A Bacillus thuringiensis strain isolate, designated B.t. strain EG5847, exhibits insecticidal activity against lepidopteran insects. Two novel toxin genes from B.t. strain EG5847 designated cryET4 and cryET5 produce insecticidal proteins with activity against a broad spectrum of insects of the order Lepidoptera. The cryET4 gene has a nucleotide base sequence shown in FIG. 1 and listed in SEQ ID NO:1 and produces a CryET4 gene product having the deduced amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1 and listed in SEQ ID NO:2. The cryET5 gene has a nucleotide base sequence shown in FIG. 2 and listed in SEQ ID NO:3 and produces a CryET5 gene product having the deduced amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 2 and listed in SEQ ID NO:4.

Bacillus thuringiensis (commonly known as B.t.) is a gram positive soil bacterium that often produces cellular inclusions during sporulation which are specifically toxic to certain orders and species of insects. Many different strains of B.t. have been shown to produce these inclusions of insecticidal crystal protein (ICP). Compositions including B.t. strains which produce insecticidal proteins have been commercially available and used as environmentally acceptable insecticides because they are quite toxic to the specific target insect, but are harmless to plants and other non-targeted organisms.
B.t. ICP toxins are active in the insect only after ingestion. After ingestion by an insect, the alkaline pH and proteolytic enzymes in the mid-gut solubilize the crystal allowing the release of the toxic components. These toxic components disrupt the mid-gut cells resulting in cessation of feeding and, eventually, death of the insect. B.t. has proven to be an effective and environmentally safe insecticide in dealing with various insect pests.
A number of genes encoding crystal proteins have been cloned from many strains of B.t. A good overview is set forth in H. Hofte and H. R. Whiteley, Microbiol. Rev., 53, pp. 242-255 (1989), hereinafter "Hofte and Whiteley (1989)." This reference provides a good overview of the genes and proteins obtained from B.t. and their uses, adopts a nomenclature and classification scheme for B.t. genes and proteins, and has an extensive bibliography.
The nucleotide sequences of ICP genes responsible for a given crystal phenotype and active against the same insect order are generally more related, i.e., more homologous, than are the nucleotide sequences of B.t. genes encoding delta-endotoxin proteins active against different orders of insects Hofte and Whiteley (1989) defines an ordered classification of genes encoding B.t. delta-endotoxin proteins based on homology of delta-endotoxin amino acid sequences, as well as similarities in insecticidal activity; a subranking has also been established based upon further refinement of sequence relationship. As noted by Hofte and Whiteley (1989), the majority of insecticidal B.t. strains are active against insects of the order Lepidoptera, i.e., caterpillar insects. Insecticidal crystal proteins specifically active against Lepidoptera have been designated CryI proteins. These ICPs are encoded by cryI genes. Other B.t. strains produce different classes of crystal proteins, e.g., CryII proteins are active against lepidopteran and (for CryIIA) dipteran insects; CryIII proteins are insecticidal to insects of the order Coleoptera, i.e., beetles; and CryIV proteins are active against insects of the order Diptera, i.e., flies and mosquitoes. A compilation of the amino acid identities for several CryI proteins as well as CryII, CryIII and CryIV proteins has been determined in Hodgman and Ellar, J. DNA Sequencing and Mapping, 1, pp. 97-106 (1990).
The CryI family of ICPs contains the largest number of known toxin genes derived from B.t., as evidenced by the survey in Hofte and Whiteley (1989) and by subsequent reports of CryI-type ICPs.
Schnepf et al., J. Biol. Chem., 260, pp. 6264-6272 (1985), reported the complete nucleotide sequence for a toxin gene from B.t. kurstaki HD-1. This gene was subsequently classified as cryIA(a) by Hofte and Whiteley (1989). The published open reading frame extends 1176 amino acids and encodes a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 133,500 Daltons (Da). Another gene, also classified as cryIA(a), was isolated from B.t. subsp. kurstaki HD-1 Dipel.RTM. by Shibano et al., Gene 34, pp. 243-251 (1985). As detailed in Table 2 of Hofte and Whiteley (1989), this gene is highly related, especially in the N terminal moiety, to cryIA(a) reported by Schnepf et al. (1985). CryIA(a) protein is broadly active against Lepidoptera; Hofte and Whiteley (1989) reports that four of five tested lepidopteran insects were sensitive to this toxin.
Other ICP genes subsequently identified as cryIA(a) that are greater than 99% identical to the holotype cryIA(a) gene have been identified in B. thuringiensis subspecies aizawai, (Shimizu et al., Agric. Biol. Chem., 52, pp. 1565-1573 (1988)), subspecies kurstaki, (Kondo et al., Agric. Biol. Chem., 51, pp. 455-463 (1987)), and subspecies entomocidus (Masson et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 17, p. 446 (1989)). The cryI-type nucleotide sequence disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 367 474, published May 9, 1990, of Mycogen Corporation, reveals a DNA sequence related to the cryIA(a) gene and its encoded protein that is 92% positionally identical to the holotype CryIA(a) ICP.
Wabiko et al., DNA, 5, pp. 305-314 (1986), describe the DNA sequence of an insecticidal toxin gene from B.t. subsp. berliner 1715, subsequently classified as cryIA(b) by Hofte and Whiteley (1989). The molecular mass of the protein encoded is 130,615 Da and sequential deletions indicate that the NH.sub.2 -terminal 612 amino acid polypeptide is toxic to lepidopteran insects. Hofte et al., Eur. J. Eiochem., 161, pp. 273-280 (1986), describe the cloning and nucleotide sequencing of a variant crystal protein gene from B.t. subsp. berliner 1715, subsequently also classified as cryIA(b). The cloned gene produces an approximately 130,000 Da protein which coincides with the mass of the major protein observed in the strain. The gene has an open reading frame of 3465 bases which would encode a protein 1155 amino acids in length having a mass of 130,533 Da. Similarities of this sequence to the previously reported sequences for the cloned crystal genes from B.t. kurstaki HD-1, B.t. kurstaki HD-73 and B.t. sotto are discussed in the Hofte et al. (1986) paper. Data identifying a minimal toxic fragment required for insecticidal activity are also presented. The cryIA(b) gene discussed in Hofte et al. (1986) differs in its deduced amino acid sequence by only two amino acids from the CryIA(b) protein reported by Wabiko et al.
Other cryIA(b) genes have been disclosed in Geiser et. al., Gene, 48, pp. 109-118 (1986), Hefford et al., J. Biotechnol., 6, pp. 307-322 (1987), Oeda et al., Gene, 53, pp. 113-119 (1987), Kondo et al., supra, Fischhoff et al., Bio/Technology, 5, pp. 807-813 (1987) and Haider and Ellar, Nucl. Acids Res., 16, p. 10927 (1988). Each of these six CryIA(b) ICPs is greater than 99% positionally identical to the holotype CryIA(b) toxin.
Adang et al., Gene, 36, pp. 289-300 (1985), report the cloning and complete nucleotide sequence of a crystal protein gene harbored on the 75 kilobase (kb) plasmid of strain B.t. subsp. kurstaki HD-73. The restriction map in the article identified this gene as holotype cryIA(c) under the current classification system of Hofte and Whiteley (1989). The complete sequence of the gene, spanning 3537 nucleotide base pairs (bp), coding for 1178 amino acids and potentially encoding a protein of 133,330 Da, is shown in the article. Toxicity data against Manduca sexta for the protein made by the cryIA(c) gene are also presented. CryIA(c) toxins have been isolated from several strains of B.t. subsp. kenyae that are highly related to the above-noted CryIA(c) toxin from B.t. subsp. kurstaki (greater than 99% positionally identical in deduced amino acid sequence) but whose protein products, although broadly active against lepidopteran insects, nonetheless show quantitatively different toxicities for individual insect species (Von Tersch et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 57, pp. 349-358 (1991)).
Brizzard et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 16, pp. 2723-2724 (1988), describe the nucleotide sequence of crystal protein gene cryA4 (subsequently classified as cryIB by Hofte and Whiteley (1989)) isolated from B.t. subsp. thuringiensis HD-2. Hofte and Whiteley (1989) report an insecticidal specificity of CryIB toxin for Pieris brassicae.
Honee et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 16, p. 6240 (1988), describe the complete DNA sequence for the BTVI crystal protein gene isolated from B.t. subsp. entomocidus 60.5 (holotype cryIC by Hofte and Whiteley (1989)). This protein is reported to exhibit enhanced insecticidal activities against Spodoptera species.
Sanchis et al., Mol. Microbiol., 3, pp. 229-238 (1989) report the nucleotide sequence for the N-terminal coding region (2470 nucleotides) and 5' flanking region of a gene from B.t. subsp. aizawai 7.29 now classified as the cryIC gene under the classification system of Hofte and Whiteley (1989). Sanchis et al. disclose similar information about the cryIC gene in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 295 156, published Dec. 14, 1988. The open reading frame encodes a truncated polypeptide 824 amino acids long with a calculated mass of 92,906 Da.
A gene isolated from B.t. subspecies aizawai and now classified as holotype cryID under the Hofte and Whiteley (1989) system is disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 358 557, published Mar. 14, 1990 of Plant Genetic Systems, N. V. Hofte and Whiteley (1989) report selective lepidopteran toxicity against Manduca sexta for the CryID protein, the CryID toxin being largely inactive against other lepidopteran insects tested.
The holotype cryIE gene, found in a B.t. subspecies darmstadiensis strain, is disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 358 557, supra. A highly related cryIE gene from B.t. subsp. kenyae is disclosed by Visser et al., J. Bacteriol., 172, pp. 6783-6788 (1990).
Visser, Mol. Gen. Genet., 212, pp. 219-224 (1988) report the isolation and analysis of five toxin genes belonging to four different gene families from B.t. entomocidus 60.5, one of which is reported by Honee et al. (1988), supra. Two of these genes, BTIV and BTVIII, are cryIA(a)-type genes according to the Hofte and Whiteley (1989) classification scheme. The BTVI gene, also reported by Honee et al. (1988) supra, is a cryIC gene according to the Hofte and Whiteley (1989) classification scheme. The authors state that the restriction map for another gene, designated BTV, closely resembles that identified for the cryID gene isolated from B.t. strain HD68 subsp. aizawai, and disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 358 557, supra. A fifth gene, designated BTVII, is also identified and its restriction map differs significantly from the other four genes described. Toxicity data against several lepidopteran insects, S. exigua, S. littoralis, H. virescens and P. brassicae, are presented for each of the isolates. The BTV gene product was inactive against all insects tested. The BTVI protein is highly active against Spodoptera larvae, and the BTVII protein is toxic to P. brassicae.
Additional genes within the cryI family have been reported in the literature. A gene found in B.t. subsp. aizawai and described as cryIF is disclosed by Chambers et al. in J. Bacteriol., 173, pp. 3966-3976 (1991) and in PCT International Publication No. W091/16434, published Oct. 31, 1991. A gene described as cryIG from B.t. subsp. galleria is disclosed by Smulevitch et al., FEBS Lett., 293, pp. 25-28 (1991). A gene that is highly related to the cryIG gene has been isolated from B.t. DSIR 517 by Gleave et al., J. Gen. Microbiol., 138, pp. 55-62 (1992).
A novel gene related to cryI-type genes is disclosed in PCT International Publication No. WO 90/13651, published Nov. 15, 1990, of Imperial Chemical Industries PLC. This gene encodes an 81 kDa polypeptide (Cry pJH11) that is broadly insecticidal and more distantly related to the family of cryI sequences than are most other reported cryI-type sequences. Four cryI-type sequences are disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 405 810, published Jan. 2, 1991, of Mycogen Corporation. Inspection of the cryI-type sequences revealed that one of the disclosed genes (cry 81IB2) belongs to the cryIC class, one (cry 81IB) belongs to the cryID class, and one (cry 81IA) belongs to the cryIF class. The fourth disclosed cryI sequence (cry 81IA2) appears to belong to a new class. Two cryI sequences are disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 401 979, published Dec. 12, 1990, of Mycogen Corporation. One of the disclosed sequences (PS82A2) appears to encode a novel gene, the other sequence (PS82RR) is highly related to the novel sequence cry 81IA2 disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 405 810.
Five novel cry sequences are disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0 462 721, published Dec. 27, 1991, of Mycogen Corporation. These Cry proteins are reported to be nematocidal.

