A method of manufacturing a joined body, including: covering a first area and a second area of a first substrate with a sheet of resin in uncured state; separating a part of the sheet covering the second area from the first substrate, the separating performed after the covering; and joining the first substrate with a second substrate by arranging the second substrate to face the first substrate with a part of the sheet covering the first area between the first substrate and the second substrate, and curing the resin in the part of the sheet covering the first area, the joining performed after the separating. In the method, during the separating, a phase difference δ between stress and strain in the part of the sheet covering the second area is no greater than 48 degrees.

Conventional technology provides a joined body that includes two substrates joined together via sealing resin in the form of a sheet. The two substrates, for example, may be an EL substrate including a plurality of organic EL elements and a CF substrate including a plurality of color filter layers. Joining an EL substrate and a CF substrate together via sheet-form sealing resin provides an organic EL display panel (refer to Patent Literature 1).
In the manufacturing of a joined body, conventional technology involves use of a sheet material including sheet-form resin sandwiched between a pair of separable layers (film layers). This allows easy handling of sheet-form sealing resin. Such a sheet material is used by first removing one of the separable layers and then putting sheet-form resin in intimate contact with a surface of a substrate. Subsequently, the sheet material is peeled off, whereby resin other than that necessary is removed from the surface of the substrate along with the other one of the separable layers.


The invention is for a system which provides total cooling for an aircraft airframe which is designed to fly in the speed range of Mach 2 to Mach 8. The system eliminates the necessity of shielding an aircraft airframe constructed of material such as aluminum. Cooling is accomplished by passing a coolant through the aircraft airframe, the coolant acting as a carrier to remove heat from the airframe. The coolant is circulated through a heat pump and a heat exchanger which together extract essentially all of the added heat from the coolant. The heat is transferred to the aircraft fuel system via the heat exchanger and the heat pump. The heat extracted from the coolant is utilized to power the heat pump. The heat pump has associated therewith power turbine mechanism which is also driven by the extracted heat. The power turbines are utilized to drive various aircraft subsystems, the compressor of the heat pump, and provide engine cooling. This system is accomplished with a small increase in aircraft weight and a total result of a small increase in performance.

This invention relates to a system for cooling the airframe of a aircraft designed to fly in a cruise range of Mach 2 to Mach 8. The particular system to be described has been designed for a Mach 6 aircraft which has a bare aluminum airframe. The definition of the word "bare" is that the aircraft has no shielding by, for example, high temperature resistant metals.
It is contemplated that hypersonic vehicles, or vehicles designed to fly in the Mach 6 speed range, often termed hypersonic aircraft, will utilize hydrogen as an engine fuel. Since liquid hydrogen is extremely cold, various techniques have been proposed for utilizing the hydrogen fuel as a heat sink to cool the airframe of such an aircraft. Various techniques have been suggested for circulating either the hydrogen fuel or a coolant through various passages formed in the aircraft airframe and adjacent the skin thereof and extracting the heat which is being generated by the aircraft as it travels at such a high rate of speed. Systems to date have passed the coolant or fuel which has absorbed the heat through some type of heat exchanger which removes at least a portion of the heat from the fuel or coolant.
Prior art devices; however, have not been shown to have a design capability such that the entire heat generated by the aerodynamic heating of the aircraft airframe can be totally or adequately disposed of. As a result, the aircraft cooling procedure must include not only an active cooling system as discussed above, but also some type of shielding. Shielding involves the use of high temperature metal such as titanium or stainless steel, or possibly some of the composite structures which are now available. The use of shielding is obviously undesirable for many reasons. Initially, high temperature resistant structures are very expensive compared to aluminum which has been a standard structure for aircraft for many years. Further, the use of high temperature resistant shielding materials increases the mass of the aircraft while adding no strength thereby affecting the overall efficiency of the aircraft in every respect.
From the above discussion, it is apparent that it would be extremely desirable to cool a hypersonic aircraft to temperatures which an airframe constructed of aluminum could withstand. Aluminum is a structural material which is readily available in large quantities, as opposed to a high temperature material such as titanium. Aircraft constructed of aluminum have proven high structural efficiency, and known long life fabrication characteristics.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cooling system for a hypersonic aircraft which is constructed from bare aluminum (i.e., no shielding being utilized).
It is a further object of this invention to provide a cooling system wherein a coolant is passed through a closed loop having passages associated with the airframe for extracting heat from the airframe.
Another object of the invention is to remove essentially all of the heat from the coolant with heat exchanging mechanism and a heat pump.
Yet, another object of the invention is to provide a cooling system having a heat pump which has associated therewith one or more power turbines, the power turbines being driven by heat energy extracted from the cooling system.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cooling system wherein the power turbines forming a part thereof are utilized to drive aircraft subsystems such as pumps, electrical systems, hydraulic systems, and mechanical systems such as gear trains.
A prime object of the invention is to provide sufficient cooling to allow removal of the heat shields with no penalty in aircraft performance.
A further object of the invention is to provide a cooling system having power turbines wherein the power turbine is utilized to drive the heat pump compressor.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cooling system wherein the power turbines thereof are utilized to drive a booster fuel pump to raise the temperature and pressure of the fuel to a point such that efficient aircraft engine operation is obtainable.
A further object of the invention is to provide a cooling system wherein the aircraft fuel system is utilized as a heat sink, for cooling the aircraft engines.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an aircraft cooling system having a heat pump with alternating condenser stages and power extracting turbines utilized to reduce system weight and increase system efficiency.

Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration with respect to an invention of _


An apparatus detects a vehicle/pedestrian impact event by sensing impact events near a forward location of a vehicle using both acceleration sensors and pressure sensors and providing associated signals indicative thereof, determining metric values for each of the sensor signals, and determining if a vehicle/pedestrian impact has occurred in response to the determined metric values.

Vehicle occupant protection devices for helping to protect a vehicle occupant during a vehicle event such as a crash, roll-over, etc., are known. To detect such a vehicle event, one or more event sensors are mounted to the vehicle and provide signals indicative of sensed vehicle event conditions for which actuation of the protection device may be desired. The event sensors are connected to an electronic controller that evaluates the event sensor signals using appropriate event metrics to monitor and determine if a particular event is occurring, e.g., a vehicle crash condition. Upon determining the occurrence of a particular type of vehicle event by the electronic controller, the vehicle occupant protection devices, e.g., air bags, inflatable side curtains, etc., are actuated.
Pedestrian protection systems have been proposed to aid in reducing pedestrian injury when the pedestrian is struck by a moving vehicle (a "vehicle/pedestrian impact"). Some proposed pedestrian protection systems include a sensor mounted in the vehicle bumper. If the sensor detects an impact with a pedestrian, an actuatable device is actuated to mitigate the impact effect. Such actuatable devices include, for example, actuators to raise the trailing end of the hood upward. Actuatable forward mounted air bags have also been proposed to mitigate vehicle/pedestrian impact effects.

Hybrid method and apparatus for detecting a vehicle/pedestrian impact


A protein comprising at least a first functional site having the ability to bind the cap structure of mRNA and a second functional site having the ability to bind a solid support matrix in such a manner as to allow the first functional site to be immobilized and still remain functionally accessible to interact with the cap structure of mRNA. Also within the scope of the present invention is a method for generating a cDNA library mostly containing full-length cDNAs. The method comprises the incubation of a mixture comprising mRNA:cDNA hybrids with 1) a single strand RNA specific nuclease and 2) the above-mentioned protein. The resulting mixture is then passed through a column comprising a support matrix having the ability to bind the second functional site of the above-mentioned protein in order to selectively bind complete mRNA:cDNA hybrids. The mRNA:cDNA hybrids are then competitively eluted with a cap analog and full-length cDNA strands are separated and recovered. The present invention also includes a method for purifying capped mRNA using the above-mentioned protein. The process comprises the incubation of a mixture containing mRNA with the above-mentioned protein, passing the resulting mixture through a column comprising the support matrix having the ability to bind to the second functional site of the above-mentioned protein in order to selectively bind capped mRNAs, and competitively eluting the capped mRNAs with a cap analog.

