In the pipe-type of high intensity ionization-wet collection method and apparatus for particle removal from a gas stream, corona current is distributed between adjacent ionization and collection zones.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for removal of fine particles from a gas stream by high intensity ionization and wet collection.
In order to achieve overall removal efficiencies greater than 95%, it is necessary to remove a major fraction of the fine particles (i.e., below about 3 micrometers diameter) from any particulate laden gas stream. Broadly speaking a wet ionization system is one in which the entrained particulates of a gas stream are electrically charged, forced from the gas stream onto a collecting electrode by an electric field, and removed from the collecting electrode by continuously flowing or intermittently spraying a thin film of wash water thereover. One wet ionization system is the pipe-type electrostatic precipitator, normally used for the collection of moist particulates and corrosive aerosols or in processes with relatively lower flow rates. Emissions with these latter characteristics are often found in the iron and steel, metallurgical chemical, pulp and paper, and mining industries. The emissions of a conventional blast furnace would be one typical example. The present invention pertains specifically to an electrostatic precipitator of the pipe-type.
The two main elements of a typical pipe-type precipitator are a tubular collection electrode, which is normally electrically grounded, and a thin wire discharge electrode, which is connected to a source of high voltage direct current. The wire typically has a diameter between 0.109 and 0.125 inch (0.277 to 0.318 cm), so that it emits a glow discharge or corona when a large potential is imposed between it and the outer tubular collecting electrode. The wire is positioned at the axis of the outer tubular collecting electrode and is typically maintained in this position by a weight which is suspended from the bottom of the wire.
In some pipe-type electrostatic precipitator applications, it is not possible to employ the thin wire design for the discharge electrode. For example, in acid-gas aerosol collection, the discharge electrode is normally formed from lead to ensure a long operating life in the corrosive environment. Because of lead's poor properties in tension, the discharge electrode must be formed with a relatively large overall diameter, for example about 0.375 inch (0.935 cm). However to ensure that a corona discharge is established, the discharge electrode is formed with a non-circular cross-section, for example square or star-shaped, having numerous sites of a small equivalent radius. Functionally, therefore, this design is equivalent to the standard thin wire design.
In operation of the pipe-type electrostatic precipitator, the particulate laden gas is fed into the bottom of the outer tubular collecting electrode which is vertically oriented. The gas passes upwardly through the tube and particulates charged by the corona discharge near the discharge electrode are collected by the outer tubular collecting electrode under the force of the electrostatic field. The clean gas therefore exists from the top end of the outer tubular collecting electrode. In most pipe-type electrostatic precipitators, the collected particulates are removed from the collecting electrode by flowing a thin film of water continuously down its inside wall.
An early design of a pipe-type electrostatic precipitator is described in Conover, U.S. Pat. No. 1,322,163. In the Conover design, the central discharge electrode comprises a metal rod with a series of spaced thin metal discs secured thereto. The surface area of the rod between each of the adjacent thin metal discs is encased within cylindrical separators. The separators are typically formed of an insulating material such as porcelain,, although metallic separators are also disclosed. The separators have a slightly smaller diameter than the thin metal discs. The separators maintain the thin metal discs in spaced position on the rod and prevent any corona leakage from the rod. The periphery of the discs is described as being smoothly contoured and may be semi-circular in shape.
Schwab et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,093,430 and 4,110,806 describe a high intensity ionization system (hereafter referred to as "HII system") for particulate removal from gas streams wherein a disc-shaped discharge electrode is inserted in the throat of a Venturi diffuser. A high D.C. voltage is imposed between the discharge electrode or cathode and the Venturi diffuser, a portion of which acts as an anode. The high voltage between the two electrodes and the particular construction of the cathode disc produces a stable corona discharge of a very high intensity. Particles in the gas which pass through the electrode gap of the Venturi diffuser are charged to very high levels in proportion to their sizes. The entrained particulates are field charged by the strong applied field and by ion impaction in the region of corona discharge between the two electrodes. The high velocity of the gas stream through the Venturi throat prevents the accumulation of space charge within the corona field established at the electrode gap, and thereby improves the stability of the corona discharge between the electrodes.
The prior art has also adapted the Schwab et al. HII system to pipe-type electrostatic precipitators for wet collection. This device includes an inner elongated rod support electrode aligned along the axis of an outer tubular collecting electrode. At least one disc-shaped discharge electrode having a smoothly curved periphery is connected to the rod support electrode and is concentric with the outer tubular collecting electrode. A high potential (D.C.) is applied between the inner rod support electrode-discharge electrode assembly and the outer tubular collecting electrode. Because of the particular design, a thin radially and circumferentially uniform electrostatic field or corona discharge is established between the disc-shaped discharge electrode and the outer tubular collecting electrode, and a non-corona electric field is established between the rod support and the outer tubular collecting electrode. No corona is established between the rod support electrode and the outer tubular collecting electrode because of the relatively large diameter of the rod support electrode.
Particles entrained in the gas which is flowed through this prior art HII pipe-type wet precipitator system are charged as they pass through the corona discharge region established in the gap between the disc-shaped discharge electrode and the outer tubular collecting electrode. These so-charged particles are subsequently collected on the outer tubular collecting electrode under the influence of the non-corona electric field existing in the gap formed between the rod support electrode and the outer tubular collecting electrode. The particles are removed from the outer tubular collecting electrode by a thin film of water flowing along the inner wall of the outer tubular electrode.
According to the prior art HII pipe-type wet precipitator teachings, the disclosed construction is unique in that the electrostatic field between the disc-shaped discharge electrode and the outer tubular collecting electrode is relatively uniform and, therefore, has a high intensity without spark-over. Additionally, the prior practitioners emphasize that the electrostatic field is confined to a small axial direction (no corona in the gap between the rod support electrode and the outer tubular collecting electrode) so that the electrode assembly draws relatively little current when compared to the conventional pipe-type electrostatic precipitator design. Therefore, the power necessary to maintain the high intensity electrostatic field is said to be relatively low. Finally, the relatively large diameter of the rod support electrode with respect to the outer tubular collecting electrode reduces the gap therebetween. This was believed desirable as resulting in a higher strength electric collection field.
A limitation of all prior art pipe-type electrostatic precipitators is limited fine particle removal efficiency. In particular, the wire-type precipitators in current use provide fine particle removal efficiencies on the order of 80%. Although the prior art HII type of wet pipe precipitator represents an improvement by virtue of fine particle removal efficiencies on the order of 90%, a substantial fraction of the fine particles remain in the discharged gas.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved high intensity ionization pipe-type wet collection system.
A further object is to provide an improved HII pipe-type wet collection system for removal of fine particulates from a gas stream, with higher particle removal efficiencies than heretofore achieved.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the ensuing disclosure and appended claims.

High intensity ionization-wet collection method and apparatus


A process for isolating polyphenolic antioxidants from purine-containing plant material, comprising the steps of: (a) extracting the plant material with a hydroxylic extracting liquid preferably at low temperature; (b) selectively adsorbing the extract obtained in step (a), preferably at low temperature; and (c) desorbing the adsorbed material with a hydroxylic desorbing liquid, preferably at relatively high temperature. The process is especially suitable for producing cocoa antioxidants of use in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutritional compositions.

The present application is the National Phase of International Application No. PCT/US00/02411, filed Feb. 2, 2000, which was published in English.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing polyphenolic antioxidants with low purine content, from cocoa and other purine-containing plant materials. The invention also relates to an antioxidant composition obtainable using this process. The invention further relates to a nutritional, pharmaceutical or cosmetic antioxidant composition.
2. Related Art
Polyphenolic antioxidants from plant materials derived from cocoa, coffee, tea, and other theobroma species are interesting as they are assumed to be active in preventing cancer, coronary and cardiovascular disease and strokes, and in delaying aging processes. These antioxidants are usually water-soluble and comprise compounds of the chroman type, such as catechin and epicatechin (the stereoisomeric 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxychromans), and oligomerised structures including procyanidin. However, these plant materials also contain purines such as caffeine (1,3,7-trimethyl-2,6-purinedione or 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) and theobromine (3,7-dimethyl-2,6-purinedione or 3,7-dimethylxanthine), and these components are usually undesired in antioxidant compositions because of their stimulating properties.
Current processes for extracting polyphenols from cocoa comprise treatment of defatted cocoa material with acetone, water/methanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate. Such a process is described in WO 98/09533 (Mars Inc.). A process for removing purines (theobromine and caffeine) from cocoa material by extraction with water of 45-55xc2x0 C. followed by extraction with water of about 100xc2x0 C. is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,391 (Hershey Foods Corp.).
Japanese patent application JP-A-6-9607 concerns the production of tea catechins. The method consists of extracting tea leaves with water, non-selectively adsorbing the purines and catechins on a gel-type adsorbent (e.g., styrene/divinylbenzene) in a column, washing the purines (caffeine) from the column using warm water, and desorbing the catechins from the column using 50-100% aqueous methanol, ethanol or acetone.
Japanese patent application JP-A-10-67771 similarly concerns the production of tea catechins, by non-selectively adsorbing the constituents of a tea extract on a column containing cyclodextrin bound to a crosslinked acrylic resin, and again washing the purines with water and desorbing the catechins with 30-80% aqueous methanol, ethanol or acetone.
Methylxanthines (purines) are usually extracted with chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents, such as chloroform, ethylene dichloride or tetrachloroethane. Methylxanthines are also removed by adsorption on an adsorption material like activated carbon, carob particles or a cation exchange resin as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,956,429, 4,390,698 and 4,444,798.
The problem to be solved with the present invention was to provide a process for producing a natural, fat-free, water-soluble polyphenolic antioxidant composition having a maximum antioxidant activity and a minimum purine content, said process being technically and economically feasible without the use of objectionable chemicals.
The present invention relates to a process for producing polyphenolic antioxidants with low purine content, from cocoa and other purine-containing plant materials, as well as an antioxidant composition obtainable using this process. The invention further relates to a nutritional, pharmaceutical or cosmetic antioxidant composition.
The present invention provides a process for producing a natural, fat-free, water-soluble polyphenolic antioxidant composition having a maximum antioxidant activity and a minimum purine content. This process is technically and economically feasible without the use of objectionable chemicals.