Bacillus thuringiensis cryet4 and cryet5 toxin genes and proteins toxic to lepidopteran insects


The invention relates to a method of providing a photographic imaging element having a bending stiffness between 150 and 250 millinewtons and a caliper thickness between about 0.18 mm and about 0.28 mm, comprising providing a laminated base sheet comprising a paper sheet having a Young's modulus of between about 13800 MPa to 2760 MPa in the machine direction and a Young's modulus of 6900 MPa to 1380 MPa in the cross direction, and having a biaxially oriented sheet on each side of said paper sheet having a Young's modulus of 690 MPa to 5520 MPa in the machine direction and a Young's modulus of 690 MPa to 5520 MPa in the cross machine direction and coating said laminated base sheet with photosensitive layers.

In the formation of color paper it is known that the base paper has applied thereto a layer of polymer, typically polyethylene. This layer serves to provide waterproofing to the paper, as well as providing a smooth surface on which the photosensitive layers are formed. The formation of a suitably smooth surface is difficult requiring great care and expense to ensure proper laydown and cooling of the polyethylene layers. One defect in prior formation techniques is caused when an air bubble is trapped between the forming roller and the polyethylene which will form the surface for casting of photosensitive materials. This air bubble will form a pit that will cause a defect in the photographic performance of photographic materials formed on the polyethylene. It would be desirable if a more reliable and improved surface could be formed at less expense.
In color papers there is a need for providing color papers with improved resistance to curl. Present color papers will curl during development and storage. Such curl is thought to be caused by the different properties of the layers of the color paper as it is subjected to the developing and drying processes. Humidity changes during storage of color photographs lead to curling. There are particular problems with color papers when they are subjected to extended high humidity storage such as at greater than 50% relative humidity. Extremely low humidity of less than 20% relative humidity also will cause photographic papers to curl.
In photographic papers the polyethylene layer also serves as a carrier layer for titanium dioxide and other whitener materials as well as tint materials. It would be desirable if the colorant materials rather than being dispersed throughout the polyethylene layer could be concentrated nearer the surface of the layer where they would be more effective photographically.
It has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,861 to utilize biaxially oriented polypropylene in receiver sheets for thermal dye transfer.
There is need in the use of photographic papers to have a variety of properties of paper available to the consumer. For some uses it is desirable that the paper be light in weight and flexible. For instance, when the photographs must be mailed or used as a laminating material, it is desirable that the materials be light in weight. For some uses such as for stand up display and to convey a sense of value, it is desirable that the photographs have a heavy stiff feel. It would be desirable if photographic materials could be easily produced with a variety of stiffness and caliper characteristics so that a variety of consumer desires could be easily met. Present materials have a limited ability to be varied as the thickness of the base paper and the thickness of the polyethylene layer on the paper are the only factors that can be varied easily. Further the cost of forming stiff paper is substantial as increases in the amount of polyethylene and in the thickness of paper are expensive. In addition, the increases or decreases in caliper that are required for papers of increased or decreased stiffness lead to difficulties in handling in processing machines for formation of the photosensitive layers and in development after exposure.

Controlling bending stiffness in photographic paper


A behind-the-head mounted personal audio set that allows a mono-aural personal audio device to be worn in either a wearer's left or right ear without the need to remove or detach individual components of the personal audio sent and mount is disclosed. In a disclosed embodiment, the personal audio device has two earphone portions and the mount allows the audio device to operate in either mono or stereo modes wherein one of the earphones may be moved away from a wearer's ear when needed, such as when driving. A boom microphone is preferably pivotally secured to one of the earphone portions.

Personal audio-sets, commonly known as headphones, earphones, headsets, and the like, are gaining in popularity. The typical personal audio-set includes a frame containing an earphone that is usually positioned over or in a wearer's ear. In cases where the audio-set is a headset, a microphone is also typically positioned near the wearer's mouth.
One method for detachably securing a personal audio-set to a wearer includes securing the personal audio-set to a headband that encircles the rear portion of the wearer's head. These types of mounting structures are commonly known as "behind-the-head" mounts.
Known behind-the-head mounts have several drawbacks. For example, in cases where they are used with a mono-aural personal audio set or the like, they do not allow a wearer to easily reverse the orientation of the personal audio set such that it may be worn adjacent to either the wearer's left or right ears. This type of reversibility is a desirable characteristic in a personal audio set.
Known behind-the-head mounts for personal audio sets usually require the wearer to detach one or more pieces from the mounting structure and then reattach in a different orientation or location along the mount. In practice, such reversible behind-the-head mounts are difficult to use correctly and tend to wear prematurely due to repeated detaching and reattaching of the mount components. Moreover, individual pieces of the detachable structure are prone to being misplaced or lost, thereby limiting the use of the structure or in some cases rendering the structure useless.
Also, in cases where the personal audio set operates in stereo, ear phones usually cover both of the wearer's ears. Such covering of both ears is undesirable in some circumstances, such as when the wearer is driving. Moreover, covering both ears with a personal audio set may even violate local or state laws when driving.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Reversible behind-the-head mounted personal audio set with pivoting earphone


According to one embodiment, an array substrate includes a semiconductor layer, scanning and signal lines, first and second insulating layers, a pedestal and a pixel electrode. The scanning line is opposed to the semiconductor layer. The first insulating layer is provided above the semiconductor layer. The signal line and the pedestal are connected to the semiconductor layer through first and second contact holes in the first insulating layer. The second insulating layer is provided above the pedestal. The pixel electrode is connected to the pedestal through a third contact hole in the second insulating layer. The signal line and the pedestal are provided in layers different from each other.

