Disclosed is a lens driving apparatus. The lens driving apparatus includes a base formed at a center thereof with a first opening; a housing coupled with the base and having a second opening corresponding to the first opening; a yoke installed on the base and including a horizontal plate having a third opening corresponding to the first opening and a vertical plate protruding upward from the horizontal plate; a bobbin movably installed in the yoke and coupled with a lens module; a coil fixedly disposed around the bobbin; a plurality of magnets provided at the vertical plate of the yoke to face the coil; and a spring installed on at least one of upper and lower portions of the yoke to return the bobbin, which has moved up due to interaction between the magnet and the coil, to its initial position.

Recently, as electronic appliances have multi-functions, various electronic appliances having cameras therein, such as MP3 players, mobile communication terminals and PDAs, have been widely used.
Since the electronic appliances equipped with cameras are manufactured in a small size such that a user can carry the electronic appliances, parts for providing camera functions must also be manufactured in a small size. To this end, a dead space must be minimized in a lens driving apparatus that drives a lens of the camera.


Processes for the simultaneous production of sterols and polar lipids, in which preparations of vegetable oil lecithin fractions are subjected to ultrafiltration and, on the one hand, the sterols in the permeate and, on the other hand, the polar lipids in the retentate are enriched. The permeate and retentate can subsequently be worked up by methods known per se.

Substances accompanying vegetable oils, such as for example soybean, rapeseed, sunflower or linseed oil, include phosphatides, proteins, carbohydrates, mucins and colloidal compounds which seriously affect the keeping qualities of the oil and promote hydrolytic and oxidative lipolysis. They interfere with refining because they greatly increase the refining loss. They also have an adverse effect on other operations. For example, they impeded crystallization during fractionation and block the pores of the catalyst during hydrogenation. In the final oil, they would gradually be deposited as a sediment and would thus make it look tainted. For all these reasons, certain oils with a significant content of these substances are degummed. In the present context, degumming means the removal of the entire group of these substance, irrespective of whether or not they are actually mucins. Degumming can be carried out in various ways. For example, the phosphatides can be partly removed by hydration. In this way, they lose their lipophilic character, precipitate from the oil and can be removed. Non-hydratable phospholipids are destroyed with acids and are then removed from the oil by separation. The acid has to be just strong enough to split the phospholipids without attacking the oil. Phosphoric acid or citric acid is mainly used for this purpose. Some oils, such as linseed oil for example, can also be degummed by heat. In this process, which is also known as "breaking the oil", the starting material is heated to 240 to 280° C. The mucins precipitate and can be removed.
Nevertheless, the lecithin fractions which accumulate during degumming contain valuable raw materials which may be used for other applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutrition fields. Thus, the content of various phospholipids in technical lecithin fractions is generally ca. 50 to 55% by weight, sterols and sterol derivatives 1 to 10% by weight, neutral lipids 30 to 40% by weight and ceramides and cerebrosides 0.1 to 0.5% by weight.
However, problems arise from the fact that the quantities of useful products, particularly free sterols and ceramides, are very different and generally small, so that elaborate purification and concentration processes are necessary, but are not economical.
In this connection, various solvent-based processes are known from the prior art for enriching phospholipids from hydratable lecithins, in which acetone is used as an extractant or precipitant. This process is known among experts as deoiling of lecithin. The crude lecithin is extracted with acetone in order to remove the ca. 30–40% neutral lipids. Both powder-form and granulated products with a residual triglyceride content of ca. 1–2% are obtained. The disadvantage is that acetone is expensive to use and the products have only limited purity. Since acetone is a highly untypical solvent in the oil-processing industry, manufacturers of lecithin products were beginning to ask themselves as early as the end of the 80's whether permits to use this solvent would continue to be granted in the future.
Processes for working up degumming residues by ultrafiltration are also known in principle. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,540 (Lever Brothers) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,797,172 (The Texas A&M University System), useful materials can be enriched by subjecting vegetable oil to ultrafiltration through a membrane. In these processes, however, all the oil, not the lecithin, is passed through a membrane. EP 0049914 A1 (Unilever) relates to the purification of lecithin by ultrafiltration. The purification of lecithins by filtration through a semipermeable membrane is also the subject of Japanese patent JP 62-039594 (Rinoru). U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,519 (Archer Daniels) also relates to an ultrafiltration process by which purified phosphatides can be produced. However, none of the processes offers a coherent teaching by which the various useful materials could be economically produced in sufficient yields and purities in a way that would be easy to carry out on an industrial scale.
Processes for fractionating deoiled lecithins are also known. They may be divided into three variants.
In the solvent process, the phosphatide-containing mixtures are dissolved in hexane or acetone and 50% by vol. ethanol is added to the resulting solution. Two phases are formed: the heavier phase mainly contains phosphatidyl inositol/phosphatidyl ethanolamine while the lighter phase essentially contains phosphatidyl choline/phosphatidyl ethanolamine [cf. Bailey's Industrial Oil & Fat Products, Volume 1, Edible Oil & Fat Products; General Applications]. The disadvantage of this process lies in the poor enrichment of a phospholipid component.
Although pure fractions can be obtained by chromatographic separation processes, such as preparative HPLC for example, the production costs are so high that economic operation is not possible.
DD 27546 (Humboldt University, Berlin), WO 83/003620 (Unilever) and EP 0049914 A1 (Unilever) describe processes in which the phospholipids are separated into fractions by membranes, i.e. ultrafiltration, and addition of polar solvents. However, the active-substance content in the fractions is comparatively small; in addition, the production of sterols and sterol derivatives is not considered.
Extraction processes for the production of sterols are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,415,313 (Refining Unincorporated Houston) relates to a process for enriching sterols and sterol glycosides in which corresponding vegetable oils are subjected to solvent extraction. However, neither purity nor yields are discussed. According to the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 2,445,931 (US Secretary of Agriculture), alcohols are added to the vegetable oils to precipitate a solid which is only assumed to contain sterols and lecithins. Finally, a report published in Rev. Franc. Corps Gras 5, pp. 307–315 (1958) relates to the extraction of non-hydratable phosphatides with acetone. However, at 0.3%, the quantities of sterols thus produced are very small. Accordingly, these processes also do not offer any teaching as to how various useful materials can be simultaneously and economically produced from lecithins or lecithin-containing oil mucins.
The working up of sterols from triglyceride-containing mixtures is also known. In the first process variant, the complete mixture is saponified by addition of alkali and extracted with solvent, such as EDCL and/or heptane for example. After concentration, the sterols are obtained by cooling crystallization. In the second process variant, the mixture is transesterified with methanol in a high-pressure stage. The methyl esters obtained are then distilled off until ca. 30% free sterols are present in the residue. The free sterols are then obtained from the methyl ester mixture by cooling crystallization.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was simultaneously to recover sterols and polar lipids in high purities from technical lecithin mixtures or lecithin-containing residues from the degumming of vegetable oils with minimal outlay on equipment and under economically acceptable conditions.

Processes for obtaining sterols and polar lipids from vegetable oil lecithin fractions


A burn-in testing cooling system includes a heat pipe having a tubular body. A capillary wick is disposed on an evaporator portion of the tubular body, and a base seals off the evaporator portion. The base is sized and shaped so as to be releasably thermally engaged with a semiconductor device during burn-in testing. A working fluid is disposed within the heat pipe in sufficient quantity to at least saturate the wick. A hollow tube is coiled around the exterior surface of the heat pipe such that a first set of interior coils are formed adjacent to the exterior surface. These interior coils are brazed to the exterior surface so as to enhance their thermal interface with the heat pipe. A second set of coils are wrapped around the first set of coils, in overlying relation to them. A source of coolant is arranged in flow communication with a second open end of the coiled tube, and a pump is arranged in flow communication with the source of coolant and a first open end of the coiled tube so as to circulate the coolant through the first set of interior coils and the second set of coils.

In the conventional manufacture of semiconductor devices, semiconductor wafers are first produced in batches. Each semiconductor wafer can contain many individual electronic devices or electronic circuits, which are known as dies. Each die is electrically tested by connecting it to special purpose test equipment. Probes, which are connected to the test equipment, are brought into contact with the die to be tested. This generally occurs at a prober station, which conventionally includes a platform arranged for supporting the wafer. It is important to test each individual circuit chip die while it is still attached in a wafer, and to also test the individual integrated circuit devices once they have been packaged for their intended use. In many testing applications, the tests must be performed at elevated temperatures which, if not regulated, could cause damage to the chip during testing. Accordingly, automated test systems are commonly outfitted with temperature control systems which can control the temperature of a semiconductor wafer or packaged integrated circuit under test.
For example, and referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a semiconductor device test system A often includes a temperature-controlled semiconductor package support platform B that is mounted on a prober stage C of prober station D. A top surface E of the device support platform B supports a semiconductor device F and incorporates conventional vacuum line openings and grooves G facilitating secure holding of semiconductor device F in position on top surface E of device support platform B. A system controller and heater power source H are provided to control the temperature of device support platform B. A cooling system I is provided to help regulate the temperature of device support platform B. A user interface is provided in the form of a touch-screen display J where, for example, a desired temperature for the top of support platform B can be input. Temperature controlled systems for testing semiconductor devices during burn-in are well known, as disclosed in the following patents which are hereby incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos.4,037,830, 4,213,698, RE31053, 4,551,192, 4,609,037, 4,784,213, 5,001,423, 5,084,671, 5,382,311, 5,383,971, 5,435,379, 5,458,687, 5,460,684, 5,474,877, 5,478,609, 5,534,073, 5,588,827, 5,610,529, 5,663,653, 5,721,090, 5,730,803, 5,738,165, 5,762,714, 5,820,723, 5,830,808, 5,885,353, 5,904,776, 5,904,779, 5,958,140, 6,032,724, 6,037,793, 6,073,681, 6,245,202, 6,313,649, 6,394,797, 6,471,913, 6,583,638, and 6,771,086.
In many cases such support platforms are required to be able to both heat and cool the device. Many types of temperature-controlled support platforms are known and are widely available. Cooling is very often provided by a heat sink that is cooled by a recirculating fluid, or in other designs by passing a fluid through the support platform without recirculating it. The fluid can be a liquid or a gas, usually air in the latter case. The liquid or air can be chilled for greater cooling effect in passing through the support platform, and can be recirculated for greater efficiency. A support platform cooled by means of a fluid chilled to a temperature below ambient temperature enables device probing at temperatures below ambient. In general, conventional heat-sink designs often incorporate simple cooling channels cross-drilled and capped in the support platform.
None of the foregoing systems and methods have been found to be completely satisfactory.