Process for extracting polyphenolic antioxidants from purine-containing plants


A device for displaying an item, wherein the item being displayed can be selectively changed. The device includes an annular body with an inside circumferential surface having an associated mounting arrangement including a shoulder, a groove and a snap ring. A changeable item for display is generally received in the annular body and held in place between the shoulder and the groove by positioning the snap ring into the groove. In some embodiments, the annular body may be adapted to be carried and used on a strap or band, generally in the manner a wristwatch is carried and used. In other embodiments, the annular body may be free-standing or adapted to be supported by a suitable support. The present invention may further include a cover hingedly attached to the annular body. In some embodiments, the cover may have generally similar characteristics as the annular body, it may interchangeably display other selected items, and/or it may include or display a watch face.

The present invention relates to devices and methods for displaying or mounting items, such as jewelry and similar objects, including wristbands for displaying ornaments. More particularly, it relates to devices, including wristbands or straps, and methods for displaying commemorative medallions.
Devices for displaying or mounting items for display are known in the prior art. Many such devices are adapted for containing and displaying specific items.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,999 (Shevins) discloses a wristwatch with an illuminated ornamental display separate from the clock face display, wherein the ornamental display is made of a translucent material and the light illuminates the ornamental display from beneath. The Shevins device has the primary purpose of enhancing the readability and ornamental appearance of a watch. Such a device is useful if the user has a translucent item to be displayed and does not mind the additional size of the wristwatch due to the separate displays for the clock face and the displayed item.
Another device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,724,691 (Kaminsky) displays artwork, logos, designs, etc. on an opaque area that lies above the hands of the clock, wherein the central portion of the clock hands are obscured by the opaque area. The Kaminsky device lacks the ability to selectively change the displayed artwork. It further bears limitations on the size of a design that may be incorporated underneath the crystal display of the watch face.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,552 (Seabrook) discloses a changeable memorandum wristband. The Seabrook device includes a cover that is closeable over the memorandum information. The device has the specific purpose of reminding the user of appointments, phone numbers and other similar information.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device for displaying items or objects either in conjunction with a wristband or a timepiece face or alone, wherein the items for display may be selectively and easily changed by the user.

Device and method for displaying objects


A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes ceramic layers made of a dielectric material, and internal electrodes made of a conductive material. The internal electrodes are provided with cavities which have an average size ranging from about 1.0 μm to about 10 μm and occupy about 25% to about 75% of an area of each internal electrode. The ceramic layers and the internal electrodes are stacked alternately and each cavity is devoid of the dielectric material and the conductive material.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor normally comprises a laminated body including ceramic layers made of a dielectric material and external electrodes, some of the ceramic layers having internal electrodes thereon. The ceramic layers are stacked together in a manner that the internal electrodes are alternately exposed at opposite sides of the laminated body. The external electrodes are disposed at the end portions including the opposite sides of the laminated body and are connected to respective sets of internal electrodes of the laminated body.
FIG. 3 illustrates a typical arrangement of a laminated body 3 of such a multilayer ceramic capacitor. The laminated body 3 is formed by stacking ceramic layers 7 having internal electrodes 5 and 6 and made of a dielectric material, and a plurality of bare ceramic layers 7′ without any internal electrodes. The bare ceramic layers 7′ without any internal electrodes may be called dummy sheets. The ceramic layers 7 are stacked in a manner to have the internal electrodes 5 and 6 alternately exposed at opposite sides of the laminated body 3. A number of dummy sheets are disposed on top of the uppermost ceramic layer 7 as well as below the undermost ceramic layer 7. As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of external electrodes 2 are, respectively, disposed at the opposite end portions of the laminated body 3 and are connected to the internal electrodes 5 and 6.
The process for manufacturing such a multilayer ceramic capacitor in accordance with the prior art will now be described.
First, an amount of slurry is prepared by mixing fine ceramic powder with an organic binder. Then, a ceramic green sheet is obtained by thinly casting the slurry on a carrier film comprised of, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate film by using a doctor blade method. Next, the ceramic green sheet on the carrier film is dried and cut by using a cutting head into a plurality of ceramic green sheets of a desired size. Then a conductive paste for internal electrodes is printed on the surfaces of the ceramic green sheets and dried. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of ceramic green sheets 1a, 1b having internal electrode patterns 2a and 2b printed thereon lengthwise and widthwise are obtained.
Subsequently, the ceramic green sheets 1a, 1b having the internal electrode patterns 2a and 2b are stacked and a number of bare ceramic green sheets 1 without any internal electrode patterns are stacked both on top of the uppermost ceramic green sheet 1a and below the undermost ceramic green sheet 1b. Then, a laminated ceramic body is obtained by pressing the stacked ceramic green sheets. The ceramic green sheets 1a and 1b are stacked in a manner that the internal electrode patterns 2a of the ceramic green sheets 1a are shifted with respect to the internal electrode patterns 2b of the ceramic green sheets 1b by half a pattern size along lengthwise. Thereafter, the laminated ceramic body is diced into a number of unsintered laminated bodies, each having a desired size. The unsintered laminated bodies are then sintered to obtain the laminated bodies 3.
Next, a conductive paste is applied on opposite end portions of the laminated body 3 and baked to form conductive films. A pair of external electrodes 2 is formed on opposite end portions, as shown in FIG. 1, by plating the surface of the conductive film.
FIG. 2 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the laminated body of a multilayer ceramic capacitor. In the laminated body of the prior art multilayer ceramic capacitor, empty spaces between conductive particles shown in FIG. 2 are generally filled with ceramic particles.
However, the expansion or shrinkage rate of the ceramic layers 7 caused by temperature changes may be different from that of the internal electrodes 5 and 6, which may in turn cause micro cracks developed in the laminated body 3. Such tendency may become rather serious when the laminated body 3 includes, e.g., more than a hundred layers. Especially, when the multilayer ceramic capacitors are soldered on a circuit board for the manufacture of end products such as cellular phone, cracks can be developed in the laminated body 3.


This relates to an end closure for conventional types of containers which may be in the form of glass or plastic jars and bottles or in the form of specially formed metal containers having a folded outwardly projecting annular rim at the top thereof. The end closures are constructed so as to be snapped in place on the containers thus retaining the closures on and keeping the containers closed by a mechanical interlock between the respective closure and container. Further, the end closures have heat-bondable surfaces which when subjected to low temperature heat, such as by heating the rims of the containers or by heating the packaged product within a retort cooker, the heat-bondable surfaces of the end closures will bond to the touching surfaces of the container.

The closures in current use include plastic and metal closures for closing glass jars including baby food, peanuts and all sorts of other foods and non-food products. Some closures are snapped on and off, other closures are twisted on and off and still other closures are snapped on, and twisted off. In almost all cases, these closures are totally removed from the container, to open the container for product removal, except for some tamper bands which have portions that are retained around the neck of the jar or bottle.
The current closure concepts require design and manufacturing sensitivity to removal torques and forces while avoiding contamination under the exterior flange of the closure cap. At the same time, leakage due to discontinuity in the closure or closure gasket and the glass of the container must be avoided. Also, tamper evidence is limited in many cases to a metal button which responds to the loss of vacuum when the closure is opened.


A universal joint includes a pair of half round yokes, a cross member and retainer straps. The retainer straps include a main body portion and two end portions, where the end portions have retainer faces for mating with the yoke faces, where the main body portion has a curved inside retainer surface positioned between the end portions and adapted to conform to the shape of the bearing cup and to cooperate with the yoke surface to retain the bearing cup. The retainer strap has a curved outside surface which extends from one end of the retainer strap to the other to provide extra strength at the end portions of the retainer strap.

