A method for processing a silver halide color photographic material is described, which comprises processing a silver halide color photographic material comprising a reflective support having thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer for a period of 2 minutes and 30 seconds or less with a color devleoping solution which does not substantially contain benzyl alcohol and which contains at least one of compounds selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (I), a compound represented by formula (II), hydantoic acid, allylamine, aminoguanidine, o-aminobenzoic acid, L-(+)-cysteine, benzylamine, DL-serine, morpholine, N-hydroxyethyl morpholine, o-aminobenzyl alcohol, quinuclidine, or salts thereof, tetramethylammonium acetate, choline, or choline chloride, ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydroxyalkyl group having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms; and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a hydroxyalkyl group having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms or a group represented by the formula ##STR2## wherein n represents an integer from 1 to 10; and X and Y each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a hydroxyalkyl group having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms. ##STR3## wherein R.sup.4 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms.. In accordance with this method for processing a silver halide color photographic material, color images having high coloring property can be obtained within a short period of a color developing time without substantially using benzyl alcohol, which is disadvantageous in view of environmental pollution, in the color developing solution.. The effect of the present invention is particularly remarkable in the case wherein the silver halide color photographic material contains a pyrazoloazole type magenta coupler represented by formula (III) as described in the specification.

Hitherto, various kinds of developing agent penetrants have been investigated for increasing the coloring property of color photographic light-sensitive materials and, in particular, a process of quickening color development by adding benzyl alcohol to a color developer has been widely used at present for the processing of color photographic materials because of accelerating a coloring effect, particularly color photographic papers.
However, in the case of using benzyl alcohol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, etc., must be used as the solvent therefor due to the low water solubility thereof. Since, however, the above-described compounds including benzyl alcohol have high BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) and COD (chemical oxygen demand) pollution loading values, it is preferred to avoid use of benzyl alcohol as much as possible.
Furthermore, even in the case of using the aforesaid solvent, it requires a long time to dissolve benzyl alcohol, and hence it is also better to avoid use of benzyl alcohol for the purpose of reducing the work load involved in preparing the solution of benzyl alcohol.
Also, when benzyl alcohol existing in a color developer is carried in a bleach bath or a blix (bleach-fix) bath which is a post-bath of the color developer, it causes the formation of the leuco dye of a cyan dye, which further causes the reduction of coloring density. Still further, when such benzyl alcohol exists in a bleaching solution or a blix solution, it delays the washing out speed of developer components from color photographic materials, and hence it sometimes results in adverse influences on the stability or storability of color images of processed color photographic materials. Accordingly, it is also preferred to avoid use of benzyl alcohol for these reasons also.
Color development is generally performed for about 3 to 4 minutes, but recently with the shortening of the time for delivering finished photographic products and the reduction of laboratory work, it has been desired to shorten the processing time for photographic materials.
On the other hand, when the development time for color photographic materials is shortened without using benzyl alcohol, which is a coloring accelerator, the coloring density is inevitably greatly reduced.
For solving the above-described problems, various color development accelerators have been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,950,970, 2,515,147, 2,496,903, 2,304,925, 4,038,075, 4,119,462, British Patents Nos. 1,430,998, 1,455,413, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 15831/78, 62450/80, 62451/80, 62452/80, 62453/80, 50536/83 and 162256/85 (the term "OPI" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application"), Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 12422/76, 49728/80, etc. However, even by the use of these color development accelerators, a satisfactory coloring density has not yet been obtained.
Also, methods for incorporating color developing agents in color photographic materials are proposed as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,719,492, 3,342,559, 3,342,597, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 6235/81, 16133/81, 97531/82, 83565/82, etc., but these methods have disadvantages in that the color development is delayed and the formation of fog is increased, and thus are not proper methods.
Furthermore, a method of using a silver chloride emulsion as described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 95345/83, 232342/84, 19140/85, etc., may shorten the color development time but is not a proper method since the formation of fog is increased.
As described above, a method of obtaining color images having satisfactory quality in a shortened time using a color developer containing substantially no benzyl alcohol has not yet been found.
On the other hand, techniques of adding a compound represented by formula (I) shown hereinafter to a developing solution are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 106244/81 and 3532/79, etc. However, the former relates to the technique for obtaining high contrast by black-and-white development for lithography using the compound together with a 3-pyrazolidone in a black-and-white developing solution. The latter relates to the technique for increasing stability of a color developing solution by means of the addition of alkanolamines thereto. There is not disclosure regarding accelerating effect on color development at all. Therefore, benzyl alcohol could not be eliminated from the color developing solution used in color development processing in a short period of time as described in the present invention. Accordingly, when the proposals described above are employed under the condition of shortening a color development time using a color developer substantially free from benzyl alcohol, the coloring property of, in particular, magenta dye, is reduced, and a satisfactory result has not been obtained.
Further, the compound represented by formula (I) causes the formation of severe fog when used in conventional color developing solutions. However, it exhibits the excellent development accelerating effect in the case wherein benzyl alcohol is not present in the color developing solution and the developing time is short as the present invention.

Method for processing silver halide color photographic materials with a color developer comprising no benzyl alcohol and an accelerator


A grip for a sculling oar having an elongated elastic tubular body with a truncated elliptical profile or shape. The tubular body has an open end for receiving an oar handle and an opposite closed end with a thumb depression contoured into the outer surface of the closed end. A plurality of contiguous finger grooves are formed circumferentially along the outer surface of the tubular body. The grooves extend diagonally across the elliptical portion of the body. An alignment mark is scribed on the truncated portion of the tubular body near the open end. The alignment mark is aligned with the convex face of the blade of the order to facilitate the rowing action.

The present invention relates to a hand grip for an oar used in sculling. More particularly, the grip of the present invention combines a specific arrangement of finger grooves, an end, thumb groove and an orientation indicia for properly aligning these grooves with the centerline of the broad convex face of the blade on the distal or outboard end of the oar.
In the sport and recreational activity of rowing, the boat is often referred to as the shell. One type of shell is a sweep in which each rower has only one oar, called a sweep oar. The rower places both hands on the single sweep oar during the rowing action.
With a type of shell called a scull, each rower has two oars, called scull oars. One hand is placed on each separate scull oar during the rowing action.
While technological improvements have been made in oar materials composition and in blade design, very little attention has been placed on the grip of the oar. Oars are now designed to provide a generally elongated tubular rubber grip which covers the handle of the scull oar, but the current grips do little to facilitate the rowing action except to provide a non-slip gripping surface. Some grips are made of a soft rubber composition which reduces hand slippage; other grips utilize a harder elastic composition provided with a roughened, or cross-hatched, surface to increase frictional forces thereby improving the griping. Thus, most of the focus on improving the hand grip has been directed toward reducing slippage rather than on improving the grip to ultimately increase the rowing efficiency of each stroke. No special shape of grip has been developed to anatomically facilitate the most efficient power transfer from the rower to the water or to facilitate regripping the oar once it has been dropped.
An efficient rowing stroke includes several stages or positions. The "catch" is the part of the stroke when the blade is put into the water. The "pull-through" is the portion of the stroke when the blade moves through the water with the blade perpendicular to the water surface. The act of removing the blade from the water at the end of the pull through is known as the "release". The finish is the position of the rower at the end of the stroke; legs extended, leaning back, arms brought into the body, and the blade is out of the water. A stage known as "hands away" occurs where the rower is at the finish of the stroke, still leaning back but his arms are extended. The "recovery" is the portion of the stroke where the blade is out of the water; the rower moves up the slide and into position for the next catch. "Feathering" is the act of turning the oar blade parallel to the water's surface; "squaring" is the turning of the blade perpendicular to the water's surface.
In order to maximize the transfer of power from the rower to the water so as to propel the shell, the maximum surface area of the blade must be presented to the water to create the propulsion forces. Thus, blade work is a skill that has a direct impact on the movement and speed of the boat. One important aspect of blade work is squaring of the blade. The squaring, or turning of the oar so that the blade is perpendicular to the water's surface, generally starts with the rower's hands going over the ankles and it is executed at a constant speed. It should neither slow down nor stop the motion of the blade before entry into the water. The squared blade is entered into the water and synchronized with the speed of the boat in a scooping fashion. Immediate power application to the oar is provided as soon as the blade is covered in the water.
The squared blade remains buried in the water, moving horizontally at an even depth during the drive stroke. At the release the blade is lifted up and out of the water while still square. This ensures a complete transfer of the rower's power. Feathering of the oar, turning the blade parallel to the water's surface, occurs after the blade completely leaves the water. As the feathered oar is brought back to the next catch position during recovery, the blade should remain parallel to the water's surface and remain very horizontal.
The present invention provides a special and unique grip construction which ensures that the rower's hands are appropriately positioned on the oar handle such that when the oar is pulled through the water or when the oar is moved through the recovery position of the stroke, the broad face of the blade member of the oar is in its most efficient position for power transfers in the water, and the least air resistance in recovery. Further, the present inventive grip has a slightly elliptical contour along its outer surface to encourage use of the fingers by the rower and reduce contact of the palms with the grip.
Further yet, the present inventive grip provides a structure whereby the oar may be regripped, if accidentally dropped during rowing, without the rower looking out at the blade end to determine its relative position to the water surface. The unique arrangement of the elements of the present invention ensures that once the oar grip is regrasped, the rower knows the orientation of the blade.


