The present invention relates to an expression control composition for controlling the expression of a duplicate gene or a method using the same. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of treating or improving a disease caused by gene duplication using the expression control composition for controlling the expression of a duplicate gene.

Gene duplication is one of the errors generated in the genetic recombination of a chromosome, and a replication phenomenon of duplicating a partial region of the chromosome. Gene duplication is a type of mutation that is passed on to the next generation. Gene duplication, along with gene deletion occurring due to non-replication of a partial region of the chromosome, affects gene expression.
Gene duplication also causes a hereditary disease. Representatively, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) type 1A results from gene duplication occurring in a specific region of a chromosome, and the overexpression of a gene involved in the peripheral nerve development of hands and feet occurs due to gene duplication, and thus malformity of hands and feet is caused.
As such, it is important for a gene to be expressed at a suitable position and the right time for normal performance of biological processes such as cell proliferation, death, aging and differentiation. When a gene is improperly expressed at an inappropriate time and position, particularly, the abnormal gene expression caused by gene duplication may lead to a disease, and therefore, it is necessary to understand the mechanism of a molecule for controlling the expression of each gene, and it is important to identify a transcription regulatory factor associated with each gene. There are various transcription regulatory factors that can precisely control gene expression, for example, a promoter, a distal control element, and a transcription factor, an activator and coactivators, which are involved in the control of gene expression.
Gene expression may be controlled by the change in a transcription regulatory factor, and an abnormal change in transcription regulatory factor may cause the abnormal expression of a gene, thereby inducing a disease. Accordingly, the change in transcription regulatory factor may cause various diseases, or improve and treat diseases.
However, the current method of controlling a transcription regulatory factor only controls transient gene expression, and continuous gene expression regulation is difficult. For this reason, there is no fundamental treatment method for treating a disease caused by gene expression abnormalities or difficulties. Therefore, there is a demand for a method exhibiting a more continuous therapeutic effect by genetic editing or modification of a transcription regulatory factor.

Artificial genome manipulation for gene expression regulation


Methods and systems for more efficient X-Ray scatterometry measurements of on-device structures are presented herein. X-Ray scatterometry measurements of one or more structures over a measurement area includes a decomposition of the one or more structures into a plurality of sub-structures, a decomposition of the measurement area into a plurality of sub-areas, or both. The decomposed structures, measurement areas, or both, are independently simulated. The scattering contributions of each of the independently simulated decomposed structures are combined to simulate the actual scattering of the measured structures within the measurement area. In a further aspect, measured intensities and modelled intensities including one or more incidental structures are employed to perform measurement of structures of interest. In other further aspects, measurement decomposition is employed to train a measurement model and to optimize a measurement recipe for a particular measurement application.

Semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices are typically fabricated by a sequence of processing steps applied to a specimen. The various features and multiple structural levels of the semiconductor devices are formed by these processing steps. For example, lithography among others is one semiconductor fabrication process that involves generating a pattern on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated on a single semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Metrology processes are used at various steps during a semiconductor manufacturing process to detect defects on wafers to promote higher yield. A number of metrology based techniques including scatterometry and reflectometry implementations and associated analysis algorithms are commonly used to characterize critical dimensions, film thicknesses, composition and other parameters of nanoscale structures. X-ray scatterometry techniques offer the potential for high throughput without the risk of sample destruction.
Traditionally, optical scatterometry critical dimension (SCR) measurements are performed on targets consisting of thin films and/or repeated periodic structures. As devices (e.g., logic and memory devices) move toward smaller nanometer-scale dimensions, characterization becomes more difficult. Devices incorporating complex three-dimensional geometry and materials with diverse physical properties contribute to characterization difficulty. For example, modern memory structures are often high-aspect ratio, three-dimensional structures that make it difficult for optical radiation to penetrate to the bottom layers. Optical metrology tools utilizing infrared to visible light can penetrate many layers of translucent materials, but longer wavelengths that provide good depth of penetration do not provide sufficient sensitivity to small anomalies. In addition, the increasing number of parameters required to characterize complex structures (e.g., FinFETs), leads to increasing parameter correlation. As a result, the parameters characterizing the target often cannot be reliably decoupled with available measurements.
In one example, longer wavelengths (e.g. near infrared) have been employed in an attempt to overcome penetration issues for 3D FLASH devices that utilize polysilicon as one of the alternating materials in the stack. However, the mirror like structure of 3D FLASH intrinsically causes decreasing light intensity as the illumination propagates deeper into the film stack. This causes sensitivity loss and correlation issues at depth. In this scenario, optical SCD is only able to successfully extract a reduced set of metrology dimensions with high sensitivity and low correlation.
In another example, opaque, high-k materials are increasingly employed in modern semiconductor structures. Optical radiation is often unable to penetrate layers constructed of these materials. As a result, measurements with thin-film scatterometry tools such as optical ellipsometers or reflectometers are becoming increasingly challenging.
In response to these challenges, more complex optical metrology tools have been developed. For example, tools with multiple angles of illumination, shorter illumination wavelengths, broader ranges of illumination wavelengths, and more complete information acquisition from reflected signals (e.g., measuring multiple Mueller matrix elements in addition to the more conventional reflectivity or ellipsometric signals) have been developed. However, these approaches have not reliably overcome fundamental challenges associated with measurement of many advanced targets (e.g., complex 3D structures, structures smaller than 10 nm, structures employing opaque materials) and measurement applications (e.g., line edge roughness and line width roughness measurements).
Optical methods may provide non-destructive tracking of process variables between process steps, but regular calibration by destructive methods is required to maintain accuracy in the face of process drift.
Atomic force microscopes (AFM) and scanning-tunneling microscopes (STM) are able to achieve atomic resolution, but they can only probe the surface of the specimen. In addition, AFM and STM microscopes require long scanning times. Scanning electron microscopes (SEM) achieve intermediate resolution levels, but are unable to penetrate structures to sufficient depth. Thus, high-aspect ratio holes are not characterized well. In addition, the required charging of the specimen has an adverse effect on imaging performance.
To overcome penetration depth issues, traditional imaging techniques such as TEM, SEM etc., are employed with destructive sample preparation techniques such as focused ion beam (FIB) machining, ion milling, blanket or selective etching, etc. For example, transmission electron microscopes (TEM) achieve high resolution levels and are able to probe arbitrary depths, but TEM requires destructive sectioning of the specimen. Several iterations of material removal and measurement generally provide the information required to measure the critical metrology parameters throughout a three dimensional structure. But, these techniques require sample destruction and lengthy process times. The complexity and time to complete these types of measurements introduces large inaccuracies due to drift of etching and metrology steps because the measurement results become available long after the process has been completed on the wafer under measurement. Thus, the measurement results are subject to biases from further processing and delayed feedback. In addition, these techniques require numerous iterations which introduce registration errors. In summary, device yield is negatively impacted by long and destructive sample preparation required for SEM and TEM techniques.
It is of particular interest to perform measurements of on-device device structures or device-like structures (e.g., actual functional structures or proxy structures fabricated in the active area of a semiconductor wafer), rather than simplified, throw-away structures fabricated in scribe lines of the semiconductor wafer. Measuring on-device structures eliminates or significantly reduces bias between a measured structure and the actual device structure, thus increasing metrology correlation to yield. On-device metrology reduces the area required for larger, specialized metrology targets, potentially increasing wafer area available for functional devices. However, on-device structures (e.g., those located in the active area of the wafer) cannot be damaged by the measurement process. The structures cannot be simplified or removed for measurement.
Small-Angle X-Ray Scatterometry (SAXS) systems have shown promise to address challenging measurement applications. SAXS systems are capable of non-destructive, high resolution measurements over a relatively large measurement area. However, on-device structures are significantly more complex than simplified metrology structures, and this complexity presents significant modeling challenges for SAXS measurements.
It is typical to measure and model the largest common unit cell of the structure under measurement. Using this approach, the entire extent of the periodicity is modeled to compute X-Ray scattering. For complicated periodic geometric models, a large number of shapes that characterize the structure are described mathematically. For current memory applications, the largest common unit cell may have dimensions on the order of tens of micrometers, while the required measurement resolution is on the order of an Angstrom. Thus, in practice, modeling the largest common unit cell is extremely complex, computationally expensive, and prone to error. A large, complicated model employed to compute X-Ray scattering is computationally expensive because the large periodicity requires the computation of many scattered orders from many geometric features to accurately estimate actual scattering.
In summary, ongoing reductions in feature size and increased depth of many semiconductor structures impose difficult requirements on metrology systems. Although SAXS measurement systems have shown promise to address challenging measurement applications, measurement model complexity limits the measurement of parameters of interest of complex, periodic structures in a cost effective and timely manner. Thus, improved SAXS metrology systems and methods are desired to measure high aspect ratio structures to maintain high device yield.