This invention relates in general to universal joints, and in particular to an apparatus suitable for cooperating with a half round yoke to retain bearing cups in universal joints.
Universal joints are well known devices which provide a driving connection between two members adapted to rotate about non-aligned axes of rotation. Universal joints are widely used between rotatable drive shaft sections in vehicle drive train systems. A typical universal joint includes a cross having a central body portion with four cylindrical trunnions extending outwardly from the cross. The trunnions are oriented in a single plane and extend at right angles relative to one another, and the trunnions have a common intersection at the center of the central body portion.
A hollow cylindrical bearing cup is mounted on the end of each of the trunnions. Needle bearings or similar means are provided between the outer cylindrical surfaces of the trunnions and the inner cylindrical surfaces of the bearing cups to permit relative rotational movement between the trunnions and the bearing cups. The bearing cups which are mounted on an opposed pair of the trunnions can be connected to a first end yoke secured to an end of a first drive shaft section, while the bearing cups mounted on a second opposed pair of the trunnions can be connected to a second end yoke secured to an end of a second drive shaft section.
Several different types of yokes are used in universal joints. Often the yoke is a full round yoke which is provided with a pair of opposed arms with cylindrical holes in the arms for insertion of the bearing cups. Another common type of yoke is a half round yoke, where each arm forms a curved, usually semi-circular yoke surface for receiving the bearing cup, and a retainer strap is bolted to the yoke to hold the bearing cup in place. Typically, the retainer strap for a half round yoke is provided with a curved inner surface which mimics the cylindrical contour of the bearing cup.
The performance of the retainer strap is important in the overall performance of the universal joint. The retainer strap must be strong enough to withstand the torsional and other forces associated with holding down the bearing cups of the universal joint, and yet be light weight and not bulky. Further, the retainer strap must be of very precise dimensions to assure that the bearing cup does not rotate during operation of the universal joint. A common design for retainer straps to be used with half round yokes is a generally flat plate which is curved at its midsection to conform to the shape of the bearing cup. Bolts are positioned at the end portions of the retainer strap to secure it to the yoke. A problem with conventional retainer straps is that they often exhibit metallic failure at the end portions, where they are bolted to the yoke.
Conventional flat plate retainer straps are usually made by stamping. Stamping stretches the metallic part, so that the precise fit of the bearing cup is not always possible. One known method for assuring the correct size of the opening defined by the retainer strap and the half round yoke is to bolt the retainer strip and the yoke together and mill the opening to its final tolerance. While this assures that the opening is of the correct dimensions, this method requires the extra manufacturing step of milling the opening to the final size. Also, this method creates a matched set consisting of the yoke and retainer strap, and the two parts must be used together. This method does not produce interchangeable retainer straps, and therefore manufacturing costs are increased.
It would be advantageous to provide a half round yoke retainer strap for a universal joint where the retainer strap is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and yet provides improved strength performance.

Strap for retaining a bearing cup in a universal joint assembly


A device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The device has a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust system on which the trapped particulates are oxidized, and a reversing mechanism for reversing the exhaust gas upstream side and the exhaust gas downstream side of the particulate filter. The particulate filter has a trapping wall. The trapping wall has a first trapping surface and a second trapping surface. The reversing mechanism reverses the exhaust gas upstream side and the exhaust gas downstream side of the particulate filter so that the first trapping surface and the second trapping surface are used alternately to trap the particulates. The device can improve the amount of particulates that can be oxidized and removed on the particulate filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
The exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine and, particularly, of a diesel engine, contains particulates comprising carbon as a chief component. Particulates are harmful materials and thus it has been suggested that a particulate filter should be arranged in the exhaust system to trap particulates before they are emitted into the atmosphere. In such a particulate filter, the trapped particulates must be burned and removed to prevent resistance to the exhaust gas from increasing due to the blocked meshes.
In such a regeneration of the particulate filter, if the temperature of the particulates becomes about 600 degrees C., they ignite and burn. However, usually, the temperature of an exhaust gas of a diesel engine is considerably lower than 600 degrees C. and thus heating means is required to heat the particulate filter itself.
Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 7-106290 discloses that if one of the platinum group metals and one of the oxides of the alkali earth metals are carried on the filter, the particulates on the filter burn and disappear successively at about 400 degrees C. 400 degrees C. is a usual temperature of the exhaust gas of a diesel engine.
However, when the above-mentioned filter is used, the temperature of the exhaust gas is not always about 400 degrees C. Further, a large amount of particulates can be discharged from the engine. Thus, particulates that cannot be burned and removed each time can be deposited on the filter.
In this filter, if a certain amount of particulates is deposited on the filter, the ability to burn and remove particulates drops much so that the filter cannot be regenerated by itself. Thus, if such a filter is merely arranged in the exhaust system, blocking of the filter meshes can occur relative quickly.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a device, for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, which can prevent blocking of the particulate filter meshes by the trapped particulates thereon.
According to the present invention, there is provided a first device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine comprising a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust system on which the trapped particulates are oxidized, and reversing means for reversing the exhaust gas upstream side and the exhaust gas downstream side of the particulate filter, wherein the particulate filter has a trapping wall, the trapping wall has a first trapping surface and a second trapping surface, the reversing means reverses the exhaust gas upstream side and the exhaust gas downstream side of the particulate filter so that the first trapping surface and the second trapping surface are used alternately to trap the particulates, and the device further comprises improving means for improving the amount of particulates that can be oxidized and removed on the particulate filter.
According to the present invention, there is provided a second device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine comprising a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust system on which the trapped particulates are oxidized, and reversing means for reversing the exhaust gas upstream side and the exhaust gas downstream side of the particulate filter, wherein the particulate filter has a trapping wall, the trapping wall has a first trapping surface and a second trapping surface, the reversing means reverses the exhaust gas upstream side and the exhaust gas downstream side of the particulate filter so that the first trapping surface and the second trapping surface are used alternately to trap the particulates, and the both end portions of the particulate filter have an oxidization ability higher than that of the central portion of said particulate filter.
According to the present invention, there is provided a third device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine comprising a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust system on which the trapped particulates are oxidized, and reversing means for reversing the exhaust gas upstream side and the exhaust gas downstream side of the particulate filter, wherein the particulate filter carries an active-oxygen releasing agent, active-oxygen released from the active-oxygen releasing agent oxidizes the trapped particulates, the active-oxygen releasing agent holds NOX to combine the NOX with oxygen when excessive oxygen is present in the surroundings and releases to decompose the combined NOX and oxygen into NOX and active-oxygen when the oxygen concentration in the surroundings drops, the particulate filter has a trapping wall, the trapping wall has a first trapping surface and a second trapping surface, the reversing means reverses the exhaust gas upstream side and the exhaust gas downstream side of the particulate filter so that the first trapping surface and the second trapping surface are used alternately to trap the particulates, and the device further comprises improving means for improving the amount of particulates that can be oxidized and removed of the particulate filter by making the oxygen concentration in the surroundings drop to release NOX from the active-oxygen releasing agent.
The present invention will be more fully understood from the description of preferred embodiments of the invention set forth below, together with the accompanying drawings.

Device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine


An automotive wheel and a method for manufacturing, in which a center hub is formed using drawing and stamping methods, is disclosed. A mounting foot is spin forged onto the edge portion of the formed center hub, and the center hub is then polished and mounted into a separately formed cylindrical rim. The resulting automotive wheel has the look of a machined billet-type automotive wheel but with a substantial reduction in wasted material and corresponding cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle wheels and more particularly, to a method for manufacturing light weight automotive wheels having the appearance and advantages of machined billet-type automotive wheels. Still more particularly, the present invention is directed to an automotive wheel and a method for manufacturing in which the center section is formed by cold drawing and stamping a single aluminum disk to obtain a desired size and cross-sectional profile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Certain types of two-piece automotive wheels are comprised of a center section mounted within a generally cylindrical rim. The center section further includes a hub having a mounting surface, and is formed using one piece of material such as a steel or aluminum disk. The cylindrical rim is formed using a second piece of material which is compatible with the material comprising the center section. The formed center section is then fixed within the cylindrical rim by, for example, welding, to form the basic wheel. Additional polishing, plating, or other finishing processes are then used to complete the wheel.
As indicated, the center section of the automotive wheel is generally formed using a single piece of material such as aluminum or steel. For example, in a typical prior art method of manufacturing aluminum automotive wheels, a single aluminum disk ("billet") approximately two inches thick and thirteen inches in diameter is machined to form the center section. The machining steps include turning the aluminum billet to obtain the basic center section shape, milling one or more decorative and/or cooling openings in the machined billet, and drilling the holes for the lug bolts. These steps result in substantial material waste which contributes to the finished billet-type automotive wheel being very expensive. Due to their very high cost, billet-type wheels are often used with custom and exotic automobiles.
In another prior art method of manufacturing aluminum automotive wheels, the center section is cast to form the basic shape. The holes for the lug bolts are then drilled and the casting is polished to form the finished center section. Since almost any center section design can be realized by casting, the number of possible wheel designs is much greater with casting than machining. However, while casting provides more freedom of design than machining, cast automotive wheels are not as strong as machined wheels of similar size or weight.
Specifically, since the aluminum used in casting is not pure the microscopic structure of the cast hub is porous, resulting in lower density than a similar sized aluminum billet. In contrast, the aluminum billet is rolled and/or extruded to a given density in order to achieve a desired strength and ductility. Thus, in order to obtain a cast wheel of similar strength as that of a machined wheel, the cast wheel must be of greater mass or have a different shape. Therefore, cast aluminum wheels are typically heavier and bulkier than machined aluminum wheels.
In a prior art method of manufacturing steel automotive wheels, the center section is formed by stamping a steel disk into the desired cross-sectional profile. Since a steel disk of a given thickness is stronger than an aluminum disk of the same thickness, a relatively thin steel disk can be stamped using, for example, a conventional punch press. However, steel automotive wheels are much heavier than aluminum automotive wheels and, further, may be subject to corrosion. In addition, steel automotive wheels are generally considered less stylish than aluminum wheels.
The cross-sectional profile of the center section of aluminum or steel wheels can range from concave (i.e. dish-shaped) to convex (.i.e. crowned). Additionally, the mounting surface of the hub must be offset a specified distance from the inside edge of the rim. Both the cross-sectional profile and the mounting surface offset determine the required thickness of the hub, as measured from the front center surface of the hub to the mounting surface. Thus, in order to obtain a particular profile and offset, machined wheels employ an aluminum billet whose thickness generally corresponds to the required thickness of the hub.