Heat pipe with chilled liquid condenser system for burn-in testing


An auto-adaptive digital phase locked loop (DPLL) includes a phase detector comprising an edge detector having an input that receives an input clock, and an output that outputs a reference event generated from a reference edge of the input clock. The DPLL also includes a programmable first counter that counts down at the generated clock rate, the first counter having a first input that is programmed with an integer value M, a second input that receives the generated clock, and an output that outputs a counter state based on the generated clock and the integer value M. A first register has a first input that receives the reference event, a second input that receives the counter state, and an output that outputs a sample value N(t), wherein the register stores the counter state as the sampled value N(t) that represents a code for a phase between the reference event and the counter state.

The present invention is directed to a digital phase-locked loop (DPLL), and more particularly, to an auto-adaptive DPLL for large frequency multiplication factors.
Existing designs for a phase locked-loop use either an analog (i.e., APLL) architecture or a DPLL architecture. An APLL requires custom design and careful tuning of all analog components in the design in order to perform its function accurately. Two crucial components of an APLL are a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and a low-pass filter. It is difficult for an APLL to simultaneously achieve highly stable operation with a fast locking time because these two design requirements conflict with each other. The low-pass filter requires that the bandwidth be narrow enough to reject any high-frequency noise, but also be wide enough to meet the desired locking time requirements at a desired generated clock frequency. For applications that operate over a wide range of frequencies, programmable tuning parameters are provided in the APLL to control the functioning of the design. Requirements for tuning the APLL parameters make the overall design more complex and costly to produce, and make each application more complicated to implement.
Existing DPLL designs typically perform frequency synthesis using a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO). The NCO relies on an accurately controlled delay line and an external crystal reference oscillator. Some implementations of existing DPLL designs can also use an analog to digital (i.e., A/D) converter for generating a sinusoidal clock waveform. Therefore, even a conventional DPLL may have a significant number of analog components associated with its architecture, which requires a similar design effort as required for the components of an APLL.
The present invention is directed to an auto-adaptive DPLL for large frequency multiplication factors and a method for producing a generated clock frequency output that avoids one or more problems resulting from the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art APLL and DPLL designs.
The auto-adaptive DPLL generates a clock frequency based on an input reference clock frequency, the generated clock frequency being a large integer multiple (e.g., greater than 100) of the input reference clock frequency.
A typical application for the auto-adaptive DPLL is in a high definition television (HDTV) or a standard definition television (SDTV) pixel clock generator, which is based on a horizontal synchronization signal. The reference frequency is in the range of 10 kHz to 100 kHz with the generated pixel clock frequency in the range from about 20 MHz to 200 MHz. The frequency multiplication factor in this application is typically in the range from about 858 to 2200, but the factor and range may be different for other applications. Some of the requirements for the pixel clock include a very highly stable operation and a very fast locking time over a wide range of reference frequencies and frequency multiplication factors, as defined by various HDTV and SDTV standards.

Auto-adaptive digital phase-locked loop for large frequency multiplication factors


In a confidential-communication system that uses a first-communication network that is Internet capable of confidential communication using VPN, and a second communication network that is an audio-circuit network, a method is implemented wherein a send/receive-processing portion 5 of a communication control device 3 completes authentication between users by implementing a P2P connection between each communication control device 3 by referencing specific information that specifies another party of a P2P connection in a memory portion 4 on the communication device 3 before confidential communication starts using VPN; a confidential-communication preparation portion 70 of the communication control device 3 exchanges via the second communication network VPN joint information required to establish a VPN link with the first communication network; and a switching portion 71 of the communication control device 3 starts confidential communication using VPN over a first-communication network.

Since a physical leased line is expensive in spite of its superiority over a public network in security and quality of communication, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) has been widely used as a technique of constructing a virtual leased network on a public network.
In the present invention, the VPN refers to a technique of virtually realizing a leased line on a public network, which is a network shared by many unspecified users, by using a technique of warding off unauthorized access of third parties other than the intended users such as intrusion, wiretapping, interception, tampering, and spoofing.
That broadly-defined VPN includes the Internet VPN and the IP VPN.
Particularly the Internet VPN that uses the Internet for a transmission line has been rapidly widespread because it can be operated at a low cost and can be readily used in an Internet environment.
Hereinafter, the Internet VPN service that is currently widespread among the public will be referred to as the VPN service to distinguish it from the broadly-defined VPN.
Since the VPN service uses the Internet for the transmission line, it needs to manage authentication to detect a lack of authenticity of the VPN nodes and tampering with the VPN nodes between terminals in order to prevent unauthorized access of third parties other than the intended users such as wiretapping, tampering, or spoofing of the content of communications.
It also needs to encrypt packets by using an encryption key system and securely manage the key delivery to prevent leakage and tampering.
Now, typical methods of linking to the VPN service will be exemplified.
As a first method, a method of installing a VPN service program on a terminal of each user, first establishing communications among the terminals via specified global IP address information, then executing a VPN connection protocol can be considered.
In the first method, for specifying the destination's global IP address, a dynamic global IP address may be used through an external DNS (Domain Name System) service in addition to the way of setting a fixed global IP address to each terminal. In the first method, since end to end communication over the VPN service can be easily achieved but all of the exchange information required for the VPN link is transmitted through the Internet, the communication is vulnerable to an unauthorized access from outside. With user authentication and terminal authentication performed at the program level, this method is particularly vulnerable to spoofing attacks.
As a second method, a method of enhancing security by adding terminal authentication of each user can be considered. The second method is a method of first establishing communications among the terminals via specified global IP address information, then performing authentication to verify that the terminals are registered, and executing a VPN connection protocol.
The second method is a method of previously registering unique serial numbers of the terminals and crosschecking the numbers in establishing the VPN link to evaluate the authenticity of the VPN connection. Accordingly, the second method requires complicated work in managing registration and crosscheck of the unique serial number of each terminal and the like.
Since all the exchange information required for a VPN link is transmitted through the Internet also in this method as in the first method, the communication is vulnerable to unauthorized access from outside.
As a third method, a method of connecting the terminals of the respective users through carrier(s) that provide the external VPN service can be considered. The third method is a method of first connecting the terminals of the respective users with carrier(s) that provide the VPN service, then having the carrier(s) perform terminal authentication and user authentication and further perform acceptance of the destination information and a connection proxy service, and executing a VPN connection protocol.
In the third method, the user can use a VPN link securely and more easily than in the second method by previously installing a terminal registered with the carrier that is contracted with the user to provide the VPN service and establishing communication with the VPN service via the terminal to be subjected to terminal authentication and user authentication.
Since authentication of each terminal is individually performed by each carrier in the third method, exchange of destination information in connecting the terminals is simplified, therefore, the communication is less vulnerable to unauthorized access from outside than in the first and second methods.
However, the method requires the carriers which provide the VPN service to perform complicated setting of parameters and management for identifying and ensuring the VPN connection for each terminal, and the carriers in turn requires the user to bear the cost needed to maintain the service.
In addition, the use of the service will be limited in the area in which the environment for providing the VPN service is maintained by the carrier which provides the service.
Further, in view of the use of the VPN, techniques of delivering keys by using the Internet for a first network and using an audio circuit of fixed-line phone or mobile phone for a second network as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have been proposed in order to enhance security and realize secure and fast key delivery between the VPN routers.
With the communication layered by using the second network of an audio circuit to deliver keys to be used in the confidential communication in the first network of a wide area network such as the Internet, secure and fast key delivery is expected.

Confidential communication method using VPN, system thereof, program thereof, and recording medium for the program


There are provided parts where respective addresses of grooves on both sides of a land are identical to each other, and selection marks indicating validity of the parts are disposed. The selection marks determines the validity by taking advantage of the fact that there occurs a difference in wobble waveform in the land between a case of wobble data of the grooves on both sides of the land are identical and a case of the wobble data differ from each other. In this case, the wobble address method having an advantageous format efficiency can be used in combination with land/groove recording capable of narrowing down tracks, so that a reproduction method using a large capacity optical disc capable of high-density recording can be implemented.