On-device metrology using target decomposition


An air bag system is provided that limits the forward projection of the air bag and reduces production costs wherein folded portions are formed by folding the peripheral portion of a flatly spread air bag along folding lines which are provided at specified locations. The formed folded portions are constrained by stitched portions which are formed by stitching folded-down portions with thread. The air bag is then folded into a size so as to be constrained in a cover. When gas is injected from an inflator, the air bag tears the cover and projects forward and at the same time the stitched portions limit the distance by which the air bag projects forward. As the internal pressure in the air bag increases, the stitched portions break and the folded portions are unfolded so that the air bag expands radially.

An example of conventional air bag systems is an air bag system for protecting a driver, which is incorporated in the center pad of a boss portion of the steering wheel of a vehicle This air bag system essentially comprises a base plate fastened to the body of the steering wheel, a basically cylindrical gas generator (generally called an inflator) mounted on the base plate, a pouch-shaped air bag so folded as to cover the inflator, and a cover so attached to the base plate as to cover the air bag. With the structure as above, when the control unit of the system detects a shock which may result from a collision of the vehicle, the air bag system actuates the inflator to cause a large quantity of inert gas to be instantaneously ejected from the inflator into the air bag, thereby unfolding and inflating the air bag. The pressure of the expansion of the air bag tears the cover and projects the air bag towards the front of the driver, where the air bag continues to be unfolded and inflated at the same time to protect the driver by thus reducing the shock received by the driver.
A need exists for the air bag of an air bag system described above to be so constructed and arranged in the system as to project from the cover speedily by tearing the cover instantaneously and to be inflated into a specified shape, such as a wide, flat shape spreading in front of the driver.
An example of structures dealing with the above problems is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 127330/1994, which uses straps having a specified length and sewed at the two ends of each strap to the inner face of the front and the bottom fabric materials of the air bag in order to limit the height (the distance) by which the air bag projects forward, towards the person seated in front of the air bag system (hereinafter simply referred to as a passenger or the passenger) and allow the air bag to smoothly expand in the radial direction (in the direction of the circumferential edge of the air bag). However, the above structure that uses straps bridging the inner surface of the fabric materials necessitates a complicated sewing operation to sew the fabric materials as above and consequently increases production costs. As the straps receive a great load when the air bag is inflated, the straps have to be ensured to have a sufficient strength. This, too, increases production costs. Furthermore, as the straps inside the air bag increase the volume of the whole folded air bag, it is difficult to provide a compact air bag system.
Another example of air bag systems is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 305387/1994. An air bag disclosed therein has a stitched portion where the front fabric material and the back fabric material of the air bag are sewed together at a specified location or locations in the state that the bag is spread out in a circular state. Thereafter, tie air bag is folded up into a compact shape and disposed in a housing. According to the above structure, when gas is ejected into the air bag, the stitched portions limit the forward inflation of the air bag, thereby allowing the air bag to smoothly expand in the radial direction, towards its circumferential edge. Then, at a specified stage during the process of the inflation of the air bag, the threads of the stitched portions are tom so that the air bag expands forward, in the direction of the passenger. However, the structure that calls for folding an air bag after sewing together the front and the back fabric materials presents a problem in that it is difficult to make use of gas pressure effectively to tear the cover, because expansion of the air bag is limited until the threads are broken. Furthermore, as the air bag expands forward when the increased internal pressure in the air bag has broken the threads, it is necessary to conduct thorough research and investigations concerning various factors such as the radial dimension of the air bag, how to fold the air bag and the breaking strength of the stitching thread in order to appropriately control the distance which the air bag is projected forward so as to expand the air bag widely and evenly. This means that reduction of production costs is difficult according to the above structure.
Another example structure wherein the fabric materials of an air bag are sewed together is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 329664/1995, which calls for folding the peripheral edge of an air bag inward and stitching this folded portion at a stitched portion. This structure, however, has a drawback wherein reduction of production costs is difficult because not only is a complicated procedure of turning the air bag inside out necessary but it is also difficult to smooth out the stitched portions to eliminate wrinkles.
Another example is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 277129/1995, which calls for providing breakable ear portions around the circumferential edge of an air bag, bending these ear portions towards the bottom face of the air bag and secure them by means of bolts which fasten the air bag and the inflator. According to this structure, however the ear portions formed at the peripheral edge of the air bag are fastened to the bottom of the system. Therefore, when the air bag is inflated, the ear portions and the portions of the air bag fabric which are rolled together with the ear portions are pushed against the base plate or the inner surface of the cover, preventing the ear portions from breaking smoothly, and consequently making it difficult for the air bag to be unfolded smoothly.
As described above, the above structure that uses straps bridging the inner surface of the fabric material at two locations necessitates a complicated sewing operation to sew the fabric in such a manner and consequently increases production costs. As the straps receive a great load when the air bag is inflated, the straps have to be ensured to have a sufficient strength, which, too, increases production costs, Furthermore, as the provision of the straps inside the air bag increase the volume of the whole folded air bag, the above structure presents another problem in that it is difficult to provide a compact air bag system. The structure that calls for sewing the fabric materials at the front and the back sides of the air bag together and subsequently folding the air bag, too, has a drawback wherein making use of gas pressure effectively to tear the cover is difficult, because expansion of the air bag is limited until the thread is broken. In addition, as the air bag expands forward when the increased internal pressure in the air bag has broken the thread, it is necessary to conduct thorough research and investigations concerning various factors such as the radial dimension of the air bag, how to fold the air bag and the breaking strength of the stitching thread in order to appropriately control the distance which the air bag is projected forward so as to expand the air bag widthwise and evenly, and such criteria makes reduction of production costs difficult. Furthermore, the structure that calls for folding the peripheral edge of an air bag inward and stitching the folded portion at a stitched portion makes it difficult to reduce production costs because not only is a complicated procedure of turning the air bag inside out necessary but it is also difficult to smooth out the stitched portion to eliminate wrinkles According to the structure that calls for providing breakable eat portions at the circumferential edge of an air bag, bending these ear portions towards the bottom of the air bag and fastening them by means of bolts which secure the air bag and the inflator, the ear portions and the portions of the air bag fabric which are rolled together with the ear portions are pushed against the base plate or the inner surface of the cover when the air bag is inflated. As a result the ear portions are prevented from breaking smoothly, and it is therefore difficult for the air bag to be unfolded smoothly.
In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an air bag system and a method of folding an air bag which are capable of rapidly unfolding and inflating an air bag.

Air bag system and method of folding an air bag


Ceramic composites of silicon carbide (SiC) grains and boron carbide (B.s4 C) grains which are uniformly coated with SiC are produced by reacting stoichiometric mixtures of silicon boride (SiB.sub.4, SiB.sub.6) and carbon (graphite or carbon black) in situ.

This invention relates to ceramics and more particularly to non-oxide ceramics.
Boron carbide (B.sub.4 C) has a high melting temperature, exceptional hardness, and low specific gravity. However, boron carbide has a low oxidation resistance and can not be used above 600.degree. C. in an oxidizing atmosphere. Boron carbide also has a low toughness.
Introduction of silicon carbide (SiC) improves the oxidation resistance of boron carbide ceramics. However, it would be desirable to provide B.sub.4 C/SiC ceramics which have greater oxidation resistance than materials presently available in the art. Such improvements might be achieved by a more effective distribution of the SiC. However, it is desirable that these improvements be accomplished at little added cost.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Described herein is a top operator of a calculation scenario of a calculation engine that can process and rank data according to certain logical criterion requested in a query. Based on the ranked data, the top operator can provide the data results in response to the query. The top operator can provide additional useful data in the data results when certain conditions are met. The top operator can provide the data results in a useful and efficient manner.

