A method of determining the direction of travel of a vehicle independent of the transmission gear position. A plurality of yaw rate values are utilized, which are summed or integrated over a period of time to generate a plurality of yaw rate sum values. The sign of each yaw rate sum value is compared. This comparison of the signs of each yaw rate sum value results in a confidence value that is used to determine the direction of travel. Preferably, the actual gear position, a calculated gear ratio, and the vehicle""s velocity are used to build confidence in the resulting confidence value given above.

The present invention relates generally to stability control systems for vehicles, and more particularly relates to the determination of a direction of travel of the vehicle.
Some modern vehicles utilize a stability control system for controlling advance vehicle dynamics. Such stability control systems require a determination of the direction of travel for many purposes, including: 1) disabling of stability control while traveling in reverse; and 2) recognizing the steering wheel angle in a turn only when traveling forwardly. Most systems rely almost 100% on the transmission gear position given by the gear selector (PRNDL) to determine the direction of travel.
Unfortunately, the indication from the transmission gear position is not always accurate. For example, the switch utilized at the gear selector can be broken. At times, the gear selector can be between gears, and the switch will give a toggling readout that is inaccurate. Still further, the transmission gear position may be in neutral, although the vehicle may be moving forwardly or rearwardly, i.e. when the vehicle is rolling on a hill. Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a determination of the direction of travel that is less dependent upon the transmission gear position.
The present invention provides a method of determining the direction of travel that is independent of the transmission gear position. This method allows for the rapid detection of the travel direction, even if the driver""s steering wheel input is very small and the vehicle velocity is low. Furthermore, reliance on the transmission gear position is minimized, and the gear position is only used to increase the confidence of the determined direction of travel.
Generally, a plurality of yaw (turning) rate values is utilized, which are summed over a period of time. Preferably, the yaw rate values are integrated over time at discrete intervals. A plurality of yaw rate sum values are generated, and the sign of each yaw rate sum value is compared. This comparison of the signs of each yaw rate sum value results in a confidence value that is used to determine the direction of travel. Preferably, the actual gear position, a calculated gear ratio, and the vehicle""s velocity are used to build confidence in the resulting confidence value.

Algorithm for determining travel direction for automobiles


A housing for use with a removable filter element includes fluid inlet passages and a fluid outlet passage, a plurality of arcuate slots arranged in a generally circular pattern on the housing, the housing including a valve body with bolts passing through the slots securing the valve body to the housing. A threaded boss is formed on the valve body for attachment of a filter element. A number of ports are formed on the valve body in registery with the fluid inlet passages for supplying fluid to the filter element. The boss includes a passageway therethrough communicating with the outlet passage and a check valve in the passageway. A seal is positioned between the housing and the valve body. Turning the filter element in a direction to remove it causes an initial rotation of the bolts in the slots resulting in misalignment of the ports and the fluid inlet passages, blocking flow to the ports.

This invention relates to valves and more particularly to a valve configuration for use with retail gasoline pumps for avoiding or minimizing product loss when a filter element is changed.
The usual filter which is used to filter gasoline flowing out of a service station pump to an automobile gas tank or other container is similar to those commonly used for filtering motor oil in an engine and includes a flange with internal threads which screw on a threaded post or boss which includes an outlet passage. The flange is permanently attached to a cylindrical can or container which contains a filter member. A series of ports in the flange communicate with a source of gasoline under pressure which then flows across the filter and out the outlet passage to a meter unit and then to the hose. Such filter elements need to be replaced at intervals of one to several months depending on the volume of gasoline flowing through the pump and possible sources of contamination.
Each time the filter is changed, a large amount (usually more than a gallon) of product is lost to the ground or to the air. This is because the filter is usually mounted horizontally to the meter unit and when the filter is removed, the pressure in the line, metering unit and filter forces the product to flow out of the filter and onto the ground.
Current state and federal air and water regulations state that this product (gasoline or diesel fuel) must be contained and must not escape to the air or soil. There are currently no valves available in the industry which enable a service station operator to comply with these regulations.


A system to control contamination during the retrieval of hazardous waste comprising an outer containment building, an inner containment building, within the outer containment building, an electrostatic radioactive particle recovery unit connected to and in communication with the inner and outer containment buildings, and a contaminate suppression system including a moisture control subsystem, and a rapid monitoring system having the ability to monitor conditions in the inner and outer containment buildings.

Between 1950 and 1970 the Department of Energy's Rocky Flats Plant generated transuranic (TRU) contaminated waste, which was buried at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. This waste must now be retrieved and sent to a permanent disposal site During retrieval the main contaminates to be controlled are compounds of plutonium and americium. Since these substances are small sized, and extremely mobile, airborne concentrations must be kept to a minimum to effectively eliminate personnel uptake during retrieval operations. This invention relates to a system to control contamination due to TRU airborne particles and was developed consisting of an outer containment building, an inner containment area, a dust suppression system including an electrostatic contaminate capture subsystem, a contamination control system including a moisture control subsystem, a rapid monitoring subsystem, and a lifting and moving system including recovery and repackaging subsystems.
Prior to the development of the contaminate control system, the primary means for the control of airborne TRU particles of plutonium and americium was the control of the moisture content of the soil in and around the dig site. The addition of moisture to the surface soil of a dig is a well known method of dust control used by many industries. However, effective monitoring and control of the airborne particles by moisture addition alone cannot, as a sole means of containment, meet the stringent requirements imposed by the federal and state governments for TRU waste sites. The present invention provides for a contaminate recovery system that incorporates a self contained means for retrieval and repackaging of TRU waste, and a novel electrostatic radioactive particle containment procedure.

System to control contamination during retrieval of buried TRU waste

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


A plectrum ring comprises a ring element having a boss with a recess in the lower portion thereof dimensioned and configured to support therein the finger adjacent the finger wearing the ring element. A stud element projects upwardly from the boss for adjustably mounting a plectrum thereon, the axis of the stud element being substantially tangential to the finger wearing the ring element.

The invention relates generally to plectrum rings and more particularly to such rings in which the plectrum is adjustably supported upon a boss arranged on the ring.
Plectrums are used for plucking the strings of a string instrument such as a guitar. When a plectrum is used without a fastening ring it is easily lost, particularly during playing, and considerable inconvenience results. Attempts have been made to prevent loss of the plectrum by providing a finger ring which is positioned upon the end joint of the index finger and to which ring the plectrum is fastened by means of a riveted joint, a tubular rivet, a screw or the like. Frequently the plectrum is also made pivotable on the boss of the ring so that it may be shifted, if desired, into an inoperative position without removing the ring from the finger. U.S. Pat. No. 2,776,592 is noted in this regard. It has also been known to connect the plectrum to the ring by an arm as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 557,293 in order to facilitate working the plectrum while fastened to the ring using the index finger and the thumb. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,720 shows an arrangement where stops are provided between the ring and the plectrum to enable positioning of the plectrum at a particular angle relative to the ring. Even if these known arrangements solve the problem of plectrum loss there still remain difficulties which are unresolved. One problem relates to the positioning of the plectrum for optimum handling and to reduce the element of finger fatigue. Furthermore, it is important that the player be able to readily substitute one plectrum for another when circumstances so demand such as a hard one for a soft one.