A wing protection system for increasing avoidance of grounded aircraft utilizes a plurality of wing clamps attached to an aircraft wing. A wing clamp from the plurality of wing clamps houses an electronics assembly; the electronics assembly including a plurality of sensors, a processor, a transceiver, and a peripheral alert system. The plurality of sensors detects objects approaching the grounded aircraft, while the peripheral alert system provides a visual and audible alert to the presence of the grounded aircraft; the processor receiving signals from the plurality of sensors and dictating appropriate action of the peripheral alert system. The transceiver allows data to be shared with a compatible user device, wherein a software application run on the compatible user device provides a digital representation of the plurality of wing clamps positioned about the aircraft.

Many aircraft collisions occur while an aircraft is grounded, and often times are not the fault of the aircraft, but rather are a result of personnel and vehicles running into the grounded aircraft. It is common for such collisions to involve the wings of the aircraft, as they have a smaller profile when observed straight on. Additionally, while the fuselage may be visible, it can be difficult to determine the extent to which the wings extend from the fuselage. When there is little to no light, the visibility of the aircraft wings is decreased even further, leading to a higher risk of collision with incoming objects. Even minor collision incidents can lead to costly repairs and can temporarily ground the aircraft until repairs can be made, which in the case of airline companies can lead to further costs due to flight cancellations. Thus, a collision avoidance system to deter and warn incoming objects of the presence of an aircraft in order to reduce grounded collisions is needed. Furthermore, the collision avoidance system should be readily attached and detached from the wing of an aircraft, such that no additional weight is added to the aircraft in flight, and such that the aircraft flight preparation is not drastically increased.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a wing protection system to warn ground vehicles and personnel of the presence of a grounded aircraft. The wing protection system is attached to the wingtip, and includes a plurality of wing clamps. Each of the plurality of wing clamps has a peripheral alert system that provides a visual and audible warning to deter incoming personnel and vehicles. A plurality of sensors of each wing clamp detects the distance of incoming objects, wherein the calculated distance of the object from the wingtip determines the specific alert. As the object approaches the wingtip, a warning light changes colors according to the proximity, while an audible alarm can provide a constant or variable alert. Each of the wing clamps rests on top of the wing and is padded in order to prevent damage to the wing. Each wing clamp comprises an arm and a clamp; the arm being positioned on top of the wing and the clamp extending around the edge of the wing.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Embodiments provide a multi-phase voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) that produces a plurality of output signals having a common frequency and different phases. In one embodiment, the VCO may include a passive conductive structure having a first ring and a plurality of taps spaced around the first ring. The VCO may further include a capacitive load coupled to the passive conductive structure, one or more feedback structures coupled between a pair of opposing taps of the plurality of taps, and one or more current injection devices coupled between a pair of adjacent taps of the plurality of taps.

Many communications systems rely on multi-phase frequency generation. For example, some modulation schemes, such as quadrature modulation (e.g., I/Q modulation and/or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)), phase modulation, and/or phase-shift keying (PSK) may use multiple phases to transmit data signals. Additionally, some systems (e.g., peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe)) may use multiple phases to achieve signal shaping and/or to multiply the frequency.
Several circuit architectures exist for producing multiple phases, including passive and active phase shifters, frequency dividers, delay locked loops (DLLs), and voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs). However, these circuits include several lumped circuits or a single distributed circuit to produce the multiple phases. Furthermore, the DLL circuits have high phase noise and do not operate at a wide bandwidth.


A rotary sorption heat pump for heating or cooling comprised of a plurality of sorption modules, each of which has at least two different zones of heat and mass transfer. The sorption modules are mounted to a frame which is adapted for rotation. Thermosyphons are used to transfer heat between different zones of sorption modules.

Thermally activated heat pumps based on the absorption principle hold great promise for meeting the combined environmental goals of higher energy efficiency (reduced CO.sub.2 emissions) and zero ozone depletion for space conditioning applications. However, the joint achievement of high efficiency, simplicity, and low cost has heretofore proved to be elusive.
The use of solid sorbents in single-effect intermittent cycle heat pumps or refrigerators is well known. Beyond the generic advantages of all sorption cycles (no compressor, actuated by heat vice shaft power, and no use of CFCs), solid sorbent use presents the added advantages that no sorbent or refrigerant pumps or valves are required (in certain configurations) and the sorbent is reasonably well localized. There are, however, many disadvantages: high latent heat of sorption causes very low coefficient of performance (COP); achieving continuous heat flow requires multiple units connected via complex valving arrangements; the heat release rate tends to be highly uneven, and that coupled with the periodic requirement to change between absorb and desorb results in substantial idle or lightly loaded periods. To compensate for the light load periods, the apparatus must be highly loaded the remainder of the time, and the highly loaded periods determine the heat exchange surface requirements. An additional disadvantage for solid absorbents (chemisorbents) is their monovariant equilibrium, i.e., pressure is solely a function of temperature, and not of refrigerant (sorbate) content. Thus each solid absorbent operates at a unique lift (relative to the pure refrigerant), and if the lift requirement changes, e.g., due to varying ambient temperature, the sorbent cannot adjust.
Yet another problem with historical chemisorbents was that the characteristic extreme sorbent volume changes (shrinking and swelling) caused the sorbent bed to compact and deactivate. That problem was largely overcome by either of two techniques. In the first technique, the chemisorbent was combined with additions of either viscous liquid (LiNO.sub.3) and/or of various inert conductive media, especially intricate porous structure such as activated carbon or exfoliated graphite. Prior art disclosures of this technique are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,986,525 and 4,595,774. In the second technique, the salt is prevented from swelling to its full extent, and is kept compressed within a volume smaller than that which it tends to occupy. The resulting pressure exerted on the salt by the container causes tile salt to take up a fixed position which is not shifted during desorption. This ensures more rapid reaction and good heat transfer. The compressed condition of the salt is achieved by partially loading the container with granular desorbed salt and then absorbing in situ until the reactor is full of solid, and then absorbing a minor additional amount. This technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos, 2,326,130 and 2,384,460.
For direct-fired space-conditioning applications, the most severe limitation of single-effect solid sorbent intermittent cycles is the low COP. As a result, various multi-effect cycles have been proposed. Unfortunately, they have also increased complexity, by any of several mechanisms: a) sorbate valves and/or throttles; b) sorbent-to-sorbent heat exchange through heat transfer loops comprised of two heat exchange surfaces and pump(s) and/or valves; c) complex heat transfer loop valving; d) excessive generator temperature requiring use of hot oils having poor heat transfer characteristics; and e) multiple sorbent beds are interconnected in conjunction with more sorbate than one sorbent bed can hold, which risks liquefying one of the sorbent beds at shutdown or abnormal conditions (all the sorbate migrates to the highest affinity sorbent).
Examples of disclosures of multi-effect solid sorbent heat pumps and their attendant complexities from the above list are: U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,607 (be); U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,132 (abe); U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,928 (abcde); U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,635 (abcde); U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,367 (bc); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,319 (abc). Multiple effect heat pumps based on hydrides also experience the above difficulties, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,018 and 5,174,367.
Rotary sorption heat pumps have been proposed. By arranging a multiplicity of single-effect intermittent cycle sorption zones or modules on a rotating frame, it is possible to achieve continuous heat pumping without either sorbent valves or heat transfer valves. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,169,362, 4,478,057, 4,574,874, 4,660,629, and 5,157,937.
Thermosyphons (also known as gravitational heat pipes) are frequently used to supply heat to or remove heat from intermittent sorption cycles. The thermosyphon may be hermetically separate from the sorption cycle, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,544,916, 2,596,523 and 4,993,234. Alternatively the thermosyphon can be integrated directly into the sorption cycle, using a common working fluid and a common component, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,446,636, 2,452,635, and 4,744,224. Also known are three-way thermosyphons, wherein one component is alternately a sink receiving heat from an external supply and then a source delivering heat to a different external sink, as in U.S. Pat. No. 2,293,556. Recently two new uses of thermosyphons in intermittent sorption cycles have been disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,607, a valved stationary thermosyphon transfers latent heat from one chemisorbent to another during one step of a two-step cycle, making possible a double-effect cycle. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,937, valveless rotating thermosyphons exchange sensible heat between two beds of the same adsorbent (also known as physisorbent), thus reducing changeover sensible heat losses and increasing COP. The two ends of the thermosyphon are effectively mirror images of each other, and each does the same two things. The rotation causes the thermosyphon to reverse direction of heat flow, i.e., heat flow is always from whichever end is lower to the other higher end. Both of the above disclosed thermosyphons are hermetically isolated from the sorption cycle.
What is needed, and included among the objects of this invention, are apparatus and corresponding process for at least one of heat pumping, refrigeration, and space conditioning, which apparatus achieves the simplicity and constant duty of rotary cycles, plus preferably also the high COP of multi-effect cycles, without the complications of refrigerant valves or seals, or of heat transfer liquid pumps, valves, or seals. It will preferably have a capability of being directly fired, while positively avoiding combustion gas contamination of heating air, and with no requirement for pumped circulation of hot oil. It will preferably achieve direct heating and/or cooling of conditioned space air with no intervening heat transfer liquid loop, and with minimal refrigerant distributed in multiple hermetically separate modules whereby the maximum refrigerant leakage possible from any single leak is essentially insignificant.
The apparatus will, in the multiple-effect embodiments, preferably transfer internal heat valvelessly from module to module, using rotation to appropriately turn the thermosyphon on and off. The newly disclosed multi-effect embodiments will preferably be simpler and more efficient than existing multi-effect embodiments.
Another objective is to disclose advantageous new multi-effect configurations which can be applied in stationary embodiments in addition to or in lieu of rotary embodiments.