A database deployment infrastructure can be a service layer of a database management system that simplifies the deployment of database objects and other design time artifacts by providing a declarative approach for defining these design time artifacts and ensuring a consistent deployment into the database management system environment (DBMS), based on a transactional all-or-nothing deployment model and implicit dependency management. Such an approach can leverage capabilities of a modern high-speed DBMS, such as for example the HANA in-memory DBMS available from SAP SE of Walldorf, Germany, which can provide very high performance relative to disk-based approaches.
Using various customization-enabling integrated development environments (IDE), such as for example the HANA Studio available for use with the HANA IM-DBMS (available from SAP SE of Walldorf, Germany), a user may, using a group of design time artifacts, create information models, tables, landscapes, etc. on a different system or systems than that on which a DBMS is executed.
The demand for ad-hoc and real-time data analyses by many users simultaneously is increasing in the same way that the data quantities to be processed are increasing. To keep pace with the competition in the current economic climate, it is crucial to have the latest information about processes within an organization (e.g. a company) and/or in the market to be able to make the right decisions promptly.
Large data sets that are to be processed can oftentimes exceed the available memory, preventing the data sets from being completely loaded into the available memory. Data flow between an application server and a database server can be largely dependent on the scope and number of queries generated by the application server. Complex calculations can involve numerous queries of the database server which in turn can consume significant resources in connection with data transport as well as application server-side processing of transported data. Calculation engines can sometimes be employed by applications and/or domain specific languages in order to effect such calculations. Such calculation engines can execute calculation models/scenarios that comprise a plurality of hierarchical calculation nodes.
Calculation scenarios can be used inside database systems to model complex queries. In order to improve reusability and to provide a flexible design, calculation scenarios can expose more attributes than are required to answer various queries (e.g., the calculation scenario often exposes that a super set of attributes that might possibly be required, etc.).


A safety switch that includes a locking mechanism having a rod locking element that is located adjacent to a rod and engageable with the rod to lock the rod in position relative to a housing. The safety switch locking mechanism includes a locking member that is moveable relative to the housing in response to a difference in inertia between the locking member and the housing when a force is applied to the housing. The locking member is arranged to inhibit disengagement of the rod-locking element from the rod when the force is applied to the housing.

The present invention relates to a safety switch.
Safety switches are well known, and are typically used to prevent access to for example electromechanical machinery when that machinery is in operation. In a conventional arrangement the safety switch is mounted on a doorpost of a machinery guard, and an actuator for the safety switch is mounted on a corresponding door. When the door is closed the actuator engages with the safety switch, which in turn closes a set of electrical contacts which allows power to be supplied to the machinery. This arrangement ensures that power can only be supplied to the machinery when the guard door is shut. When the guard door is opened, the actuator disengages from the safety switch, thereby opening the electrical contact and cutting off the supply of power to the machinery.
Some safety switches are provided with locking mechanisms which prevent the actuator from being removed from the safety switch until the locking mechanism has been deactivated. The locking mechanism can be deactivated by supplying the mechanism with an electrical signal, for example. A locking mechanism may be desirable when the machinery does not stop immediately after its power supply has been cut, or where premature interruption of the operation of the machinery could cause damage to parts of the machinery, or tools used by the machinery. A disengaging signal may not be sent to the locking mechanism until a predetermined time has passed after the power supply to the machinery has been cut-off.
It has been found that in some safety switches incorporating a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism can be temporarily disengaged by providing the safety switch with a sudden physical shock (e.g. suddenly moving or hitting the safety switch). When the locking mechanism is temporarily disengaged the actuator may be removed from the safety switch without a disengaging signal being sent to the locking mechanism. This means that a user can gain access to the machinery while it is still in motion, even though the power supply to the machinery has been cut-off, i.e. the time delayed unlocking of the locking mechanism is circumvented.
It is thus desired to overcome or substantially mitigate the above disadvantage.


Nitrosyl (FeII) hemoglobin can be detected in biological samples, using a method which involves injections of samples into a photolysis cell, prior to detection of chemiluminescence generated by the reaction between nitric oxide and ozone. This method is useful for monitoring the levels of nitric oxide bioactivity in both normal physiological states, and disease states, such as septic shock, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, hyperhomocysteinemia, pulmonary hypertension, malignancy, infections and central nervous system disorders.

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), is a product of the normal endothelial cell, and has both vasodilatory and antiplatelet properties (Furchgott, R. F. et al., Nature, 288:373-376 (1980); Moncada, S. et al., Biochem. Pharmacol, 38:1709-1713 (1989); Azuma, H. et al., Brit. J. Pharmacol. 88:411-415 (1986) and Radomski, M. W. et al., Brit. J. Pharmacol. 92:639-642 (1987)). Pharmacologic studies suggest that disease states as varied as septic shock, hyper-homocysteinemia, atherosclerosis, and hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension may be associated with abnormal concentrations of EDRF in the vascular milieu (Westernberger, U. et al., Free Rad. Res. Comm. 11:167-168 (1990); Yamamoto, H. et al., J. Clin. Invest. 81:1752-1758 (1988); Dinh-Xuan, A. T. et al., Engl. J. Med. 324:1539-1547 (1991)). This bioactive substance is believed to be equivalent to nitric oxide, or a chemical congener or adduct thereof (Palmer, R. M. G. et al., Nature 327:524-525 (1987); Ignarro, L. J. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:9265-9269 (1987)). Among the species of importance as biological adducts of nitric oxide are S-nitrosothiols, which are adducts with the sulfhydryl groups of amino acids, peptides, and proteins.
It has been demonstrated that nitric oxide and authentic EDRF react with free thiol groups of proteins under physiologic conditions in vitro, to form S-nitroso-proteins. These nitric oxide adducts have bioactivities which are comparable to nitric oxide, but exhibit half-lives on the order of hours, significantly longer than that of EDRF (Stamler, J. S. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 89:444-448 (1992)).
Under normal circumstances, the concentration of nitric oxide in blood or plasma is believed to be quite low (in the 1 nM range) and its half-life of the order of 0.1 second. Its high degree of reactivity toward oxygen and redox metals, in conjunction with its extremely short half-life, have made the routine measurement of blood levels in both normal and disease states most difficult by standard methods, such as chemiluminescence spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, or differential absorbance spectroscopy of hemoglobin (Martin, W. et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Therap. 237:529-538 (1986); Downes, M. J. et al., Analyst 101:742-748 (1976); Kelm, M. et al., Circ. Res. 66:1561-1575 (1990); Arroyo, C. M. et al., Free Rad. Res. Comm. 14:145-155 (1991) and Goretsky, J. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263:2316-2323 (1988)). In fact, it is generally assumed in the field that such measurements are not feasible by currently used methods.
Nitrosonium (NO.sup.+) is a short lived species which is too unstable to exist freely in biological systems, and felt to be non-detectable by chemiluminescence. Nitric oxide exists in the S-nitrosothiol adduct, not as nitric oxide but rather as a nitrosonium equivalent. Thus, it behaves chemically in a manner which more closely resembles NO.sub.+ than NO.sup.- (nitric oxide).
Hemoglobin (Hb) is a tetramer comprised of two alpha and two beta subunits. In human Hb, each subunit contains one heme, while the beta (.beta.) subunits also contain highly reactive thiol (SH) groups (cys.beta.93) (Olson, J. S., Meth. of Enzym., 76:631-651 (1981; Antonini & Brunori, In Hemoglobin and Myoglobin in Their Reactions with Ligands, American Elsevier Publishing Co., Inc., New York, pp.29-31 (1971)). These cysteine residues are highly conserved among species. Nitric oxide (NO) interacts with hemoglobin at its metal centers, whereas S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) can donate the NO group to .beta.93 cysteine residues.
Nitric oxide is known to bind tightly to hemoglobin, forming nitrosyl(FeII)-hemoglobin. Interactions of NO with ahemoglobin are believed to be a major route of NO metabolism in biological systems. It follows that levels of NO-hemoglobin in blood should be an excellent indication of endogenous NO production. However, methods have not been developed that are sufficiently sensitive to make this determination in vivo (Beckman, J. S. et al., Methods in Nitric Oxide Research, Feelisch and Stainler, J. S. eds, Wiley, Chichester, U.K. (1996)). Specifically, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has been used previously to measure nitric oxide bound to the Fe of the heme. However, under normal physiological conditions, circulating levels of NO-hemoglobin in blood are below the detection limit. The insensitivity of EPR makes this method impossible to use to monitor all but a gross change in NO-hemoglobin from normal levels. Only in pathophysiological states such as sepsis and pregnancy, which are characterized by NO overproduction, can EPR be used to detect a measurable level for NO in blood.
EPR measurements also suffer from being cumbersome and expensive. An alternative method of measuring NO by assaying nitrite/nitrate in body fluids also suffers from insensitivity.