A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device, includes the steps of (a) coating a material of which an alignment film is composed, on first and second substrates, (b) blowing gas to a surface of the material to dry the material, (c) rubbing the material for forming the alignment film, (d) arranging the first and second substrates such that the alignment films formed on the first and second substrates face each other, and filling a gap formed between the first and second substrates with liquid crystal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for drying a material of which an alignment film is composed in a process of fabrication of a liquid crystal display device, a method of drying the same, and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to such an apparatus and methods both of which are capable of, when a material of which an alignment film is composed and which is comprised of organic solvent into which polyimide and/or polyamic acid is dissolved is dried, uniformly removing such organic solvent from the material.
2. Description of the Related Art
An alignment film in a liquid crystal display device, after being rubbed, aligns liquid crystal molecules in a single direction, and defines a pre-tilt angle. A pre-tilt angle is much influenced further by steps of forming an alignment film, to be carried out before the alignment film is rubbed.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional apparatus for forming an alignment film. Hereinbelow is explained a conventional method of forming an alignment film, with reference to FIG. 1.
The conventional apparatus 300 illustrating in FIG. 1 is comprised of a first unit 310 for coating a material of which an alignment film is composed, onto a substrate, a second unit 320 for transporting the substrate, and a third unit 330 for drying the material.
First, a transparent substrate 351 such as a glass substrate is placed on a stage 311 in the first unit 310.
A dispenser 312 contains a coating material 322 comprised of organic solvent, and soluble polyimide and/or polyamic acid dissolved in the organic solvent at 1 to 15 wt %.
The coating material 322 is dropped onto a first roll 313 from the dispenser 312. The first roll 313 cooperates with a second roll 314 to keep the coating material 322 at a uniform thickness. The coating material 322 is then transferred onto a surface of a third roll 315. Thereafter, the coating material 322 is printed onto a surface of the transparent substrate 351 at a uniform thickness.
Thus, a pre-alignment film 323 is formed on the transparent substrate 351.
The second unit 320 takes the transparent substrate 351 on which the pre-alignment film 323 is formed, out of the stage 311, and then, puts the transparent substrate 351 onto a hot plate 331 on the third unit 330.
The hot plate 331 is kept being heated at 50 to 100 degrees centigrade. The pre-alignment film 323 is heated by the hot plate 331 for about 30 seconds to about 3 minutes with the result that organic solvent contained in the pre-alignment film 323 is evaporated. The pre-alignment film 323 is thus dried, and resultingly, turned into a second pre-alignment film 333.
After having been dried, the second pre-alignment film 333 is baked at 180 to 250 degrees centigrade for 10 minutes to 3 hours.
FIG. 2A illustrates development of a dried area in the pre-alignment film 323 in the case that the pre-alignment film 323 is formed entirely over the transparent substrate 351.
As illustrated in FIG. 2A, a dried area in the pre-alignment film 323 develops towards a center from an edge of the transparent substrate 351 with the lapse of time.
Specifically, when ten seconds has passed after commencement of heating the substrate 351, a dried area in the pre-alignment film 323 develops to a line 324, and similarly, when twenty and thirty seconds have passed after commencement of heating the substrate 351, a dried area in the pre-alignment film 323 develops to lines 325 and 326, respectively.
As is readily understood in view of FIG. 2A, a dried area in the pre-alignment film 323 develops at a marginal area more rapidly than at a central area of the pre-alignment film 323.
FIG. 2B illustrates development of a dried area in the pre-alignment film 323 in the case that the pre-alignment film 323 is formed in four regions on the transparent substrate 351.
It is understood in view of FIG. 2B that a dried area in the pre-alignment film 323 develops at a marginal area more rapidly than at a central area of each of the four regions in each of which the pre-alignment film 323 is formed.
FIG. 3 illustrates another conventional method of drying the pre-alignment film 323 formed on the transparent substrate 351.
If the transparent substrate 351 is placed directly on the hot plate 331, the substrate 351 might be electrically charged or contaminants might attach to the substrate 351, when the substrate 351 is peeled off the hot plate 351. In order to prevent the substrate 351 from being electrically charged and contaminants from attaching to the substrate 351, a plurality of pins 336 are formed on the hot plate 331, and the transparent substrate 351 is supported on the pins 336, in the conventional method illustrated in FIG. 3.
In this method, since heat generated in the hot plate 331 is transferred to the pre-alignment film 323 through the pins 336, the pre-alignment film 323 is caused to dry first in an area closer to each of the pins 336.
Accordingly, if the pre-alignment film 323 is rubbed in the above-mentioned condition for making an alignment film, a pre-tilt angle defined by a surface condition of an alignment film and liquid crystal molecules would be caused different from one another in dependence on regions of the alignment film. According to the experiments having been conducted by the inventor, a pre-tilt angle scattered in the range of 4.5 to 6.0 degrees with the result of significant irregularity in displayed images.

Method of fabricating liquid crystal display device


A nitride semiconductor device includes n-type and p-type nitride semiconductor layers, an active layer, the active layer having a lamination of quantum barrier layers and quantum well layers, a thermal stress control layer disposed between the n-type nitride semiconductor layer and the active layer, and formed of a material having a smaller thermal expansion coefficient than the n-type and p-type nitride semiconductor layers, and a lattice stress control layer disposed between the thermal stress control layer and the active layer, and including a first layer and a second layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitride semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a nitride semiconductor device capable of enhancing light emission efficiency by alleviating thermal stress and lattice stress acting on an active layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nitride semiconductors are broadly utilized for green or blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes (LDs), which serve as the light sources of, for example, full-color displays, image scanners, various signal systems and optical communications devices. The nitride semiconductor devices may be provided as light emitting devices including active layers that emit light of various colors, such as blue and green, by electron-hole recombination.
Since the development of nitride semiconductor devices, technical advancements to broaden their application ranges have been made. Thus, many studies are being conducted to determine how to utilize nitride semiconductor devices in general lighting apparatuses and electrical lighting sources. According to the related art, nitride light emitting devices have been used as components employed in low-current, low output mobile products. However, of late, the application ranges of nitride light emitting devices have been broadened to the field of high-current, high-output products. This has led to a need to enhance light emission efficiency by improving the quality of nitride semiconductor crystals and the like.


A variable proportion dispenser (2c) includes a housing (12c) which houses two pharmaceutical cartridges (6b). A reciprocating drive assembly includes drive stems (36c) extending from the pistons (46b) of each cartridge, a limit guide (76c) removably mounted to the housing, and a sliding body (66e, 300) mounted to the housing through the limit guide. Two one-way drivers (326) and threaded dosage adjusters (60c) are carried by the sliding body. Each one-way driver drives the drive stem into the cartridge through a drive surface to provide a range of dose selections. The user can thus control the amount and proportion of each pharmaceutical dispensed during each delivery stroke for each dispensing cycle. The housing is separable from the remainder of the dispenser, preferably using a cartridge release assembly (302), to allow spent cartridge to be replaced. Use of the cartridge release assembly also causes the one-way drivers to release the drive stems to permit the drive stems to be returned to their original positions.

Frequently a physician will prescribe two or more medications to be taken by a patient either simultaneously or as close to simultaneously as practical. This is often the case in prescribing insulin. Two basic types of insulin are most frequently prescribed: regular, a fast-acting variety, and NPH, an intermediate-acting variety. Additionally, a longer-acting type of insulin called ultralente is also available. These types of insulin differ in their onset and duration of action. Regular insulin typically has the quickest onset and the briefest duration of action. The onset and duration of insulin may be modified by chemical manipulations which include precipitation with protamine or suspension with isophane or zinc. Injectable insulin is derived from pigs and cattle, and a semi-synthetic genetically-engineered human form is available commercially.
Regardless of the final chemical composition or origin of the insulin prescribed, the physician frequently advises the patient to mix two or more types of insulin and to inject them at least once a day. Some patients respond best to a schedule of two or three daily doses, usually in conjunction with meals. Frequently trial-and-error type of evaluation is practiced to arrive at the correct dosing and combination for the individual patient. However, after this initial adjustment period, the patient may be maintained on the same dose and proportion of insulins for many weeks or months assuming that the patient's diet, activity, and state of health remain reasonably constant or predictable. An example of a typical mixture and ratio of insulins is 70% NPH and 30% regular insulin injected just prior to a meal.
The implications of insulin therapy for the patient generally include the need for two separate sets of insulin injection syringes and needles. This is because the patient will usually draw a predetermined amount of insulin from each of two vials. A sophisticated patient may be able to use a single syringe and simply draw up the correct amount from each separate insulin vial. However, he may prefer to use two separate needles because of the danger of mixing two types of insulin by using a needle "contaminated" with one type of insulin and accidentally getting some of the first insulin into the second vial from which he draws the second insulin. If the patient is not sophisticated or not adept at drawing up insulin from a vial into a syringe, he would need two needles and two syringes. He may find that he has drawn up too much insulin and then he wishes to return the excess to the vial. If he is using a single syringe, he cannot return the excess to the vial if he is presently attempting to draw insulin from the second vial. The problem is compounded if the patient is on a regimen requiring three types of insulin. The problem of getting the correct amount and proportion of each type of insulin prescribed is an everyday difficulty which the diabetic patient may face two or three times a day.
Besides insulin, other medications may be advantageously prescribed as a simultaneous or near-simultaneous dose. For example, pain medications of the opiate family are frequently prescribed together with antiemetics. The antiemetic drugs are often useful as potentiators of narcotic painkillers and additionally they may ameliorate some of the side effects of narcotics such as nausea and vomiting. For example, a patient who has chronic pain, such as that associated with metastatic cancer, may take 50 milligrams of meperidine (a narcotic) and 25 milligrams of hydroxyzine (an antiemetic) intramuscularly several times a day. Patients having chronic pain are often managed in a long-term care facility such as a nursing home. Alternatively, an outpatient setting is sometimes feasible if the patient or his family can administer medications.
Unfortunately, many patients requiring either chronic pain medication or insulin find that they have some difficulty with their eyesight. This may be especially true of the older age group. Additionally, diabetics who require insulin replacement frequently suffer deterioration of vision as a consequence of the diabetic process. Thus, people who are often in greatest need of multiple injected medications of a defined dose and proportion may ironically find their drug regimen most difficult to regulate precisely. Another problem arises in the context of long-term care facilities such as nursing homes. Frequently the nurse who administers injectable drugs is pressed for time on medication rounds. The time pressure is compounded if the care facility is constrained by budgetary or other non-medical concerns. A device which permits accurate dosing and proportion of two or more medications and which allows for repetitive dosing in the same proportions could be useful to a variety of patients in a variety of circumstances.

