A logarithm of an input value is computed utilizing a function generator to generate a first logarithm of an approximation value of the input value, scaled to a natural logarithm value where the first logarithm is not a natural base logarithm, and then combined with a correction value, obtaining a natural base logarithm of the input value. An error value, related to the input value and the approximation value, is generated and is utilized in a specified power series to determine the correction value. The natural base logarithm obtained is scaled by a natural base logarithm of a desired base of a desired output logarithm, thereby determining the desired output logarithm of the input value that has the desired base.

There is a need for more efficient arithmetic circuitry and methods for improving the speed of logarithmic computations in a computer. Present logarithm computing systems typically utilize a hardware fixed point processor with an algorithm based on a CORDIC (COordinate Rotation DIgital Computer) computing technique, such as the logarithm computing system described by Walther in A Unified Algorithm For Elementary Functions, Spring Joint Computer Conference, 1971, or in the method of Tien Chi Chen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,230. Both the CORDIC and Chen's system require hardware implementation for efficiency. A system that could be implemented entirely in software is needed to provide an alternative of conserving hardware costs and improving physical space requirements.

Device and method for evaluating logarithms


A horseshoe having an excellent adherence and gripping effect over any kind of grounds, particularly rigid and hard surfaces, such as pavements, the horseshoe being at least partially encased in a resilient material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new horseshoe with improved adherence and resilient properties and a method for manufacturing the same and, more particularly the invention refers to a horseshoe comprising a core piece, preferably made from metal, at least partially encased by a resilient material, preferably a rubber compound vulcanized on the core piece, the core piece including a leading sector wherein the rubber cover begins to slip from the core piece at the first stages of the use of the new horseshoe in the hoof of a horse, the leading sector being provided with means to prevent the torn out rubber cover from being propagated out of the leading sector.
To the purpose of the present specification the term "ground" means any kind of surface on which a horse wearing the horseshoe can walk or run, including soil, pavement, rocks, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to provide a several types of horseshoes all made of metallic materials, preferably iron and, in special applications, made of aluminum. Although during years and years these horseshoes have been widely used with satisfactory results the same suffer from several drawbacks, particularly when the same are worn by horses that are to be used in particular applications, such as in sports or in activities in city pavements.
Particularly in the case wherein the horses have to move over rigid and hard surfaces such as pavements the conventional metal horseshoes directly transmits the impacts from the pavement onto the horse hoof with detrimental consequences to the animal. Another drawback that is widely usual when using metal horseshoes in pavements is that the horseshoe has no the necessary adherence with the pavement, thus the horseshoes does not grip enough to the pavement and the horse may easily skid over the ground and fall down with the risk of breaking a leg. The skidding risks increase when the pavement is wet due to rain, for example. This situation becomes worse when the animal is running and must suddenly stop or turn, with the result of loosing stability and falling down the floor. Horses for pavement are widely used by security forces such as police forces wherein the rider must be safe to comply with the work of to which he was appointed and the raider can not pay attention enough to the irregularities of the ground such as steps or sidewalks curbs.
In other situations such as in the practicing of sports, such polo, horse races, equitation, etc., it is necessary to count on the gripping and stability of the horse to get the better performance thereof for obtaining the best results, scores, etc. A sport horse have to run, to suddenly stop, to suddenly turn, and to have a firm grip to the ground to keep a uniform speed, particularly in horse racing, even when the animal is taking a curved and is inclined as a result of the centrifugal forces. When the horse slightly tilts upon turning along a curve of the race track the adherence to the ground, either grass, sand, soil, etc. must be optimal not only to get the higher speed but also to guarantee the jockey safety.
It would be therefore convenient to have a horseshoe that is not affected of the above mentioned drawbacks and can be safely used in any kind of surfaces such hard and rigid floors, wherein the gripping and adherence effect between the horseshoe and the ground is optimal without the horse being damaged by the continuous impacts of the hooves against the ground.


A control system of a first agricultural system includes a first controller having a processor and a memory. The first controller is configured to instruct a display to present a map of a work area, in which the map includes a selectable icon corresponding to a second agricultural system, and the selectable icon is positioned at a location on the map corresponding to a position of the second agricultural system within the work area. The first controller is also configured to receive selection of the selectable icon, to output a request to pair with the second agricultural system in response to receiving the selection, and to pair the first agricultural system with the second agricultural system in response to receiving a pairing confirmation from the second agricultural system.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to a system and method for coordinated an agricultural operation.
Agricultural vehicles (e.g., work vehicles) may perform certain agricultural operations individually or in teams. For example, a single agricultural vehicle may perform any number of operations (e.g., towing a seeder or planter, harvesting crops, tilling land, etc.). Alternatively, one or more agricultural vehicles may coordinate operations between one another to facilitate completing tasks (e.g., tilling a field, harvesting crops, excavating the ground, unloading harvested crops, etc.). Furthermore, the agricultural vehicles operating individually or as a team may be autonomous (e.g., partially or fully) or controlled by an operator (e.g., a driver). In some instances, it may be advantageous for the agricultural vehicles to operate as a team because the vehicles may accomplish a task more quickly and efficiently. However, establishing and coordinating suitable operations in a field between the agricultural vehicles may be difficult, thereby reducing the efficiency of agricultural operations performed by the team.

System and method for coordinating an agricultural operation


The present application provides a display panel, belonging to the field of display technology. The display panel includes a base substrate, and a first electro-conductive pattern and a second electro-conductive pattern which are arranged on the base substrate, wherein the first electro-conductive pattern includes a first electrode layer, the second electro-conductive pattern includes a second electrode layer, at least one of the first electro-conductive pattern and the second electro-conductive pattern further includes an antenna pattern, and the antenna pattern is insulated from the electrode layer in the electro-conductive pattern where the antenna pattern is located.

Currently, most display apparatuses have the function of communication, and the structure thereof includes a display panel, an antenna and a shell.
During the process of manufacturing a display apparatus, it is possible to adopt the technology of Laser-Direct-Structuring (LDS) to form an antenna. Exemplarily, a three-dimensional plastic bracket containing an organic metal compound can be firstly formed on the manufactured shell, and then a laser is irradiated to the three-dimensional plastic bracket, so that the three-dimensional plastic bracket decomposes into metal particles under the action of the laser to form an antenna pattern.

Display panel, and display apparatus and control method thereof

BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A printer driver recognizes, of a plurality of printers on a network, a printer included in a common category. Only basic settings for printing (the paper size, the print direction, etc.) are made on the printers included in the same category by the printer driver. So that, the printers on the network can be easily used without a waste of space of a storage device included in the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer driver, and more particularly, to a printer driver capable of controlling a plurality of printers on a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
To print data generated by use of a data processor such as a personal computer, a printer driver (software) is necessary having a function of converting the generated data into data that can be accepted by an image forming apparatus such as a printer and transmitting the converted data to the image forming apparatus. Conventionally, printer drivers and printers are in a one-to-one relationship, and when printers of different models are used, it is necessary for the user to install a printer driver specific to each printer on the computer.
However, installing even the printer driver of a not frequently used printer is a waste of space of a storage device such as a fixed disk in the computer. Although it is desirable that installation of such a printer driver be avoided, presence of a printer that cannot be used on the computer network is sometimes disadvantageous to the user.

Recording medium, printer control method, and printer control system


A lipstick holder is composed of a main base provided at one end thereof with a central base. The central base is fastened with a slide seat from the bottom so as to enable the slide seat together with the central base to be fastened with the main base, and enable the top end of the central base to be rather high in an appropriate distance at the top end of the main base. A cap is further fastened with the main base at one end thereof. The thread in the inner wall of the main base is engaged with the protuberance piece of the slide seat. The retaining ring of the central base is engaged with the halved ring of the main base.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior art lipstick holder consists of a base 10, swivel seat 11, receiving slot 12, guide tube 13, sleeve 14, and a cap 15. When installed, the bottom of the swivel seat 11 is fastened firmly with the base 10 and the receiving slot 12 provided therewith by pressing so as to enable the protuberance grain 121 to enter into the swivel seat 11 and extend through long hole 111. The guide tube 13 is provided with the thread 131 fastened firmly with the sleeve 14 so as to enable the swivel seat 11 and the receiving slot 12 to be engaged pivotally with the guide tube 13, the protuberance grain 121 of the receiving slot 12 being fastened pivotally with the thread 131 of the guide tube 13. The cap 15 is fastened with the sleeve 14 and further engaged pivotally with the base 10.
Such a prior art lipstick holder as described above is defective in design with its complicated structures and is not cost-effective.