Method for measuring nitric oxide in nitrosyl (FeII)-hemoglobin and S-nitrosohemoglobin


A multi-perforated metallic base member device (the Backing Plate) that is used to repair stress cracks, or panel abutment joint separations in drywall boarding, thereby restoring and strengthening the repaired areas without the need to replace any affected sections, which is quickly and easily installed to the blind side of the cracked wall from the outside, by temporarily mounting it onto the (so called) locking hooks of its detachable installation member, (The Handle) thereby creating a living hinged assembly. Once mounted the base member may be pivoted over like a jackknife to be inserted into the wall cavity through a pre-cut slit in the crack, where it will spring open within the wall, to be pulled outward by the Handle and held in place against the blind side of the wall, while it is securely fastened to both cracked panel edges through the outside of the wall. The device may be applied at any desired area of the wall or ceiling framework, completely independent of rearward support from the framing members, thereby creating an artificial backing and a permanent mechanical bond between broken panel edges. Once the device is so installed, the handle may be released from its Locking Hooks by applying a simple hand squeeze. The handle may then be re-used to install multiple Backing Plates as needed. Paper or nylon mesh tape is then applied with a patching compound, sanded smooth, retextured and painted. With practice, nearly invisible crack repairs can be achieved by almost anyone.

(1) Field of the Invention
U.S. Class 052/514.
The present invention relates to a unique, hinged, metallic device for quickly and easily repairing cracks or panel abutment joint separations in wall or ceiling panels such as gypsum wallboard. More particularly, a device that can be used to repair a blind crack: one that cannot be reached from the rear of the wall or ceiling panel of a two sided wall. A device that can be inserted directly into the crack from the outside where it may be rotated and forcibly pulled flat against the rear "blind" surface and securely fastened in place from outside the wall. Further, a device that can be installed at any desired position along the expanse of the wall or ceiling framework, so doing without mechanical connection or support from the internal, spaced apart wall studs, ceiling joists, support columns or the like. When installed at spaced apart intervals along the crack, the device creates a permanent mechanical bond between the broken or separated wallboard panels, thereby restoring and strengthening the wallboard from the inside-out where the cracks begin.
(2) Description of Related Art; Present Methods:
Understanding Conventional, Stick Framing, by the Numbers
Basic "Stick Framing" generally consists of vertical framing studs (1) typically constructed of vertical 2×4 (38.100 mm×88.900 mm) or 2×6 (38.100 mm×139.700 mm) boards spaced apart at 16 or 24 inches (40.64 mm or 60.94 mm) intervals. The horizontal framing boards at the bottom (2) are called the "Bottom Plate." The top two horizontal framing boards are called the Top Plate, or Double Top Plate. (8) The top board of a Double Top Plate is fastened after the initial framing is constructed; it will overlap the Top Plates of the adjoining walls in order to lock the walls together. Both the bottom plate and top plate hold the walls together by various types of fasteners. The window and door frames will be cut-out (10), but will require compensation for the loss in structural integrity that would be present because of the missing vertical studs. Therefore the bottom of the window frame will be fitted with a Double Sill (9) fastened horizontally at the bottom. Next, Vertical "Cripple Studs" (5) will be placed under the Double Sill of a window to give it support. The window sills and door frames will require vertical "Jack Studs" (6) that are placed vertically on each side of the frame to provide support. A horizontal "Double Header" (4) of two 2×6 or 2×8 (38.000 mm×139.700 mm or 200.500 mm) boards will be sandwiched together and fastened to each side of the frame. The Header of the window or door, provided to strengthen the upper wall portions, will also be supported from underneath by fastening a Jack Stud at each side the frame. (6) "Cripple Studs" (5) will be installed vertically at the top of the Header to give support to the upper Top Plate Wall frames are normally constructed as assembled units, with the door and window "rough-ins" included. Each wall is then installed, squared and interlocked by the top board of the Double Top Plate. Finally, horizontal ceiling joists (7) (or roofing rafters in the case of a second or third story building) will follow to complete the framing. See Drawing FIG. 2.
Next, gypsum wallboard of various lengths is customarily nailed, screwed or stapled to the framing substructure. Using conventional methods of wall construction, a builder will typically align one edge of the wallboard with the central axis of a framing stud. In general terms, the ceiling panels will be installed first, with their edges butting up to the wall studs on all sides. The wall panels are installed next, beginning with the upper row of wall panels being placed and secured in such a manner as to press up against the ceiling panels, for upward support. The lower wall panels will be installed last. After the ceiling and wall board panels have been installed, the seams where each panel joins are typically sealed by using lengths of drywall joint tape and layers of joint compound. Almost everyone knows this procedure as, "Tape and Float." The seamed areas are smoothed by sanding, to prepare the entire surface for texturing and painting.
In summary, construction methods previously described would not ordinarily pose any problems over the lifetime of the structure. Normal foundation settling can be expected. However, due to extremely unstable soil conditions, (black clay based soil which expands when wet and contracts when dry) especially indigenous to many geographical regions, national and International, may cause a building's foundation to shift, causing the framed structure to move off square beyond allowable engineering tolerance. When such adverse conditions exist, stress cracks begin to form in walls and ceilings constructed of gypsum wallboard. The cracks usually begin at the corners of windows and doors (A), running up and out or (B) down and out. However, they may also extend upward into the ceiling, traveling across (D) or between ceiling joists (E). Straight running cracks on surfaces are usually separations of taped panel abutment joints (C), as evidenced by the appearance of loosened or warped paper taping and joint compound. See Drawing FIG. 3
Drywall gypsum boards have become the most widely used building material for use in numerous building interior walls, especially in residential homes because it is relatively inexpensive and easily installed. Unfortunately, drywall has a poor reputation for being weak and easily damaged or cracked by various means of unusual settling of the structure, or for other reasons. And, for as long as gypsum wallboard has been used in construction, wall and ceiling cracks have been a major problem for property owners to deal with. The cracks are aesthetically unpleasing to look at, and their presence will dramatically reduce the property's value. For these reasons it is the expressed desire of most property owners to repair the cracks in order to restore the wallboard in the dwelling to its original condition.
The simple method of making a quick crack repair would be to simply have another person place a solid object (a block of wood, etc.) on the back side of the wall or ceiling panel, while another person fastens it solidly in place through the wallboard on both edges of the crack with drywall screws, making sure that the screws are driven flush with the surface to assure a smooth finish, followed by Tape and Float, match texture and paint. The Smart and Easy way! Right?
However, when the wall to be repaired has two opposite sides, which is normally true in residential dwellings, the back side of the wallboard panel with the crack is hidden between the two panels which create an enclosed cavity. This makes it impossible for one to reach the crack to be repaired from the backside of the panel because it is hidden. Therefore, it is referred to as "the blind side." The real challenge is this: How could a person design a device that could deliver the required structural strength, and also be capable of reaching into the blind side of the wall from the outside to repair the crack? That is the real problem of which has not yet been solved, until now.
Although there have been several inventions brought to the market or that are pending, there are recognizable shortcomings, which will be addressed in these papers, the industry in general has attempted to approach this problem, primarily in only three known ways:
a) Tape and Float; that is to simply apply layers of drywall tape imbedded in several layers of a drywall patching compound, wait until each layer dries, sand the area smooth, followed by match-texturing and painting.
b) The Patch-Over Method; using any number of readily available patch variations presently being marketed, which also requires an amount of drying time between any applied layers, and the resulting "repair" is not much different.
c) The replacement method; that is to simply replace all of the affected drywall panels in the room or by cutting out only smaller sections to be replaced. Either way is the most radical approach that is usually cost prohibitive for many homeowners, in terms of labor hours and materials. It is also the messiest, environmentally unhealthy method known, especially for the occupants and their pets that usually have to vacate during the reconstruction. And it is a clean-up nightmare.
Some obvious drawbacks exist in both Tape and Float and The Patch-Over. a) The repair only treats the outer panel surface when the crack goes clear through to the inside. b) It is much like putting a band-aid on a deep laceration; the repair is cosmetic at best. c) The cracks will usually return, resulting in added labor and costs. d) The repair usually leaves visibly uneven material of some type on the surface.
The real truth is this: Tape and Float, or the Patch-over is NOT TRUE CRACK REPAIR. It is what should be done AFTER the repair; providing a person could actually "repair the crack."