Complementary DNA contains the information coding for the synthesis of proteins. The ability to generate complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries is one of the most fundamental procedures in contemporary molecular biology. Research involving the use of cDNA libraries has already led to significant breakthroughs in our understanding of cancer, AIDS and numerous other medical concerns. Consequently, there is a rapidly expanding commercial interest in this procedure because of its enormous current and future potential applicability. For example, a growing number of companies are marketing "ready made" cDNA libraries or kits which simplify the task of preparing a cDNA library.
While the procedures for generating cDNA libraries are being continuously modified and improved, there are serious drawbacks in the current methods that have not been adequately addressed. As a result, cDNA cloning is generally inefficient, making it both cumbersome and most unfortunately very time consuming.
In standard methods currently used for the preparing of cDNA libraries, the mRNA in the cell is isolated by virtue of the presence of a polyadenylated tail present at its 3' end which binds to a resin specific for this structure (oligo dT-chromatography). The purified mRNA is then copied into cDNA using the enzyme reverse transcriptase, which starts at the 3' end of the mRNA and proceeds towards the 5' end. Second strand synthesis is then performed. Linkers are added to the ends of the double stranded cDNA to allow for its packaging into virus or cloning into plasmids. At this stage, it is in a form that can be propagated, the sum of which is termed the cDNA library.
Unfortunately, the major problem with the actual technology is that the majority of the cDNAs present in any given library are not full-length because the reverse transcriptase enzyme in the majority of cases does not make a complete copy of the mRNA. Obviously, this creates serious problems, especially if one takes into account the fact that the efficiency of copying is inversely proportional to the length of the mRNA. This results in the majority of the genetic information in a cDNA library having an overabundance of incomplete pieces.
Hence, an incomplete or non full-length cDNA usually does not have the entire genetic blueprint required to make a functional protein and is therefore of limited scientific value. Usually, investigators must perform many rounds of isolation (screenings) and construct a "full-length" cDNA from the accumulated pieces. Consequently, valuable time and scientific resources are lost. Obviously, the problem becomes even more acute when long cDNAs are sought. Additionally, some fragments of the desired cDNAs might be so underrepresented in the library that it may be impractical to identify and isolate all the required segments.
Furthermore, in cDNA libraries produced by conventional methods, there is dismal under-representation of sequences close to the 5' end of mRNAs since the reverse transcriptase will usually "fall off" before reaching these sequences. This is unfortunate since there is a growing interest in isolating these 5' proximal sequences, in light of recent studies pointing to the importance of such sequences in regulating gene expression.
Another problem concerning cDNA synthesis is the source and quality of the mRNA used. Using present day technology, the mRNA that is used as a source for cDNA synthesis is purified by its 3' end polyadenylated tail. However, some mRNAs do not possess a 3' end but all mRNAs have a 5' cap structure. Consequently, a cDNA library constructed from this source of mRNA would be more representative of the total genetic information present in the cell. In recent years, unsuccessful attempts have been made to develop antibodies directed against the cap structure of mRNA. The problems usually encountered were related to the insufficient affinity of the antibodies for the cap. This major drawback made it impossible to develop isolation protocols for capped mRNAs.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to develop a method that would increase the ability of scientists to isolate both full-length cDNA clones and capped mRNA.

Bifunctional protein for the isolation of capped mRNA


The present invention provides a container configured to selectively enclose multiple food products, including: a tray including a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall, a back wall, a bottom, and an internal wall disposed between the first side wall and the second side wall, wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall, the back wall, the bottom, and the internal wall disposed between the first side wall and the second side wall collectively define a first compartment configured to hold a first food product and a second compartment configured to hold a second food product; and a unified cover including a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall, a back wall, and a top, wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall, the back wall, and the top are substantially coextensive with the tray.

Folded paperboard containers and the like are often used in the fast food industry, among other industries. Advantageously, such containers are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, ship, store, assemble, and use, and are typically disposable and environmentally friendly. Often, it is desirable for these containers to enclose multiple food products, such as a primary food product and a secondary food product, sauce/condiment container, or the like, separating the food products until the sauce/condiment or the like is added to the primary food product and the food products are consumed, for example. Typical examples of primary food products include chicken nuggets, hamburgers, french fries, etc. Typical examples of sauces/condiments include barbeque sauce, honey mustard, ketchup, etc. The sauce/condiment container may be substantially separable from the folded paperboard container or the like and made of a covered or uncovered plastic material, for example. Alternatively, the sauce/condiment container may be substantially inseparable from or integrally formed with the folded paperboard container or the like.
One such container is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,987, issued to Forbes, Jr., on Sep. 22, 1987. In general, Forbes, Jr., discloses a carryout carton for food products that includes a single tray element with a pair of integral lid members. A first locking means is provided for securing one lid member to the bottom wall of the tray and a second locking means is provided for securing the second lid to the first lid. The first locking means includes a first locking tab formed by a flap element attached to an extension of the front wall of the first lid and a first locking slot formed in the bottom wall of the tray. The second locking means includes a second locking tab formed by an extension of the front wall of the second lid and a second locking slot formed in the front wall of the first lid member.
Another such container is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,259, issued to Paley on Jan. 23, 1990. In general, Paley discloses a collapsible, self-locking carton, formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard, that is divided into two separate types of compartments for holding two different types of food items, one compartment having a horizontal wall with a central opening for holding a cylindrical item such as sauce cup, and the other component being a well with higher walls for holding taller elongated objects such as pretzels.
A further such container is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,648, issued to Cai on Apr. 6, 1999. In general, Cai discloses that the tray of a carton is divided into larger and smaller compartments by a transverse intermediate wall. The tray outer end wall at the smaller compartment is integrally formed with a lid panel folded to overlie the smaller compartment and extend laterally outward of opposed side walls of the tray. The intermediate wall is integral with and depends from the lid panel. A cover, with depending side walls, is integrally hinged to the second end wall of the tray with the cover side walls including forwardly extending lugs engagable with and beneath the transversely extending portions of the lid panel to releasably lock the cover in a closed position.
Each of these containers, however, and others in the art suffer from significant shortcomings. Some do not incorporate a cover, some incorporate a cover that encloses only one food product, and most are overly complex and expensive. This is problematic, as folded paperboard containers and the like are single-use items that are typically used by the thousands. Thus, incremental increases in material, handling, and use efficiency may lead to significant savings and/or market penetration.

Covered container for enclosing multiple food products


A key operated dead bolt lock includes one or a pair of standard threaded mortise cylinders. The lock further includes set screws, inaccessible from either side of a door in which the lock is installed, which prevent rotation of the cylinders. The cylinders hold cylinder collars in place to prevent access to the bolt from the side.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to preventing unauthorized access to areas and particularly to the locking of doors. More specifically, this invention is directed to a dead bolt lock. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved methods and apparatus of such character.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
There is, in the art, a demand for dead bolt type locks which may be installed in doors or the like and operated from one or both sides of the door by means of a key. Prior dead bolt locks are characterized by rim cylinders with exposed or weakly shielded attaching screws. The use of such attaching screws significantly reduces the security of the lock. The rim cylinders employed in prior dead bolt locks also have the deficiency of employing "lazy cam" tailpieces which are unique to their respective lock and which are often flimsy in their construction. Further, rim cylinders employed in prior dead bolt locks, because of the use of "lazy cam" mechanisms, are relatively long and thus require extended cylinder collars that protrude from the door and are subject to vandalism.


This invention relates to a heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers which reduces a throttle loss due to the communication ports and increases the speed of a vortex flow within swirl chambers. The heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers comprises small communication ports each with a small passage area and large communication ports each with a large passage area formed at the lower portions of the swirl chamber blocks constituting heat-insulating swirl chambers, and control valves provided to large communication ports. During the compression stroke, the control valves close the large communication ports, and open the same ports during the expansion stroke after fuel injection and on rise in pressure in the swirl chambers. Accordingly, during the compression stroke, air is sent into the swirl chambers at high speed via small communication ports to increase a vortex flow speed within the swirl chambers. During the expansion stroke, the large communication ports being open, combustion gas and flame are forced into the main combustion chambers from the swirl chambers to reduce a throttle loss.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers which includes main chambers at piston heads and swirl chambers at a cylinder head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Swirl chambers of an engine with swirl chambers are described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 21024/1984, for example. In this engine with swirl chambers, swirl chambers are provided to a cylinder head, swirl chamber blocks constituting the swirl chambers are made of a ceramic material as a whole, an air layer is defined in the major proportion of the fitting portions between the ceramic swirl chamber blocks and the cylinder head, the end portions of the fitting portions between the swirl chamber blocks and the cylinder head on the cylinder side are sealed gas-tight by a sealing material, and the fitting portions between the swirl chamber blocks and their insertion members are also sealed gas-tight by the sealing material.
Furthermore, a heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers has been developed to improve combustion of heat-insulating engines. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 119616/1990 filed by the Applicant of the present invention discloses a heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers. In this heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers, swirl chambers equipped with fuel injection nozzles and having a heat-insulating structure are communicated with main chambers equipped with intake/exhaust valves by communication ports, control valves are disposed to open and close the communication ports, and the control valves open the communication ports near the end of a compression stroke of the engine so as to introduce at a stretch the intake air into the swirl chambers and close the communication ports during an intake stroke so as to inhibit the introduction of the intake air into the swirl chambers.
However, the problem with the engine having the swirl chambers is that when the combustion gas moves from the swirl chambers to the main chambers when the communication ports communicating the main chambers with the swirl chambers are throttled, a throttle loss occurs due to the communication ports and engine performance drops. On the other hand, the smaller the passage sectional area of the communication port, the higher the flowing speed of the vortex flow formed by the intake air introduced into the swirl chambers.
In engines with swirl chambers in general, forced stream of the combustion gas, that is, the flame, from the swirl chambers to the main chambers is limited to one direction. The outflowing speed at the initial stage of forced stream of the flame is high in the former half of flame blow-off if the pressure difference is great between the swirl chambers and the main chambers but drops in the latter stage of forced flame stream. Mixing with air existing in the main chambers needs a long time in this case, the combustion time becomes long, a fuel efficiency lowers and the drop of the outflowing speed results in the occurrence of hydrocarbons HC.
It is necessary in the heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers to elevate the combustion speed and to complete the combustion at an early stage. For, when a compression end temperature is higher by about 250.degree. C. than a cold engine as in the case of the heat-insulating engine, the viscosity of the compressed air increases and the fuel injected into this air cannot mix ideally with the air. On the other hand, an ignition delay of the fuel is small in a high temperature atmosphere and the fuel can be ignited within a time of about 1/5th of that of the cold engine. Therefore, the fuel and the air must be mixed instantaneously but the initial stage mixing and combustion of the air and the fuel are preferably carried out in the rich fuel-air mixture with a limited equivalent ratio and lean premixed combustion are preferably carried out in a diffusion combustion portion.

Heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers


An encoder is connected to an elevator traction machine shaft for sensing rotation of the machine shaft. The connector assembly includes a flexible torque-transmitting rod to minimize lateral deflection forces imparted to the encoder shaft by reason of misalignment between the machine and encoder shafts. A flexible collar is used to interconnect the flexible torque-transmitting rod with the encoder shaft.

Modern elevators utilize sophisticated software in controllers which control most aspects of the elevator's operation. The controllers gather information from various sources in the elevator system and use that information to efficiently operate the elevator. Thus elevator speed, starting, stopping, dispatching, floor positioning or leveling, and the like are all governed by the controller. In performing its functions, a most important input for the controller software is the speed and location of the car. Modern elevators generally use tapes secured to the car and journaled in the machine room and pit which move about pulleys as the car ascends and descends in the hoistway. The tapes are monitored by a sensor to detect car speed and position.
In view of the efficiency and accuracy of modern software-controlled elevators, there is a substantial demand for modernization of older elevators so that they can also be controlled and operated by appropriate software. In order to accomplish this modernization, the selector assembly on the older elevators must be replaced with a sensing device which can interact with the new controller microprocessor. One solution to the problem of replacing the prior art selector assemblies is to connect a sensor or monitor to the shaft of the electric motor which drives the traction sheave on the elevator. The monitor of choice is an encoder which measures motor shaft revolutions and translates the results into machine readable signals delivered to the controller microprocessor. The encoder operates by having a rotatable encoder shaft connected to the motor shaft so as to rotate conjointly therewith. The number, direction, and speed of encoder shaft rotations thus indicates the direction of movement, speed and position of the elevator car. Use of the encoders to monitor motor shaft rotation requires very accurate alignment of the axes of the encoder shaft and the motor shaft. Misalignment of these shafts often results in damaged couplings, and in damage to the encoder bearings which are relatively delicate. Poor car motion control can also occur with shaft misalignment.
Improved alignment can be accomplished through tight tolerances on the ports using pilot surfaces of the existing motor shaft O.D. and motor shaft beam housing I.D. This solution, however, can be expensive, and requires great care in installation. Springy flexible collar-type couplings can be attached to the ends of the respective shafts to provide some margin for coaxial misalignment, however, their annular shape limits their utility in combating damage or shortened useful life in cases of shaft misalignment.

Elevator drive motor to encoder connection having a flexible rod and a bellows coupling

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N-Oxides of nitrogenous heterocycle or nitrogenous fused heterocycle polymers of general formula (1) or (7) (wherein any two of a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h are carbon atoms participating in the bonding between repeating units; at least one of them is N.fwdarw.O; the rest are each CH, N or N.fwdarw.O; and the degree of polymerization "n" is at least 5). These polymers have excellent heat resistance, are soluble in aqueous or organic solvents and controllable in the degree of depolarization and electrochemical redox potential, exhibit clear color changes by chemical or electrochemical oxidation or reduction, and are conductive per se . They can be used as moldings such as fibers and films; electrochromic elements; active materials and electrodes of cells; semiconductors including n-type semiconductors; and so on. ##STR1##

Poly(arylene) having a structure that aromatic rings are serially bound, particularly poly(arylene) having serially .pi. conjugated system along the main chain (for example, poly(p-phenylene), poly(2,5-thienylene), and poly(1,4-naphthalenediyl)) generally possess excellent heat resistance. Further, it is known that addition products of these poly(arylene) to electron acceptors (e.g., AsF.sub.5, etc.) or electron donors (e.g., lithium, sodium, etc.) have conductivity and have property to change their color reversibly (electrochromic) by electrochemical oxidation-reduction so as to be available as materials for displays (for example, High polymers, Japan 38, 1080 (1989)). Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.Hei 1-210420 discloses conductive substances produced by reducing polymers having serial .pi. conjugated system along the main chain and groups composed of 6-membered heterocyclic ring units, for example, a 2,5-pyridinediyl group as a repeating constitutive unit. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.Hei 5-70565 discloses poly(quinolinediyl) and poly(isoquinolinediyl), which are composed of condensed heterocyclic ring units and Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 6-56972 discloses quaternary poly(quinolinediyl) and poly(isoquinolinediyl).
However, most of the poly(arylene)s conventionally proposed show low solubility in water or organic solvents and are not melted, which restricts their application and is an obstacle to elicit their characteristic functions. With respect to the above-described poly(arylene)s, it has been desired to modify the molecular structure so as to develop such substances as having properties different from the conventionally known poly(arylene)s. For example, if it is possible to obtain poly(arylene) that has oxidation-reduction potential or changes its color (electrochromic phenomenon), different from the known poly(arylene)s, it would be used as an electrode to provide an electrochromic display which has characteristics different from the conventionally used electrochromic indicative material (for example, "OYO BUTURI", Vol.56, 1433 (1987)) or it would be used as an active material or an electrode to provide a polymer battery that has characteristics different from the known polymer battery (for example, "Denki Kagaku (Journal of the Electrochemical Society of Japan)" 54, 306 (1986)). In order to confer conductivity on poly(arylene)s, it is necessary to effect oxidation (p-doping) or reduction (n-doping) of poly(arylene)s that are usually in a neutral state (cf. the above-described portions of OYO BUTURI and Denki Kagaku (Journal of the Electrochemical Society of Japan)). This oxidation-reduction is disadvantageous in that a corrosive oxidizing agent such as iodine is used, that the process is complicated, and that dopants such as I.sup.-, ClO.sub.4.sup.-, or NR.sub.4.sup.+ may possibly render poly(arylene), which becomes conductive, chemically and physically unstable. Accordingly, it has been desired to develop materials made of poly(arylene)s or its derivatives having no such a dopant and showing conductivity by themselves.

Polymers, method of producing the same and use of the same


A safety injection device, such as a hypodermic needle, for dispensing liquid from a cartridge in quantities determined by the length of a plunger which may be selectively adjusted in one position only of the plunger. The plunger comprises first and second threadedly connected sections cooperating with a connector which may be selectively activated when the plunger is moved into the one position to permit rotation of one plunger section relative to the other. Preferably, the adjustment position of the plunger coincides with its positions assumed in preparation of an injection stroke, with the connector preferably providing for undirectional rotation of the one plunger section.

An injection device of this kind is known from German Patent 36 38 984. This patent relates to a fully automatic injector with a spring system. In the known device, it is possible to vary the operative length of the plunger in all operating positions. Hence if someone plays with the device which can never be precluded--the risk arises that by turning it, he or she will change the length of the plunger, which can lead to incorrect dosages.
Another injection device of the type discussed at the outset is known from WO 88.08725. Once again, this is a fully automatic injector with a spring system, and in this known device as well it is possible to vary the effective length of the plunger in all operating positions, that is, including in the inactive position. In this device this is necessary to allow some injection liquid to be expelled in the inactive position, for monitoring purposes. However, if it is played with, for instance by children, it might be possible under some circumstances for a large amount of insulin to be expelled by mistake. This known device has the advantage that--as a result of various safety provisions--actual dose setting is not possible until the device is in its cocked position. This is achieved at the cost of relatively complicated operation.


A trunked communication system utilizes information on mobile unit location provided by a mobile unit to provide prioritized communication system availability. By further utilizing location information, the trunked communication system also provides a current communication system as a highest priority communication system as a mobile unit moves into a non-receiving area within an area served by the current communication system.