A magnetic recording head, a magnetic reproducing head, a magnetic recording apparatus comprising the magnetic recording head, and a magnetic reproducing apparatus comprising the magnetic reproducing head are described. The magnetic reproducing head having a magnetic gap at a medium-facing surface and includes a pair of magnetic yokes of ferromagnetic material, a magnetoresistance effect film, and a pair of biasing films. One of the pair of magnetic yokes has a magnetic tip at the medium-facing surface and also a rear portion recessed from the medium-facing surface and magnetically coupled to the magnetic tip. The magnetic tip has a first width in a track width direction at the medium-facing surface, and the rear portion has a second width in the track width direction wider than the first width. The magnetoresistance effect film is recessed from the medium-facing surface and is magnetically coupled to the pair of magnetic yokes of ferromagnetic material. The pair of biasing films are recessed from the medium-facing surface and one of the pair of biasing films comprises a hard magnetic material layer disposed adjacent to the rear portion or an antiferromagnetic material layer disposed in contact with the rear portion. The magnetic tip may be provided with appropriate volume of the magnetic biasing from the magnetic biasing film and magnetic domains in the magnetic tip may be sufficiently controlled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to magnetic recording and reproducing heads, and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatuses, and more particularly to the magnetic recording head comprising a magnetic core, the magnetic reproducing head comprising a magnetic yoke, a magnetic recording apparatus having the magnetic recording head, and a magnetic reproducing apparatus having the magnetic reproducing head.
2. Discussion of the Background
In a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, a magnetic recording medium stores magnetic information as a magnetization direction of magnetic recording bits on the magnetic recording medium. Therefore, each magnetic recording bit of the magnetic recording medium must stably keep magnetization information, and a large magnetization bit is preferable for the stable maintenance of the magnetic information. However, a narrower track width and a shorter bit length in a track length direction of each magnetic recording bit are required for high-density magnetic recording and reproducing technology. Such a small recording bit of the magnetic recording medium tends to have a large demagnetizing field, the recorded magnetization of each recording bit tends to be unstable, and the reproduced signal output tends to decrease.
For reproducing magnetic information recorded on the magnetic recording media, several MagnetoResistance effect (MR) heads have been proposed. The Spin Valve Giant MagnetoResistance effect (SV-GMR) head is one of the MR head and utilizes a mechanism in which the resistance between magnetically uncoupled ferromagnetic layers is observed to vary as the cosine of the angle between the magnetization of the two layers and is independent of the direction of current flow. The SV-GMR head can obtain a higher signal output in reproducing than Anisotropic MagnetoResistance effect (AMR) heads. The SV-GMR is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,590.
Another MR head using a different mechanism termed Tunnel MagnetoResistance effect (TMR) is also reported. The mechanism is obtained by a structure including a ferromagnetic layer, a dielectric tunnel barrier layer, and a ferromagnetic layer and is expected to realize higher reproducing signal output than the SV-GMR head.
Each MR head has a magnetic gap at a surface facing the magnetic recording medium and a shorter magnetic gap length in a track length direction is required to obtain the small magnetic recording bit. However each head has the MR element in the magnetic gap at the medium-facing surface, and that gap must have a marginal minimum length. For example, the SV-GMR and TMR heads need a minimum magnetic gap length of about 100 nanometers. Each MR head having the MR element at the medium-facing surface is called a shield MR head.
A lower flying height between the magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium is also required for high-density magnetic recording and reproducing, and the lower flying height increases frequency of collision between the magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium. The increased number of collisions produces an irregular magnetoresistance, such as Thermal Asperity (TA) noise, of the MR element disposed at the medium-facing surface.
Each of the shield magnetic recording and reproducing heads has the above described marginal minimum gap length as well as the TA noise, and in view of this, a magnetic head using a pair of magnetic yokes has been developed for the shorter magnetic gap length and the reduced TA noise. The pair of magnetic yokes in the magnetic head extends from a medium-facing surface to a region recessed from the medium-facing surface and transfers signal magnetic field from the medium-facing surface to the recessed region where the pair of magnetic yokes are magnetically coupled to a MR element disposed on the recessed region.
The magnetic reproducing head using the pair of magnetic yokes has an advantage that the MR element can be disposed on rear surfaces of the pair of magnetic yokes so the entire body of the MR element is disposed near the medium-facing surface. The rear surfaces of the pair of magnetic yokes are parallel to the medium-facing surface. The magnetic reproducing head having the MR element disposed on the rear surfaces of the pair of magnetic yokes is the so-called horizontal or planar magnetic reproducing head. The planar magnetic head has the pair of magnetic yokes and the MR element. Each of the pair of magnetic yokes extends from the medium-facing surface to the rear surface, which is parallel to the medium-facing surface. The planar magnetic reproducing head is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,521.
The planar magnetic reproducing head is generally manufactured through forming the pair of magnetic yokes on a substrate, forming the MR element on top surfaces of the pair of magnetic yokes, and removing and separating the substrate from the magnetic yoke and the MR element. Surfaces of the pair of magnetic yokes facing the substrate are the medium-facing surfaces, and the top surfaces of the pair of magnetic yokes are the rear surfaces.
The planar magnetic reproducing head tends to have reproducing noise caused by magnetic domain wall generated in the pair of magnetic yokes, and also tends to produce an unexpected magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium caused by residual magnetization in the pair of magnetic yokes. Such reproducing noise is suppressed by a magnetic domain control by providing a bias magnetic field to the pair of magnetic yokes and a conductor layer for producing a magnetic action of a current to the magnetic yoke to suppress the magnetic domain wall in the pair of magnetic yoke. Such magnetic domain control is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,521. In the planar magnetic reproducing head, respective tips of the pair of magnetic yokes for high recording and reproducing density must be as small as about 1 square micrometer or less, and domain control of the small magnetic yoke tips tends to be incomplete.

Magnetic recording head, a magnetic reproducing head, a magnetic recording apparatus, and a magnetic reproducing apparatus


Stress-corrosion damage is monitored in penetrations traversing the wall of a vessel containing an electrolyte, such as a nuclear reactor pressure vessel containing a coolant. The vessel wall has tubular penetrations for coupling external devices to internal structures of the vessel while maintaining a pressure barrier, such as control rod guides and sensor signal cables. The penetrations are subject to stress-corrosion damage, especially adjacent welds affixing the tubes to the vessel head. One or more of the penetrations is provided with a probe forming with the tube an electrochemical sensor cell, including an electrode exposed to the electrolyte together with the surface of the penetration. The electrode and the surface are otherwise insulated, and a plurality of electrodes can be arrayed for monitoring distinct localized areas. The electrodes are wired to a detector circuit developing signals as a function of electrochemical activity due to stress and corrosion, indicative of corrosion of all the penetrations. Electrochemical potential, impedance, current, and particularly noise levels in these signals are detected and read out for assessing deterioration of the penetration surface as a function of the electrochemical activity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of corrosion assessment in a metal by monitoring electrical activity between the metal and an electrode, both being subjected to an electrolyte. More particularly, the invention concerns monitoring localized corrosion of circular structural penetrations of vessels, for example the structures penetrating the vessel of a nuclear reactor for coupling control and sensing devices through a vessel wall.
2. Prior Art
There are various reasons for providing structures penetrating vessels, such as a conduit attached to an opening in the vessel at one or more welds. The conduit may be arranged, for example, to provide a flow path, to pass a mechanical device, or to couple electrical conductors through a vessel wall. Where the vessel contains an electrolyte and is subject to thermal and/or mechanical stress, the penetration structure is subject to corrosion. Where an asymmetric weld or similar structure affixes a penetration to a pressurized vessel containing an electrolyte, corrosion-stress cracking can be a problem, particularly in the area of the attachment of the penetration structure to the vessel.
A pressurized water nuclear reactor vessel is an example. A pressurized water nuclear reactor comprises a pressure vessel containing nuclear fuel and a conduit system whereby a coolant such as water or water containing cobalt is fed into and out of the vessel. The fuel comprises a plurality of long vertical rods that are closely spaced and interspersed with control rods that are movable into the spaces between the fuel rods to damp a selected proportion of nuclear flux and thereby control the rate of nuclear decay of the fuel as well as the amount of heat generated. The coolant is fed to the bottom of the vessel, flows upwardly over the fuel rods and exits at a level above the fuel rods, being heated in the process. The coolant is heated to a high temperature (e.g., 600.degree. F.) and develops substantial pressure (e.g., 2,200 psi).
Instrumentation and control devices are mounted in and on the reactor vessel to ensure proper operation. Although it is possible to provide penetrations of the reactor vessel wall at various places to accommodate the mechanical and electrical couplings needed for these devices, it is preferable to place the penetrations at the top of the vessel and thereby provide higher integrity at the bottom, for improved safety characteristics. Typically, the reactor vessel comprises a generally cylindrical hollow body of relatively thick steel (e.g., about 13 cm or 5 inches) with a lid or reactor vessel head attached at the top to define a sealed pressure vessel. Penetrations for mechanical and electrical couplings across the pressure boundary are provided in the form of fittings that extend through the head or lid of the reactor vessel.
Penetrations of the vessel head are provided, for example, to accommodate movable control rod guide devices, and to pass conductors that couple electrically to sensors located inside the vessel, such as temperature and nuclear flux level sensors disposed in thimble tubes interspersed among the fuel rods. The tubes or similar structures penetrating the head may terminate flush with the inside wall of the head or may protrude into the internal volume. They may also traverse the plane of the head perpendicularly or at an angle. Typically, the penetration tubes are aligned vertically, parallel to one another and in alignment with the fuel rods. The control rods, for example, can thereby be engaged by actuators that are movable upwardly or downwardly in the penetration tubes, to accomplish corresponding displacement of the control rods relative to the fuel.
Whether movable or static, the structures passing through the vessel head have associated penetration tubes that are arranged to withstand the pressure developed by the coolant and to maintain a pressure boundary. The penetration tubes extend through the vessel head and include pressure fittings adapted to pass the control rod mechanisms or electrical signal couplings, respectively. The collection of penetrations and couplings are known as the reactor vessel head adaptor.
All the tubing and conduits of the reactor which carry the coolant are subject to corrosion over time. There are a number of reasons for such corrosion, including chemical reaction with the coolant (which is an electrolyte), the effect of nuclear radiation, mechanical stresses due to temperature and pressure variations, etc. Penetrations of the reactor vessel head are subject to stress-corrosion cracking, leading to potential leakage.
The vessel head is dome shaped, as appropriate for withstanding pressure. Whereas the penetrations typically are vertical and the head is a dome, those penetrations which are radially spaced from the center of the dome pass through the dome at an angle relative to a tangent to the dome surface. Welds which attach the penetration tube to the vessel head are therefore not placed at the same axial level on the penetration tube, and/or are characterized by different sized weldments on opposite sides of the tube. This is especially pronounced at the penetrations located at the outer radius of the vessel head. Thermal stresses are created by the welds for this reason. The thermal stresses further subject the penetration tubes to stress-corrosion cracking, and potential leakage of coolant as a result of through-wall stress corrosion cracking of the tubes, particularly in the area adjacent axially spaced or differently sized welds.
It would be beneficial to monitor cracking at vulnerable locations such as the vessel head penetrations in an on-line and automated manner, to determine when actual crack propagation is taking place and to assess the effectiveness of corrective measures taken to arrest corrosion of the reactor vessel. An on-line crack monitoring system could also provide information to evaluate the relative severity of corrosion at different locations in the reactor head to help determine and correct the root causes.
Electrochemical corrosion measurements have been taken to generally monitor the level of corrosion of metals that are exposed to an electrolyte. In high temperature environments such as boilers, corrosion may be encountered due to exposure to flue gases or to an aqueous coolant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,678--Hladky discloses a general method for analyzing deterioration of metal structures carrying electrolytes, for example, a pipe or conduit, a storage tank, process vessel, heat exchanger, pump or valve. An electrochemical probe intended for ongoing collection of corrosion data, that protrudes from a vessel wall into the electrolyte, is disclosed for example, in international application PCT/GB87/00500--Cox et al. A probe that is structured to form a section of conduit through which the electrolyte passes is disclosed in U.S Pat. No. 4,426,618--Ronchetti et al. In each case, the probe comprises a plurality of corrosion sensing electrodes that are exposed to the electrolyte. The electrical potentials of the electrodes and the current passing between the electrodes is sensed and related to the extent of chemical corrosion of the electrodes. Corrosion of the electrodes is comparable to corrosion of the vessel, conduit or other structure that holds the electrolyte. Therefore, by sensing the level of corrosion of the electrodes and integrating the results, the probe can be used to estimate the instantaneous rate of corrosion of the structure as a whole. Such information can be incorporated as a part of a maintenance program as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,195--Palusamy et al.
Specific sensing and monitoring for electrochemical resistance, galvanic current between electrodes, electrochemical potential noise and electrochemical current noise are disclosed for measuring the deterioration of a combustion vessel in "On-Line Materials Surveillance for Improved Reliability in Power Generation Systems," Paper No. 254, NACE Annual Conference and Corrosion Show, March 1991. Electrode structures which are useful for such monitoring are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,504,323--Meany, Jr.; 3,491,012--Winslow, Jr.; and 2,834,858--Schaschl. These teachings and these patents, and the foregoing patents to Palusamy and Hladky, are hereby incorporated in their entireties.
The present invention is intended to apply the art of electrochemical monitoring to the specific problems of penetration structures traversing the walls of vessels, and is particularly applicable to monitoring localized corrosion of penetrations traversing a wall of a nuclear reactor vessel. It has been discovered according to the invention that by instrumenting a subset of a plurality of penetrations of a vessel or similar electrolyte-holding structure, in particular the control and instrumentation penetrations of a nuclear reactor vessel head, one can assess the status of the penetrations generally, and thereby obtain information on this critical area of the reactor. Furthermore, the corrosion characteristics of particular areas of the penetration tubes can be selectively monitored, for distinguishing corrosion occurring at different locations in the penetration tubes.
The invention is useful for assessing present corrosion level, status and integrity of the vessel penetrations, and for providing information whereby the useful life of penetration structures can be decremented for planning and executing required maintenance steps.