Therefore, it must be recognized that there is a real need for a simple yet effective device that can be quickly and easily applied by almost anyone; such a device that can be inserted directly through the crack and placed within the cavity of the wall itself, where it can be pulled flat against the blind side of a wall, (that is the area within the wall that is typically covered by drywall on both sides) where it can be mechanically fastened to the inside of the drywall panel from outside the wall, and such a device that would leave no visible structure on the outer side of the wall; especially a device which would reinforce and strengthen the wall from the inside out; where the cracks begin. The present invention does indeed fill this very specific void.
Historically, there have been several mechanical or rigid device designs produced, which have made valiant attempts to solve the problem of how to make wallboard repairs within the inner surface (the "Blind Side") of a wall from the outer surface, by inserting the device through a pre-cut hole on the outside. This paper draws references to the more rigid type mechanical devices, which are designed to be applied through some kind of hole made into the wall. These devices will usually leave a portion of the device attached or appearing on the outer surface, which usually results in a finish that is uneven, or bumpy with ridges, or crowns that are visible to a person standing in the repaired room. These devices will usually lack the kind of structural strength that is required of any material device that would propose to be used to strengthen and fortify the cracked or broken wall panels.
I have made reference to several related patents, or pending patents, but I am only aware of one invention which might come close to solving the problem; that of how to design a device that could repair wallboard cracks from the rear of a panel on the blind side, while assuring maximum structural integrity. The example may be found in; Bailey, Robert D. (to be detailed).
(2) Description of Related Art; Cited References:
Examples of rigid repair appliances that are designed to be affixed through the outer surface of a wall include;
The above mentioned; Bailey, Robert D. US-20060101765. Bailey proposes a similar hand held multi-perforated device constructed from an injection molded plastic, or the like, material that includes a break-away yoke-like handle which is used to insert the device through a pre-cut slit or hole in the wall. Then using the provided finger pull-tab to pull the appliance outward, where it can be fastened to the blind side of the wall in the same manner as the present invention, while leaving no material exposed on the repaired surface. This invention also proposes a secondary proposed usage of the device; in that the user can leave the break-away handle attached to the device, where it can be used to hang pictures or such items on the wall; those items that would fall within the recommended maximum weight standards. The inventor indicates that the major design of this device is to "Patch Holes," but the device also appears to be useful repairing wall cracks or separations. Although this device does address the problem of making such repairs from within the wall's blind side, it does have a few serious drawbacks: The plastic type material is significantly weaker than such a device fabricated from steel material. When the installer attempts to drive hardened steel drywall screws through the drywall panel and into the securing holes or apertures of the plastic device described, there is the obvious potential danger of stripping out the plastic holes. Also, the surface of the plastic device is flat on both the top and bottom, making it a flexible device that is lacking the type of steel-ribbed reinforcing strength that is afforded by the present invention; therefore it lacks peripheral edgewise support on both sides of the broken panel, as well as the clamp-like support which would add strength to the repair. The plastic disclosed invention is simply not strong enough to repair cracks.
Another example can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,642, issued to Conville, David J. (11-1988). This design comprises a perforated metallic clip, which includes a pair of parallel reinforcement ribs, further comprising rounded corners for enhanced handling. This clip also includes a pair of upward bent clip-on tabs which are designed to be clipped onto the edges of wallboard panels during construction to hold it in place, when it is desirable to join two or three wall panels. After the one side of the clip has been put in place, drywall screws are driven through the panel edge and into the perforated plate from the outer surface. The second or third panel is then put in place, followed by blind fastening its edges to the clip from the outer surface in the same manner. Once so installed, the clip-on tabs may be broken off by bending them along a weakened score. The result provides a bump-free surface that can be smoothed over by joint tape and a patching compound. The method and device is very similar in appearance and application as the present invention; with the exception of having the clip-on tabs. The Conville Clip has a secondary usage; that of repairing holes or other damages, by means of the worker cutting out a squared section around a hole, fastening several of the clips around the open panel edges, then cutting a replacement piece to be placed over the opening. Again, drywall screws are blind fastened through the clip to attach the replacement piece. The Conville Clip does have many of the same features and application as the present invention, in that it also provides a strong mechanical bond that is independent of framing members. However, the expressed purpose of the invention has never been to make repairs of cracks or separations in wallboard panels, in the same manner as the present invention.
Note to the Examiner: The reference to the Following patents of DiGate, were brought into the examples by the examiner, even though they share little impetus to the usage and construction in this paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,277, that was issued to DiGate, John T. in 02-2000; the disclosure of a wallboard clip, to be used for repairing impact dents or holes in wallboard, that comprises a metallic clip device that is bent into a triangular shape: a device that can be applied around squarely cut-out sections, clipped onto the open cut-out without the use of screws, where a replacement piece can be snapped into place. The main drawback to the device is that a portion of it needs to remain on the outer surface; a surface that results is a visible bump or ridge. Further, the device cannot be inserted into a crack and blind secured to the inner surface. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,986 also issued to DiGate, John T. 07-2000 is a duplicate device in appearance to the above device, but adapted to repair or join wallboard of different thickness. Another relative duplicate device with slightly altered parts and usage, under. U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,277 was also issued to DiGate, 04-2001. The added patents referenced above are basically duplications, so they will not be fully discussed at this point. Never the less, the device introduced in DiGate is only useful in joining or rejoining panel pieces, and are not truly capable of being used to repair cracks in drywall.
Still, another U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,901, issued to Jensen, Lars Dean, of 02-2000, Discloses a metallic Jack that is self drilling; a device that resembles what is called, "A Molly-Bolt," one that has a long threaded screw (measured by the distance between both inner wall surfaces) leading through a type of metallic butterfly, which the user can fold backward and insert it into a finger-sized square hole cut into the repair area, to be placed within the wall, under the damaged wallboard. The outer end of the screw includes a flat bladed screwdriver slot, wherein a screwdriver can be used to turn the screw. As the screw is turned, its base (which is fitted with a small cylindrical foot at the end) within the wall is forced to press outward on the drywall board on the opposite side of the wall. As the user continues to turn the screw, the "Molly Bolt" butterfly piece will rise outward in the direction of the outer wall, which acts like a car jack to force the dented wall to also move outward into its original flush surface on the outer wall. The head of the screw having the slot will now be retained just under the surface. A drywall compound then can be used to fill in and bond the repaired surface. This device could possibly be used to repair cracks by placing one at even spaced apart locations. However, it is only capable of pushing out upon the single inside wall surface, and does nothing to support and strengthen the wall from both the inside and outside surfaces. Therefore, the device is useless as a crack repair tool.
In another example, US-2008/0083185, issued to Lin, Hon-Chang, 04-2008, it discloses a Wall Hole Patch that includes a threaded rod pushed through a folding in umbrella-like element, including a string attached to the inside of the threaded rod, which also has a removable installation sleeve of sorts. In installation, a rounded hole is cut into the wall in the damaged panel area, allowing the "umbrella" device to be inserted into the hole and placed within the wall cavity. A small "U" shaped chair-like mounting stand is placed over the hole and rod, with its feet resting on the panel surface. The sleeve on the installation rod is removed, allowing the string to be wrapped around and tied to the top of the mounting stand. The repaired area is then coated with a few layers of a joint compound. This device has a number of drawbacks as well: a.) It only provides support for the inner side of the panel, failing to strengthen the outer surface. b.) It is too complex to set-up for use. c.) The user must wait until the patching compound dries between each layer. d.) It fails to provide the required strength to fortify the wall.
In the final example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,540,122, issued to Trudeau, Walter J., discloses a Drywall Repair Tool and Method, which is used to repair localized defects in drywall, by providing a conical shaped abrasive boring tool, which includes a circular cutting rim. The tool may be chucked onto a variable speed drill, where it can create a conical hole; a hole in which the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter. A supply of conical plugs equal in size to the boring tool has been provided as part a kit for this device. Thusly, the replacement plug is to be "buttered" with a patching compound and inserted over the hole left by the cutting tool. The device can be effective for repairing dents, or the like, but even though it shares a mutual classification that doesn't truly apply to the present invention, it does deserve mention within these pages. Therefore, it must be concluded that this device is useless to anyone who is attempting to repair drywall cracks.


