A portable disassemblable blind for water fowl hunting provides a peripherally defined side frame and a slidably openable top, both supporting peripheral covering. One or more head holes are defined in the inner end of the top to allow one or more hunters to project their heads therethrough for observation. The frame optionally may support one or more seats for support of hunters beneath the head holes. A transverse support maintains guns in a forwardly and upwardly angulated orientation for safety. The openable top is supported by rollers that guide the opening and closing motion of the top on the side frame to insure reliable operability. The first species of blind may be formed without seats and with a low profile for positioning over a pit defined in the earth to provide a concealing cover for hunters therein. A second species of blind provides a semi-rigid plastic covering that is integrally formed with the supporting frame elements to allow manufacture by molding. A third species of blind provides a side frame with releasably attachable legs to further aid portability.

IIA. Related Applications
There are no applications related hereto heretofore filed in this or any foreign country.
IIB. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to disassemblable portable bunting blinds having a peripheral frame supporting a hunter concealing covering, and more particularly to such a blind that has a slidably openable top.
IIC. Background and Description of Prior Art
Portable blinds have long been known and used by hunters and observers of animals to aid such persons in accomplishing their objectives. In the course of their development, portable blinds have become quite sophisticated and often specialized for particular purposes, though there still remain unresolved problems with such blinds for hunters. The instant invention seeks to provide a new and novel portable blind for hunters that resolves various of the heretofore unresolved problems.
For a portable blind to be effective, it must be of relatively light weight and dissssemblable nature so that its components may form a relatively small compact assemblage for transport and storage. At the same time the disassembled components must not be too small or numerous or of such nature as to make assemblage difficult. My blind addresses this problem by providing a structure having a rigid peripheral frame supporting a covering that has a camouflaged exterior surface. The frame is of relatively low vertical profile and of elongate, somewhat rectilinear configuration so that it may be disassembled into two or more side pieces and a top member. Prior blinds generally have not been so readily disassemblable and compactible into as small a space when disassembled, while yet maintaining relatively few components of substantial size for easy assemblage.
A portable hunting blind for practical utility must be capable of assemblage in a simple rapid fashion into a rigid durable structure without the required use of tools which may not be available for the purpose. My blind provides a framework formed of channel elements which at permanent joints are joined by welding and at releasable joints are joined by smaller channel elements carried within the channels of larger elements and positionally maintained by bolt fasteners with manually manipulatable wing nuts. Prior disassemblable blinds generally have not provided a peripheral frame with slip-type joints that are fastenably maintained by bolting, so that their interconnections are not so strong, secure or rigid as those of the instant blind.
A hunting blind to be useful must allow users to rapidly gain egress for shooting of game. The timing and manner of this egress are especially important in water fowl blinds because the birds fly quite fast and often are near maximum shooting range when blind egress is instituted. The opening of the blind for shooting must also be sure and complete so that nothing blocks either gun egress or a shooter's posturing. My blind provides a flat, rigid top portion that is slidably movable from its normal covering position on the blind to an opened position while still remaining interconnected to the blind structure. This motion may be accomplished instantaneously to have the entire top of the blind structure open for gun egress and hunter positioning in distinguishment from prior blinds that have not possessed this feature.
A blind to be practical for a hunter must allow hunter viewing of the area about the blind and yet maintain the hunter in a reasonably comfortable concealed position. My blind accomplishes this function in one species for use on a planar support by providing one or more seats depending from the upper end portion of the side frame to support hunters in a seated positioned, with their heads projecting above the slidable top through holes defined therein and with their hips and upper legs supported above the underlying earth. This hunter positioning has the secondary benefit in that the hunter is in a seated position when the top of my blind is opened, so that he may readily position himself for shooting in this position without having to move extensively to sit up from a prone position to allow shooting. My blind also may be used over a pit to allow hunter positioning as desired in the pit itself.
The elongate configuration of my blind for hunters seated in one end allows guns to be supported on a transverse support forwardly of the seats so that guns extend in a forward and upward direction which tends to provide maximum safety for users of the blind if guns are accidentally discharged. Additionally with this gun orientation when the top is moved to an opened position, the forwardly extending guns become exposed so that they may be easily manipulated and moved to a shooting position. Prior blinds have either made no provision for gun support and storage or have positioned guns where they may not be readily accessed or moved to project from the blind and are not safely maintained in a position such that their accidental discharge may not endanger users of the blind.
By reason of the profile of my blind and its peripheral frame, it may be covered with either fabric or sheet plastic elements and the surface may be enhanced by local vegetation or other camouflage material. Many portable blinds of the prior art will not accommodate such camouflage because of their external configuration and the manner in which they open or move to allow ingress and egress, though local vegetation, debris, and similar material well may provide better camouflage than any type of artificial elements.
A second species of my blind may have both the frame and covering formed of polymeric material. This species allows blind formation by economical molding processes to create a unitary structure or one that may have a small number of parts that may be easily assembled into a complete structure.
My invention resides not any one of these features individually, but rather to the synergistic combination of all of its structural elements which necessarily give rise to the functions flowing therefrom as specified and claimed.

Portable hunting blind with slidably opening top


The present invention provides a device and method for removing non-discriminatory indices of an indexed dataset using ensemble statistics analysis. The device may include a data removal module (320) for removing non-discriminatory indices. For example, the data removal module (320) may comprise a common characteristic removal module and/or a noise removal module. In addition, the data analyzer (300) may comprise a normalization means (310) for normalizing the indexed data. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of identifying and removing portions of the set of data having insufficient discriminatory power based on ensemble statistics of the set of indexed data. For example, the method may include the steps of identifying and removing common characteristics and/or noise portions of the set of indexed data. In addition, the method may comprise the step of normalizing the indexed data either prior to or after the step of removing portions of the set of data.

The term "indexed data" or "spectrum" refers to a collection of measured values called responses. Each response may or may not be related to one or more of its neighbor elements. When a unique index, either one-dimensional or multi-dimensional, is assigned to each response, the data are considered to be indexed. The index values represent values of a physical parameter such as time, distance, frequency, mass, weight or category. For index values that are measurable, the distance between consecutive index values (interval) can be uniform or non-uniform. Besides that, the indices of different indexed data might be assigned at standard or non-standard values. The response of the indexed data can include but are not limited to signal intensity, item counts, or concentration measurements. By way of example, the present invention is applicable to any of the aforementioned type of spectra.
Indexed data are used in a variety of pattern recognition applications. In general, the purpose of those pattern recognition applications is to distinguish indexed data that are collected from samples from subjects experiencing different external circumstances or influences; undergoing different internal modes or states; or originating from different species or types. The subjects include, but are not limited to, substances, compounds, cells, tissues, living organisms, physical phenomena, and chemical reactions. As used herein, the term "conditions" refers generally to such circumstances, influences, modes, states, species, types or combinations thereof The conditions are usually application-dependent. The underlying rationale of a pattern recognition application is that a response at each index may react differently to different conditions. If a response increases with the existence of a condition, the condition "upregulates" the response; if a response decreases with the absence of a condition, the process "downregulates" the response. Typically a collected spectrum comprises at least (1) the responses ofinterest, which are correlated to the conditions of interest; and (2) common characteristics and noise, which are uncorrelated to the conditions of interest, but which may be correlated to other conditions of non-interest.
In such applications of indexed data, a set of indexed data is usually collected under different conditions, thus forming an "indexed dataset". Within the dataset a category is a set of labels that represent a condition or a combination of conditions. The separation of indexed data from the indexed dataset into categories is usually performed by a pattern recognition system. In this regard the end-to-end objective of a pattern recognition system is to associate an unlabeled spectrum sample with one of several pre-specified categories ('hard' clustering), or alternatively to compute a degree of membership of the sample to each one of the categories ('soft' clustering).
However, present pattern recognition systems include a normalization module that is a major bottle neck. The normalization module is a bottle neck, because the amount of information that a feature extraction module can extract is limited by the amount of information that is retained by the normalization module. The performance degradation due to error in the normalization module often cannot be corrected by subsequent modules. Consequently, present pattern recognition systems suffer from a variety of deficiencies, which include lower processing speed and lower discriminatorypower than desired or, in certain instances, needed.
Applicants have discovered that one source of these deficiencies is the failure to remove the common characteristics and noise before normalization. Consequently in many applications where the interested response is weaker than the common characteristics, normalization to the common characteristics instead of the interested response reduces the discriminatory power of the spectra significantly. In addition, the large dimension of common characteristics and noise retained after normalization put extra burden on a feature extraction module and lower the processing speed of the pattern recognizer significantly. Accordingly, there is a need for removal of non-discriminatory indices before the feature extraction module, to permit increased discriminatory power, while minimiing the computational cost of the pattern recognition system.