Variable proportion dispenser with cartridge replacement assembly


A transgenic non-human mammal has a genome that includes an early-immediate enhancer of human cytomegalovirus (CMV enhancer), a β-actin promoter and the entire gene region of human matrix metalloproteinase 2 (hMMP2) disposed downstream of the promoter. The hMMP2 is systemically expressed in the transgenic non-human mammal, which thus provides a suitable animal model for studying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related diseases and conditions.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are a group of metalloproteinases and it is a generic term for proteinases that include a metal ion in its active center. More than 20 types of MMPs are known, such as MMP1, MMP2, MMP3, MMP7, MMP8, MMP9, and MMP10. MMPs exhibit functions such as degradation of extracellular matrix including collagen, proteoglycan, elastin, etc., degradation of proteins expressed on cell surfaces, and processing of physiologically-active substances. There is a report of a transgenic (TG) non-human mammal (mouse) that expresses human MMP1 (hMMP1) (Non-Patent Document 1). Although this TG mouse expressed hMMP1 in lung tissue, expression in organs of the entire body was not observed. In addition, TG non-human mammals that systemically express hMMP2 are not known.
Concurrently, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a general term that consolidates the disease concept that has been pathologically referred to as emphysema and the disease concept that has been clinically referred to as chronic bronchitis. These concepts were specified in an international guideline (GOLD) in 2001 and in clinical practice guidelines of the Japanese Respiratory Society. In addition, these disease concepts have been formalized at the levels of Japanese and international academic societies. As one of the COPDs, emphysema is a disease associated with destructive changes in the alveolar walls, and exhibits a condition in which aerated sections ranging from the respiratory tract and the terminal bronchiole to the periphery are abnormally enlarged. Although the progression of COPD is slow, COPD further progresses to cor pulmonale if left untreated. COPD is a disease that develops after a history of smoking for 20 years or more. In Japan, the number of deaths due to COPD in 2011 was 16,639, and continues to increase.

Transgenic non-human mammal that expresses human MMP2


A digital servo system for a rotating member which detects a difference between phases of a reference signal and a signal representing the rotation phase of the rotating member thereby to control its rotation in accordance with the phase difference. Comparison is made by a digital rotation phase comparator between points of time at which first and second predetermined counts are made by a clock pulse counter which is cleared for each period of the reference signal and a point of time at which the rotation phase information signal of the rotating member is produced. When the rotation phase signal appears during an interval between the first and second counts, a latch signal is generated in synchronization with the rotation phase signal to cause an instantaneous count between the first and second counts of the counter to be loaded into a latch circuit. A pulse width modulator generates a pulse train whose width corresponds to the latched count; and the rotation of the rotation member is controlled in accordance with a DC output voltage level of a driving circuit which corresponds to the pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal.

This invention relates to a servo system for a rotating member, and, more particularly, to a digital servo system for a rotating member.
With a video tape recorder, for example, a servo system including automatic frequency control (AFC) and automatic phase control (APC) is applied to control the rotation speed and phase of rotating members such as motors for driving a head disk and a capstan. With prior art video tape recorders, an analog servo system is generally used. According to a typical APC analog servo system for a head disk or head motor, a reference signal (a vertical synchronizing signal whose frequency is divided by a factor of two) has its waveform shaped to provide a sampling pulse. A rectangular rotation phase signal having the same frequency as the reference signal is formed of outputs from two disk tone heads spaced 180.degree. from each other and converted into a ramped trapezoidal signal. The ramp portion of the trapezoidal signal is sampled by the sampling pulse and held in a sample and hold circuit. The magnitude of the sampled signal thus held represents the momentary rotation phase of the head disk relative to the reference signal. The sampled analog signal in the sample and hold circuit is converted into a direct-current signal by a lowpass filter. The converted direct-current signal controls the head disk motor through a motor control amplifier.
The analog servo system so far described requires a sample and hold circuit necessitating a large capacitor and thus makes difficult integrated circuit version of a servo circuit. Moreover, parts used in the analog servo system are harmfully affected by secular changes in property as well as by variations in ambient temperature. The control loop of the analog servo system is prominently affected by external noises.

Digital servo system for rotating member


A vinyl ester resin composition comprising a reaction product of: (a) a polyepoxide resin; (b) an unsaturated carboxylic acid; and (c) a reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, a reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, or a mixture thereof; and a cured thermoset composite product produced from the above vinyl ester resin composition.

Vinyl ester resins and unsaturated polyester resins are well known for having good thermal resistance properties (for example, a Tg of higher than 80° C.) and chemical resistance properties (for example, an acid resistance of less than 1 percent (%) for a time period of 28 days). When conventional epoxy vinyl ester resins and unsaturated polyester resins are cured to form, for example, a composite, the cured resins also display good mechanical properties, but such cured resins lack toughness and are very brittle upon cure. In addition, as the crosslink density or Tg of a cured vinyl ester resin product increases, the cured vinyl ester resin product requires an increase in toughness to provide a useful composite product.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20070265373A1 (US20070265373A1) discloses the use of an amphiphilic block copolymer to toughen epoxy vinyl esters and unsaturated polyester resins; and a curable ester resin composition including (a) an ester resin; (b) at least one copolymerizable reactive monomer; and (c) an amphiphilic block copolymer containing at least one ester resin miscible block segment and at least one ester resin immiscible block segment. When the above ester resin composition is cured, the cured ester resin exhibits an increase in toughness. However, the toughener disclosed in US20070265373A1 is defined as a non-reactive type toughener, i.e., a toughening agent that does not react with the epoxy vinyl ester resin or the unsaturated polyester resin. The above composition containing the "non-reactive type" toughener suffers from the disadvantages of: (1) toughener migration and (2) poor acid resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,021,586B2 (US '586) discloses an amphiphilic block copolymer-toughened epoxy resin and powder coatings made therefrom; including a curable solid resin composition useful for powder coating, wherein the resin composition includes (a) an epoxy resin; (b) an amphiphilic block copolymer containing an epoxy resin miscible block segment and an epoxy resin immiscible block segment; and (c) optionally, a curing agent. US '586 does not disclose a vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin. Also, the above amphiphilic block copolymer is a "non-reactive" toughener; and is not a carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0319523A1 (US2011/0319523A1) discloses a thermosettable composition containing a combination of an amphiphilic block copolymer and a polyol; and a cured thermoset product prepared from the thermosettable composition. The thermosettable composition includes (a) an amphiphilic block copolymer, (b) a polyol, (c) an epoxy resin having oxirane rings, (d) an anhydride hardener containing an anhydride ring, and (e) a catalyst. US2011/0319523A1 does not teach a vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin; or the use of a carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer as a toughener.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0114257A1 (US2011/0114257A1) discloses reaction products based on an amphiphilic block copolymer and the use of an amphiphilic block copolymer as an impact modifier. The amphiphilic copolymer is based on ethylene oxide/butylene oxide (EO/BO) and used as an impact modifier component; and the final composition product is used for adhesive applications. US2011/0114257A1 does not teach: (1) a vinyl ester resin or the use of a carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer as a toughener; (2) the synthesis of a vinyl ester resin using as toughener reacted into the backbone of the resin; or (3) a resin having excellent acid resistance performance or other beneficial properties other than toughness.
In Journal of Polymer Science, Part B: Polymer Physics, 2001, 39(23), 2996-3010, the authors of this article disclose that the use of a poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene-alt-propylene) (PEO-PEP) diblock copolymer provides micelle structures in cured epoxy resin thermoset systems, and that the block copolymers can self-assemble into vesicles and spherical micelles which can significantly increase the fracture resistance performance of the cured thermoset. The above article does not teach a vinyl ester resin or the use of a carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer as a toughener. And, the above article does not teach the synthesis of a vinyl ester resin using as toughener reacted into the backbone of the resin. In addition, the above article does not disclose a resin having excellent acid resistance performance or other beneficial properties other than toughness.