A display device comprises a signal line to which a video signal is supplied, a pixel electrode arranged in a pixel, and switching element interposed between the signal line and the pixel electrode. The switching element comprises a semiconductor layer electrically connected to each of the signal line and the pixel electrode.
The pixel electrode may be formed of, for example, a transparent conductive material such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO). In this case, since adherence between the semiconductor layer and the transparent conductive material is low, it is difficult to directly connect the semiconductor layer and the pixel electrode. Thus, in a conventional display device, a metallic pedestal, which is formed by patterning with the same material as that of the signal line and simultaneously with the signal line, is interposed between the semiconductor layer and the pixel electrode, so that these two are indirectly connected.
Recently, requests for achieving high definition in a display device, and improving a moving image display capability of the display device have been increasing. The moving image display capability can be improved by increasing a drive frequency, for example. However, in this case, the thickness of the signal line needs to be sufficiently increased in order to prevent a delay in the video signals. In such an event, a layer, which becomes a base for the signal line and the pedestal, needs to be patterned minutely, but this entails difficulty in terms of manufacturing technique. Consequently, it is not possible to make a display device achieve high definition sufficiently.

Array substrate and liquid crystal display device


A reactor for depositing an epitaxial layer on a semiconductor wafer contained within the reactor during a chemical vapor deposition process. The reactor comprises a reaction chamber sized and shaped for receiving a semiconductor wafer and an inlet passage in communication with the reaction chamber for delivering reactant gas to the reaction chamber. In addition the reactor includes a susceptor positioned in the reaction chamber for supporting the semiconductor wafer during the chemical vapor deposition process. Further, the reactor comprises an injector including a metering plate generally blocking reactant gas flow through the inlet passage. The plate has a slot extending through the plate totally within a periphery of the plate. The slot is sized for selectively restricting reactant gas flow past the plate thereby to meter reactant gas delivery to the chamber.

This invention relates generally to a reactor for depositing an epitaxial layer on a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly to a reactor including an injector having slots for metering reactant gas flow through the reactor.
Conventional horizontal reactors have a reaction chamber extending horizontally between an entrance and an exit for admitting and venting reactant gas to and from the chamber, respectively. During the chemical vapor deposition process, a semiconductor wafer is positioned on a rotatable susceptor positioned in the reaction chamber, and reactant gas is delivered to the chamber through an inlet passage connected to the entrance of the chamber. The flowrate of the reactant gas passing over the wafer is critical to the thickness profile and electrical properties of the epitaxial layer formed on the wafer during the chemical vapor deposition. To ensure the desired properties are achieved, the gas is metered by an injector positioned along the inlet passage.
The injector includes a metering fixture having one or more large openings through which the gas passes when traveling to the reactor. Blades or metering plates fastened across the openings in the metering fixture partially block the openings and form narrow slots through which the reactant gas flows. These slots limit the flowrate of the reactant gas delivered to the reaction chamber. Each blade is held in place with screw fasteners so its position is adjustable relative to the openings. As the blade position is adjusted, the flow area and thus the flowrate through the slots changes. The blade positions may be adjusted so the slots upstream from the center of the reaction chamber are wider than those upstream from the sides of the chamber. This results in more gas passing over the center of the wafer to increase the thickness of the epitaxial layer at the center. If the slot widths corresponding to the sides and center of the reaction chamber are equal, an undesirable concave epitaxial surface results.
The reactant gas flowrate is a function of the width of the slots. More particularly, the flowrate through each slot is a function of the cube of the width of the slot. As a result of this relationship, the gas flowrates through the slots are highly dependent upon their widths. For instance, if a slot width is 0.004 inches when 0.003 inches is desired, the flowrate through the slot will be nearly 240 percent of the desired flowrate. Thus, it may be seen that precise control of the slot width is required to produce the desired epitaxial layer. Presently, such control is difficult to achieve. The blades can shift as the screw fasteners holding them are tightened, causing deviations from the desired in slot width and thus flowrate.
Moreover, because the slot is formed between the edges of the blade and the opening in the metering fixture, gas passing through the slot travels along the wall of the opening. As a result, flow downstream from the injector is easily disturbed by discontinuities in the wall of the inlet passage. Such flow disturbances can negatively affect the quality of epitaxial layers produced by the reactor.
In order to alleviate large flowrate variations due to set-up variability and the potential for flow disturbances, another type of blade which is sized to entirely cover the injector openings has been conceived. These blades have a series of holes drilled through them to allow reactant gas to pass through the blades. Although these blades eliminate flowrate variation caused by set-up variability, they increase flowrate variation caused by the machining tolerances of the holes in the blades. Flow through a circular hole is a function of its diameter to the fourth power. Thus, the flowrate through a 0.004 inch diameter hole is about 320 percent of the flowrate through a 0.003 inch diameter hole. As will appreciated by those skilled in the art, large flowrate variations can result from small discrepancies in the injector hole diameters. Moreover, since the hole diameters are fixed, the blades must be replaced rather than adjusted if different flowrates are desired.


A light-emitting device includes a concentrator, a first tubular body surrounding the concentrator, one or more first light-emitting elements disposed at a position corresponding to the concentrator, and a plurality of second light-emitting elements. The first tubular body is transparent. The first tubular body has a plurality of recesses formed in an end portion of the first tubular body. Portions of the first tubular body between the recesses form light guide portions. The plurality of second light-emitting elements are disposed at positions corresponding to a plurality of the light guide portions.

In recent years, a lighting device that can switch the light distribution angle is desirable. For example, it is desirable for one lighting device to illuminate an entire room by increasing the light distribution angle for one condition, and to illuminate a narrow area by reducing the light distribution angle for another condition.

Light-emitting device, lighting device, and optical member


A message sequence regulator (MSR) system includes a message parser, a message extraction repository, a rules repository, a message definition repository, an interface to a resource monitor for monitoring system resources by single resource monitoring agents, and a notification component for identifying sequence regulation operations which cannot be executed. The MSR system receives copies of messages loaded into or retrieved from queues by a queue manager as well as event messages from the resource monitor. The message extracts parts of the message using message structures defined in the rules repository and stores the extracted parts in the message extraction repository. If a defined condition is found to exist, the MSR system initiates calculation of an appropriate message sequence number or message priority level. The queue manager updates the message record without removing the message from the queue.

A popular mechanism for carrying out such distributed data processing is called asynchronous message queuing, where applications communicate with each other by sending messages to queues, which can then be accessed by the receiving application at a time that is convenient for that receiving application. IBM's WebSphere MQ software product, which has been on the market for a number of years, is a popular example of this type of software.
More and more companies are providing services based on message queuing systems as underlying information transportation infrastructure. The order in which messages are processed on a queue can be either first-in-first-out (FIFO) or priority based. The priority of a message is stored in the message descriptor of the message and is set by the application putting the message in the queue. Many messages in different business contexts are processed through the message queuing system. The number and the size of the messages can vary over huge ranges and is normally unpredictable as are the consequences of this variation. This implies that a specific priority is valid for a message when it is put in a queue but may become invalid while the message remains in the queue waiting for further processing. Furthermore, some applications may not know the correct priority of the message when putting it in the queue.
The problem in a message queuing system is that the priority of a message is static as long as the message stays in a queue. It is not possible to dynamically adjust the priority of a message already stored in a queue according to deal with the effects of changes in system workload, changes in business processes, changes in the environment, or any other changes in the systems and/or resources required for the processing of the message. Changes may include easy-to-detect situations like a broken network connection or an outage of a process on the system, but may also include a complex construct of several events on different systems in combination with the content of the message. An example for this would be payment messages for different banks with different amounts processed in a payment hub. A condition would be to process a message until a specific time of the day. If the processing throughput of the participating systems decreases in a way that this condition would not be fulfilled (either because some resources fail or because the system usage increases unexpectedly), the system automatically has to detect this and to change the sequence of the messages on that queue so that the specific message is processed before the stated deadline. Changing the message priority does not necessarily mean increasing it but may also mean decreasing it.
Known message queuing systems do not provide any functionality for changing message priority according to the environmental and processing conditions and/or message content once the message is stored in a queue.

Dynamically changing message priority or message sequence number

International Business Machines Corporation


A shaft bushing is provided that can be automatically cleaned in place, without requiring manual cleaning by a technician, and that can be used with food processing equipment. The shaft bushing has a body with a circumferential sidewall, opposing ends, and an opening in at least one of the ends the can accept cleaning fluid thereinto. The opening may be defined by ends of longitudinal grooves that extend along the bushing and that may direct the cleaning fluid between the bushing body and the support structure, and/or the bushing body and the shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to food processing equipment and, more particularly, to bushings that support rotating components within food processing equipment.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Bushings that support rotating components within food processing equipment are known.
Clean-in-place systems for use with food processing vats are also known in the food processing industries. Such clean-in-place systems automatically spray cleaning fluid inside of food processing vats.