Information systems supporting mobile units in computing location are known. The mobile unit user determines its location utilizing a location determining mechanism containing data bases of geographical information, for example, roads, rivers, landmarks, and so forth. Then the mobile unit user sends this information to a control base. The present systems provide the mobile unit with a comprehensive listing of communication systems available.
As a mobile unit user moves from a geographical area supported by one communication system to another geographical area supported by another communication system, it becomes desirable to provide the mobile unit user with the capability of determining the identity of the most readily available communication system without undue time expenditure.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a mobile unit user interface that minimizes the time required to select a valid adjacent communication system when the mobile unit user moves from a geographical area supported by one communication system to a geographical area supported by another communication system.

Communication network prioritization system for mobile unit


A pump off control method comprises detecting the speed of the induction motor and an instantaneous value of secondary current of the induction motor. Down stroke time in every cycle of the pump jack is detected. An average value of instantaneous values of the secondary current of the induction motor in the down stroke time in said every cycle is calculated. An average value reference of the secondary current of the induction motor to be compared with calculated average value of the instantaneous values of the secondary current of the induction motor is set. The calculated average value of the instantaneous values of the secondary current is compared with the average value reference after the down stroke end in each cycle. An occurence of pump off is detected if the calculated average value of the instantaneous values is greater than the average value reference.

This invention relates to pump-off control of a beam pump driven by a pump jack.
Pump-off control sensors in beam pumped wells have been developed from downhole fluid level or pressure indicators, flow and no-flow sensors, vibration sensors, and motor current sensors to recent sensors adopting modern dynagraph card methods capable of analyzing and recording a rod load.
However, the methods of applying the sensors in related arts involve an accuracy problem and are scarcely put to practical use.
Even if the modern dynagraph card methods meet the accuracy, they require a sensor for detecting a sucker rod load, its detection signal processor, etc., and have disadvantages of complicacy and expensiveness as a result.
Since a drive motor is induction motor drive unable to adjust speed, motor stop control must be adopted as control after pump off is detected. Thus, it is feared that a pump may be stopped because of a temporary pump-off factor such as free gas in an oil well, resulting in lowering of the production amount in the oil cell.
To avoid this, so-called on-off operation control of stopping a pump motor when pump off is detected three to five or more successive times and again starting the pump after the expiration of a given time has been adopted.
However, this method places excessive mechanical and electrical stresses on the pump unit and the motor by the on-off operation and has disadvantages of fastening wear of facilities and increasing maintenance costs.
The invention provides the means for solving problems as described above and a pump off control method according to a first embodiment of the invention is as claimed in claims 1 to 4.
According to the pump off control method, without using an expensive dynagraph card system in the related art made up of a rod load sensor and a microcomputer, pump off control software is built in an inverter used for speed control of a pump jack, whereby pump off can be detected not only at low cost, but also precisely.
In addition, since the pump jack speed is controlled, as pump off is detected, the pump jack speed can be lowered to a state in which no pump off exists, whereby continuous production in an oil well can be executed without imposing excessive load on a downhole pump or a sucker rod system. That is, the effects of enhancing the productivity in an oil and improving safety of the facilities can be produced as compared with an oil well to which the pump jack in the related art driven at constant speed is applied.
The maximum speed of the downhole pump can be preset corresponding to change in oil well circumstances accompanying the comparatively long time passage such as an increase in free gas or lowering of the oil well level, so that it is made possible to lower the possibility that pump off will occur, contributing to stable operation in an oil well accordingly.
A pump off control method according to a second embodiment of the invention is as claimed in claims 5 to 8.
That is, the speed of an induction motor for driving a pump jack can be controlled by an inverter of a variable voltage variable frequency power supply and means for detecting the speed of the motor and the instantaneous value of the secondary current of the motor, means for detecting the elapsed time from the reference point at which the secondary current instantaneous value reaches the maximum value, which will be referred to as secondary current maximum value time in the invention, and each down stroke time of the pump jack, means for detecting and storing each secondary current maximum value time, and means for setting reference of the elapsed time at which the secondary current instantaneous value from the reference point reaches the maximum value, which will be referred to as setup reference time in the invention, for comparison with the detected storage value are placed.
When the secondary current maximum value time becomes longer than the setup reference time, it is detected as occurrence of a pump off condition and if pump off occurs, the motor speed is lowered gradually in sequence. In contrast, when the secondary current maximum value time is shorter than or equal to the setup reference time, it is detected as reset of pump off and the motor speed is controlled so as to recover the lowered speed in sequence, whereby overpressuring of the downhole pump is prevented and high production of crude oil is enabled in response to the circumstances of an oil well.
According to the invention, without using an expensive dynagraph card system made up of a rod load sensor and a microcomputer, pump off control software is incorporated in a vector control inverter used for speed control of a pump jack, thus pump off can be detected not only at low cost, but also precisely for the reason described later. In addition, since the pump jack speed is controlled, as pump off is detected, the pump jack speed can be lowered to a state in which no pump off exists, so that continuous production in an oil well can be executed without imposing excessive load on a downhole pump or a sucker rod system.
That is, the effects of enhancing the productivity in an oil and improving safety of the facilities can be produced as compared with an oil well to which the pump jack in the related art driven at constant speed is applied. The maximum speed of the downhole pump can be preset corresponding to change in oil well circumstances accompanying the comparatively long time passage such as an increase in free gas or lowering of the oil well level, so that it is made possible to lower the possibility that pump off will occur, contributing to stable operation in an oil well accordingly.
As compared with the described method of calculating the effective value or the average value of the secondary current instantaneous value of the motor in down stroke, comparing the value with the reference value, and detecting pump off in the first embodiment, it is not necessary to change the setup reference value as the pump jack speed is changed.
The method, which is based on detection of the differenced between the secondary current maximum value time and the setup reference time, is not related to the magnitude of the secondary current and thus has an excellent feature that it is hard to be affected by variations in the downhole pump load caused by change in the content of water and impurities in crude oil, and it is made possible to precisely detect pump off accordingly.
In addition, operation processing becomes simple as compared with the method of the first embodiment, thus the method of the second embodiment has the advantage that a controller can be configured easily.


A ferrite oxide magnetic material containing, as basic composition, 11 to 19 mol % of iron oxide calculated in terms of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, 11 to 25 mol % of zinc oxide calculated in terms of ZnO, 0 to 10 mol % of copper oxide calculated in terms of CuO, and a residual part of nickel oxide, and further containing, as components subsidiary to the basic composition, 0.01 to 15 wt % of lead oxide calculated in terms of PbO, and 0.01 to 15 wt % of silicon oxide and/or talc calculated in terms of SiO.sub.2, wherein the ferrite oxide magnetic material has an initial magnetic permeability of not higher than 8, a sintered density of not lower than 4.8 g/cm.sup.3 and a stress-resisting and magnetic-field-resisting characteristic in a range of .+-.5% calculated in terms of the rate .DELTA.L/L of the change of inductance due to the condition of a magnetic field of 1000 G under a compressive stress P=5 (kg/mm.sup.2) parallel with a direction of magnetization.