A track structure of a conventional optical disc is described by way of example hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. There are alternately disposed a plurality of groove tracks 3 and land tracks 4 on a disc-like recording medium in the direction of a radius of the disc-like recording medium. The respective tracks are formed in such a shape as to be wobbled in the direction of the radius by a minute amount. Further, the respective tracks are divided into a plurality of arc-like sectors aligned along the direction of the radius, and a header 6 having address information for identification of recording areas is disposed at the leading edge of the respective arc-like sectors. The respective headers 6 are aligned with each other along the direction of the radius, that is, radially disposed.
FIG. 3 shows in detail the header at the respective lead edges of the tracks, that is, an address information portion where ID information for corresponding recording areas is recorded. In FIG. 3, the address information of the respective tracks is radially disposed at twp places, that is, a first position 21, and a second position 22, respectively, in such a manner as to be aligned along the direction of the radius. Portions of the respective groove tracks 3 at the front of, and at the back of the header, respectively, are connected with each other while portions of the respective land tracks 4 at the front of, and at the back of the header, respectively, are connected with each other. In the case of an example shown in the figure, respective pieces of the address information correspond to respective recording areas of the information tracks, on the right-hand side in the figure. Further, the address information corresponding to the groove information track 3 on the right-hand side in the figure is disposed at the first position 21, and the address information corresponding to the land information track 4 is disposed at the second position 22, both the address information being disposed in the form of pits 23. That is, the address information is disposed such that respective positions of the address information in the tracks adjacent to each other, along the direction of the information track, differ from each other, and respective positions of the address information in the tracks, apart from each other by two tracks, along the direction of the information track, coincide with each other. That is, as seen on the boundary line between the land track and the groove track, it is configured such that disposition positions of the ID information are divided into a first area and second area, and a first ID information area and second ID information area are alternately used for every other track.
The ID information in the header is provided in the form of microscopic indentations (pits), which are formed as asperities etc. on a substrate of a disc at the time of fabricating the disc, concurrently with grooves and so forth. For a recording film, use is made of a phase-change recording film (GeSbTe), and recording marks are formed in the shape of an amorphous area, respectively.
The conventional example described above is described in detail in, for example, JP-B No. 2856390, and so forth.
Meanwhile, another conventional example wherein address information is recorded with wobbles of grooves instead of recording in a header is described in, for example, JP-A No. 106549/1997.
With this example, frequency modulated wobbled grooves are used for recording address data. There are provided about 3360 pieces of wobbles per one revolution of a disc. For 1 bit of address data, 7 cycles of the wobbles are used. To express a bit "1", 4 cycles of the wobbles are used in the first half of the 7 cycles while 3 cycles of the wobbles are used in the last half thereof. In other words, the wobbles are provided at high frequency in the first half, and at low frequency in the last half, a frequency ratio in this case being 4:3. To express a bit "0", the order is reversed, and it is expressed by wobbles at low frequency, corresponding to 3 cycles in the first half, and wobbles at high frequency, corresponding to 4 cycles in the last half. An address code word is composed of 60 address bits. The number of address code words per one revolution of a track is 8. Out of the 60 bits of the address code word, 14 bits represent parity (CRC) for detection of an error, and the first 4 bits represent synchronization information for synchronizing with the address code word. 20 bits out of the balance represent track information (track number).
However, with the conventional example in JP-B No. 2856390, as previously described, the header has no groove, and cannot be used as a recording area, so that there has arisen a problem of deterioration in utilization efficiency (format efficiency) of recording tracks, rendering the same disadvantageous from the viewpoint of attaining a high capacity.
Further, with the conventional example described in JP-A No. 106549/1997, it has been impossible to dispose the address information except in the grooves. This is because the tracks adjacent to each other have different track numbers, respectively, so that about 10 bits out of the 60 bits including parity inevitably represent different data. Accordingly, even if an attempt is made to record information in a land between the grooves, since wobble information of the grooves, adjacent to the land, on both sides thereof, are differ from each other, wobble information cannot properly be reproduced. Further, because there occurs a portion of the land, where respective phases of wobbles of the grooves adjacent the land, on both sides thereof, are not aligned with each other, portions of the land, narrow in width and portions of the land, wide in width will result, thereby creating a cause for cross-talk from adjacent tracks at the time of recording or reproduction, so that this example cannot be applied land/groove recording. As a result, since recording can be made only in either lands or grooves, it is still difficult with this example as well to aim at higher capacity.

Information recording medium and information reproduction method


Arrayed display pixels are coupled such that all row pixels are coupled together by a row conductive element and all column pixels are coupled together by a column conductive element. The row-coupled pixels are driven by first and second row drivers and the column-coupled pixels are driven by first and second column drivers, a total of four drivers in all. The drivers each output time-varying signals of different frequencies. The vertical scan rate is determined by the frequency differential in the signals output by the two row drivers, and the horizontal scan rate frequency is determined by the frequency differential in the signals output by the two column drivers. The absolute frequencies of the four signals are set proportional to the propagation delay of the medium through which the driver signals travel. The invention implements a pixel enabling signal using the beat-frequency difference between two driver source signals that propagate through a pixel string from opposite ends of the string. The driver difference signal dwells sufficiently long on each pixel location to deliver sufficient energy to turn the pixel on or off. Video information to be displayed is used to modulate at least one of the row drivers and one of the column drivers.

Matrixed arrays of addressable components are commonly found in applications ranging from computer memories (e.g., random access memory or "RAM") to flat panel video displays including plasma and liquid crystal displays ("LCDs"). The storage elements in a memory unit, or the viewable pixel elements in a display are arrayed in rows and columns. Within the array, each element had a unique address that is specified in terms of horizontal row and vertical column location, e.g., the element at row X, column Y, or element (X,Y).
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional prior art video display 10 as comprising a plurality of pixels (shown as squares) that are arranged along a y-axis in M rows and along an x-axis in N columns. The M.times.N pixels are identifiable by their co-ordinates, e.g., pixel (1,1), pixel (2,1) through pixel (X.sub.M,Y.sub.N).
In the prior art, each pixel in a horizontal row is coupled-together electrically and is driven by a row driver. Thus, the uppermost row of pixels (1,1) through (N,1) is driven by a row driver DX1, the next row of pixels (1,2) through (N,2) is driven by a row driver DX2, and so forth. Similarly, each pixel in a vertical column is coupled together and is driven by a common column driver. Thus, the first vertical column comprising pixels (1,1), (1,2) through (1,X.sub.M) is driven by column driver DY1, and so forth. Thus, one disadvantage of the prior art configuration of FIG. 1 is that an array of M rows and N columns will require M+N drivers. Thus, in a high resolution 1280.times.1024 pixel array, 2,304 separate drivers are required.
In addition to requiring a very large number of drivers, prior art arrays tend to suffer from poor contrast. Assume that pixel (4,7) is to be driven, e.g., is to be "illuminated" or rendered "active". In the prior art scheme shown in FIG. 1, it is necessary to simultaneously cause row driver DX7 to be active, and to cause column driver DY4 to be active. By "active" it is meant that each driver will output a logic level signal that represents an active state, for example a logical level "1" pulse. The only pixel in the array subjected to the combined logic level effects of two pulse trains will be the pixel at the intersection defined by (4,7). Ideally a pixel subjected simultaneously to two pulse train signals is active, whereas all pixels subjected to one or no pulse trains will be inactive. As used herein, it will be understood that the term "driver" refers not merely to the output transistor(s) that physically drive the given row or column, but will also include the source of the logic signals that are output by the driver.
But pixels adjacent to the illuminated pixel tend to become somewhat active due to their exposure to at least one of the pulse trains. For example, pixel (3,7) does not receive a pulse from a column driver, but will receive one logic-level pulse from row driver DX7. The effect is to diminish the "bright/dim" contrast between the desired active pixel and the adjacent pixels.
It is known in the art to enhance the contrast ratio by providing an active dedicated thin film transistor ("TFT") for each pixel in the array. Rather than actively drive an entire row of pixels to activate a single pixel in the row, only the dedicated TFT associated with the target pixel is driven. The resultant so-called "active" (as contrasted with "passive") display exhibits excellent contrast ratio, but is expensive to produce due to the large number of drivers that are required (e.g., M.times.N drivers, or one driver per pixel) and due to the relatively low yield. The active display is essentially a single large integrated circuit measuring perhaps 7.5" (190 mm).times.6.5" (165 mm), and a handful of inoperative pixels in the screen can render the display unacceptable to a user.
There is a need for a mechanism to drive addressable elements in an array that will reduce the total number of drivers required. Further, in a video display environment, such mechanism should enhance the contrast ratio attainable from a passive display without incurring high manufacturing cost and low yield.
The present invention disclosed such a mechanism and a method for driving addressable array elements.

Method and apparatus for amplitude band enabled addressing arrayed elements


In order to improve the reliability of sealing property of a flare-type pipe joint, a flare-type pipe joint is designed such that a sealing material composition containing thermosetting resin, a curing agent, and fluororesin powder is applied onto a conical flange surface which abuts on a flare portion and then subjected to heat treatment so that the sealing material composition is subjected to crosslinking reaction to thereby form an elastic sealing layer. Further, it is preferable that the fluororesin powder is non-sintered fluororesin powder which is not subjected to crystallizing treatment made by sintering process.