An adjustable lever assembly for a motorcycle master cylinder includes a first element pivotally connected to the master cylinder, and a manually operable second element pivotally connected to the first element. An adjuster rotatably mounted on the second element can be turned to adjust the angular rest position between the first and second elements.

In motorcycles, brake and clutch are manually actuated by a pump ("master cylinder") actuated by a lever device mounted on the handlebar of the motorcycle itself, from which a hydraulic pipe extends to the system to be controlled, for example a brake.
The lever of the lever device is usually arranged along the handlebar grip and the motorcyclist, in order to actuate the lever itself, grips the handlebar along with the lever and closes his/her hand tight so as to turn the lever towards the grip itself. The lever movement produces a thrust that acts on a hydraulic piston, whose stroke or position determines the fluid pressure in said hydraulic pipe to control the brake or the clutch.
Since the various handlebars of motorcycles exhibit different shapes and also the motorcyclists' hands do not all have the same size, the need of being able to adjust the lever rest position relative to the handlebar grip is felt.
Several solutions for carrying out an adjustment of the lever position have been proposed. A group of these solutions provides for an adjustment device of the lever position, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,082.
This known device is provided with a lever that can rotate about a support shaft for pushing a stem that influences a piston for putting the brake fluid under pressure during the braking action.
The stem selectively couples with at least one seat of different depth of a rotating adjustment block, for varying the operating lever position relative to the handlebar.
Moreover, the lever can be rotated about a coupling shaft against the strength of a spring ("double fulcrum"), for releasing the stem from one of the seats and thus allowing the rotation of the rotating adjustment block by a gripping portion or knob obtained at an end of the rotating block and that raises transversally from the operating lever, or by a screwdriver that acts on a screw at the end of the block itself.
The stem thus slides on guiding grooves, until it couples with the desired seat; in this way, the relative position between lever and handlebar is adjusted.
However, this known device exhibits excessive overall dimensions in the cross direction relative to the adjustment lever, that is, axial to the rotating adjustment block.

Adjustment device for motorcycle master cylinders


A hydraulic control device includes a C1 relay valve 70 whose state is switched based on a signal pressure that is generated based on a line pressure PL, and a check valve 80 attached to a drain oil passage L7. A set pressure of the check valve 80 is adjusted to an oil pressure that is lower than the maximum oil pressure obtained by discharge capability of an electromagnetic pump 60 and higher than an SL1 pressure Psl1 remaining in a hydraulic servo of a clutch C1 when the state of the C1 relay valve 70 is switched after a mechanical oil pump 42 is stopped. Operation of the electromagnetic pump 60 is started before the state of the C1 relay valve 70 is switched after the mechanical oil pump 42 is stopped.

As such hydraulic control devices, a device is conventionally proposed which is mounted on a vehicle including an engine and an automatic transmission, and which includes: a mechanical pump that is operated by power from an engine to generate an oil pressure; a linear solenoid valve that regulates the oil pressure from the mechanical pump to output the regulated oil pressure from an output port to an output port oil passage; an electromagnetic pump that generates an oil pressure by an electromagnetic force to output the generated oil pressure from a discharge port to a discharge port oil passage; a relay valve that has an input port (mechanical pump-side input port) connected to the output port oil passage, an output port connected to a clutch oil passage for supplying an oil pressure to a starting clutch, an input port (electromagnetic pump-side input port) connected to the discharge port oil passage, and a drain port connected to a drain oil passage, and that is operated by a signal pressure generated based on the oil pressure from the mechanical pump to allow corresponding ones of the ports to communicate with each other and shut off communication between corresponding ones of the ports; and a check valve that is attached to the drain oil passage and that is opened when an oil pressure equal to or higher than a set pressure is applied to the drain oil passage (see, e.g., Patent Document 1). When the signal pressure is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure, the relay valve allows the mechanical pump-side input port to communicate with the output port, allows the electromagnetic pump-side input port to communicate with the drain port, and shuts off communication between the electromagnetic pump-side input port and the output port (first state). When the signal pressure is lower than the predetermined pressure, the relay valve allows the electromagnetic pump-side input port to communicate with the output port, shuts off communication between the mechanical pump-side input port and the output port, and shuts off communication between the electromagnetic pump-side input port and the drain port (second state). In the hydraulic control device configured as described above, if automatic stop conditions such as the vehicle being in a stopped state are satisfied and the engine is stopped, the mechanical pump is stopped, and the signal pressure becomes lower than the predetermined pressure, so that the relay valve switches from the first state to the second state. The engagement pressure of the starting clutch can therefore be held at a predetermined standby pressure by operating the electromagnetic pump. Accordingly, the next time the engine is started, the starting clutch can be quickly engaged, and the vehicle can be smoothly started.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-122560 (JP 2012-122560 A)


A method of filling a depression of a workpiece is provided. The method includes forming a first thin film made of a semiconductor material substantially not containing an impurity along a wall surface which defines the depression, forming an epitaxial region conforming to crystals of the semiconductor substrate from the semiconductor material of the first thin film moved toward a bottom of the depression by annealing, etching the first thin film remaining on the wall surface, performing gas phase doping upon the epitaxial region, forming a second thin film made of a semiconductor material substantially not containing an impurity along the wall surface, further forming an epitaxial region from the semiconductor material of the second thin film moved toward the bottom of the depression by annealing, and performing gas phase doping upon the second thin film remaining on the wall surface and the epitaxial region.

In the manufacture of a semiconductor device, a process of filling a semiconductor material such as silicon or the like into a depression such as a hole or a trench formed on a surface of a semiconductor wafer may be performed. The semiconductor wafer includes a semiconductor substrate and an insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate. The depression is formed in the surface of the insulating film (the surface of the semiconductor wafer). The semiconductor material filled into the depression is the same as the material of the semiconductor substrate and is often used as, e.g., an electrode.
In the related art, there is known a method and apparatus for filling a depression formed in an insulating film of a workpiece which is a semiconductor wafer. The depression filling method includes a step of forming a first amorphous silicon film containing an impurity along a wall surface which defines a depression, a step of forming a second amorphous silicon film on the first amorphous silicon film, and a step of annealing the workpiece after the second amorphous silicon film is formed.
A depression provided on a surface of a semiconductor wafer may be formed so as to pass through the insulating film and extend up to an inside portion of a semiconductor substrate which serves as abase of the insulating film. This depression is formed by etching the insulating film and the semiconductor substrate. The present inventors have been studying a technique in which a depression is filled by moving a semiconductor material toward the bottom portion of the depression and forming an epitaxial region conforming to crystals of a semiconductor substrate from the semiconductor material.
A semiconductor material is deposited on a sidewall and a bottom wall of a depression so as not to occlude the depression and then solid phase epitaxial growth is performed with respect to the semiconductor material, so that an epitaxial region is formed in the depression. By repeatedly performing the step of forming the epitaxial region, the epitaxial region is expanded in the depression. In the case where an impurity is not contained in the semiconductor material, addition of an impurity to the epitaxial region can be performed by gas phase doping. If epitaxial growth from the semiconductor material is further performed at a subsequent step on the surface of the epitaxial region to which the impurity is added by the gas phase doping, the impurity already added by the gas phase doping at the step which precedes this step is contained in the epitaxial region formed until this step. The epitaxial region containing an impurity is higher in etching rate than the epitaxial region not containing an impurity. Thus, when the semiconductor material left on the sidewall without undergoing epitaxial growth is removed by etching after the formation of the epitaxial region, there is a possibility that damage attributable to the etching is generated even in the epitaxial region. Accordingly, in the technique of filling a depression by epitaxial growth of a semiconductor material, it is necessary to reduce the influence of etching on an epitaxial region filled into a depression.

Depression filling method and processing apparatus


A fibrin/fibrinogen binding conjugate for forming a depot for the sustained release of a pharmaceutically active substance from a fibrin clot. The conjugate comprises a fibrin/fibrinogen binding moiety bound to a pharmaceutically active substance either directly or via an intervening substance capturing moiety such as an antibody. The conjugate can also be a recombinant fusion protein comprising a fibrin/fibrinogen binding moiety such as VEGF165 C-terminal domain fused to a wound-healing substance such as leptin.