Electrochemical monitoring of vessel penetrations


A multi-pass time-of-flight mass spectrometer is disclosed having an elongated orthogonal accelerator (30). The orthogonal accelerator (30) has electrodes (31) that are transparent to the ions so that ions that are reflected or turned back towards it are able to pass through the orthogonal accelerator (30). The electrodes (31) of the orthogonal accelerator (30) may be pulsed from ground potential in order to avoid the reflected or turned ion packets being defocused. The spectrometer has a high duty cycle and/or space charge capacity of pulsed conversion.

Time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOF MS) are widely used in combination with continuous ion sources, like Electron Impact (EI) ion sources, Electrospray Ionisation (ESI) ion sources, Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) ion sources and gaseous Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption and Ionization (MALDI) ion sources. To convert an ion beam from an intrinsically continuous ion source into pulsed ion packets there are employed orthogonal accelerators (OA), radiofrequency (RF) ion guides with axial ion ejection, and RF ion traps with radial pulsed ejection.
Initially, the OA method has been introduced by Bendix corporation as described in G. J. O'Halloran et.al, Report ASD-TDR-62-644, The Bendix Corporation, Research Laboratory Division, Southfield, Mich., 1964. Dodonov et.al in SU1681340 and WO9103071 reintroduced and improved the OA injection method by using an ion mirror to compensate for multiple inherent OA aberrations. The beam propagates in the drift Z-direction through a storage gap between plate electrodes. Periodically, an electrical pulse is applied between plates. A portion of the continuous ion beam, located in the storage gap, is accelerated in an orthogonal X-direction, thus forming ribbon-shaped ion packets. Due to conservation of initial Z-velocity, the ion packets drift slowly in the Z-direction, thus traveling within the TOF MS along an inclined mean ion trajectory, get reflected by ion mirror, and finally reach a detector.
For improving duty cycle of pulsed conversion there were proposed various radio-frequency ion traps with either axial ion ejection as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,020,586 and 6,872,938, or radial ion ejection as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,545,268, 8,373,120, and 8,017,909. Ions are admitted into a radio-frequency ion guide for radial confinement with RF fields. Ions are locked axially by various types of DC plugs, get dampened in gas collisions at gas pressures of about 1 to 10 mTorr, and are ejected by pulsed electric field, either axially or radially. Radial traps reach nearly 100% duty cycle of pulsed conversion, but they are strongly affected by space charge effects. The space charge capacity of RF traps is limited by the useful trap length, which in turn is limited by the geometrical arrangement within MPTOF analyzers (described below), necessary for the ion packet to bypass the trap after the ion mirror reflection.
In the last two decades, the resolution of TOF MS has been substantially improved by using multi-pass TOFMS (MPTOF) instruments. These instruments either have ion mirrors for multiple ion reflections(i.e. a multi-reflecting TOF (MRTOF)), such as described in SU1725289, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,107,625, 6,570,152, GB2403063, and U.S.6,717,132, or have electrostatic sectors for multiple ion turns (i.e. a multi-turn TOF (MTTOF)) such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,504,620, 7,755,036, and M. Toyoda, et.al, J. Mass Spectrom. 38 (2003) 1125, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The term "pass" is a generalized term covering ion mirror reflections in an MRTOF and ion turns in an MTTOF. In other words, an MP-TOF covers both MRTOF and MTTOF instruments. The resolving power of an MP-TOF instrument grows with increasing numbers of passes N. However, arranging a conventional OA in an MP-TOF instrument, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,717,132 and 7,504,620, limits the efficiency of pulsed conversion of the OA, elsewhere called the duty cycle. To avoid spectral overlaps, the duty cycle of an MP-TOF with an OA is limited to being DC<1/N for heaviest ions, and realistically DC<1/2N, accounting for the rims of the OA and of the detector, and further drops as the square root of the specific ion mass μ=m/z for lighter ions (see eq.3 below).
WO2016174462 proposes increasing the OA length and duty cycle by displacing the OA from the central path of the MR-TOF analyser and arranging ion oscillations around the symmetry plane of isochronous trajectory. However, operation off the isochronous plane strongly affects the resolution and the spatial ion focusing of the MRTOF analyzer. Co-pending application WO2019/030475 proposes shifting the accelerator from the MPTOF symmetry plane and pulsed deflection of ion packets back onto the symmetry plane. However, the solution poses limits onto the admitted mass range.

Multi-pass mass spectrometer with high duty cycle


A polyvinyl butyral (PVB) resin has a meso/racemic stereoisomer ratio of from about 2.5 to about 5.0. A process for preparing this PVB resin is described. Manipulation of the PVB stereoisomer ratio can provide an additional method of controlling the physical properties of a plasticized composition comprising the PVB resin, in addition to or in lieu of changing additives or otherwise manipulating the components of the plasticized PVB resin composition.

Plasticized polyvinyl butyral (PVB) sheet is used in the manufacture of laminate structures such as, for example: windshields for vehicles including automobiles, motorcycles, boats and airplanes; homes and buildings; shelving in cabinets and display cases; and other articles where structural strength is desirable in a glass sheet.
Conventional PVB sheet typically includes a plasticizer in order to increase the flexibility and processibility of the PVB sheet. Various plasticizers are conventional in the manufacture of PVB. Unfortunately, all plasticizers are not equally compatible with PVB. For example triethyleneglycol di-(2-ethyl hexanoate) (3GO), while offering some process advantages over other plasticizers, is not as compatible with PVB as, for example, dibutyl sebacate (DBS) or dihexyl adipate (DHA) or tetraethylene glycol di(2-heptanoate) (4G7). It is known, however, that the compatibility of a particular plasticizer in PVB can be increased by reducing the hydroxyl number of the PVB.
Manufacturers of PVB looking to improve the process of manufacturing PVB, and/or improve the performance of PVB in the various applications can face problems caused by changes to the composition of the polymer, or changes in the manufacturing process. In making such changes the performance of the product can be affected in ways that can result in unexpected problems.
In order to make product that is of consistent quality and useful in many of the applications described hereinabove, a PVB manufacturer typically monitors the performance of the product in various tests. For example, PVB should have acceptable tensile creep, impact resistance, haze, color, melt flow rate, and adhesion (for example, to glass). In making any changes to the composition of PVB or to the manufacturing process, the properties listed above should all remain acceptable for the product to be commercially acceptable and viable.
However, changing process parameters in a manufacturing facility is not always trouble-free. While evaluating the feasibility of making a change in the identity of the plasticizer used in their PVB manufacturing process, the Applicants encountered several problems. One problem encountered by the Applicants was that when changing the formulation of PVB by lowering the hydroxyl number in order to increase the compatibility of 3GO with PVB, an unexpected change in the tensile creep properties of the PVB was observed. Due to the nature of the change, the Applicants were not convinced that the PVB would be acceptable for commercial sale into applications wherein toughness and high impact resistance were important factors. While it was still desirable to lower the hydroxyl number of the PVB, the Applicants were faced with maintaining the above physical properties, particularly the tensile creep, of the PVB at a desirable level. Polyvinyl butyral is capable of stereoisomerism, due to the cyclic structures formed by the reaction of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with butyraldehyde. In EP 0402213 the ratio of the meso cyclic structure to the racemic cyclic structure in the PVB resin is related to the rigidity of the plasticized PVB sheeting. The recognition of the relationship of the stereoisomerism in PVB resin to the physical properties of plasticized PVB sheeting has not been fully appreciated in the patent literature. Further it has not been recognized or fully appreciated that critical physical properties of PVB sheeting can be manipulated by controlling the stereoisomerism of the PVB resin. Even further, a method for controlling the stereoisomerism of PVB resin during the manufacturing process has not been recognized or, at least, not fully appreciated in the art of PVB manufacture.
In the manufacture of PVB, it can be desirable to have a process for preparing plasticized PVB sheet whereby critical physical properties of the sheet can be controlled in spite of changing the manufacturing process for PVB, or the composition of the PVB resin used to make a PVB sheet, or a change in other components used to make the PVB sheet.