The present disclosure generally relates to an annular blowout preventer (“BOP”) apparatus for sealing a wellbore. In particular, the annular BOP includes a body comprising a vertical bore extending therethrough, an upper packing element located in the body, a lower packing element located in the body and spaced axially from the upper packing element, and a piston configured to move the upper and lower packing elements radially with respect to the vertical bore. The annular BOP provides for bi-directional sealing across the annular BOP. In other embodiments, the annular BOP may include only a single packing element configured to provide for bi-directional sealing across the annular BOP.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the presently described embodiments. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present embodiments. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Drilling and production operations for the recovery of offshore deposits of crude oil and natural gas are taking place in deeper and deeper waters. Drilling and production operations in deeper waters are typically carried out from floating vessels rather than from stationary platforms resting on the ocean floor and commonly used in shallow water. According to conventional procedures, a vessel is dynamically stationed, or moored, above a well site on the ocean floor. After a wellhead has been established, a blowout preventer ("BOP") stack including one or more BOPs is mounted on the wellhead to control the pressure in the wellhead.
Typical BOPs are used as a large specialized valve or similar mechanical device that seal, control, and monitor oil and gas wells. The two most common categories of BOPs are rain BOPs and annular BOPs. BOP stacks frequently utilize both types of BOPs, typically with at least one annular BOP stacked above several rain BOPs. The annular unit or units allow for sealing off an annulus between a tubular in the BOP bore (e.g., drill pipe) or on an open hole. The rain units in rain BOPs allow for shearing drill pipe in the case of shear rams, sealing off around drill pipe in the case of pipe rains, and sealing the BOP bore in the case of blind rams. Typically, a BOP stack may be secured to a wellhead and may provide a safe means for sealing the well in the event of a system failure.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art annular BOP 100. Annular BOP 100 comprises a vertical bore 102 extending through a housing 104 and disposed about a longitudinal axis 106. A packing element 108 is disposed within the annular BOP 100 about the longitudinal axis 106. The packing element 108 includes an annular elastomeric body 110 and a plurality of inserts 112. The inserts 112 are distributed radially about the longitudinal axis 106. The packing element 108 includes a bore 114 concentric with the vertical bore 102 of the annular BOP 100.
The annular BOP 100 is actuated by pumping a fluid into a close chamber 116 to apply pressure to a piston 118, thereby moving the piston 118 upward. As the piston 118 moves upward, the piston translates force to the packing element 108. The force translated to the packing element 108 from the piston 118 is directed upward toward an inner surface 120 of the annular BOP 100 and inward toward the longitudinal axis 106 of the annular BOP 100.
Because the packing element 108 is retained against the inner surface 120 of the annular BOP 100, the packing element 108 does not displace upward from the force translated by the piston 118. Rather, the packing element 108 displaces inward from the translated force, which compresses the packing element 108 toward the longitudinal axis 106 of the annular BOP 100. In the event a drill pipe is located within the annular BOP 100, with sufficient radial compression, the packing element 108 will seal about the drill pipe into a closed position. In the event a drill pipe is not present, the packing element 108, with sufficient radial compression, will completely seal the bore 102.
The annular BOP 100 goes through an analogous reverse movement when fluid is pumped into an open chamber 122. The fluid translates downward force to the piston 118, such that the piston allows the packing element to radially expand to an open position. The annular BOP 100 can be cycled between the open and closed positions as necessary.
When run into the closed position, the annular BOP 100 seals off only on the pressure below the annular BOP 100 by creating a sealing point around the elastomeric body 110 of the packing element 108. Because of the geometry of the annular BOP 100 and its packing element 108 as well as the distribution of inserts 112 about the packing element 108, the annular BOP 100 is not able to seal off pressure from above the annular BOP 100. That is, pressure from above the annular BOP 100 can access the elastomeric body 110 of the packing element 108, thereby causing it to extrude. To overcome this problem, operators may include a plurality of annular BOPs in a single BOP stack to ensure sealing above and below the BOP stack. However, inclusion of additional annular BOPs, including additional housings, packing elements, pistons, etc., adds undesirable height to the BOP and is costly.
Accordingly, an annular BOP capable of sealing off pressure from above and below the annular BOP is desirable.


A position measuring apparatus includes an optical instrument placed in a first plane, a first diffraction grid placed in a second plane, parallel to the first plane, a retro-reflecting element, a second diffraction grid, and an optical element, preferably placed in the first plane. The optical instrument splits a beam of light into at least two divergent partial beams which are diffracted by the first diffraction grid into parallel partial beams. The parallel partial beams are conducted through the retro-reflecting element and then impinge onto the second diffraction grid. The second diffraction grid diffracts the partial beams and causes them to interfere with each other at the optical element. A detection device measures a change (.DELTA.OPD) of path difference of the partial beams which is directly proportional to the change in distance between the first and second planes. This change (.DELTA.OPD) of the path difference can be detected by the detection device as a light-dark modulation at the optical element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a position measuring device, for measuring the position of two objects which are moveable in relation to each other, through the aid of diffraction of light beams by at least one diffraction grid.
2. Description of Related Art
Position measuring arrangements of this type are known, for example from German DE-A1-37 00 906. In these known position measuring arrangements a relative displacement in the direction parallel to the plane of the diffraction grid used is measured.

Position measuring apparatus and method of use thereof


To protect the finish of hand guns, rifles and firearms from rust and corrosion, a fabric cover is provided having an interior pile facing which is treated with a petroleum distillate mixture having metal protecting qualities. The fabric cover is capable of breathing. The cover can be used as a lining for a gun storage case or holster.

Various types of gun cases, covers and holsters are known in the prior art. Some broadly relevant examples of the patented prior art are contained in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. made of record herein under 37 C.F.R. 1.56:
202,733; 1,062,238; PA1 787,852; 1,102,195; PA1 894,569; 1,110,993.
The objective of the invention is to satisfy a need in the art which is not satisfied by any known device including those disclosed in the above-referenced patents. The need in question is the protection of the finishes of expensive hand guns and rifles from rust and other corrosion resulting in the pitting of finishes over long periods of time when the guns are in storage in gun cases and the like. Even though some gun cases have fabric linings mainly for the sake of appearance, the cases do not effectively exclude moisture and over a period of time rusting of the gun can occur, even in a closed case. Moisture condensation due to temperature changes can also occur in closed gun cases.
Leather holsters for hand guns retain tanning acids and chemicals used in the preparation of leather and these are highly caustic and can also damage the finish on the gun over a period of time. The blueing on the metal parts of a hand gun, particularly on the muzzle, can be worn away by repeated insertions and withdrawals of the gun from its holster.
The purpose of the invention is to deal effectively with all of these problems through the provision of a gun cover which may also serve as a holster or gun case lining. The cover or lining is formed of knitted or woven textile fabric, preferably an acrylic polyester fabric, having a pile facing on one surface thereof known in the art as a "tumbled" or "shearling" finish, sometimes called "fake fur" or "plush pile".
This pile facing is treated by spraying onto it a metalprotecting petroleum distillate mixture of two commerical types in a precise ration. In the finished gun cover, or case, or holster lining, the treated pile facing is in direct contact with the metal parts of the gun and keeps them lubricated and protected against rusting, corrosion and pitting. Insertion and removal of the gun repeatedly from the treated holster lining in accordance with the invention has a cleaning and polishing effect, preserving and improving the appearance of the finish. The cover or lining, unlike zippered plastic covers, has the ability to breathe and prevents moisture from condensing on the gun.
The product is very inexpensive, easy to manufacture and can be shaped to accommodate many different types of guns.
Other advantages of the invention and features will become apparent during the course of the following description.