Rotary solid sorption heat pump with embedded thermosyphons


A pedaling vibrational apparatus includes a seat body, a pedal assembly, a gear plate assembly, a drive assembly and an eccentric assembly, like a lever structure. By treading the pedal assembly, the gear plate assembly drives the drive assembly to rotate. The drive assembly is connected with the eccentric assembly. A user can fully exercise muscles of the user's body during exercise, and a vibrational effect generated by the eccentric assembly can stimulate acupuncture points of the user's body to improve blood circulation. Left and right pedals of the pedal assembly can be treaded in turn to continuously drive a gear to rotate in a same direction so as to achieve an effect of acceleration and to enhance vibrations.

There is a vibration machine, also known as a blood circulation machine developed on the market. When the user stands on a vibration machine, the vibration machine generates vibrations to stimulate the soles of the feet, so that the blood flows to the soles of the feet. In the process of vibration, the user's body, such as the abdomen and legs, can swing together, providing an effect of outdoor sports. Besides, the space occupied by a vibration machine is small. Most of vibration machines can be stored easily. The vibration machine can be unfolded in a narrow space for use.
However, the drawback of this exercise machine is that the exercise machine needs electric power to drive a motor, so that an internal vibration unit can be actuated to generate vibrations. Due to the arrangement of the motor and other components, the overall structure is quite complicated and the human body is vibrated by the vibration machine. Therefore, the posture of use is limited, with less fun.
In order to solve the problem that the existing vibration machine needs electric power and has complicated structure, China Patent No. CN103705363B discloses an "non-motorized fat-burning machine". The non-motorized fat-burning machine includes a base and a vibrating seat. The middle portion of the base is provided with a first shaft. The middle portion of the vibrating seat is connected with the first shaft and can swing relative to the base. A second shaft parallel to the first shaft is fixed on the vibrating seat. The vibrating seat, at both sides of the second shaft, is pivoted with left and right rotating shafts. The left and right rotating shaft are equipped with left and right eccentric wheels. Unidirectional bearings are mounted between the left and right eccentric wheels and the left and right rotating shafts, respectively. The left and right rotating shafts are fixedly connected with driven gears, respectively. The base is fixedly connected with a first gear. The second shaft is sleeved with a second gear to mesh with the first gear. The second gear drives the driven gears on the left and right rotating shafts to rotate through a gear transmission mechanism. Through the gear transmission mechanism, the rotational speed of the driven gears on the left and right rotating shafts is greater than the rotational speed of the second gear.
The above structure does solve the defect of the electrically powered vibrating fitness equipment, however, the inventor finds that this patent still has the following defects: (1) The drive mode of this patent, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, uses a bevel gear to drive a driven gear connected with the bevel gear. But in this design when the left and right sides of a cover ascend to a certain position, the mechanism may be jammed or cannot be operated smoothly. The reason is that the driven gears are rotated in different directions. When the cover is horizontal, there will be a jammed problem. (2) A further drawback of this patent is that since the driven gear is further connected to the eccentric wheel. It can be understood that when the pedals are treaded, the vibration is not continuous and the action is not smooth. In this design, the instantaneous clockwise/counterclockwise rotation easily leads to damage the connected teeth.
In the above structure, the unidirectional bearings are mounted between the left and right eccentric wheels and the left and right rotating shafts. The left and right rotating shafts are fixedly connected with the driven gears, respectively. Therefore, the left and right eccentric wheels are subjected to the respective unidirectional gears, one of the eccentric wheels is rotated, and the unidirectional bearing of the other eccentric wheel is idling without acceleration, reducing its vibrational effect. Moreover, the number of the components increase, resulting in increased costs. It really needs to be improved.
Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems and develop a non-motorized pedal-type vibrational apparatus which has much fun and can enhance the blood circulation.


A method of and an apparatus for aerating and circulating a liquid in a vessel comprising utilizing a surface aerator and a bottom mixing rotor mounted on a hollow common shaft. The rotor entrains liquid and air into the hollow center of the common shaft from the liquid surface region and affects a downward two-phase flow in the hollow center. The gas-liquid mixture is subsequently injected into the liquid body through the channels of the rotor which communicate with the hollow center of the shaft. The discharged jet streams disperse the entrained gas bubbles throughout the liquid body and provide turbulent mixing in the bottom section of the vessel. The present invention not only provides sufficient bottom mixing but also enhances the mass transfer efficiency of the surface aeration by enriching the gas content in the surface layer of the liquid.

The present invention generally relates to a process and an apparatus for transfering a gas into a liquid body, in particular, the invention relates to aeration of industrial and municipal wastewater in the activated sludge process.
The activated sludge process for wastewater treatment comprises stablizing the wastewater impurities by means of aerobic biological growth. Adequate quantity of oxygen must be supplied to the microbial cells in order to keep them continuously digesting the organic impurities. At the same time, the treated liquid must be kept in sufficient mixing throughout the reactor so that the suspended biomass will not settle out from the reacting liquid. Therefore a properly designed aeration system must satisfy two process requirements, namely supplying desired amount of oxygen to the liquid and providing overall liquid mixing in the reactor.
It is well known that the aeration of activated sludge can be accomplished by mechanical surface aerators. A surface aerator contains a rotational shaft carrying a partially submerged rotor with a number of agitating blades. Said blades continously motivate the surface liquid and spray it in the gas space to form a jet layer. The jet layer, which is constantly renewed by the rotor, contacts with the oxygen contained gas and thereby results in oxygen dissolution in the liquid. As the jet impinges the liquid surface it entrains a quantity of gas pockets in the liquid surface layer, while the impact of the impingement produces surface turbulence which promotes a intimate contact between the liquid and the entrained gas bubbles. In general, the quantity of the gas bubbles are limited by the jet impingement which is insufficient to provide a optimum mass transfer efficiency. Therefore the performance of surface aerators can be further improved by introducing additional gas to the surface layer of the liquid.
Because a surface aerator has a relatively simple mechanical arrangement, it enjoys a growing popularity in the modern wastewater industry. However there is also a fundamental shortcoming: The liquid circulation is limited to the surface layer and the aeration basin has inhomogeneous oxygen distribution and insufficient mixing in the bottom portion. Under this situation, a part of the solids will settle out and accumulate on the basin bottom. The settlement of solid is very undesirable from the standpoint of activated sludge process for it develops an anaerobic reaction condition. The generally known solution to this problem is to add a bottom mixer to the common shaft of the surface aerator. However, the additional bottom mixers are disposed close to the bottom of the basin, it can only perform bottom mixing but not oxygen transfer, for no gas bubbles can penetrate to the bottom section. Therefore the power consumed by the bottom mixer does not contribute additional oxygen transfer and the overall mass transfer efficiency is sharply reduced. From the standpoint of oxygen transfer it is beneficial to introduce extra gas to the bottom section of the reactor so that the mixing power of the bottom mixer can be utilized for oxygen transfer. A part of the introduced gas will be dissolved in the bottom mixing zone and the undissolved gas bubbles will rise to the surface layer of the liquid to enhance the mass transfer of the surface aerator. However, the operation of injecting gas into the liquid bottom section can not be carried out without additional complicated mechanical system in the conventional manner. In order to overcome the hydrostatic pressure, the injected gas must be pressurized by a blower such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,679. The extra costs of the blower and the gas pipe line in this patented system must be spent in addition to the surface aeration reactor and therefore the advantage of the high efficiency of oxygen transfer is counter-balanced by the high capital costs and the complicated mechanical system.
The ideal system for enhancing the surface aeration and providing bottom mixing would include a novel means of gas injection which requires no additional prime mover. The present invention provides an aeration method and apparatus which have the features of the above stated ideal system.


A control system to locate a motorized entity on a display having an electronic device with a display is provided. The electronic device may include a microphone and an electronic device integrated circuit with a set of entity locating software instructions with a capability to generate and display a sequence of pixels in a location pattern, and to further receive an audio output detection signal from the microphone. The entity may include a speaker and one or more sensors in communication with an entity integrated circuit including a set of entity control software instructions. The one or more sensors may be capable of detecting pixels and to send a pixel detection signal to the entity integrated circuit upon detection thereof.

Systems, such as gaming systems or mobile application systems, are a popular way for people to entertain and/or educate themselves by interacting with programming or other users. A need exists for interactive platforms to utilize a control system to combine the elements of toy entities, software operating capability and electronic devices to provide improved interaction options and experiences.

