A cold therapy system including a cooling bath; a therapy pad in fluid communication with the cooling bath; a pump positioned and arranged to pump water from the cooling bath to the therapy pad and back to the cooling bath; and a control unit controlling the pump, the control unit programmed to operate the pump according to a cycle in which the pump is operated at less than maximum to cause the therapy pad temperature to be raised and to conserve a cooling resource within the cooling bath.

The present disclosure relates generally to orthopedics and in particular to the therapeutic cooling or heating of a sore or injured body part.
It is known to use chilled water to cool and sooth a sore or injured body part. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,241,951 and 5,330,519 describe a cold therapy unit that uses chilled water. The patents call for a variable flow restrictor for temperature control. The more the flow restrictor is restricted, the less water flows through the cooling pad, resulting in a higher therapy pad temperature. The less the flow restrictor is restricted, the more water flows through the cooling pad, resulting in a lower therapy pad temperature.
While known devices have provided therapeutic cooling, the devices have had certain drawbacks. For instance, temperature control for certain of these devices has been difficult, leading to instances in which water has been chilled to a level that is uncomfortable for the patient. Also, certain devices cause the ice to melt too quickly, expending the thermal potential of the device. Further, it is desirable to ensure that the water delivered to the cooling pad is not uncomfortably cold.
Still further, with certain cold therapy units, the patient is required to fill a bath with ice and water. This filling can be an area of complaint, especially when the duration of the ice bath is diminished due to overcooling and melting the ice too quickly. Here, the user needs to ambulate and replace the ice frequently to continue therapy, which is often performed immediately after surgery when cooling is most required and moving is most difficult. A need accordingly exists for an improved system and method for the use of ice water baths.


Disclosed are medical devices comprising a coil, coated with a multi-layer coating system and possess the flexibility, lubricity and trackability desired in applications where such devices are utilized. The coating system comprises a non-hydrophilic polymer primer coat and a hydrophilic polymer topcoat. These coating materials do not comprise any cross-linkers or reactive functional groups, and do not require the use of a hazardous solvent. The multi-layer coating system is very thin; having a maximum dry thickness in the range of about 15 microns to about 40 microns. Also disclosed are methods for coating and using these medical devices. The coatings are applied at low temperatures, in an aqueous environment, and in such a way that the coil is coated discretely, without forming a thick layer between the coil portions. Such coating prevents substantial bridging between the loops of the coil, thus preventing the coil tip from being stiff or non-trackable.