A protection coverage selection and election process may comprise a user entering through a dealer platform at a direct point of sale location logging in to a protection coverage selection and election platform portal customer information; a user receiving through the dealer platform coverage information, a user accessing through the dealer platform a protection coverage for each coverage selection, and the user communication through the platform portal with a licensed protection coverage agent for a selected protection coverage provider to obtain a finalized arrangement for the protection coverage. The system and process may further comprise prompting the customer, through the platform portal to answer any additional questions to the customer in accordance with any particular requirements of the selected protection coverage provider. The system and method may further comprise the user receiving on behalf of or sending to the customer a link to protection coverage policy documents ready for E-signing.

In the art of providing coverage protection, e.g., insurance protection for goods and services in need of same, as examples automobile insurance, renter's insurance, RV insurance, etc., currently, a dealer and a customer may confer and input customer information to a licensed and regulated (in many states) insurance broker (agent), e.g., online through a website for the broker (agent). The insurance agency sales and management software platform, e.g., "Vertafore I™" can provide, e.g., carrier annual premiums. Once a "bindable": quote is received the customer then decides whether to purchase the coverage. If so, then the broker/agent can provide the policy documents, e.g., by email, for the customer to sign and return. The dealer has to fax or email back the policy documents to the agency.

Protection coverage selection and election processes and systems


Protected liquid-filled electrical inductive apparatus having a dry well fuse assembly which includes a dry well fuse holder sealingly disposed through an opening in the associated metallic casing, separate from the electrical bushings, and a removable fuse portion. Ionization of the air within the fuse holder is prevented by a resilient plug mounted on the removable fuse portion which, when the fuse portion is assembled within the dry well fuse holder, is immediately adjacent to the electrical terminal which is closest to the grounded casing. The resilient plug member provides an air seal adjacent to the terminal without providing a pressure seal within the receptacle.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to protected electrical inductive apparatus, and more specifically to liquid-filled pad-mounted electrical distribution transformers having a dry well fuse assembly sealingly mounted through a wall portion of the casing, separate from the electrical bushings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Protective fuses, such as full range current limiting fuses are used to protect liquid-filled pad-mounted electrical distribution transformers by interrupting fault current flow before peak current is reached. To facilitate fuse replacement without breaking the casing seal, the current limiting fuse may be mounted in a dry well fuse holder which is sealingly disposed through an opening in the casing such that the two electrical terminals or connections to the fuse holder are immersed in the liquid dielectric. The two electrical terminals include portions accessible from within the air space of the dry well fuse holder, and they are configured such that they automatically make electrical contact with the electrical contact portions of the associated removable fuse assembly. The inner portion of one of the electrical terminals is necessarily closer to the grounded metallic casing of the inductive apparatus than the other terminal, and high electrical stresses exist between this terminal and the grounded casing. Ionization of the air within the dry well fuse holder must be prevented, as a flashover may occur along the inside wall of the fuse holder, from the electrical terminal to the grounded casing. With the increasingly higher operating voltages, BIL ratings, and BIL withstand requirements, the spacing between the closest terminal and the casing must be increased, which deleteriously affects the size and thus the cost of the pad-mounted transformer.

Protected electrical inductive apparatus


There is provided an electroless plating bath which makes it possible to form a diffusion barrier layer of a Re-based alloy, having a uniform thickness regardless of the shape and size of a workpiece, on the surface of a Ni-based alloy by a relatively simple method. The electroless plating bath for forming a Ni—Re—B alloy, containing not less than 50 at % of Re, on a substrate by electroless plating, has a pH of 6 to 8 and includes a metal supply source component containing Ni2+ and ReO4− at an equal equivalent in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 mol/L, a complexing agent component containing citric acid and at least one other organic acid, and a reducing agent component containing dimethylamine-borane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a high-temperature apparatus member which is used at high temperatures, such as an industrial gas turbine, a jet engine, a micro gas turbine, an engine, a heat exchanger or a combustor, and also to an electroless plating bath suited for use in the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
High-temperature apparatus members, such as an industrial gas turbine blade and a combustor, often have a surface coating in order to enhance the heat resistance and the corrosion resistance.
A Cr or Al diffusion treatment, thermal spraying of a high Ni-high Cr alloy, etc. are generally employed to form a protective film on a substrate (apparatus member) in order to enhance the corrosion resistance. However, when an apparatus member having such a protective film is used in an ultra-high temperature environment, such as at 800 to 1200° C., an element(s) which contributes to corrosion resistance will diffuse very fast and become highly reactive, and therefore the protective film cannot be maintained stably over a long period of time. In a strongly corrosive environment, e.g. containing Cl or S, because of the rapid consumption of the element(s) constituting the protective film, such as Cr or Al, the protective film cannot be maintained stably over a long period of time even at a relatively low temperature of 500 to 800° C. The unstableness of a protective film in an ultra-high temperature environment or a corrosive environment poses the significant problem of short apparatus life. At present, measures such as the use of a lowered operating temperature are taken to extend the life of an apparatus member at the sacrifice of the performance of the apparatus.
On the other hand, "diffusion barrier" coating has recently been proposed as a technique for extending the life of a heat-resistant coating layer. This coating technique is directed to suppression of interdiffusion of elements between a substrate and a coating layer so as to achieve long-term phase stability of the coating layer and the substrate.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 3857689 discloses that a Re-based alloy film is suited for use as a diffusion barrier. In particular, the patent document describes a method comprising coating the surface of a Ni-based alloy substrate, which may be used as a rotor blade or a stator vane of a gas turbine, with an alloy film-containing Re at a high concentration, carrying out Ni plating of the coated surface, and then carrying out heat treatment of the surface for diffusion of aluminum, thereby forming a Ni—Cr—Re ternary alloy film, containing Re in an amount of not less than 20 at % (atomic percentage), between the substrate and an aluminum diffusion layer.
In the disclosed method, the alloy film containing a high concentration of Re is coated onto the substrate surface by magnetron sputtering. While sputtering or physical vapor deposition has the merit of easy control of the thickness and composition of a coating film, such a method has the drawbacks of a) many restrictions on the size and shape of a substrate, b) the necessity of a large-scale apparatus and a complicated operation, c) the formation of a coating film having many defects and cracks, etc., and thus is not suitable for practical use.
It is therefore conceivable to form an alloy film containing Re at a high concentration by electroplating which has less such drawbacks. In the case of plating, it is necessary to carry out a thermal diffusion treatment for phase stabilization of a plated film. In order to ensure the high Re concentration (at least 20 at %) after the phase stabilization, at least 50 at % of Re is necessary upon the completion of plating. In this connection, the applicant has disclosed a technique which, with the use of electroplating, makes it possible to control the amount of Re in an alloy film up to 98 at % (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-277972).
In electroplating, the distribution of current density in a workpiece to be plated depends on the shape of the workpiece: Electric current concentrates in raised portions whereby the resulting plating film is thick in the raised portions, whereas less electric current flows to recessed portions whereby the resulting plating film is thin in the recessed portions. Accordingly, the thickness of a plating film becomes non-uniform in a member having a complicated shape, such as a combustor of a micro gas turbine or a gas turbine blade having many through-holes. A too-thick plating film may cause peel off of the film, while a too-thin plating film may lower the performance of the film as a diffusion barrier. To correct the problem, attempts have conventionally been made, such as devisal of electrode arrangement, the use of an auxiliary electrode, etc. Such approaches, however, necessitate repetition of trial and error, and involve considerable costs and time for application to a costly article having a unique shape.
It is therefore conceivable to employ electroless plating which less suffers from the non-uniformity of a plating film due to the shape of a workpiece to be plated. Electroless plating uses a plating bath containing a reducing agent as well as a metal ion to be plated, and effects plating of the metal through reduction of the metal ion with the reducing agent. The solution system must be one in which an oxidation-reduction reaction does not occur in the solution, but occurs only at the surface of a workpiece. Such a system, however, is not always available to every chemical species.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 4-297001 teaches plating of a Ni-47.7 at % Re-3.8 at % P alloy using a plating bath which uses sodium hypophosphite (NaH2PO2) as a reducing agent and citric acid as a complexing agent. However, the concentration of Re in the plating film is still insufficient. In addition, because of the use of sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent, phosphorus (P) is taken into the plating film and the phosphorus can form a low-melting compound with other element(s). The disclosed method is thus not preferred for forming a heat-resistant coating.