The present invention generally relates to a flare-type pipe joint, and particularly relates to a flare-type pipe joint which is suitable for use for air/oil piping in a vehicle.
In a vehicle, piping of brake tubes, fuel pipes, and the like, is performed. In order to facilitate assembling work or arrangement of piping, a flare-type pipe joint constituted by a pair of pipes, one having a tranpet-shaped flare portion and the other having a conical flange surface, is used as the pipe joint.
This flare-type pipe joint is configured such that the flare portion abuts on the conical flange surface so as to seal pipes with each other. The technique for improving the reliability of the sealing property of the abutment portions is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication Nos. Hei-6-63983 and Hei-2-122288, and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei-6-34084, etc.
The above Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei-6-63983 discloses a technique in which an enlarged diameter portion is formed on a part of a conical flange surface to thereby give a mechanical elastic means to the flange surface. The above Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei-2-122288 discloses a packing which is buried into a pipe inner hole of a conical flange. The above Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei-6-34084 discloses a technique in which a groove is provided in a conical flange surface and an O-ring is fitted in the groove.
If an elastic portion is provided on a conical flange surface and the flange surface is made to abut on a flare portion as described in the above technique, the reliability of sealing is improved. In the above Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei-2-122288 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei-6-34084, however, there has been such a disadvantage that the number of parts increases because of requirement of a sealing material such as a packing or an O-ring.
In the above Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei-6-63983, since the conical flange surface abuts directly on the flare portion, it is necessary to make the surface processing high in accuracy with respect to both the surfaces. Further, in the above Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei-6-34084, since a groove for an O-ring is provided, it is necessary to further provide a cutting step.


In a method of producing isotopes in a light water power reactor, one or more targets within the reactor may be irradiated under a neutron flux to produce one or more isotopes. The targets may be assembled into one or more fuel bundles that are to be loaded in a core of the reactor at a given outage. Power operations in the reactor irradiate the fuel bundles so as to generate desired isotopes, such as one or more radioisotopes at a desired specific activity or stable isotopes at a desired concentration.

A wide variety of radioactive isotopes are used for medical, industrial, research, and commercial applications. In general, radioisotopes may be produced by irradiating target isotope materials with nuclear particles. The target atoms either transmute directly into the desired isotope, or a radioisotope is produced through a chain of absorption and decay that subsequently generates the desired radioactive product.
The latter is the case, for example, in the production of the important medical imaging isotope Technetium-99m, which represents about 90% of the isotopes used in today's nuclear medicine. Tc-99m produces high-energy gamma rays, which makes detection easy, and its short half-life of 6 hours minimizes the radiation dose delivered to the patient. Nuclear medical imaging is unique in its ability to analyze organ structure and functioning. It allows the gathering of diagnostic information that would otherwise require surgery, or not be available at all. It also promotes early detection and treatment of cancers and other problems.
Two different technologies are used to provide the source of radiation for radioisotope production: nuclear reactors, which produce a flux of neutrons, and particle accelerators or cyclotrons, which produce a flux of charged particles, usually protons, but sometimes electrons or other particles. As an example, Tc-99m is the decay daughter product of Mo-99, an isotope with a half-life of 66 hours that is produced in nuclear reactors as a fission product of the neutron bombardment of a uranium target material. This is the source of all of the Tc-99m used in the world today. After irradiation, Mo-99 is recovered from the target, and packed into a production device from which technetium may be eluted in substantially pure form as needed for preparing radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear medical procedures
Other exemplary radioisotopes used for medical, industrial, research and commercial applications include thallium-201, which is used for medical cardiac imaging; calcium-44, which is used in bone growth studies; iridium-192, which is used for nondestructive testing of construction and other materials; cobalt-60, which is used to destroy cancer cells, to disinfect surgical equipment and medications, and the sterilization of food supplies; thulium-170, which is used for portable blood irradiations for leukemia, lymphoma treatment, and power source; gadolinium-153, which is used for osteoporosis detection and SPECT imaging; nickel-63, which can be used for the creation of long-life batteries; and americium-241, which is used in smoke detectors. In addition, rapid advances in nuclear medicine and other fields are focusing attention on a number of isotopes that have not previously been considered commercially important.
As an example of a conventional reactor used in radioisotope production, medical and industrial radioisotopes have been produced since 1957 by Canada's National Research Universal (NRU) reactor at the Atomic Energy of Canada's (AECL's) Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario, Canada. The NRU is a CANDU reactor designed for neutron beam research, materials research and medical/industrial isotope production. In general, CANDU plants are designed to use heavy water (deuterium oxide, or D2O) as the moderator and coolant. The use of heavy water, combined with other features of its design, allows the CANDU reactor to use natural uranium (NU) fuel, which is relatively inexpensive and abundant worldwide.
The NRU produces a high percentage of the world's medical and industrial radioisotopes, including molybdenum-99, a critical isotope used for medical diagnoses. In general, specimen rods containing an isotope target are inserted through penetrations in the NRU in a continuous process and subject to irradiation therein, so as to produce isotopes at a desired specific activity for use in nuclear medicine and/or industrial applications.
Two specialty reactors, the MAPLE 1 and MAPLE 2, are under construction at Chalk River Laboratories. These reactors are intended to replace the NRU. The MAPLE 1 and MAPLE 2 are dedicated exclusively for the production of medical radioisotopes. These research reactors are not intended nor designed for commercial power generation, since they are being designed for power levels of about 10 MWt. The MAPLE is a low-pressure, low-temperature, open-tank-in-pool type research reactor that uses low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. The core is compact, and is cooled and moderated by light water. Surrounding the light water core is a heavy water reflector tank, which maximizes the available neutron fluxes needed for radioisotope generation.

Method of producing isotopes in power nuclear reactors


A hand-actuated scissors useable by an individual whose hands and fingers are weak or impaired and therefore experience difficulty in operating a conventional scissors. The scissors include a pair of blades whose cutting edges face each other, the blades being joined by a swivel pin whereby in an open state of the scissors the blades are angled with respect to each other. When the scissors are put into a closed state, the blades are then brought together to effect a cutting action. The handle sections of the blades which extend beyond the swivel pin are so shaped that in the open state the ends of these sections are widely spaced apart. Bridging the ends of the handle sections is a yoke defined by a saddle-shaped plate of resilient material forming a spring-loaded grip which normally maintain the scissors in an open state. When the grip is nested in the palm of a user's hand and grasped, the user by squeezing the grip with his or her hand can then bring the ends of the handle sections closer together, causing the scissors to assume a closed state to effect a cutting action. When pressure on the grip is released, the scissors automatically return to the open state preparatory to the next cutting action.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to cutting scissors, and more particularly to a scissors having a spring-action grip which when grasped by the hand of a user and squeezed then causes the normally-open blades of the scissors to close to effect a cutting action.
1. Status of Prior Art
A scissors is a cutting implement composed of two blades joined by a swivel pin that allows the cutting edges of the blades which face each other to open and close to effect a cutting action. Thus in cutting a sheet of cloth or paper, the user of the scissors closes the blades to cut an area of the sheet, and then opens the blades so that he or she can advance the scissors to a succeeding area of the sheet to be cut. It is essential therefore that the scissors include means to open and close the cooperating blades. Hereinafter the user will be referred to as "he" but it is to be understood that the user can also be a "she".
In a conventional scissors, each blade is provided with a handle section that extends beyond the swivel pin and terminates in a loop. The arrangement is such that when the scissors are in a closed state, the loop of one handle section is directly above the loop of the other handle section, the upper loop being smaller than the lower loop. To operate a conventional scissors, the user inserts the thumb of his hand into the upper handle loop and inserts two adjacent fingers into the larger lower handle loop, the index finger being curled about the lower loop handle section. Hence a conventional scissors is gripped only by the fingers of the user's hand, the fingers being manipulated to open and close the scissors.
The relationship between the fingers of a user's hand and the loop handles of a conventional scissors usually satisfies ergonomics or human engineering criteria, making it possible for a typical user to efficiently operate the scissors. But these conditions prevail only when the user's hand has strong fingers devoid of any impairment or disability.
However there are many individuals who suffer from arthritis, Parkinson's disease and various neurological finger-disabling disorders which make it difficult or painful to manipulate the fingers of a hand to operate a standard scissors having loop-type handles. And even if an individual is not suffering from a disorder which impairs his ability to manipulate the fingers of his hand, because of advanced age or other debilitating factors, the individual may be in a weakened condition and therefore finds it difficult to finger-operate a conventional scissors.
An individual must have sufficient strength in his fingers not only to close the blades of a conventional scissors to effect a cutting action, but also to open the blades. When the scissors is in a closed state, the blades are then in frictional engagement with each other, and it takes some measure of finger effort to overcome this friction to open the blades.
While the amount of effort required to operate a conventional scissors presents no problem to a user who is in his or her prime, it may present a problem to an older person, in a weakened condition especially since the position of the loop handles relative to that of the swivel pin which is the pivot point of the blades in a conventional scissors is such as to afford a low degree of leverage and mechanical advantage.


