A power system is disclosed that includes a chassis configured to house a first board, a second board, and a third board, in which the boards are electrically coupled to one another. The first board is configured to receive power and to output power at a first voltage and a second voltage. The second board is configured to receive power from the first board or at least one internal battery electrically coupled to the second board and to output power using at least two voltages. The third board is configured to receive power from the second board and to output power at two voltages. The boards include one or more converters configured to convert power. The one or more converters are thermally interfaced with one or more portions of the chassis so as to conduct heat into a respective portion of the chassis.

A missile guidance set (MGS) for a tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided (TOW) missile system requires a power system to operate. The power system typically includes several components, such as two battery assemblies, a battery charger, a battery charger monitor unit, a battery power conditioner, a vehicle power conditioner, at least two primary batteries, a battery case, and a TVPC, which may weigh over 170 pounds in total. Moreover, the conventional battery assembly utilizes nickel cadmium cell technology.
However, the list of problems with this legacy battery system are every increasing. For example, the system itself is heavy and cumbersome to transport in the field, and when the system is deployed, the nickel cadmium batteries have, in practice, failed to provide the expected number of TOW missile firings. Additionally, charging and discharging the batteries is inefficient as the batteries must be recharged using a nonmobile AC charging unit. If night sight operation is required, the legacy battery system cannot support the night sight, and thus, an additional battery device is required to operate the night sight. Furthermore, the supply of nickel cadmium is diminishing, and one or more component of the conventional battery system are obsolete. Therefore, the cost of replacing one or more of these components is ever increasing.
There is a need to provide an improved battery system to efficiently and cost effectively provide electrical power.

Alion Science and Technology Corporation


A picture frame having a substantially stiff, rectangular, planar transparent sheet with lip members disposed on two rear opposing sides to slideably receive therein the object to be displayed directly behind the transparent sheet and a sheet of magnetic material to be received within said lips directly behind the object to be displayed. The magnetic sheet, when placed against a metallic surface, holds the frame in place by its attraction to such metallic surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The device of this invention resides in the area of frames utilizing magnetic members to retain them in place on a metallic surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Picture frames having small segments of magnets on the back thereof in small segments have been utilized to retain such frames in position on a metallic object.


The invention provides a method of treating a mammal having a condition associated with formation of amyloidogenic protein without deposition of amyloid plaques. This treatment includes administering to the mammal a pharmacologically effective amount of Congo Red or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or derivative thereof to interfere with amyloidogenic protein formation or to destabilize amyloidogenic protein structures already formed in said mammal. The invention also provides a method of treating a mammal having a condition associated with deposition of amyloidogenic protein in plaques, and a method of inhibiting the transformation of PrP-sen to PrP-res in a tissue culture sample containing PrP-sen.

Amyloid plaque formation is found in a number of diseases including Alzheimer's Disease (AD), scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Gerstmann-Straussler Syndrome and related transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (T'SEs). These amyloid plaques comprise protein molecules bound together in a fibrinous matrix. Other disorders, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob's disease, are characterized by the accumulation of amyloidogenic protein without deposition of amyloid plaques. Together these groups of conditions are referred to herein as "Amyloidogenic Diseases."
Amyloidogenic diseases include a heterogeneous group of hereditary and nonhereditary disorders related by their production of amyloid-forming proteins. These disorders are often accompanied by extracellular deposition of amyloid plaques in one or more tissues. An amyloid plaque is identified by its amorphous, eosinophilic, homogeneous appearance. A unique green birefringence after Congo Red staining, fibriflar ultrastructure, and cross beta X-ray diffraction pattern are also features of amyloid plaques.
The presence of amyloid plaques in various tissue samples can indicate a vast array of diseases. Alzheimer's disease is now identified by the presence of cerebral amyloid plaques derived from beta protein. Adult Type II diabetes can be identified by the presence of the amyloidogenic protein IAPP in amyloid plaques from pancreatic islets.
Some methods of affecting amyloidogenic protein accumulation have been developed. However, no general therapy directed towards many Amyloidogenic Diseases has yet been developed.
In one study of factors affecting amyloid protein accumulation, the drugs melphalan and prednisone were compared with the known protein inhibitor colchicine. Patients treated with colchicine had a median survival of 18 months compared to a control group who survived, on average, only six months. Patients treated with melphalan and prednisone survived 25 months. This study showed no significant difference in survival between subjects in any group, although the trend favored melphalan and prednisone.
Other modes of therapy have included the use of dimethyl sulfoxide and treatment of secondary amyloid with affiylating agents. An experimental fish oil diet in mice has also been studied.
In selected patients with systemic amyloidosis and azotemia, renal transplantation has exhibited effectiveness. Normal renal function may be present for a period of time after transplantation, although amyloid plaques may subsequently develop. Three year graft survival in patients receiving primary cadaveric kidney grafts has been reported, but overall survival of patients with amyloidosis has been worse than patients undergoing transplantation for glomerulonephritis. Notwithstanding the partial success of transplantation, a non-surgical intervention would be more desireable.
In scrapie, Creutzfeldt-Jakob's disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and related transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, an abnormal protease-resistant isoform of the endogenous prion protein (PrP) accumulates in the CNS and other tissues. Unlike the normal, protease-sensitive PrP (PrP-sen), the protease-resistant PrP (PrP-res) is insoluble in many detergents and can aggregate into amyloid-like plaques with high 0 -sheet content. Although the etiology of these T'SEs is not clear, evidence exists that PrP plays an important role in the pathogenesis of these diseases.
Some investigators have proposed that PrP-res is a component of the infectious agent or is itself the agent, but this issue remains highly controversial. Studies of the mechanism of PrP-res formation, the relationships of PrP-res to pathogenesis and infectivity, and potential therapies for the T'SEs would be aided greatly by the availability of a compound that selectively inhibits the accumulation of PrP-res.
The structure of Congo Red dye is shown below: ##STR1## Congo Red is known to bind amyloid plaques, including those comprised of PrP-res protein. See Prusiner et al., Cell, 35:349-358 (1.983). Congo Red has also been reported to inhibit experimental casein-induced amyloid deposition in mice (Kagan et al., Problemy Tuberkuleza, 9:72-74 (1974). However, Applicants are aware of no previous uses of Congo Red in the treatment of Amyloidogenic Diseases.
The disparate presence of amyloid formations throughout the body appears to validate the notion that amyloidosis is a widespread metabolic disease. Thus, a treatment common to all such diseases would provide tremendous benefits.

Inhibition of diseases associated with amyloid formation

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


Pressure reducer for compressed gases, comprising at least one regulation stage constituted by a chamber divided by a first membrane (25) into two chambers (23, 24), one of which said chambers (24) is maintained at a reference pressure and the other (23) at a pressure which depends on the gas pressure in the outlet pipe (3), an opening, closed by a membrane (43) integral with a cap (42), located between the said chamber (24) at the reference pressure and the said gas outlet pipe (3), a gas inlet chamber (10) with an opening (11) which leads to the said outlet pipe (3) in correspondence with the said cap (42), the movements of which said cap open and close the passage (11) between the said inlet chamber (10) and the said outlet pipe (3), and means (41) integral with the said first membrane (25) which act on the said cap (42) so that it approaches and retracts from opening (11) of the said gas inlet chamber.