Polyvinylbutyral resin composition having specified physical properties and stereochemistry


A one-gun three-beam electron gun comprises a triode part controlling an electron source generating a plurality of electron beams and emission of the electron beams generated by the electron source; a main electron lens of bi-potential focusing type consisting of not less than two cylindrical electrodes focusing the plurality of electron beams emitted by the triode part; electrostatic deflection plates disposed on the screen side of the main electron lens; and electrostatic deflection plates disposed on the electron source side of the main electron lens.

The present invention relates generally to an electron gun, and more in detail to an electron gun device suitable for a cathode ray tube such as a color picture tube and a color display tube. More specifically it relates to a color cathode ray tube using a single electron gun generating a plurality of beams.
Accompanied by enlargement of the screen and high definition of the image in a color picture tube device, a color cathode ray tube having a reduced aberration provided with a larger aperture electron lens is required. As a color cathode ray tube suitable for this requirement, a color cathode ray tube is known which as a single electron gun generating a plurality of beams. This electron gun has an electrode structure as indicated in FIG. 14 (disclosed e.g. in JP-B-Sho 49-5591). As indicated in the figure, for the cathodes K.sub.R, K.sub.G and K.sub.B arranged along the X-axis, corresponding to the different colors, red, green and blue, respectively, there are disposed in common a first electrode G.sub.1, a second electrode G.sub.2, a third electrode G.sub.3, a fourth electrode G.sub.4 and a fifth electrode G.sub.5. The cathodes, the first electrode G.sub.1 and the second electrode G.sub.2 constitute a triode part. The third electrode G.sub.3, the fourth electrode G.sub.4 and the fifth electrode G.sub.5, all of which are cylindrical, form a main electron lens of unipotential focusing type by applying a focusing voltage V.sub.G4 to the fourth electrode G.sub.4 and a same voltage V.sub.H to the third electrode G.sub.3 and the fifth electrode G.sub.5. The cathodes K.sub.R, K.sub.G and K.sub.B are so arranged that the electron beams therefrom intersect each other at a position, where the Fraunhofer condition (condition that the coma is zero) is satisfied approximately at the center of the main electron lens. Further the three electron beams B.sub.G, B.sub.R and B.sub.B are converged on the screen by electrostatic deflection plates A and B disposed in a stage succeeding the fifth electrode G.sub.5.
However, the uni-potential focusing lens has a drawback that if it is attempted to improve the aberration characteristics for the electron beam from the cathode K.sub.G, i.e. the center beam B.sub.G, the aberration characteristics are worsened for the electron beams from the cathodes K.sub.R and K.sub.B, i.e. the side beams B.sub.R and B.sub.B. This takes place for the reason described below. That is, in the uni-potential lens, since three electrodes are used as described above, it is possible to lengthen the acting region of the lens by increasing the length of the middle electrode. Therefore, it is possible to decrease the spherical aberration for the center beam B.sub.G by making the lens weaker by lengthening the acting region of the lens. However, since the side beams B.sub.R and B.sub.B enter the lens obliquely, if the acting region of the lens is long, a great astigmatism is produced, corresponding thereto. For this reason it is not possible to reduce the size of the spots for the side beams, even if the ratio of the electrode voltages is varied. That is, for a one-gun three-beam electron gun using the prior art uni-potential lens there was a limit of improving the aberration characteristics both for the center beam and for the side beams.
On the other hand, it is important also to decrease the depth of the color cathode ray tube.

Electron gun with bi-potential focusing lens and electrostatic deflection plates


A wastewater treatment plant comprising a pretreatment chamber, aeration chamber and a settling chamber designed to minimize or eliminate sludge buildup at the bottom of the aeration chamber. Two support walls are provided. The combined function of one support wall and an angular portion at the bottom of the common wall between the aeration and settling chamber is to regulate the flow pattern in the aeration chamber and return settled biodegradable matter from the bottom of the settling chamber to the aeration chamber for further treatment. The fluid flow created by the wall structure enhances the action of the settling chamber and elinates dead zones in the aeration chamber thus minimizing sludge buildup.

Since the 1970's, different types of tanks have been developed for wastewater treatment. In such tanks, aeration of wastewater is a key step in the treatment and results in a circulation of partially treated wastewater with incoming untreated wastewater. Blowers, air compressors, surface aerators and venturi aerators are used in the different wastewater treatment systems, all of which interact with the design of the tank in which they exist. Part of the function of these aerators is to create a circulation flow in the treatment tank to keep organic waste digestion processes going in an effective manner.
The aeration step of wastewater treatment requires a chamber in which aerobic digestion of organic solids can occur. Typically an actuated sludge process, or biofilm process occurs in the presence of such aeration. Most aeration chambers are in a cubic shape. In these chambers, there are some "dead corners" where low flow velocity in these corners causes organic solids to accumulate. The treatment efficiency of the overall process is affected by these "dead corners" where organic solids are not effectively digested. This in turn results in the build up of sludge in the bottom of the tank which must later be removed.
Wastewater treatment plants in different forms have been the subject of invention along with the processes used in the plants. Wastewater treatment plants are designed to digest organic material that is present in wastewater. As previously stated, a by-product of that digestion process is the formation of sludge which collects at the bottom of the waste treatment tanks. That sludge must later be removed and disposed of through a variety of means including incineration, landfill deposit, and other expensive and environmentally costly methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,831 to Graves discloses a wastewater plant having a particular tank design which is used in conjunction with an aerobic digestion process (see also U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,157 to Graves). This design comprises three chambers: a pretreatment chamber, an aeration chamber, and a final "clarification" or settling chamber. This design also comprises an opening at the bottom of a wall that separates the aeration chamber from the final clarification chamber to allow organic particles to settle out of solution in the final clarification chamber, falling to the bottom of the aeration chamber. However, when such particles reach the bottom of the aeration chamber they tend to remain there where they collect for subsequent removal due to lack of fluid circulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,608 to Mason et al. describes a liquid treatment apparatus for treatment of biodegradable material. This particular tank design also allows sludge or by-products from the aerobic process to sink to the bottom of the tank for subsequent collection. Again, a quiescent state exists at the bottom of the tank where sludge collects.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,965 to Higgins et al. describes a special aerator which is essentially the same as that disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,608 to Mason. As such the tank design embodied therein suffers from the same problem of dealing with sludge collecting at the bottom of a tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,599 to Burkhead et al. describes a method and apparatus for treating biodegradable waste products. Again, sludge collects at the bottom of this tank which is in a quiescent state and must subsequently be removed and disposed of.
In view of these prior inventions' creation of sludge, it therefore becomes important to create a wastewater treatment process in such a manner that the maximum digestion takes place thereby minimizing sludge production.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide fluid circulation in the aeration chamber of a wastewater treatment plant eliminating dead corners in order to achieve maximum digestion of organic solids.
It is a further objective of the present invention to enhance the settling action in the settling chamber thereby increasing the digestion of organic matter.
A further object of the present invention is to provide support for biofilm that is submerged in the wastewater being treated in the aeration chamber.

Wastewater treatment plant and apparatus


A blood analysis apparatus for obtaining blood for analysis from the skin of a patient with a controlled degree of lancing. The apparatus including a cartridge and a driver. The cartridge includes a cartridge case and a lancet. The lancet has a tip and is housed in the cartridge case. The lancet can be driven to extend the tip outside the cartridge case through an opening for lancing the skin of the patient to yield blood. The driver drives the lancet to move the tip distally to lance the skin. The driver is triggerable by the skin which is to be lanced exerting a force exceeding a preset amount against the triggering mechanism of the apparatus, to drive the lancet toward the skin.