The present invention relates to a ferrite oxide magnetic material used as a material for a core of an inductance device and particularly relates to a ferrite oxide magnetic material used as a material for a core of a resin-molded type chip inductor.
To meet the needs of small size, light weight, high accuracy, and so on, in the field of resin-molded type chip inductors, fixed coils, and so on, for which demands have become increased rapidly in recent years in the field of television sets, video recorders, mobile communication machines, and so on, there has been an increased demand for narrow tolerance and high reliability on these parts. To meet the demand, a ferrite core material used as a material for magnetic cores of these parts is required to have the following characteristic.
(1) The material has a low initial magnetic permeability (.mu.i) for fine adjustment of inductance due to winding. Particularly in the case of a vertically-placed type ferrite core, the initial magnetic permeability needs to be low (.mu.i: not higher than 8) so that the fine adjustment can be made by a half turn.
(2) The material has a high sintered density.
(3) The material has a characteristic in which the change of inductance is small against external stress due to a molded resin. The ratio of the change of inductance against external stress, that is, the ratio of the change of inductance against a load applied to a rod-like sample so as to be parallel with a direction of magnetization is hereinafter referred to as stress-resisting characteristic. That is, the material has an excellent stress-resisting characteristic.
(4) The material has a characteristic in which the change of inductance is small against both external stress due to a molded resin and external magnetic field applied to the material. The ratio of the change of inductance against both external stress and external magnetic field, that is, the ratio of the change of inductance against a load applied to a rod-like sample in parallel with a direction of magnetization and an external magnetic field which are applied and released is hereinafter referred to as stress-resisting and magnetic-field-resisting characteristic. That is, the material has excellent stress-resisting and magnetic-field-resisting characteristic.
When a molded inductor device was assembled, the device might be exposed to a magnetic field of high magnetic flux density. Accordingly, particularly in the stress-resisting and magnetic-field-resisting characteristic, there was an important question whether initial characteristic could be kept or not when the device was actually put into a final product even in the case where the device per se was adjusted to have a predetermined value of inductance. Further, even after the device was actually put into a final product, the chip inductor per se was not shielded magnetically. Accordingly, it was also necessary to avoid the bad influence of magnetization generated in electromagnetic parts around the chip inductor.
As an attempt to meet the aforementioned demand, there is known an attempt to improve stress-resisting characteristic by use of ferrite containing basic composition described in JP-A-2-60110 and JP-A-2-137301. However, sufficiently high sintered density to be practically satisfactory cannot be achieved when a core material having a low initial magnetic permeability .mu.i of not higher than 8 is to be obtained by use of the ferrite material containing such basic composition. Reduction of sintered density causes a problem in lowering of stress-resisting characteristic, penetration of a resin or an adhesive agent into pores of a ferrite core, and so on. Accordingly, sintered density cannot be reduced. On the contrary, when sintered density is to be increased, the initial magnetic permeability is increased to be not smaller than 8. In any case, a core material having practically satisfactory characteristic can be hardly obtained.
JP-A-8-51011 and JP-A-8-51012 disclose: an oxide magnetic material containing from 0 to 10 wt % of SiO.sub.2 (exclusive of 0 wt %), and from 0 to 10 wt % of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 (exclusive of 0 wt %) in addition to main components consisting of from 5 to 24 mol % of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, from 0 to 30 mol % of CuO (exclusive of 0 mol %), and aresidual part of NiO; an oxide magnetic material containing from 0 to 0.5 wt % of Co.sub.3 O.sub.4 (exclusive of 0 wt %) in addition to the main components; an oxide magnetic material containing from 5 to 24 mol % of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, from 0 to 30 mol % of ZnO (exclusive of 0 mol %), from 0 to 30 mol % of CuO (exclusive of 0 mol %), and a residual part of NiO; and an oxide magnetic material containing from 0 to 0.5 wt % of Co.sub.3 O.sub.4 (exclusive of 0 wt %), from 0 to 10 wt % of SiO.sub.2 (exclusive of 0 wt %), and from 0 to 10 wt % of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 (exclusive of 0 wt %) in addition to the main components in order to reduce both the change of inductance due to external stress and the lowering of inductance after application of an external magnetic field.
However, the composition discussed by way of examples in JP-A-8-51011 and JP-A-8-51012 is Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 : 5, 10, 20 and 24.5 mol %; and ZnO: 7 and 30 mol % (other constituent elements are omitted). That is, no composition but this composition is not discussed in JP-A-8-51011 and JP-A-8-51012. Further, the stress-resisting and magnetic-field-resisting characteristic of a core obtained in the range of this composition is insufficient. Accordingly, to meet the demand for both high accuracy and high reliability, greater improvement of performance as to total characteristic including initial magnetic permeability, sintered density, magnetic field-resisting characteristic, stress-resisting characteristic, stress-resisting and magnetic-field-resisting characteristic, etc. has been required.
For example, a background-art ferrite core material containing the aforementioned basic composition, that is, containing, as basic composition:
Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 : 48 mol %; PA1 NiO: 49 mol %; and PA1 CuO: 3 mol %; PA1 Pbo: 6 wt %; and PA1 talc: 6.5 wt %; PA1 the ferrite oxide magnetic material further containing, as components subsidiary to the basic composition: 0.01 to 15 wt % of lead oxide calculated in terms of PbO; and 0.01 to 15 wt % of silicon oxide and/or talc calculated in terms of SiO.sub.2 ; PA1 the ferrite oxide magnetic material having an initial magnetic permeability of not higher than 8, a sintered density of not lower than 4.8 g/cm.sup.3 and a stress-resisting and magnetic-field-resisting characteristic in a range of .+-.5% calculated in terms of the rate .DELTA.L/L of the change of inductance due to the condition of a magnetic field of 1000 G under a compressive stress P=5 (kg/mm.sup.2) parallel with a direction of magnetization.
and containing as subsidiary components in addition to the basic composition:
exhibits the following characteristic: a sintered density of 4.6 g/cm.sup.3 ; an initial magnetic permeability .mu.i of 6.0; and stress-resisting characteristic .DELTA.L/L(%) of -9% (at 1 ton/cm.sup.2). If an initial magnetic permeability .mu.i of about 6 is to be obtained in such a background-art ferrite core, not only the sintered density becomes low to be 4.6 g/cm.sup.3 but also the stress-resisting characteristic becomes large to be -9% (at 1 ton/cm.sup.2).
Further, FIG. 8 shows the relation between the amount of PbO--SiO.sub.2 glass and the initial magnetic permeability .mu.i in the case where the amount of PbO--SiO.sub.2 glass in the ferrite having the aforementioned composition is changed. It is apparent from FIG. 8 that the initial magnetic permeability of the ferrite having the composition is little reduced even in the case where the amount of PbO--SiO.sub.2 glass is increased.
Furthermore, JP-A-3-91209 discloses a chip inductor characterized in that a drum type core formed from a ferrite composition which is a spinel type composition containing 25 to 45 mol % of Fe2O3, 0 to 20 mol % of ZnO and residual part of NiO and CuO with the molarity of NiO being larger than the molarity of CuO and further containing 0.1 to 12 wt % of Bi2O3, and 0.05 to 4.0 wt % of SiO.sub.2 as trace components is wound with a coil and molded with an epoxy resin. In JP-A-3-91209, there is a further description that inductance is reduced when a stress is applied to the chip inductor by the epoxy resin and an external magnetic field is applied to this chip inductor.


Adapting a tax preparation program to a user of the tax preparation program. Data related to a user of the tax preparation program is received at a computer, and a processing element compares received data to profile criteria to select a profile, which may be a pre-defined profile or a dynamically generated profile. A first template corresponding to the selected profile is selected and includes a first collection of forms or screens selected from available forms or screens of the tax preparation program. The first template screens or forms are displayed to the user who prepares an electronic tax return using the first template. The manner in which the user interacts with or changes the first template may be used to generate a modified or second template, which may be used to prepare a current or future electronic tax return and may be provided to other users having similar profiles.

The invention relates to finance applications or programs such as tax preparation and personal finance programs that may be utilized to prepare electronic tax returns and manage personal finances. Examples of tax preparation programs include TurboTax®, ProSeries® and Lacerte® tax preparation programs, which are known consumer and professional tax preparation programs available from Intuit Inc., Mountain View, Calif., H&R Block TaxCut software, available from H&R Block, Inc., Kansas City, Mo., and TaxACT® software, available from 2nd Story Software, Inc. TurboTax®, ProSeries® and Lacerte® are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc., and TaxACT® is a registered trademark of 2nd Story Software, Inc. Examples of desktop and on-line personal finance programs include Quicken®, FinanceWorks® and Mint.com, available from Mint Software, Inc., Microsoft Money, which is available from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. and other personal finance programs including wasabe.com. Quicken® and FinanceWorks® are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc.
Personal finance programs such as tax preparation programs have become very popular and allow a user, such as a taxpayer or tax professional, to prepare and electronically file an electronic individual or business tax return using a computer. For example, certain tax preparation programs present a list of tax-related questions or data entry fields to the user as a series of interview screens or fillable forms. In response, the user enters appropriate data or answers. Requested data or questions may relate to personal and family matters such as the user's social security number, marital status, number of dependents, etc. Other interview screens and questions may relate the user's wages, retirement plan contributions, and state and federal taxes that were paid or withheld as provided in Form-W2. Upon entering the required data, the tax preparation program prepares an electronic tax return, and the electronic tax return is formatted as necessary and electronically filed with a tax authority such as the Internal Revenue Service, a state tax authority, or other tax collecting entity on behalf of the user.
While tax preparation programs have greatly simplified preparation of tax returns, such applications have a rigid framework of interview screens and forms. These screens or forms are organized according to a pre-defined structure and are arranged to be presented in a particular linear sequence. Further, the interface used by the tax preparation application is the same for all users. Moreover, user interaction with the interview screens or forms is fixed and is the same for all users due to the pre-determined or fixed tree structure and interface.
These pre-determined structures and sequences, while providing certain predictability and simplifying programming, lack flexibility and do not address unique attributes of different users or categories or groups of users of the tax preparation program. As such, tax preparation programs having fixed, pre-determined file structures, interface and interaction models are not personalized or customized to individual users. Instead, screens or forms are presented to users in the same manner without regard to whether the user would prefer to work with a different interface or interact differently with the tax preparation program. The static, pre-defined and rigid nature of known tax preparation programs becomes readily apparent when considering that users differ vastly in their needs, preferences, behaviors, habits, attitudes, demographics, stage of life, psychology, personality, etc.
Thus, while users may be satisfied with the result achieved utilizing the tax preparation program, they may desire a more personalized experience when preparing the electronic tax return. The rigidity of known tax preparation programs may also undermine user confidence since particular attributes of the user may require completion of certain forms or screens that are not readily identifiable given the complexity of tax laws and since all of the required forms may not be readily identifiable when using the tax program, particularly if the user is not that familiar with computers, the tax preparation program, tax laws and forms.