The invention relates to canine immunoglobulin G (IgG) and canine interleukin-13 receptors (IL-13R) as well as fusion proteins containing canine IgG and/or canine IL-13R. In particular, the present invention discloses nucleic acid molecules encoding canine IgG, including species-specific regions of the heavy chain of canine IgG, and canine IL-13R alpha chain (IL-13Rα) proteins, particularly canine interleuken receptor alpha 1 (IL-13Rα1) and canine interleuken receptor alpha 2 (IL-13Rα2) proteins. Also included are canine IgG and IL-13Rα proteins, antibodies having selectivity for such proteins, inhibitors of such proteins and/or nucleic acid molecules, cells transformed with said nucleic acid molecules, assays employing such cells, nucleic acids molecules, proteins, antibodies and/or inhibitors, and therapeutic compositions comprising said nucleic acids molecules, proteins, antibodies and/or inhibitors. Also included are kits containing said molecules or chimera thereof, including their use to evaluate and regulate an immune response in an animal.

Regulation of immune and inflammatory responses in animals is important in disease management. Immune responses can be regulated by modifying the activity of immunoregulatory molecules and immune cells. Such immunoregulatory molecules include, for example, cytokines, chemokines as well as soluble and membrane-bound immunoglobulin molecules.
One type of immunoregulatory molecule is immunoglobulin, a class of which is immunoglobulin G (IgG). The DNA and amino acid sequences of IgG molecules from several species have been reported. Peptides derived from known IgG sequences have been used to generate antibodies which alter IgG function. In humans and mice, IgGs have been fairly well characterized. In general, IgGs have been characterized by function and not DNA similarity since DNA similarity is not a reliable indicator of function.
Another type of immunoregulatory molecule is interleuken-13 (IL-13). Interleukin-13 is a cytokine produced by activated type 2 helper cells (Th2 cells). IL-13 promotes growth and differentiation of B cells, and IL-13 inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10 and interleukin-12 (designated as IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12, respectively), among others.
A cDNA encoding IL-13 was first isolated from the mouse in 1989 and the human homologue was isolated in 1993. The human IL-13 gene is located on chromosome 5 q 31 which is 12 kilobases (kb) upstream of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) gene. Given the close proximity of the two genes, it is not surprising that IL-13 and IL-4 proteins share 25% sequence identity in humans and 30% sequence identity in mice. IL-13 and IL-4 are often simultaneously produced (with other cytokines) by Th2 cells. Both IL-13 and IL-4 share functional characteristics, such as inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines, and up-regulating the MHC class II and CD23 expression on monocytes and/or macrophages in B cells. Furthermore, IL-4 and IL-13 induce the IgE class switch in human cells in vitro and trigger IgG and IgM synthesis.
Both IL-13 and IL-4 have long played a role in allergy and inflammation, but until recently it has been difficult to separate the roles of these cytokines. Th2 cells are important participants in allergic conditions; as Th2 cells differentiate they produce cytokines directly or signal other allergic effector cells which induce and maintain allergic inflammatory responses. It is proposed that an allergen stimulates Th2 cells to produce IL-13 and/or IL-4, which in turn binds to IL-4R and/or IL-13R, signaling induction of IgE synthesis on B cells. Allergen-specific IgE then binds to IgE receptors on mast cells and basophils activating these cells and causing release of mediators of allergic inflammation. Induction of allergen specific Th2 differentiation represents a hallmark of allergic disease because cytokines produced by these cells induce and maintain allergic inflammatory processes. Th2 cells selectively develop and expand in the presence of IL-4. In humans, IL-13 fails to induce Th2-cell differentiation due to the lack of functional IL-13 receptors on T cells. IL-13 and IL-4 both induce IgE synthesis on B cells though IL-13 appears to be less potent in humans.
IL-4 and IL-13 receptors (referred to as IL-4R and IL-13R, respectively) share structural homology, in that both receptor complexes contain the IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) chain which is required for signal transduction. Binding of IL-13 or IL-4 to IL-4R and IL-13R results in comparable signaling pathways. For example, if monoclonal antibodies are directed against the IL-4Rα chain (part of both the IL-4 and IL-13R complexes) IL-4 and IL-13 activity would be inhibited. Inhibition of biological activity of either of these cytokines would cause downstream regulation changes suggesting the importance of IL-4R□ for signal transduction. IL-13R can also function as a second receptor for IL-4 in cases where the IL-4R complex is compromised.
IL-13R is expressed on many cell types such as B cells, monocytes, macrophages, basophils, eosinophils, mast cells, endothelial cells, keratinocytes and some types of tumor cells, but active receptors have not been found on human T cells or murine B cells. Generally IL-13R is present in high numbers and thought to bind IL-13 with high affinity. The human IL-13 receptor complex consists of the 140-kilodalton (kD) IL-4Rα chain, which binds IL-4 but not IL-13, and an IL-13 binding protein. cDNAs encoding two different IL-13Rα (designated as IL-13Rα1 and IL-13Rα2) proteins have been isolated from humans and mice. Human IL-13Rα1 consists of 427 amino acids and binds IL-13 with low affinity (kD˜4 nanomoles/Liter) while human IL-13Rα2 is a 380 amino acid protein, which binds IL-13 with high affinity (kD˜50 picomoles/Liter).
Differences in IL-13 and IL-13R have been observed between species. Functional IL-13R is found on B cells in humans, while no functional IL-13R is found on B cells in mice. As such, no IgE response can be elicited from mouse B cells, so the role of IL-13 in stimulating IgE synthesis in mice remains unclear. However, it has recently been shown that IL-4 deficient mice are able to produce IgE, presumably through an IL-13 and IL-4 independent pathway. Given the differences in IL-13 activity between human and mouse, there would be no way to predict the IL-13 activity in other species, including dogs. As such there remains a need for compounds and methods to regulate an immune response in dogs through manipulation of IL-13 and IL-13R activities. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages.

Canine IL-13 receptor alpha-1 subunit nucleic acid molecules


A heating unit is disclosed that heats a heat-sensitive medium. The heating unit includes a heat generating body that converts electric energy into heat energy; a fixed member to which the heat generating body is fixed; and a holding member that directly holds the fixed member while contacting at least a part of the fixed member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to heating units, erasing devices, and information erasing and recording apparatuses and, more specifically, to a heating unit that heats a heat-sensitive recording medium, an erasing device that erases information recorded on a heat-sensitive recording medium, and an information erasing and recording apparatus that erases and records information from and on a heat-sensitive recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years and continuing to the present, attention is being given to a reversible heat-sensitive recording medium (hereinafter referred to as a heat-sensitive recording medium), on and from which information can be repeatedly recorded and erased, from the viewpoint of protecting the environment and recycling. A heat-sensitive recording medium (see Patent Document 1) capable of reversibly assuming transparent and cloudy states using light scattering variations of a polymer membrane in which organic low molecular crystal particles are dispersed and another heat-sensitive recording medium (see Patent Document 2) having a recording layer coated with a leuco dye capable of reversibly assuming color optical and erasing states are recording media on and from which information can be recorded and erased by applying proper heat to the recording media to make the recording layers relatively colored or decolored.
In order to record information on a heat-sensitive recording medium, it is necessary to erase the previous information recorded on the heat-sensitive recording medium in advance. Therefore, in a thermal printer or the like, the heat-sensitive recording medium is generally heated by a substrate (hereinafter referred to as a ceramic substrate) made, for example, of a ceramic having low heat conductivity and a thermal head having a heating element formed on the surface of the substrate so that the previous information is erased in advance. However, because the ceramic substrate is more fragile than metals, etc., it is difficult to fix the ceramic substrate to equipment or the like using screws or bolts. For this reason, the thermal head attached to a thermal printer is held with the entire surface on one side of the ceramic substrate bonded on a base made of metals, heat-resistant resins, or the like. As a result, heat is disadvantageously transferred from the ceramic substrate to the base through an adhesive layer, so that it is necessary to use a heat-resistant adhesive. Moreover, where the ceramic substrate and the base have different thermal expansion coefficients, it is foreseen that aging degradation such as poor bonding and breakage of the ceramic substrate may occur over time due to the repetitive stopping operations of the apparatus or the like.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-55-154198    Patent Document 2: JP-A-5-124360