The analysis and quantification of blood components is an important diagnostic tool for better understanding the physical condition of a patient. Since adequate noninvasive blood analysis technology is not currently available, blood samples still need to be obtained by invasive methods from a great number of patients every day and analyzed. A well known example of such needs is self monitoring of glucose levels by a diabetic individual, e.g., performed at home. Many products for self monitoring of blood glucose levels are available commercially. Upon doctors' recommendations and using such products, patients typically measure blood glucose level several (3-5) times a day as a way to monitor their success in controlling blood sugar levels. For many diabetics, the failure to test blood glucose regularly may result in damage to tissues and organs, such as kidney failure, blindness, hypertension, and other serious complications. Nevertheless, many diabetics do not measure their blood glucose regularly. One important reason is that the existing monitoring products may be complicated, inconvenient, and painful, requiring a pinprick every time a measurement is made. Furthermore, these products require some skill, dexterity, and discipline to obtain useful measurements.
Today, a diabetic patient who needs to monitor and control blood glucose levels typically carries the following paraphernalia: (1) a supply of disposable lancets, (2) a reusable lancing device which accepts the lancets, (3) an electronic glucose meter (glucometer), (4) a supply of disposable glucose test strips for the meter, and (5) tools for insulin injection (insulin, disposable hypodermic needles, and a syringe). These items may be carried in the form of a kit, which may also contain (6) a variety of control and calibration strips to assure the accuracy of the meter and the measurement. Examples of devices for monitoring blood glucose include GLUCOMETER ELITE glucose meter, Miles Inc. Elkhart, Ind., and ONE TOUCH PROFILE glucose meter, Lifescan Inc., Milpitas, Calif.
Using a typical glucose meter and lancing device, the sampling and measurement process is generally as follows. First, the user prepares the meter for use by removing a test strip from a protective wrapper or vial and inserting the test strip in the meter. This simple process requires some dexterity, since the test strips are very small, flexible, and can be damaged by accidentally touching the active sensing region. The glucose meter may confirm the proper placement of the test strip and indicate that it is prepared for a sample. Some glucose meters also may require a calibration or reference step at this time. Next, the patient cleans his finger when he intends to use the lancet--the finger is the preferred place for routine sampling, because it is an easily accessible place for most people. The user prepares the lancing device by (1) removing a cover from the lancing device, (2) placing a disposable lancet in the lancing device, (3) removing a protective shield from the sharp lancet tip, (4) replacing the cover, and (5) setting a spring-like mechanism in the lancing device which provides the force to drive the lancet into the skin. These steps may happen simultaneously, e.g., typical lancing devices set their spring mechanisms when one installs the lancet. The user then places the lancing device on the finger. (The density of nerve endings decreases toward the lateral edges of the fingertips; thus, slightly lateral locations are preferred to the fingertips.) After positioning the lancing device on the finger, the user presses a button or switch on the device to release the lancet. The spring drives the lancet forward, creating a small wound.
After lancing, a small droplet of blood may appear spontaneously at the lancing site, usually 2-20 .mu.l in volume. If no blood sample appears spontaneously, the patient may "milk" the finger by massaging or squeezing it slightly and thereby promoting blood flow from the wound. In either case the user examines the droplet of blood, judges by eye and experience whether the size of the sample is adequate for the chosen test strip (different test strips require different sample volumes). If adequate, the user quickly places the blood sample on a test strip (held in the glucose meter) according to manufacturer's instructions. Typically, the user inverts the finger to create a pendant drop and touches the drop (not the finger) to an active region on the test strip that absorbs the blood. The action is difficult because inverting the finger over the test strip occludes the view of both the drop and the active region of the test strip. Furthermore, it is difficult to control the separation between the finger and the test strip which may be only a millimeter. Certain types of strip may require blotting and rubbing in a particular way. Another type of test strip draws the sample into the active region by capillary action. With this type, the user brings the sample in contact with a small opening on the test strip, and capillary action draws the sample volume into the test strip. Both types of strips (absorbent blots and capillaries) require that adequate sample volumes of blood exist on the finger before transferring the sample to the strip. One cannot apply more drops after the first application. This is because the principle of glucose measurement methods using current glucose meters depends on the rate of change in a chemical reaction, and the addition of additional sample confounds that rate and thus the calculation of glucose concentration. For convenience to the patient (user), it is desirable to have the entire droplet wick away from the finger onto the test strip, leaving the finger mostly free of blood. This is easier to accomplish with the capillary-fill test strips. The GLUCOMETER ELITE device has capillary-fill type test strips which require a few microliters of sample, only some fraction of which contacts the active sensor region.
After blood has been transferred to the test strip, the glucose meter then measures the blood glucose concentration (typically by chemical reaction of glucose with reagents on the test strip). Such blood glucose measurements permit the diabetic to manage his glucose levels, whether that be to inject a corresponding dose of insulin (generally Type I diabetic) or using a protocol established with his physician to modify his diet and exercise (Type I or Type II diabetic). Used lancets and test strips are removed and discarded (or kept for subsequent disposal in a hazardous waste container kept elsewhere). Any extra blood is cleaned from the equipment and the wound site, and all pieces of apparatus are stored for future use. The entire process usually takes a few minutes.
With the currently available blood glucose monitoring technology, a new lancet and test strip are used every time. The lancet and test strip are separate items, often purchased from different manufacturers. Furthermore, both are protected by a package or a protective shield, which must be removed before use, adding the requirement for dexterity. Because both are exposed to blood (considered a bio-hazard) they require careful or special disposal.
Each lancet prick causes pain. Among other considerations, pain from the lancet corresponds to the size of the wound, for a given location on the finger. A small lancet wound, which may cause less pain, may not provide enough blood for a sample, while a large wound may produce considerable pain and may clot slowly, causing great inconvenience to the user, who must take great care not to smear the leaking blood everywhere--clothes, work surfaces, glucometer, etc.--for some time thereafter.
From the above, it is clear that the conventional technique for blood sampling and analysis requires dexterity. Dexterity is required to load strips in a glucometer (unwrapping and inserting), as well as for positioning a small droplet onto the sensor surface of a test strip. Sample droplets are a few millimeters across and must be placed on similarly sized area of the test strip. This can be especially difficult for a weak, chronic or elderly diabetic patient, whose motions may be unsteady, vision compromised, or judgment impaired. Thus, the above prior systems are inconvenient and unpleasant to use. These shortcomings reduce the level of compliance of patients who need to perform these measurements assiduously.
In the current designs of the lancing devices, much variation in penetration depth of the lancets can result due to different placement and handling of the devices by the user. For example, if the user presses a lancing device firmly against the skin, the skin is taut and the lancet penetrates deeply and therefore more painfully. If the user holds the lancing device against the skin lightly, the skin is loose, more elastic, and more flexible than a taut skin. In this case, when the lancet moves against the skin it first creates a shallow depression before penetrating the skin, thus resulting in a shallow wound. Such a problem of uncertainty in lancing is especially pronounced in individuals whose dexterity has been impaired by chronic illnesses. With existing lancing tools, the lancing depth can vary from almost nil (therefore no wound and no blood sample) to very deep (.about.1 mm deep wound, spontaneously flowing blood, and considerable pain). Therefore, it is desirable to devise techniques of blood extraction and measurement that are easy to administer. What is needed are improved devices and methods for sampling and analyzing blood that require less mental concentration, less exertion, and less dexterity. What is especially needed is a lancing device with which a patient can more easily control the lancing force and lancing depth.