Providing drug depots for sustained-release action is essential for efficient treatment of patients which require a steady administration of specific pharmaceutically active substances, especially if the drug is desired to be applied inside the body. A prerequisite for an adequate drug depot is that the release of the pharmaceutically active substance from such a depot is controllable by specific retardation processes. This implies that the pharmaceutically active substance has to be connected to the depot matrix either in a reversible or an irreversible way.
The matrix to which the pharmaceutically active substance is bound should not only have an affinity to the active substance but also have biocompatible properties. Preferably, such depot matrices are biodegradable within the body of the patient so that no further treatment of the patient for removing the emptied depot is necessary.
Because of their advantageous biological properties especially fibrin gels have been proposed as preferred drug depot matrices (see e.g. AT 369 990). Fibrin gels are easy to prepare, have good biocompatibility and their biological degradation inside the body can be regulated. However, due to the hydrated and wide porous structure of fibrin, diffusion of pharmaceutically active substances occurs with a rate much too fast for most purposes even if the fibrin gel is highly cross-linked by excess addition of its natural cross-linking effector, factor XIII.
In preliminary experiments carried out for the present invention it could be shown that different proteins, such as β-galactosidase are completely released from a fibrin gel within three days or less.
It has therefore been proposed to covalently link bioactive factors to a fibrin network by linking a transglutaminase substrate domain to a bioactive factor using factor XIIIa activity (WO98/43686). However, covalent binding of the drug of interest to the fibrin network may result in a binding too strong to allow a sufficient release of the drug to the patient. Not all drugs are compatible with covalent binding. Moreover, the fibrin clot might become unstable because cross-linking sites are used by the transglutaminase substrates, which are essential for this reaction.
It is therefore an object to provide a drug depot having satisfactory biocompatibility and a regulatable half-life in the patient's body.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for an alternative drug depot based on fibrin, especially without altering the active substance or using enzymatic activity for its linkage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a drug depot with capacity for efficient retardation of diffusion of the biologically active substance compared to the release time of this drug by diffusion from a standard fibrin gel. cl SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects are solved by a fibrin/fibrinogen-binding conjugate comprising a fibrin/fibrinogen-binding moiety, a substance capturing moiety capable of reversibly binding to a pharmaceutically active substance, and a pharmaceutically active substance, wherein said fibrin/fibrinogen-binding moiety is bound to said substance capturing moiety.
With the conjugate according to the present invention, binding partners with affinity to fibrin or fibrinogen are used to link binding partners of pharmaceutically active substances to a fibrin gel. Due to these fibrin or fibrinogen binding moieties, the conjugates are bound sufficiently to the fibrin matrix so that elution of the pharmaceutically active substance is not possible by simple diffusion, but mainly dependent on the affinity of the fibrin/fibrinogen-binding moiety to fibrin and on the binding affinity of the substance capturing moiety to the pharmaceutically active substance.
The binding of the fibrin/fibrinogen-binding moiety to the substance capturing moiety can be covalently, e.g. using chemical linkers such as 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) known in the art, or by electrostatic forces.
In another embodiment of the invention, the conjugate is a fusion protein comprising a fibrin/fibrinogen binding moiety covalently linked to a pharmaceutically active, substance, without an intervening substance capturing moiety.
The term "fibrin/fibrinogen-binding moiety" relates to a binding moiety which is capable of binding either to (1) fibrin or to (2) both fibrinogen and fibrin. If the binding capacity is for both fibrin and fibrinogen, it is possible to form the fibrin gel with fibrinogen molecules which are already "loaded" with the present conjugates to allow a homogeneous formation of the drug depot and a homogeneous distribution of the conjugate, and therefore the pharmaceutical throughout the fibrin drug depot.


An improved foam piston pump in which a multiple of air pumps are disposed coaxially about a piston member and spaced axially along the piston member, preferably coaxially with a liquid pump for discharging air and liquid as foam. Each air pump is preferably provided by a modular piston within a modular casing assembly such that arrangements with one, two or more identical air pumps can be assembled from a plurality of the same modular components.

Liquid piston pumps for dispensing liquid through a countertop from a reservoir disposed below the countertop are known in which the body of the pump is inserted through an opening in the countertop into a reservoir, with merely an actuator and discharge outlet above the countertop. These liquid pumps are operative in a single stroke as to allow the production of a desired unit dosage volume of liquid. The opening through the countertop is selected to be as small as possible, for example, ⅞ inch in diameter, to provide a pleasing appearance.
Foam piston pumps are known for simultaneously dispensing a liquid mixed with air as in a foam. One such foaming pump is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,930 to Ophardt et al, issued Mar. 4, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The inventor of the present application has appreciated that previously known foam piston pumps suffer the disadvantage that the pumps typically cannot be inserted through a relatively small opening into a reservoir and have a reasonable stroke length while allowing an adequate volume of air to be displaced as to allow the production of a desired unit dosage volume of foamed liquid product in a single stroke. The present inventor has also appreciated the disadvantage that with known foam piston pumps, as the diameter of the opening through which the pump is to be inserted reduces, then the stroke length required to dispense a desired volume of air increases.


A disk-like support member is dimensioned to be attached to a spout end of a thermoplastic tube in snap fit engagement. A tear band is attached to the member periphery by weakened regions. A cap is hinged to the support member to close the spout. The tube has an annular groove. The tear band has a first rib which locks to the annular groove of the tube and a second rib which engages a recess in the cap to lock the cap to the tear band in a closed condition. The locking arrangement is such that the tear band must be removed to remove the support member from the tube or to open the cap.

Tamper evident devices are in wide use to detect tampering with containers, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries. A wide variety of tamper indicating devices are used. One such device may include typically seals, e.g., a membrane, over the container opening over which a cap is placed. Some tamper evident devices may be included on the cap either with or without the seals. Other tamper evident devices may include a film band attached over the cap. Still others include additional packaging over the container, e. g., blister packs, boxes and so on. Toothpaste tubes for example use boxes, satisfactory other tamper evident devices for such tubes not using additional packaging not presently being commercially available.
In structures which include a cap for a container two problems exist. One problem is detection of unauthorized opening of the cap and the second is, where the cap is attached to the container by snap action means, tampering with the unauthorized removal of the cap from the container, the latter not necessarily requiring opening of the cap. In the latter case for example, typical molded thermoplastic caps include a base member to which the cap is hinged. The base member may be snap fitted or threaded to the container. In one prior art arrangement the cap and base member include a tear band to provide evidence of opening the cap relative to the base member. The problem here is that the entire assembly may be removed without tamper evidence of such removal. This is not desirable.
In spout type devices such as toothpaste tubes, the tube is formed of extruded thermoplastic tubing. A spout is attached to one end of the tube and covered with a threaded cap. This arrangement is generally packaged in a box to provide tamper evidence. Because the tube and spout are produced with mass production techniques in which tamper evidence devices are not practical during formation of the spout, the use of boxes remains the current viable method of providing tamper evidence.
The present inventor recognizes a need to provide a cap structure which not only serves its usual function of covering the spout of an extruded thermoplastic tube or other container, but also provides tamper evidence of opening the cover or removal of the cover from the spout. None of the prior art structures deal with this problem. The problem is complicated by the fact that the tube must be processed with standard costly elaborate extrusion and spout forming processes which currently do not take into consideration the provision of providing tamper evidence.

Thermoplastic molded cap with integral tear band


In the process of the invention, the seed to be treated, a predetermined amount of solid matrix material and a predetermined amount of water are admixed and the mixture allowed to stand, preferably in a container which allows entry of air but which reduces evaporation losses, for example, a closed metal container with a small top opening, for a time and at a temperature sufficient to enhance resultant plant vigor, i.e., enhance emergence, growth of yield characteristics, but short of that which would cause the seed to sprout. Faulty seeds may be separated by size and systemic resistance to disease can be induced.

This invention relates to the conditioning of seeds, such as for example, by priming, chemical treatment and biological treatment and to the use of biologically treated seeds to recondition land and improve plant productivity.
Seed priming or osmoconditioning are terms to describe a known pre-sowing hydration treatment developed to improve seedling establishment (Heydecker and Coolbear, 1977, Seed Science and Technology 5:353-425), (Khan, et al., 1980/81, Israel J. Bot. 29:133-144) and (Bradford, 1986 HortScience 21:1105-1112).
In seed priming, the seeds are placed in an aerated osmotic media of known water potential. In this process, the osmotic solutions induce a water potential that prevents the completion of germination (radicle emergence). Seeds are, however, able to imbibe and complete the early phases of germination under limiting water content conditions. The duration of the priming treatment has been reported to be from less than 24 hours (Guedes and Cantliffe, 1980, J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 105:777-781) to several weeks (Khan, et al., 1980/81, supra) and is dependent on species, cultivar and even seedlot. Seeds are then dried back. After priming, seeds can be sown with existing planters. Results obtained from priming different crop seeds have been reviewed by Bradford, 1986, supra. In general, seedling emergence of primed seeds is earlier and more sychronous than dry sown seeds. Improvements in plant growth and yield characteristics have also been documented.
In the prior art priming processes, several different osmoticums have been used to achieve the water potential for priming including high molecular weight (MW of 6000-8000) polyethylene glycol (PEG) and/or inorganic salts (Heydecker and Coolbear, 1977, supra). After priming, the seeds are removed from the solution used for establishing the water potential before being dried back.
Several technical and logistical difficulties have been encountered with the prior art priming techniques. For example, osmotic solutions require continuous aeration and in general, a large volume of priming solution is required per quantity of seeds. Reductions in percentage seedling emergence have been reported with the use of inorganic salts (Brocklehurst and Dearman, 1984, Ann. Applied Biol. 102:585-593). A relatively high concentration of PEG in solution is viscous and has low oxygen solutibility and diffusivity (Mexal, et al., 1975, Plant Physiol. 55:20-24).
An alternative to the use of solutions is to prime seeds in a solid medium. A solid material should have a high water holding capacity and allow seeds to imbibe. Peterson (1976, Sci. Hort. 5: 207-214) described a procedure to prime onion seeds in a slurry of PEG 6000 and vermiculite. A ratio of three to four parts vermiculite moistened with PEG solution were mixed with one part seed. Although this technique overcame the need for aeration, he reported that the seeds were difficult to separate from the vermiculite. Methods have been described to increase the seed moisture content of large-seeded vegetables prior to sowing (Bennett and Waters, 1984, J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 109:623-626 and 1987, J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., 112:45-49). Seed moisture content of lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) and sweet corn (Zea Mays) was increased by combining seed, vermiculite and a known amount of water in a closed container. This mixture was incubated and then the vermiculite sieved away prior to sowing the hydrated seed. Seedling establishment was improved by the pre-sowing treatments for both crops.
Inoculation of seeds with bacteria or chemicals prior to planting is known in the art. For example, United Kingdom patent specification 849,210 discloses inoculating seeds under reduced pressure to enable penetration of the bacteria under the coat of the seed and thus survival of the bacteria for a period of time. This procedure is expensive and appears to be limited in the range of bacteria that can be inoculated into seeds.