This invention relates to a pressure reducer for compressed gases which, although its use is particularly advantageous in internal combustion engine fuel supply systems, can also be used in all cases in which a gas has to be taken from a high pressure to a lower pressure, such as ambient pressure.
The reducer in accordance with the invention is very compact, and so sensitive that a small vacuum at the outlet is sufficient to ensure that the reducer supplies a large amount of gas. In the description below, specific reference will be made to the case of a pressure reducer designed for installation in the gas supply system of an internal combustion engine, but the same concepts could obviously be applied in different situations, so the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment described here but extends to all applications in which the reducer could be used.
In pressure reducers of the type used in vehicle fuel supply systems, gas which is already at a stabilised pressure is fed through a nozzle closed by a valve which regulates the gas flow in accordance with engine demand. This valve usually consists of a closing member such as a disc or the like that closes the gas outlet nozzle to the engine, and is fitted on a lever which is subject to the action of regulating devices on the opposite side. These devices usually include a membrane to which is fitted a cap with a pin that acts on the said lever from the opposite side to the one on which the closing member is located.
The membrane is subject on one side to a reference pressure which may be atmospheric pressure, and on the other to the force of a calibrating spring and a pressure which is a function of or basically corresponds to the pressure detected close to the Venturi tube of the engine intake manifold.
The spring acts on the membrane to maintain it in the valve closing position when it is in the rest condition.
During acceleration, a sufficient vacuum is created on the side of the membrane which communicates with the manifold inlet to ensure that the reference pressure on the opposite side counteracts the force exerted by the spring, and pushes the membrane to act on the lever and open the gas outlet nozzle.
To obtain the force required to counteract the spring even when the vacuum on one side of the membrane is minimal, the membrane must have a fairly large surface.
These known reducers are therefore rather bulky and therefore difficult to fit into the engine compartments of modern vehicles; moreover, their sensitivity is considered insufficient to meet current requirements.
A first solution to the problem of the insufficient sensitivity of these reducers is offered by Italian patent no. 1,099,007 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,106) filed by the same applicant.
That document describes a reducer which comprises two membranes: one is fitted with a cap with mechanical devices that act on a valve opening lever to counteract a spring which tends to keep the lever in the closed position, while the other, which is highly flexible, separates an inlet chamber to which part of the gas is conveyed from a chamber at the reference pressure or atmospheric pressure. Part of the gas introduced into this inlet chamber by a nozzle exits through a passage leading to the engine intake manifold, while part returns into circulation through a cavity located between the flexible membrane and a fixed wall which has an opening communicating with the area into which the gas is introduced by the said nozzle.
When suction is increased, the vacuum created sucks the free membrane against the said opening, thus closing the passage through which the gas is recirculated.
All the gas is then conveyed to the engine, so the vacuum created in the chamber by the gas exiting from the nozzle at high speed acts on the first membrane, counteracting the force of the spring and causing it to move in such a way as to control, via the lever, opening of the valve which closes the high-pressure gas inlet.
Although this solution ensures a good level of sensitivity, it still presents various drawbacks and limitations.
The fact that the gas inlet closing valve is fitted to a lever introduces friction which has an adverse effect on the sensitivity of the device, with the result that the membranes used need to be large enough to be deformed sufficiently even by minimal pressure differences.
Moreover, in these known devices the efficiency of the device declines when demand for fuel from the engine increases, and vice versa. For the reasons set out above, the need is felt in the industry for means able to reduce the pressure of compressed gases which are small enough to be easily fitted into the engine compartments of present-day vehicles, but have a very level of high sensitivity, so that the outlet gas flow can instantly be adapted to meet demand for fuel from the engine.
This problem is now solved by the present invention, which relates to a pressure reducer for compressed gases in which pressure reduction takes place in two separate stages, and the pressure which acts on the membrane that controls opening and closing of the gas outlet valve is detected by a mobile element which moves in such a way that the pressure is always detected at the point where its value is lowest.

Abstract: It is provided an additional regulation stage constituted by a chamber divided by a membrane (14) into two chambers (15, 16), one of which said chambers (16) is maintained at the reference pressure while the second such chamber (15) is maintained at the reduced gas inlet pressure into chamber (10), regulation means (19) being also provided, designed to act on the said membrane (14) to regulate the said reduced inlet pressure in the said gas inlet chamber (10), and a valve (5) designed to close a high-pressure gas inlet pipe (2, 4), which said valve (5) is integral with the said membrane (14), and means (12, 13) which place the said chamber (15) in communication with the area close to the outlet opening (11) of the said gas entry chamber (10).


A telemedicine device is implemented in an integrated housing, which includes a display, input/output ports, a videoconferencing codec, and a codec-independent hardware user interface. A processor receives inputs through the user interface, translates them into instructions understandable by the codec, and sends the translated instruction to the codec for execution. The user interface can be standardized, such that it is identical regardless of the codec in use, and can group functions logically (e.g., call control, video functions, audio functions).

The instant disclosure relates to telemedicine. In particular, the instant disclosure relates to an integrated telemedicine device with a standardized, codec-independent hardware user interface.
The term "telemedicine" refers to the remote consultation and diagnosis of patients by means of telecommunications technology. Telemedicine encompasses everything from a simple telephone call between two parties (e.g., doctor and patient) to a more sophisticated real-time videoconference between two parties (e.g., a medical professional, such as a nurse or nurse practitioner, located with a patient at a first site, referred to herein as a "local" site, and a physician located elsewhere, referred to herein as a "remote" site).
These more sophisticated real-time videoconferences often employ codecs. "Codec" is an acronym for COder/DECoder, which is a device that encodes and decodes audio and video signals into a digital data stream for transmission across a network. A codec device can be used at either end of a network to enable a virtual live audio and video consultation between distant parties.
Extant codecs, however, vary significantly in their user interfaces between and across different makes and models. This variability can increase the complexity that a user encounters when moving from one codec to another and/or when encountering a new codec for the first time.
In addition, one common user interface for extant codecs is a software-driven, multi-level on-screen display. In such software-driven codec user interfaces, the selection of a desired function may require the user to drill down through multiple layers of menus in order to reach the appropriate control. Although this style of user interface is very common in visual communication equipment, because it allows the manufacturer to add features and functionality over time to the core product, it can lead to user confusion, for example when encountering an unfamiliar or new codec.
It would be desirable for a telemedicine device to have a standardized, hardware-based user interface that is not dependent upon the particular codec used therewith.
It would also be desirable for a telemedicine device to have a hardware-based user interface that utilizes a single push-button selection to access commonly-desired features.
It would also be desirable for a telemedicine device to limit the prominence of irrelevant and/or uncommonly-used functionality that might cause user confusion.


The present disclosure relates to the technical field of battery, and discloses an integrated bus bar element for a battery, a battery and a vehicle; wherein the integrated bus bar element comprises a bus bar (20, 20a, 20b), and a plurality of branch bars (28a-28j) for electrical connection to battery cells (10, 10a, 10b) respectively, and the bus bar (20, 20a, 20b) and the branch bars (28a-28j) are made of a single conductor and integrally formed as a single piece. The integrated bus bar element of the present disclosure eliminates the connection points between the bus bar and the branch bars, a step of connecting the bus bar and the branch bars is not required to be implemented during the battery assembly, thus the reliability and assembly convenience of the battery are greatly improved.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a power supply system for supplying an electrical equipment 16 with electrical power by using a battery consisting of a plurality of battery cells 10a, 10b. Wherein each of the battery cells is connected with a branch bar, and the electric energy transmitted via the branch bars passes through the bus bars 20a and 20b. In addition, fuses 22a, 22b, 22c and 22d are arranged on the branch bars; in case of a surge current, the fuses may break the electric connection between the battery cell and the electric equipment in order to protect the battery pack; when a failure of the battery occurs, the fuses may protect the electric device such as a vehicle.
As can be seen, the individual branch bar may, on the one hand, act as a power transmission medium to connect the bus bar with the battery cells, and on the other hand, can provide protection in the abnormal conditions. For this reason, there are many connection points in the power supply system, the connection points increase cost and complexity, and a breakdown such as connection failure is prone to occur at the connection points. For example, the traditional fusing element (fuse) needs to be provided with connection points at both ends, and the branch bars shall be supplied with connection elements for crimp connection to the battery cells, it causes inconvenience in assembly of the battery and low reliability of the battery pack.

Integrated bus bar element for a battery, battery and vehicle


An agricultural sprayer assembly includes a wheeled carriage, a chassis, and a spray delivery system. The wheeled carriage has a number of adjustable support legs (e.g., four), each formed of hydraulically coupled and actuated upper and lower leg sections or members. The chassis is supported on the wheeled carriage, at an adjustable clearance height defined by the operational height of the support legs. The spray delivery system includes a spray boom coupled to a boom support, and an actuator coupled to the boom support and the chassis. The actuator is configured to adjust the height of the spray boom with respect to the clearance height of the chassis.

This disclosure is directed to wheeled spray delivery systems for use in agricultural applications, and specifically to high-clearance agricultural sprayers for use on corn and other tall grass crops. In particular, the disclosure relates to a wheeled, adjustable height agricultural sprayer adaptable to small plots and tall row crop applications, with an actuated boom system for improved spray control.
In farming and agricultural applications, sprayers are commonly used to apply a variety of different products including water, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides and other fluid-based materials. Depending on application, crop sprayers come in a wide range of sizes and configurations, including portable backpack devices with hand-operated spray attachments, trailer-type sprayers with extended boom configurations, and aerial crop dusting systems for use in helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Sprayer design depends upon crop configuration, growing environment, and the selected products to be applied. In particular, while some sprayer carriage and boom configurations may be adapted for different field crops such as corn, sorghum, wheat, and sunflowers, these configurations may or may not be appropriate for paddy crops like rice. Tubers and legumes can also require different sprayer designs, for example potatoes and soybeans, as compared to other row crops such as cotton and beets. Vine crops like tomatoes and grapes pose particular challenges for spray product application, as compared to tree crops like apples, oranges and nuts, as do other specialty crops like flowers, horticultural products, and nursery plots.
Across these different applications, speed and ease of use have been historical design drivers, along with product efficiency and efficacy. Spray drift and other loss effects are also important considerations, not only from a cost perspective, but also from the point of view of environmental protection and reduced human and animal exposure.
Based on all of these factors, there is an ongoing need for advanced sprayer designs and application techniques, with improved spray product delivery for a range of agricultural products with different crop heights, row configurations, and plot layouts. At the same time, there is also a desire for improved coverage and decreased application time, with reduced spray drift and risk of exposure.