Apparatus and method for removing non-discriminatory indices of an indexed dataset


A computer system permitting cancellation of wagers on pending events includes a wager cancellation link, which when enabled, permits the user to cancel their wager prior to the occurrence of the pending event, such as a horse race. The wager cancellation link may be enabled for users who do not have a history of excessive cancellation of wagers, measured either by number of cancellations or by a dollar value of cancelled wagers. The wager cancellation link may also be enabled for certain events occurring at certain venues. A wager cancellation limitation disables the wager cancellation link when the limitation has been violated. The computer system credits the user's account with the value of the cancelled wager in response to cancellation of the wager.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally relates to a method and a system for permitting cancellation of a wager placed on a pending event via a computer system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various systems for wagering on pending events via a computer system are well known in the prior art. Occasionally however, some participants may wish to cancel a previously placed wager prior to the occurrence of the pending event. An example of a computer system permitting wager cancellation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,841 to Rossides (the '841 patent).
The '841 patent discloses a computer system and method for two individuals, referred to as a "placer" and an "acceptor" in the '841 patent, to wager on an outcome of a pending event. The placer offers the wager to the acceptor by placing terms and conditions of the wager on the computer system. The acceptor accepts the wager offered by the placer via the computer system. The computer system disclosed in the '841 patent permits cancellation of the wager by either the placer or the acceptor individually for a pre-determined period of time after the acceptor has accepted the wager, but prior to the occurrence of the pending event. After the pre-determined period of time has expired, neither the placer nor the acceptor may individually cancel the wager. Accordingly, the placer and the acceptor may cancel the wager for a pre-determined time after acceptance of the wager. However, the system disclosed in the '841 patent permits a user to abuse the cancellation option by continuously placing and then cancelling wagers, thereby frustrating and disappointing other users of the computer system who have relied on the previously placed wager. The present invention is directed at solving one or more of the problems present above.

Method for permitting cancellation of a wager


A position aligning apparatus of a vehicle installed at a bottom surface of a vehicle inspection line to respectively correspond to both sides of a front wheel and both sides of a rear wheel of the vehicle so as to target-position the vehicle at an inspection position includes: a front aligning unit regulating a front movement of the vehicle having entered into the vehicle inspection line and aligning a front right/left position of the vehicle while pressing a front wheel of the vehicle in a right/left direction according to operation of a first actuator; a rear aligning unit aligning a rear right/left position of the vehicle while pressing a rear wheel of the vehicle in the right/left direction according to operation of a second actuator; and a controller controlling the operation of the first and second actuators.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a position aligning apparatus of a vehicle, and an inspection method using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a position aligning apparatus of a vehicle aligning an inspection vehicle entering a vehicle inspection line at a home position for inspection, and an inspection method using the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In general, during a manufacturing process of a vehicle, various structural parts such as a vehicle body panel molded by a press and the like are bonded by a method such as welding to complete an integrated vehicle body, and the completed vehicle body is painted and rust-proofed throughout the surface of each part in a painting process.
Next, a design process is performed, such as assembling a part of a power train system and parts such as suspension, steering, and braking systems, and subsequently, a door, a trunk lid, a hood, and the like are assembled.
The vehicle completed through the manufacturing process is moved into the vehicle inspection line for various inspections, and the inspection of the completed vehicle is performed by using various inspection equipment installed on the vehicle inspection line.
Particularly, the door, the trunk lid, the hood, and the like assembled through the design process are main elements determining an appearance of the completed vehicle, and importance of inspection thereof is gradually increased.
The inspection of the completed vehicle includes inspecting an assembly state, a facade, and a stepped gap of the assembled parts by using various equipment after moving the vehicle into the vehicle inspection position on the vehicle inspection line, that is, the target position, through direct operation of a worker.
However, if the position of the vehicle moved into the vehicle inspection line is not aligned and fixed at the set correct position with the various equipment when processing the inspection of the vehicle, the equipment for the inspection may malfunction, and the reliability of the inspection is deteriorated.
Accordingly, the worker performs the inspection work while repeatedly moving the vehicle to position the vehicle at the target position.
To address the above problem, a position aligning apparatus of the vehicle has been installed on the vehicle inspection line to align and fix the vehicle moved to the vehicle inspection line at the target position.
According to the position aligning apparatus of the vehicle, work of digging below the vehicle inspection line to a predetermined depth is essentially performed, and the various parts are buried and installed at the dug portion.
However, when the conventional position aligning apparatus of the vehicle performs the work of digging the ground to bury the parts, excessive work time of about 14 days to 30 days is consumed.
Also, the installation position is limited, and once the position aligning apparatus is installed, demolition thereof is difficult, and the time and cost according to the demolition are excessive.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Position aligning apparatus of vehicle and inspection method using the same


An oxidation furnace for the oxidative treatment of fibers, in particular for producing carbon fibers, including a housing, which is gas-tight, apart from passage areas for the fibers, and a process chamber located in the interior of the housing. By an atmosphere device, a hot working atmosphere can be produced and blown into the process chamber. Deflecting rollers, which are arranged outside of the process chamber in deflecting areas, guide the fibers through the process chamber in a serpentine manner so that the fibers lie next to one another as a fiber carpet, wherein the fiber carpet spans a plane between opposite deflecting rollers. Outlet fiber carpets of outlet fibers that have left the process chamber and are on the way to a deflecting roller can be cooled in a specific manner by a fiber-cooling device before the outlet fiber carpets reach the deflecting roller.

The invention relates to an oxidation furnace for the oxidative treatment of fibres, in particular for the production of carbon fibres, having                a) a housing which, apart from passage regions for the fibres, is gas-tight;        b) a process chamber situated in the interior of the housing;        c) an atmosphere device by means of which a hot working atmosphere can be generated and blown into the process chamber;        d) deflecting rollers which are arranged outside the process chamber in deflecting regions and guide the fibres side by side in the form of a fibre carpet through the process chamber in a serpentine manner, wherein the fibre carpet spans a plane between opposing deflecting rollers.
In such oxidation furnaces, the deflecting regions are typically sited outside the furnace housing in order on the one hand to permit intervention on the fibre and on the other hand to prevent inadequate aeration upon deflection at the process temperature. By arranging the deflecting rollers outside the furnace, the fibre is guided at the process temperature out of the process chamber through a lock region in the direction towards the deflecting roller. In the lock region, the fibre is cooled in order to stop the oxidation reaction, the temperature in the lock region being so chosen that gaseous substances from the atmosphere are prevented from condensing out. When the fibre leaves the furnace, the fibre accordingly at least has the temperature prevailing in the lock region. At least some of this heat energy is dissipated to the surrounding atmosphere on the path to the deflecting roller, during deflection and on the path back towards the furnace, or in the case of contact with the deflecting roller to the deflecting roller itself. The fibre accordingly passes through the lock again into the furnace with a significantly lower temperature and must be heated to the process temperature again. The energy loss thus caused by cooling is considerable. It is accordingly constructive to prevent the thread from cooling or deliberately to induce cooling in such a manner that the energy that is released can be fed back to the system again.
During operation of an oxidation furnace, work must be carried out in particular in the deflecting regions and at the deflecting rollers. For example, the fibre carpet may have to be straightened at a deflecting roller if fibres run off track. Individual fibres can also tear as they pass through the oxidation furnace. The loose end of a torn fibre is conventionally linked in the region of the deflecting rollers to an adjacent fibre, which then carries the torn fibre through the oxidation furnace. When carrying out such activities it is consequently beneficial to achieve low temperatures of the fibres in the deflecting region and further to keep the ambient temperature in the region of the deflections low, that is to say only slightly above ambient temperature.


A rotating electrical machine includes a rotor core, a stator core, and at least one permanent magnet. The rotor core has an inner circumference portion and an outer circumference portion. The stator core is opposed to the outer circumference portion of the rotor core. The at least one permanent magnet radially extends inside the rotor core. The at least one permanent magnet has an incremental circumferential width in a direction from the inner circumference portion to the outer circumference portion of the rotor core.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotating electrical machine.
2. Discussion of the Background
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1-144337 discloses a rotating electrical machine that includes permanent magnets radially extending inside a magnetic member (rotor core).
Specifically, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1-144337 discloses a rotor structure of a permanent-magnet motor (rotating electrical machine) that includes magnets (permanent magnets) radially extending inside the magnetic member (rotor core). In the permanent-magnet motor, the magnets each have a rectangular cross-section having equal circumferential widths on the inner circumference side and the outer circumference side of the magnetic member.
In such permanent-magnet motor as disclosed in the JP1-144337 publication, in which the magnets radially extend inside the magnetic member, the magnets are believed to be magnetized in a direction orthogonal to the q axis of the permanent-magnet motor (orthogonal to the axis in a direction electrically orthogonal to the axis (d axis) along the direction of the main magnetic flux).


A digital media player and sales platform, system and method, enabled for use on the open web as well as in closed applications configured to provide end users an immersive interactive experience wherein the end users have the ability to engage with video content items, including the ability to purchase items, as and when they choose, all within the confines of the player and entirely within the viewing experience, all functionality fully enabled from the moment the media is loaded for play not tied to any media timeline or media player push to engage.