An electron-beam generator includes an electron-emitting device and a modulating electrode capable of modulating an electron beam emitted from the electron-emitting device in response to an information signal. The modulating electrode and the electron-emitting device are laminated so as to interpose an insulating substrate therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electron-beam generator capable of emitting electron beams in accordance with information signals. It also relates to an image display apparatus making use of the electron-beam generator.
2. Related Background Art
In the art, there are thin-gage image display apparatus comprising a plurality of electron-emitting devices arranged in a plane form and fluorescent member targets individually receiving irradiation of electron beams from the electron-emitting devices, both of which are respectively face-to-face.
These electron-beam image display apparatus basically have the following structure.
FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view to schematically illustrate a conventional display apparatus. The numeral 1 denotes a rear plate; 2, a support; 3, a wiring electrode; 4, an electron-emitting area,; 5, an electron-passing aperture; 6, a modulating electrode; 7, a glass plate; 8, a transparent electrode; and 9, an image forming member, which comprises a member capable of emitting light, causing a change in color, being electrically charged, and causing a change in properties as a result of impingement of electrons, as exemplified by a flurorescent member and a resist material. The numeral 10 denotes a face plate; and 12, a luminescent spot. The electron-emitting area 4 is formed by a thin-film technique, and constitutes a bridge structure so that it may not come into contact with the rear plate 1. The wiring electrode 3 may be formed using the same materials as those for an electron-emitting member, or using different materials. Those having high melting point and small electrical resistivity are commonly used. The support 2 is formed of an insulating material or a conductive material.
In these electron-beam image display apparatus, a voltage is applied to the wiring electrode 3, so that electrons are emitted from the electron-emitting area that constitutes the hollow structure, and electrons are taken out by applying a voltage to the modulating electrode 6 capable of modulating a flow of the electrons thus emitted, in accordance with information signals, and the electrons thus taken out are impinged against the fluorescent member 9. An XY matrix is also formed by the wiring electrode 3 and the modulating electrode 6, and thus an image is displayed on the image forming member, i.e., the fluorescent member 9.
The above conventional electron-beam image display apparatuses have the following problems:
(1) Since the modulating electrode 6 is disposed above an electron-emitting device (comprised of the support 2, the wiring electrode 3 and the electron-emitting area 4) and in the direction of the emission of electrons as shown in FIG. 11, the electron-passing aperture 5 of the modulating electrode 6 and the electron-emitting area 4 can be difficult to aligned with each other. Hence, it is difficult to manufacture a wide-screen image display apparatus with high definition. PA0 (2) Since both the modulating electrode 6 and the electron-emitting area 4 of the electron-emitting device are disposed in such a way that a space is given between them as shown in FIG. 11, the distance between the modulating electrode 6 and the electron-emitting area 4 of the electron-emitting device can not be kept uniform. In particular, in the case when a plurality of electron-emitting devices are provided, the distances between all the electron-emitting areas and modulating electrode(s) can be made uniform with difficulty. Hence, it is difficult to manufacture a wide-screen, highly detailed image display apparatus. PA0 (3) An attempt to manufacture the wide-screen, highly detailed image display apparatus may result in a serious luminance non-uniformity of a displayed image.
FIG. 12 shows another example of the conventional electron-beam image display apparatus. In FIG. 12, the numeral 21 denotes a substrate; 22, a modulating electrode; 23, a thermoelectron beam source; 24, an upper deflecting electrode; 25, a lower deflecting electrode; and 26, a face plate provided with a transparent electrode and an image forming member, which is capable of emitting light, causing a change in color, being electrically charged, and causing a change in properties as a result of impingement of electrons, as exemplified by a fluorescent member and a resist material. The thermoelectron beam source comprises a tungsten wire coated with an electron-emitting material, and has an outer diameter of about 35 .mu.m and an operation temperature of from 700.degree. to 850.degree. C.
In the conventional electron-beam image display apparatus as shown in FIG. 12, the modulating electrode 22 is disposed on the side opposite to the direction of electron emission, of the thermoelectron beam source (an electron-emitting device) 23. Hence, although the above problem (1) can be eliminated, the above problems (2) and (3) can not be eliminated.

Electron-beam generator and image display apparatus making use of it


The present invention is related to a method of acquiring free-breathing steady-state magnetic resonance images (MRI) and a free-breathing Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging system (10) for generating a MR image of a test subject (20) at least comprising a magnetic field unit, a control unit for controlling functions of the MR imaging system, an image processing unit and a user interface capable of receiving parameters defining a MR-pulse sequence, wherein the MR imaging system further comprises a detection unit (36) for detecting physiological activity of a test subject and a data processing unit (40) capable of performing statistical analysis of the physiological activity data and capable to adaptively tailor at least one of the parameters of the MR-pulse sequence based on the statistical analysis. This includes at least adjustment of at least the starting points and/or the duration of dummy excitations which are part of the MR-pulse sequence.

In the last decades magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven to be a very valuable tool, inter alia in the field of medicinal diagnostics. This is especially true considering the unique features of this technique to gain a better understanding of the human body due to the possibility to obtain real-life 2- or 3-dimensional structural and functional information without the necessity to destroy or damage the tissue of interest. Inasmuch as, the technical parts has been subject to tremendous improvements, e.g. by implementation of higher magnetic field strength or more sophisticated pulse sequences, an image resolution in time and space has been achieved, which deemed impossible just a few years ago. Nevertheless, also today several sources of image artifacts are known, which might possibly limit the achievable image quality. On the one hand image artifacts may be caused by the machine setup and may include main field inhomogeneity, gradient non-linearities, timing errors and RF-interference. On the other hand several reasons for a limited image quality can be directly attributed to motions of the test subject. Here especially respiration, cardiac pulsation, blood and CSF flow, peristalsis, swallowing and voluntary motion of the subject has to be mentioned. Such test subject motions are detrimental, because typically the time scale of MRI data acquisition necessary to make an image (order of seconds) can span a temporal extent that is roughly of the order of or exceeding the time scale at which motion occurs.
One way to overcome such motion artifacts is the introduction of specific boundary conditions on the image data acquisition. The respiratory motion for instance can be countered by data acquisition during suspended breath hold. However, the clinical need for spatial resolution, spatial coverage, and temporal resolution usually puts the total acquisition time beyond the breath holding capacity of the test subjects or patients. This poses the need to reduce the resulting motion artifacts in MRI by either synchronizing the MR imaging with the physiologic signal or by acquiring MR data rapidly enough to freeze the motion.
MR imaging may be synchronized to physiologic signals either by prospective or retrospective gating. In prospective gating, the detection of a specific phase in the physiologic cycle initiates RF excitations and initiates data acquisition for a pre-defined duration. The RF excitation and data acquisition resume only after the next occurrence of the specified physiologic phase. In contrast, in retrospective gating, RF excitation and data acquisition are repeated at a fixed rate with data acquired during a user-identified physiologic phase. The recorded timing of each data acquisition in the physiologic cycle is used to compute a synthetic set of data and images are interpolated to fixed physiologic phases.
One method for accounting of the motion of a subject is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,629. Here a method of and an apparatus for inspecting a physical portion having physiological movement, for example, the abdominal region moving with breathing, by utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance is described. The circumstances of that area of the surface of the abdominal region which exists on a plane indicative of a slice to be imaged, is made different from the circumstances of the surface of the remaining physical portion. In this case, a person to be inspected feels a foreign matter at the abdominal region, and suppresses the movement of the abdominal region due to breathing, consciously and unconsciously, thereby moving the breast with breathing. Thus, the to-be-inspected abdominal region is kept quiet, and an accurate inspection can be made in a short period of time.
Further, US 2008/0154121 A1 describes a magnetic resonance imaging method that involves detection of a series of trigger events and acquisition of successive segments of magnetic resonance signals from respective segments of k-space. The occurrence of the next trigger event is predicted, e.g. by way of a running average, on the basis of the detected series of trigger events. Acquisition of at least one individual segment of magnetic resonance signals is triggered on the basis of the occurrence of the predicted trigger event. Triggering of the acquisition is based on the predicted trigger event, e.g. in that the instant and duration of the acquisition is adjusted on the basis of the prediction of the trigger event.
According to US 2011/0152669 A1, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is provided which performs myocardial perfusion imaging of an object. The apparatus comprises an imaging unit which acquires image data by imaging a heart of the object in synchronism with a biological signal from the object, and an image generating unit which generates an image concerning the heart of the object based on the image data, wherein the imaging unit applies a probe pulse for detecting body motion of the object before imaging of the heart, and applies a spatial nonselective saturation pulse before application of the probe pulse, and a local selective pulse for flipping back a flip angle of the spatial nonselective saturation pulse with regard to a region to which the probe pulse is applied.
US 2008/0309333 A1 describes a magnetic resonance system for acquiring MR data from a subject, the MR system comprising a monitoring module for monitoring a characteristic of a motion of the subject, the characteristic of the motion having a pre-determined or dynamically adjusted limit, and a pulse sequencer for applying a pulse sequence to acquire data from the subject when the characteristic of the motion is within the limit, the pulse sequence comprising at least one pulse waveform, wherein the pulse sequencer is further arranged to regulate a characteristic of the at least one pulse waveform when the characteristic of the motion surpasses the limit.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,903 an apparatus for reducing image artifacts in NMR imaging is described. The apparatus matches elements of a set to values of a substantially periodic function so that the values exhibit a predetermined relationship to the elements. The matching is performed by evaluating the relative probability of the values of the substantially periodic function from the samples in the growing database of the values and assigning the values to the elements by using the evaluated relative probability, so as to maximize the probability that subsequent valves may be assigned the remaining elements according the predetermined relationship.
In "Fernandez B. et al: Adaptive trigger delay using a predictive model applied to black blood fast spin echo cardiac imaging in systole", Proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, ISMRM, 17th Scientific Meeting and Exhibition, Honolulu, Hi., USA, 18-24 Apr. 2009, page 4719" it is described to acquire black blood fast spin echo in end-systolic phase by launching the double inversion recovery before the R-wave in the previous cardiac cycle.
Nevertheless, besides the above mentioned way to care about motions in MRI special requirements have to be fulfilled in specific steady state MR sequences, which are very important in the context of cine cardiac MR (CMR). One preferred sequence for cine CMR the balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequence, which is widely used for evaluating global (end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and ejection fraction) and regional (wall motion, wall thickening) ventricular functions due to its superior blood-to-muscle contrast and higher intrinsic signal to noise (SNR) ratio.
The conventional bSSFP acquisition applies a pre-defined set of RF excitations during which data acquisition is disabled (dummy excitations). These dummy excitations drive the magnetization toward steady state, after which data acquisition commences. Once the steady state is reached, any interruption in the periodic application of RF pulses will drive the magnetization away from steady state and resumption of RF excitations will introduce transient signal oscillations. To avoid this, all data required for image formation is acquired immediately without any interruption by regular application of RF pulses, once the steady state is established.