A pressure control device for controlling the application of pressure provided by a pressure roller to a pressing object, which includes a support member for pivotally supporting the pressure roller, a locking member coupled with the support member, an eccentric cam switchable between a locked state and an unlocked state by the locking member, a clutch for rotating the eccentric cam by a driving means connected thereto, and a solenoid for pushing or pulling the joint portion of the support member and the locking member so as to allow both members to move pivotally. When the solenoid is turned on and the locking of the eccentric cam is released from the locking member, the clutch rotates the eccentric cam thereby moving the solenoid. The pulling force of the solenoid pivotally move the support member strongly enough to allow the pressure roller to press the pressing object. When the solenoid is turned off at this state, the pressure roller is moved downward away from the pressing object by weight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure control device for a pressure roller, and more particularly to a pressure control device for controlling the application of pressure provided by a pressure roller such as a transfer roller and a pressing roller for a fixing device to a pressing object in an image forming apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An image forming apparatus such as a printer and a copying machine is provided with a pressure roller for applying a pressure to a pressing object such as a photosensitive drum. Such a pressure is conventionally controlled by the methods as described below.
FIG. 10 shows one of the conventional pressure control devices for a pressure roller. The device comprises a lever 50 which pivotally moves around a horizontal support 51 and supports a transfer roller 5 at one end thereof. The transfer roller 5 is disposed below a photosensitive drum 1. The transfer roller 5 normally presses the photosensitive drum 1, and the pressure is released by manually pushing the opposite end of the lever 50 to the transfer roller 5, against the urging force of a spring 52. This operation is required, for example, when jamming occurs between the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer roller 5.
Since the above conventional device is manually operated, good operability is not possible, and a longer time is required to release the jamming. Further, the transfer roller 5 normally presses the photosensitive drum 1 with the urging force of the spring 52, which over time may cause deformation of both the photosensitive drums 1 and the transfer roller 5.
FIG. 11 shows a second type of the conventional pressure control device a pressure roller, in which a solenoid 6 is added to the above device together with a plunger 60 for coupling the solenoid 6 to the lever 50. When jamming occurs, the solenoid 6 is turned on so as to allow the plunger 60 to withdraw. This is followed by the pivotal movement of the lever 50 in such a direction that the transfer roller 5 supported thereto moves away from the photosensitive drum 1 and the pressure therebetween is thereby released.
In the above conventional device, the lever 50 is directly moved by the solenoid 6. This structure is disadvantageous in that it requires a large solenoid and, as a result, the image forming apparatus becomes complicate and large, requiring further costs.
FIG. 12 shows a third type of the conventional pressure control device, in which the lever 50 is pivotally moved by the combination of the solenoid 6 and a spring clutch 7 so as to release the pressure of the transfer roller 5 from the photosensitive drum 1. Normally, the solenoid 6 is not energized, and a sleeve 70 of the spring clutch 7 is engaged with a ratch 61 coupled to the plunger 60 of the solenoid 6, so as to lock a cam 71 of the spring clutch 7 in order to prevent it from rotating. When jamming occurs and the solenoid 6 is turned on, the cam 71 is unlocked and starts to rotate, allowing the lever 50 to pivotally move in such a direction that the transfer roller 5 supported thereto moves away from the photosensitive drum 1 and the pressure therebetween is released.
The above conventional device still has a disadvantage. When the main electric source of the image forming apparatus is turned off, the main motor which drives various drive systems thereof stops. In this respect, when the main electric source is turned off with the transfer roller 5 pressing the photosensitive drum 1, the pressure application is maintained. Thus, if the image forming apparatus is kept unused for a long period of time, both the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer roller 5 may be deformed due to the pressure against each other.
The image forming apparatus employing the above conventional pressure control devices is normally provided with a timing roller which transports a sheet so that it passes between the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer roller 5. The timing roller is conventionally provided with a solenoid other than the above solenoid 6 so as to control the rotation of the timing roller. As a result, the structure of the apparatus becomes large and complicated with the increased number of components, and this also makes it difficult to realize cost reduction.
An objective of the present invention is to solve the above-described prior art deficiencies by providing a pressure control device for a pressure roller which ensures the prompt release of jamming and which prevents both a pressing object and a pressure roller from being deformed when the image forming apparatus is left unused for a long period of time.
Another objective of the present invention is to simplify the structure of the image forming apparatus and to achieve cost reductions thereof.

Pressure control device for a pressure roller


A snow shovel construction 10 including a curved and tapered blade member 20 having an enlarged end 21 and a smaller end 22. The blade member 20 is disposed at an angle of approximately 60.degree. relative to a handle member 30 that is provided with a pair of offset hand grip elements 33, 34 and further provided with a reinforcement unit 13 disposed both on the blade member 20 and between the blade member 20 and the handle member 30.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of snow shovel constructions in general, and in particular to scoop style snow shovel constructions.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 841,848; 2,165,314; 4,538,847; and 4,559,726, the prior art is replete with contoured scoop style snow shovel constructions.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they do not represent the final word in snow shovel constructions of their type.
To begin with, the primary objective of a contoured scoop style snow shovel is to move snow in a lateral fashion across the face of the scooped blade in the most efficient and practical matter possible, while also reducing the amount of effort expended during that task in an ergonomically efficient fashion.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among homeowners and the like, for a new and improved contoured snow shovel construction that employs a reinforced tapered scoop style blade having a unique braced dual handle arrangement that maximizes the work produced per unit of energy expended and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.


A multi time-phase treatment for one of a range of maladies. A dosage form is administered in a first dosage of a therapeutic effective amount of a first plant concentrate or one of its physiological acceptable forms. A dosage form is administered in a second dosage of a therapeutic effective amount of a second plant concentrate or one of its physiological acceptable forms. The first dosage is applied at a first time-phase and the second dosage is applied at a second time-phase spaced from the first time-phase. A combination of the first and second dosage forms administered in at least the first and second time-phases assist in treatment of abnormal cells for treatment for one of the range of maladies.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the etiological agent for AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a virus infection caused by weakened immune system. Most importantly, HIV infects and destroys CD4+ cells which are critical to the immune system and hence renders the patient susceptible to opportunistic infections resulting in progressive, irreversible neoplasm. HIV is neurotropic, capable of infecting monocytes and macrophages in the central nervous system causing severe neurologic damage. Most anti-HIV drugs aim at inhibiting the viral enzymes, reverse transcriptase, thereby inhibiting de novo infection of cells.
Chemotherapies and radiation therapy are recognized as the mainstream approaches to the treatment for HIV/AIDS infection and cancer. Such conventional treatments however suffer a number of drawbacks including: (i) severe side effects—for example, drugs used in chemotherapies characteristically damage and/or destroy cells that grow rapidly, such as cancer cells, also affect rapidly growing normal cells such as blood cells in the bone marrow, cells in the hair follicles, and the cells that generate sperm in the testes; and (ii) drug resistance—cancer cells have the ability to develop drug resistance to chemotherapeutic agents over time, for example the development of cisplatin resistance is a major source of treatment failure over time in non-small cell lung cancer.
Drug resistance and cytotoxicity against non-tumor associated cells limits the extended usage and the therapeutic effectiveness of angiogenesis inhibitors. Continual global research for more effective multi-target constituents that promotes cancer cell apoptosis in genetic pathway with no side-effect stands as an ultimate goal for this tumoricidal activity.
The search for more effective therapies to treat HIV/AIDS and cancer is still to date of paramount importance. However, with the rapid social progress and the ever changing lifestyle, more and more people are opting for natural, healthier alternative approach to their medical issues. Most prescription medication, over-the-counter medicine, and vitamin supplements contains fillers and chemicals that triggers many side effects and are extremely hazardous to the human body.
One object of the invention is to provide alternative medicines for treatment of AIDS, cancer and diabetes that do not have the above drawbacks.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved treatment for HIV/AIDS and cancers, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Method of treating select cancers using timed administration of plant extract from species


An optical alignment system. In an embodiment, the system includes an optical emitting device for projecting an optical indicator onto a workpiece surface area. Further, a lateral arm may be coupled to the optical emitting device for supporting such device. In addition, a vertical support is constructed to receive the lateral arm allowing the lateral arm and optical emitting device to cantilever over the workpiece surface area. Moreover, a securing mechanism for securing the vertical support to the workpiece surface area such as a horizontal platform may be included. Additionally, at least one optical emitting device housing which substantially encloses the optical emitting device is present for operationally coupling the optical device to the lateral arm. The at least one optical emitting device housing is configured so that the optical emitting device may cantilever above the workpiece surface area and project a line-of-cut indicator onto the workpiece surface area.