Media transmission, and video playback, through television, Internet websites, mobile applications, and on computers, tablets, smartphones, and the like, has become mainstream technology and consumers and users of such technology have come to expect the ability to view video content on any information technology platform. Video content distribution has become ubiquitous and anyone with a smartphone or other video capable capture device and/or video playback capable device, can post video content on such websites as YouTube® or share with others by simply sending the video file and others utilizing any of various media players, who can then press play and view such content.
However, users of such media players and viewers of such media content have limited ability to actually interact in a meaningful way with the content. Such interaction may include zooming in, fast forwarding, reversing, pausing or capturing still images. But users typically do not have the ability to interact with specific media content items embedded within the content, view the video content they choose, or control their viewing experience. In some instances, users may be prompted by timeline dependent cues to interact with certain elements, i.e., when the video gets to a certain spot along its timeline, a viewer may be prompted to engage with a suggested advertisement—see it or skip? However, there is no current technology that allows users complete flexibility, not dependent on timeline cues, to view or not view enabled extra features, and all within the player functionality.
Attempts have been made to increase viewer interactive capability. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,542, entitled, Method of Delivering Advertising Through an Interactive Video Distribution System, issued Jan. 2, 2001, disclosed is, "an interactive video distribution system include[ing] a plurality of interactive video subscriber units, a head end facility, and a video distribution medium. The head end facility is configured to transmit advertisements in connection with an interactive video program and receive requests from one of the subscriber units to register the advertisements in a menu. In response to each of the requests, the head end facility generates a entries associated with the advertisements in the menu, The menu is communicated in a first video still image to the subscriber unit through the medium. The head end facility is further configured to obtain a selection request for one of the entries and provide supplementary advertising information associated with the selected one of advertisements to the subscriber unit."
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,536,705 entitled, System and Method for Interactive Distribution of Selectable Presentations, issued May 19, 2009, discloses, "a data storage, multiplexing, and distribution method is provided for use in a digital data distribution system. The system provides simultaneous transmission of a plurality of uniquely identified, independent data streams within an assigned channel bandwidth of local, metropolitan and wide area distribution media. The independent data streams can include presentations specifically requested by the receiving user. Upon request from some number of users from their premises, the system assembles a combination of optional image elements such as motion and still frame video, background and description audio, text and graphical overlays into presentation data stream appropriate to the user requests. Individual data streams are multiplexed within a higher bandwidth data stream for simultaneous delivery within the bandwidth assigned for this data transmission. The techniques unique to this system, in regard to storage, timing and synchronization, can be implemented using techniques described within the MPEG profile."
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,041,717 entitled, Mobile Advertisement Syndication, issued Oct. 18, 2011, "improved mobile advertisement syndication capabilities are disclosed for mobile communication facilities, such as cell phones. These and other capabilities are employed to improve delivery of mobile advertisements and their syndication, such as associating advertising content with websites, to appropriate or desirable mobile communication facilities."
In a combination of examples, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,312,486, 8,533,753, 8,549,555, 8,782,690, 8,893,173, and 9,351,032, all entitled the same as Interactive Product Placement System and Method Therefor, inventor(s) Christian Briggs, et al, discloses, inter alia, "a method for presenting advertisements for commercial products in video production, whereby the commercial product is placed in the video production as an element of the video production. A viewer is enabled to interact with the video production to select the product. Information is then displayed about the selected product and the viewer is enabled to purchase the selected product." (Collectively, the "Briggs' Patents").
While others have increased technical video playback and increased efficiency of bandwidth, storage, and timing and synchronization, and the like, only the Briggs' Patents have disclosed a system and method for presenting product placement in a video playback as an element of the video production whereby a viewer is enabled to interact with a specific product within the video production. However, the Briggs' Patents are enabled through cue point triggering and a process supplemented "with an information and product integrated timeline residing, under the video production. At the triggered cue point, watermarked icons/logos appear under the video production. Users can interact with the icons to garner more information about a particular character, location, or advertisers at a specific point in the feature presentation employing [calls for interactive product ads] . . . . Once the life cycle of the ad expires, or the ad is clicked or presented to the end user, the advertisement will destroy itself, leaving the viewer with the impression that there was never a break in the viewing experience." However, in order to purchase any such product, the viewer leaves the viewing experience and goes directly to a linked third party sales website to transact and then return to the viewer. Moreover, in order to purchase more than one item enabled in a video, this process is repeated and there may be many third party websites to visit outside the player in order to transact this business.
The current disclosure does not teach a timeline dependent overlay (or underlay, as the case may be) with cue point triggers along a timeline, nor does it disclose calling for advertisements being displayed as a result of those cue point triggers, nor does it disclose advertisements that destroy themselves or otherwise having a 'life cycle' other than the length of the video playing itself through from beginning to end. Here, once enabled, the advertisements and other interactive processes are available immediately, from the moment play is pressed until the video is over, or, at any point, and repeatedly, or never, as much as a user of the technology may determine, at the complete and sole discretion of such user. And, if a user were to decide to want to purchase any advertised product, they would be able to do so from within the player itself, not having to go to any third party website and not having to login to, or deal with, any other entity than the one enabled by logging into the player in the first instance. The viewing and purchasing experience is seamless.
Here, the disclosure overcomes the limitations of timeline dependent cue point triggers and the calling from an ad server, advertisements to be displayed and then discarded. Disclosed here is a truly 'interactive on demand' ("IOD") experience allowing viewers to dictate how and when they engage with the player. Upon loading an enabled video of the instant disclosure, the player will have already used machine learning algorithms to determine which video, API Commerce Feed and search query data (intent based on machine learning and first party data) to populate within the player solution. At no time is any potential marketer or advertiser, or the player itself, dictating via a predetermined timeline when cue point triggers are enabled or a viewer will otherwise see or engage (or not) with interactive media campaigns. In fact, while utilizing seemingly interactive and choice dependent technology, the Briggs' Patents disclose a technology that still (like typical television advertising) dictates when and how a viewer may encounter an advertisement, with the only advancement being that the viewer may choose not to interact and view the advertisement, as well as enabling an 'order here' functionality in the case that the viewer did indeed choose to view the advertisement (although that 'order here' functionality is actually 'order through this link' functionality and the user is directed to an outside third party website temporarily leaving the viewer). Whereas, here, the viewer initiates player interaction at any point within the viewing experience, having a choice of one or a plurality of cue objects within which to interact, at any point during the viewing experience, or multiple times during the viewing experience, all without the need to 'call' advertisements from an ad server, and also enabling the true 'order here' functionality. Here, the 'order here' functionality is truly 'order here'. There is no direction to an outside website. Logged into the player, the player has payment handler capability and order fulfillment functionality so the purchasing is all done within the player itself.
The technology disclosed here delivers new digital technologies that create new standards in how we not only view, but are able to interact with media. This technology enables a 'smart' online shopping experience. A viewer becomes interested in a particular product because of the video production—an actor wearing a particular pair of sunglasses, or riding a particular kind of bicycle, or demonstrating a particular piece of jewelry, or hitting a particular kind of golf ball, or simply eating a slice of pizza. The advertisement is not first. The use or display of the product is first. The viewer becomes interested by seeing the product in action and clicks on the product or through a menu bar determines if indeed the interesting product or service is a cue object and enabled for more information and/or immediate purchasing. Without leaving the viewer, the viewer is enabled with information about the clickable or cue enabled product (a cue object and not a cue trigger along a timeline—at any point in the video, whenever the object is visible, it may be directly clickable, and even when not viewable, at all times clickable through a user enabled menu option) and a viewer, upon garnering enough interest simply upon seeing the use or display of the product thinks, hey, I wonder where I can buy that, or how much would it be, or what are the specifications for that product, what colors is it available, etc., clicks on the product (or through the proprietary player menu) and within the player itself, without having to call information from an ad server, the player displays the relevant information, including an option to purchase. If the user then wants to purchase, he clicks purchase and the purchase is complete because an enabled, logged into, payment handler, transacts the business all without the user ever having to leave the player.
The foregoing has several advantages over the prior art. Use of the player and platform described herein delivers high user engagement; drives brand awareness (without distasteful brand pushes, instead, a viewer calls for information relevant to them and is never pushed or triggered to view—or decline—information that may or may not be relevant) and thus, brand loyalty; enhances multi-channel campaign efforts (a particular brand of peanut butter, co-marketing with a particular brand of jelly, with the video participant/actors clearly enjoying the particular combination within the context of the video, not a separate advertisement, and when interest is garnered within the viewer, the viewer capable of providing in response to a viewer trigger, the 'tell me more' and 'where and how can I buy it' instant ordering functionality. Viewers will share videos they like with friends who are also more likely to have similar tastes and want what their friends got and this encourages sharing of branded content. This will greater enhance brand building, customer acquisition and brand loyalty.
As a result, certain advertisement enhancements are developed. This solution will deliver relevant content and product recommendations based on an individual's preferences, social groups, browsing/buying patterns, favorites and browsing history. It will connect shoppers with brands that drive sales through a curated content experience while boosting engagement and lift conversion rates significantly.
It will create new revenue streams by providing transactions from the advertising revenue. Any or all objects, products and services will be tagging capable and hence are potential cue objects shoppable for a rich interactive experience, but none will trigger a 'pushed' cue point pop-up trigger to distract viewers. Viewers essentially will not even realize they are being solicited, but only when a viewer is interested in an item, will be capable of instantly reviewing further information about that product or service up to instantly ordering it. Because viewing and ordering will be in real time, advanced analytics will provide unique reporting capabilities that gives a clear visibility on user activities, behaviors, and interactions, geographically enabled, which in turn will drive conversion rates. During live-event video viewing, users can be targeted based on in-session behaviors across overall engagement with video content and products.
The player of the current system and method is agnostic and can be a stand alone unit seen as a branded player on sponsorship or landing pages. The user will be subtly encouraged to interact with the cue objects that appear on products available to view and purchase. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the player may be treated as a Super Rich Media ad unit that can play video in traditional or larger size when user-initiated and would be ad supported. In yet another embodiment, the player can appear as an overlay above existing video players, which would be most effective for television networks and online streaming service companies. In any embodiment, the player does not require any special developed app or platform and is a cross-platform player.
The IOD experience enables flexibility for users to watch video and shop without disrupting their video viewing experience and they interact on their own will and only on their own will. They never have to leave the confines of the viewer to shop and/or buy and no ad server need be engaged to provide requested information. In fact, in one embodiment, at a viewer's option, they can turn on and off at will, all cue objects, all hotspots and they can view all such cue objects or hotspots available to them in a single glance. In one embodiment, there can be a 'wishlist' saving certain cue object hotspots to come back to later for more information or to send to someone else who may have interest. Or, alternatively or additionally, they can be bookmarked to watch again later, either by returning to the video or within the player but independent of the particular video from which they came. All transactions are capable of happening and being completed within the player. A user may seamlessly switch between video feeds and go back and forth at will. In one embodiment, products, video clips, entire videos, and the like may be shared with others through social engagement.
In one embodiment, a separate entity, either an entity associated with the provider of platform player, or some other existing or specially created entity, acts a single source purveyor of any good or service offered for sale through the system and method of the present disclosure. That separate entity then engages with various other purveyors of goods and services to procure the desired items and to have them provided directly to the consumer, the consumer having already been billed and charged by the separate entity. From a consumer's point of view, they will be doing business solely with the separate entity, having paid the separate entity, returning any product or service to the separate entity, receiving any applicable refund directly through the separate entity. As to the consumer, they will only have done business with the separate entity and need only one log in, one payment, one identity with the separate entity. In turn, the separate entity, for any good or service available for sale or purchase through the system and method as disclosed, will have pre-arranged with any number of various other purveyors of goods and services the availability of and terms for such other goods and services and obtained pre-approval for the sale and purchase of such goods and services at pre-designated prices and terms. The separate entity then would pass through to the consumer desiring such good or service the exact same price and terms as if the consumer were dealing directly with such other purveyor in real time (and/or potentially adding on any additional fee for service). This obviates the need to set up any number of direct links between consumer and such number of other purveyors. Once the link between the separate entity and purveyor is enabled, and the link between consumer and separate entity is enabled, the link between consumer and other purveyor is instantly enabled. In one embodiment, the separate entity may set its own prices and additional terms for the purchase and sale of items. In one embodiment, the consumer may transact with the separate entity, but if there are any returns or other issues with the purveyor, they may agree to deal directly with the purveyor to resolve those after transaction issues.
None of the foregoing references, or other known prior art, alone or in combination, teach the salient and proprietary features of the present disclosure as just described. While there are many 'new technology' video and media players, and seeming even to purport to enable interactive video viewing experiences, none are truly user initiated, without any trigger 'push' and where advertisement viewing and product and service review and purchase is enable completely within the player. Additionally, in one embodiment, the viewer and system of the current disclosure offers additional functionalities such as viewing angle choice.