Interactive application platform for a motorized toy entity and display


An electrical method and apparatus for stimulating cardiac cells causing contraction to force hemodynamic output during fibrillation, hemodynamically compromising tachycardia, or asystole. Forcing fields are applied to the heart to give cardiac output on an emergency basis until the arrhythmia ceases or other intervention takes place. The device is used as a stand alone external or internal device, or as a backup to an ICD, atrial defibrillator, or an anti-tachycardia pacemaker. The method and apparatus maintain some cardiac output and not necessarily defibrillation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of therapies for cardiac arrhythmias, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for forcing cardiac output by delivering a pulsatile electrical field to the heart during fibrillation or a hemodynamically compromising tachycardia.
2. Background Information
Approximately 400,000 Americans succumb to ventricular fibrillation each year. It is known that ventricular fibrillation, a usually fatal heart arrhythmia, can only be terminated by the application of an electrical shock delivered to the heart. This is through electrodes applied to the chest connected to an external defibrillator or electrodes implanted within the body connected to an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Paramedics cannot usually respond rapidly enough with their external defibrillators to restore life. New methods of dealing with this problem include less expensive external defibrillators (and thus more readily available) and smaller implantable defibrillators. Since the first use on humans of a completely implantable cardiac defibrillator in 1980, research has focused on making them continually smaller and more efficient by reducing the defibrillation threshold energy level. The goal has been to reduce the size of the implantable device so that it could be implanted prophylactically, i.e., in high risk patients before an episode of ventricular fibrillation.
An ICD includes an electrical pulse generator and an arrhythmia detection circuit coupled to the heart by a series of two or more electrodes implanted in the body. A battery power supply, and one or more charge storage capacitors are used for delivering defibrillation shocks in the form of electrical current pulses to the heart. These devices try to restore normal rhythm from the fibrillation. While it works well at restoring normal function, the ICD is large in size and not practical for a truly prophylactic device. A small device capable of maintaining minimal cardiac output, in high risk patients, prior to admission into an emergency room is needed.
In addition, external defibrillators are limited in their performance. The typical paramedic defibrillation may be delayed by 10 minutes. At this time defibrillation may be irrelevant since the rhythm is often advanced to asystole. In asystole, there is little or no electrical activity and certainly no cardiac pumping.
There is a need for a new method and apparatus for dealing with ventricular fibrillation. The defibrillation approach does not work satisfactorily. External devices are too slow in arrival and implantable defibrillators are excessively large (and expensive) for prophylactic use.
The invention provides an electrical method of stimulating cardiac cells causing contraction to force hemodynamic output during fibrillation, hemodynamically compromising tachycardia, or asystole. Forcing fields are applied to the heart to give cardiac output on an emergency basis until the arrhythmia ceases or other intervention takes place. The device is usable as a stand alone external or internal device or as a backup to an ICD, atrial defibrillator, or an anti-tachycardia pacemaker.
The goal of the invention is maintaining some cardiac output and not necessarily defibrillation. The method is referred to as Electrical Cardiac Output Forcing and the apparatus is the Electrical Cardiac Output Forcer (ECOF).
In the implantable embodiment, a forcing field is generated by applying approximately 50 volts to the heart at a rate of approximately 100-180 beats per minute. These fields are applied after detection of an arrhythmia and maintained for up to several hours. This will generate a cardiac output which is a fraction of the normal maximum capacity. The heart has a 4 or 5 times reserve capacity so a fraction of normal pumping activity will maintain life and consciousness.
The implantable embodiment is implanted in high risk patients who have never had fibrillation. If they do fibrillate, the ECOF device forces a cardiac output for a period of up to several hours, thus giving the patient enough time to get to a hospital. That patient would then be a candidate for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The ECOF differs from the ICD in that it is primarily intended for a single usage in forcing cardiac output over a period of hours, while the ICD is designed to furnish hundreds of defibrillation shocks over a period of years.
Insofar as is known, no prior attempts have been made at forcing pulses during any type of fibrillation. Some workers in the field have experimented for research purposes with local pacing during fibrillation. For example, Kirchhof did local pacing during atrial fibrillation in dog hearts (Circulation 1993; 88: 736-749). He used 0.5 mm diameter electrodes and pacing stimuli. As expected, small areas around the heart were captured but no pumping action was expected or detected. Similar results have been obtained in the ventricle by KenKnight (Journal of the American College of Cardiology 1994; 283A).
Various researchers have tried multiple pulse defibrillation without success in reducing the energy thresholds, for example, Schuder (Cardiovascular Research; 1970, 4, 497-501), Kugelberg (Medical and Biological Engineering; 1968, 6, 167-169 and Acta Chirurgica Scandinavia; 1967, 372), Resnekov (Cardiovascular Research; 1968, 2, 261-264), and Geddes (Journal of Applied Physiology; 1973, 34, 8-11).
More recently, Sweeney (U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,984) has experimented with multiple (primarily dual) shocks of timing calculated from the fibrillation rate. None of these approaches has been able to significantly reduce voltages from conventional defibrillation shocks. Importantly, none of these approaches anticipated the idea that the individual pulses might force cardiac output or could sustain life indefinitely.
Some have considered the use of smaller pulses, before the shock, to reduce the energy required for a defibrillation shock (Kroll, European Application No. 540266), but never anticipated eliminating the defibrillation shock itself or anticipated that the pulses themselves could maintain cardiac output. Some have suggested using higher voltage pulses to terminate ventricular tachycardias, but no suggestion was made of an application with fibrillation or of obtaining cardiac output (Kroll WO 93/19809) and Duffin (WO 93/06886).
The benefits of this invention will become clear from the following description by reference to the drawings.

External defibrillator with electrical CPR assist


3-Hydrazino-6-PY-pyridazine or pharmaceutically-acceptable acid-addition salt thereof is useful as a cardiotonic agent, where PY is 4- or 3-pyridinyl or 4- or 3-pyridinyl having one or two lower-alkyl substitutents. 6-PY-3-pyridazinol is prepared by reacting 6-PY-3-pyridazinol with a chlorinating agent to produce 3-chloro-6-PY-pyridazine and reacting said 3-chloro compound with hydrazine to produce said 3-hydrazino compound. 3-Hydrazino-6-PY-pyridazine or pharmaceutically-acceptable acid-addition salt thereof is disclosed as the active component in cardiotonic compositions for increasing cardiac contractility and in the method for increasing cardiac contractility in a patient requiring such treatment. The novel intermediate 3-chloro-6-PY-pyridazine is prepared as noted above.

(a) Field of the invention
This invention relates to 3-hydrazino-6-PY-pyridazine, useful as cardiotonic agent, and to its preparation.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Haginiwa et al., [Yakugaku Zasshi 98 (1), 67-71 (1978); Chem. Abstrs. 88, 170,096v (1978)] reacted 3(2H)-pyridazinone with pyridine 1-oxide and platinized Pd-C catalyst to produce 6-(2-pyridinyl)-3(2H)-pyridazinone.
The Yoshitomi Pharmaceutical Ind., Ltd. Japanese patent application Disclosure No. 19,987/79, published Feb. 15, 1979 and based on Application No. 85,192/77, filed July 15, 1977, discloses, inter alia, the preparation of 4,5-dihydro-6-(4-pyridinyl)-3(2H)-pyridazinone by refluxing for two hours an ethanolic solution of 3-(isonicotinoyl)propanoic acid [same as .gamma.-oxo-.gamma.-(4-pyridinyl)butyric acid] and hydrazine hydrate. 4,5-Dihydro-6-(4-pyridinyl)-3(2H)-pyridazinone and closely related 4,5-dihydro-6-(4- or 3- or 2-pyridinyl)-5-R-3(2H)-pyridazinones, where R is H or lower alkyl, are said (page 2 of English translation) to be "useful not only as medicines such as hypotensive and antithrombus agents becaue they have pharmacological actions such as hypotensive, blood platelet coagulation-inhibitory and membrane-stabilizing actions, but also as intermediates for the synthesis of such medicines".

3-Hydrazino-6-(pyridinyl) pyridazines and cardiotonic use thereof


The present invention 10 discloses a portable back pack vacuum consisting of a housing 12 containing vacuum components. Shoulder straps 22 and a waist belt 16 with buckle 17 are provided for easy maneuvering of the device. A hose storage compartment 28 allows the user to stow the vacuum hose 30 while not in use. The waist belt provides multiple elastic pockets 18 for easy storage and accessibility to items and attachments 20 for the device. A handle 24 is located at the top of the device for easy lifting assistance.