Heating unit, erasing device, and information erasing and recording apparatus


A witness system using EDI (electronic data interchange) to perform efficient distribution and account settlement processes between selling and buying companies. A buying company makes documents according to delivery or order vouchers, and electronically sends the documents to a selling company via a notarization authority. The selling company compares the authentication documents with delivery or order vouchers the selling company issued, and, after determining that the documents are correct executes a confirmation response to the notarization authority. The notarization authority registers the documents in the witness server's receipts detail table and notifies the buying and selling companies that the notarization authority authenticated the documents. This structure enables the making of accurate detailed payment statements when, for example, a detailed payment statement is made or a funds transfer is executed based on confirmed data. Furthermore, checking the detailed payment statement is made simpler through reference to the witness system server.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Witness system that, using EDI (electronic data exchange), supports account settlement (accounting) and distribution systems among sellers and buyers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's distribution systems are manifold and, through complex distribution media, carry out the distribution of large quantities of goods. As a result, accounting processes undertaken between sellers and buyers are equally complex.
The system disclosed in FIG. 1 is representative of conventional account settlement (accounting) systems. First, with each delivery of goods, a buyer examines a delivery voucher sent—or tendered contemporaneously on site—by a seller. Using, illustratively, an internal system in the buying company, the buyer then reduces the details to voucher form, upon which payment to the seller is to be based. This detailed voucher discloses, among other information, seller's name, delivery date, description of goods delivered, unit price, quantity, and total price.
The buyer thereafter consolidates and aggregates detailed vouchers according, illustratively, to payment date, and makes a detailed payment statement. The detailed payment statement so made is the result of the above-described consolidation and aggregation of each detailed voucher. Minute details otherwise recorded in a detailed voucher are omitted from the detailed payment statement. By way of illustration, payment date and total price are reflected in the detailed payment statement; more particularized details (e.g., delivery date, description of delivered items, unit price, and quantity), however, are commonly omitted.
As between a buyer and seller trading daily many goods with a payment cycle of one payment per month, for example, detailed vouchers corresponding to delivered volumes are reduced to a single detailed payment statement, and only the aggregated total price is established according to the detailed payment statement.
The buyer, using the above described detailed payment statement, requests that its bank transfer funds in favor of the seller. The bank then makes a deposit for the amount specified in the detailed payment statement in favor of the Seller, with respect to whom the request for funds transfer was made, utilizing, illustratively, an inter-bank exchange system. As a result, a seller thus receiving payment learns, through notification from the bank, the amount of money received in the seller's bank account from the buyer.
The following problems are inherent in a conventional system like that described above. Specifically, the detailed payment statement used in the conventional system is a document that compiles in the aforesaid manner multiple delivery vouchers in establishing a total payment amount. A seller is thus unable unilaterally to ascertain which delivery vouchers are reflected in the total amount paid to it by the buyer. This is the result of the omission of delivery date, description of delivered goods, unit price, quantity, and like information, for discrete transactions, from the detailed payment statement.
In such instances, the seller must confirm substantive details with the buyer, in order to verify the amount of money received. Where, for example, the amount of money paid to the seller does not agree with the total amount invoiced, the seller's accounting representative must either confirm with the buyer the contents of the detailed vouchers or make discrete inquiries regarding payment amounts. This work places a significant burden on the accounting departments and constitutes a material impediment to enhancing the efficiency of account settlement processing.
Specifically, where a single account settlement for a large transaction is undertaken according to the detailed payment statement, a great deal of time and human effort are required to confirm substantive details recorded therein. And, in settling accounts with high-volume customers, a seller must undertake account settlement in terms of the smallest transaction, i.e., by voucher, in order to set receivables off against payables.
On the other hand, with the popularization of the internet, the construction of EDI-implemented (electronic data interchange) information exchange systems is being tested in all functional disciplines. It is anticipated that use of the system contemplated by the present invention will, particularly as between companies, facilitate more efficient account settlement processing and distribution in complex distribution channels.


A flame-resistant polymer excels in moldability capable of providing a flame-resistant molded item of novel configuration; a relevant flame-resistant polymer solution; a process for easily producing them; a carbon molding from the flame-resistant polymer; and a process for easily producing the same. A flame-resistant polymer is modified with an amine compound. Further, a flame-resistant polymer solution has the polymer dissolved in a polar organic solvent. A flame-resistant molding whose part or entirety is constituted of the flame-resistant polymer modified with an amine compound. A carbon molding was part or entirety constituted of a carbon component resulting from carbonization of the flame-resistant polymer modified with an amine compound. From the solution containing the flame-resistant polymer, moldings of various configurations can be obtained through further work.

Flame-resistant fiber is so excellent in heat resistance and flame retardance as to be widely utilized, for example, for spatter sheets for protecting the human body from high-heat iron powder and weld sparks which scatter in welding operations, and fire-resistant heat insulators for aircraft, leading to an increasing demand in those fields.
Flame-resistant fiber is important also as intermediate raw materials for obtaining carbon fiber. The carbon fiber has such mechanical, chemical properties and lightweight properties as to be widely used for various uses, for example, materials for aviation and space such as aircraft, rockets, sporting goods such as tennis rackets, golf shafts and fishing rods, and in the field of transport machines such as vessels and automobiles. In recent years, carbon fiber has such a high electrical conductivity and heat radiation as to be strongly required for application to electronic equipment parts such as portable telephones and personal computer cabinets, and electrodes of fuel cells.
Carbon fiber is generally obtained by a method of carbonizing flame-resistant fiber by heating at high temperature in an inert gas such as nitrogen. With regard to flame-resistant fiber, for example, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based flame-resistant fiber is obtained by making PAN-based precursor fiber flame-resistant (cyclization reaction and oxidation reaction of PAN) at a high temperature of 200 to 300° C. in air.
However, this reaction for making flame-resistant is an exothermic reaction and a reaction in a fibrous form, namely, a solid-phase state. Therefore, a long treatment time is required for temperature control, and the degree of fineness of PAN-based precursor fiber needs to be limited to a fine size below a specific value so that it is flame-resistant within a desired time. Thus, the presently known process of achieving making flame resistance is regarded as difficult and not a sufficiently efficient process.
With regard to flame-resistant products, it is substantially difficult to obtain flame-resistant formed products except for fibers, such as planar shapes of sheets and films and various cubic shapes, due to the difficulty of heat removal for the reason that the reaction for achieving flame resistance is an exothermic reaction as described above. Accordingly, flame-resistant formed products are limited to fiberform products, and in the present circumstances, planar sheets are manufactured by making such fiberform products into fabrics.
When flame-resistant fiber with an optional degree of fineness and flame-resistant products except fiberform products (flame-resistant formed products), such as sheet-like products and cubic molded products are obtained, the use of flame-resistant formed products is markedly extended. In addition, the appropriateness of manufacturing conditions and carbonizing conditions thereof allows carbon fiber with an optional degree of fineness and carbon products except fiberform products (carbon product) such as a carbon product group of sheet-like carbon and cubic carbon molded products. The improvement of yield while maintaining high physical properties of carbon products brings advantages in costs.
Dissolution by solvents has been studied as a method for solving the above technical problem.
For example, a technique is disclosed such that acrylonitrile polymer powder is heated in an inert atmosphere until the density becomes 1.20 g/cm3 or more, and thereafter dissolved in solvent and fiberized into a fibriform product, which is heat-treated (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-14093B).
However, the problem is that viscosity change of the solution over time is so great as to frequently cause thread breakage by reason of using acrylonitrile polymer powder with low flame resistance. A device made of special materials and having corrosion resistance is to be used with strongly acidic solvents such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid for easily decomposing general organic polymers, but is impractical due to costs.
A method is proposed such that heat-treated acrylonitrile polymer powder and not heat-treated acrylonitrile polymer powder are mixed and similarly dissolved in acidic solvent (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-57723B). However, the problem is still not solved on allowing corrosion resistance to a device as described above and instability of solution.
In addition, the conversion of polyacrylonitrile to a polymer having a cyclized chemical structure by heat-treating dimethylformamide solution of polyacrylonitrile is disclosed (for example, refer to "Polymer Science (USSR)," 1968, Vol. 10, page 1537). However, the polymer solution is a dilute concentration of 0.5% and so low in viscosity as to be substantially difficult in forming into fibers, and a rise in concentration thereof causes the polymer to be deposited and incapable of being used as a solution.
On the other hand, a solution in which polyacrylonitrile is denatured with a primary amine is disclosed (for example, refer to "Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry," 1990, Vol. 28, page 1623). However, the solution is such as to impart a hydrophilic property to polyacrylonitrile itself with low flame resistance, and totally differs in the technical idea from a flame-resistant polymer-containing solution.
A technique is disclosed such that the yield can be improved together with high physical properties from flame-resistant fiber to carbon fiber under special carbonizing conditions (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Publication No. 26365093B). However, compatibility therebetween in an easier method has been demanded.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, it could be helpful to provide a flame-resistant polymer so excellent in forming processability as to produce a flame-resistant formed product also in unprecedented shapes, a flame-resistant polymer-containing solution and a manufacturing method for conveniently producing these, and to further provide a flame-resistant formed product, a carbon molded product employing the flame-resistant polymer and a manufacturing method for conveniently producing them.

Solution containing flame-resistant polymer and carbon molding


Disclosed is a system and a method for manufacturing flexible copper clad laminate film capable of efficiently electroplating both surfaces of a polyimide-based film to form copper plating layers thereon while making it easy to repair and maintain the apparatus or clean its plating or cleaning bath. The system includes a pickling device adapted to spray a pickling liquid to both surfaces of a to-be-plated film to remove oxide coatings from the copper coatings; a number of water-cleaning devices for removing the pickling liquid and copper electrolyte remaining on the film; at least one plating device positioned between the water-cleaning devices to form copper plating layers on both surfaces of the film; an antirust device for preventing the copper plating layers, which have been formed by the plating device, from rusting; and a drying device for drying the antirust liquid on the film, which has been subjected to antirust treatment.