Methods systems and articles of manufacture for adapting a finance program to a user of the finance program


A method for allowing individual user entities access to tables in a database, such as a DB2 database, in an isolated manner, that is, without interfering with each other. For each original database table, DDL statements are employed to create a new table. Within the new table are defined the same columns that are defined in the original database table, as well as an additional column that includes a User Identification. A view is created having the same name and column definitions as the original database table, where the view selects only the rows in the new table in which the User Identification matches a particular user entity. For each particular user entity, access is allowed to the view for executing DML statements of the application program without modification of the DML statements of the application program other than for purposes of developing and testing functionality of the application program.

The invention relates generally to relational database application software development and testing and, more particularly, to a method for allowing individual user entities (e.g. individual users or user groups) access to tables in the database in an isolated manner, that is, without interfering with each other.
Databases are computerized information storage and retrieval systems that are essential for the operations of many businesses. A database manager, also known as a database management system (DBMS), is a complex and sophisticated computer program that provides a variety of tools for defining, manipulating data in, controlling access to and otherwise managing the database in a variety of ways. A relational database management system (RDBMS) uses relational techniques for storing and retrieving data organized into tables which consist (conceptually) of rows and columns of data. The manner in which data is physically stored in the database is handled by the database manager, and is not the concern of the user.
In the context of the invention, a relevant function of the database manager is executing the programming statements (program code) of an application program written in a language such as SQL (Structured Query Language). SQL is used for three kinds of operations, which have their own respective subsets of SQL. Thus, data manipulation operations are directed by Data Manipulation Language (DML) statements, and include data retrieval and data modification. Data definition operations are directed by Data Definition Language (DDL) statements, and include creating and removing objects such as tables, indexes and views. Data administration or control operations are directed by Data Control Language (DCL) statements and allow a database administrator to maintain and coordinate use of the database, including granting authorities or privileges to user entities to access database objects in specific ways. In addition, there is Job Control Language (JCL) which is used to identify a job to the operating system and to describe requirements of the job.
A database typically has many tables, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, and each table typically has multiple rows and multiple columns. Within each table, there usually is something that uniquely identifies each row, and that something is known as the primary key. If employed, a primary key is defined (as a matter of database design and as part of the table definition) as the column or combination of columns that distinguishes a particular row from all others.
In addition to user tables, that is, tables created by users to contain user data, a database contains a variety of system tables, whose function is to hold certain data that the database manager itself needs in order to manage the database. The system tables are collectively referred to as the database catalog.
A particular relational database management system in combination with which the invention may be employed is known as DB2, a product of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). DB2 runs on mainframe computers under operating systems such as OS/390, and versions are also available for various personal computer operating systems. The invention, however, is not in any way limited to use in combination with DB2, and may, for example, be employed in combination with other relational database management systems such as Oracle, Sybase, Informix and SQL Server.
A database can be very complex, involving, as noted above, hundreds of tables, and requiring a large data storage capacity when "live," for example, several terabytes. (A terabyte is a trillion bytes.)
Developing, testing and maintaining a relational database application program typically requires a team effort, involving many individual application programmers (also known as "users" in the context of the development environment) or groups of individual application programmers or users. The terminology "user entity" is employed herein to refer to both individual users and groups of users. Providing an application development and testing environment in which a plurality of user entities access the database, as a practical matter, presents a number of challenging demands, if conflicts are to be avoided. Each stage of the testing process has varying degrees of complexities and demands on coordinating testing efforts.
As a simple example, through DML program statements, during development and testing one user entity may be uploading data to a table, another user entity may be deleting data from the same table, while a third user entity is attempting to test a program that accesses the table. Clearly there are conflicts.
As more general examples, during unit testing, tests are performed on individual program modules to determine if they meet defined specifications. Individuals working alone, typically a programmer, usually perform unit tests. A very limited amount of coordination is necessary for unit testing. String testing advances the process with a series of program modules to confirm that they communicate necessary information between each other. Then the testing process advances to the system level. At various stages, application program modifications are made and regression testing is required to revalidate results. There are additional kinds of testing such as performance, stress, production simulation, and parallel production testing done prior to implementation of an application.
There are a number of demands specific to various stages of testing. In the context of the invention, it can be difficult to keep track of the test data necessary to repeat the tests and re-establish the test data, especially when tests require isolation or a predefined order to the testing schedule.
As another example, different program modules serve different functions and may need to be isolated or scheduled. Examples are purge programs, report programs, and update programs. Testing a report program while testing the update program may produce unpredictable results. Was the reason the reports were wrong due to errors in the report program or just the fact that the update program changed the data before it was reported? Was the reason the update program failed because the purge program removed the data before it could be updated? These can be time consuming and frustrating questions to answer.
In real-world projects, different components of the system are typically in different stages of testing. For example, some program modules might still be in unit test while others are in string test. Allowing more than one group of testers to perform these tests in the same environment on shared data is neither practical nor advised. Different test activities can adversely affect one another. Testing in this way is very error-prone and requires extensive coordination activity that slows project progress and can impede, if not prevent, parallel testing.
Individual unit tests also have the problem of determining whether the program functioned as expected. Reports and screens are fairly easy to verify, but did the data stored go through the expected transformation? Did the employee given the 10% raise have his salary updated by the correct amount in the data store? Was some other employee attribute accidentally updated at the same time?
Using a database management system like DB2 can pose additional demands. The very facilities that guarantee production data integrity make testing more difficult. Thus, the DB2 database manager uses a lock mechanism to ensure that users reading information get accurate data and that only one user can update at a time. For example, assuming a locksize of page is chosen, if two testers (user entities) have data that happens to be on the same page, they could prevent each other from testing. To make matters worse, locks are not released until commit. On-line debugging facilities can hold locks for hours, preventing one or more tests from being able to execute.
The DB2 database manager has a load utility which is often used to re-establish test data. There also are third-party replacements for the DB2 load utility. These loads have to be done table by table and Job Control Language statements developed to accomplish the task. Moreover, while the load utility is executing, the tables are unavailable for other testing work. After loads are done, tablespaces may require image copies or additional utility operations such as the check data utility to make the data available again.
Referential integrity constraints can cause additional consideration as to how the data is saved and loaded, or even which tables are required for testing. Although these constraints are beneficial to the integrity of the application, they will require data in other tables, and consideration in the data loading for test purposes.
There are a number of conventional solutions to these demands, each having its own drawbacks. Conventional solutions generally involve (1) scheduling, (2) creating additional environments (multiple copies of the same tables), (3) various combinations of the above, or (4) modifying program code and adding additional column(s) to tables.
Simply scheduling testing is by far the easiest solution. Thus, Monday is the report program, Tuesday is the update program, Wednesday is the Purge program, etc. Monday is string test #1; Tuesday is string test #2. Monday is system test #1 and Tuesday is regression test #1. The problem is time; given enough time, scheduling would be an easy solution to the problems described above.
A hybrid approach is combining scheduling with key assignment. If key values are assigned to various test processes, at least some testing can occur in parallel. As an example, the report program test uses employees 100 through 200. The purge program uses employees 200 through 300, etc. But, what about the department table? It is keyed by department number. All employees in the 100 through 200 ranges must be assigned to departments 10 through 20 and employees in the 200 through 300 ranges must be assigned to departments 20 through 30. Drawbacks here are that each additional key must be assigned a range for each test group and the relationships propagated properly. Even so, errors can occur in programs that will occasionally cause updates to data that is not intended. DB2 lock contention can still happen in spite of careful choices of key assignments.
Providing multiple environments is sure way to avoid lock contention. Each user entity is given a set of tables. This avoids DB2 load and lock contention problems entirely, but it can be an expensive alternative. It is not unusual for an application environment with 400 "live" tables to grow or perhaps explode to more than 8000 test and development tables. Even with the availability of DB2 alter and migrate tools, this alternative becomes very time consuming for database administrators (humans). Application program modules each have to be bound properly, using the correct DB2 table creator. The same program module can be bound many times in such an environment. If there is a common module that is used in many functions and a change is made to it, the module will have to be bound numerous times and tested everywhere. Another risk of this solution is not properly making a table change to all environments. This could result in application program code being developed against an outdated table definition. In general, when multiple environments are provided, a lot of coordination is required for database changes. The more environments, the more coordination is required.
A variation of using multiple copies of tables is to provide multiple DB2 subsystems. Although this variation is an even more expensive solution, an advantage is that DB2 creators (sometimes referred to as owner) do not have to be changed.
Another approach is modifying program code and adding additional column(s) to tables. As an example, a pre-processor may be employed that reads program source code and adds a WHERE clause to each SQL query to point at a specific data value supplied at execution time. This minimizes the number of environments and usually solves lock contention problems. Unfortunately, it requires modification of application program source code, and these modifications can be quite extensive. It additionally requires that several coding conventions be adopted to set the additional columns properly when a statement to INSERT a row is executed. Pre-processors have to be written and executed to add the WHERE clauses to the SQL source code. When SQL syntax changes are made, changes to the pre-processor have to be made to recognize the new syntax.
A related prior art approach is to create a set of test and development tables corresponding to the "live" database tables. Within each test and development table the same columns are defined as in the original database Table. Another column is added to each test and development table, defined to include a value that is unique for each tester or group of testers (user entity), and also made part of the primary key of the table. In addition, a view is created having the same name and column definitions as the corresponding "live" database table, where the view selects only the rows in the test and development table in which the unique value matches a particular user entity. This gives each user entity its own view, or slice, of the table, which is accessed using application program DML statements. Each slice is completely isolated from the activities of other testers. While an improvement to other prior art approaches, this particular approach still has drawbacks. In particular, the column added to each test and development table is part of the primary key, and therefore must be present. However, the added column is omitted from the view. As a result of this omission, a Data Manipulation Language statement to INSERT a row and accessing only the view would not store a value in the added column of the test and development table. Accordingly, a pre-processor is still required, although not as extensive a pre-processor as in other prior art approaches, to modify the INSERT statements of the application program being developed or tested so as to reference the test and development table for storing a value in the added column which requires a value to be present. Moreover, when development and testing are completed, a pre-processor must again be run to remove the modifications to the INSERT statements of the application program in order to correctly access the corresponding "live" database table.