Power tools are commonly used by professional carpenters, as well as by hobbyists. Carpentry projects require precision when making cuts, particularly with the alignment of the cut. These precise cuts typically require an operator to draw a line on the surface of the material prior to making a cut. This method has inherent disadvantages, as the line may not be straight, or may be difficult to perceive.
Various alignment devices have been used to provide a line of cut indication for a variety of carpentry tools. For instance, a fence may be employed to position a workpiece so that a kerf or channel may be formed in a desired location within the workpiece. However, use of the fence is limited by the requirement of continual fence re-alignment to accommodate different workpieces and positions as well as the ability to adjust the fence smoothly or accurately. In addition, a tool which slides into a slot formed within a power tool such as a table saw, router table, band saw, and the like is often utilized to make square or angled cuts. For example, a miter gauge which may be adjusted to different angles may be employed to guide a workpiece past the saw blade. However, in order determine the site at which the saw blade will enter the workpiece, a user is often required to perform a number of test cuts prior to arriving at the proper setting of the miter gauge. The requirement of multiple test cuts is not only tedious, but filled with imprecision.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system which is capable of attachment to a workbench or other surface which projects a line-of-cut indication onto a workpiece surface area eliminating the need for multiple test cuts, continuous fence re-alignment, and workpiece mark-up.

Optical alignment system for power tools


Apparatus and method for providing a door handle adapted to receive interchangeable display inserts. The door handle includes a handle body adapted to be coupled to a door of an enclosure. A receiving space is provided within the handle body for exchangeably receiving a display insert. A protective front facing planar member is located at a front face of the door handle and a graphic display is positioned behind the protective front facing planar member. The graphic display is visible through the protective front facing planar member by a person upon approach to the door handle.

In commercial settings, door pulls and push bars that are mounted on entrance and exit doors of commercial buildings are generally appreciated exclusively for their functional characteristics as they relate to opening doors which are generally biased to a closed position. Predominately, such doors are hinged for pivotation and are swung out of the way be a person desiring to pass therethrough. The conventional design for door pulls and push bars utilized on these door types are generally well known. In the instance of door pulls, an angled structure is usually employed having a free edge easily grasped by the user. A door pull is typically positioned on the side of a door that is pulled toward the user for opening. The location of the door pull is several feet above ground level at a location that is easily graspable by a majority of the public. Often, the door pull has a vertically measured height that is greater than its horizontally measured width.
A push bar is often positioned on the opposite side of a door to a door pull. In many instances, especially in commercial settings, entrance and exit doors are arranged to open outwardly from the building's interior. This is a safety feature that helps assure that the door will open if rushed in an emergency situation from the inside. In keeping with this feature, push bars are often incorporated into a latching mechanism that upon actuation by a push pressure upon the push bar, a door latch is disengaged thereby allowing a previously latched door to be opened by a continued push force by the user. Like the door pull, the push bar is normally located on a door at a height easily embraced by an approaching user. Contrary to the door pull's design, however, the push bar generally has a width that substantially spans the door's width and resultingly has a horizontally measured length greater than its vertically measured height.
To improve the appearance of a business establishment, door handles and push pads are sometimes ornately designed. Rarely, however, are these devices customized for a particular business by incorporating a company logo or other signage into the handle or push pad. Furthermore, those occasional prior attempts to do so have produced less than satisfactory results. Specifically, door handles having a metal exterior surface shaped to incorporate a company logo and painted to correspond to the company's color scheme are known. Not only are such door handles exceedingly expensive to manufacture, repeated use of the door handle often causes the painted exterior surface to quickly appear worn, resulting in added costs if frequently needed touch-ups are applied.
While conventional designs and orientations for door pulls and push bars have considered their positioning and configuration for facilitating engagement by the user, the visual attention that each of these two structures typically receives has been overlooked. Each time a person enters or exits a building, they, either consciously or unconsciously, make a visual fix on the door handle for engagement purposes, regardless of whether the handle takes the form of a door pull or push bar. That means, that even if just for a split second, not only is the person glancing at the door handle, but they are also concentrating on it. Given that many commercial buildings, and especially retail establishments, experience high customer traffic into and out of the building, the pull handles and push bars on the doors to the same are frequently viewed. Heretofore, the highly visible nature of these door handles has infrequently been commercially exploited, and has not been utilized for exchangeable print advertisement. Moreover, there have been no designs for such door handles that accommodate easy exchange of visual displays and permit the handle to remain installed upon the door during the exchange process.
In view of the above described deficiencies associated with known commercial designs for door handles, the present invention has been developed to alleviate these drawbacks and provide further benefits to the user. These enhancements and benefits are described in greater detail hereinbelow with respect to several alternative embodiments of the present invention.

Door handle with interchangeable graphic display


A method for estimating an underwater acoustic sound velocity in a network of acoustic nodes arranged along towed acoustic linear antennas and in which a plurality of acoustic signals are transmitted between the nodes. The method includes: obtaining two predetermined distances each separating a couple of nodes placed along a same first acoustic linear antenna (31); for each couple of first and second nodes, obtaining a first propagation duration of an acoustic signal transmitted between said first node and a third node placed along a second acoustic linear antenna and a second propagation duration of an acoustic signal transmitted between said second node and said third node; and estimating said underwater acoustic sound velocity, as a function of said two predetermined distances and said first and second propagation durations obtained for each couple of nodes.