Solid matrix priming of seeds with microorganisms and selected chemical treatment


An extruded hollow aluminum alloy panel includes a panel body and a guide rail that are integrally formed by extrusion so as to extend in an extrusion direction. The panel body has a plurality of closed spaces defined between plates by ribs in a cross section perpendicular to the extrusion direction. The guide rail has an open space in the cross section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to extruded hollow aluminum alloy panels and methods for producing the hollow panels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Guide rails for guiding sliding doors, for example, are attached to panels such as floor panels for automobiles. According to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-168106, for example, a guide rail is fixed to a body of a floor panel by welding. According to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-145116, a guide rail is fastened to an outer quarter panel. According to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-120116, a guide rail is fastened to an inner door panel at a plurality of positions using bolts and nuts. Such guide rails are usually formed by bending a steel plate so that they have an open space in cross section.

Extruded hollow aluminum alloy panel and method for producing the same


A cycle with a mechanical advantage drive and leaning steering system comprises a frame with at least one wheel rotationally attached to the frame. A drive rim is attached to the wheel adjacent to the outer circumference of the wheel. A pulley is rotationally attached to the frame. A belt is trained around and engages both the pulley and the drive rim. Because the belt is positioned at the outer circumference of the wheel a mechanical advantage is created that significantly reduces the amount of force required on the belt to propel the cycle. The cycle may be steered via the rotation of the rider's body on a seat. This rotation translates to rotation of a front portion of the frame with respect to the a rear portion of the frame about a pivoting interface portion, thereby causing the cycle to turn.

In many regions of the world, cycles, for example, bicycles or tricycles are still the predominant mode of transportation other than walking. Due to depressed economic conditions, automobiles and the fuel to run them are simply not within the budget of the average person. Cycles are used to carry loads including livestock, agricultural products, other wares (e.g., in baskets, panniers, on platforms, or in wagons or trailers pulled by the cycles), and even people as passengers (e.g., tricycle rickshaws). Further, even in wealthier regions of the world, the increased cost of fuel, traffic congestion, and limited parking may make cycling a desired mode of commuter transportation in densely populated areas. Cycles are also used heavily for exercise and recreation in more affluent regions as well.
Several forces resist the forward motion of a cycle, for example, a bicycle or a tricycle. A first force is gravity when a rider propels a cycle up an incline. A second force is friction between the cycle and the surface along which the cycle travels. A third force is wind resistance created by the forward motion of the cycle, blowing wind, or both. Improvements to cycling technology that reduce the effort of a rider to propel a cycle would likely significantly benefit riders of cycles in any of the potential uses described above.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.

Mechanical advantage drive system for cycles


A lens, which is integrally formed as a single piece, includes a base, a first light diffusion portion and a second light diffusion portion formed on the base. A receiving hole is defined in the second light diffusion portion. The first light diffusion portion is received in the receiving hole, and an inner surface of the receiving hole is spaced from a top surface and a periphery side surface of the first light diffusion portion. A recess is defined in the first light diffusion portion for receiving an LED therein. The first and second light diffusion portions have different light diffusion (refraction) capabilities. The present disclosure also relates an LED light module using the lens.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to light sources, and particularly, to an LED light source having a lens with a first light diffusion portion and a second light diffusion portion formed as a single piece to uniformly diffuse light from an LED over a large angle of illumination.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional light emitting diode (LED) package includes a substrate, a first electrode and a second electrode arranged on a top surface of the substrate, one light emitting diode mounted on the substrate and electrically connecting with the first and second electrodes respectively.
However, each LED package generates a smooth round light field, and the light emitted from the LED package is mainly concentrated at a center thereof The light at a periphery of the LED package is relatively poor to illuminate. Therefore, the light emitted from the LED packages can not be uniformly emitted out. When this happens, the performance of the LED package will be unfavorably affected, particularly when the LED package is used as a light source for a planar illumination such a backlight module for an LCD (liquid crystal display).
What is needed, therefore, is a lens and an LED light module having the lens which can overcome the described-above shortcomings.

Lens and LED light module having the same


One aspect of the present invention is directed to a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) comprising: a substrate; a buffer layer of undoped semiconductor material; a sub-collector layer; a collector layer; a base layer; an emitter layer; a emitter cap layer; and a contact layer; wherein a planar doping sheet is included between the substrate layer and the collector layer; and a collector electrode in electrical connection to said collector layer; a base electrode in electrical connection with said base layer; and an emitter electrode provided in electrical connection to said emitter layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) having low resistance and improved current gain properties by having a planar doping sheet included at some point between the collector layer and the substrate layer.
2. Brief Description of Art
Compound semiconductor devices such as HBTs are used extensively in high frequency applications where high speed device operation is essential. In compound semiconductor devices, large electron mobility, which is pertinent to compound semiconductor materials, facilitates the high speed operation of the device substantially. Generally, HBTs include a heterojunction interface of InGaP or Al GaAs with GaAs in the essential part of the device.
FIG. 1 shows a typical epitaxial layer structure for an HBT. A buffer layer 11 of undoped GaAs is provided on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate 10, followed by a n-type GaAs (e.g. heavily Si-doped) sub-collector layer 12. This is followed by a collector layer of GaAs collector layer 13 on the sub-collector layer. Next, a base layer 14 of p-type GaAs (e.g., GaAs doped with C) is grown on the collector layer 13, and an emitter layer 15 of n-type InGaP (e.g. InGaP doped with Si). This emitter layer 15, thus formed, in turn, is covered with an n-doped GaAs (e.g., GaAs doped with Si) emitter cap layer 16. The final layer is an n-type InGaAs contact layer 17 (e.g., InGaAs doped with Si). Thereby, a layered semiconductor body including the semiconductor layers 11-17 on the substrate 10 is obtained. It should be noted that the deposition of the layers 11-17 is achieved consecutively one after another by employing a vapor phase deposition process such as a MOVPE process.
After the formulation of layers 11-17, this layered semiconductor body as such is subjected to an etching process for partially removing the contact layer 17, emitter cap layer 16, the emitter layer 15, the base layer 13, and the collector layer so that a part of the sub-collector layer 12 and part of base layer 14 are exposed. FIG. 2 shows that by providing ohmic electrodes 18, 19, and 20, respectively, on the contact layer, the exposed surface of the base layer and the exposed surface of the sub-collector layer 12, the fabrication of the HBT is completed.
While advances in HBT fabrication have improved performance, there is still a need for even better performing HBT devices. For example, in an HBT, it is advantageous to have a very heavily doped sub-collector layer since this reduces resistive losses and thereby increases the efficiency of HBT power amplifier circuits. Typically, Si is used as an n-type dopant in the sub-collector layer; however, as the Si doping concentration is increased beyond 3×1018 cm−3, the performance of the HBT is negatively impacted. Specifically, as the resistivity of the sub-collector drops because of an increase in Si doping, the current gain is reduced by factors of two or more. This reduction of current gain will negatively impact circuit performance and may also have adverse effects on the long term HBT device reliability.

Heterojunction bipolar transistor with improved current gain


A post treatment for carbon-carbon substrates for the protection of carbon and graphite materials to which have been applied a silicon carbide primary coating from degradation at elevated temperatures. The treatment comprising coating the substrate with a first film of monoaluminum phosphate, water, particulate silicate carbide, silicon carbide felt, alumina, and boron; curing the first film, applying over the first film, a second film comprising water, sodium silicate, sodium borate, particulate silicon carbide and silicon carbide felt, and curing the second coating. Optionally a third film may be applied over the cured second film. The third film comprises sodium borate, water and sodium silicate which is cured after application.