Method for facilitating development and testing of relational database application software


The use of an aromatase inhibitor (AI) in the preparation of a medicament for use in inducing ovulation in a female suffering from anovulatory infertility which comprises administering to said female a single dose of the at least one aromatase inhibitor. The use of an aromatase inhibitor (AI) for the preparation of a medicament comprising a single dose of at least one aromatase inhibitor (AI) for administration to an ovulating female suffering from unexplained infertility or other types of ovulatory infertility early in one or more menstrual cycles. Such a medicament may also be administered to an anovulatory female in combination with a plurality of daily doses of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) whereby the dosage levels of FSH may be reduced. The use of AI in the preparation of a medicament for administration to a female who is a poor responder to FSH, which comprises a combination of a single dose of AI with a plurality of daily doses of FSH is also disclosed. The related pharmaceutical preparations and packages are also described.

In women with WHO type II anovulatory infertility such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the treatment of first choice for the induction of ovulation is an anti-estrogen. The most commonly used drug is clomiphene citrate (CC). However, 20 to 25 percent of women do not ovulate with CC. In addition, clinical data reveal a discrepancy between ovulation and conception rates during CC treatment1, and a higher than expected incidence of miscarriage in conception cycles2. These observations have been attributed to the anti-estrogenic mechanism of action of CC resulting in long-lasting estrogen receptor depletion. Thus, CC may have a negative effect on the quality and quantity of cervical mucus3, on endometrial development4, and on other as yet undetermined fertility factors since CC is accumulated in the body as a result of its long half-life5.
In CC failures, gonadotropin preparations such as human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) or pure follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) have been used as a second-line treatment for ovulation induction. In women with polycystic ovary syndrome, because of the high sensitivity of the ovaries to gonadotropin stimulation, treatment with hMG or pure FSH is difficult to control and characteristically induces multiple follicles. The result is a high frequency of multiple pregnancies and increased risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)6. Therefore, a simple oral treatment that could be used without risk of hyperstimulation and with minimal monitoring is the preferred first line of therapy.
Additionally, although it has been established that pregnancy rates for women who take CC are less than expected based on ovulation rates, CC therapy is widely administered to women with unexplained infertility, often without ultrasound monitoring, in order to induce the development of multiple follicles7. The use of CC in these women may be unsuccessful because of antiestrogenic effects on endometrial development. A recent study has prospectively applied morphometric analysis of the endometrium, which is a quantitative and objective technique to study the effect of CC on the endometrium in a group of normal women. In this study, CC was found to have a deleterious effect on the endometrium, demonstrated by a reduction in glandular density and an increase in the number of vacuolated cells8. In some exceptional cases, normal ovulatory women may receive 6 to 12 cycles of CC before it is finally determined that the anti-estrogenic effects of CC on the endometrium are actually causing an anti-conception action. For these reasons, a simple, inexpensive and safe alternative to CC for use in normally ovulatory women, in whom frequent cycle monitoring is difficult, is also required.
The induction of ovulation constitutes a vital part of infertility management. Unfortunately, most current therapeutic approaches for induction of ovulation have been empiric9. For over 40 years, clomiphene citrate (CC) has been the most commonly used treatment for the induction and augmentation of ovulation, accounting for about two thirds of the fertility drugs prescribed in the United States10. However, the mechanism(s) and site(s) of CC action have only been partially clarified despite extensive clinical research11.
Mechanism of CC Action
It is believed that the 2 isomers of CC exert either an anti-estrogenic effect (zu-clomiphene) or a weak estrogen agonist effect (en-clomiphene) at estrogen binding sites in the pituitary and hypothalamus, thus releasing the hypothalamic/pituitary axis from the inhibitory effect of the major circulating estrogen, estradiol (E2)12. In women with PCOS, CC-induced ovulation was accompanied by increased secretion of LH and FSH with enhanced estrogen secretion. Increased LH pulse amplitude after CC, together with decreased pituitary sensitivity to a GnRH bolus, suggested that CC acted predominantly on the hypothalamus to cause release of larger pulses of GnRH into the pituitary-portal system13. Similar findings have been reported in normal ovulatory women14. Various mechanisms of CC action have also been suggested at the level of the pituitary and/or the ovary. In particular, the ovarian actions of CC have not been widely appreciated15. However, the overall mechanism of CC action may be the sum of its effects on the hypothalamus, pituitary and ovary as discussed by Adashl16.
Approaches to Improve Pregnancy Outcome with CC
In order to improve the outcome of CC treatment, various approaches have been suggested to overcome the antiestrogenic effect of CC. One approach has been to administer estrogen concomitantly during CC treatment to attain high estrogen levels to overcome the antiestrogenic effect of CC. Some investigators have reported success with this approach17 while others have reported no benefit18 or even a deleterious effect of estrogen administration19. Another approach to reduce adverse effects has been to administer CC earlier during the menstrual cycle rather than starting on day 520, in the hopes of allowing the anti-estrogenic effect to wear off to some extent. A third approach has been to combine another selective estrogen receptor modulator like tamoxifen, which has more estrogen agonistic effect on the endometrium with CC21. However, none of the above mentioned strategies have proved to be completely successful in avoiding the peripheral antiestrogenic effects of CC. In addition to a discrepancy between ovulation and pregnancy rates with CC treatment, 20% to 25% of anovulatory women are resistant to CC and fail to ovulate at doses up to 150 mg daily. In CC failures, gonadotropins have been used as a second-line treatment for ovulation induction. However, they are associated with higher risk of multiple pregnancy, and severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, especially in women with PCOS. Therefore, a simple oral alternative to CC that could be used without high risk and which requires minimal monitoring would be the preferred first line of therapy for ovulation induction.
Aromatase Inhibitor
A group of highly selective AIs has been approved for use in postmenopausal women with breast cancer to suppress estrogen production. These AIs have a relatively short half-life (approximately 48 hours) compared to CC, and therefore would be eliminated from the body rapidly22. In addition, since no estrogen receptor down-regulation occurs, no adverse effects on estrogen target tissues, as observed in CC treated cycles, would be expected.
Physiology of Aromatase Enzyme
Aromatase is a cytochrome P-450 hemoprotein-containing enzyme complex that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the production of estrogens, i.e. the conversion of androstenedione and testosterone, via three hydroxylation steps, to estrone and estradiol23. Aromatase activity is present in many tissues, such as the ovaries, adipose tissue, muscle, liver, breast tissue, and in malignant breast tumors. The main sources of circulating estrogens are the ovaries in premenopausal women and adipose tissue in post-menopausal women24. Although aromatase has features in common with other steroidogenic P-450 enzymes, the heme-binding region has only 17.9±23.5% amino acids identical to those of other steroidogenic P-450 enzymes. This observation suggests that P-450arom belongs to a separate gene family which has been designated CYP1925. Aromatase catalyzes the conversion of androgens to estrone (E1), which is further converted to the potent estrogen estradiol (E2) by the enzyme 17β-HSD type 1 in the granulosa cell.
Development of Aromatase Inhibitors
Aromatase is a good target for selective inhibition because estrogen production is a terminal step in the biosynthetic sequence. There are two types of aromatase inhibitors; steroidal (type I inhibitors) and non-steroidal inhibitors (type II inhibitors). Type I steroidal aromatase inhibitors are all derivatives of androstenedione that act as a false substrate and bind irreversibly to the androgen-binding site with continuing treatment. For this reason, they are also called suicide inhibitors. 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, the first selective steroidal aromatase inhibitor to be used clinically, has proved to be effective in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer patients and is available in many countries worldwide26. Type II non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors exert their function through binding to the heme moiety of the cytochrome P450 enzyme. The first of these inhibitors to be used clinically was aminoglutethimide, which induces a medical adrenalectomy by inhibiting many other enzymes involved in steroid biosynthesis27. Although aminoglutethimide is an effective hormonal agent in postmenopausal breast cancer, its use is complicated by the need for concurrent corticosteroid replacement, in addition to side effects like lethargy, rashes, nausea and fever that results in 8-15% of patients stopping treatment. The lack of specificity and unfavorable toxicity profile of aminoglutethimide have led to the search for more specific aromatase inhibitors. In addition, the above mentioned aromatase inhibitors were not able to completely inhibit aromatase activity in premenopausal patients28.
Aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole, ZN 1033, (Arimidex®), Ietrozole, CGS 20267, (Femara®) and vorozole (Rivizor®) are selective AIs, available for clinical use in North America and other parts of the world for treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer. These triazole (antifungal) derivatives are reversible, competitive AIs, which are highly potent and selective (104, 106)29. Their intrinsic potency is considerably greater than that of aminoglutethimide, and at doses of 1-5 mg/day, inhibit estrogen levels by 97% to >99%. This level of aromatase inhibition results in estradiol concentrations below detection by most sensitive immunoassays. The high affinity of AIs for aromatase is thought to reside in the N-4 nitrogen of the triazole ring that coordinates with the heme iron atom of the aromatase enzyme complex. AIs are completely absorbed after oral administration with mean terminal t1/2 of approximately 50 hr (range, 30-60 hr). They are cleared from the systemic circulation mainly by the liver. Another Al available commercially is exemestane (Aromasin™).
In animal studies, letrozole resulted in increased FSH and LH when given to mature female rats and about a 30% increase in ovarian weight30. In the bonnet monkey, treatment with aromatase inhibitors to induce estradiol deficiency led to development of multiple normal Graafian follicles in vivo, and normal response of granulosa and theca cells to gonadotropins in vitro31. In vivo data describe a continuum of inhibition of aromatase, with aminoglutethimide (90%), vorozole (93%), anastrozole (97%), and letrozole (98.5%) displaying increasing potency and specificity32. Letrozole has an IC50 of 11.5 nM in vitro and ED50 of 1-3 μg/kg in vivo when given orally. The disposition of orally administered letrozole in healthy postmenopausal women is characterized by steady-state plasma concentrations in 4 to 8 hours, and a half-life of approximately 45 hours. The absolute systemic bioavailability of letrozole after oral administration was 100% compared with the same dose given intravenously33. Doses up to 30 mg have been well tolerated34. The lethal dose in mice and rats is approximately 2000 mg/kg. There is no experience in humans with an overdose of letrozole35.
The success of aromatase inhibition by letrozole in inducing ovulation in women with PCOS has been reported36. In a series of 10 patients with PCOS who either failed to ovulate (n=4) or ovulated with an endometrial thickness ≦5 mm (n=6) in response to CC administration, ovulation occurred in 7 of the 10 letrozole treated cycles (70%), with clinical pregnancy in 2 patients and chemical pregnancy in one patient. The mean number of mature follicles was 2.6, ranging from 1 to 4 follicles in the 7 ovulatory cycles. The mean level of estradiol on the day of hCG administration was 1076 pmol/L with mean estradiol per follicle of 378 pmol/L. This estradiol level allowed the growth of the endometrium to an adequate thickness that ranged from 0.7 cm to 0.9 cm on the day of hCG administration, showing the absence of antiestrogenic effects as seen with CC.
In a second study, comparable success of letrozole in inducing ovulation in 12 women with PCOS women, in addition to success in augmenting ovulation in a group of 10 ovulatory women. Patients in both groups tried CC in prior treatment cycles with an inadequate response. With letrozole treatment, ovulation occurred in 9 of 12 cycles (75%) and pregnancy was achieved in 3 patients (25%) in the PCOS group. In the ovulatory group, letrozole resulted in a mean number of 2.3 mature follicles and a mean endometrial thickness of 0.8 cm. Pregnancy was achieved in one patient (10%)37.
We have also studied the use of letrozole in conjunction with FSH for controlled ovarian super ovulation in both ovulatory women with unexplained infertility and anovulatory women with PCOS38. The use of letrozole was associated with a significantly lower FSH dose required for achievement of adequate ovarian super ovulation. The pregnancy rate and endometrial thickness with letrozole and FSH treatment was similar to FSH alone. We have also shown an improvement in ovarian response to FSH stimulation with the use of letrozole in low responders during ovarian stimulation39.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,128 granted Dec. 10, 1996 to Bhatnagar, there is described the use of aromatase inhibitors for contraception in female primates of reproductive age without substantially affecting the menstrual cycle of the female primate. The contraceptive action of the aromatase inhibitors is reversible, that is to say once their use has been discontinued pregnancy can occur in the treated primates as early as the next cycle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,136 granted Feb. 13, 1996 to Peet et al, the use of aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of breast cancer is described.
The disclosures of all references referred to herein are incorporated herein by reference.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Single dose aromatase inhibitor for treating infertility