The present invention relates generally to Vacuum cleaners and more specifically to a portable back pack vacuum consisting of a housing containing vacuum components and is electrically operated and can be carried within a range of twenty-five feet from where the device is plugged in. Shoulder straps and a waist belt are provided for easy maneuvering of the device. An extension tube storage compartment allows the user to stow the vacuum hose while not in use. The waist belt provides elastic pockets for easy storage and accessibility to items and attachments for the device. A handle is located at the top of the device for easy lifting assistance. A removable, tinted, transparent, plastic filter canister is provided. It is attached to the upper portion of the device by means of locking clips. The canister is removed to access the reusable filter and discard consumption within the canister. A hose storage compartment is provided and allows the user a place to stow the hose while not in use. The hose is attached to the device at one distal end by means of a swivel base. The swivel base allows the hose to rotate in any direction the hose needs to be manipulated. The device is provided in commercial, residential and pro series.
The present invention discloses a portable back pack vacuum consisting of a housing containing vacuum components. Shoulder straps and a waist belt with buckle are provided for easy maneuvering of the device. A hose storage compartment allows the user to stow the vacuum hose while not in use. The waist belt provides multiple elastic pockets for easy storage and accessibility to items and attachments for the device. A handle is located at the top of the device for easy lifting assistance.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a back packable vacuum.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a back packable vacuum that is electrically operated.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a back packable vacuum that can be carried twenty-five feet from the area it is plugged into.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a back packable vacuum system that provides straps and a waist belt consisting of storage pockets for easy access to accessories that may be stowed within them.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a back packable vacuum system that consists of an extension tube storage compartment mounted at the rear portion of the device and is easily accessible.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a back packable vacuum system that consists of a hose storage compartment that allows the user to stow the vacuum hose while not in use.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a back packable vacuum unit that consists of a reusable filter.
In addition, a back packable vacuum system that can be transported anywhere easily without dragging or pulling of the device.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claim.


A magnetoresistive element according to an embodiment includes: a first layer; a first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer disposed between the first layer and the first magnetic layer; a nonmagnetic layer disposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer; and an insulating layer disposed at least on side surfaces of the nonmagnetic layer, the first layer including: at least one element selected from a first group consisting of Hf, Zr, Al, Cr, and Mg; and at least one element selected from a second group consisting of Ta, W, Mo, Nb, Si, Ge, Be, Li, Sn, Sb, and P, and the insulating layer including at least one element selected from the first group.

Magneto tunnel junction (MTJ) elements are used as magnetoresistive elements of magnetic random access memories (MRAM). The MTJ elements include a magnetic material and an insulating material such as MgO. Therefore, processing the MTJ elements by reactive ion etching (RIE) using halogen gas, which is commonly used in the semiconductor field, is difficult. If the MTJ elements are processed by RIE, a corrosion problem may be caused due to their weak resistance to corrosion. Furthermore, since the MTJ elements include many materials that are difficult to etch, etching itself may be difficult to be performed.
In order to deal with this problem, a milling process using Ar ions that is an inert gas may be employed to process the MTJ elements. However, the milling process with Ar ions physically sputters atoms. As a result, the sputtered atoms may adhere to side surfaces of the MTJ element to form a shunt path in a tunnel barrier layer of the MTJ element. This may degrade the magnetoresistance (MR), and in the worst case, cause a short-circuit failure in the device. Thus, when MTJ element is processed by milling, it is important not to cause the shunt path due to a layer of atoms adhering to side surfaces of the MTJ element.

Magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory


A method of reading a radiation image converting panel whereby pillar-shaped stimulatable fluorescent substances formed on a supporting member by deposition are excited by irradiating excitation light to a surface of the radiation image converting panel on which radiation energy has been stored and recorded by irradiation of the radiation; emitting the radiation energy as photostimulated fluorescent light; and reading out the photostimulated fluorescent light photoelectrically from both surfaces of the radiation image converting panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of reading a radiation image converting panel, and more particularly to a radiation image-converting panel reading method of a double focusing type that takes advantage of the photostimulated luminescence of a stimulatable fluorescent substance (BaFBr, Eu2+).
2. Description of the Related Art
A radiation image recording-reproducing method (radiation image converting method) employing a stimulatable fluorescent substance is known as a replacement method for radiography that employs a combination of radiographic film and a sensitizing screen. This method makes use of a radiation image converting panel that contains a stimulatable fluorescent substance (also stated as a stimulatable fluorescent substance sheet). In the method, radiation transmitted through or emitted from a subject is absorbed in the stimulatable fluorescent substance contained in the sheet. Then, an electromagnetic wave (excitation light), such as visible light, infrared radiation, etc., is irradiated to the stimulatable fluorescent substance to excite it. With the excitation, the radiation energy that has been stored in the stimulatable fluorescent substance is emitted as fluorescent light. This phenomenon is called photostimulated luminescence. The fluorescent light is photoelectrically read and converted to an electrical signal. Based on the electrical signal, the radiation image of the subject is reproduced as a visible image. After the radiation energy remaining in the stimulatable fluorescent substance has been erased, the radiation image converting panel that has finished the reading is repeatedly used by the same radiation recording-reproducing method.
The radiation image converting panel employed in the above-mentioned radiation image recording-reproducing method is normally provided on its lower surface with a supporting member and on its upper surface with a protective film. The stimulatable fluorescent layer of the radiation image converting panel is usually made up of stimulatable fluorescent particles and a bonding agent containing and supporting the fluorescent particles in a dispersed state. However, a stimulatable fluorescent layer consisting of an aggregate of a stimulatable fluorescent substance without a bonding agent formed by a deposition or sintering method, or a stimulatable fluorescent layer containing a high polymer in a gap in the above-mentioned aggregate, is also known. Radiation image converting panels employing these stimulatable fluorescent layers can all be used in the aforementioned radiation image recording-reproducing method.
Reading of radiation image information by the radiation recording-reproducing method is generally performed by irradiating excitation light to the upper surface of the radiation image converting panel, then reading out the fluorescent light emitted from the stimulatable fluorescent substance by a focusing guide provided on the side where the excitation light is irradiated, and converting the read fluorescent light to an electrical image signal (single focusing type). However, in the case where the fluorescent light emitted from the stimulatable fluorescent substance is read out as much as possible, or in the case where, for a latent image formed by radiation energy stored within the radiation image converting panel, an energy intensity change (intensity distribution) in the direction of depth of the sheet is obtained as radiation image information, a double focusing type that focuses the fluorescent light emitted from the upper and lower surfaces of the radiation image converting panel is utilized. A radiation image recording-reproducing method of this double focusing type is described, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 55(1980)-87970.
In the radiation image recording-reproducing method of the above-mentioned single focusing type or double focusing type, it is desirable that the radiation image converting panel have high sensitivity and be capable of reproducing a high-quality radiation image. Particularly, in the formation of a medical radiation image that employs X-rays, which is a representative use of the radiation image recording-reproducing method, it is desirable to obtain a radiation image having high quality (particularly, high sharpness related with high resolution), with a small exposure-dose of X-rays.
The diffusion of excitation light within the radiation image converting panel has a significant influence on the sharpness of a radiation image formed by the radiation image recording-reproducing method. This is for the following reason. The latent image of the radiation energy recorded on the radiation image converting panel is read out by moving a beam of excitation light to irradiate it to the panel surface in a time-series manner and then sequentially focusing the fluorescent light emitted from the panel surface by the irradiation of the excitation light. However, if the irradiated excitation light diffuses within the panel (particularly, in the plane direction), the excitation light will go beyond the irradiated region and excite the fluorescent particles outside the irradiated region that have radiation energy, and consequently, the radiation energy outside the irradiated region, as well as the radiation energy inside the irradiated region, will be read out as fluorescent light.
It is known that, in the radiation image converting panel employed in the radiation image recording-reproducing method of the single focusing type, excitation-light reflecting partitions for dividing the panel finely along the panel surface are provided in the stimulatable fluorescent layer of the panel to avoid diffusion of excitation light. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59(1984)-202100 discloses that a honeycomb structure consisting of cells divided by partitions is provided in a radiation image converting panel wherein a stimulatable fluorescent layer is provided on a supporting member and that each cell is filled with a stimulatable fluorescent substance. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62(1987)-36599 discloses a radiation image converting panel wherein a large number of recesses (in which the ratio between the diameter and the depth is 1:3.5 or greater) are regularly provided on one surface of a supporting member and filled with a stimulatable fluorescent substance. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2(1990)-129600 discloses a radiation image converting panel wherein a great number of holes formed in the direction of depth of a supporting plate are filled with a stimulatable fluorescent substance. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2(1990)-280100 discloses a radiation image converting panel wherein a micro structure in the form of a honeycomb, formed on a supporting member, is filled with a fluorescent substance. PCT Japanese Publication No. 5(1993)-512636 discloses a method of fabricating phosphorescent pixels by the use of a metal mold.
The above-mentioned stimulatable fluorescent layer, in which a large number of recesses formed in the base or supporting member are filled with fluorescent particles, is effective in forming a radiation image with high quality (particularly high sharpness), because diffusion of excitation light is prevented by the supporting material which becomes partitions within the radiation image converting sheet. However, since the partitions occupy part of the stimulatable fluorescent layer, the problem of the fill amount of the fluorescent particles per unit volume being necessarily reduced will arise. A reduction in the amount of the fluorescent substance within the stimulatable fluorescent layer per unit volume reduces an absorption amount of X-rays and therefore gives rise to a reduction in the sensitivity of the radiation image converting panel. The sensitivity of the radiation image converting panel can be increased by increasing the thickness of the layer. An increase in the layer thickness, however, results in a reduction in the sharpness of an image.
As a means for solving such a problem, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7(1995)-27078 there is disclosed a radiation image information reader employing a radiation image converting panel wherein a stimulatable fluorescent substance is deposited by a deposition method and has a pillar-shaped crystal structure. Since the fluorescent layer formed by deposition contains no bonding agent, it becomes possible to make the density of the fluorescence substance higher, compared with a dispersion system containing a bonding agent. This enhances the radiation absorption factor and the sensitivity with respect to radiation, resulting in an enhancement in the graininess of an image.
On the other hand, in the radiation image information reader that is employed in a radiation image recording-reproducing system, from the viewpoint of shortening the time required to read fluorescent light, device compactness, and cost reduction, a line light source, which irradiates excitation light in line form to the sheet, such as a fluorescent lamp, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp, a light-emitting diode (LED) array, a broad area laser, etc., is used as an excitation light source, and a line sensor, wherein a large number of photoelectric converting elements are arrayed along the direction of length of the line excitation light irradiated to the sheet by the line light source, is used as photoelectric reading means. The radiation image information reader is also provided with scan means movable with respect to the above-mentioned line light source and line sensor in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length direction of the line excitation light (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 60(1985)-111568, 60(1985)-236354, and 1(1989)-101540, etc.).
It is desired that in the radiation image-converting panel reading method of the double focusing type, as with the radiation image-converting panel reading method of the single focusing type, high sensitivity and a high-sharpness radiation image be obtained. Therefore, there is an increasingly strong demand for the development of a radiation image converting panel which is capable of reproducing a radiation image with even higher sensitivity and high sharpness.
In addition, the quantum noise of radiation is contained in the step of storing and recording a radiation image on the stimulatable fluorescent sheet and is superposed on an image signal read out by the radiation image converting panel, so a reading method capable of effectively removing the quantum noise is also required in order to enhance the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of a radiation image reproduced by the read image signal.
The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned problems found in the prior art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a radiation image converting panel which enhances the graininess of an image by increasing the filling density of a fluorescent substance, while reducing scattering of excitation light by a radiation image converting-panel reading method of the double focusing type. Another object of the present invention is to provide a radiation image-converting panel reading method which is capable of collecting a larger amount of image information and enhancing the sharpness of an image, by employing the aforementioned radiation image converting panel.
To achieve the aforementioned objects of the present invention, there is provided a method of reading a radiation image converting panel which comprises at least an optically transparent supporting member and a fluorescent layer having pillar-shaped stimulatable fluorescent substances formed on the supporting member by a deposition method, the reading method comprising the steps of:
exciting the stimulatable fluorescent substances by irradiating excitation light to a surface of the radiation image converting panel on which energy of radiation has been stored and recorded by irradiation of the radiation;
emitting the radiation energy as photostimulated fluorescent light; and
reading out the photostimulated fluorescent light photoelectrically from both surfaces of the radiation image converting panel.
The aforementioned deposition method not only means a vapor deposition method wherein a stimulatable fluorescent substance is evaporated by heating and deposited on a predetermined base, but broadly means a method of depositing a stimulatable fluorescent substance. For example, it includes sputter deposition, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), ion plating, etc.
The expression xe2x80x9cfluorescent layer having pillar-shaped stimulatable fluorescent substancesxe2x80x9d refers to a layer that has pillar-shaped stimulatable fluorescent substances in a direction approximately perpendicular to the surface of the fluorescent layer, the pillar-shaped stimulatable fluorescent substances being optically independent of one another. The words xe2x80x9coptically independentxe2x80x9d mean that the diffusion of irradiated excitation light within the fluorescent layer (particularly diffusion in the plane direction) is suppressed and that the irradiated excitation light hardly goes beyond a region irradiated and excites fluorescent particles having radiation energy outside the irradiated region. That is, the words xe2x80x9coptically independentxe2x80x9d mean that radiation energy outside the irradiated region is difficult to read out as photostimulated fluorescent light, along with radiation energy inside the irradiated region. The pillar-shaped fluorescent substances can be formed, for example, by partitions that divide the fluorescent layer along the plane direction. However, it is desirable that the partitions have a stimulatable fluorescent substance.
Since the radiation image converting panel is a panel comprising at least the supporting member and the fluorescent layer, the radiation image converting panel may be provided with other layers such as a protective layer, a bonding layer, etc. It is preferable that a multi-layer film filter for transmitting only photostimulated fluorescent light be provided on the opposite side from the side of the radiation image converting panel to which the excitation light is irradiated.
It is desirable that the irradiation of the excitation light be performed by a line light source which emits the excitation light in line form. It is also desirable that the reading from both surfaces of the radiation image converting panel be performed by a line sensor having a large number of photoelectric converting elements arrayed in line form, or an area sensor in which a great number of line-shaped photoelectric converting elements are arrayed in rows.
In the radiation image-converting panel reading method of the present invention, the stimulatable fluorescent layer of the radiation image converting panel is constructed of the optically independent pillar-shaped fluorescent substances, formed by a deposition method. Therefore, the directivities of the photosimulated excitation light and photosimulated fluorescent light are enhanced and the permeabilities for the photosimulated excitation light and photosimulated fluorescent light become higher. As a result, the stimulatable fluorescent layer can be made thicker than that formed by the aforementioned conventional coating methods and can have even higher sensitivity with respect to radiation.
Since the stimulatable fluorescent layer formed by the deposition method contains no bonding agent, the density of the fluorescent substance can be made about two times higher, compared with a dispersion system containing a bonding agent. Also, as the radiation absorption factor of the stimulatable fluorescent layer per unit volume can be enhanced, the stimulatable fluorescent layer has high sensitivity with respect to radiation and is capable of enhancing the graininess of an image. Furthermore, because the stimulatable fluorescent layer is constructed with the optically independent pillar-shaped stimulatable fluorescent substances, the stimulatable fluorescent layer is capable of enhancing the sharpness of an image by reducing scattering of excitation light.
If the partitions for dividing the optically independent pillar-shaped fluorescent substances, formed by the deposition method, contain a stimulatable fluorescent substance, the partitions can suppress a reduction in the sensitivity of the radiation image converting panel due to a reduction in an absorption amount of X-rays, without giving rise to the problem of the fill amount of the fluorescent particles of the fluorescent layer per unit volume being reduced.
In addition, the radiation image-converting panel reading method of the present invention can capture a larger amount of photostimulated fluorescent light in the direction of thickness of the fluorescent layer, because it photoelectrically reads out photostimulated florescent light from both surfaces of the radiation image converting panel. Therefore, the reading method is capable of enhancing quality (sharpness) and also enhancing the S/N ratio of the radiation image reproduced by an image signal obtained. In the case where a multi-layer film filter for transmitting only photostimulated fluorescent light is provided on the opposite side from the side of the radiation image converting panel to which the excitation light is irradiated, the multi-layer film filter selectively transmits only the photostimulated fluorescent light emitted from the radiation image converting panel. Therefore, the reading method is capable of further enhancing the S/N ratio of the radiation image reproduced by an image signal obtained.
Furthermore, by performing the irradiation of excitation light by a line light source for irradiating excitation light in line form, and by performing reading from both surfaces of the radiation image converting panel using a line sensor having a large number of photoelectric converting elements arrayed in line form, the time for reading photostimulated fluorescent light can be shortened, and furthermore, the converting panel can be made compact and the number of scanning components reduced.

Method of reading a radiation image converting panel


Compounds that inhibit 5-alpha-reductase are provided. The compounds are used to treat prostate cancer, breast cancer, obesity, skin disorders and baldness.