Interactive digital platform, system, and method for immersive consumer interaction with open web video player


Systems and methods encourage users to rotate injection sites and avoid lipodystrophy. Sleeves and/or lost-tooth gear dials and/or microswitches in or on injection pens or their caps, on vials, and on other portable devices manually adjust an indicator before or after an injection to show a current or next injection site in accordance with a site rotation plan. Injected medicine packaging and related printed indicia encourage site rotation. Optical devices employing optical mouse or projection technology help locate and/or distribute injection sites within a body area. A mobile phone app tracks injections and locations to select next injection site, and can use imaging to locate a target injection site and optionally diagnose lipodystrophic conditions and record them. Tactile and print media educational tools are presented to help users palpate and identify lipos in body areas having injection sites.

Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses that help patients adhere to an injection site rotation plan to minimize lipodystrophy and related adverse effects such as reduced or erratic medicament absorption and associated difficulties with managing a health condition employing the medicament as part of a care plan.
Description of Related Art:
Patients requiring frequent skin invasive actions such as injections or infusions of medicament into the skin can develop lipodystrophy at the injection sites. Lipodystrophy is a degenerative disorder of subcutaneous tissue. One type of lipodystrophy is lipohypertrophy, which can present in a patient as thickening of tissue such as lumps, or dents, or red and swollen tissue that is hard when palpated, in the affected area. The term "injection" as used herein can be, for example, injection by a needle (e.g., single dose syringe, or injection pen), or by infusion (e.g., a medicament pump with cannula for subcutaneous insertion such as an insulin pump), or any other action by which a patient's outer skin is pierced or crossed to deliver a medicament or to take a sample (e.g., a blood or tissue sample).
Lipodystrophy can be problematic for the patient because it can affect the rate of absorption of the medicament being administered by injection. For example, insulin therapy relies on reproducible absorption of insulin from a patient's subcutaneous (SC) tissue. Some patients with diabetes may require injections of a medicament (e.g., insulin) several times per day. Repeated application of insulin in a small skin area of a patient can induce lipodystrophic changes in the patient's skin structure (e.g., in the fatty tissue in the SC space). For example, a patient can suffer from lipodystrophy in an affected body area when he injects in that same body area and too close to adjacent injection sites in that area within a time period that is too short in duration to allow these injection site(s) to recover from the skin invasive action of the injection(s). Injection of insulin into a body area affected by lipodystrophic changes to the skin structure (e.g., SC tissue that may be fibrous and relatively avascular) can, in turn, induce erratic insulin absorption since a lack of blood vessels in the vicinity of the injection location (i.e., insulin depot) can reduce the rate of insulin absorption. For diabetic patients who administer insulin by injection or infusion techniques, less than optimal rate absorption can cause increased insulin requirements and/or poor metabolic control. Alternatively, a faster absorption rate may occur, which leads to poor glucose control.
Illustrative injection regimens will now be described with respect to insulin administration to diabetic patients. It is to be understood that the illustrative embodiments of the invention described below are applicable to other types of medical conditions requiring repetitive injections, and to other types of injection regimens using other types of medicament. Example injection regimens are:
Conventional therapy: use fast-acting and intermediate-acting types of insulin, typically requiring 2-3 injections per day;
Multiple daily injections (MDI): mealtime injections of fast-acting insulin to manage blood sugars during a meal and in the post-prandial period, and an injection of long-acting insulin manage blood glucose levels between meals, which can be at least 4 injections per day; and
Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII): administer insulin through a temporary flexible catheter inserted into subcutaneous tissue and worn in rotating sites for 2-3 days or 4-5 days. Lipohypertrophy can occur in body areas used for continuous insulin delivery systems (e.g., subcutaneous indwelling catheters and insulin pump), as well as injections using syringes or pen needles. Although patients may be instructed to avoid placing catheters in areas of lipohypertrophy, these areas are not necessarily recognized by patients or their caregivers and, as such, catheters are often placed where early lipohypertrophy is already present.
Evidence suggests a correlation between lipodystrophy, and failure to rotate injection sites or using small injection zones (e.g., body areas) repeatedly or injecting into the same location and/or re-using needles. Systematic site rotation can help to reduce the risk of developing lipohypertrophy. Thus, an easy-to-follow injection site rotation plan or scheme taught from the start of injection therapy is recommended.
With reference to FIG. 23A, eight body areas have been identified for insulin administration, that is, right and left sides of the patient's abdomen, arms, buttocks, and thighs. An important part of a care plan for a diabetic patient is education on and implementation of an injection site rotation plan. A site rotation plan can include injections or catheterization with an infusion device in a single body area (e.g., the abdomen) but using a pattern or grid to help distribute injections over this area. For example, one illustrative rotation scheme divides the area surrounding a patient's umbilicus (e.g., a target body area for injections), into sections (e.g., body area zones) such as the 12 hours of a clock face as shown in FIG. 24, or quadrants centered with respect to the umbilicus or halves of a body area such as the thigh as shown in FIG. 23B, to help a patient distribute injection sites within that body area.
The injection site rotation plan can also involve plural body areas. For example, other illustrative rotation schemes can include, but are not limited to, a patient rotating shots among plural body areas in a given day, or distributing shots within the same selected body area for a selected time period (e.g., a week) before rotating to another body area to distribute shots therein for the selected time period. One scheme with proven effectiveness involves dividing the target body area for injection sites into quadrants or halves, depending on the size of the area, using one quadrant or half per week, rotating within that area from day to day, and then moving clockwise each week to a new area1. 1 Pledger et al. "Importance of Injection Technique in diabetes" Journal of Diabetes Nursing 16 No 4 2012 pp 160-165.
Many patients, however, do not adhere to an adequate injection site rotation plan to avoid or minimize lipodystrophy and its related problems. For example, even when advised to rotate injection sites, patients continue with a less than optimal routine of using too few body areas and injection sites for different reasons. One reason is the Human Factor or ergonomic ease with which a patient can reach his or her different body areas to self-inject. For example, a patient's abdomen and thighs may be easier to reach with her hands to self-inject than her back or arms. As stated above, lipodystrophy can occur because a patient injects the same site day after day. It frequently occurs on both sides of the umbilicus or in the mid-thigh areas as these are convenient places to inject for diabetic patients. Another reason patients may purposefully or even unconsciously fail to practice an adequate injection site rotation plan is fear of pain in new sites. Further, some patients simply adhere to a less than optimal injection site rotation plan out of habit and for no particular reason other than not having adequate reminders or encouragement to rotate injection sites before lipodystrophy occurs. A need therefore exists for methods and/or apparatuses that encourage a patient to adhere to an injection site rotation plan such as, but not limited to, provide reminders, or help the patient keep record of past injection sites and select the next target body area and/or injection site.
In addition, rotation schemes may not sufficiently distribute injections over a target body area. For example, one rotation plan may provide 2 or 4 target areas (e.g., left, right thigh and/or left, right abdominal area), but leave where in that area to inject to the discretion of the patient, resulting in the patient most likely locating injections in only a few concentrated locations or injection sites within the target body area. A need therefore also exists for methods and/or apparatuses that help a patient distribute injection sites within a target body area.
Effective injection site rotation is therefore an important component to medicament administration. Early detection of a lipodystrophic site or site at imminent risk for developing lipodystrophic characteristics, and refraining from using such a site for a selected period of time, may preserve that site for future medicament delivery. Some sites need to be avoided for a period of time or avoided altogether, depending on the degree of damage done to the tissue. Further, injection sites need to be not only visually examined but also palpated since not all skin lesions are visible. A need therefore exists for methods and/or apparatuses that help a patient track lipodystrophic sites and avoid using them as target injection sites for at least a selected period of time, and optionally to help a patient discern whether a particular site on his or her body is developing lipodystrophic characteristics.
A variety of devices for administering insulin are available to diabetic patients, and range from unit dose disposable syringes, to reusable pen injectors, to infusion sets. A need therefore also exists for methods and/or apparatuses that encourage patients to adhere to an injection site rotation plan as well as accommodate their choice of insulin delivery mechanism.