As widely known in the art, an FCCL film is a polyimide-based film having a copper plating layer laminated on its surface and is a very important basic element in producing FPCBs (flexible printed circuit boards) used in mobile telephones, LCDs, PDPs, digital cameras, and laptop computers. Methods for applying a copper plating layer to a surface of a polyimide-based film to manufacture an FCCL include a method of using an adhesive to attach the copper plating layer to the surface of the polyimide-based film, and another method of electroplating the surface of a polyimide-based film, which has a copper coating formed thereon, with copper to laminate a copper plating layer on the film.
However, conventional copper plating and cleaning apparatuses used to manufacture FCCLs according to the latter method, i.e. electroplating method, have a problem in that since the copper plating layer is formed on a single surface of the polyimide-based film, they exhibit low productivity and efficiency in producing FCCLs having copper plating layers laminated on their both surfaces, which are used to produce multilayered FPCBs for high densification of circuit patterns.
Furthermore, conventional copper plating and cleaning apparatuses used to manufacture FCCLs have a large number of components including electrodes, feed rolls, and spray nozzles installed in a plating or cleaning bath, in order to dip a polyimide-based film being continuously supplied into a working fluid as well as perform plating or cleaning processes of it. In addition, electrical lines and fluid tubes connected to the components make it difficult to repair and maintain them or clean the plating or cleaning bath.

System and method for manufacturing flexible copper clad laminate film

Korea Institute of Industrial Technology


Cabinet doors are compared to color samples as a quality control check on the colors of the manufacture doors. The color samples are obtained by selecting doors which have acceptable color, and capturing those images into a computer readable format. These captured images may then be printed, stored, transmitted, etc.

This application relates to a system for ensuring uniform color of finishes for cabinet doors.
Cabinets for modern residential applications are often sold in large retail locations. Typically, a sample cabinet may be provided at the retail location, and samples of all possible colors for the cabinets will also be provided. Consumers may order a cabinet, and the cabinets manufactured at a remote factory are shipped to the consumer.
Some quality control is required to ensure the color of the actual manufactured cabinet and its doors are close to the color presented to the consumer when making the purchase. Thus, it is known in the prior art to have sample doors maintained at a manufacturing facility that can be compared to the manufactured doors to ensure the manufactured doors are within an acceptable color range. It is typical that doors of a nominal, acceptable light extreme and an acceptable dark extreme are selected, and actual manufactured doors are compared to these two samples to ensure the manufactured doors are within the range. Typically, sample doors are selected from manufactured doors to provide the extreme samples, and must be replaced periodically.
The use of the actual selected doors does raise some concerns, however. First, over time, the range between the extreme light and extreme dark doors can vary. This is true because wood substrate variations and stain material variations exist from lot to lot. In addition, the doors may be manufactured at several facilities spaced across the country and even across continents. As such, it is difficult to maintain any set standard for the color of the manufactured doors that can be ensured to be within an acceptable range of the sample doors which have been utilized to make the consumer sale.


A system and method are presented for a suite integration toolkit (SIT) allowing for the provision and display of a rich set of installation actions. The user interface (UI) provides a list box interface having pull down menus for the display and selection of component defined installation actions. Preferably the SIT is used to install a suite of applications having multiple components and sub-components. These components and sub-components are displayed with the install action selected and disk space required displayed. The UI also provides a summation of the required disk space of only those components that will actually be installed, taking into consideration and excluding from the summation required components that are already installed. An interface method is implemented by each of the components to expose a method to allow the SIT to query the component for its available installation actions and results.

With the continued growth and specialization of various software applications for both business and residential users, software original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and secondary value added providers (VAPs) have begun selectively combining these applications into suites. The selection of the particular applications to include in a suite is made based on certain synergies desired to be achieved for a particular customer or group of customers. In this way a business customer, for example, may purchase a single suite that provides all of the applications to allow complete productivity for all of the functions that are normally performed in the business environment. This selection and grouping process by the OEMs and/or the VAPs greatly simplifies the decision process at the user level, and typically allows for a common user experience across applications since typically all applications will be from a particular OEM.
Another advantage provided by a suite of applications exists at the system administration level. Unlike the requirement of having to separately install and setup each individual application, entering the same user information over and over for each application, the installation of a suite is much more integrated. Most suites employ an installation wizard of some sort that installs and sets up all of the applications within the suite at one time. While this presents a distinct advantage over the individual application installation and setup, the structure and content of modern suites present problems for current installation processes that often result in confusion on the part of the user.
While many suites comprise a group of separate applications bundled together forming, in essence, an aggregation of applications as discussed above, more advanced and sophisticated suites actually comprise a multitude of inter-dependent applications. Indeed, many of the application programs themselves are actually mini-suites of related or complementary applications integrally operating as a "single" application. Unfortunately, these mini-suites present additional problems that add to the user confusion.
One problem lying at the core of the user confusion relates to the type of installation actions available through the conventional installation programs, and the presentation of these options to the user via the conventional check-box user interface (UI). Traditional setup applications, such as that illustrated in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, provide a user interface that shows a set or list of the components in the suite in a window 500 or list box. Next to each of the components of the suite is a small check box 502 or area that illustrates the selection or deselection of that component. Typically, a check mark is illustrated next to each component that will be installed in the default installation scenario.
This check box UI allows a user to decide which components she wants to install, and which components she does not want to install. In this situation, a check mark next to a component represents that that component will be installed (i.e. install component), and no check mark represents that that component will not be installed (i.e. do nothing). Unfortunately, when the user wanted to remove a component that was already installed, the user would click on a component that has a check mark next to it to remove the check mark. In this situation, a check mark next to a component represents that that component is already installed (i.e. do nothing), and no check mark represents that that component will be removed (i.e. uninstall component).
While such operation of current installation applications is functionally correct, the presentation and implementation can be a bit confusing to users. This confusion becomes apparent, for example, in situations where one or more of the components or sub-components included in a new suite are already installed on the user's machine. In such a situation, when a user begins to setup and install the new suite, the installation application will detect the presence of these components and will place a check mark next to them in the UI. The installation application, however, also places check marks next to the components that are not currently installed, but that will be installed by the installation application. It is difficult, therefore, to determine from the displayed check marks which components the user will be installing and which components are already installed (in which case no action would be taken on those components). It is possible for a user to interpret the check mark as an install command, realize that she already has that component installed, believe that leaving the box checked will result in the re-installation of that component, and not wanting to re-install that component un-check the box. Unfortunately, this action will likely result in the component being removed from the user's system because a non-checked box for an installed component is interpreted by many install applications as an uninstall request as described above.
Further, the check box interface used with most current installation applications provides the ability to request only two types of install actions. That is, the check box can be checked or not. As described above for a component that is not installed, the check signifies that the component will be installed, and no check signifies that the installation application will not install the component (i.e. do nothing). Also as described above, if the component is already installed, the check signifies that the installation application will leave the component installed (do nothing), and no check signifies that the installation application will uninstall the component. Some installation applications also provide a separate selectable option for components that are already installed, to wit, reinstall. When this additional option is selected, typically a separate UI screen is displayed, such as that illustrated in FIG. 12, with additional selectable options, such as "remove all" 504, "reinstall" 506, and "add/remove" 508. However, if only one or a few of the components need to be upgraded to a current version, the only option is to select "reinstall," which will reinstall component that do not require any upgrade. This may require a significant amount of time to complete.
As may be apparent from the above description of the current check-box installation framework, the amount and types of install actions are limited to those described above. There is essentially no flexibility to add additional types of installation actions under this framework, or to allow a component to define particular component-specific actions to be performed. For example, components such as e-mail applications that have large data stores often place those stores on different drives than those on which the actual application is stored. In such situations, a disk failure for the application disk may leave the data stores totally intact. Since the data stores may include several hundred gigabytes of data, whereas the application may only require a few hundred megabytes, it is desirable to provide an additional install action other than reinstall all, which would not require a migration of the data stores. Unfortunately, while such programs can provide a "forklift" or recovery option that would look for the data store and only reinstall the application without requiring the user to reconfigure the machine, no such additional action of this type is allowed under the current check-box framework. Therefore, a user could only choose "reinstall all," which action would require reconfiguration of the machine and migration of the data. Such actions typically take several days to complete for most organizations.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art to overcome these and other problems existing with the current state of suite installation programs. Specifically, there exists a need to present the installation actions to a user in a logical and easy to understand way that allows them to clearly see the state of the components affected, and what actions will be performed. Further, there exists a need to allow components to define custom installation actions and allow these custom actions to be included at the installation application run time.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method of providing multiple installation actions