Electroless plating bath and method for producing high-temperature apparatus member using the bath


The invention provides methods to activate tumor suppressors. The invention further provides antisense oligonucleotides complementary to a portion of the MDM2-encoding RNA and methods for using such antisense oligonucleotides as analytical and diagnostic tools, as potentiators of transgenic animal studies and for gene therapy approaches, and as potential therapeutic agents. The invention also provides methods to augment and synergistically activate a tumor suppressor in conjunction with the use of a DNA-damage inducing agent. The invention further provides in vitro and in vivo models to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of a recently identified anti-human-MDM2 antisense oligonucleotide in the treatment of human colorectal cancers.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to modulation of gene expression. In particular, the invention relates to modulation of gene expression through an antisense approach.
2. Summary of the Related Art
Regulation of gene expression is a complex process, and many aspects of this process remain to be understood. Aberrant gene expression appears to be responsible for a wide variety of inherited genetic disorders, and has also been implicated in numerous disease states including pathological conditions stemming from tumorigenic growth. A great deal of cancer related research pertains to the elucidation of the roles and interaction of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. For instance, tumor growth and malignancy are known to result from the combination of 1) activation of proto-oncogenes that promote cell growth with 2) inactivation of tumor suppressor genes that inhibit cell growth through cell growth arrest and induction of programmed cell death or apoptosis.
Several tumor suppressors have been identified. For instance, the identification and isolation of the WT1 gene is taught in Marshall et al., Cell 64, 313-326 (1991). Coopers et al., Cancer Invest. 12(1), 57-65 (1994) discloses that the WT1 gene product is a protein with four zinc fingers suspected to be a transcription factor. Further, Anderson and Spandidos Onco-Suppresso (1990) disclose the NF1 gene, another tumor suppressor, involved in the development of neurofibromatosis functioning as a GTPase-activating protein for the GTP-binding protein p21ras. In addition, Sager et al. Science 246, 1406-1412 (1989) discloses several genes involved in the development of colon cancer, namely DCC, MCC and APC (FAP), suggesting that their products might also perform tumor suppressor functions.
To date however, the best characterized tumor suppressors are the RB and the p53 gene products (See, for example, "The p53 Pathway", Prives et al J. Pathol. 187, 112-126 (1999)). Levine Bioessays 12(2), 60-66 (1990) teaches RB gene inactivation in retinoblastoma. Notably, Levine et al. Nature 351, 453-456 (1991), Weinberg et al. Neur. 11, 191-196 (1991), and Williams et al. Nature Genet. 7, 480-484 (1994), teach RB gene inactivation in many other tumor types including breast tumors, bladder carcinoma, and lung tumors.
Levine et al. Nature 351, 453-456 (1991) teaches the p53 tumor suppressor gene's ability to encode a phosphoprotein suspected to play a pivotal role in fundamental biological processes in cell proliferation and differentiation. Lane Br. Med. Bull. 50, (3)582-599 (1994) also teaches the p53 gene involvement in various types of tumors. In addition, Lowe et al. Cell 74, 957-967 (1993) discloses that p53 is required to trigger apoptosis in response to chemotherapy and that p53 activation is an important factor in mediating the cytotoxic effects of many cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation. See also Lowe et al. Science 266, 807-810 (1994); Kastan et al. Cancer Res. 51, 6304-6311 (1991); and Fritsche et al. Oncogene 8, 307-318 (1993).
Further elucidation of the role of both RB and p53 regulation has led to the discovery that the mouse double-minute, or MDM2 oncogene is a negative regulator of wild-type p53 (Fakharzadeh et al., EMBO J. 10:1565-1569 (1991); Piette et al., Oncogene 15:1001-1010 (1997)). The human cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) is disclosed in Volgelstein and Kinzler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,411860 and the mouse cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 12) can be found in GenBank, Accession No. U40145. Cahill-Snyder et al., Somatic Cell. Mol. Genet. 13:235-244 (1987) teach the identification of this oncogene because of its overexpression in a spontaneously transformed tumor cell line.
The MDM2-p53 autoregulatory feedback loop regulates the intracellular p53 function: the MDM2 gene is a target for direct transcriptional activation p53 and MDM2 protein is a negative regulator of p53. In addtition, MDM2 protein interacts with other cellular proteins that are involved in cell cycle regulation, including pRB, E2F1/DP1, p300 and p19ARF.
Overexpression of MDM2 is demonstrated in a variety of human tumors and may be due to one or more of three mechanisms: 1) gene amplification; 2) increased transcription; and/or 3) enhanced translation. Several studies have shown that overexpression of MDM2 is associated with poor prognosis in many human malignancies. Therefore, MDM2 plays a crucial role in cell cycle control and tumor transformation and growth.
The significance of MDM2 in cell regulatory functions has been extended to other interactions as well. Marechal et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 14:7417-7429 (1994) teaches the binding of the MDM2 protein to the ribosomal protein L5-5S RNA complex while Elenbaas et al., Mol. Med. 2:(4)439-451 (1996) teaches MDM2 interaction with specific RNA structures.
Gastrointestinal cancers remain a major public health problem both in the USA and worldwide. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common cancer in men. Although there has been considerable progress in research on the etiology, prevention, and experimental therapy of gastrointestinal cancers, no fully effective approaches are available currently for the treatment and prevention of this disease. MDM2 overexpression has been observed in human colorectal cancer.
MDM2 has been suggested as a novel target for cancer therapy, especially the p53-mdm2 interaction. The rationale for this at least includes the following: 1) MDM2 amplification and overexpression occur in many types of human cancers and the MDM2 levels correlate with poor prognosis in some cancers; 2) p53, which is negatively regulated by MDM2, plays a major role in tumor growth; 3) p53-mediated growth arrest and/or apoptosis have been suggested to be major mechanisms for currently used cancer therapy such as DNA damaging chemotherapeutics and radiation therapy; 4) loss of p53 function and/or overexpression of MDM2 is believed to correlate with tumor resistance to conventional therapy; and 5) MDM2 has displayed both p53-dependent and p53-independent activities in connection with its tumorigenic property. In the past few years, several strategies have been used to test the hypothesis that, by disrupting p53-MDM2 interaction, the negative regulation of p53 by MDM2 is diminished and the cellular functional p53 level will be increased, particularly following DNA damaging treatment, resulting in tumor growth arrest and/or apoptosis that leads to better therapeutic response. These approaches include the use of polypeptide, antibody, and antisense oligonucleotides.
Recently, we have successfully identified an anti-MDM2 antisense PS-oligo that effectively inhibits MDM2 expression in tumor cells containing MDM2 gene amplifications (Chen L. et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 95: 195-200, 1998). Effective anti-human-MDM2 antisense PS-oligos were initially screened in two cell lines, JAR (choriocarcinoma) and SJSA (osteosarcoma), that contain wild type p53, amplified MDM2 genes, and overexpression of MDM2 oncoprotein. Of nine PS-oligonucleotides screened, Oligo AS5 (5′GATCACTCCCACCTTCAAGG-3′; SEQ ID NO:28), which can hybridize to a position ˜360 bp downstream of the translation start codon, was found to reproducibly decrease MDM2 protein levels in both cell lines by 3-5 fold at concentrations of 100-400 nM in the presence of Lipofectin. The mismatched control Oligo M4 (5′-GATGACTCACACCATCATGG-3′; SEQ ID NO:5) had no effect on MDM2 expression. Oligo AS5 was also shown to induce RNase H cleavage of the target MDM2 mRNA, resulting in truncation and degradation of the target. Further studies demonstrated that, following AS5 treatment, the p53 protein level was elevated and its activity was increased. A dose-dependent induction of p21 expression by AS5 was observed up to 6.6 fold at the optimal concentration of 200 nM, suggesting that p53 transcriptional activity be increased following inhibition of MDM2 expression. JAR cells treated with AS5 showed a significant increase in the levels of apoptosis. AS5 did not cause visible apoptosis in the H1299 cells that lack p53. These results suggested that apoptosis induced by AS5 is due to activation of p53 following MDM2 inhibition by the oligonucleotide.
In general, human cancer cell lines or tumor tissues with MDM2 gene amplifications or overexpression often have wild-type p53, presumably inactivated by MDM2. Several studies have now shown that overexpression of MDM2 is associated with poor prognosis in human malignancies, including osteosarcoma, soft tissue sarcoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma, brain tumor, esophageal cancer, colorectal carcinoma, bladder cancer, urithelial carcinoma, leukemia, and large B cell lymphoma. These studies suggest that overexpression of MDM2 is associated with inactivation of wild-type p53, the inhibition of MDM2 expression in these tumors may lead to re-activation of p53 and induction of cell growth arrest of apoptosis of human tumors. It has been demonstrated that many cancer therapeutic agents exert their cytotoxic effects through activation of wild-type p53, and the restoration of wild-type p53 can increase the sensitivity of tumors to DNA-damaging agents. Restoration of wild-type p53 may also overcome the drug resistance of human cancers associated with dysfunction of p53. However, the activation of p53 by DNA damage such as cancer chemotherapy and radiation treatment may be limited in cancers with MDM2 expression, especially those with MDM2 overexpression. Therefore, the inactivation of the MDM2 negative feed-back loop may increase the magnitude of p53 activation following DNA damage, thus enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of DNA damaging drugs.
In addition to its interaction with p53, MDM2 has also been shown to bind to and interact with other cellular proteins such as the pRB, E2 Fl, p300, ARF, p73, Numb and ribosomal protein, and RNA. Also, MDM2 has been shown to regulate the MyoD transcription factor. The biological consequences of these activities are not fully understood, but may be associated with transforming properties of MDM2 that may be p53-independent.
p53-Independent activity of MDM2 has been suggested by several reports and reviews. MDM2 gene products include several forms of polypeptide, representing alternatively spliced MDM2 variants. Various alternatively spliced MDM2 polypeptides have been found in several human tumors. Of the five forms of MDM2 analogs, only one retains p53 binding capability. However, cDNAs coding for all five forms of alternatively spliced MDM2 could independently transform NIH3T3 cells, indicating that these MDM2 transcripts have the p53-independent transforming ability. The effects of MDM2 overexpression on mammary tumorigenicity are seen in p53-null mice, indicating that MDM2 can cause transformation and tumor formation via a p53-independent mechanism. More recently, overexpression of MDM2 is shown to be associated with resistance to the antiproliferative effects of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), which is p53-independent.
One of the advantages of the use antisense oligonucleotides or MDM2 specific antibody is that these agents may exert their effects in all MDM2 expressing tumors regardless of p53 status. This is very important since the p53-independent activity of MDM2 may play a role in MDM2 tumorigenicity. Inhibition of MDM2 expression will ultimately prevent the interaction of MDM2 and other cellular protein. For example, the recent development of certain antisense anti-MDM2 oligonucleotide (Chen L. et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 95: 195-200, 1998) has been shown to increase E2F-1 levels following microinjection (Blattner C. et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 19: 3704-3713, 1999).
One potential drawback is that these agents may have similar effects on normal host tissues, resulting in activation of endogenous p53 in normal tissues. The tolerance of increased p53 levels in normal tissues will be the key for the success of approaches aiming at elimination of MDM2 from the cells. The activation of p53 in normal tissues following DNA damaging treatment and resultant cell growth arrest and apoptosis are believed to be associated with side toxicities of conventional therapy. A recent study demonstrates that inhibition of p53 function can in fact prevent host toxicity associated with DNA damage treatment.
From the available literature, it is clear that efforts should be directed to identify modulators and potentiators of tumor suppressor genes expression as a possible therapeutic approach to tumorigenesis. The identification of regulatory proteins acting on tumor suppressors could potentially lead to the development of therapeutic approaches to tumorigenesis by the activation of tumor suppressor functions. Thus, there is a need for the identification of tumor suppressor regulators and of methods to activate tumor suppressors in the context of chemotherapy. In this context, there is a need to elucidate the mechanism(s) involved in the development of resistance to chemotherapy in tumor cells. There is therefore, a need to develop better tools to carry out such investigations. Ideally, such tools should take the form of improved antisense oligonucleotides that inhibit MDM2. Kondo et al., Oncogene 10:(10)2001-2006 (1995) has disclosed that antisense oligonucleotide phosphodiesters directed against MDM2 increase the susceptibility of tumor cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Kondo et al. have recently disclosed that MDM2 gene induced the expression of the multidrug resistance gene (mdr1) and that of its product P-glycoprotein (P-gp) conferring resistance to the apoptopic cell death induced by DNA-damage inducing drugs. Kondo et al., Br. J. Cancer 74:(8)1263-1268 (1996) teach the antisense inhibition of the MDM2 gene to inhibit expression of p-gp in MDM2 expressing glioblastoma cells further suggesting that the MDM2 gene may play an important role in the development of MDR phenotype in human tumors. Unfortunately the oligonucleotides disclosed are phosphodiester oligonucleotides and thus not suitable as investigative tools for the purposes discussed herein, and as potential therapeutics for the treatment of neoplastic diseases. Therefore, there remains a need for improved antisense oligonucleotides. Such improved antisense oligonucleotides should preferably also represent potential therapeutics for the treatment of neoplastic disease.