An extract of Chinese blackberry (Rubus suavissimus) has been found to inhibit angiogenesis, and two active fractions isolated. Gallic acid was shown to be one of the active anti-angiogenic compounds by an in vitro human angiogenesis model. Aqueous extracts from other plants either known or found to have gallic acid were also found to have anti-angiogenic activity. Various derivatives of gallic acid were found to inhibit angiogenesis. The extract from Chinese blackberry also slowed the growth of a pancreatic tumor and of corneal neovascularization in rats. Extracts from pomegranate were shown to inhibit angiogenesis in fat tissue. Extracts from Rubus spp, and other plants with gallic acid, and gallic acid and its derivatives will be useful for treating various diseases associated with neovascularization, including diabetic retinopathy, psoriasis, tumors, obesity, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

Angiogenesis
In an adult, two types of blood vessels can potentially be found. The normal blood vessel is a resting, quiescent, fully developed vessel. A second form, a proliferating or developing blood vessel, occurs rarely during the normal life cycle (only in early development and reproduction, e.g., menstrual cycle and pregnancy). In contrast, the process of angiogenesis, the proliferation and development of new blood vessels, often occurs in wound healing and in pathological processes, e.g., tumor growth. Angiogenesis is a complex process involving many stages, including extracellular matrix remodeling, endothelial cell migration and proliferation, capillary differentiation, and anastomosis. All detectable solid tumors (tumors over 2 mm in diameter) exploit angiogenesis to supply the needed blood to proliferating tumor cells. Studies have demonstrated that the level of vascularization in a tumor is strongly associated with metastasis in melanoma, breast, and lung carcinomas. See R. Bicknell, "Vascular targeting and the inhibition of angiogenesis," Annals of Oncology, vol. 5, pp. 45-50 (1994).
Angiogenesis inhibitors have been suggested to intervene into neoplastic processes. See G. Gasparini, "The rationale and future potential of angiogenesis inhibitors in neoplasia," Drugs, vol. 58, pp. 17-38 (1999). The inhibitory agents block angiogenesis, thereby causing tumor regression in various types of neoplasia. Known therapeutic candidates include naturally occurring angiogenic inhibitors (e.g., angiostatin, endostatin, platelet factor-4), specific inhibitors of endothelial cell growth (e.g., TNP-470, thalidomide, interleukin-12), agents that neutralize angiogenic molecules (e.g., antibodies to fibroblast growth factor or vascular endothelial growth factor), suramin and its analogs, tecogalan, agents that neutralize receptors for angiogenic factors, agents that interfere with vascular basement membrane and extracellular matrix (e.g., metalloprotease inhibitors, angiostatic steroids), and anti-adhesion molecules (e.g., antibodies such as anti-integrin alpha v beta 3). See L. Rosen, "Antiangiogenic strategies and agents in clinical trials," Oncologist, vol. 5, supplement 1, pp. 20-27 (2000).
Abnormal angiogenesis occurs when improper control of angiogenesis causes either excessive or insufficient blood vessel growth. Excessive blood vessel proliferation favors tumor growth and development of distant metastases, blindness, skin disorders such as psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Diseases or conditions that have been associated with undesired vascularization include, for example, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, corneal graft rejection, neovascular glaucoma, retrolental fibroplasia, epidemic keratoconjunctivits, Vitamin A deficiency, atopic keratitis, contact lens overwear, superior limbic keratitis, pterygium keratitis sicca, sjogren's syndrome, acne rosacea, phylectenulosis, syphilis, myobacterial infections, lipid degeneration, chemical bursn, bacterial ulcers, fungal ulcers, Herpes simplex infections, Herpes zoster infections, protozoan infections, Kaposi's sarcoma, Mooren's ulcer, Terrien's marginal degeneration, marginal keratolysis, trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, polyarteritis, Wegener's sarcoidosis, scleritis, Stevens-Johnson disease, radial keratotomy, macular degeneration, sickle cell anemia, sarcoidosis, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, Paget's disease, vein occlusion, carotid obstructive disease, chronic uveitis, chronic vitritis, Lyme's disease, Eales' disease, Behcet's disease, myopia, optic pits, Stargardt's disease, pars planitis, chronic retinal detachment, hyperviscosity syndromes, toxoplasmosis, post-laser complications, abnormal proliferation of fibrovascular or fibrous tissue, hemangiomas, Osler-Weber-Rendu disease, solid tumors, blood borne tumors, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, ocular neovascular disease, age-related macular degeneration, osteoarthritis, diseases caused by chronic inflammation, Crohn's disease, ulceritive colitis, tumors of rhabdomyosarcoma, tumors of retinoblastoma, tumors of Ewing's sarcoma, tumors of neuroblastoma, tumors of ostteosarcoma, leukemia, psoriasis, atherosclerosis, pemphigoid, infections causing retinitis or choroiditis, presumed ocular histoplasmosis, Best's disease, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, Bartonellosis, acoustin neuroma, neruofibroma, trachooma, pyogenic granulomas, obesity, corneal neovascularization, malignant tumor growth beyond 2 mm, benign tumors, benign functional endocrine tumors, arterial/venous malformations, primary hyperparathyroidism, secondary hyperparathyroidism, and tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Other angiogenic-related diseases may include, for example, diseases associated with rubeosis (neovascularization of the angle), and diseases caused by abnormal proliferation of fibrovascular or fibrous tissue, including all forms of proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Any disease having a known angiogenic counterpart could potentially be treated with an anti-angiogenic factor, e.g., psoriasis. See D. Creamer et al., "Overexpression of the angiogenic factor platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor/thymidine phosphorylase in psoriatic epidermis," Br. J. Dermatol., vol. 137, pp. 851-855 (1997).
Angiogenesis is a prominent contributor to solid tumor growth and the formation of distant metastases. Several experimental studies have concluded that primary tumor growth, tumor invasiveness, and metastasis all require neovascularization. The process of tumor growth and metastasis is complex, involving interactions among transformed neoplastic cells, resident tissue cells (e.g., fibroblasts, macrophages, and endothelial cells), and recruited circulating cells (e.g., platelets, neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes). A possible mechanism for the maintenance of tumor growth is an imbalance, or disregulation, of stimulatory and inhibitory growth factors in and around the tumor. Disregulation of multiple systems allows the perpetuation of tumor growth and eventual metastasis. Angiogenesis is one of many systems that is disregulated in tumor growth. In the past it has been difficult to distinguish between disregulation of angiogenesis and disregulation of other systems affecting a developing tumor. Another complicating factor is that aggressive human melanomas mimic vasculogenesis by producing channels of patterned networks of interconnected loops of extracellular matrix, in which red blood cells, but not endothelial cells, are detected. See A. J. Maniotis et al., "Vascular channel formation by human melanoma cells in vivo and in vitro: Vasculogenic mimicry," Am. J. Pathol., vol. 155, pp. 739-52 (1999). These channels may facilitate perfusion of tumors, independent of perfusion from angiogenesis.
A tumor cannot expand beyond approximately 2 mm without a blood supply to provide nutrients and remove cellular wastes. Tumors in which angiogenesis is important include solid tumors, and benign tumors including acoustic neuroma, neurofibroma, trachoma, and pyogenic granulomas. Inhibiting angiogenesis could halt the growth and potentially lead to regression of these tumors. Angiogenic factors have been reported as being associated with several solid tumors, including rhabdomyosarcoma, retinoblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and osteosarcoma.
Angiogenesis has also been associated with some non-solid tumors, including blood-born tumors such as leukemias, various acute or chronic neoplastic diseases of the bone marrow marked by unrestrained proliferation of white blood cells, usually accompanied by anemia, impaired blood clotting, and enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. It is believed that angiogenesis may play a role in the abnormalities in the bone marrow that give rise to leukemias and multiple myelomas.
Anti-angiogenic factors inhibit tumor growth beyond 2 mm by inhibiting the angiogenic response and thus inhibiting blood vessel growth to the tumor. Although angiogenesis in a tumor may begin at an early stage, a tumor requires a blood supply to grow much beyond about 2 mm. Up to 2 mm diameter, tumors can survive by obtaining nutrients and oxygen by simple diffusion. Most anti-angiogenic factors are not cytotoxic, i.e., capable of killing the tumor cells directly. Small tumors of a size about 1 mm3 can be effectively inhibited and destroyed by factors, either endogenous or exogenous, that stimulate the immune system. It is generally accepted that once a tumor has reached a critical size, the immunological system is no longer able to effectively destroy the tumor; i.e., there is a negative correlation between tumor size and immune competence. See A. K. Eerola et al., "Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in relation to tumour angiogenesis, apoptosis," Lung Cancer, vol. 26, pp. 73-83 (1999); and F. A. Wenger et al., "Tumor size and lymph-node status in pancreatic carcinoma—is there a correlation to the preoperative immune function?," Langenbecks Archives of Surgery, vol. 384, pp. 473-478 (1999). Early adjuvant use of an effective anti-angiogenic agent to preclude development of tumor metastases beyond 1 to 2 mm3 may allow more effective tumor attack and control by the body's immunological mechanisms. In addition, prolonged adjuvant use of a non-toxic angiogenic inhibitor may prevent tumor dissemination by blocking the growth of vessels required for the transport of tumor cells that would form metastatic foci.