The present invention relates generally to compounds, compositions methods regulating the action and function of androgens and other steroid hormones by modulating the activity of steroid-reductases, including isozymes of 5xcex1-reductases. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of these compounds to regulate processes or treat disorders that are modulated by androgens or other steroid hormones or are caused by abnormal actions of androgens or other steroid hormones in cells or organs of animals, humans, plants, or microorganisms. This invention relates to the use of natural and synthetic flavanoids, catechols, curcumin-related substances, quinones, catechins and fatty acids and their analogues or derivatives as 5xcex1-reductase isozyme inhibitors and as therapeutic agents. These compounds can also be used in promoting or modulating desirable production of specific products for commercial purposes.
In some of the androgen-sensitive organs, such as the prostate and skin, testosterone (T) is converted to a more active metabolite 5xcex1-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by 5xcex1-reductase (Anderson and Liao, 1968; Bruchovsky and Wilson, 1968). Other substrates of 5xcex1-reductases are also converted to reduce products that may have specific properties. Inhibition of 5xcex1-reductase represents a unique approach for developing therapeutic methods for androgen-dependent diseases, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, breast and prostatic cancer, skin disorders, seborrhea, common baldness, hirsutism, and hidradenitis suppurative. Various compounds have been shown to inhibit 5xcex1-reductase activity (Liang and Liao, 1992; Hirsch et al., 1993; Russell and Wilson, 1994; Liao and Hiipakka, 1995). Finasteride (Proscar), a 5xcex1-reductase inhibitor, lowers the level of DHT in serum and the prostate, reduces prostate volume and increase urinary flow in some patients (Stoner E. Finasteride Study Group, 1992). Certain aliphatic unsaturated fatty acids, such as xcex3-linolenic acid (Liang and Liao, 1992) and catechin-3-gallates (Liao and Hiipakka, 1995), can inhibit 5xcex1-reductase activity of liver and prostate of rats and humans in vitro.
5xcex1-Reductase is found in many organs (Russell and Wilson, 1994; Hiipakka et al., 1993) including the sebaceous gland of hamsters (Takayasu and Adachi, 1972) and human hair follicles (Randall, 1994). Two 5xcex1-reductase isozymes have been identified in rats and humans (Russell and Wilson, 1994). The type 1 isozyme predominates in rat tissues such as liver, kidney, brain, and lung, whereas the type 2 enzyme is more abundant in rat testis and epididymis. Both isozymes are found in skins of the neonate, but the type 1 isozyme is the major form expressed in the skin after puberty. The type 1 isozyme is also expressed in balding scalp. The possibility that the type 2 isozyme plays a unique role in skin and hair growth cannot be excluded. Finasteride, a 4-azasteroid, is a competitive inhibitor of 5xcex1-reductases and has an affinity 30-fold higher for isozyme 2 than for isozyme 1 (Russell and Wilson, 1994). In contrast, the green tea catechins, epicatechin-3-gallate and epigallocatechin-3-gallate are more effective inhibitors of the type 1 enzyme and xcex3-linolenic acid inhibits both isozymes equally well (Liao and Hiipakka, 1995).
In the stumptail macaque, a monkey model of androgenic alopecia, finasteride given orally prevents frontal baldness (Diani et al, 1992). The paired hamster flank organs, one on each side of the costovertebral angle, are highly sensitive to androgen stimulation. Topical application of xcex3-linolenic acid suppresses only the androgen-dependent growth of the treated hamster flank organ without showing systemic effects on the contralateral flank organ and this effect is very likely due to local inhibition of 5xcex1-reductase.
Uses of androgens known to the medical arts include, for example, treatment of hypogonadism and anemia. The abuse of androgens among athletes to enhance performance is well known. Androgens are also known to promote the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostate cancer, baldness, acne, obesity and undesirable lipid and steroid profiles in blood and organs.
Approximately 70% of males in the U.S. over the age of 50 have pathological evidence of BPH. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in males in the U.S. Male-patterned baldness can start as early as the teens in genetically susceptible males, and it has been estimated to be present in 30% of Caucasian males at age 30, 40% of Caucasian males at age 40, and 50% of Caucasian males at age 50. Acne is the most common skin disorder treated by physicians. In women, hirsutism is one of the hallmarks of excessive androgen. The ovaries and the adrenal are the major sources of androgen in women.
In men, the major androgen circulating in the blood is testosterone. About 98% of the testosterone in blood is bound to serum proteins (high affinity finding to sex-steroid binding globulin and low affinity binding to albumin), with only 1-2% in free form. The albumin-bound testosterone, the binding of which is readily reversible, and the free form are considered to be bioavailable, and account for about 50% of total testosterone. Testosterone enters target cells apparently by diffusion. In the prostate, seminal vesicles, skin, and some other target organs, it is converted by a NADPH-dependent 5xcex1-reductase to a more active metabolite, 5xcex1-DHT. 5xcex1-DHT then binds an androgen receptor (AR) in target organs. The 5xcex1-DHT-receptor complexes interact with specific portions of the genome to regulate gene activities (Liao et al., 1989). Testosterone appears to bind to the same AR, but it has a lower affinity than 5xcex1-DHT. In tissues such as muscle and testes, where 5xcex1-reductase activity is low, testosterone may be the more active androgen.
The difference between testosterone and 5xcex1-DHT activity in different androgen-responsive tissues is further suggested by findings in patients with 5xcex1-reductase deficiency. Males with 5xcex1-reductase deficiency are born with female-like external genitalia. When they reach puberty, their plasma levels of testosterone are normal or slightly elevated. Their muscle growth accelerates, the penis enlarges, voice deepens, and libido toward females develops. However, their prostates remain non-palpable, they have reduced body hair, and they do not develop acne or baldness.
The findings in 5xcex1-reductase deficient patients suggest that inhibitors of 5xcex1-reductase would be useful for the treatment of prostatic cancer, BPH, acne, baldness, and female hirsutism. Clinical observations and animal experiments have indicated that spermatogenesis, maintenance of libido, sexual behavior, and feedback inhibition of gonadotropin secretion do not require the conversion of testosterone to 5xcex1-DHT. This is in contrast to other hormonal therapies which abolish the actions of both testosterone and 5xcex1-DHT.
Treatment of androgen-dependent skin and prostatic diseases by 5xcex1-reductase inhibitors would be expected to produce fewer side effects than the presently available hormonal therapies. These include castration, estrogen therapy, high doses of superactive gonadotropin-releasing hormone such as Luprolide, and the use of competitive antiandrogens which inhibit AR binding of testosterone and 5xcex1-DHT, such as flutamide, cyproterone acetate and spironolactone. The long term efficacy of competitive antiandrogens is also compromised by their block of the androgenic feedback inhibition of gonadotropin secretion. This increases testicular secretion of testosterone. The higher level of testosterone eventually overcomes the action of the antiandrogen.
Excessive 5xcex1-DHT is implicated in certain androgen-dependent pathological conditions including BPH, acne, male-pattern baldness, and female idiopathic hirsutism. It has been shown that 5xcex1-reductase activity is reported to be higher in hair follicles from the scalp of balding men than that of non-balding men.
Since treatments of androgen-dependent skin and prostatic diseases by 5xcex1-reductase inhibitors can produce fewer side effects than the hormonal therapies which indiscriminately inhibit all androgen actions, it is desirable to provide different types of 5xcex1-reductase inhibitors.
The present invention relates generally to the utilization of certain compounds for the control of androgen activity in target organs and cells through the modulation of a 5xcex1-reductase activity. In certain aspects, these compounds are employed to repress androgenic activity by inhibiting the formation and availability of active androgen in target cells. Consequently, the present invention is useful for the treatment of a wide variety of conditions including, but not limited to, the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic cancer, hirsutism, acne, male pattern baldness, seborrhea, and other diseases related to androgen hyperactivity. Several of these compounds have been shown to effectively decrease body weight, and in some cases, to decrease the weight of an androgen-dependent body organ, such as the prostate and other organs. The effectiveness of these compounds may be dependent also on their action on other mechanisms involved in angiogenesis, cell-cell interaction, and on their interaction with various components of organs and cells.
Compounds useful in the practice of the present invention include various isomers of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, natural and synthetic analogues, and derivatives from which these fatty acids can be generated as well as the metabolites and oxidation products of these fatty acids. The use of these and other fatty acids and their derivatives is also contemplated. Also useful are catechin compounds, particularly, catechins that are structurally similar to epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG has an additional hydroxyl group on the epicatechin gallate molecule, which has been found to be surprisingly active in modulating several 5xcex1-reductase mediated processes. EGCG derivatives having such an additional OH group on the altering ECG molecule were shown to be active in inducing body weight loss and particularly in reducing the size of androgen sensitive organs such as preputial glands, ventral prostate, dorsolateral prostate, coagulating glands, seminal vesicles, human prostate tumors, and breast tumors in nude mice.
By analogy with the fatty acid compounds, certain active catechin gallates may not enter target cells easily. However, esterification of hydroxyl groups on the inhibitor compounds should enhance the ability of these compounds to enter the target cells. Once inside the cells, esters would be readily hydrolyzed by esterase to alcohols that can inhibit 5xcex1-reductases (Williams, 1985).
In more particular aspects of the invention, the inventors have discovered that certain catechins, particularly EGCG, can be administered to promote body weight loss that differentially affects overall body weight and prostate weight loss. In particular examples, it was shown that for a certain percentage of overall body weight loss, prostate weight loss was percentage-wise more than three times as much. The loss in body weight and the organ weight are likely due to EGCG interference of a common step in the pathway controlling body weight and the organ weight gain. EGCG and related compounds may interact and interfere with a receptor macromolecule (probably containing a protein) that modulates specific lipid synthesis and accumulation. Lipids can modulate gene expression, cell development and differentiation, and organ growth. Specific interference of lipid metabolism in the cells and organs may control the growth of the organs, in particular, prostate, sebaceous, preputial and other secretory organs. In certain applications, it is expected that benign or abnormal growth or cancer of these organs may be treated or even prevented by administration of catechin related compounds.
It has been demonstrated that catechin compounds will arrest or reduce human prostate and breast cancer cell growth. The effectiveness of catechin compounds was shown to be dependent on the methods by which these compounds were administered to the experimental animals. Intraperitoneal application was much more effective than oral administration. It is expected that direct application to the organs, such as the prostate, will be very effective. EGCG was surprisingly effective in suppressing and even reducing the size of human prostate and breast tumors in animal models. The effect was illustrated with EGCG; however, structurally similar catechin compounds are also effective, particularly those that are structurally similar to EGCG in having at least one additional hydroxyl group as compared with ECG. Thus, the EGCG species that contain eight hydroxyl groups is significantly more effective in reducing body weight than is ECG, which contains seven hydroxyl groups. Compounds of this general structure are expected to be particularly effective in chemoprevention and chemotherapy of human prostate cancer. Compounds having a part of structure similar to a part of structure of EGCG are also expected to be effective.
Compounds can be used as antiandrogenic agents through topical or systemic application. A preparation for this purpose can include a carrier, a protectant, an antioxidant (such as vitamin C or E, and various catechins and polyphenols), and other pharmaceutical and pharmacological agents. It is also expected that such compounds can be used in a delivery system (oral, local application, injection, or implantation) involving molecular recognition through which the compounds are delivered to target sites. Such a delivery system may involve, among other methods, liposome techniques or immunological devices.
Natural or synthetic chemicals that can modulate the production or cellular action of receptors and macromolecules are useful in the treatment of abnormalities such as obesity, BPH, prostate cancer, skin diseases, baldness, breast tumors, and hirsutism, which are related to lipid synthesis, body weight, and/or androgen function.
Animal models can be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of compounds on a variety of cancers. For example, Shionogi tumor and other tumors can be studied in male rats. Human breast and prostate cancer cell growth can be studied in nude mice. Alternatively, rodent breast tumors induced by carcinogens and other cancers induced in transgenic mice or Dunning tumor in rats can be similarly analyzed for their chemotherapy by EGCG and related compounds.
The use of compounds disclosed in the present invention, or in natural therapeutically effective amounts of pharmaceutical compositions containing one or more of the compounds, in some cases in combination with other therapeutic agents and carriers, or in natural or synthetic products, is appropriate in the treatment of various disorders. These disorders include, but are not necessarily limited to, those conditions wherein excessive androgenic activities have been implicated, for example, male pattern baldness, female hirsutism, skin disorders, BPH, cancers of prostate, breast, skin and other organs.
The present invention is also directed to novel compounds. These compounds have the formula:
where
x is xe2x80x94NHCH2CH2xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94;
R1, R2 and R3 each may be xe2x80x94H, xe2x80x94OH or xe2x80x94OCH3, provided that only one of R1, R2, and R3 may be xe2x80x94H;
R4,R5 and R6 each may be xe2x80x94H, xe2x80x94OH, xe2x80x94OCH3 or xe2x80x94N(CH3)2, provided that only one of R4,R5 and R6 may be xe2x80x94H; and
n is 0 or 1.
and the formula:
where R is
All of the compositions and methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions, methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. More specifically, it will be apparent that certain agents which are both chemically and physiologically related may be substituted for the agents described herein while the same or similar results would be achieved. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Methods and compositions for regulation of 5-xcex1-reductase activity