Systems, apparatuses and methods to encourage injection site rotation and prevent lipodystrophy from repeated injections to a body area


A foldable stroller includes a frame and a locking component. The frame includes a handle, a front foot, a rear foot, and a carrier support. An upper end of the front foot is pivoted to the handle. An upper end of the rear foot is pivoted to the handle. The carrier support includes at least one connecting rod. An end of the at least one connecting rod is pivoted to the front foot, and the other end of the at least one connecting rod is pivoted to the rear foot. The locking component is installed between the rear foot and the handle. The locking component locks rotation of the rear foot relative to the handle when the foldable stroller is unfolded. Due to aforementioned structure, the foldable stroller is not only reliable in operation but also has a smaller occupied space after being folded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stroller, and more particularly, to a foldable stroller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Strollers are vehicles designed for carrying infants or babies. A stroller is usually provided with foldable structure for easy transportation and storage. For example, in China Patent Application CN201010185251.3, a conventional stroller includes two handles, two front supports, two rear supports, and a bottom support connected to the two front supports and the two rear supports. The two handles are connected to two upper ends of the two front supports respectively. Two front ends of the two rear supports are pivoted to two middle portions of the two front supports respectively. In such a way, the two rear supports can rotate toward the two front supports to fold the stroller. However, since the two handles are connected to the two front supports and cannot rotate relative to the two front supports, an overall length of the folded stroller is the sum of a length of the handle and a length of the front support. As a result, the folded stroller needs a larger space for transportation or storage. Besides, when it is desired to install a seat on the stroller, the seat is usually installed at two joints of the two front supports and the two rear supports. As a result, the two rear supports may be easily stretched rearward to deform, or turn over easily due to excessive length of two upper portions of the two front supports, which is not reliable in operation.
Therefore, there is a need to design a stroller which has advantages of a compact folded size and reliable operation.


Disclosed are several embodiments (10, 30, 40, 50, 60) of an award assembly having a colorized and reflective appearance. The award assemblies include a base (11, 36, 84, 62) having a reflective surface (18, 87, 72). The award assemblies have three-dimensional uprights or prisms (10, 31, 32, 33, 40, 50, 88, 61) which are made of transparent acrylic. A solvent (25) such as methylene chloride fuses the prism to the base. Also disclosed is a method for making award assemblies.

A wide variety of awards are utilized to bestow recognition for various reasons, such as training, service, fund raising, and athletics. Two common forms of such awards are wall plaques and trophies. Another type of award features a horizontal base which supports one or more three-dimensional members or "uprights." The latter type of award may be made from a variety of materials, including acrylic. However, prior awards have been monochromatic or clear, and/or have utilized a solid, opaque base, such as wood. While such award designs are often aesthetically pleasing, they often do not have a dramatic visual impact.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an award having a unique appearance, and a durable construction which is relatively simple to manufacture.

Colorized acrylic award assembly and method of making


The present disclosure describes systems and methods for generating a set of connection data indicating the connections between entities received by a profile management system. Connections may be automatically generated to indicate duplicate, referral, or company connections between one or more entities. Furthermore, the connection data may be used to predict the likelihood of particular outcomes in response to contacting an entity associate with a particular profile, distribution of profiles to appropriate entities, and prioritization of profiles for an entity.

Previous systems inefficiently access and store connection data in computer systems. This results in large computer resource requirements and utilization during analysis and distribution of connection data. In response, many systems do not track connection data, or do not track connection data early in the processing of a profile, which reduces the overall value of the connection data.

Computer system for generation, storage, and analysis of connection data and utilization of connection data in scoring and distribution systems


A multi-layer circuit board formed by laminating a plurality of circuit boards each having lands arranged in many number in the form of a lattice or in a staggering manner on the side of the mounting surface and having circuit patterns with the ends on one side thereof being connected to said lands and with the ends on the other side thereof being drawn toward the outside from a region where said lands are arranged; wherein the lands for drawing the circuit patterns in a number not less than a+1 are arranged on the oblique lines of an isosceles triangle having a base formed by consecutive lands of a number of n and having oblique lines in the diagonal directions, the value n satisfying m.gtoreq.k+1 of the two values of: EQU m={(land pitch).times.(n-1)-(land diameter)-(space between patterns)}.div.(pattern width+space between patterns), EQU k=a(n-1)+(n-2),. wherein "a" is the number of the circuit patterns that can be arranged between the neighboring lands on the circuit board, and "n" is a parameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-layer circuit board for mounting an electronic element such as a semiconductor chip having connection electrodes arranged in the form of a lattice or a semiconductor device having external connection terminals arranged in an area array form.
2. Description of the Related Art
In modern semiconductor devices, the logic devices are becoming highly functional and highly integrated, feature more inputs and outputs, and are being mounted ever more densely. Therefore, products have been produced, to compensate for a lack of space for forming electrodes, by arranging electrodes like a lattice on the electrode-forming surface of a semiconductor chip.
FIG. 26 illustrates an example in which a semiconductor chip 4 is mounted on a circuit board 5 relying on an ordinary flip chip connection. The semiconductor chip 4 has electrodes 6 arranged on the peripheral edges thereof. Circuit patterns 7 are connected to every electrode 6 on a surface.
FIG. 27 illustrates the arrangement of lands 8 and circuit patterns 7 on a circuit board for mounting a semiconductor chip. In this example, the lands 8 are arranged in two sequences, the circuit patterns 7 connected to the lands 8 of the inner side are drawn running among the neighboring lands 8 on the outer side; i.e., the circuit pattern 7 is drawn from every land 8 on a surface.
When the electrodes are arranged in many sequences on the electrode-forming surface, however, it becomes no longer possible to take out the wiring from every land on the surface though it may vary depending upon the distance between the lands and the number of the lands.
In order to solve this problem, a method has been proposed according to which the circuit board for mounting a semiconductor chip is formed in many layers, and circuit patterns are suitably arranged on each of the circuit boards that are laminated to connect all electrodes of the semiconductor chip to the circuit patterns. FIG. 28 illustrates an example where a semiconductor chip 4, on which many electrodes 6 are arranged like a lattice, is mounted on a multi-layer circuit board. By using this multi-layer circuit board, it is possible to electrically connect all electrodes 6 arranged in the form of a lattice to the circuit patterns 7, 7a in order to electrically connect the external connection terminals 9 to the electrodes 6. In FIG. 28, reference numeral 7a denotes a circuit pattern of an inner layer, and reference numerals 5a to 5d denote first to fourth circuit boards.
When the semiconductor chip having electrodes arranged like a lattice is to be mounted on the circuit board, two or more circuit boards may be laminated one upon the other to form a multi-layer circuit board provided that the number of the electrodes is not very large. When the semiconductor chip has as many pins as, for example, 30.times.30 pins or 40.times.40 pins, however, six to ten circuit boards must be laminated one upon the other.
When the circuit boards on which the circuit patterns are very densely formed are to be laminated in many layers, there will be employed a high-density wiring method such as build-up method accompanied, however, by serious problems in regard to yield of the products, reliability and the cost of production. That is, when many circuit patterns are to be laminated one upon the other, vias are formed in each board to accomplish an electric connection between the circuit patterns and the circuit patterns across the board, and the boards are successively laminated, requiring a high degree of precision without at present, however, offering a high degree of reliability. When many boards are laminated, furthermore, it is required that none of the boards is defective, involving further increased technical difficulty.
To produce a multi-layer circuit board maintaining a good yield, therefore, a reduction in the number of wiring layers could be an effective solution.
The present invention is concerned with a multi-layer circuit board for mounting an electronic part such as a semiconductor chip having as many as 40.times.40 pins in the form of a lattice on the side of the mounting surface, or a semiconductor device having electrodes arranged in the form of a lattice on the side of the mounting surface.