It is sought more particularly here below in this document to describe problems existing in the field of seismic data acquisition for oil prospecting industry. The invention of course is not limited to this particular field of application but is of interest for any technique that has to cope with closely related or similar issues and problems.
The operations of acquiring seismic data in the field conventionally use networks of seismic sensors, like accelerometers, geophones or hydrophones. In a context of seismic data acquisition in a marine environment, these sensors are distributed along cables in order to form linear acoustic antennas normally referred to as "streamers" or "seismic streamers". The network of seismic streamers is towed by a seismic vessel.
The seismic method is based on analysis of reflected seismic waves. Thus, to collect geophysical data in a marine environment, one or more submerged seismic sources are activated in order to propagate seismic wave trains. The pressure wave generated by the seismic sources passes through the column of water and insonifies the different layers of the sea bed. Part of the seismic waves (i.e. acoustic signals) reflected are then detected by the sensors (e.g. hydrophones) distributed over the length of the seismic streamers. These acoustic signals are processed and retransmitted by telemetry from the seismic streamers to the operator station situated on the seismic vessel, where they are stored.
A well-known problem in this context is the positioning of the seismic streamers. Indeed, it is important to precisely locate the streamers in particular for:                monitoring the position of the sensors (hydrophones) in order to obtain a satisfactory precision of the image of the sea bed in the exploration zone; and        detecting the movements of the streamers with respect to one another (the streamers are often subjected to various external natural constrains of variable magnitude, such as the wind, waves, currents); and        monitoring the navigation of streamers.
In practice, it is aimed to carry out an analysis of sea bed with a minimum number of passages of the vessel in the concerned area. For that purpose, the number of streamers implemented in the acoustic network is substantially increased. This problem of localization of streamers is thus particularly noticeably especially in view of the length of the streamers, which may vary between 6 and 15 kilometers, for example.
Control of the positions of streamers lies in the implementation of navigation control devices (commonly referred as "birds") installed at regular intervals (every 300 meters for example) along the seismic streamers.
Birds of the prior art are used to control only the depth of the streamers in immersion. Today, the birds are used to control the depth as well as the lateral position of the streamers.
The FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a part of a streamer 13 which comprises a series of sensors (hydrophones) 16, an electro-acoustic transducer 14 (described in more details thereafter) and a bird 10 distributed along its length.
A complete streamer 13 comprises (along its length) a multitude of parts described on FIG. 1, and thus comprises a huge number of sensors (hydrophones) 16 and a series of electro-acoustic transducers 14.
Each bird 10 may be associated with an electro-acoustic transducer 14 and comprises a body 11 equipped with at least one motorized pivoting wings 12 making it possible to steer laterally the streamer 13 and control the immersion depth of the streamer 13.
The control of the birds is made locally or by a master controller situated onboard the vessel.
An acoustic node is commonly known as being a transducer 14 and it's associated electronic. A bird 10 may be associated with an acoustic node 17 to allow this acoustic node to ensure a local control function of the associated streamer 13.
For the horizontal driving, the electro-acoustic transducers 14 allow to estimate the distances between acoustic nodes (named here below "inter-node distances") placed along two different streamers 13, adjacent or not. More precisely, an electro-acoustic transducer 14 of a first streamer sends several first acoustic sequences and also receives several second acoustic sequences coming from a second electro-acoustic transducer 14 of a second streamer, adjacent or not relative to said first streamer. To estimate an inter-node distance, the data received by a transducer 14 of an acoustic node are then processed locally by an electronic module (not shown on FIG. 1) associated with the transducer 14 or processed by a master controller onboard the vessel.
Transducers 14 are transmitters and receivers of acoustic sequences (i.e. acoustic signals in the form of modulated bits) used to determine distances between adjacent nodes situated on the various streamers, thereby forming a mesh of inter-node distances, in order to know precise lateral positioning of all the streamers.
Transducer here is understood to mean either a single electroacoustic device consisting of a transceiver (emitter/receiver) of acoustic signals, or a combination of a sender device (e.g. a pinger) and a receiver device (e.g. a pression particle sensor (hydrophone) or a motion particle sensor (accelerometer, geophone . . . )).
Usually, each node comprises an electro-acoustic transducer enabling it to behave alternately as a sender node and as a receiver node (for the transmission and the reception, respectively, of acoustic signals). In an alternative embodiment, a first set of nodes act only as sender nodes and a second set of nodes act only as receiver nodes. A third set of nodes can also be used in combination with the first and second sets of nodes. The inter-node distance between two synchronized nodes A and B can be typically estimated on the basis of the following formula:dAB=k×tAB with:    dAB, the inter-node distance separating a sender node (A) from a receiver node (B) of the acoustic signal;    tAB, the propagation duration elapsed between the emission instant and reception instant of the acoustic signal transmitted from the sender node (A) to the receiver node (B);    k, a "measured" or "estimated" value of sound velocity.
As already said, the control of the birds is made locally or by a master controller situated onboard the vessel.
Nowadays, a method widely known for obtaining underwater acoustic sound velocity (or sound velocity for simplification) of acoustic signals transmitted in an acoustic network is the use of sound velocimeters. Indeed, the measurements of sound velocity used by the navigation system are, in general, carried out by means of two sound velocimeters each arranged to two distinct extremities of the network of streamers, thereby providing "measured values" (also called "true values"). By way of example, FIG. 2 shown a network of ten streamers, referred from 20a to 20j, towed by a vessel 21 on which is located a centralized system (not shown) comprising a navigation system and a node manager system. Two velocimeters 22, 23 are positioned on the two outmost streamers 20a and 20j of the set of streamers towed by the vessel, the first one 22 being positioned near the vessel, the second one 23 being positioned at the opposite of the vessel. An estimation of the sound velocity is then carried out by the navigation system at each point corresponding to a position of an acoustic node by observation of the history of real measurements of sound velocity provided by the velocimeters, while taking into account the speed of the vessel.
A drawback of this known method is that, if one of the two velocimeters breaks down, it is necessary to raise the streamer (in which this velocimeter is comprised) out of water, in order to be able to change or repair the defective velocimeter.
Another drawback of this known method is that, to estimate sound velocity of acoustic signals, the navigation system has to suppose that the measured value of sound velocity in a given fixed point is constant over time (in the axis of the streamers). However, in view of the considerable length of the streamers and the low speed of the vessel, there can be several hours elapse between the sound velocity measurement carried out in that given point and the passage of an acoustic node at that same given point. The sound velocity of an acoustic wave in water being, in general, a parameter that rapidly changes particularly with temperature, pressure and salinity of water. Thus, this estimation method provides sound velocity values that are not always reliable. Based on the principle that the average sound velocity of the seawater is equal to 1500 m·s−1, the inventors found that the error in the value of celerity estimated for each acoustic node may frequently reach a few percents, thereby causing an error in propagation duration measurement, and hence in inter-node distance measurement, that may reach the same percentage. It follows that the localization of sensors (hydrophones) distributed along the seismic streamers lacks therefore of precision.
Another drawback of this known method is that the sound velocity measured by a velocimeter to a given point is considered as being constant in the transverse plan to the axis of the streamers (cross-line measurements). For instance, for a network of ten streamers separated each other from 100 meters, the sound velocity is supposed to be constant over the width of network, i.e. 1000 meters. Thereby an approximation, for example by linear or polynomial interpolation, of the sound velocity measured by each velocimeter is carried out in the transverse plan to the axis of the streamers, also making the estimated values of sound velocity unreliable.
In addition, independently of the navigation system, the birds placed along the streamers comprise embedded electronics used for implementing locally a feedback loop (in order to control inter-node distances of the acoustic network). As said before, these inter-node distances are determined as function of the propagation duration of transmitted acoustic signals measured by nodes of the network and an estimated value of sound velocity which is provided, either by the navigation system, or by an operator via the node manager system. The error in this estimated value of sound velocity may therefore cause an error in the feedback of the nodes between themselves.
Another well-known method of estimation of acoustic signal sound velocity consists in measuring in-line propagation duration between two nodes placed on a same streamer and, from knowledge of the in-line distance separating the two nodes, deducing a estimated value of sound velocity. However, in-line propagation duration measurement requires a node structure with an electro-acoustic transducer deported from the streamer (i.e. placed outside the node). Such a known method can not therefore be implemented in the context of network of streamers with transducers integrated into the streamers. Indeed, because of the presence of metallic bodies on some of the streamers, the omnidirectional radiation configuration (or pattern) of transducers is made quasi-omnidirectional or directive, perpendicularly to the axis of the streamers, rendering implementation of the in-line propagation duration measurements impossible.
It should be reminded that the aforesaid problem is described in the particular field of seismic prospecting in a marine environment, but it can be applied in other fields of application.

Method for estimating an underwater acoustic sound velocity in a network of acoustic nodes, corresponding computer program product, storage means and device


A control unit of a hierarchical control apparatus holds information in which one of duplexed library apparatuses is set as a master and the other is set as a slave for each medium in each of the duplexed library apparatuses, and statistical information about each of the library apparatuses. The control unit includes an automatic redundant copy unit detecting that a statistical information of a medium reaches a predetermined amount, replacing the medium with a free medium, and copying data to the free medium, a master/slave setting unit setting the medium to which the data is copied and the other medium as a master or a slave such that a load is even between the duplexed library apparatuses according to the statistical information, and a unit copying and reading the requested data to the disk array apparatus by prioritizing one of the duplexed library apparatuses including the medium set as a master when there is no requested data in the disk array apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hierarchical control apparatus of a hierarchical storage system in which a disk array apparatus and a library apparatus are hierarchically confirmed, and a method for maintaining and managing duplexed media.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5 shows a structure of a conventional hierarchical storage system. In FIG. 5, numeral 50 denotes a hierarchical control apparatus, numeral 51 denotes a disk array apparatus having a plurality of hard disks 510, numerals 52-0 and 52-1 denote duplexed library apparatus, numerals 520-1 to 520-n and 521-1 to 521-n denote magnetic tapes (media) provided in the library apparatuses 52-0 and 52-1.
In the hierarchical storage system, upon receipt of a request for data and so on, one of the hard disks 510 of the disk array apparatus 51 is to access the data. However, when there is no data in the disk array apparatus 51, the data is read in from a library apparatus 52 and written to a hard disk 510 of the disk array apparatus 51. The requested data is also read from the hard disk 510.
When the disk array apparatus 51 accesses the library apparatus 52, a medium that can perform a process earlier is selected from the duplexed library apparatuses 52-0 and 52-1. Practically, a medium (magnetic tape) of the library apparatus whose drive can be available earlier is selected. When the structure of the system is small, a plurality of media in one library apparatus is duplexed, and when the disk array apparatus 51 accesses the library apparatus, a medium that is available in the duplexed media is selected. The case where a library apparatus is duplexed is explained below.
As a conventional technique of the above mentioned hierarchical storage system, an automatic redundant copy mechanism performs preventive maintenance on each of the duplexed library apparatus to be accessed by a disk array apparatus.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the automatic redundant copy. In FIG. 6, reference numerals 52-0 and 52-1 correspond to the identical reference numerals shown in FIG. 5, and reference numerals 520-1 and 521-1 denote duplexed tape media provided for the library apparatuses 52-0 and 52-1, respectively, and the same contents are stored in the tape medium 520-1 and 521-1. Reference numerals 521-2 to 521-n denote free media in the library apparatus 52-1.
The automatic redundant copy mechanism (also referred to as a tape redundant copy mechanism corresponding to a magnetic tape) copies data to another tape medium before a recording medium (tape medium) becomes faulty, and is the function of renewing a tape medium.
The outline of the process of the automatic redundant copy is described below.
#1: The statistical information (mount frequency, write frequency, read frequency, total processing time and so on for each tape medium) of a tape medium is recorded and held in the hierarchical control apparatus 50 shown in FIG. 5, and the hierarchical control apparatus checks whether or not the statistical information exceeds a threshold prescribed by a predetermined frequency or processing time. When the statistical information exceeds the threshold, the hierarchical control apparatus determines that it is necessary to replace a tape medium (perform a preventive maintenance). In the example shown in FIG. 6, it is assumed that the tape medium 521-1 in the library apparatus 52-1 has reached a replacement time.
#2: When the replacement time is reached, one of the free media in the same library apparatus is acquired. In the example shown in FIG. 6, a free tape medium in the library apparatus 52-1 is selected, and it is assumed that a new tape medium 521-m (m<n) has been acquired.
#3: All file data in the original tape medium (old medium) is copied to the acquired medium (new medium). In the example shown in FIG. 6, all file data recorded on the tape medium 521-1 as an old medium is copied to the acquired tape medium 521-m . The data can also be copied from the tape medium 520-1 of the other library apparatus 52-0 in the duplexed apparatuses.
#4: When all data are completely copied, the acquired tape medium is registered as a tape medium to be used (in a status of being assigned). In the example shown in FIG. 6, the tape medium 521-m to which data is copied is set as a new duplexed tape medium for the tape medium 520-1 in the library apparatus 52-1.
#5: The originally used tape medium is managed as a medium in a faulty state (faulty medium). In the example shown in FIG. 6, the old tape medium 521-1 of the library apparatus 52-1 is managed as a faulty medium.
A conventional duplexed control apparatus of the information record regeneration apparatus for shortening the medium replacement time for a duplexed recording medium reads data with redundancy using two media on which a mirroring process (copying data to a new medium when the data is updated in an old medium) is performed. The duplexed control apparatus saves the data temporarily when a medium is replaced, and terminates the replacement when a medium of an active system is replaced. Then, the duplexed control apparatus replaces a medium in the standby system and performs a high-speed positioning to a tape position in the active system, and regains the redundancy automatically, thereby duplexing a magnetic tape and holding redundancy without performing a complicated process by an upper apparatus and an operator and so on, and without reduction in performance when a medium is replaced (refer to Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-86251).
When a duplexed library apparatus in a hierarchical storage system is accessed, one available apparatus is accessed. Therefore, there is not a large difference in use frequency (or total processing time) between the duplexed apparatuses, and a well-balanced value is obtained. As a result, when the automatic redundant copy mechanism is started according to a statistical information of a media, there is the possibility that the two duplexed media storing the same information can be replaced for preventive maintenance at the same time.
In the technique of the above described Patent Document 1, when a medium of the active system is replaced, the medium of the standby system is simultaneously replaced. Therefore, it is different from the system such as an automatic redundant copy mechanism and so on for replacing only one of the duplexed media when the time of preventive maintenance comes.
Since the automatic redundant copy mechanism is started according to the statistical information, there is the possibility that both of the two duplexed media are evenly used, thereby allowing with high probability the automatic redundant copy mechanism to simultaneously perform preventive maintenance on the two duplexed media. In this case, there is the strong possibility of a user data lost (loss of data) due to a fault of a medium during simultaneous preventive maintenance on the two duplexed media.