The disclosed invention is a method in a computer peripheral control system for initializing and monitoring operations of a plurality of peripheral device controllers. The system includes more than one master controller. The method comprises the steps of storing in registers of the master controllers an initial set of parameters for operation of the control system, executing a self test of each of the master controllers to determine if any errors have occurred; and if so, checking to verify presence of a redundant master controller. The method further includes detecting whether or not the redundant master controller is in control; if not, setting bus active control signals; enabling active clock output signals; initializing status bus address pointer; polling a selected one of the peripheral device controllers; checking for end of cabinet address; incrementing status bus address pointer; and repeating the steps of initializing through incrementing.

The monitoring of environmental conditions in computer systems and especially peripheral devices for such systems is of utmost importance. The sooner a problem or potential problem is detected, the better. Moreover, a rapid response to a potential problem and especially to an existing problem is critical. Systems in the past employed heat exhaustion fans and warning lights to signify a problem. Also, warning sirens or horns were used to notify an operator of a problem. However, time is crucial in correcting a problem. Better yet, if a problem could be anticipated and corrected before it became a crisis then so much the better.
However, a downside risk associated with adding circuitry for environmental monitoring is that the Mean Time Between Failure ("MTBF") for the peripheral device cabinet is compromised due to the increased chances of a single point failure occurring somewhere within the system. On the other hand if a backup parallel system could be added that would take over control in the event of a failure, the MTBF would again approach the same value as if no monitoring circuitry were present.

Method for operating redundant master I/O controllers


An apparatus for providing an air seal for a device discharging a compressible product, the apparatus including a generally horizontal conduit having an upwardly opening inlet and an outlet spaced from the inlet, a packer blade mounted in the conduit for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis, the packer blade having a stroke path extending beneath the inlet, a motor connected to the packer blade to cause reciprocating pivotal movement of the packer blade about the axis so that product entering the conduit via the inlet is swept by the packer blade toward the outlet, and a discharge resistor which is located in the conduit between the packer blade and the outlet, which resists the flow of product through the conduit toward the outlet, and which permits compressed product to flow out of the conduit via the outlet, such that the packer blade and the discharge resistor cause uniform compression of the product between the packer blade and the discharge resistor so as to form a plug of product that substantially prevents air flow through the conduit in either direction.

The invention relates generally to the handling of product exiting a device such as a cyclone separator, and more specifically to a cyclone separator having a sealed valve connected to the bottom outlet of the cyclone separator.
It is generally known to utilize a cyclone separator to handle fibrous or other compressible products. The commonly known cyclone separator has an inlet, a top outlet and a bottom outlet. A product is air conveyed to the cyclone separator via the inlet where it is centrifugally separated from the conveying air so that the solid product exits at the bottom outlet while the air exits from the top outlet. Product exiting via the bottom outlet is received in a baler or other receiving receptacle.
If air is allowed to escape through the bottom outlet with the product, some of the air/product mixture may not flow into the receiving receptacle. Typically, the result is that material escapes from the system in the form of dust and debris that can create environmental or health risks. Prior attempts to solve this problem provided a sealed baler at the bottom outlet of the cyclone separator to prevent the air from escaping. However, these balers are very expensive because of the close tolerances required to seal the interfaces between the moving parts and because of the constant maintenance which naturally follows from these close tolerances.

Air seal for the product discharge of a cyclone separator or similar device