Graphite and carbon materials, especially reinforced carbon-carbon composite substrate materials, are subject to many applications in modern industry, particularly in the aerospace and aviation fields. However, such materials, when unprotected, are subject to degradation at elevated temperatures. Since many applications involve high temperatures, resistance to high temperature and thermal shock are often required properties of the material.
Reinforced carbon-carbon composite substrates are generally constructed of fibers and bound by a carbon matrix, resulting in a material having excellent structural properties. Generally, carbonaceous fibers such as polyacrylonitrile, rayon or pitch-based fibers are utilized. Carbon-carbon impregnation materials generally are phenolic, furfuryl or pitch-based materials. Densification of the carbonaceous fibers can also be accomplished through use of chemical vapor deposition techniques to deposit carbon and form a matrix which strengthens the material. However, the use of a specific substrate material is not a limitation upon the present invention.
Graphite and carbon materials, including reinforced carbon-carbon composites, are subject to degradation, such as oxidation, when utilized in high temperature environments in the presence of oxygen. Generally, an unprotected graphite or carbon material will begin to oxidize at temperatures in excess of about 650.degree. F. in air. Therefore, in order to effectively utilize these materials in high temperature applications, it is necessary to provide protection from degradation, including oxidation. Copending applications Ser. No. 251,798now abandoned, and Ser. No. 252,117, now abandoned, disclose protective coatings for carbon, graphite and carbon-carbon composite materials. U.S. application Ser. No. 251,798, now abandoned, discloses a protective coating utilizing silicon, silicon carbide and alumina. U.S. application Ser. No. 252,117 now abandoned discloses a protective coating utilizing a composition containing boron, silicon carbide and silicon which is applied to carbon-carbon substrates. These types of primary protective coatings protect the carbon substrate very well at temperatures from about 2500.degree. to about 3000.degree. F. However, when the primary coating is subject to temperature cycles, it is theorized that the primary protective coatings can develop microcracks which become localized areas where oxidation can occur. Each time the substrate is cycled from ambient temperature to above about 2500.degree. F., the possibility of oxidation at the microcracks occurs which can progressively weaken the part after each cycle. Impregnation with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) which penetrates the microcracks in the primary coating and then, upon curing, converts to silicon dioxide, is known to provide protection to otherwise exposed carbonaceous surfaces. It has also been known to use a silicon carbide paste and liquid alkali silicate materials in combination with TEOS impregnation to provide fairly effective enhancement coatings, i.e., a coating placed on the silicon carbide primary coating.
One indication of high temperature degradation resistance is the percent weight change of the coated substrate or part that is exhibited over a period of exposure in an elevated temperature environment containing oxygen. It is desirable for a coated substrate not to exhibit a significant weight change after exposure to high temperatures in oxygen containing environments since this could affect the performance of the device incorporating such materials.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method and composition of matter for forming of sealant film over the protective coating on carbon substrates that provides improved resistance to degradation at elevated temperatures in the range of from about 650.degree. F. up to about 2500.degree. F. Further, a need exists for a method and composition of matter for a post treatment sealant for the protective coating on reinforced carbon-carbon composite substrates wherein protection from degradation is provided where frequent cycling occurs between -300.degree. F. and up to above 3500.degree. F. Thus, the present invention provides a post treatment sealant, which when utilized in combination with the primary protective coating, increases the dwell time at the temperature at which the carbon-carbon substrate is protected from oxidation. In an alternate embodiment, an enhancement coating is also provided and placed on the sealant coating.

Post coating treatment of silicon carbide coated carbon-carbon substrates


The disclosure provides apparatus and methods of use pertaining to the display of yard or lawn signage. One embodiment provides a two-part system for displaying signage. The system includes a flexible sign panel having installation tabs and a rigid, injection-molded stake having holding portions configured to receive and retain the installation tabs of the sign panel. The rigid stake also includes retention barbs to facilitate ground stability and a strike pad designed to absorb and distribute impact forces applied during stake installation. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Lawn or yard signs such as, for example, political signs, real estate signs, apartment signs, construction signs, and/or security signs, are used for a variety of purposes. They inform visitors, warn passersby, draw potential customers to properties, and more.
Generally, lawn signs are formed of a laminated paper or cardboard sign attached to a metal stake. FIGS. 1-2 show front plan and back perspective views of a traditional lawn-sign system 20 that is common in the prior art, respectively. Lawn-sign system 20 includes a u-shaped aluminum stake 22, a laminated paperboard sign 24, and a rubber cap 26.
Traditional lawns sign systems such as prior art system 20 are simple in design and functionality and, as a result, exhibit several deficiencies. Initially, aluminum stakes such as stake 22 are slightly malleable and are vulnerable to the strike forces required to pound the sign systems into the ground. While traditional sign systems often include some sort of shock absorber such as rubber cap 26, these thin barriers are not sufficient to prevent the damage often caused by pounding the stake into dry, hard, and/or rocky soil. Once driven into the ground, traditional stakes are also susceptible to forces applied by wind and other inclement weather. In both situations, traditional stakes like stake 22 have a tendency to bend. Even if the metal may be straightened, this solution leaves the stake with unsightly, visible deformities.
While traditional stakes may be damaged upon ground installation, as discussed above, the smooth, streamlined surface of traditional stakes also allows them to be too easily removed. This ease of removal renders traditional signs susceptible to vandals, accidents, and inclement weather.
Traditional metal stakes are also limited aesthetically in that they offer a single color—silver. While the user may customize the sign to be attached to the stake, he or she cannot customize the appearance of the stake itself, which detracts from the overall effectiveness of the sign. Any modifications or added features a user wishes to include on a traditional stake (e.g., installation instructions, warnings, accessory mounts, etc.) must be added to the stake as an afterthought requiring additional parts, hardware, and oftentimes, tools. For instance, instructions or warnings must be applied as an external sticker. Accessories (e.g., that provide lighting, sound, etc.) must be attached using clamps, screws, adhesives, or other attachment mechanisms.
Traditional signs like prior art system 20 also commonly require hardware such as nuts, bolts, rivets, and/or double-sided tape to simply attach the sign to the stake. In FIG. 1, sign 24 is adhered to stake 22 via a nine-inch strip of double-sided tape (not shown). This need for additional attachment hardware is not only inconvenient, it often requires a sign to be attached to or installed upon the stake prior to inserting the stake into the ground. As a result, traditional signs can be damaged when a user misaims the hammer during ground installation.
This method of sign attachment also leaves the sign's placement in relation to the stake a function of the user's judgment. He or she eyeballs the sign and stake in an attempt to screw, rivet, and/or adhere the sign to the stake in a straight, centered position. Oftentimes this manual placement results in a skewed appearance. Once a particular traditional sign has run its course, it cannot be easily replaced without specialty tools. In certain cases such as those involving double-sided tape, removal can damage or even destroy the sign.
A few existing lawn stakes and sign/stake combinations or systems attempt to address one or more of the shortcomings discussed above. While these existing products tackle select deficiencies, such as ease of stake removal, predisposition to bend, or shock absorption, no existing product addresses the collection of issues present in traditional lawn-sign systems. Thus, lawn-sign products existing in the prior art fail to provide a simple, reliable, affordable, and aesthetically pleasing lawn-sign solution.


A method and system are directed towards enabling authentication in a distributed environment. The method employs a hashed salted password associated with a user in part to pre-authenticate the user. If the user is pre-authenticated, a ticket is transmitted to a client. The ticket includes a cryptographic digest of a concatenation of the local and remote addresses that is exclusive or'ed with a timestamp to generate a modified authenticator. The modified authenticator is directed at binding the timestamp to the client to minimize reuse of an authenticator. A packet that includes the authenticator is sent to a server. The server is configured to determine another remote and local IP address associated with the packet. Employing the remote and local addresses, the server extracts the timestamp from the modified authenticator. If the timestamp is within a pre-determined time window, the user may be authenticated.

Today, some software may be distributed over the Internet. If the software can be packaged in a small executable, a software vendor may choose to distribute the software over the Internet.
Once the software is downloaded, the user may share the downloaded software with a friend. Some Internet sites attempt to limit sharing of the software by requiring a user password, a Compact Disc (CD) key, token, or the like to be provided to the Internet server prior to obtaining access to the software. Typically, should a password, token, or key be shared or stolen, the unauthorized user would still be able to access the software. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for enabling improved authentication in a distributed environment. Thus, it is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.