Hierarchical control apparatus of hierarchical storage system and method for maintaining and managing duplexed media


The system of the present invention provides systems and methods for selling goods and services on, over, through, and in conjunction with the Internet. The system receives session (clickstream) information on a customer's website session from the enterprise's website and may also receive customer information on the customer from the enterprise's CRM or eCRM system. The session information referred to comprises the goods or services the customer is searching and metadata about such search and the relevant products, such as the surfing pattern itself. The system determines from the received information, based on the interaction between matching rules created using the system by the enterprise and the system's matching engine, whether the customer is a candidate for assistance from a sales associate. The system creates and indexes information on available sales associates and their performance, selling capabilities and product expertise. The system further matches the customer with at least one sales associate, ideally the most appropriate sales associate, based on the customer, session, and sales profile associate information, and facilitates communication between the sales associate and the customer. Additionally, the system provides information on the customer, products or services the customer is interested in, and the collateral sales materials (both internal and external to the enterprise) and selling techniques to the sales associate based on the particular sales opportunity. The system facilitates communication between the sales associate and the customer on the basis of chat, voice over IP, email and the public switched telephone network, including the concept of bridging a chat session into a PSTN conference call during which call the sales associate and customer maintain a co-browsing session with regard to the opportunity over the Internet.

Electronic commerce, or "e-commerce," as it is commonly referred to, involves the sales of goods or services over, through or in conjunction with the Internet. Currently, e-commerce largely concerns the sale of goods or services that are relatively simple in terms of the product variability and complexity. Most e-commerce today derives from one of just a few categories of goods that meet this test of simplicity: books, compact discs, flowers and travel (mainly just airline seats). E-commerce is restricted to these categories of goods today largely because the goods themselves are simple enough that they can be presented in an catalog format. The customer does not need to consult with an expert in these goods or services before purchasing them. Thus, almost all Internet e-commerce sites today are sterile, pure self-service environments.
The complexity and variability of goods and services that sell online is increasing as greater numbers of enterprises of those goods seek to leverage the distributional efficiencies of the Internet. The increase in the complexity and variability of goods and services requires an increase in the consultative nature of the sales experience for the customer.
For example, in the travel category, most online purchasing activity currently relates to airline seats. When purchasing airline seats a customer has essentially two variables to deal with: (i) flight schedule and (ii) price. Otherwise, one airline seat is generally the same as any other. However, as the enterprises seek to sell exotic, luxury travel packages, such as safaris to Africa or boat trips through the Amazonian Rainforest over the Internet, the variables and the complexity of the sales process increases dramatically. For such a sale, a customer will want to know where to stay, what kinds of food to eat (and what kinds not to eat), whether the territory is considered dangerous or the trip is considered rigorous, whether special inoculations are required, and other complex questions. These questions demonstrate the added variety and complexity of the inputs necessary for the customer to make an informed purchase decision for this kind of service and they fundamentally require human interaction with a knowledgeable sales agent or product specialist to be answered in a meaningful way. The same type of complexity is inherent in the purchase of a variety of other goods and services including banking services (mortgages, retail banking, wealth planning), insurance services, electronics, luxury retail goods (fine watches, jewelry) and automobiles. Sale of these products requires a "trusted relationship" between a customer and a live sales expert who can use proven internal and external resources as collateral sales material to close the sale. Fundamentally, these products are sold, not just dropped in a shopping cart and purchased.
In the offline world today, purveyors of these complex goods and services strive to create comfortable retail environments in which knowledgeable personnel politely answer customers' questions about product and service features, capabilities and alternatives, facilitate sales, and upsell related products and services, such as service warranties. For example, when shopping for a camera in an offline store, sales associate will guide the customer toward the right camera, sell additional lenses, a case, batteries, a warranty, and perhaps some film before physically walking the customer to the cash register and closing the sale. E-commerce environments, by contrast, are almost completely self-service environments, notwithstanding the existence of chat platforms and other technologies that facilitate online interaction.
It is clear that there is a much higher level of interaction in the physical world. Customers have come to expect that there will be someone available in a physical location that can answer questions about products and direct them through the process. It is also frequently the case that a high-end shopper from a wealthy demographic is matched with a sales associate who, though otherwise skilled in the product to be sold, is mismatched with the demographic and psychographic characteristics of the buyer.
As enterprises attempt to increase the type and volume of goods and services bought through an online origination, the availability of knowledgeable expertise and assistance and relevant sales collateral materials must be addressed in order to persuade customers that they can obtain enough product-centric information to make buying over, through or in conjunction with the online channel an easy, pleasant experience that is equal or superior to shopping through other channels. Moreover, the Internet fundamentally changes the way goods and services are bought by customers. In the offline world, customers go to a store to buy a product; online, customers seek a product first, and then identify a store from which it can be purchased.
While a number of companies have extended existing call center technology into Internet sales environments in order to enable live voice or chat sessions with browsing customers, the Internet retail experience is still largely sterile and unsatisfying. Rather, the current online interaction focuses on customer service rather than sales—a significant distinction as customer services personnel are not well-suited to closing sales.
"Customer relationship management" ("CRM" or, as adopted for the online world, "eCRM") solutions providers have existed for several years now. However, few if any of these solutions facilitate meaningful, direct human interaction through the online channel. In fact, many CRM solutions that have offered call center support for catalogs and have simply extended their product offering to include Frequently Asked Questions ("FAQ"), e-mail and chat—features that most of the eCRM companies have in common. Many eCRM enterprises have thus chosen to focus on facilitating "touchless" e-commerce transactions, i.e., transactions that do NOT require human intervention.
Online chat or instant messaging is the most personalized and sophisticated mode of customer/sales associate interaction. Using platforms developed by companies like AOL, these programs facilitate real-time online chat between the two parties, occasionally allowing the sales representative to "push" web pages or content to the customer in order to guide the customer to products or information. Some eCRM companies take this one step further by offering voice over IP. With voice over IP, if the customer has the right equipment on her computer she can talk to a customer service representative via the Internet. Most of the programs require the customer to log in to the chat session, allowing the customer service representative to maintain a history of customer contact. Some of the programs also allow the sales associate to view the complete customer purchase and communication history. Again, however, these platforms are typically staffed by customer service representatives and not sales associates and do not involve any "matching" of the right agent with the customer based on the agent's profile and skills, the customer's demographic and psychographic characteristics and the nature of the browsing opportunity.
FAQ services use historical "common" inquiries to generate template responses to customer questions. Some products go a step further and use artificial intelligence to analyze customer inquiries and generate "smart" answers. E-mail products also use gateway screening or artificial intelligence to answer customer questions in a more efficient manner than having a customer service representative personally respond to each question. Some e-mail programs also add direct e-mailing capabilities that can target and customize e-mail campaigns according to historical customer data. Some eCRM providers have product configurator applications. With these applications a customer is provided with a variety of questions regarding the features of the product they are interested in. Based on the answers to the questions the application will provide a suggestion as to the best configuration of the product for the customer. This solution is still a "touchless" experience from the standpoint of human interaction.
In general, CRM is reactionary—generally focused on post sale activity, such as, keeping existing customers, resolving problems, and managing customer relationships. CRM representatives are generalists, with no specific product or sales knowledge. By comparison, sales is proactive—focused on pre-sale activity, such as, obtaining customers, avoiding problems, creating customer relationships, and assisting customers in the purchase of goods or services. Sales associates are trained in the art of selling and posses specific and in-depth knowledge about goods and services.
A system does not exist that (i) matches browsing customers with experienced, knowledgeable sales personnel, (ii) provides relevant, opportunity-centric sales collateral information to the sales personnel and then (iii) facilitates the type of interaction between the customer and the sales person that is familiar in the offline world.