The device adapted to regulate the light power emitted by a laser diode (2) associated to an electric supply circuit (32) comprises a photosensor (6) providing an electric signal representing the mean optical power of the laser diode. A circuit (8) associated to the photodetector provides an error signal representing the deviation between the actual light power and an order power. The error signal is applied to a circuit (10) which controls a Peltier element (22) for cooling the laser. The supply circuit (32) either uses constant current or is controlled by a safety branch (30) which is operated in case of a sudden temperature variation of failure of the main servo control. The device may be particularly used in telecommunications.

The invention relates to the regulation of laser diodes operating continuously and it finds an important although not exclusive application in the field of optical fiber digital transmissions.
It is known that laser diodes are widely used for optical fiber transmission, in particular because they are capable of operating at much higher frequencies than light emitting diodes. But on the other hand these laser diodes have the disadvantage of presenting considerable variations of the light power emitted in response to the small variation of the current with respect to the threshold value. Now, this threshold value presents appreciable variations which are either reversible, as a function of the temperature more especially, or irreversible following aging more particularly.
To palliate the effects of these variations, it is necessary to provide regulation of the output light power. Processes are already known for regulating the light power emitted by a laser diode under continuous operating conditions, in which an electric signal representative of said light power is compared with an electric reference signal corresponding to a reference power for elaborating an error signal, and the operating conditions of the laser diode are automatically modified as a function of said signal.
Usually, it is the electric current supplying the laser diode which is controlled by a feedback loop whose input value is formed by the difference between the measured output light power and a reference power.
It is frequently necessary to add to this servo control a temperature regulation for present laser diodes must operate at a temperature at most not much higher than the normal ambient temperature. High temperatures in fact accelerate the aging and increase the risk of destruction, whereas on the contrary lowering of the temperature during operation increases the lifespan. Another reason which makes a temperature regulation frequently necessary is the need to remove the heat released at the junction of the laser diode. This temperature regulation is generally effected by cooling with an active element, such as a Peltier effect element, controlled by a second feedback loop whose input signal is formed by the difference between the measured temperature of the laser and the reference temperature.
Different reasons, which will be given in detail further on, cause this solution to be unsatisfactory. In particular, this double regulation requires a larger number of components and it suffers from a defect in its very principle: to maintain the light power emitted, during aging, the supply current must be increased, which causes an increase in heating and in the power consumed by the Peltier effect element, resulting in an increase in the overall power consumed. In addition, it is difficult to measure the temperature of the junction of the laser diode, so that the temperature measured is that of the base of the diode, to which a thermistor is fixed. The temperature differences which exist between the base and the junction will increase gradually with increases of electric current during aging, so that, for a fixed reference temperature, the temperature of the junction increases, which further accelerates aging.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved regulation process and device. It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a device which is simple in construction and which eliminates the above mentioned positive reaction phenomena.
To this end, the invention uses the fact that the threshold current of a laser diode increases with the temperature according to a law which is approximately exponential, and it proposes more especially a process of the above defined kind which is characterized in that the heat flow extracted from the laser diode is controlled so as to cancel out the error signal while feeding the laser diode with constant electric current.
The invention also proposes a regulation device for implementing the above defined process. This device comprises a photodetector disposed so as to supply an electric signal representative of the mean optical power of the laser diode and a circuit associated with the photodetector for supplying an error signal representative of the difference between the light power and a reference power, as well as a circuit for controlling the cooling means of the laser. It is more especially characterized in that the control circuit is mounted so as to receive the error signal and to control the cooling in a direction tending to cancel out the error signal and in that said supply circuit is a DC circuit.
Such an extremely simple device gives an entirely satisfactory result when the environment of the laser diode does not present sudden thermal shocks, which is for example the case in an undersea cable repeater. When the environment is on the contrary likely to present temperature variations whose rapidity is incompatible with the large time constant of the device such as defined above, which time constant is fixed more especially by the thermal inertia of the elements, the device is advantageously completed by addition of a servo control branch acting on the supply current of the laser diode. But it is essential to bear in mind that this branch has only an accessory role and only comes into play in a transitory fashion, during the time required for the thermal regulation to compensate for the effect of the temperature variation or in the case of failure of the main device.
The invention will be better understood from reading the following description of particular embodiments given by way of examples, and from the comparison which is made thereof with the prior art.

Process and device for regulating the light power of laser diodes


A nano composite material comprising: a biotinoyl tripeptide-1 nanosilver composite material which is conjugated by biotinoyl tripeptide-1 and nanosilver. The nano composite material of this technology can prevent hair loss, promote hair and eyelash growth, repair skin, etc.

Conventional nano materials are extremely small in size and can be easily placed inside living bodies. In recent years, combining nano gold with biosystem is a popular research topic in the related areas of nano materials. Currently, there are composite materials made from nano particles and biomolecules such as, protein, DNA and biopolysaccharide. By making use of the characteristics of inter-biomolecules, they can be applied in gene therapy, biomarker, drug targeting or biological transportation.
Based on the definition of nanotechnology, the particle size of a nanosilver particle is between 1-100 nm. Prior art has disclosed that nanosilver is antibacterial and can repair skin wounds. Patent literature 1 "A composite of spherical silver nanoparticles and layered inorganic clay" disclosed using nanosilver for antibacterial effect.
However, there have been very few applications using this technique in preventing hair loss, promoting hair growth, eyelash growth, and in cosmetics and skin care products.
Moreover, biotinoyl tripeptide-1 is regarded as a kind of protein derivative. It provides a protective shield for the hair, and it penetrates the hair stem to enhance the hair and prevent hair loss at the same time. Vitamin B is an essential factor in human cell growth and many enzyme systems.
However, biotinoyl tripeptide-1 is difficult to be absorbed by human body under normal conditions.
Commercial anti-hair loss products only use biotinoyl tripeptide-1 and nanosilver respectively as one of their ingredients. They did not combine biotinoyl tripeptide-1 and nanosilver, wherein the composite material is easier to be absorbed by human and prevents hair loss more effectively.
In order to solve the problems of prior art, this technology uses the characteristics of biotinoyl tripeptide-1 and conjugate with nanosilver, which increases the exploitability of the nano particle composite. This technology provides a composite material of nanosilver and biotinoyl tripeptide-1, and creates a formula to prevent hair loss, promote hair and eyelash growth and skin repair that can be used in anti-hair loss, hair growth, eyelash growth products, cosmetics, and skin care products.

Nano composite materials and use thereof