Angiogenesis has also been implicated in obesity. Several mice strains, both young and aged animals, used as obesity models treated with anti-angiogenic agents lost weight. See M. A. Rupnick et al., "Adipose tissue mass can be regulated through the vasculature," PNAS, vol. 99, pp. 10730-10735 (2002). This same study also found that adipose tissue mass was reduced by the anti-angiogenic compounds.
New anti-angiogenic factors are needed, in particular, compounds that not only inhibit new angiogenic growth, but also that degrade existing capillary networks. Very few anti-angiogenic factors have been reported to diminish existing capillary networks.
Chinese Blackberry, Rubus suavissimus S. lee
Rubus suavissimus S. Lee, a perennial shrub, Chinese blackberry, is one of some 62 species in the genus Rubus of the Rosaceae family. It is widely distributed in the southwest of China but flourishes in Guangxi Autonomous Region. Leaves of Chinese blackberry have long been used in southern China as a tea due to its sweet taste, thus the Chinese name Tiancha or Sweet Leaf Tea. The sweet taste is due to the presence of dipterpene glucosides in the leaves, one of which is rubusoside, reaching a concentration of over 5% (w/w). See T. Tanaka et al., "Rubusoside (β-D-glucosyl ester of 13-O-β-D-glucosyl-steviol), a sweet principle of Rubus chingii Hu (Rosaceae)," Agric. Biol. Chem., vol. 45, pp. 2165-2166 (1981); and T. Seto et al., "β-Glucosyl esters of 19α-hydroxyursolic acid derivatives in leaves of Rubus species," Phytochemistry, vol. 23, pp. 2829-2834 (1984). There were other diterpene glucosides found in the leaves, e.g., suavioside A and suaviosides B, C1, D2, F, G, H, I, and J. See S. Hirono et al., "Sweet and bitter diterpene-glucosides from leaves of Rubus suavissimus," Chem. Pharm. Bull., vol. 38, pp. 1743-1744 (1990); W.-H. Zhou et al., "A new sweet diterpene-glucoside in leaves of Rubus suavissimus, " " Acta Botanica Sinica, vol. 34, pp. 315-318 (1992); and K. Ohtani et al., "Minor diterpene glycosides from sweet leaves of Rubus suavissimus," Phytochemistry, vol. 31, pp. 1553-1559 (1992). Further chemical analyses over the leaves of thirty-nine other Rubus spp. revealed that the presence of diterpene glycosides is only limited to the leaves of R. suavissimus and R. chingii, whereas glucosyl 19α-hydroxyuresana-type triterpenes are more common as constituents in the leaves of Rubus spp. See F. Gao et al., "19α-hydroxyursane-type triterpene glucosyl esters from the roots of Rubus suavissimus S. Lee," Chem. Pharm. Bull., vol. 33, pp. 37-40 (1985)
In southern China, especially in Guangxi Autonomous Region, the leaves of R. suavissimus are used not only as tea and a food additive, but also as herbal medicines thought to nourish the kidneys and lower blood pressure. See P.-F. Huang et al., "Comprehensive utilization of Rubus suavissimus S. Lee," Guangxi Huagong, vol. 31, pp. 24-25 (2002). The leaf of Chinese blackberry has also been said to help with fever, to relieve stress on the lungs, to reduce the secretion of phlegm, and to relieve coughs. See Y. Ono, "The health beneficial effects of Tien-cha (Rubus suavissimus tea) and its applications," Food Style 21, vol. 6, pp. 77-80 (2002). Recent studies indicated an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy effect. See U. Kotaro, "Antiallergy action of Rubus suavissimus," Shokuhin Kogyo, vol. 40, pp. 52-59 (1997); K. Nakahara, "Anti-allergic activity of Tiencha and oolong tea polyphenols," Food Style 21, vol. 2, pp. 45-49 (1998); and K. Nakahara et al., "Anti-allergic composition containing GOD-type ellagitannin as active ingredient," European Patent Application No. 727218 (1996).
Black Raspbery, Rubus occidentalis
Rubus occidentalis or black raspberry is a perennial shrub native to North America. The berries are juicy and black, with multiple drupes, and ripen from June to July. When picked the berries separate from their fleshy core, forming a hollow shell compared to the stick core on blackberries. Oregon is the major producer of black raspberry, producing 1.9 million pounds of fresh berries in 1996.
The berries are rich in anthocyanins, pectin, fruit acids, and vitamins A, B1 and C. Anthocyanins are widely distributed in plants, and are responsible for the pink, red, purple and blue hues seen in many flowers, fruits and vegetables. They are water-soluble flavonoid derivatives, which can be glycosylated and acylated. Increased interest is seen in anthocyanins due to their activity as antioxidants, which act as scavengers to free radicals thus avoiding oxidative stress to tissues and cells. See J. M. Kong et al., "Analysis and biological activities of anthocyanins," Phytochemistry, vol. 64(5), pp. 923-33 (2003). The antioxidant activities of the anthocyanins may account for some of beneficial effects derived from the consumption of fruits and vegetables high in anthocyanins against cardiovascular and other diseases.
Black raspberry is a common food item, and also used by USDA inspectors as a natural "ink" to stamp commercial meat products. Recently, the antioxidant activity, corresponding to the high anthocyanin and phenolic content, of black raspberry has been reported. See L. Wada L et al., "Antioxidant activity and phenolic content of Oregon caneberries," J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 50(12), pp. 3495-500 (2002); and S. Y. Wang et al., "Scavenging capacity of berry crops on superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygen," J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 48(11), pp. 5677-84 (2000). A black raspberry extract was found to inhibit tumor development in rodents, possibly by impairing signal transduction pathways leading to activation of activated protein 1 and nuclear factor kappa B and by inhibiting the activity of cyclooxygenase. See C. Huang et al., "Inhibition of benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide-induced transactivation of activated Protein 1 and Nuclear Factor B by black raspberry extracts," Cancer Research, vol. 62, pp. 6857-6863 (2002); and N. P. Seeram et al., "Cyclooxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant cyanidin glycosides in cherries and berries," Phytomedicine, vol. 8(5), pp. 362-9 (2001). The active antioxidant compounds in black raspberry are known to be orally bioavailable. See T. K. McGhie et al., "Anthocyanin glycosides from berry fruit are absorbed and excreted unmetabolized by both humans and rats," J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 51(16), pp. 4539-4548 (2003). However, dietary intervention often fails in clinical studies, probably due to the low levels and huge variations of the unidentified active compounds in the berry diet tested. See B. L. Halvorsen et al., "A systematic screening of total antioxidants in dietary plants," J. Nutr., vol. 132(3), pp. 461-71 (2002).
Earlier studies suggested that a component(s) in black raspberry influenced the metabolism of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine. See L. A. Kresty et al., "Inhibitory effect of lyophilized black raspberries on esophageal tumorigenesis and O6-methylguanine levels in the F344 rat," Proc. Annu. Meet. Am. Assoc. Cancer Res., vol. 39, p. A120 (1998). This chemopreventive effect has primarily been attributed to the ellagic acid in black raspberries, which has been shown to inhibit cancers induced in rodents by several carcinogens. The chemopreventive activity of ellagic acid and black raspberry fractions was assessed in a Syrian hamster embryo cell transformation model, finding that ellagic acid and a methanol fraction of black raspberry produced a dose-dependent decrease in transformation, possibly through interfering with the uptake, activation, and/or detoxification of the carcinogenic benzo[a]pyrene and/or the intervention of DNA binding and DNA repair. See H. Xue et al., "Inhibition of cellular transformation by berry extracts," Carcinogenesis, vol. 22(2), pp. 351-6 (2001).
Pomegranate Fruit, Punica granatum L.
Pomegranate, Punica granatum L., is of the family Punicaceae and is called the Wonderful cultivar. The fruits are commercially available. A number of studies have reported that pomegranate fruit and its methanol extract possess antioxidant compounds. See M. I. Gil et al., "Antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice and its relationship with phenolic composition and processing," J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 48(10), pp. 4581-9 (2000); R. P. Singh et al., "Studies on the antioxidant activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel and seed extracts using in vitro models," J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 50(1), pp. 81-6 (2002); and International Application Nos. WO 00/64472 and WO 2004/022028. Anthocyanins and hydrolysable tannins in the form of ellagic acid and derivatives were detected in the juice. Also pomegranate fruit wine demonstrated antioxidant activity and inhibited nuclear factor kappa B. See S. Y. Schubert et al., "A novel mechanism for the inhibition of NF-kappaB activation in vascular endothelial cells by natural antioxidants," FASEB J., vol. 16(14), pp. 1931-3 (2002). An organic extract of pomegranate peel fed to albino Wistar rats inhibited oxidative enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, but increased lipid peroxidation. See K. N. Chidambara Murthy et al., "Studies on antioxidant activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract using in vivo models," J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 50(17), pp. 4791-5 (2002). Histopathological studies of the liver demonstrated a protective effect the methanolic extract of pomegranate peel on hepatic architecture. The antioxidant activity displayed by the pomegranate peel extract may be due to gallotannins and a range of prodelphinidins as well as anthocyanidins. See G. W. Plumb et al., "Antioxidant properties of gallocatechin and prodelphinidins from pomegranate peel," Redox Rep., vol. 7(1), pp. 41-6 (2002); and Y. Noda et al., "Antioxidant activities of pomegranate fruit extract and its anthocyanidins: delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin," J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 50(1), pp. 166-71 (2002). Pomegranate polyphenols were found to protect low-density lipoprotein against cell-mediated oxidation via two pathways: direct interaction of the polyphenols with the lipoprotein and/or an indirect effect through accumulation of polyphenols in arterial macrophages. See M. Aviram et al., "Pomegranate juice flavonoids inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation and cardiovascular diseases: studies in atherosclerotic mice and in humans," Drugs Exp. Clin. Res., vol. 28(2-3), pp. 49-62 (2002). The antioxidative and antiatherogenic effects of pomegranate polyphenols were demonstrated using an in vitro assay in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E deficient mice. See M. Kaplan et al., "Pomegranate juice supplementation to atherosclerotic mice reduces macrophage lipid peroxidation, cellular cholesterol accumulation and development of atherosclerosis," J. Nutr., vol. 131(8), pp. 2082-9 (2001).