With cordless telephones it is a known fact that each pair of radio stations has m radio channels out of n possible radio channels in common. During a test cycle the mobile unit examines only the common radio channels. Consequently, the test period required for testing only the common channels is shorter than the time necessary for testing all channels. If, by chance, all common channels are busy or if such a situation is the result of a malfunctioning, establishing a link between the base unit and the mobile unit is no longer possible. In the proposed embodiment of a cordless telephone, reliably establishing a link is guaranteed in that in a first test phase the common channels and in a second test phase all n radio channels are tested. A field of application of the invention is the cordless telephone.

1. Field of The Invention
The invention relates to communication devices which are assigned to each other in pairs, one unit sending out an identification code for establishing a link to the other unit over one of n channels and the other unit searching for the channel transporting this identification code while a number of m smaller than n channels between the two units are determined as priority channels.
2. Related Art
Communication devices assigned to each other in pairs are used, for example, for cordless telephones where a base station (unit) and a mobile station (unit) form a pair of communication stations. The combination of the base station and mobile station to one pair of units is effected by means of an individual identification code jointly issued to the two units. This identification code is, for example, a binary data word which is already stored in read-only memories of the two units when manufactured. This assures that each identification code assigned to a pair of units is not assigned a second time to another unit. The power of the mobile unit is supplied by accumulators which are charged by the base unit when the mobile unit rests on it. The base unit sends out its identification code over an idle radio channel when a call arrives from a telephone subscriber. In order to take an arriving call the mobile unit thus has to carry out a constant check of the radio channels assigned thereto to establish whether its own identification code is transmitted over a radio channel.
The time elapsing between the transmission of the unit's identification code and its recognition depends among other things on the number of radio channels to be tested. To reduce this time interval European Patent Application No. EP 0 258 739 discloses that the two radio stations of each pair have m radio channels in common and store them in RAM's. Radio channels recognized as idle, when the channels are determined, are selected to act as common radio channels. During the test cycle the mobile unit only searches the common radio channels. Consequently, the period of time necessary for testing the common channels is shorter than the period of time necessary for testing all channels.
If, by chance or malfunction, all common channels are busy establishing a link between the base unit and the mobile unit will no longer be possible.

Identification code search in a communication device


Disclosed is a process for identifying clones having a specified activity of interest, which process comprises (i) generating one or more expression libraries derived from nucleic acid directly isolated from the environment; and (ii) screening said libraries utilizing an assay system. More particularly, this is a process for identifying clones having a specified activity of interest by (i) generating one or more expression libraries derived from nucleic acid directly or indirectly isolated from the environment; (ii) exposing said libraries to a particular substrate or substrates of interest; and (iii) screening said exposed libraries utilizing a fluorescence activated cell sorter to identify clones which react with the substrate or substrates. Also provided is a process for identifying clones having a specified activity of interest by (i) generating one or more expression libraries derived from nucleic acid directly or indirectly isolated from the environment; and (ii) screening said exposed libraries utilizing an assay requiring a binding event or the covalent modification of a target, and a fluorescence activated cell sorter to identify positive clones.