A photonic-bandgap fiber includes a photonic crystal lattice with a first material having a first refractive index and a pattern of a second material formed therein. The second material has a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index. The photonic crystal lattice has a plurality of first regions that support intensity lobes of the highest frequency bulk mode and has a plurality of second regions that do not support intensity lobes of the highest frequency bulk mode. The photonic-bandgap fiber further includes a central core formed in the photonic crystal lattice. The photonic-bandgap fiber further includes a core ring having an outer perimeter. The core ring surrounds the central core, wherein the outer perimeter of the core ring passes only through the second regions of the photonic crystal lattice.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application is in the field of optical fibers for propagating light, and more particularly is in the field of photonic-bandgap fibers having a hollow core, or a core with a refractive index lower than the cladding materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photonic-bandgap fibers (PBFs) have attracted great interest in recent years due to their unique advantages over conventional fibers. In particular, the propagation loss in an air-core PBF is not limited by the core material, and it is expected that the propagation loss can be exceedingly low. The nonlinear effects in an air-core PBF are very small, and in certain PBFs, the core can be filled with liquids or gases to generate the desired light-matter interaction. Numerous new applications enabled by these advantages have been demonstrated recently. Such applications are described, for example, in Burak Temelkuran et al., Wavelength-scalable hollow optical fibres with large photonic bandgaps for CO2 laser transmission, Nature, Vol. 420, 12 Dec. 2002, pages 650–653; Dimitri G. Ouzounov et al., Dispersion and nonlinear propagation in air-core photonic band-gap fibers, Proceedings of Conference on Laser and Electro-Optics (CLEO) 2003, Baltimore, USA, 1–6 Jun. 2003, paper CThV5, 2 pages; M. J. Renn et al., Laser-Guided Atoms in Hollow-Core Optical Fibers, Physical Review Letters, Vol. 75, No. 18, 30 Oct. 1995, pages 3253–3256; F. Benabid et al., Particle levitation and guidance in hollow-core photonic crystal fiber, Optics Express, Vol. 10, No. 21, 21 Oct. 2002, pages 1195–1203; and Kazunori Suzuki et al., Ultrabroad band white light generation from a multimode photonic bandgap fiber with an air core, Proceedings of Conference on Laser and Electro-Optics (CLEO) 2001, paper WIPD1-11, pages 24–25, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Calculations of selected properties of the fundamental mode of the PBFs have also been reported in, for example, R. F. Cregan et al., Single-Mode Photonic Band Gap Guidance of Light in Air, Science, Vol. 285, 3 Sep. 1999, pages 1537–1539; Jes Broeng et al., Analysis of air guiding photonic bandgap fibers, Optics Letters, Vol. 25, No. 2, Jan. 15, 2000, pages 96–98; and Jes Broeng et al., Photonic Crystal Fibers: A New Class of Optical Waveguides, Optical Fiber Technology, Vol. 5, 1999, pages 305–330, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Surface modes, which do not exist in conventional fibers, are defect modes that form at the boundary between the air core and the photonic-crystal cladding. Surface modes can occur when an infinite photonic crystal is abruptly terminated, as happens for example at the edges of a crystal of finite dimensions. Terminations introduce a new set of boundary conditions, which result in the creation of surface modes that satisfy these conditions and are localized at the termination. See, for example, F. Ramos-Mendieta et al., Surface electromagnetic waves in two-dimensional photonic crystals: effect of the position of the surface plane, Physical Review B, Vol. 59, No. 23, 15 Jun. 1999, pages 15112–15120, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
In a photonic crystal, the existence of surface modes depends strongly on the location of the termination. See, for example, A. Yariv et al., Optical Waves in Crystals: Propagation and Control of Laser Radiation, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1984, pages 209–214, particularly at page 210; and J. D. Joannopoulos et al., Photonic Crystals: Molding the flow of light, Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J., 1995, pages 54–77, particularly at page 73; which are hereby incorporated herein by reference; and also see, for example, F. Ramos-Mendieta et al., Surface electromagnetic waves in two-dimensional photonic crystals: effect of the position of the surface plane, cited above. For example, in photonic crystals made of dielectric rods in air, surface modes are induced only when the termination cuts through rods. A termination that cuts only through air is too weak to induce surface modes. See, for example, J. D. Joannopoulos et al., Photonic Crystals: Molding the flow of light, cited above.
Unless suitably designed, a fiber will support many surface modes. Recent demonstrations have shown that surface modes play a particularly important role in air-core PBFs, and mounting evidence indicates that surface modes impose serious limitations in air-core photonic-bandgap fibers by contributing to propagation losses. See, for example, K. Saitoh et al., Air-core photonic band-gap fibers: the impact of surface modes, Optics Express, Vol. 12, No. 3, February 2004, pages 394–400; Douglas C. Allan et al., Surface modes and loss in air-core photonic band-gap fibers, in Photonic Crystals Materials and Devices, A. Adibi et al. (eds.), Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 5000, 2003, pages 161–174; Wah Tung Lau et al., Creating large bandwidth line defects by embedding dielectric waveguides into photonic crystal slabs, Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 81, No. 21, 18 Nov. 2002, pages 3915–3917; Dirk Müller et al., Measurement of Photonic Band-gap Fiber Transmission from 1.0 to 3.0 μm and Impact of Surface Mode Coupling, Proceedings of Conference on Laser and Electro-Optics (CLEO) 2003, Baltimore, USA, 1–6 Jun. 2003, paper QTuL2, 2 pages; Hyang Kyun Kim et al., Designing air-core photonic-bandgap fibers free of surface modes, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. 40, No. 5, May 2004, pages 551–556; and Michel J. F. Digonnet et al., Simple geometric criterion to predict the existence of surface modes in air-core photonic-bandgap fibers, Optics Express, Vol. 12, No. 9, May 2004, pages 1864–1872, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Also see, for example, J. D. Joannopoulos et al., Photonic Crystals: Molding the flow of light, cited above; A. Yariv et al., Optical Waves in Crystals: Propagation and Control of Laser Radiation, cited above; and F. Ramos-Mendieta et al., Surface electromagnetic waves in two-dimensional photonic crystals: effect of the position of the surface plane, cited above.
In contrast to surface modes, a core mode (e.g., a fundamental core mode) of an air-core PDF without a silica core ring is one in which the peak of the mode intensity is located in the core. In most cases, most of the energy will also be contained within the air core. The propagation constants of surface modes often fall close to or can even be equal to the propagation constant of the fundamental core mode. See, for example, K. Saitoh et al., Air-core photonic band-gap fibers: the impact of surface modes, Douglas C. Allan et al., Surface modes and loss in air-core photonic band-gap fibers, in Photonic Crystals Materials and Devices, and Dirk Müller et al., c Measurement of Photonic Band-gap Fiber Transmission from 1.0 to 3.0 μm and Impact of Surface Mode Coupling, which are cited above.
The fundamental core mode generally couples quite strongly to one or more of these surface modes by a resonant coupling mechanism or a nearly-resonant coupling mechanism. Such coupling may be caused, for example, by random (e.g., spatial) perturbations in the fiber index profile or cross-section. Since surface modes are inherently lossy due to their high energy density in the dielectric of the fiber, such coupling is a source of propagation loss. Furthermore, since surface modes occur across the entire bandgap, no portion of the available spectrum is immune to this loss mechanism. Recent findings have demonstrated that surface modes are a cause of the reduced transmission bandwidth in a 13-dB/km air-core PBF manufactured by Corning. See, for example, N. Venkataraman et al., Low loss (13 dB/km) air core photonic band-gap fibre, Proceedings of European Conference on Optical Communication, ECOC 2002, Copenhagen, Denmark, PostDeadline Session 1, PostDeadline Paper PD1.1, Sep. 12, 2002; and C. M. Smith, et al., Low-loss hollow-core silica/air photonic bandgap fibre, Nature, Vol. 424, No. 6949, 7 Aug. 2003, pages 657–659, which are incorporated by reference herein. This effect is believed to be the source of the remaining loss (approximately 13 dB/km) in this air-core photonic-bandgap fiber. See, for example, Douglas C. Allan et al, Photonic Crystals Materials and Devices, cited above. Understanding the physical origin of surface modes and identifying fiber configurations that are free of such modes across the entire bandgap is therefore of importance in the ongoing search for low-loss PBFs.

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A vehicle door latch mechanism includes a resin body, a base plate and a sub base plate nipping this body. The body has an accommodating portion capable of accommodating a latch and a pawl, an insertion groove through which a striker is inserted, a cantilever support portion nipping the striker with a facing inner wall surface, a receiving portion for restricting inclination of the cantilever support portion to a predetermined amount, and a cushion accommodating portion capable of accommodating a cushion for pressing the cantilever support portion toward the striker. A support portion for suppressing a deformation of the receiving portion when a free front end of the cantilever support portion is engaged with the receiving portion is provided in the sub base plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a latch mechanism for a vehicle door lock device.
2. Description of the Related Art
One example of the latch mechanism of the vehicle door lock device is described in JP2002-129810 A. The latch mechanism described in JP2002-129810 A includes a resin body, a base plate arranged on one side of the body, and a sub base plate arranged on the other side of the body. The body has an accommodating portion capable of accommodating a latch and a pawl. The latch is pushed and rotated by a striker attached on the vehicle body side. The pawl is engageable with and disengageable from the latch inside the accommodating portion. The body also has an insertion groove through which the striker is inserted, and a cantilever support portion (tongue shape portion) serving as a part of the insertion groove. The striker is nipped between the cantilever support portion and a facing inner wall surface of the insertion groove. The body further has a receiving portion engageable with a free front end of the cantilever support portion for restricting inclination of the cantilever support portion to a predetermined amount, and a cushion accommodating portion provided on the receiving portion side of the cantilever support portion for accommodating a cushion for pressing the cantilever support portion toward the striker. The base plate has an attachment hole for assembling to a door of the vehicle, a latch axial hole for pivotally supporting a latch support shaft supporting the latch, a pawl axial hole for pivotally supporting a pawl support shaft supporting the pawl, and an insertion groove through which the striker is inserted. The sub base plate has a latch axial hole for pivotally supporting the latch support shaft, and a pawl axial hole for pivotally supporting the pawl support shaft. It should be noted that the cantilever support portion (tongue shape portion), the receiving portion, the cushion accommodating portion, and the like of the body are described in detail in JP2001-98821 A.

Latch mechanism for a vehicle door lock device


A system, apparatus, and method for physiological data collection, providing targeted content, and facilitating remote diagnostics. In one embodiment, a kiosk contains physiological data collection devices, electronic computing devices, and targeted-content display devices to automatically collect physiological data regarding a patient and display targeted content specifically tailored to that patient based on the collected data.

Prior to seeing a doctor (but generally while at a doctor's office), a patient must first undergo initial physiological data collection (e.g., height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, current symptoms, allergies, health history, etc.) as part of the intake process. In some offices, the devices that collect much of this data are limited in number and must be transported to each patient room prior to use (or patients must travel to different rooms to use the devices). Similarly, after collecting the data, the nurse or other medical professional must manually input the data into the patient's chart or electronic medical record. These limitations cause inefficiencies in the intake process that increase patient wait times, reduce medical professional efficiency, and increase risk of mistranslation of collected data. Additionally, there is no opportunity during this intake process to provide targeted advertising to the patient and/or collect revenue from the patient. Similarly, it is difficult to conduct this process as part of a telehealth (e.g., remote diagnostics, etc.) session.
Therefore, there is a long-felt but unresolved need for a system, apparatus, or method that permits the collection of multiple types of physiological data from a patient and provides targeted content to the patient based on the collected data.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for physiological data collection and providing targeted content


A particulate containing a pantethine, a light anhydrous silicic acid and a microcrystalline cellulose, in which the total content of the light anhydrous silicic acid the microcrystalline cellulose amounts to a quantity that yields a 0.6 or higher adsorptivity. The present pantethine-containing particulate has a good flowability and an adequate particle size providing excellent handling properties. It is free from impediments such as blocking, and has a good storage stability.

Pantethine is a useful medicament for: (a) prevention and treatment of a pantothenic acid deficiency; (b) replenishment of pantothenic acid to patients suffering from wasting diseases or hyperthyroidism, or to pregnant and parturient women or breast-feeding women who have an increased demand for pantothenic acid that cannot be supplied sufficiently from foods; and (c) prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia, atonic constipation, and side effects of streptomycin and kanamycin, improvement of acute and chronic eczema, and improvement in platelet counts and hemorrhagic tendency in blood dyscrasia, when these diseases, disorders or symptoms are presumed to be attributable to a deficiency or a metabolic disorder of pantothenic acid.
Although pantethine exists as an amorphous powder at room temperature, it is supplied as a viscous liquid in the market because it cannot maintain the powdery state due to its high hygroscopicity, and The Pharmacopoeia of Japan prescribes the pantethine as 80% aqueous pantethine solution. When manufacturing a medicament in the form of a solid dosage form, it is generally desirable to supply the medicament in a powdery state and various studies have so far been done to develop a technique to powder or solidify pantethine. For example, methods known for turning liquid pantethine into powder include a method disclosed in JP-A-S50-88215 comprising freeze-drying pantethine in the presence of a small quantity of an amino acid or a saccharide having a high eutectic point such as glycine, α-alanine, lactose, mannite, or dextran, or another method disclosed in JP-A-S55-38344 comprising freezing an aqueous pantethine solution, and crushing the resultant congelation, followed by drying.
Further, in order to provide pantethine as soliddosage forms, a number of attempts have been made including encapsulation of pantethine, or mixing pantethine with a large quantity of starches or similar ingredients to obtain a pantethine-containing powder mixture.