Real-time adaptive physiology synchronization and gating for steady state MR sequences


In a process for producing kraft pulp, the process is made closed, the yield of pulp is improved and environmental problems are minimized. An alkaline solution containing Na2S which flows in a process of producing kraft pulp, is electrolyzed by an electrolytic oxidation method; a liquid which is formed at an anode side and contains a polysulfide type sulfur in an amount of 6 g/l or more, is added, as it is or after being causticized, to the process before a chip has the maximum temperature, and a NaOH solution formed at a cathode side, is added to at least one step of the process after the chip has the maximum temperature till a final bleaching stage; and at least chemicals in the step wherein NaOH is added, among chemicals discharged in all steps from a cooking step till the final bleaching stage, are recovered and reused.

The present invention relates to a method for recovering chemicals in a process of producing kraft pulp, wherein chemical solutions i.e. a catholyte and an anolyte, obtained by electrolyzing white liquor or green liquor i.e. an alkaline solution containing Na2S in an electrolytic cell, are efficiently utilized in a cooking step and a bleaching step in the process for producing kraft pulp, and chemicals in a liquid discharged after such utilization, are recovered, regenerated and reused.
Heretofore, as an alkali source for the oxygen delignification step in a process for producing kraft pulp, oxidized white liquor obtained by oxidizing an atomic group containing sulfur in white liquor with air in the presence of a catalyst to thiosulfuric acid, has been employed. Here, it is possible to carry out oxygen bleaching by using sodium hydroxide brought in from outside of the system. However, this means that the reagent to be used is brought in from outside of the system, and such is problematic in an attempt to proceed with a closed system of the process for producing kraft pulp. Further, the effluent from the oxygen delignification step is usually recovered by a recovery boiler, and such bringing in of sodium hydroxide tends to destroy the balance in the chemical recovery system. In order not to destroy the balance of the chemical recovery system, an alkali source derived from white liquor such as oxidized white liquor, will be required.
Besides, the above air oxidation method oxidizes sodium sulfide (Na2S) as an alkali source in white liquor to a level of sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3), and accordingly, the alkali source as active alkali will be made ineffective and wasted (lost). Further, in order to proceed with a closed system of the process for producing kraft pulp, also the effluent from a bleaching step subsequent to the oxygen delignification step, will be recovered by a recovery boiler, and if oxidized white liquor is to be used as a recoverable alkali source to be supplied to such a step, the required amount of white liquor correspondingly increases, and the load of the recovery boiler will correspondingly increase, such being a drawback.
Further, with respect to a method for forming a polysulfide, various methods are known, such as a method of oxidation with air in the presence of activated carbon catalyst (JP-A-47-10217), a method of oxidation with air in the presence of a lime sludge and a catalyst (JP-A-8-209573, JP-A-9-87987), a method of direct oxidation by means of an oxidation-reduction resin (JP-A-56-149304), a method of dissolving sulfur (JP-A-8-311790, JP-A-54-151602), and a method of directly forming it by electrolysis (JP-A-8-512099=PCT International Publication WO95/0071). However, one industrially practically used for the purpose of producing pulp at present, is only the air oxidation method employing the activated carbon catalyst (JP-A-47-10212, JP-A-53-92981).
However, by the air oxidation method employing the activated carbon catalyst, sodium sulfide having an effective cooking effect in the cooking step will be consumed by the oxidation to cooking-inactive sodium thiosulfate. Taking the balance of the entire white liquor into consideration, this means nullification i.e. a serious loss by the oxidation of effective sodium sulfide, and yet, an expensive oxidation installation is required for the oxidation of white liquor. Thus, the conventional process for producing kraft pulp has many drawbacks.
Further, in order to recover and reuse chemicals in the bleach effluent, the recovery boiler is required to have a reserve capacity. Loads on the recovery boiler include a load relating to organic substances and a load relating to inorganic substances, and the former can be reduced by an improvement in the yield of pulp, and the latter can be reduced by cutting back on the base unit of chemicals. Thus, a reserve capacity may be had by changing the installation or by reducing the production. However, in view of a problem in the efficiency or a problem in the cost, it is desired to rely on other methods.
As a method of improving the yield to reduce the load by organic substances i.e. the organic solid content, a polysulfide (PS) cooking method is known, and as a method for cutting back chemicals to reduce the load by inorganic substances i.e. the inorganic solid content, an AQ type assistant addition method is, for example, known. Further, as disclosed in JP-A-5-163690, JP-A-10-506687 and JP-A-10-53989, it is known to carry out better cooking by increasing the Na2S concentration at the initial stage of cooking and by controlling so that the active alkali concentration will not become lower than a certain level until completion of the cooking. Also by such a method, it is possible to reduce the load on the boiler, but by this method, it is necessary to add chemical solutions having a plurality of Na2S concentration compositions dividedly to the digester.
To form chemical solutions having a plurality of Na2S concentration compositions, it is necessary to rely on a method such as a method for thermally decomposing black liquor (JP-A-8-311790), a method for crystallizing green liquor wherein sodium carbonate is precipitated by changing the temperature or the concentration, or a method for dialyzing white liquor wherein sodium sulfide content is concentrated by electric dialysis (Journal Of Pulp and Paper Science, Vol. 23, No. 4, p.182-187, April, 1997). However, when it is attempted to combine such a method with a polysulfide cooking method, at least two steps will be required, whereby the process tends to be complex.
In addition to such various problems, a large amount of drainage is discharged in the conventional process for producing kraft pulp. From the viewpoint of the problem of environmental pollution, it is desired to minimize the amount of such drainage, even though it can not be reduced to zero. Further, heretofore, a chlorine-type bleaching agent has been used in a step of bleaching pulp obtained via a step of washing with water and a blow tank after the cooking step, but the chlorine-type substance has a problem of environmental pollution.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the various drawbacks in the conventional process for producing kraft pulp, such that (1) a material balance will be destroyed if an alkali source from outside of the system, is employed, (2) if oxidized white liquor is used, the alkali source as active alkali will be wasted, and (3) the load on the boiler increases as the range for recovery of the bleach effluent expands, and to provide a method for recovering chemicals, whereby the process for producing kraft pulp will be made to be a closed system, the yield of pulp is improved, and yet, an environmental problem is minimized.
Namely, it is an object of the present invention to solve the various problems in the above items (1) to (3) in the conventional method and to provide a method for recovering chemicals, wherein chemicals discharged from the process are efficiently reproduced and utilized in the process for producing kraft pulp, and the process is made to be a closed system whereby drainage will be made minimum or will not be discharged out of the system, whereby the process for producing kraft pulp is made efficient, and the environmental problem is solved at the same time.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to solve the various problems of the above items (1) to (3) in the conventional method and to provide a method for recovering chemicals, whereby chemicals discharged from the process are efficiently reproduced and reused without using or by minimizing a chlorine-type bleaching agent such as NaClO, ClO2 or Cl2 in the process for producing kraft pulp, and the process is made to be closed so that drainage will not be discharged out of the system or will be minimized, the process for producing kraft pulp is made efficient, and environmental problems will be solved at the same time.
The present invention is a method for recovering chemicals in a process of producing kraft pulp, characterized in that an alkaline solution containing Na2S which flows in a process of producing kraft pulp, is electrolyzed by an electrolytic oxidation method; a liquid containing a polysulfide type sulfur, which is formed at an anode side, in an amount of 6 g/l or more, is added, as it is or after being causticized, to the process before a chip has the maximum temperature, and a NaOH solution formed at a cathode side, is added to at least one step of the process after the chip has the maximum temperature till a final bleaching stage; and at least chemicals in the step wherein NaOH is added, among chemicals discharged in all steps from a cooking step till the final bleaching stage, are recovered and reused.
In the present invention, new techniques relating to kraft cooking in a process for producing kraft pulp are combined in a most suitable form, whereby chemicals discharged in the process for producing kraft pulp are efficiently reproduced, recovered and reused, and the process is closed so that chemicals will not be brought in from outside of the system, and drainage will not be discharged out of the system or minimized as far as possible.
Namely, in the present invention, with respect to the balance of material amounts in the process for producing kraft pulp, it has been found that by using an electrolytic oxidation method (which will be referred to optionally as an electrolytic method in this specification), it is possible to obtain a reserve capacity for recovery of the effluent for the recovery boiler and to form recoverable NaOH simultaneously and efficiently, and such a discovery is effectively utilized for a closed system of the process for producing kraft pulp, whereby the closed system for the process for producing kraft pulp can easily be accomplished. Further, in the present invention, a chlorine-type bleaching agent is not employed or is minimized as far as possible, whereby in addition to the above effect, it is possible to solve a problem of an environmental pollution resulting in a case where a chlorine-type bleaching agent is employed.
The present invention is constituted by combining (1) a polysulfide cooking method which is a technique to improve the yield of pulp, (2) a two stage sulfidity cooking method which is a technique corresponding to adding a chemical solution in multistages, and (3) an electrolytic method which is a technique for forming a polysulfide highly efficiently. Further, in the present invention, (4) a quinones-addition cooking method is combined therewith to obtain a further effective effect.