Systems and methods to facilitate selling of products and services


In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a substrate having a pillar pattern, a gate electrode is formed on the pillar pattern without etching the latter. A conductive pattern is filled between adjacent pillar patterns, a spacer is formed above the conductive pattern and surrounding sidewalls of each pillar pattern, and the gate electrode is formed by etching the conductive pattern using the spacer as an etch barrier.

The disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having a vertical channel and to a method of fabricating such vertical channel in a semiconductor device.
Semiconductor devices having a recess-shape, a bulb-shape and a fin-shape have been developed in order to increase the channel area or channel length. Although the recess-shape semiconductor device, the bulb-shape semiconductor device and the pin-shape semiconductor device can acquire the desired channel length or channel area, there are difficulties in that complex patterns should be formed and cell efficiency should be considered.
Particularly, in the case of a semiconductor having a vertical channel by vertically aligning a source region and a drain region in a pillar pattern, the height of the pillar pattern is relatively high compared to its width. Thus, the pillar pattern may lean over an adjacent pillar pattern or even collapse.
FIG. 1 is a scanning electron microscopic (SEM) picture showing several defective pillar patterns in a semiconductor device known to the inventors.
Referring to FIG. 1, each pillar pattern 11 includes a pillar head 11A and a pillar neck 11B. Since a second width W2 of the pillar neck 11B is smaller than a first width W1 of the pillar head 11A, and due to the relatively high height of the pillar pattern, the pillar pattern's mechanical strength may not be sufficiently strong to sustain itself in the proper vertical orientation. As a result, the pillar pattern may collapse (12), or lean over (13) to adhere to neighboring pillar patterns.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same


A photosensitive resin composition includes an alkali-soluble resin (A) containing at least one selected from polyimides and precursors thereof, and polybenzoxazoles and precursors thereof, and a (meth)acryl group-containing compound (B) which constitutes a polyfunctional (meth)acryl group-containing silane condensate (B1) having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 20,000, and having a plurality of structures represented by Formula (1), which is a condensate of compounds having a structure represented by Formula (1) and at least one structure selected from Formula (2-1), Formula (2-2), and Formula (2-3).

A resin such as polyimide or polybenzoxazole is used in a passivation film of a semiconductor device or the like, an interlayer insulating film of a thin film inductor, an insulating layer of an organic EL element, a planarizing film of a TFT substrate, etc. because of its excellent mechanical properties, heat resistance, electrical insulation property, chemical resistance and the like.
Recent years, an electronic component called thin film inductor has gained attention. This thin film inductor has a spiral thin film coil structure formed on the substrate by repeating steps such as photolithography, plating, and the like. This thin film inductor is used for a purpose such as a common mode filter of a wearable device and a mobile device such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, and a digital camera, or the like.
Particularly, as electronic devices represented by smartphones have become more sophisticated and multi-functional, the number of components has increased, resulting in the reduction of the space per component. Thus, the miniaturization and thinning of the parts have been demanded. A thin film inductor capable of saving space has been needed in such a product.
Conventionally, a semi-additive process is adopted for forming a coil pattern of such a thin film inductor. First of all, a photosensitive resin is spin-coated on a substrate as an insulating layer and then exposed to light and developed to form opening portions and through-hole portions. Then, the remaining resin is thermally cured to form an insulating layer. Subsequently, a base conductive layer is formed by a vapor deposition method or a sputtering method. By carrying out plating using this as a current feeder, a coil pattern is formed on the insulating layer. By repeating the process of forming an insulating layer and a coil pattern, a laminated coil structure can be formed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
As the material of the insulating layer, a photosensitive resin which is excellent in electrical insulation and provides easy pattern processing is used. As a type of the photosensitivity, a negative type photosensitive resin is used, which provides easy processing of a thick film pattern because, when the negative type photosensitive resin is applied to form a thick insulating layer for covering a coil pattern, it is easier to achieve contrasting developing speeds between the exposed portion and the unexposed portion than in the case of a positive photosensitive resin (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 to 4). In particular, as a photosensitive resin which can withstand chemical treatments and heat treatments associated with the formation of a coil pattern and which can also provide a highly tough insulating layer capable of withstanding various stresses generated in a reliability test, a polyimide resin which is excellent in chemical resistance, heat resistance, mechanical properties, and electrical insulation property is used (see, for example, Patent Document 5).


Phosphonic acid squalene synthetase inhibitors are provided which are effective in lowering serum cholesterol and have the formula ##STR1## wherein m is 0 to 3, n is 1 to 5, Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 are H or halogen, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are H, metal ion, C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 alkenyl, or prodrug ester, and R.sup.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl group or a substituted phenyl group.

Squalene synthetase is a microsomal enzyme which catalyzes the reductive dimerization of two molecules of farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced form) (NADPH) to form squalene (Poulter, C.D.; Rilling, H.C., in "Biosynthesis of Isoprenoid Compounds", Vol. I, Chapter 8, pp. 413-441, J. Wiley and Sons, 1981, and references therein). This enzyme is the first committed step of the de novo cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. The selective inhibition of this step should allow the essential pathways to isopentenyl tRNA, ubiquinone, and dolichol to proceed unimpeded. Squalene synthetase along with HMG-CoA reductase have been shown to be down-regulated by receptor mediated LDL uptake (Faust, J.R.; Goldstein, J.L.; Brown, M.S. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1979, 76, 5018-5022), lending credence to the proposal that inhibiting squalene synthetase will lead to an up-regulation of LDL receptor levels, as has been demonstrated for HMG-CoA reductase, and thus ultimately should be useful for the treatment and prevention of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.
European Patent Publication 0356866A2 discloses phosphorus-containing compounds which inhibit the enzyme squalene synthetase and thus are useful as hypocholesterolemic agents and have the following structure ##STR2## wherein Q is ##STR3## or a bond:
n is 1, 2, 3 or 4;
X is --O--, --NH--, or --NR.sup.4 ;
R, R.sup.1 and R.sup.1a may be the same or different and are H, lower alkyl, lower alkenyl or a metal ion;
R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may be the same or different and are H or halogen;
R.sup.4 is lower alkyl;
with the proviso that when X is 0, n is 2, 3 or 4.
European Patent Publication 0409181A3 discloses phosphorus-containing compounds which are inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis (by inhibiting de novo squalene biosynthesis), and thus are useful as hypocholesterolemic agents and antiatherosclerotic agents, which have the structure ##STR4## wherein m is 1, 2 or 3; n is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 are H or halogen;
R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may be the same or different and are independently H, metal ion, C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl or C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 alkenyl;
X is O, S, NH or NCH.sub.2 R.sup.15 wherein R.sup.15 is H or C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 alkyl; and
R.sup.1 is R.sup.5 --Q.sup.1 --Q.sup.2 --Q.sup.3 -- wherein Q.sup.1, Q.sup.2 and Q.sup.3 are the same or different and are independently ##STR5## a single bond, with the proviso that if Q.sup.1 is a bond, then Q.sup.2 and Q.sup.3 are bonds and if Q.sup.2 is a bond, then Q.sup.3 is a bond, and wherein R.sup.6 is H, alkyl, halo, or haloalkyl; R.sup.7 is H, halo, alkyl or alkylthio; R.sup.8 is H, halogen, trimethylsilyl or lower alkyl; R.sup.9 is H or lower alkyl-; ##STR6## R.sup.16 --C.tbd.C--CH.sub.2 -- (wherein R.sup.16 is H or lower alkyl) or CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2)p where p is an integer from 2 to 7; R.sup.10, and R.sup.11 are the same or different and are independently H, lower alkyl, halogen, haloalkyl or lower alkenyl or R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 can be taken together to form (CH.sub.2)s where s is an integer from 2 to 7; and R.sup.13 and R.sup.14 are the same or different and are independently lower alkyl, with the proviso that if all of Q.sup.1, Q.sup.2 and Q.sup.3 are bonds, then both R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 cannot be H and R.sup.5 cannot be alkyl(CH.sub.2)p-- with p.ltoreq.4; including all stereoisomers thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,721 to Biller et al disclose phosphorus-containing compounds which inhibit the enzyme squalene synthetase and thus are useful as hypocholesterolemic agents and have the following structure ##STR7## wherein Q is ##STR8## or a bond;
Z is --(CH.sub.2).sub.n -- or --(CH.sub.2).sub.p --CH=CH--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --, wherein n is 1 to 5; p is 0, 1 or 2; m is 0, 1 or 2;
R, R.sup.1 and R.sup.1a may be the same or different and are H, lower alkyl or a metal ion; and
R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may be the same or different and are H or halogen.
European Patent Publication 0298555A1 discloses bone active methylene phosphonoalkylphosphinic acids, and the pharmaceutically-acceptable salts and esters thereof, having the general structure ##STR9## wherein the A, B, and R moieties are as defined in the EP.