Particulate product comprising pantethine


A method for purification of a first polyunsaturated fatty acid from an initial mixture is provided. The initial mixture comprises at least one second fatty acid in addition to the first polyunsaturated fatty acid. The method may comprise separating the first polyunsaturated fatty acid and the second fatty acid in a liquid phase in at least one step of a chromatographic separation process, so as to recover, on the one hand, a stream enriched in the first polyunsaturated fatty acid, and on the other hand, a stream enriched in the second fatty acid. The method may further comprise a step of processing the stream enriched in the first polyunsaturated fatty acid to decrease the peroxide value and/or anisidine value of this stream. The disclosure also provides systems or devices suitably adapted for the implementation of such methods.

The citation of references herein does not constitute an admission that those references are prior art or have any relevance to the patentability of the technology disclosed herein.
Fatty acids, among which are included polyunsaturated fatty acids (abbreviated to PUFA), are particularly important biological compounds because they are involved in numerous biological processes such as building and maintenance of cell membranes, synthesis of hormones (for example, prostaglandins) that play a role in platelet aggregation, inflammation processes and in the human immunological response, etc.
The human body is able to synthesise most PUFAs, with the exception of two families of PUFAs known as essential fatty acids, which must necessarily be obtained through dietary intake.
The two families of essential fatty acids are:                omega-6, which are particularly abundant in nut oils, and oils derived from sunflower, soybean, grapeseed or corn, and in fatty poultry (such as duck);        omega-3 which are mostly found in nut oils, in plants such as rapeseed and flax, and in fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, sardine, mackerel or herring). Omega-3 production processes using microalgae cultures, transgenic yeast or krill have recently been developed.
Omega-3s are PUFAs that are considered particularly interesting for their antioxidant properties. Among these omega-3s, purified EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid, C20-5ω3) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, C22-6ω3) and enriched combinations thereof are the most frequently used as dietary supplements or medicinal products to help lower blood triglyceride levels, reduce cardiovascular risks, and improve vision or cognitive functions, etc.
Recent clinical studies have shown that treatment of patients having triglyceride levels above 500 ml/dL with 4 grams per day of 96% EPA ethyl ester without DHA made it possible to lower triglyceride levels, without increasing the levels of low density lipoproteins or LDL ("bad" cholesterol), whereas treatment with 4 grams per day of a mixture of ethyl esters of EPA and DHA, in proportions of about 50% and 35%, respectively, led to an increase in LDL levels along with the concomitant decrease in triglyceride levels.
Up to the present time, the PUFA dietary supplements used, in particular omega-3s, have essentially been based on mixtures containing 30% to 60% of a mixture of EPA and DHA. In the separation methods used to date, the mixture is obtained by means of transesterification of triglycerides into ethyl esters and subsequently through the enrichment of omega-3s by means of molecular distillation and/or co-crystallisation of the saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids with urea. Eventually the enriched ethyl esters are possibly reconverted into triglycerides by means of a chemical or preferably enzymatic process.
However, these separation methods are not satisfactory for the production of an omega-3 such as EPA, DHA or even stearidonic acid (SDA, C18-Sω3) at more than 80%, or even more than 96%, especially in esterified form.
In fact, the purification of omega-3s is complex because these compounds comprise a plurality of carbon-carbon double bonds which make them sensitive to oxidation or degradation. In the presence of oxygen and when they are heated, these PUFAs undergo reactions including in particular isomerisation, oxidation, peroxidation and oligomerisation.
Thus, the separation techniques indicated here above are used to obtain a mixture of PUFA with a good yield and an acceptable degree of purity; but they cannot be implemented for the individual separation of PUFAs. They thus do not allow for the separation of omega-3s from each other. Indeed, molecular distillation, for example, cannot economically eliminate DHA from EPA or SDA; it does not provide for an efficient separation of long chain omega-3s particularly of the C20 and C22 types. The combination of clathration with urea and molecular distillation provides the ability to obtain omega-3 mixtures of higher purity, at the expense of yield which is generally lower, and at high operating cost, but may not be used for the separation of long chain omega-3s from one another, and of EPA and DHA in particular.
There is therefore a need to provide a process for the industrial purification of omega-3 in ultra high purity esterified form.
Chromatography is a fine separation technique that allows for the efficient purification or enrichment of molecules under mild conditions and protected from light and air.
This technology is based on the separation of molecules that are brought into contact with a stationary phase with which they have different interactions. The use of one or more fluids, referred to as mobile phases or eluents, enables the percolation of various different molecules at different speeds. These different speeds allow for the physical separation of molecules and enable them to be harvested in purified form upon completion of the chromatographic processes using one or more columns. The purified fractions are in general concentrated under mild conditions at ambient or moderate temperatures, by means such as vacuum evaporation or membrane processes.
In some cases, the feedstock for the chromatographic purification is an oil composed of esters of fatty acids already enriched by molecular distillation, preferably comprising more than 30% of the omega-3 of interest, which has undergone a treatment process for the removal of oxidised compounds, either by means of the last molecular distillation, or by adsorption, preferably on silica derivatives (silica gel, bentonite, diatomaceous earth) or on activated carbon, for example.
Numerous prior art documents describe the elimination of oxidised compounds from compositions derived from oils.
By way of example, EP 0682006 discloses a process for treating oils containing omega-3s by dilution in hexane and addition of 10% to 40% by weight of active charcoal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,629 discloses a process for treating oils containing omega-3s by steam distillation followed by adsorption of polar compounds on silica.
WO 2005/049 772 also describes a process for treatment of an oil rich in omega-3 by dissolution in an aprotic solvent and contacting with a silicon derivative.
EP 0773283 describes a process for treatment of an oil containing a PUFA with at least 18 carbons by contacting for at least 10 minutes with a minimum of 0.1% by weight of a diatomaceous earth pre-treated in an acid medium at a temperature of optionally 5° C. to 80° C., followed or not by steam distillation.
A fair number of chromatographic methods have also been described, for obtaining an omega-3 with high purity.
Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,302 discloses a method in which the PUFAs are separated in particular by means of a supercritical eluant (carbon dioxide under pressure), and in particular on a "Simulated Moving Bed"—SMB.
US 2011/0091947 describes another process for purification of omega-3 using the technique of simulated moving bed chromatography. The document describes in particular the succession of one step of enzymatic transesterification, two steps of molecular distillation, and one step of the SMB type, these last three steps making it possible to separate the products into two fractions in order of retention time.
WO 2011/080503 describes the purification of omega 3 using a system comprising two SMB chromatography devices arranged in series and a washing zone, each SMB chromatography device defining one separation zone and consisting of multiple columns. The feedstock to be treated is injected into a first separation zone to obtain an extract stream and a raffinate stream, said raffinate stream containing the compounds of interest being then injected into a column of the second separation zone that is not adjacent to a column of the first zone.
WO 2013/005051 describes the purification of omega-3 by means of two chromatographic separation processes by SMB or AMB (that is to say, "Actual Moving Bed") in reversed phase mode with a water-organic eluent, wherein the two separations by SMB or AMB are performed sequentially on the same chromatographic device, or on two different devices, the intermediate purified by the first device being introduced into the second.
WO 2013/005048 describes the purification of EPA of over 90% purity by a first chromatographic separation followed by two chromatographic separations by SMB or AMB in reversed phase mode with a water-organic eluent in each step, the intermediate purified through the first chromatographic separation being introduced into the second chromatographic separation, and the intermediate purified through the second chromatographic separation being introduced into the third chromatographic separation.
In the two latter documents, the purified EPA is preferably obtained in the extract from the last separation; and thus the last separation separates EPA from the less retained impurities collected in the raffinate (as is well known to the person skilled in the art in reversed phase chromatography). Such impurities that are less retained than EPA may be, for example shorter chain PUFAs such as stearidonic acid (SDA), or oxidation compounds such as peroxides and aldehydes.
There is still a need to provide a PUFA (or a derivative thereof, in particular an ester thereof) with a high purity, allowing for its use in the preparation of medicinal compositions, from a multi compound feedstock including said PUFA. In particular, there is still a need to provide a PUFA (or a derivative thereof, in particular an ester thereof) that is essentially free of oxygenated contaminants such as peroxides or aldehydes.