Method for recovering chemicals in a process of producing pulp by kraft process


Communication switching system wherein for each cell stream to be transmitted through a switching element a virtual path is established from an input link to an output link of this element on the basis of the individual bandwidth used by this cell stream and of the then calculated total bandwidth used on this output link. For each cell stream a maintenance cell containing the individual cell stream bandwidth is transmitted on the corresponding virtual path and by means of these maintenance cells the total bandwidth used on each output link is re-calculated and it is checked if it is equal to the above mentioned calculated total bandwidth. The latter is adjusted if a difference is detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication switching system including a switching network with at least one switching element having a plurality of input links and at least one output link, and processing means for calculating the total bandwidth used by virtual paths on said output link from individual bandwidth values contained in path setup cells used for setting up said virtual paths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such a communication switching system is already described in the PCT application No. PCT/EP88/00482. In this known switching system the total bandwidth used by the virtual paths on an output link is obtained by calculating the sum of the individual bandwidth values contained in the path setup cells for these paths. A new virtual path is allowed to be multiplexed on the output link only when the thus calculated total bandwidth is smaller than the maximum allowable bandwidth.
The thus calculated total bandwidth may be erroneous due to a fault, for instance because an individual bandwidth value is erroneous, or due to a calculation error, etc. Such a fault may give rise to a traffic overload on the output link or to an undue restriction of the traffic load on this link since the decision to allow or inhibit the multiplexing of a new virtual path on an output link is based on the thus calculated total bandwidth.


A radiation source directs light at a mirror which reflects to a first photosensor. As a dew point is reached, scattered light is reflected to a second photosensor to indicate dew point. Rather than periodically interrupting operation to test reflectivity of the mirror or to perform a heating cycle, operation is monitored continuously. The common mode output of both the first and second photosensors is monitored. When below a threshold level, the output indicates the need for cleaning the mirror. It may also be used in a closed loop to increase light source intensity as mirror reflectivity decreases.

The present invention relates to hygrometers, more specifically to chilled mirror hygrometers.
Many methods of humidity determination are based upon inferring the moisture content of a sample from an output of a moisture sensitive transducer. Such secondary methods may be subject to such inherent limitations as a non-linear variation of the output parameter with humidity, drift, temperature sensitivity, hysteresis and aging. The limitation of temperature, of course, relates to the fact that water holding capacity of a gas varies with temperature so that only a relative humitidy rather than an absolute measurement is provided. Relative humidity is related to absolute humidity by the Goff-Gratch equation, which is not conveniently embodied in a linear circuit.
Optical chilled mirror hygrometers are preferable since they provide an indication of dew point or frost point, each of which is a primary measurement of moisture content.
The dew point is the temperature at which the partial pressure of a condensate on a surface equals the water vapor partial pressure in a gas. Similarly, frost point is the saturation temperature to which the gas temperature must be cooled at constant pressure so that it will be saturated with respect to ice. Saturation vapor pressure is a unique function of temperature. Therefore, determining the temperature at which water vapor begins to condense on a cool surface is equivalent to a measurement of its partial pressure.
Optical chilled mirror hygrometers use cooled mirrors as the surface where condensation takes place. Utilizing electrooptic circuitry, a precise determination of the formation of either dew or frost is made. A temperature transducer, for example a platinum resistance transducer, is used to provide the signal indicating the output information.
In the past, a limitation of optical chilled mirror hygrometers has been the inability to differentiate between dew or frost and dirt deposits since both will be measured by a photosensor as a loss of reflected light. A prior art response has been to establish a mode of utilization of such hygrometers in which a cleaning procedure is performed periodically or on an event-dependent basis, e.g. such as at the beginning of a day's operation. Another compensating procedure is the "balancing" of a system. This is done by in essence performing a calibration operation to "null" variations in the optic sensing scheme due to dirt deposits on the mirror surface. A balancing operation calls for heating of a mirror to a temperature higher than the dew point to insure a dry mirror so that loss in reflectivity due to dirt alone may be measured. Adjustment of optical sensing circuitry must be made to compensate for any differences to respect to original calibration values.
In both situations, cleaning or calibration must be performed more often than would be called for due to any deterioration in performance so that such deterioration in performance, which would be otherwise undetected, can be avoided. Furthermore, balancing or cleaning operations necessarily require losing the ability to monitor while the operations are being performed. The operations are performed without reference to the performance of the instrument. No way is provided apart from the actual cleaning or balancing operations to increase the time between which "down" periods of the hygrometer must occur.

Chilled mirror hygrometer with performance monitoring


A tool for releasing a male fitting from a mating female connector coupled together by a retaining element includes an elongated H-shaped handle, a bifurcated body including complementary body havles resiliently carried by one end of the handle in a spaced-apart relationship which embraces an outer surface of the connector in a fixed orientation substantially overlying a radial opening therein which exposes the retaining element, and an abutment member which extends from one or both of the body halves operable to radially penetrate the opening to displace the retaining element from an engaged position to an O.D. release position. A second bifurcated body including a second set of complementary body halves is carried on the other end of the handle. Finger members carried by the second body axially engages the retaining element to effect I.D. release of the connector.

Quick connectors have long been used to facilitate assembly of mechanical devices without the use of special tooling. This is particularly true in complex automotive systems wherein numerous fluid conduit interconnections are required. In the design of quick connectors used in the industry today, it is sometimes desirable to incorporate an inaccessible retaining mechanism within the fitting. Since the retainer is non-accessible, a tool is needed to open the retainer fingers and thus allow the male fitting to be removed from the female housing. Although tools adapted for release of quick connector type fittings are known, they suffer from a number of infirmities and no design has yet received widespread acceptance. Because quick connect fittings are used on a range of standard tube sizes (typically 1/4", 5/16" and 3/8" outside diameter), prior approaches have been to provide a separate special tool for each tube size. Additionally, design differences between quick connect fittings of the same size from one manufacturer to another have necessitated different tools or the application of a tool in very precise positional relationship with respect to the fitting to effect the de-coupling. This has proven extremely inconvenient and such tools are not widely used.
Secondly, release tools have frequently been difficult to manipulate due to the small size of the fittings and the relatively high pull apart forces involved. Known tools have tended to be fragile and easily broken, even with proper use, thereby further discouraging their acceptance. A related shortcoming of known tools is in their requirement for two hand operation which is particularly difficult in many installations where access is limited.
In the design of quick connectors used in the industry today, it is sometimes desirable to place the connector in such an orientation so as to make the open female end inaccessible. Since it is impossible to create an expanding force on the I.D. of the retainer fingers to release the male tube in such cases, a tool is needed to collapse the retaining fingers inwardly and free the tube and retainer as a single unit. A current approach in use makes use of a forked structure that slides on a grooved portion of the quick connector to create the collapsing motion on the retainer fingers. This grooved track creates weak spots in the housing material and adversely effects the overall connector performance. The design is also exclusive of such connector size and design and requires that the groove track be molded into the female housing. Therefore, it cannot be used with any currently manufactured plastic quick connectors already in the field.


A power mesh system and method comprising at least three polyphase power devices of a plurality of polyphase power devices, each having a phase connection for each phase, where each polyphase power device has each phase connection coupled to at least one phase connection of another polyphase power device to form a two dimensional array of power devices.

Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to polyphase power generation, distribution and/or consumption systems and, more particularly, to mesh three-phase power generation, distribution and/or consumption systems.
Description of the Related Art
In modern power systems, power is generated and consumed in a distributed manner. Polyphase systems are used for generation, distribution and consumption of power. Specifically, a polyphase system may comprise three-phase power generation, three-phase distribution networks and three-phase loads.
Power conversion units are used to convert DC power produced by power generator into AC power to be coupled to the AC power grid. Power generators in such systems may include turbines (e.g., gas, coal-fired, or hydroelectric power generators), fuel cells, wind turbines, solar panels, and the like. Typically, the power conversion units are coupled in series or parallel. In a series connected system of n devices, each unit sees a voltage of V/n and a current of I. While in a parallel connected system of n devices, each unit sees a voltage of V and a current of I/n. To handle such substantial amounts of power within a series or parallel connected system, either a large current or a large voltage must be accommodated. Due to the need for high-voltage or high-current components, system costs rise with the amount of current or voltage that must be handled within the system.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved polyphase connection topology to reduce the voltage and current handling requirements within power generation as well as robust system redundancy.

System and method for a mesh power system


In a known method for the purification of exhaust air containing impurities which are biologically degradable and difficultly soluble in water, by means of activated sludge washing liquid in an absorption tower, pulverized activated carbon is added to the activated sludge washing liquid. The impurities are initially absorbed by the activated carbon and are subsequently degraded by the microorganisms of the activated sludge. Since the impurities are not transferred directly to the activated carbon, but through the washing liquid, material exchange apparatus having high turbulence are required which have a high energy consumption. By adding a high-boiling, organic solvent, for example, dialkyl phthalate, material exchange apparatus having a low energy consumption can be used, the absorption efficiency is increased and peak loads can be compensated in a buffer-like manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for the purification of exhaust air containing impurities which are biologically degradable and are particularly difficultly soluble in water. The method includes conducting the exhaust air through an absorption tower in which the impurities are absorbed by a washing liquid containing activated sludge and are subsequently biologically degraded in an activated sludge tank by the microorganisms of the activated sludge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From the magazine "Staub-Reinhaltung der Luft" [Dust Purification of Air] (1979), pages 308-314, a method for the purification of exhaust air containing biologically degradable impurities is known in which the exhaust air containing the impurities is conducted through an absorption tower filled with packing bodies. An activated sludge washing liquid is conducted through the absorption tower in a counterflow to the exhaust air. The activated sludge washing liquid is pumped to circulate from an activated sludge tank. When the activated sludge washing liquid contacts the exhaust air, the impurities contained in the exhaust air are absorbed by the activated sludge washing liquid. The absorption capacity of the activated sludge washing liquid depends on the solubility of the impurities in the washing liquids and the regeneration thereof. The absorbed impurities are biologically degraded in the activated sludge tank by species-specific microorganisms. The regenerated activated sludge washing liquid is then again capable of absorbing impurities from the exhaust air.
The efficiency of an absorption tower or of a biological washer relative to the purification performance for the individual impurities is thus dependent upon the absorption capacity of the activated sludge washing liquid and the latter, in turn, is dependent upon the rate of degradation of the individual impurities in the activated sludge by the appropriate microorganisms. If the supply of impurities to the liquid phase or the activated sludge washing liquid is greater than the corresponding rate of degradation of the respective impurities in the activated sludge tank, inevitably an enrichment of impurities in the activated sludge washing liquid occurs. With increasing enrichment of impurities, the partial vapor pressure of the impurities above the liquid phase approaches that of the gaseous phase. Thus, the obtainable absorption efficiency of the impurities is limited. Variations of the concentration of the impurities may result in that already absorbed impurities are again set free. This is particularly the case when the exhaust air flow contains impurities which are difficultly soluble in water. This known method for the purification of exhaust air containing biologically degradable impurities does not have a buffer capacity for handling peak loads. The absorption capacity of the activated sludge washing liquid is very low for materials which are difficultly soluble in water. For example, in the case of a concentration of 200 mg/m.sup.3 toluene in the washer inlet, the maximum absorption capacity is 1 mg/l in the washing water so that the minimum amount of washing water for obtaining a significant efficiency is 0.2 to 0.4 m.sup.3 washing water per m.sup.3 exhaust air. This cannot be realized for economical reasons.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 32 27 375 discloses a method for the purification of exhaust air containing biologically degradable impurities in which pulverized activated carbon is added to the activated sludge washing liquid for increasing the absorption efficiency and for providing a buffer capacity for handling peak loads. The impurities which are difficultly soluble in water are initially adsorbed by the activated carbon and are subsequently degraded by the microorganisms of the activated sludge, i.e., the activated carbon is biologically regenerated. This method has the practical disadvantage that the addition of large amounts of activated carbon causes the solids content of the activated sludge washing liquid to increase and, thus, the danger of clogging of the washing system increases. Particularly when very high-boiling, i.e., very well absorbable impurities are present, these impurities are practically irreversibly bound to the activated carbon over a period of time and then block the activated carbons for the actual low-boiling impurities to be removed from the exhaust air. Moreover, in this method, the material transfer of the impurities to be absorbed to the activated carbon does not take place directly, but rather from the exhaust air through the activated sludge washing liquid to the activated carbon. The last step in the use of conventional absorption towers with packing bodies determines the velocity of the process and is very slow, so that, for a successful use of this method, material exchange apparatus having very high turbulence of the washing water must be used. However, these are only washers which have a very high energy consumption, for example, Venturi washers, washers with perforated bottoms, bubbling tray washers, gas bubble washers.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method for the purification of exhaust air containing impurities which are biologically degradable and particularly difficultly soluble in water, wherein, when utilizing conventional washers or absorption towers having a low energy consumption, the danger of clogging of the washing system is essentially excluded, the obtainable absorption efficiency is increased and a buffer capacity for handling peak loads exists.


The present invention relates to a recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae, comprising at least one expressible polynucleotide encoding an IL-12 polypeptide, wherein said IL-12 polypeptide is an IL-12 fusion polypeptide comprising a p35 subunit of an IL-12 and a p40 subunit of an IL-12; to a polynucleotide encoding the same, and to a kit comprising the same. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for treating cancer in a subject afflicted with cancer, comprising contacting said subject with a recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae of the invention, and thereby, treating cancer in a subject afflicted with cancer.

Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a heterodimeric polypeptide interleukin consisting of two subunits, p35 and p40, encoded by two separate genes, IL-12A and IL-12B, respectively. IL-12 is produced in response to immune stimuli by dendritic cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and by human B-lymphoblastoid cells, and has been known as an important stimulator of immune cell activity, in particular of T cells and natural killer cells, which are, among other effects, stimulated to secrete IFN-γ by IL-12. IFN-γ, in turn, is known to stimulate expression of immune checkpoint blockade proteins on non-immune cells, e.g. of PD-L1, a mechanism used by cancer cells to evade the immune system (Abiko et al. (2015), British journal of cancer 112(9): 1501; Quetglas et al. (2015) Cancer Research 75(15 Supplement): 281). Due to the known immunostimulatory effects of IL-12, it was attempted to use a recombinant measles virus expressing both subunits of IL-12 as a vaccine to improve immune response against measles virus. However, it was found that the transgene had a detrimental effect on the neutralizing antibody response and that lymphoproliferative responses were not improved (Hoffman et al. (2003), J Infect Dis 188:1553).
Oncolytic viruses (OV) which replicate selectively in tumor cells are an emerging modality of cancer treatment. Aside from direct cytopathic effects and lysis of tumor cells, interactions of OV with the immune system can trigger systemic anti-tumor immunity. OV have been modified to express immunomodulatory transgenes to further enhance these effects (Melcher et al., Mol Ther. 2011, 19: 1008-1016). The vaccinia virus JX-594 and herpesvirus talimogene laherpavec (TVEC), both harboring GM-CSF, have shown promising results in clinical phase II and III trials (Heo et al., Nat Med. 2013, 19: 329-336 and Andtbacka et al. J Clin Oncol. 2013, 31, suppl; abstr LBA9008).
RNA viruses, in particular members of the family Paramyxoviridae like, e.g. measles virus (MV), have also shown potential use in oncolysis. Viruses of the family Paramyxoviridae are negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses and include human pathogens like, e.g. human parainfluenza viruses, mumps virus, human respiratory syncytial virus, and measles virus. From wild type measles virus, several non-pathogenic strains, including a vaccine strain, have been derived, which have been shown to remain oncolytic. The measles virus vaccine strain has been developed as a vector platform to target multiple tumor entities and several clinical trials are ongoing (Russell et al., Nat Biotechnol. 2012, 30: 658-670). Recently, the capacity of oncolytic MV encoding GM-CSF to support the induction of a specific anti-tumor immune response in terms of a tumor vaccination effect was demonstrated (Grossardt et al. Hum Gene Ther. 2013, 24: 644-654.).
There is, however, still a need in the art for improved cancer therapies, in particular for improved oncolytic virus therapies. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an improved oncolytic virus, which fully or partially avoids the short-comings of known oncolytic viruses.