Aryl and heteroaryl (phosphinylmethyl)phosphonate squalene synthetase inhibitors and method


The disclosure relates to a method for calibrating a drive system for an axle of a motor vehicle; wherein the drive system includes at least one electric machine as the drive unit, a drive shaft driven by the drive unit, a first output shaft and a second output shaft, as well as a first clutch connecting the drive shaft to the first output shaft and a second clutch connecting the drive shaft to the second output shaft.

The present disclosure relates to a method for calibrating a drive system for an axle of a motor vehicle. The drive system includes at least one electric machine as the drive unit, a drive shaft driven by the drive unit, a first output shaft and a second output shaft, as well as a first clutch connecting the drive shaft to the first output shaft and a second clutch connecting the drive shaft to the second output shaft. Moreover, a control unit is provided to regulate the drive unit and the clutches as well as to determine rotational speeds of the drive shaft and the output shafts. The clutches are associated with the output shafts of a common axle.
Such drive systems are designed e.g. to channel a torque provided by the drive unit and apportion it as needed. The clutches used are customarily calibrated prior to the first operational use in the course of an end-of-line testing, so that a control unit can operate the clutches according to each operating point. However, the condition or the (optimal) operating point of the clutches may change over the course of the operating time, e.g., due to wear. Hence, the originally required actuating pressures of the clutches for the transmittal of a torque, which continue to be applied, after a certain operating time may no longer channel or apportion the torque as calculated by the control unit or no longer do so according to the desired parameters. A new calibrating of the clutches, for example during a servicing procedure, is then required. But such a servicing procedure is undesirable, because it involves inconvenience for the user of the vehicle.
Hence, the problem which the present disclosure proposes to solve is to solve at least in part the aforementioned drawbacks and problems and in particular to propose a suitable method for (subsequent) calibrating of a drive system (during its operation). The method should make it possible to apply a correct actuating pressure to the clutches primarily in dependence on a first torque provided by the drive unit or even at any time during an operation of the drive system. This should make possible the fastest and most accurate transmission and apportionment of the first torque on the wheels of an axle via the clutches during the service life.

Calibrating a drive system for an axle of a motor vehicle


A negative electrode active material including a core having SiOx (0≤x<2), an intermediate layer covering at least a portion of a surface of the core and including at least one of silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride, and a carbon coating layer covering at least a portion of the intermediate layer and containing nitrogen.

Requirements for the use of alternative energy or clean energy have increased due to the rapid increase in the use of fossil fuels, and, as a part of this trend, power generation and electricity storage using an electrochemical reaction are the most actively researched areas.
Currently, a typical example of an electrochemical device using the electrochemical energy may be a secondary battery and there is a trend that its usage area is expanding more and more. In recent years, demand for secondary batteries as an energy source has been significantly increased as technology development and demand with respect to portable devices, such as portable computers, mobile phones, and cameras, have increased. Among these secondary batteries, lithium secondary batteries having high energy density, that is high capacity lithium secondary batteries have been subjected to considerable research and have been commercialized and widely used.
In general, a secondary battery is composed of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an electrolyte, and a separator. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material for intercalating and de-intercalating lithium ions from the positive electrode, and as the negative electrode active material, a silicon-based particle having a high discharge capacity may be used. However, the silicon-based particle such as SiOx (0≤x<2) have low initial efficiency, and the volume thereof changes excessively during a charge/discharge process. Therefore, the lifespan of a battery is deteriorated.
Typically, in order to solve such a problem, a SiO2 layer or a carbon coating layer was formed on a surface of a silicon-based particle. However, even if the above method is used, the control of volume is not smoothly performed as a charge/discharge cycle of a battery continues, resulting in a problem that efficiency is lowered. In Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2016-0149862, a polymer complex is additionally disposed on a carbon coating layer to further control volume change.
However, even if a polymer complex is used, the control of volume change is not easy, and the conductivity of an active material is deteriorated, resulting in problems that resistance is increased and the capacity retention of a battery is deteriorated. In addition, lithium ions are not easily absorbed since a silicon-based particle is too covered, resulting in a problem that a capacity is deteriorated.
Therefore, there is a demand for the development of a negative electrode active material capable of effectively controlling volume change during a charge/discharge process of a secondary battery, reducing the resistance of a negative electrode, and increasing the capacity retention of a battery.

Negative electrode active material having an intermediate layer and carbon coating layer, negative electrode including the same, and secondary battery including the negative electrode


A process and apparatus for forming threads of varying pitch on a work piece, by first producing a partial thread and groove whose pitch does not vary in accordance with a pattern of pitch variation desired for the final product, and then reshaping the partial thread and groove to a final form whose pitch does vary in accordance with the desired pattern. The two steps may be performed by a single tool having a series of thread cutting projections which form the partial thread, and having one or two additional projections which then reshape the partial thread to its final form.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,842,464, 4,956,888 and 5,086,532 disclose a novel type of nut having a thread of varying pitch which acts to distribute the axial load applied to the nut more uniformly between the different turns of the thread than is possible with a conventional thread whose pitch does not vary. These patents show methods and apparatus for manufacturing such nuts by employment of lathe type threading tools having a single point which takes a series of cuts in the work piece, or a similar tool having two projections for simultaneously forming opposite side surfaces of the thread. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 7/783,429 filed Oct. 28, 1991 on "Methods And Apparatus For Forming Threads With Variable Pitch" shows another method of forming a thread of varying pitch, utilizing a threading assembly consisting of several thread forming elements which rotate and advance axially relative to the work piece essentially in unison, and which also shift axially relative to one another during a threading operation in a manner producing together the desired thread of varying pitch.


The invention relates to a cuboidal housing for components of a HVAC system. The housing has at least one air inlet, at least one air outlet and a frame. The frame consists of twelve segments which form edge lines. The segments span six open side surfaces in a sealing manner with the open side surface of an adjacent housing, and an insulating means is located between the inner wall and the outer wall. Each panel element has a plastic profile wherein the profile has two bearing limbs each having a bearing surface. In the fitted state, the bearing surface of one bearing limb is in contact with the outer side of the frame segment directly or via at least one further component. In the fitted state, the bearing surface of the other bearing limb faces that side of the frame segment which is facing in the direction of the interior.

The housing has at least one air inlet opening, at least one air outlet opening and a frame, wherein the frame consists of at least twelve frame segments which form the edge lines, and the frame segments span at least six open side surfaces, and each open side surface, if the housing with said open side surface does not interact, at least in a partial region of said side surface, in a sealing manner with the open side surface of an adjacent housing, is closed by a panel element which has an inner wall closing the open side surface, an outer wall closing the open side surface, and an insulating means located between the inner wall and the outer wall, in particular a core consisting of insulating material.
The standard housing is cuboidal. Different components of an air-conditioning and/or ventilation system can be placed into the housing. The housing typically has at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet and a frame. The frame consists of at least 12 frame segments. The 12 frame segments form edge lines and provide six open side surfaces. Each open side surface, if the housing does not abut a side surface of an adjacent housing, is closed by a panel. Each panel has an inner wall, which closes the open side surface, and an outer wall. An insulator is disposed between the inner and outer walls. If only one housing is used, six panels are needed to close the six open side surfaces. If two housings are attached, each housing is closed by five panels as the sixth open side surface of each housing abouts and interacts with the sixth open side surface of the adjacent, abutting housing.
The frame has at least twelve frame segments which form the edge lines. In this case, the frame segments span six open side surfaces. Of course, it is possible for frame segments designed as an intermediate web or intermediate element additionally also to be provided. If, for example, a frame segment designed as an intermediate web or intermediate element is provided, said frame element extends through an open side surface and divides the latter into partial surfaces. Of course, a plurality of frame segments, designed as an intermediate web or intermediate element, within a side surface is also conceivable.
The required components of an air-conditioning and/or ventilation system are installed in a housing of this type. Depending on the required space, it is also possible for a plurality of housings to be connected to one another, wherein, then, customarily, only the open side surfaces which are not in contact with an adjacent housing are closed by panel elements. The frame of a housing is designed in the manner of a wire cage, wherein four frame segments in each case span an open side surface. The air inlet opening and/or the air outlet opening can be arranged in the region of a common side surface or else in two different side surfaces. The air inlet opening and/or the air outlet opening can extend only over a partial region or else over an entire side surface. Depending on the desired manner of operation, a negative pressure or else a positive pressure can be set in the housing itself. A disadvantage of known housings is that heat is output via the panel elements and also via the frame to the surroundings, which results in undesirable losses.
It is the object of the invention to avoid the abovementioned disadvantages and to specify a housing which can be fitted easily and is also easily accessible, for example, for maintenance, and has better insulation.

Cuboidal housing for accommodating components of air-conditioning or ventilation system