Disclosed is a correlation receiver for processing an elctrical signal derived from an acoustic signal in a test object, including a signal generator for producing a reference waveform, a multiplier for combining the electrical signal and the reference waveform, an inegrator for integrating the combined signal, and a sample and hold circuit for detecting and holding the output of the integrator. In another embodiment, the signal generator also produces a second reference waveform in quadrature with the first reference waveform, and the receiver further inclues a second multiplier for combining the electrical signal and the second reference waveform, a second integrator for integrating the combined signal, and a means for combining the integrated first and second combined signals to produce an output indicating the structural integrity of the test object.

This invention relates to signal processing techniques and, more particularly, to the processing of an electrical signal derived from an acoustic signal generated in a test object.
The electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) is a recently developed device which has generated particular interest in the field of nondestructive evaluation because an EMAT may be operated in a noncontact mode, thereby enabling a high rate of ultrasonic inspection to be achieved with an attendant reduction in the costs of quality control. The noncontact feature of such a transducer is a consequence of the basic principles of operation of an EMAT, which depend upn the interactions between a magnetic field and an alternating current. When a conductor carrying a dynamic current is placed adjacent to a metallic object, eddy currents are induced within the object by the electromagnetic forces associated with the current. If, in addition, a static magnetic field is superimposed in the object, the induced eddy currents will be subjected to a force which can generate an acoustic wave in the object. Conversely, if the material in the object is set in motion due to a propagating acoustic wave, eddy currents will be induced in the metal as the wave travels through the magnetic field. These currents may be inductively detected by a similarly placed conductor associated with an electronic receiver. In ferromagnetic metals, an additional transduction mechanism due to magnetostriction can significantly increase the transducer efficiency.
EMATs can be configured to excite various forms of acoustic waves, such as surface waves, bulk shear waves, angle shear waves, and angle longitudinal waves. Some representative electromagnetic acoustic transducer structures, for example, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,127,035, 4,104,922, and 3,850,028. These unique features have prompted the use of EMATs in ultrasonic inspection systems for detecting a number of different kinds of defects, including such flaws as cracks, surface abnormalities, weld defects, and corrosion-induced pitting and wall thinning. In one illustrative application, for example, EMATs have been employed in a system to measure the characteristics of an ultrasonic signal propagated through a defective region of a pipeline. Some characteristic properties of the EMAT, however, such as its inherently low level of signal generation, have led to undesirable consequences. These conventional systems, for example, tend to be excessively sensitive to local inhomogeneties in the pipe. Additional deficiencies with such systems include the presence of excessive levels of random electronic noise, impulsive noise produced by electronic machinery, and grain noise arising from the material being tested.
Consequently, a need has developed in the art for an improved technique for processing signals from an EMAT-equipped ultrasonic testing system.

Signal processing technique for ultrasonic inspection


An apparatus and method for verifying the temperature compensation correction factor accuracy of an electrometer is provided. The electrometer includes an electrical amplifier to convert a current signal to a voltage signal. The electrometer also includes a compensation circuit to modify the voltage signal for temperature compensation. The electrometer further includes a heat producing device to induce a temperature change of the electrical amplifier and the compensation circuit. An environmental radiation monitor is also provided. The environmental radiation monitor includes a power supply, a high pressure ionization chamber, and the electrometer. The method includes providing an environmental radiation monitor, measuring the voltage signal at a first time, activating a heat producing device, measuring the voltage signal at a second time, and comparing the two measured values of the voltage signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to verification of temperature compensation in electrometers, and specifically relates to verification of temperature compensation in electrometers using heat application.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Electrometers are used to convert relatively low amperage current signals to voltage signals for processing. In one example, electrometers can be used to convert the low amperage current signals from the output of a high pressure ionization chamber of an environmental radiation monitor. In one example, one or more environmental radiation monitors can be deployed in the field proximate to known radiation sources such as nuclear power generation stations to monitor radiation levels. Of course, environmental radiation monitors can be deployed anywhere that it is desirable to monitor radiation levels. As such, the environmental radiation monitors can be subjected to various environmental conditions. The environmental conditions may include temperature variation.
Temperature change can induce operational drift of some operating components of the electrometer can cause unreliable performance of the monitor. Such, change in operation can be referred to as temperature drift. Correction factors are implemented into the operating components of the electrometer to compensate for the temperature drift. Other factors can negatively affect the correction factor performance of the electrometer. For example, forms of water such as increased humidity or condensation that come into contact with the critical parts of the electrometer can negatively affect the correction factor. In another example, a service technician may have implemented an incorrect correction factor into the electrometer. In yet another example, the correction factor may simply have been "lost" by an electronic controller. Each of these events can cause the radiation readings of the environmental radiation monitor to be unstable at times, or even wrong at all times. As a result, it is difficult for an end user of the environmental radiation monitor to determine whether the correction factors remain accurate over time. Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for verifying the temperature compensation correction factor accuracy of an electrometer.

Self-heating electrometer for high pressure ion chamber for verification of temperature compensation


The yarn end finding apparatus includes an air current generating member and an air current control member for controlling an air current generated by the air current generating member in such a manner that the air current flows along the surface of yarn layers of a bobbin. The air current control member is disposed in a position either partially or totally surrounding the bobbin in order for the air current control member to be movable upward and with respect to the bobbin. The yarn end finding apparatus of the present invention is compact in structure so as to permit a yarn finding operation to be performed in a single location.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a yarn end finding apparatus for finding a yarn end of a spinning bobbin or the like and then feeding the bobbin to a winder or the like.
2. Related Art Statement
When a spinning bobbin produced in a spinning frame is fed to each take-up unit of a winder, it is subjected to a yarn end finding operation so that its yarn end can be grasped easily.
In a conventional yarn end finding apparatus, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 155171/86, bobbins are moved intermittently to a large number of stations by means of a rotary plate and bottom or top bunches of the bobbins are unwound successively, then an end portion of each unwound yarn is inserted into the hole of the associated bobbin to effect yarn end processing.
In the above conventional yarn end finding apparatus, however, since bobbins are moved by means of a rotary plate to effect yarn end finding, the apparatus is apt to become larger in size, and since both unwinding of top or bottom bunch and yarn end finding operation for an end portion of the unwound yarn are performed simultaneously, it is necessary to decide timing of the intermittent movement in conformity with the processing of lowest efficiency in the stations, so it is difficult to improve productivity. There is a further problem such that even in the event of failure of processing in an upstream-side station, for example even when unwinding of the top bunch cannot be effected, the yarn end finding operation is performed on the downstream side.