The present invention relates to the discovery of new bio-active molecules, such as antibiotics, anti-virals, anti-tumor agents and regulatory proteins. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for capturing genes potentially encoding novel biochemical pathways of interest in prokaryotic systems, and screening for these pathways utilizing high throughput screening assays.
Within the last decade there has been a dramatic increase in the need for bioactive compounds with novel activities. This demand has arisen largely from changes in worldwide demographics coupled with the clear and increasing trend in the number of pathogenic organisms that are resistant to currently available antibiotics. For example, while there has been a surge in demand for antibacterial drugs in emerging nations with young populations, countries with aging populations, such as the US, require a growing repertoire of drugs against cancer, diabetes, arthritis and other debilitating conditions. The death rate from infectious diseases has increased 58% between 1980 and 1992 and it has been estimated that the emergence of antibiotic resistant microbes has added in excess of $30 billion annually to the cost of health care in the US alone. (Adams et al., Chemical and Engineering News, 1995; Amann et al., Microbiological Reviews, 59, 1995). As a response to this trend pharmaceutical companies have significantly increased their screening of microbial diversity for compounds with unique activities or specificities.
There are several common sources of lead compounds (drug candidates), including natural product collections, synthetic chemical collections, and synthetic combinatorial chemical libraries, such as nucleotides, peptides, or other polymeric molecules. Each of these sources has advantages and disadvantages. The success of programs to screen these candidates depends largely on the number of compounds entering the programs, and pharmaceutical companies have to date screened hundred of thousands of synthetic and natural compounds in search of lead compounds. Unfortunately, the ratio of novel to previously-discovered compounds has diminished with time. The discovery rate of novel lead compounds has not kept pace with demand despite the best efforts of pharmaceutical companies. There exists a strong need for accessing new sources of potential drug candidates.
The majority of bioactive compounds currently in use are derived from soil microorganisms. Many microbes inhabiting soils and other complex ecological communities produce a variety of compounds that increase their ability to survive and proliferate. These compounds are generally thought to be nonessential for growth of the organism and are synthesized with the aid of genes involved in intermediary metabolism hence their namexe2x80x94xe2x80x9csecondary metabolitesxe2x80x9d. Secondary metabolites that influence the growth or survival of other organisms are known as xe2x80x9cbioactivexe2x80x9d compounds and serve as key components of the chemical defense arsenal of both micro- and macroorganisms. Humans have exploited these compounds for use as antibiotics, antiinfectives and other bioactive compounds with activity against a broad range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens. Approximately 6,000 bioactive compounds of microbial origin have been characterized, with more than 60% produced by the gram positive soil bacteria of the genus Streptomyces. (Barnes et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 91, 1994). Of these, at least 70 are currently used for biomedical and agricultural applications. The largest class of bioactive compounds, the polyketides, include a broad range of antibiotics, immunosuppressants and anticancer agents which together account for sales of over $5 billion per year.
Despite the seemingly large number of available bioactive compounds, it is clear that one of the greatest challenges facing modern biomedical science is the proliferation of antibiotic resistant pathogens. Because of their short generation time and ability to readily exchange genetic information, pathogenic microbes have rapidly evolved and disseminated resistance mechanisms against virtually all classes of antibiotic compounds. For example, there are virulent strains of the human pathogens Staphylococcus and Streptococcus that can now be treated with but a single antibiotic, vancomycin, and resistance to this compound will require only the transfer of a single gene, vanA, from resistant Enterococcus species for this to occur. (Bateson et al., System. Appl. Microbiol, 12, 1989). When this crucial need for novel antibacterial compounds is superimposed on the growing demand for enzyme inhibitors, immunosuppressants and anti-cancer agents it becomes readily apparent why pharmaceutical companies have stepped up their screening of microbial diversity for bioactive compounds with novel properties.
The approach currently used to screen microbes for new bioactive compounds has been largely unchanged since the inception of the field. New isolates of bacteria, particularly gram positive strains from soil environments, are collected and their metabolites tested for pharmacological activity. A more recent approach has been to use recombinant techniques to synthesize hybrid antibiotic pathways by combining gene subunits from previously characterized pathways. This approach, called xe2x80x9ccombinatorial biosynthesisxe2x80x9d has focused primarily on the polyketide antibiotics and has resulted in a number of structurally unique compounds which have displayed activity. (Betz et al., Cytometry, 5, 1984; Davey et al., Microbiological Reviews, 60, 1989). However, compounds with novel antibiotic activities have not yet been reported; an observation that may be do to the fact that the pathway subunits are derived from those encoding previously characterized compounds. Dramatic success in using recombinant approaches due to small molecule synthesis has been recently reported in the engineering of biosynthetic pathways to increase the production of desirable antibiotics. (Diaper et al., Appl. Bacteriol., 77, 1994; Enzyme Nomenclature, Academic Press: NY, 1992).
There is still tremendous biodiversity that remains untapped as the source of lead compounds. However, the currently available methods for screening and producing lead compounds cannot be applied efficiently to these under-explored resources. For instance, it is estimated that at least 99% of marine bacteria species do not survive on laboratory media, and commercially available fermentation equipment is not optimal for use in the conditions under which these species will grow, hence these organisms are difficult or impossible to culture for screening or re-supply. Recollection, growth, strain improvement, media improvement and scale-up production of the drug-producing organisms often pose problems for synthesis and development of lead compounds. Furthermore, the need for the interaction of specific organisms to synthesize some compounds makes their use in discovery extremely difficult. New methods to harness the genetic resources and chemical diversity of these untapped sources of compounds for use in drug discovery are very valuable. The present invention provides a path to access this untapped biodiversity and to rapidly screen for activities of interest utilizing recombinant DNA technology. This invention combines the benefits associated with the ability to rapidly screen natural compounds with the flexibility and reproducibility afforded with working with the genetic material of organisms.
The present invention allows one to identify genes encoding bioactivities of interest from complex environmental gene expression libraries, and.to manipulate cloned pathways to evolve recombinant small molecules with unique activities. Bacteria and many eukaryotes have a coordinated mechanism for regulating genes whose products are involved in related processes. The genes are clustered, in structures referred to as xe2x80x9cgene clusters,xe2x80x9d on a single chromosome and are transcribed together under the control of a single regulatory sequence, including a single promoter which initiates transcription of the entire cluster. The gene cluster, the promoter, and additional sequences that function in regulation altogether are referred to as an xe2x80x9coperonxe2x80x9d and can include up to 20 or more genes, usually from 2 to 6 genes. Thus, a gene cluster is a group of adjacent genes that are either identical or related, usually as to their function. Gene clusters are of interest in drug discovery processes since product(s) of gene clusters include, for example, antibiotics, antivirals, antitumor agents and regulatory proteins.
Some gene families consist of one or more identical members. Clustering is a prerequisite for maintaining identity between genes, although clustered genes are not necessarily identical. Gene clusters range from extremes where a duplication is generated of adjacent related genes to cases where hundreds of identical genes lie in a tandem array. Sometimes no significance is discemable in a repetition of a particular gene. A principal example of this is the expressed duplicate insulin genes in some species, whereas a single insulin gene is adequate in other mammalian species.
Gene clusters undergo continual reorganization and, thus, the ability to create heterogeneous libraries of gene clusters from, for example, bacterial or other prokaryote sources is valuable in determining sources of novel bioactivities, including enzymes such as, for example, the polyketide synthases that are responsible for the synthesis of polyketides having a vast array of useful activities.
Polyketides are molecules which are an extremely rich source of bioactivities, including antibiotics (such as tetracyclines and erythromycin), anti-cancer agents (daunomycin), immunosuppressants (FK506 and rapamycin), and veterinary products (monensin). Many polyketides (produced by polyketide synthases) are valuable as therapeutic agents. Polyketide synthases (PKSs) are multifunctional enzymes that catalyze the biosynthesis of a huge variety of carbon chains differing in length and patterns of functionality and cyclization. Despite their apparent structural diversity, they are synthesized by a common pathway in which units derived from acetate or propionate are condensed onto the growing chain in a process resembling fatty acid biosynthesis. The intermediates remain bound to the polyketide synthase during multiple cycles of chain extension and (to a variable extent) reduction of the (xcex2-ketone group formed in each condensation. The structural variation between naturally occurring polyketides arises largely from the way in which each PKS controls the number and type of units added, and from the extent and stereochemistry of reduction at each cycle. Still greater diversity is produced by the action of regiospecific glycosylases, methyltransferases and oxidative enzymes on the product of the PKS.
Polyketide synthase genes fall into gene clusters. At least one type (designated type I) of polyketide synthases have large size genes and encoded enzymes, complicating genetic manipulation and in vitro studies of these genes/proteins. Progress in understanding the enzymology of such type I systems have previously been frustrated by the lack of cell-free systems to study polyketide chain synthesis by any of these multienzymes, although several partial reactions of certain pathways have been successfully assayed in vitro. Cell-free enzymatic synthesis of complex polyketides has proved unsuccessful, despite more than 30 years of intense efforts, presumably because of the difficulties in isolating fully active forms of these large, poorly expressed multifunctional proteins from naturally occurring producer organisms, and because of the relative lability of intermediates formed during the course of polyketide biosynthesis. In an attempt to overcome some of these limitations, modular PKS subunits have been expressed in heterologous hosts such as Escherichia coli and Streptomyces coelicolor. Whereas the proteins expressed in E. coli are not fully active, heterologous expression of certain PKSs in S. coelicolor resulted in the production of active protein. Cell-free enzymatic synthesis of polyketides from PKSs with substantially fewer active sites, such as the 6-methylsalicylate synthase, chalcone synthase, tetracenomycin synthase, and the PKS responsible for the polyketide component of cyclosporin, have been reported.
Hence, studies have indicated that in vitro synthesis of polyketides is possible, however, synthesis was always performed with purified enzymes. Heterologous expression of genes encoding PKS modular subunits have allowed synthesis of functional polyketides in vivo, however, there are several challenges presented by this approach, which had to be overcome. The large sizes of modular PKS gene clusters ( greater than 30 kb) make their manipulation on plasmids difficult. Modular PKSs also often utilize substrates which may be absent in a heterologous host. Finally, proper folding, assembly, and posttranslational modification of very large foreign polypeptides are not guaranteed.
Novel systems to clone and screen for bioactivities of interest in vitro are desirable. The method(s) of the present invention allow the cloning and discovery of novel bioactive molecules in vitro, and in particular novel bioactive molecules derived from uncultivated samples. Large size gene clusters can be cloned and screened using the method(s) of the present invention. Unlike previous strategies, the method(s) of the present invention allow one to clone utilizing well known genetic systems, and to screen in vitro with crude (impure) preparations.
The present invention allows one to clone genes potentially encoding novel biochemical pathways of interest in prokaryotic systems, and screen for these pathways utilizing a novel process. Sources of the genes may be isolated, individual organisms (xe2x80x9cisolatesxe2x80x9d), collections of organisms that have been grown in defined media (xe2x80x9cenrichment culturesxe2x80x9d), or, most preferably; uncultivated organisms (xe2x80x9cenvironmental samplesxe2x80x9d). The use of a culture-independent approach to directly clone genes encoding novel bioactivities from environmental samples is most preferable since it allows one to access untapped resources of biodiversity.
xe2x80x9cEnvironmental librariesxe2x80x9d are generated from environmental samples and represent the collective genomes of naturally occurring organisms archived in cloning vectors that can be propagated in suitable prokaryotic hosts. Because the cloned DNA is initially extracted directly from environmental samples, the libraries are not limited to the small fraction of prokaryotes that can be grown in pure culture. Additionally, a normalization of the environmental DNA present in these samples could allow more equal representation of the DNA from all of the species present in the original sample. This can dramatically increase the efficiency of finding interesting genes from minor constituents of the sample which may be under-represented by several orders of magnitude compared to the dominant species.
In the evaluation of complex environmental expression libraries, a rate limiting step occurs at the level of discovery of bioactivities. The present invention allows the rapid screening of complex environmental expression libraries, containing, for example, thousands of different organisms.
In the present invention, for example, gene libraries generated from one or more uncultivated microorganisms are screened for an activity of interest. Potential pathways encoding bioactive molecules of interest are first captured in prokaryotic cells in the form of gene expression libraries; crude or partially purified extracts, or pure proteins from metabolically rich cell lines are then combined with the gene expression libraries to create potentially active molecules; and the combination is screened for an activity of interest. Common approaches to drug discovery involve screening assays in which disease targets (macromolecules implicated in causing a disease) are exposed to potential drug candidates which are tested for therapeutic activity. In other approaches, whole cells or organisms that are representative of the causative agent of the disease, such as bacteria or tumor cell lines, are exposed to the potential candidates for screening purposes. Any of these approaches can be employed with the present invention.
The present invention also allows for the transfer of cloned pathways derived from uncultivated samples into metabolically rich hosts for heterologous expression and downstream screening for bioactive compounds of interest using a variety of screening approaches briefly described above.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a process for identifying clones encoding a specified activity of interest, which process comprises (i) generating one or more expression libraries derived from nucleic acid directly isolated from the environment; and (ii) combining the expression libraries with crude or partially purified extracts, or pure proteins from metabolically rich cell lines; and (iii) screening said libraries utilizing any of a variety of screening assays to identify said clones.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for identifying clones encoding a specified activity of interest, which process comprises (i) generating one or more expression libraries derived from nucleic acid directly isolated from the environment; and (ii) transferring the clones into a metabolically rich cell line; and (iii) screening said cell line utilizing any of a variety of screening assays to identify said clones.


An asymmetrical bipolar voltage supply comprising a transformer (1), having at least one primary winding (7) and a plurality of secondary windings (8) and a primary-side power supply (2; 25; 28) connected to at least one DC voltage source. The circuit is configured and connected so as to generate in the transformer two oppositely polarized winding voltages UW1 and UW2 with different amplitudes.

