include making a selection from an offering at a merchant's website, entering payment information, and concluding the transaction by authorizing the merchant to receive funds. Presently, there are several methods by which a consumer can electronically pay for the purchases made on the Internet, which are, namely, credit cards, debit cards, direct debit, and electronic funds transfers. Each of these methods, however, has its own advantages and disadvantages.
When making an on-line purchase with a credit card, the consumer provides the merchant with credit card information sufficient to process the transaction. The information can include the credit card number, a security code referred to as CVV2, the card holder's address, the card's expiration date, and more. The amount of the purchase is then charged to the associated credit card account. However, credit cards are susceptible to fraud, especially when used over the Internet, because the physical card is never presented to the merchant, allowing anyone with the credit-card information to initiate a transaction. In addition, a verification to check whether the credit card owner has in fact authorized the purchase is typically not performed during on-line purchases. This lack of security makes many purchasers reluctant to use a credit card over the Internet. In addition, credit cards have a relatively high cost to the merchant that includes a processing fee of 1.4% and up. Credit cards also present a potentially high cost to the consumer, as credit card issuer's charge interest on any balance that is not paid by the end of a billing cycle.
Debit cards can be used to make purchases on-line. Debit cards are really "signature" based check cards that are associated with a bank account. They are analogous to a check with insufficient funds (NSF) and overdraft protection. A consumer can initiate the on-line purchase by supplying his or her account number and generally one other piece of information, such as a three or four digit number stamped on the physical card, and the amount of the purchase is debited directly from the consumer's account. One major disadvantage of debit cards, from a consumer's point of view, is the inability to immediately reverse or repudiate the transaction. Once the funds are withdrawn from the consumer's account, he or she will be forced to do without those funds during any dispute procedures. Interception of the account number and other piece of information, such as the three or four digit number stamped on the physical card allows a third party direct access to a consumer's funds. This possibility makes many consumers reluctant to use debit cards over the internet. In addition, debit cards have a relatively high cost to the merchant that includes a processing fee of 1.4% and up. The debit or check cards have the same disadvantages as credit card since they operate much the same—same networks and same authentication. Therefore security is a major drawback. Also, fees for overdrafts are high.
Fund transfer methods of payment for on-line purchases are also known. Fund transfer methods include payment employing an intermediate account whereby a consumer transfers funds from his personal financial-institution account into the intermediate account and then uses the funds in the intermediate account in making an on-line purchase. These systems include electronic wallets (or ewallets), internet pay anyone (IPA) accounts and virtual or physical pre-paid credit cards. When paying for an on-line purchase from an intermediate account the consumer may be required to provide the merchant with information identifying his intermediate account such as a user identifier (User ID) and a password.
If the consumer does not have sufficient funds in the intermediate account, the on-line transaction will be denied. Funding an intermediate account requires the consumer to plan ahead; it may take one to five business days before a consumer who has transferred funds into his intermediate account to access those funds. During this time, the funds are debited from the consumer's personal financial-institution account and the consumer disadvantageously does not have access to these funds. On the other side, the intermediate account provider will place a hold on deposited funds until they are cleared. A consumer who does not have enough funds in his intermediate account to pay for his on-line purchase will have to wait for the funds to clear before the can complete his purchase.
Consumer pre-authorized direct debit methods are known and typically used for on-line payment of bills, such as utility bills, and for recurring payments. However, a merchant needs prior standing authority from the consumer. Without this explicit authority no third parties, such as merchants, are able to access funds from the customer. Such an arrangement is tedious and inconvenient to set up. In any event, customers are extremely reluctant to give authority to a third party to access their funds and there are concerns about fraud and difficulty in canceling such authority.
Customer initiated electronic checks (echecks) are known and can be used for on-line purchases. Typically the customer provides his routing and account number and the merchant or processor debits funds from the consumer's account through the check clearing network. The problems with this method include the lack of any real time verification of account ownership, authorization, or sufficient funds, and a lack of a real time settlement system. In addition, there is no built in identity verification or notification of transaction success.
Therefore a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.

Method, device, and system for completing on-line financial transaction