Electrical connectors and contacts for engaging printed circuit boards are disclosed. One preferred contact has a first contact leg, a second contact leg arranged in a substantially mirror relationship with the first contact leg, and a connecting member extending between and being integral with the first contact leg and the second contact leg. Each of the contact legs includes a mating portion for insertion into a circuit board through hole. The mating portions have an elastically deformable beam for imparting a normal force onto a wall of a circuit board through hole.

Electrical connectors include contacts for engaging printed circuit boards. The boards may employ holes into which contact mating portions or tails are inserted. Low insertion forces can be achieved by having larger hole dimensions relative to the dimensions of the contact tails. For a fixed arrangement, solder can be added to provide retention of the contact tails once inserted into the board holes. For a removable arrangement, solder may or may not be desirable. In the absence of solder (or a substantial amount of solder), the relative dimensions of contact tails and board holes can be such that a press fit is provided. While adequate retention is accomplished through a press fit, insertion forces may be comprised. Accordingly, there is room for improvement in the art.

Electrical connector and contact for use therein


An inkjet recording apparatus includes: (a) a first medium accommodator configured to accommodate a recording medium; (b) a medium supporter having a flat horizontal surface on which the recording medium is to be supported; (c) an inkjet head having a nozzle opening surface that is opposed to the flat horizontal surface of the medium supporter; (d) a first medium feeder configured to horizontally feed the recording medium accommodated in the first medium accommodator, in a medium loading direction, such that the recording medium is fed onto the flat horizontal surface of the medium supporter; (e) a second medium feeder configured to horizontally feed the recording medium supported on the flat horizontal surface of the medium supporter, in a medium unloading direction that intersects the medium loading direction in a plan view as seen in a direction perpendicular to the flat horizontal surface of the medium supporter; and (f) a second medium accommodator configured to accommodate the recording medium that is fed in the medium unloading direction by the second medium feeder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus for performing a recording operation by ejecting ink toward a recording medium.
2. Discussion of Related Art
U.S. Patent Application Publications US 2006/0028500 A1, US 2006/0028507 A1 and US 2006/0050101 A1 (corresponding to JP-2006-44111A) disclose an inkjet printer including: four line-type inkjet heads; an input sheet accommodator disposed below the inkjet heads and configured to accommodate a media sheet as a recording medium; a feeder belt disposed between the input sheet accommodator and the inkjet heads and having some degree of stickiness; and an output sheet accommodator disposed above the inkjet heads and configured to accommodate the media sheet that has been subjected to a recording operation. In this inkjet printer, the media sheet is fed from the input sheet accommodator onto the feeder belt via two pairs of feed rollers, and the media sheet held by the feeder belt owing to the stickiness is then is fed to an opposed position opposed to the inkjet heads. The recording operation is performed on the media sheet thus positioned in the opposed position, by casing ink to be ejected from each inkjet head toward the positioned media sheet. After being subjected to the recording operation, the media sheet is separated by a separator plate from the feeder belt, and the separated media sheet is then fed by two pairs of feed rollers toward the output sheet accommodator.
In the above-described inkjet printer, the media sheet is inevitably bent or curved by the two pairs of feed rollers while being fed from the input sheet accommodator to the feeder belt. Where the media sheet is provided by a relatively rigid sheet such as post card or business card, the media sheet is likely to be curled (i.e., remain bent or curved) even after its passage through the two pairs of feed roller, so that the media sheet could be fed to the opposed position (opposed to the inkjet heads) with the media sheet only partially sticks onto the feeder belt. Particularly, if a leading end of the media sheet is not held on the feeder belt, there would be a risk that the leading end of the media sheet might be brought into contact with nozzle opening surfaces of the respective inkjet heads since a space between an outer circumferential surface of the feeder belt and the nozzle opening surfaces of the inkjet heads is small. The contact of the leading end of the media sheet with the nozzle opening surfaces of the respective inkjet heads could result in problematic jamming of the media sheet between the feeder belt and the inkjet heads.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,280 (corresponding to JP-2005-59339A) disclose an inkjet printer including: four line-type inkjet heads; a feeder belt disposed in a position opposed to ink opening surfaces of the respective inkjet heads; and input and output sheet accommodators that are disposed in respective opposite sides of the inkjet heads in a direction parallel to the nozzle opening surfaces. In this inkjet printer, the media sheet accommodated in the input sheet accommodator is fed onto the feeder belt without the media sheet being substantially curved by a pair of feed rollers (that are disposed between the input sheet accommodator and the feeder belt), and sticks to the feeder belt so as to be held in the feeder belt. A recording operation is performed on the media sheet fed by the feeder belt, by causing ink to be ejected from the inkjet heads onto the media sheet. The media sheet, after having been subjected to the recording operation, is separated by a separator from the feeder belt, and is then fed to the output sheet accommodator. Thus, in this inkjet printer, the media sheet is not substantially bent or curved while being fed from the input media accommodator onto the feeder belt, so that the media sheet in its entirety sticks onto the feeder belt so as to be reliably held on the feeder belt, thereby making it possible to avoid contact of the media sheet with nozzle opening surfaces of the respective inkjet heads and accordingly eliminate a risk of jamming of the media sheet between the feeder belt and the inkjet heads.


A dielectric resonant oscillator for use in frequency conversion of X-band signals comprises a dielectric `puck` (1) of high dielectric constant mounted on a printed circuit board (3) adjacent a stripline conductor (5). The puck (1) forms a resonant cavity to signals in the stripline and the system oscillates typically at X-band. The puck (1) has an inherent temperature compensating dielectric/temperature characteristic which generally compensates temperature dependent circuit characteristics. However the substrate (3) dielectric/temperature characteristic (FIG. 1 ) upsets the balance, the substrate (3) being coupled to the cavity by the electric field. The balance is regained by introducing a metallic pad (7) under the puck of (1) half the puck diameter thus bringing the temperature driven variation to 1.25 ppm. A further development provides two or more radial extensions (9) of the pad (7) which shift unwanted hybrid modes away from the wanted TEM mode and prevent mode jumping and consequent instability.

This invention relates to dielectric resonant oscillators, that is, to oscillators of the kind comprising a signal path coupled electromagnetically to an adjacent resonant cavity constituted by a body of dielectric material. The dielectric body, herein referred to as a "puck" has dimensions and a dielectric constant which together determine the resonant frequency (or frequencies) of the `cavity` and thus the oscillation frequency. The dielectric puck may be mounted on a printed circuit board by adhesion to the substrate, closely adjacent to a stripline conductor constituting the above signal path.
A typical operating frequency for such an oscillator would be 10 GHz and a typical application would be as a local oscillator in a receiver of a satellite transmission. The X-band transmission is thus converted to a relatively low intermediate frequency of, say, 1-2 GHz. The converter circuitry is commonly formed on printed circuit board employing stripline conductors and both `printed` and discrete components. While the term "printed circuit" is used in this specification for convenience, it will be appreciated that the actual method of forming stripline conductors and like circuitry is not directly relevant to the invention and the term is thus to be interpreted broadly.
There are several problems associated with temperature effects on the circuit components. One problem concerns the temperature sensitivity of the physical features of the circuitry e.g. screw expansion (where a tuning screw is used), board expansion, board dielectric change, and the consequent change of operating frequency with temperature. This can be largely compensated by a suitable permittivity temperature characteristic of the puck material, of which a range is available. Thus a puck material is available having a `frequency compensation` characteristic of 9 parts per million/.degree. C., the dielectric constant of the puck material changing with temperature in a direction such as to oppose the effect of circuit temperature on frequency. At a frequency of 10 GHz this would provide compensation of about 7 MHz over a temperature range of -20.degree. C. to +60.degree. C.
However, this compensation facility is modified by the presence of the substrate and its temperature/dielectric constant characteristic. The variation of board dielectric constant E.sub.r with temperature is illustrated, for a PTFE material, in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
The substrate temperature sensitivity makes its presence felt because the electric field in the puck couples with the substrate so that the puck and substrate tend to form a single resonant entity. The frequency drift is therefore determined partly by the substrate characteristic.
The dielectric constant of the puck is high, e.g. 35, whereas that of the substrate is perhaps 2, for PTFE, up to 10 for alumina. Care must be taken in the choice of substrate material so as not to degrade the circuit Q, high values of which are obtained with ceramic (e.g. alumina) or PTFE based low loss materials.
It has been proposed to mount the puck off the substrate on a ceramic pedestal but this involves complex assembly procedures.

Temperature compensated dielectric resonant oscillator