The invention concerns an asymmetrical bipolar voltage supply having a transformer with at least one primary winding and a plurality of secondary windings, and a primary-side power supply connected to the transformer.
Modern power semiconductors that are to be used as semiconductor switches require an asymmetrical bipolar voltage supply of, for example, +15 and −5 volts for gate control. This is to prevent faulty switching. Such faulty switching can occur if the gate control is only set to zero potential in order to reach a switching state, and an interference is superimposed on this zero potential. In such a case, the semiconductor switch may begin to oscillate, which would quickly lead to its destruction. If, however, a voltage of −5 volts is applied, an interference cannot hinder the proper operation.
To control the semiconductor switches of a full-bridge (also referred to as an H-bridge), four gate drivers are required with the technology customary today, wherein each gate driver is connected to one asymmetrical bipolar voltage source. In a modern three-phase power supply with Power Factor Correction (PFC) and downstream full-bridge voltage converter, six semiconductor switches are required for the PFC and four semiconductor switches for the downstream full-bridge voltage converter. Thus, ten gate drivers with the associated asymmetrical bipolar voltage sources are required. A regenerative variable frequency drive requires even at least twelve gate drivers with the above-mentioned asymmetrical bipolar voltage sources.
Usually, a transformer that has a corresponding number of secondary windings is used for the design of such a voltage source. A separate winding is required for the positive and the negative voltage, respectively, wherein the positive and the negative windings can have a common ground point. The output voltages are set via the turn ratio of primary and secondary windings.
This means that two secondary windings have to be provided for each gate driver. Thus, in the above-mentioned full-bridge circuit, eight secondary windings are required and even twenty secondary windings are required in the above-mentioned three-phase power supply.
This large number of secondary windings leads to an overall design size with the associated high parasitic capacitances. These parasitic capacitances can lead to disturbances, which are caused by leakage currents and, in the worst case, will lead to a destruction of the voltage supply or the gate driver.


The present invention relates to a battery pack. The battery pack, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: multiple cell modules which include cells generating electrical energy; a tray which supports the weight of the multiple cell modules; and a frame which divides the space for arranging the multiple cell modules, and which extends in the vehicle length direction and the vehicle width direction, forming a supply flow channel through which air flows.

Recently, interest in technology using rechargeable secondary batteries as power sources of vehicles is on the rise. Although a nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery is mainly used as a secondary battery, use of a lithium ion battery is attempted now.
Medium or large-sized battery packs, formed by stacking a plurality of battery cartridges, have various battery cartridge stacking methods or connection methods and in order to execute these methods, various structures are required and large amount of labor is required.
A battery pack generates heat during discharge and such heat is a factor which shortens the lifespan of the battery pack and reduces efficiency of the battery pack. Further, when the temperature of the battery pack is excessively low, proper output may not be provided to a vehicle. Therefore, an apparatus to maintain a proper temperature of a battery pack is required.


Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibiting compositions comprising a Sceletium and an activity enhancer are disclosed and described. Methods and systems for inhibiting PDE4, as well as, dosage forms comprising a Sceletium extract and an activity enhancer are also disclosed. Additionally disclosed are methods for enhancing the potency or PDE4 inhibitory activity of a Sceletium extract by addition of an activity enhancer.

Phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) is an enzyme that degrades the phosphodiester bond in the second messenger molecules of cellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), thereby regulating the localization, duration, and amplitude of cAMP signaling. cAMP binds to protein kinases enabling catalytic units of the protein kinases to phosphorylate substrate proteins. cAMP functions in several biochemical processes. The specific effect of cAMP depends on the protein kinase acted upon and the cell type. Sustaining cellular cAMP levels can inhibit numerous diseases and conditions. PDE4 inhibitors block the PDE4 induced degradation of cAMP thereby sustaining cellular cAMP levels and prolonging the effects of cAMP mediated physiological processes. Accordingly, PDE4 inhibitors can be valuable agents in treating or managing a number of related diseases or conditions.
Unfortunately, several PDE4 inhibiting compounds have narrow therapeutic windows and often cause undesirable side effects (i.e. nausea, diarrhea and headaches) when administered at therapeutically effective doses. Additionally, consumers continue to demand pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals that include naturally derived active ingredients. Accordingly, the present inventors recognize a need for naturally derived PDE4 inhibitors which attain a desired level of PDE4 inhibition with little to no adverse side effects.

Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibiting phytochemical compositions


2-Isocyanatoalkyl esters of organic carboxylic acids are prepared by reacting (a) an aqueous solution of a 2-oxazoline with (b) an organic solution of phosgene dissolved in a water-immiscible organic solvent in the presence of (c) a hydrochloric acid acceptor. As an example, 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate was prepared by concurrently blending an aqueous stream of 2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline, a methylene chloride stream of phosgene and an aqueous stream of sodium hydroxide at a temperature of from about 0.degree. C. to about 10.degree. C. The reaction rate is very high and the reaction is essentially complete upon blending the reactants.

1. Field of the Invention
This is a novel process which produces 2-isocyanatoalkyl esters of organic carboxylic acids in high yields. This process is particularly useful in preparing 2-isocyanatoalkyl esters of alkenoic acids.
2. Prior Art
The 2-substituted-2-oxazolines form a known class of compounds. The literature is replete with information regarding methods of preparation and use of such compounds. See, for example, the following review articles: (a) Wiley et al., Chemical Reviews, Vol. 44, 447 (1949); (b) Seeliger et al., Angew. Chem. Internat. Edit., Vol. 5, 10 (1966); and (c) Frump, Chemical Reviews, Vol. 71, 5 (1971). See also the patents classified by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under 260/307F.
The 2-alkenyl-2-oxazolines are particularly useful compounds due to their difunctionality. Of these, the 2-vinyl- and 2-isopropenyl-2-oxazolines are perhaps the best known. Prior art methods of preparing 2-alkenyl-2-oxazolines normally utilize relatively expensive reagents in multistep processes and the product yields were normally low. See, for example, the processes described in the above review articles and refer to the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,831,858; 2,968,657; 3,248,397; 3,466,308; 3,505,297; 3,523,123; 3,535,332; 3,661,922; 3,678,065; 3,839,350; Fr. Pat. No. 1,557,954 and Ger. Offen. No. 2,302,168.
Another process for preparing 2-alkenyl-2-oxazolines was described by Lalk et al. in a commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 699,091 filed June 23, 1976 and entitled "Method for Preparing 2-Alkenyl-2-Oxazolines." The disclosure of Ser. No. 699,091 is incorporated herein by reference. The process described in Ser. No. 699,091 comprises the steps of:
(1) reacting by contacting an anhydrous or substantially anhydrous 2-alkyl-2-oxazoline with formaldehyde in a molar ratio of at least about 1.5 mole of 2-alkyl-2-oxazoline per mole of formaldehyde, thereby forming the 2-(.alpha.-hydroxymethylalkyl)-2-oxazoline,
(2) recovering the 2-(.alpha.-hydroxymethylalkyl)-2-oxazoline from the reaction product of step (1), and
(3) reacting by contacting the 2-(.alpha.-hydroxymethylalkyl)-2-oxazoline from step (2) with an alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide, thereby forming the 2-alkenyl-2-oxazoline.
The 2-alkenyl-2-oxazoline thus produced is normally recovered by distillation as an aqueous solution. Water is formed as a by-product of the process and normally codistills with the 2-alkenyl-2-oxazoline. This crude aqueous 2-alkenyl-2-oxazoline is surprisingly useful in the instant process; it can be added per se into the reaction process, but, we prefer to dilute it with sufficient water to give about a 20 mole percent solution of oxazoline in water, and we most prefer to dilute to about a 5-10 mole percent concentration.
The use of a crude aqueous 2-alkenyl-2-oxazoline as prepared by the above process or any aqueous solution of a 2-oxazoline in the preparation of 2-isocyanatoalkyl esters of organic carboxylic acids is in direct contrast to the teachings of British Pat. No. 1,252,099. In the British patent, a 2-oxazoline dissolved in a water-immiscible solvent was reacted with phosgene (also dissolved in a water-immiscible solvent) in the presence of an aqueous solution of a hydrochloric acid acceptor.

Process for preparing 2-isocyanatoalkyl esters of organic carboxylic acids


Polyurethane sealant and coating compositions made from blocked isocyanate-terminated prepolymers have improved shelf stability when an effective amount of a carbodiimide is utilized therewith. Such compositions and coating materials can be stored in sealed containers or cartridges for relatively long periods of time, for example in excess of five or six months, without significant loss of curability which adversely affects physical properties upon cure. One part as well as two part polyurethane sealant and coating compositions are stabilized by the addition of the carbodiimide stabilizing agent whereas the addition of an organosilane abates viscosity increase during storage.

Heretofore, only limited cure stability of one part and two part sealants and coatings based on blocked isocyanates has been achieved at the expense of mechanical properties of the cured sealants or coating compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,078 to Damusis relates to limited shelf stabilities of from about 20 to 25 days at room temperature of blocked isocyanate-terminated prepolymers utilizing ketimine curing agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,443 to Barron et al relates to a sealant or coating composition made from blocked isocyanate-terminated prepolymers, a polyimine, and an organosilane as an adhesion promoter. Drying agents are also included to improve shelf stability.
Heretofore urethane sealant or coating compositions, such as the above, undergo a significant loss of curability, i.e., poor cure stability as measured by decreased Shore A and mechanical properties, and/or a significant increase in viscosity, i.e., poor viscosity stability.

Urethane sealants or coating admixtures having improved shelf stability