Method and system for binding kerberos-style authenticators to single clients


A servo control apparatus includes a motor including a motor shaft, the motor for driving a drive subject; a detecting section that detects a rotation position of the motor shaft; and a control system configured to generate a motor torque command for the motor using the rotation position. The control system includes an observer configured to estimate friction torque occurring in the vicinity of the motor shaft on the basis of the rotation position and an application voltage to the motor. The observer is configured to generate a compensation voltage to be added to the application voltage on the basis of the friction torque.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a servo control apparatus suitable for use in a shaft friction compensation technique for a positioning control that is performed in, for example, a situation that high friction torque acts on a drive shaft for rotating a load.
2. Background Art
In systems for tracking or monitoring a subject, the direction of a camera is caused to follow the subject by rotating a base to which the camera is fixed by motor driving. Where a follow-up system is used outdoors, to protect electronic devices etc., a sealing member for a dust-proof or drip-proof purpose is attached to the motor shaft. While the motor shaft is being rotated, the sealing member causes friction to act on the motor shaft. Therefore, positioning is performed about the rotation angle of the motor shaft, the positioning accuracy is lower than in a case that no sealing member is attached to the motor shaft.
If the follow-up system can measure the value of friction torque acting on the motor shaft, usually, rotation angle positioning is performed by using a control system which feeds back the error of the rotation angular position of the motor shaft from a target position. The motor shaft is squeezed with the sealing member to such an extent that its rotation is not hindered. And the motor shaft is not rotated and a positioning error occurs unless the controlled variable is fed back so that drive torque that is higher than measured friction torque is output. Since the motor does not start to rotate until drive torque that is higher than the friction torque is generated after issuance of an instruction to start a positioning control. This results in increase of the positioning settlement time. Therefore, in conventional follow-up systems, a control system is designed so that the friction effect is exercised by increasing the gain of a positioning control system taking a torque loss due to the friction by the sealing member into consideration.
Among conventional techniques is a servo technique which suppresses vibration of a load of a vibration-system mechanism using an observer for estimating disturbance acting on a motor (refer to JP-A-2004-199495, for example). Techniques for increasing the positioning accuracy have also been proposed in the following documents: (a) JP-A-2004-199495, (b) Koji Umeno: "Estimation of Vehicle State Quantity Based on Disturbance Observer," R & D Review of Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories, Inc., Vol. 29, No. 4, December 1994, and (c) Yuji Ide et al.: "Control Technologies Effective in Servo Systems," Sanyo Denki Technical Report, No. 14, November 2002.
However, in design methods using the conventional techniques, it is difficult to effectively suppress shaft friction on a motor shaft because the rigidity of the motor shaft that is attached to a load has a limit and hence a shaft resonance characteristic prevents the gain of a control system from being increased sufficiently. On the other hand, it is difficult for design methods with high rigidity of the motor shaft to reduce the size and weight of a follow-up system.
Designs are possible that utilize a method of detecting a quantity reflecting influence of friction by introducing an additional sensor such as a torque sensor and adding, to a positioning control system, a feedback control loop for feeding back this quantity. However, the introduction of the additional sensor not only increases the cost of the follow-up system but also makes it necessary to adjust the control system for sensor-dependent variation. The system is thus rendered complex.
In addition, the state of the sealing surface varies as the sealing member slidingly contacts the motor shaft repeatedly and such variation with age may increase the friction. As such, follow-up systems using a sealing member may be deteriorated rapidly in performance.
The present invention therefore provides a servo control apparatus capable of compensation control for suppressing shaft friction on a motor shaft in a situation that the motor shaft has a certain resonance characteristic.


The present invention provides an image display apparatus equipped with a common terminal section 10 to which a single-density signal and a double-density signal each having different horizontal scanning frequencies to each other are commonly connected. The single-density and double-density signals are selectively inputted to the single-density signal processing circuit 5 or the double-density signal processing circuit 6 by a switching operation of a switch 11. A synch-signal separation circuit 13 separates a synchronous signal carrying the horizontal scanning frequency from the signal inputted to the common terminal section 10. An fV-conversion circuit 14 converts a horizontal scanning frequency of the synchronous signal into a voltage. A frequency discrimination circuit 15 detects the horizontal scanning frequency and memorize it in a look-up table of a memory device 16. A control circuit 17 controls switching operations of the switches 7, 11 on the basis of the horizontal scanning frequencies of the signals memorized in the look-up table of the memory device 16.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to image display apparatuses, and, in particular, relates to an image display apparatus equipped with an input terminal section for inputting at least two kinds of image signals having different horizontal scanning frequencies to each other.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Recently, with the variety of image signals, there appears not only video signals of the conventional NTSC system but also the video signals different from those of the NTSC system such as video signals of the second generation of the EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV) and High Definition TV (HDTV) systems.
The horizontal scanning frequency of the NTSC system is 15.75 kHz and the horizontal scanning frequency fully decoded form in the second generation EDTV is 31.5 kHz and the horizontal scanning frequency of the HDTV is 33.75 kHz. The video signal of the NTSC system is referred to as a single-density signal and the video signals such as those of the second generation EDTV and the HDTV are referred to as a double-density signal hereinafter.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional image display apparatus for monitoring input signals, which is capable of displaying both the single-density signal and the double-density signal in the prior art.
In FIG. 1, the numeral 1 denotes an input terminal section (referred to as a single-density terminal section) for inputting the single-density signal composed of three input terminal systems 1a, 1b, 1c. Each of the three input terminal systems 1a, 1b, 1c includes an S-terminal for inputting an S-video signal having a luminance signal and a color signal separated from each other as mentioned hereinafter, a terminal for inputting a composite video signal Cv and a pair of terminals for inputting L (light) and R (right) sound signals.
The numeral 2 denotes a double-density terminal section composed of three input terminal systems 2a, 2b, 2c. Each of the three input terminal systems 2a, 2b, 2c includes a terminal for inputting a luminance signal Y, a terminal for inputting color difference signals Pb, Pr as mentioned hereinafter and a pair of terminals for inputting L (light) and R (right) sound signals.
A plurality of single-density signals inputted to the single-density terminal section 1 through the three input terminal systems 1a, 1b, 1c are inputted to a switch 3, and one of them is selectively inputted to a single-density signal processing circuit 5.
A plurality of double-density signals inputted to the double-density terminal section 2 through the three input terminal systems 2a, 2b, 2c are inputted to a switch 4, and one of them is selectively inputted to a double-density signal processing circuit 6.
When both output signals from the single-density and double-density signal processing circuits 5, 6 are inputted to a switch 7, one of them is selectively outputted therefrom and is inputted to a well known output circuit 8 for displaying an image on a CRT 9. After undergoing various kinds of video signal processings and being amplified by the output circuit 8, the output signal therefrom is inputted to the CRT 9 to display an image thereon. Incidentally, the description of the sound signal processing section is omitted here.
Next, a description is given of the single-density terminal section 1 and the double-density terminal section 2 referring to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a terminal section of the image display apparatus of the prior art.
In FIG. 2, the single-density input terminal section 1 includes the three input terminal systems 1a, 1b, 1c, each having the S-terminal (video S), the terminal (video Cv) for inputting the composite video signal Cv and the pair of terminals (sound L, R) for inputting the R, L sound signals.
The double-density input terminal section 2 includes the three input terminal systems 2a, 2b, 2c, each having the terminal (Y) for inputting the luminance signal Y, the terminals (Pb), (Pr) for inputting the color difference signals Pb, Pr, and the pair of terminals (sound L, R) for inputting the sound signals R, L.
In the conventional image display apparatus having both the single-density input terminal section 1 and the double-density input terminal section 2, it is necessary to connect a cable to either the single-density input section 1 or the double-density input terminal section 2 knowing that the signal intended to be inputted is the single-density signal or the double-density signal.
When the cable for the single-density signal is erroneously connected to the double-density input terminal section 2 or when the cable for the double-density signal is erroneously connected to the single-density input terminal section 1, a correct image can not be displayed on the CRT 9. In most cases, pin-plugs based on the RCA standards are employed in all the input terminals for inputting the composite video signals Cv, L, R sound signals, the luminance signal Y, and the color different signals Pb, Pr. Thus, such cable is possible to be connected to either the single-density input terminal section 1 or and the double-density input terminal section 2, resulting in an erroneous connection to a wrong input terminal section.
Further, there are problems of a space and a production cost because it requires two separated input terminal sections 1 and 2.


A back plate for rapid and fluid-assisted assembly of micro light emitting elements thereon includes a substrate with a driving circuit, and blocking walls made to protrude from a top surface of the substrate. The top surface of the substrate defines grooves for accommodating and powering micro light emitting elements. Each of the blocking walls semi-surrounds one groove and defines a notch. The notches defined by each blocking wall all face a single direction and the blocking walls and notches impede and gather micro light emitting elements which are made to flow in a fluid suspension and render them much more likely to tumble into the groove.

A method for fluid-assisted assembly is a method of assembling tiny elements (e.g., light emitting diodes). In this method, a substrate defining a plurality of grooves is placed in a suspension with a plurality of micro light emitting elements, the micro light emitting elements move with flowing liquid, and fall into the grooves of the substrate.
However, in the current structure of the substrate and the method of fluid assembling the substrate, a probability of the micro light emitting elements actually falling into the grooves is low, and thus assembly time is long.
Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

Back plate and method for fluid-assisted assembly of micro-LEDs thereon

ADVANCED OPTOELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY, INC.