Pomegranate seed oil (5%) was tested in a mouse model for its chemopreventive activity against cancer and found that it significantly decreased tumor incidence, decreased the number of tumor sites, and decreased 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity. See J. J. Hora et al., "Chemopreventive effects of pomegranate seed oil on skin tumor development in CD1 mice," J. Med. Food., vol. 6(3), pp. 157-61 (2003); and International Application No. WO 02/094303. Components of pomegranate fruit (fermented juice, aqueous pericarp extract, and cold-pressed or supercritical CO2-extracted seed oil) displayed various degrees of anti-proliferative effects on a human breast cancer cell line and the activity was correlated with polyphenols in these fractions. See N. D. Kim et al., "Chemopreventive and adjuvant therapeutic potential of pomegranate (Punica granatum) for human breast cancer," Breast Cancer Res. Treat., vol. 71(3), pp. 203-17 (2002).
Pomegranate extract has also been shown to be anti-inflammatory. Combined with the extract of Centella asiatica, pomegranate extract was able to reduce clinical signs of chronic periodontitis. See G. Sastravaha et al., "Adjunctive periodontal treatment with Centella asiatica and Punica granatum extracts. A preliminary study," J. Int. Acad. Periodontol., vol. 5(4), pp. 106-15 (2003). Pomegranate extract used topically reduced candidiasis associated with denture stomatitis. See L. C. Vasconcelos et al., Use of Punica granatum as an antifungal agent against candidosis associated with denture stomatitis," Mycoses, vol. 46(5-6), vol. 192-6 (2003).
Absorption into blood stream of ingested pomegranate ellagitannins in the form of punicalagin is around 3 to 6%, indicating that a large amount of the extract has to be ingested for the active components to be bioavailable. See B. Cerda et al., "Evaluation of the bioavailability and metabolism in the rat of punicalagin, an antioxidant polyphenol from pomegranate juice," Eur. J. Nutr., vol. 42(1), pp. 18-28 (2003).
Using a human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) model, pomegranate seed oil and fermented juice polyphenols were demonstrated to be anti-angiogenic, inhibiting proliferation of the endothelial cells, myometrial cells, amniotic fluid fibroblasts, and tubule formation. See M. Toi et al., "Preliminary studies on the anti-angiogenic potential of pomegranate fractions in vitro and in vivo," Angiogenesis, vol. 6, pp. 121-128 (2003); and International Application No. 2004/019961. These preparations also showed downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor, which is required during the processes of angiogenic initiation and growth. In a test using the chicken chorioallantoic membrane model, pomegranate fermented juice polyphenols were found to inhibit angiogenesis, but the pomegranate pericarp polyphenols were not active. This suggests different inhibitory activities displayed by different sources of the same class of polyphenols. See Toi et al., 2003.
Gallic Acid
Gallic acid or 3,4,5-trihydroxy benzoic acid, is a colorless crystalline organic acid found in many plants. The list of plants that have been shown to contain gallic acid include: Abrus prccatorius L.; Acacia catechu (L.) Willd.; Ampelopsis brevipedunculata; Ampelopsis japonica; Coriaria sinica Maxim.; Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. (Dogwood); Cotinus coggygria Scop. (Smokebush); Daucus carota L. var. Sativa DC.; Iridium stephanianum Willd.; Eucalyptus robusta Sm.; Euonymus bungeanus Maxim. (Winterberry Euonymus); Euphorbia humifusa Wild. (Wolf's milk); Geranium pratense L.; Geranium wilfordii Maxim. (Heron's Bill); Juglans regia L.; Loropetalum chinensis (R. Br.) Oliv. (Chinese fringe tree); Lythrum salicaria L.; Malus spp. (Apple); Mangifera indica L. (Mango); Macrocarpium officinale Sieb. et Zucc.; Passiflora caerulea L.; Pharbitis nil (L.) Choisy; Phyllanthus emblica L.; Pistacia chinensis Bge.; Platycarya longipes Wu.; Platycarya strobilacea Sieb. et Zucc. (Australia cheesewood); Polygonum aviculare L.; Polygonum bistorta l. (Bistort); Psidium guajava L. (guava); Quercus infectoria Oliver; Rheum officinale Baill.; Rheum palmatum L. (Rhubarb); Rheum tanguticum Maxim. Ex Reg.; Rhus chinensis Mill. (Chinese sumac gallnut); Rhus potaninii Maxim. (Sumac gallnut); Rosa chinensis Jacq. (Mini rose); Rosa rugosa Thunb. (Rose); Rubus ulmifolius; Rumex japonicus Houtt. (Japanese dock); Sanguisorba officinalis L. (Burnet); Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxby.; Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels; Tamarix chinensis Lour.; Terminalia chebula Retz. (Medicine terminalia); Tetrastigma hypoglaucum Planch.; and Tussilago farfara L. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,236; Colored Illustrations of Chinese Traditional and Herbal Ordinary Drugs in China, Wu Jianrong and Quiz Dewey, editors; Huizhou Technology and Science Press, Guiyang, China (1993); Z. Liu et al., Encyclopedia of Woody Medicinal Plants of China, CD-ROM, Academic Services Associates, Inc., Seattle, Wash. (2000); D. Liu et al., "Studies on Chemical Constituents from Tetrastigma Hypoglaucum," Chinese Trad. And Herbal Drugs, vol. 34, pp. 4-6 (2003); L. Panizzi et al., "In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Extracts and Isolated Constituents of Rubus Ulmifolins," J. Ethnopharmacol., vol. 29, pp. 165-8 (2002); Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai S&T Press (1986); and K. Wolfe et al., "Antioxidant activity of apple peels," J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 51, pp. 609-14 (2003).
Since gallic acid has hydroxyl groups and a carboxylic acid group in the same molecule, two molecules can react to form an ester, digallic acid. Gallic acid is usually obtained by the hydrolysis of tannic acid with sulfuric acid. Gallic acid is known to be a strong natural antioxidant. See K. Polewski et al., "Gallic acid, a natural antioxidant, in aqueous and micellar environment: spectroscopic studies," Current Topics in Biophysics, vol. 26, pp. 217-227 (2002).
Gallic acid is wide-spread in plant foods and beverages such as tea and wine and has been shown to be one of the anticarcinogenic polyphenols present in green tea. Gallic acid has been shown to display selective cytotoxicity against tumor cells, and to induce apoptosis in tumor cells. See K. Isuzugawa et al., "Different generation of inhibitors against gallic acid-induced apoptosis produces different sensitivity to gallic acid," Biol. Pharm. Bull., vol. 24, pp. 249-253 (2001). Also, theaflavin monogallates and digallates isolated from tea have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth and induce apoptosis. See, e.g., J. Lu et al., "Differential effects of theaflavin monogallates on cell growth, apoptosis, and Cox-2 gene expression in cancerous versus normal cells," Cancer Research, vol. 60, pp. 6465-6471 (2000); T. Ohno et al., "Cytotoxic activity of gallic acid against liver metasis of mastocytoma cells P-815," Anticancer Res., vol. 21, pp. 3875-80 (2001); and G. Y. Yang et al., "Effect of black and green tea polyphenols on c-jun phosphorylation and H2O2 production in transformed and non-transformed human bronchial cell lines: possible mechanisms of cell growth inhibition and apoptosis induction," Carcinogenesis, vol. 21, pp. 2035-2039 (2000). The anti-tumor promoting active constituents of the fruits of Caesalpinia ferrea were identified as gallic acid and methyl gallate. See E. S. Nakamura et al., "Cancer chemopreventive effects of constituents of Caesalpinia ferrea and related compounds," Cancer Lett., vol. 177, pp. 119-24 (2002). Orally administered gallic acid, with and without the anti-cancer drug cisplatin, was found to cause apoptosis in lung cancer cells transplanted in mice. See M. Kawada, "Anti-tumor effect of gallic acid on LL-2 lung cancer cells transplanted in mice," Anticancer Drugs, vol. 12, pp. 847-852 (2001).
Gallotannic acid, gallic acid, and catechin were found to cause food intake and growth depression when fed to weanling rats. See M. A. Joslyn et al., "Comparative effects of gallotannic acid and related phenolics on the growth of rats," J. Nutrition, vol. 98, pp. 119-126 (1969). The tolerance of the rats to tannic acid depended on their initial age and weight. Older and heavier rats adjusted to tannic acid in the diet. See Z. Glick et al., "Food intake depression and other metabolic effects of tannic acid in the rat," J. Nutrition, vol. 100, pp. 509-515 (1970). Gallic acid was found to induce a fatty liver. Tannic acid, but not gallic acid, increased excretion of nitrogen. See Z. Glick et al., "Effect of tannic acid and related compounds on the absorption and utilization of proteins in the rat," J. Nutrition, vol. 100, pp. 516-520 (1970). Gallic acid and propyl gallate were found to suppress food intake and retard growth, with propyl gallate having a much greater effect. See Z. Glick, "Modes of action of gallic acid in suppressing food intake in rats," J. Nutrition, vol. 111, pp. 1910-1916 (1981). In a study on mice assessing the toxicity of gallic acid, gallic acid did not affect weight of the mice at 1000 mg/kg for 28 days, but a slight decrease in food intake was noted. See K. Rajalakshmi et al., "Assessment of the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of gallic acid in mice," Food and Chemical Toxicology, vol. 39, pp. 919-922 (2001). However, in a subchronic toxicity study on rats, 5% gallic acid was found to suppress body weight gain over a period of 13 wks. See N. Niho et al., "Subchronic toxicity study of gallic acid by oral administration in F344 rats," Food and Chemical Toxicology, vol. 39, pp. 1063-1070 (2001).
U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0068094 discloses a physiologically active extract from indigo which includes tryptanthrin, 3,5,4′-rihydroxy-6,7-m-ethylenedioxy-flavone, kaempferol, 3,5,7,4′-tetrahydroxy-6-methoxy-flavone, gallic acid, caffeic acid, indirubin, pheophorbide a, and methyl pheophorbide a. Although indicating that the extract may have many different physiological functions, experiments are discussed only to show antiseptic action, antiviral action, antitumor action, radical-entrapping action, apoptosis controlling action, and action for controlling the production of cytokine. Gallic acid was shown to have radical-entrapping action.