Chromatographic method for the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids


A method is provided that enables verification of whether a component of original image data has been altered at the location at which the component is to be reused without newly generating a signature. More specifically, the method includes inputting first document data including a plurality of components and signature information corresponding to the components, selecting at least one component from among the components, and extracting signature information corresponding to the at least one selected component. The method further includes storing the at least one selected component and the signature information corresponding to the at least one selected component in a memory, and generating second document data by pasting the at least one stored component and the stored signature information into a document selected as a paste location.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for detecting alteration of digital data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the rapid development and proliferation of computers and networks, various information such as text data, image data, and audio data have been digitalized. Digital data does not deteriorate with time, and therefore can remain in its original state. In addition, digital data can be easily copied, edited, and processed. Although the easy copying, editing, and processing of digital data are very useful for users, digital data security has become a major concern. Accordingly, security techniques for digital data have been rapidly becoming increasingly important.
As a technique that allows a recipient to detect whether received data has been altered, a digital signature technique has been proposed. The digital signature is additional data that is used for preventing original data from being altered. In addition, the digital signature technique can effectively prevent not only data alteration but also spoofing and repudiation on the Internet.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,779, a signature method intended for the verification of data included in a partial area of an image is proposed. The digital image signature method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,779 is performed as follows: first, selecting the ROI of an image; calculating the hash value of the selected ROI; generating a digital signature by encrypting the calculated hash value using a private key; and then attaching the digital signature to the image.
Currently, various electronic documents including digital data are used. When an electronic document is reused, the entire electronic document is typically not reused, instead a component of the electronic document is often reused. For example, the case can be considered where text data such as a predetermined word, sentence, line, or paragraph, predetermined image data, or predetermined graphic data is reused in such a manner that it is copied and is then attached to another document.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,779 describes the technique enabling verification of whether data of an area included in original image data has been altered, it does not disclose at all about reuse of a certain component included in the original image data. Therefore, it does not disclose a technique of affixing a signature to data that is reusing a certain component included in the original image data.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer readable storage medium


This invention comprises a process for hydrogenation of aldehydes to alcohols using novel homogeneous catalysts. The catalysts are generated in situ under hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases in a suitable solvent, by mixing a rhodium catalyst precursor, such as Rh(CO)2 acetoacetonate and a defined ligand.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to processes for hydrogenation of aldehydes to alcohols using certain novel rhodium complexes as homogeneous catalysts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydrogenation of aldehydes to alcohols is an important part of oxo alcohol process. Most oxo alcohol processes use heterogeneous catalysts to accomplish the hydrogenation of aldehydes to alcohols although the aldehydes are produced using homogeneous catalysts. Continuing efforts have been devoted towards improving both the catalysts and processes of the hydrogenation reaction. For example, a) WO2004026800 A1, 20040401, "Process for production of an alcohol by the catalytic hydrogenation of a hydroformylation reaction-produced aldehyde in the presence of an organic sulfur compound" (Brown, Alistair Chalmers Ramsay. Johnson Matthey PLC, UK), described A process for the production of an alcohol (e.g., 3,5,5-trimethylhexanol) by hydrogenation of an aldehyde (e.g., 3,5,5-trimethylhexanal) over a copper and zinc-containing catalyst comprises the step of treating the reduced catalyst with a sulfur compound (e.g., thiophene). The process reduces the hydrogenation of olefin contained in the aldehyde feed compared with a process using an untreated catalyst; and b) CN1275439 A, 20001206, "Preparation and application of liquid-phase hydrogenation catalyst", (Wang, Xiuling; Li, Dongli; Zhu, Xubo. Beijing Institute of Chemical Engineering, China Petro-Chemical Co., Ltd., Peop. Rep. China), described a new catalyst that contains Ni 5–40, Co 0.2–5.0, Mo 0.2–5.0, Cr 0.5–6, K 0.5–2%, and carrier. The catalyst is prepared by mixing SiO2 or diatomite, water, and binder, forming by extrusion, drying, calcining to obtain carrier, impregnating the carrier in a solution containing the salt of Ni, Co, Cr, K, and Mo, and drying. The catalyst is used in hydrogenation of aldehyde to prepare saturated alcohols.
Although unmodified cobalt catalyst and trialkylphosphine modified cobalt and rhodium catalysts have been used to produce alcohols directly from olefins, only a few oxo alcohol producers operate such "one-step" processes to produce alcohols from olefins. The limited utility of these catalysts is due to low regio- and chemo-selectivity, e.g. high degree of isomerization of alpha-olefins to internal olefins and low linear to branched product selectivity. An earlier patent from Shell, c) DE 1909619, for example, described the use of a phosphine modified cobalt catalyst to convert 1-dodecene (98.5 wt % conversion) to yield unsaturated hydrocarbons (14%), n-tridecanol (50.9%), and branched primary alcohols (33.4%).
There are continued efforts in improving such "one-step" processes. For example: d) WO2004054946 A1, 2004 Jul. 1, "Hydroformylation process for the conversion of an ethylenically unsaturated compound to an alcohol" (Drent, Eit; Suykerbuyk, Jacoba Catherina Lucia Johanna, Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V., Neth.), described a hydroformylation process for the conversion of an ethylenically unsaturated compound to an alcohol comprising a first step of reacting at an elevated temperature in a reactor the ethylenically unsaturated compound, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and a phosphine-containing cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, which are dissolved in a solvent, followed by a second step of separating a mixture comprising the alcohol and heavy ends from a solution comprising the catalyst and the solvent, followed by a third step of recycling the solution to the reactor; and e) EP 420510 A2, 1991 Apr. 3, "Process for the preparation of alcohols" (Cole-Hamilton, David J.; Macdougall, Joanna K.; Green, Michael James. British Petroleum Co. PLC, UK), described a process comprising reacting an olefin R2CH:CHR1 [R1, R2═H, (substituted) C1-10 alkyl, —C6-12 aryl, C1-10 alkenyl] with CO and optionally H in presence of C1-20 aliphatic alcohol solvent and a catalyst comprising PR3 (R═C1-10 alkyl) and a Rh component, to give an alcohol that has 1 C more than the reactant olefin; f) WO 9739995 A1, 1997 Oct. 30, "Preparation of unsaturated alcohols" (Guram, Anil Sakharam; Briggs, John Robert; Olson, Kurt Damar; Eisenschmid, Thomas Carl; Packett, Diane Lee; Tjaden, Erik Bruce. Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Technology Corp., USA), described conversion of 1,3-butadiene to 3- and 4-pentenols in EtOH in the presence of Et3P and dicarbonylacetylacetonatorhodium (I) at 80° C. in a stirred reactor under pressure (300 psi H/300 psi CO); g) GB2306344 A1, 1997 May 7, "Hydroformylation process and catalysts for the preparation of linear alcohols from alpha-olefins", (Arnoldy, Peter, Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV, Neth.), described preparation of linear alcohols (e.g., 1-dodecanol) by the reaction of alpha-olefins (e.g., 1-undecene) with H2 and CO in the presence of catalyst systems comprising: (A) a source of Group VIIIB metal cations (e.g., a palladium salt); (B) a source of anions other than halide ions (e.g., F3CSO3H); (C) a bidentate ligand [e.g., 1,2-bis(1,4-cyclooctylenephosphino)ethane]; and (D) an alkali or alkali-earth metal iodide (e.g., KI);
There is growing interests in developing mixed catalyst systems to convert olefins to alcohols in "one step". For example, h) WO 2001070660 A1, "Combined hydroformylation and hydrogenation process and catalysts for preparing an alcohol directly from an olefin" (Lange, Jean-Paul, Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV, Neth.), described a process for the preparation of an alcohol (e.g., 1-nonanol) from an olefin (e.g., 1-octene) by reacting the olefin with synthesis gas (i.e., H2 and CO) in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a homogeneous hydroformylation catalyst [e.g., palladium acetate and 1,3-bis(dibutylphosphino)propane] and a heterogeneous catalyst comprising copper on a support (e.g., silica); i) U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,437 B1, 2002 Jul. 30, "Hydroformylation and hydrogenation process and catalysts for the manufacture of 1,4-butanediol from allyl alcohol" (Shum, Wilfred P. Arco Chemical Technology, L.P., USA), described preparation of 1,4-Butanediol by hydroformylating allyl alcohol in the presence of a solvent and a catalyst system comprising a rhodium complex, a ruthenium complex, and a diphosphine ligand, and hydrogenating the resulting 4-hydroxybutyraldehyde using the same catalyst system. This process gives high yields of 1,4-butanediol when compared to the 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol byproduct.
There is a need to develop homogeneous aldehyde hydrogenation catalysts that are compatible with more selective hydroformylation catalysts to produce alcohols from olefins in the same reactor under mild low pressure oxo conditions. The most studied homogeneous aldehyde hydrogenation catalysts are ruthenium and rhodium systems. Both ruthenium and rhodium catalysts, however, suffer from the need of very high temperatures and pressures and/or slow rate of hydrogenation. RuC12(CO)2(PPh3)2, for example, was reported (Walter Strohmeier and Luise Weigelt, Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 145 (1978) 189–194) to hydrogenate butanal with 3840 turnover/hour rate at 160° C. and 15 atmosphere hydrogen. The selectivity to butanol was only 87% due to formation of heavier by-products from aldol condensation reactions. The same catalyst was reported (Sanchez-Delgado, R. A.; Andriollo, A.; De Ochoa, O. L.; Suarez, T.; Valencia, N. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry (1981), 209(1), 77–83) to have a very slow propionaldehyde hydrogenation rate of 67 turnovers/hour at 80° C. and 30 atmosphere of hydrogen, with even lower selectivity (67%) for propanol. In the same article, RuHCl(PPh3)3 was reported to be a much better catalyst for propionaldehyde hydrogenation with a rate of 653 turnovers/hour under the same conditions. Replacing a triphenylphosphine from RuHCl(PPh3)3 with a CO reduced the catalyst activity to about 50%. The most effective rhodium catalysts for aldehyde hydrogenation are rhodium complexes of tri-n-alkylphosphines. A cationic rhodium complex of triethylphosphine, for example, was reported (Fujitsu, Hiroshi; Matsumura, Eiichi; Takeshita, Kenjiro; Mochida, Isao. Journal of Organic Chemistry (1981), 46(26), 5353–7) to hydrogenate n-butanal at 30° C. and one atmosphere hydrogen with a rate of 31 turnovers/hour. Both catalyst systems in EP420510A2 and WO9739995A1 cited hereinabove comprised of aldehyde hydrogenation catalysts although the structures of the catalysts have not been fully identified. Both systems required high temperature and high syn gas pressure to achieve acceptable rate of reactions.

Tridentate phosphines and method of forming aldehyde hydrogenation catalysts