RNA viruses expressing IL-12 for immunovirotherapy


An apparatus comprises supply means for changing an amount of light sinusoidally and supplying to a projection means a patterned light signal for sequentially projecting on an object to be measured at least three patterns of patterned light having phase differences; obtainment means for obtaining image data acquired by capturing the object; first generation means for generating a phase image from image data acquired by capturing the object on which the patterned light is sequentially projected; second generation means for generating, based on the phase image, a shape image which indicates a distance between a surface of the object and a viewpoint in the capturing; and correction means for calculating an amount of correction for the shape image from a correspondence between a pixel value of a high-frequency shape image indicating a high-frequency component of the shape image and a pixel value of the phase image.

A method for projecting a striped pattern in which an amount of light periodically changes on an object to be measured (hereinafter referred to as a target), image-capturing the target, analyzing the striped pattern of the top of the image acquired by the capture, and measuring a three-dimensional shape of the target (a distance to the target) is known.
The measurement method called the phase shift method projects a striped pattern for which the amount of light sinusoidally changes (hereinafter referred to as a sinusoidal pattern) on a target while changing the phase a plurality of times, and captures the target. For example, it obtains three kinds of images by capturing the target after projecting a sinusoidal pattern of a phase shift of 2π/3 and a sinusoidal pattern of a phase shift of 4π/3 in relation to a first sinusoidal pattern. At that time, the phase of each pixel is acquired by processing for calculating, by an arc tangent, pixel values (luminance values) of the same pixel positions in each obtained image. Since the phase corresponds to a projection angle for the projector, the three-dimensional shape of the target can be measured from a triangulation method principle if the position relationship of the projector and image capturing device are known beforehand.
However, for the phase shift method, if there are nonlinearities in an output characteristic of the projector and the image capturing device, projecting/capturing a correct sinusoidal pattern is not possible and an error arises in a phase estimated for each pixel. The result of this is that a stripe error arises in the measurement results of the three-dimensional shape.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-210509 discloses a measurement apparatus which is not dependent on output characteristics of a projector and image capturing device by modulating/combining sinusoidal patterns. S. Zhang. P. S. Huang "Phase error compensation for a 3-D shape measurement system based on the phase-shifting method" Optical Engineering 46(6) dated June, 2007 discloses a correction table which corrects phase errors caused by nonlinearities of output characteristics of a projector and an image capturing device by using a white reference plate of uniform reflectance. Also, T. Zaman "Development of a Topographic Imaging Device" Delft University of Technology dated March, 2013 discloses a measurement method called the stereo phase shift method whose object is to perform a measurement independent of nonlinearities of output characteristics of a projector and image capturing devices by arranging two image capturing devices.
According to the techniques disclosed in the above described documents, suppressing measurement errors due to nonlinearities of output characteristics of a projector and image capturing device is possible. However, causes of an occurrence of measurement errors are not limited to just the nonlinearities of the output characteristics of the projector and the image capturing device. In particular, measurement errors arise due to light intensity fluctuations caused by a light emission timing of the projector or an image capturing timing of the image capturing device in a case when a generic projector and camera are used as the projector and the image capturing device. Regarding such fluctuation due to the emission/image capturing timing, in actuality, fluctuation at a time of measuring the target is unknown and appropriate correction is difficult even if characteristics of the measurement apparatus are obtained by using a white reference plate or the like beforehand.

Data processing apparatus and method of controlling same


A method and kit for detecting nucleic acid modification enzyme activity by monitoring the change in fluorescence polarization upon the change in mass of a fluorescently labeled oligo. A nucleic acid substrate comprises a template having a nucleic acid sequence annealed to a labeled oligo, wherein there is a nick or break located between the adjacent ends of the template and the labeled oligo. A nucleic acid modification enzyme is added to the substrate to form a reaction mixture. A stop reagent may or may not be used to further process the reaction mixture. A test compound is added to the reaction mixture, preferably prior to addition of the nucleic acid modification enzyme, whereby the resulting fluorescence polarization signal is compared to a standard signal to determine if the test compound inhibits nucleic acid modification enzyme activity.

The present invention relates to a method for identifying enzymes and inhibitors of enzymes involved in nucleic acid modification, and particularly a homogenous assay for identifying nucleic acid ligases and helicases and inhibitors thereof using fluorescence polarization to detect the change in mass of a fluorescently labeled oligo.
Nucleic acid modification enzymes, particularly DNA ligases and helicases, play a critical role in nucleic acid replication, excision repair, and genetic recombination. Ligases catalyze the ligation of nucleic acid strand breaks generated during various cellular metabolic events such as nucleic acid replication and recombination, and in response to strand breaks produced by various environmental factors. DNA helicases unwind DNA as part of the replication process, and to facilitate removal and substitution of single strand nucleotides. The reaction mechanism of nucleic acid ligases and helicases has mainly been studied using radioisotope-labeled substrates and gel electrophoresis. Such techniques are time consuming, require disposal of environmentally dangerous substances, and limit the number of samples that can be assayed. Therefore, there is a need for an assay that is quick and does not require use of radiolabels or gel electrophoresis.
Fluorescence polarization has also been used to analyze fluorescently labeled molecules and ligands. Representative samples of such methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,249, which discloses the detection of nucleic acid cleavage enzymes, such as restriction enzymes; U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,630, which discloses use of fluorescence polarization to measure the amount of tracer-antibody complex produced in a competitive binding immunoassay; U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,859, which describes an immunoassay for detecting the presence of a ligand in an aqueous sample based upon its competition with a fluorescently labeled ligand for the binding site on an anti-ligand partner; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,190, which discloses another fluorescence polarization method for use in immunoassays. However, the present art does not disclose detecting enzymes used in the processes of nucleic acid repair and replication using fluorescence polarization according to the method and kit of the present invention.
The method and kit of the present invention uses fluorescence polarization to identify, in a homogeneous format, inhibitors of nucleic acid modification enzyme activity, in particular, nucleic acid ligase and helicase activity. Nucleic acid ligase repairs single-strand breaks, whereas helicases are often referred to as relaxing enzymes, because they unwind double stranded nucleic acids prior to replication and nucleic acid repair. The method and kit of the present invention measure DNA ligase and helicase activity, as well as the effect of inhibitors on such activities, using fluorescence polarization.
In one embodiment of the present invention, nucleic acid ligases and their inhibitors are identified by providing a first oligo, a second oligo, and a third fluorescein-labeled oligo, wherein the second and third oligos are complementary to adjacent sections of the first oligo and are capable of annealing thereto. The oligos are annealed to form a double stranded enzyme substrate with a break or nick between the second and third oligos. The substrate of the present invention is then diluted to the appropriate concentration in a buffer that is compatible with nucleic acid ligase activity. A nucleic acid ligase, an inhibitor or test compound, and the substrate are added together to form a reaction mixture, which is incubated for a time sufficient for reactions to occur. A stop reagent, such as NaOH, is added to dissociate the oligos and fluorescence polarization detects whether the test compound repaired the break between the second and third oligos to form a longer fourth oligo. Increased fluorescence polarization relative to that of the fluorescein-labeled third oligo indicates a ligation product (fourth oligo) is formed and that the test compound did not inhibit the activity of the ligase. A fluorescence polarization corresponding to the fluorescence polarization signal of the third oligo indicates that the test compound inhibits enzyme activity.
In another embodiment of the present invention a substrate comprised of two oligos is used to identify inhibitors of nucleic acid ligases and helicases. One oligo includes a section that is complementary and anneals to the second oligo, which is fluorescently labeled. A break or nick is located between the adjacent ends of the two oligos. The entire structure or substrate forms a double stranded hairpin nucleic acid molecule, which is characterized by a particular fluorescence polarization signal. In the presence of a helicase, unwinding and separation of the small fluorescein-labeled second oligo from the larger unlabelled oligo occurs. In the presence of ligase, the break between the two oligo is repaired, thereby linking the two oligos together to form a longer fluorescent-labeled oligo. Relevant inhibitors, would of course, prevent or inhibit the formation of these enzymatic products. Due to the different degrees of polarization of emitted light from reaction mixtures, the invention detects the presence of the enzymes and relevant inhibitors.
The invention also includes a kit for analyzing the activity of nucleic acid ligases and helicases and inhibitors thereof. The kit contains substrates and enzymes, along with an assay support structure for carrying out the steps of the method.
The method of using fluorescence polarization to assay the activity of nucleic acid ligases and helicases is limited to neither the use of fluorescein as the fluorescent label, the use of the specific oligos or numbers thereof, the biotin/avidin used as ligands for affecting a change in mass of an oligonucleotide, or the set of annealed oligonucleotides used.
The methods and kits of the present invention can for example be used to screen for crop protection chemicals, such as herbicides, insecticides or fungicides, antibiotics, anti-viral agents, anti-tumor agents, or compounds, which modulate and/or regulate the function of clinically important proteins.
An advantage of the methods and kits of the present invention is that they are particularly well-suited for high-throughput assays.

Method and kit for identification for nucleic acid modification enzymes and inhibitors thereof