Angiogenic agents from plant extracts, gallic acid, and derivatives

Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University And Agricultural and Mechanical College


Methods for connecting electrical potential to an extractor cup at the cathode of a miniature x-ray tube are disclosed. The various connection schemes are designed to form a rugged and conveniently manufacturable connection between the metal extractor cup and one side of the cathode filament, so that the extractor cup shapes the path of electrons as desired en route to the anode of the tube. Some of the disclosed connections involve evaporation of conductive metal or other materials off the filament when the filament is first activated. Others involve applying a paste or paint conductive precursor directly to a base to connect a post and the extractor, the paste being heat-cured after the completion of assembly. Others involve a fine wire or spring strip from one filament post to the walls of the extractor cup. Other schemes include welded or brazed wires or foil, crimping, pinching, swaging and other connections, all made inside the tube enclosure.

This invention concerns construction of miniature x-ray tubes. In particular the invention is directed at an efficient and rugged connection of a high voltage cathode filament lead to an extractor cup which helps shape the path of electrons from the cathode in such an x-ray tube.
Miniature x-ray tubes, generally of the size and configuration contemplated in this invention, are shown in Xoft Microtube U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,188, and also in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,854,822 and 5,621,780. Also, Xoft Microtube pending application No. 10/397,498 describes a cathode assembly with a cathode manufactured by MEMS technology and discloses a means of forming an extractor cup and electrically connecting the extractor cup to high voltage.
As is known, an extractor cup is usually needed to help focus and direct the stream of electrons leaving a cathode en route to the anode in an x-ray tube, and the need for focusing this electron beam typically becomes more acute in the case of miniature x-ray tubes. However, the connection of an extractor cup to high voltage, in a rugged, reliable and feasibly manufacturable manner, presents something of a challenge. There are problems of reliably connecting a conductor to one end of a cathode filament or a wire lead to the cathode; it is not feasible simply to extend a conductor wire through the tube wall to the exterior, because of sealing problems and because of the requirement to isolate this HV from the tube exterior which is at ground potential; and in miniature size, which may be down to about 1 mm in tube diameter, the options are limited in making secure high voltage connections in proper alignment, to withstand high temperature, without causing the tube to fail ultimately through arcing and while still obtaining a rugged and reliable connection of the extractor cup to a base of the cathode and secure connection of the cathode itself to the base.


Methods and apparatus to implement efficient communications between components of computing systems are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a message generator to: add a first value associated with a first field of a message to a shift register based on a first push operation, the message including multiple fields, at least two of the fields having different bit widths; and add a second value associated with a second field of the message to the shift register based on a second push operation, the second value to be adjacent the first value in the shift register in accordance with a structure of the message. The example apparatus further includes a communications interface to transmit content stored in the shift register to a hardware device via a bus having a width corresponding to a width of the shift register, the content including the message.

Logic circuitry, such as processors (e.g., microprocessors), controllers, and/or other programmable computing devices (e.g., FPGAs, ASICs, etc.) often generate messages that are communicated in a computing system to control the operation of other hardware devices. As technology has advanced, the messages provided by a processor, a controller, and/or other programmable computing devices have become increasingly complex. At the same time, it is increasingly more important to generate and deliver such messages in faster time frames.
In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.
Descriptors "first," "second," "third," etc. are used herein when identifying multiple elements or components which may be referred to separately. Unless otherwise specified or understood based on their context of use, such descriptors are not intended to impute any meaning of priority, physical order or arrangement in a list, or ordering in time but are merely used as labels for referring to multiple elements or components separately for ease of understanding the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in the detailed description, while the same element may be referred to in a claim with a different descriptor such as "second" or "third." In such instances, it should be understood that such descriptors are used merely for ease of referencing multiple elements or components.


A wheel-balancing weight mounts to a wheel with a flange. The weight has a weighted body and a clip securely attached thereto. The body defines a recess therein, and the clip has a securing portion formed to be securely positioned within the recess defined in the body and a grasping portion for securely grasping the flange. The recess of the body allows the clip to be axially positioned with respect to such body so that the body is axially shifted toward the mounted-to wheel to achieve a proper fit to the wheel. The securing portion of the clip is secured within the recess by flowing a portion of the body adjacent such clip into contact therewith.

In the manufacture of pneumatic tires and also wheels and rims for pneumatic tires, it is exceedingly difficult if not impossible to produce a tire, a wheel, or the combination thereof in perfect rotational balance. As known, when out of balance, such a tire, wheel, or combination thereof, vibrates excessively upon rotation and can cause damage to adjacent, coupled-to and/or related components.
Accordingly, and as is known, such tire, wheel, or combination thereof is balanced by appropriately applying one or more counter-balancing weights to compensate for a measured imbalance. Methods of measuring imbalance and determining where to apply the counter-balancing weights are generally known to the relevant public and therefore need not be described herein.
Heretofore, such a counter-balancing weight has been constructed to have a body formed from lead or the like as a unitary mass around a steel clip, where the steel clip securely clips on to an exterior circumferential flange or lip at the rim of the wheel. However, the use of lead has come to be discouraged for environmental reasons, among others.
Accordingly, a need exists for a wheel-balancing weight with a body formed from a material other than lead. More particularly, a need exists for such a wheel-balancing weight where the clip is secured to the body in the axial, circumferential, and radial directions with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel, and where the body is well-positioned with respect to the wheel when the weight is mounted to such wheel. Still more particularly, a need exists for such a wheel-balancing weight that is simple in design and manufacture and therefore is affordable in cost.

Wheel weight with body having recess and clip secured therein


A multilayer thin-film broad-band polarizing beam-splitter which can split an unpolarized beam into two orthogonal linearly polarized beams with high extinction ratios is provided. The fabrication method comprises: (1) selecting a right-angle prism, having an isosceles triangular cutoff plane; (2) depositing broad-band polarized multilayer thin-film on an internal slope of the right-angle prism; (3) cementing and UV-curing a coated right-angle prism with an uncoated right-angle prism to form a cube-shaped polarizing beam-splitter; (4) properly determining the orientation of the polarization plane of the cube-shaped polarizing beam-splitter; (5) identifying the multi-stage assembly designs that are responsible for beam being incident and emerging; (6) adding anti-reflecting coatings to the relevant faces of the cube-shaped polarizing beam-splitters; and (7) cementing and UV-curing these cube-shaped polarizing beam-splitters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a polarizing beam-splitter, and especially relates to a high performance multilayer thin-film broad-band polarizing beam-splitter for obtaining two orthogonal linearly polarized beams with a high extinction ratio from an unpolarized beam of broad spectral range. The absorption loss of the polarizing beam-splitter, made of multilayer thin-film coatings, is negligible because the coating materials used in the thin-film stack are virtually lossless dielectric materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thin-film multilayer polarizing beam-splitters are commonly used in contemporary optoelectronic systems. However, most have tradeoffs between high optical throughput and high extinction performance unless they are operated at single wavelength or in a narrow spectral band. Thus, the demand for broad-band polarizing beam-splitters increases as applications across the whole visible range have become increasingly important.
A first related prior art had been disclosured by R. Messner, "Die theoretischen grundlagen optischer interferenzpolarisatoren", Feinwerktechnik 57, 142-147(1953). The first prior art used 15 plates, each with quarter-wave films coated on both sides, parallel-stacked with air gaps to provide approximately 90% polarized light transmission at an oblique angle of incidence. They are called pile-of-plates polarizers. The first prior art had drawbacks of complicated stacking procedure, larger walk-off of the transmitted light, narrow operating bandwidth, and especially widely-spreaded reflected beams that were not orthogonal to the transmitted beam. The last drawback greatly limited the application of such devices as polarizing beam-splitters.
A second related prior art had been disclosed by H. Schroder, "Die erzeugung von lineraploarisierttem licht durch dunne dielektrische schichten," Optik 3, 499-503(1948). The second prior art was to operate the pile-of-plates polarizers at a particular angle such that only light with polarization perpendicular to the plane of incidence would be reflected. Though this improved the extinction ratio and resulted in far fewer plates being necessary for equal performance, it still suffered from the same disadvantage of not being able to allow such polarizers to function as polarizing beam-splitters.
A third prior art replaced the multiple plates with thin layers of low refractive index material to enhance the interference effect. The multilayers of high and low-refractive index materials were on a plate or embedded between materials having another suitable refractive index. The bandwidth of these polarizers was much smaller than that of pile-of-plates polarizers. Choice of the refractive indices and angle of incidence had strong influence on the bandwidth and the extinction ratio of thin-film multilayer polarizers. Since broad-band thin-film polarizers are extremely difficult to make, the extinction ratio is traditionally improved by passing the incident radiation through multiple stages of the polarizing process, such as pile-of-plates polarizers, with the expense of optical throughput. However the reflected beams of such polarizers can hardly be combined into a single light beam with orthogonal polarization from the transmitted beam. Therefore, it is not satisfactory to use the above prior art as a polarizing beam-splitter.

Multilayer thin-film broad-band polarizing beam-splitter

Industrial Technology Research Institute