Medical devices comprising a coil, such as guide wires and catheters, are generally formed of stainless steel and may comprise a plastic material, such as a polyurethane, polyamide, or polyyolefin, etc. Some medical devices, such as guide wires having a coil tip, may comprise a jacket or sleeve of a polymeric material that is coated or extruded over the coiled portion so as to provide a surface to which any subsequent coatings can adhere, as well as to provide smoothness and uniformity to the surface.
In certain medical procedures, a catheter is typically inserted at a predetermined site, and a guide wire tip is inserted through the catheter so that the coil tip is protruding from the catheter. Then, the catheter with the guide wire is inserted percutaneously into the targeted body part, such as a blood vessel, and the catheter is further inserted through the vessel by using the guide wire as a leading and supporting guide. These operations produce friction and abrasive forces that apply to the surfaces of the medical device. Relatively high friction between the catheter and the guide wire not only prevents the guide wire from being inserted through the catheter, but also prevents the guide wire from being easily moved through the catheter, thus making it difficult to carry out subtle indwelling operations at the targeted vessel site. Sometimes, the guide wire cannot be withdrawn from the catheter, rendering the catheter lumen unusable despite the completion of the indwelling operation. This higher level of friction presents an issue to the design and construction of such devices, as a low level of frictional resistance between the catheter's inner surface and the guide wire is desirable in the intended applications.
Attempts have been made to apply low frictional resistance Teflon and silicone oil to the outer surface of guide wires in order to overcome such problems. However, application of silicone oil fails to retain lubricity because of immediate loss of silicone coatings. Further, frequent applications add to frictional resistance, also undesirably creating the problems mentioned above.
In certain guide wires, the flexibility of the tip of the guide wire is created by having a very thin core wire over which a very fine coil wire is wound to make a flexible tip. For example, a core wire for a 0.014 inch (in.) guide wire may taper down to a 0.010 in. and be coiled with a wire of dimension 0.002 in. to create a 0.014 in. tip. The flexibility of the tip is dependent upon these coils being able to flex independent of each other and not be bound together. Various coatings have been applied to coiled tip guide wires or catheters to obtain a flexible distil tip of the wire or catheter. However, most coatings involve cross-linking and/or covalent binding to the device or a portion thereof. Thus, such coatings often form a film over the loop portions of the coil and lock them together, thereby creating a stiff tip. Also, when these wires are used in the body, the coil eventually flexes and breaks the coating into fragments. This often results in undesirable pieces being broken off in the body, as well as yielding a ragged or jagged broken coating.
Hydrophilic polyurethane coatings have been applied directly on metal surfaces. However, commercial versions of this technology require cross-linking and thick layers (60-80 microns thick) in order to achieve adequate performance. In practice, the thick layer extends continuously around the coated metal substrate. These layers have good cohesive forces and thus appear to be tightly bound on the metal surface, even though these layers do not necessarily have good adhesion to the metal surface. One disadvantage of such coatings is that because the polyurethane and other plastic layers are so thick, the diameter of the underlying wire must be correspondingly diminished. This is especially troublesome on very fine wires, such as those used in coronary angioplasty or neurointerventional catheterization procedures. These wires have outer diameters of about 0.010 in. to about 0.014 in. Alternatively, low frictional materials, such as polytetrafluoroethylene coatings, have been used. Such materials have lower friction than metals and most other plastic materials, and they can be applied directly onto metallic substrates. Other materials, such as high density polyethylene have been tried, but the coefficients of friction are not low enough for these materials to be useful. Oils have been applied; although their coefficients of friction are low, such treatments are transient as they wear off during use.
Hydrogel coatings are known to provide a lubricious surface for insertable devices. However, metals and certain plastic materials, such as polyolefins, polyamides, silicones, polyesters, have inert surfaces and it is often difficult to achieve acceptable adhesion when applying coatings, including hydrogel coatings, over such surfaces.
A variety of lubricious or "slippery" coatings have been proposed for use on biomedical devices, such as catheters, guide wires, endotracheal tubes and implants, in order to reduce friction when the device is introduced through tissue, or into blood vessels, or into other parts of the anatomy. Common materials used in the art to provide lubricious coatings for biomedical devices include oil, silicone and polymeric materials, such as poly N-vinylpyrrolidone, hydrophilic polyurethanes, polyethylene oxide and polyacrylic acid. Among the most common materials used to provide lubricious coatings are hydrophilic polymers which are covalently bonded to the substrate with a binder polymer having reactive functional groups, e.g., isocyanate, aldehyde and epoxy groups. Although the use of such binder polymers having reactive functional groups is effective in providing lubricious coatings that have a high degree of abrasion resistance, such binder polymers are often highly reactive, toxic, require solvents, and typically require special handling techniques in order to avoid potential health, safety and environmental problems. Further, the polymeric coating often contains cross-linkers, which generally contain hazardous or potentially hazardous materials, such as isocyanates or aziridines. Moreover, the cross-linked polymers yield a rigid coating that makes the coil of the wires stiff and non-trackable.
Accordingly, there is a need for medical devices, such as coiled guide wires, having a lower frictional resistance surface which enables more subtle operation in a vessel, and which can be easily inserted into a catheter, and for new or improved and less toxic coating processes to facilitate such devices.

Medical devices comprising non cross-linked, thin and flexible aqueous coatings, and methods related thereto


Provided is a polymer sample analyzer from which chemical findings on the optical deterioration of a polymer material are available in a very short time. The analyzer is equipped with a gas phase component production unit for producing a plurality of gas phase components, a carrier gas introduction unit for introducing a carrier gas into the gas phase component production unit, a separation unit for separating the gas phase components into each component, and a detection unit 5 for detecting the each component thus separated. The analyzer is equipped further with a UV irradiation unit for exposing the polymer sample to UV ray, an atmospheric gas introduction unit for introducing an atmospheric gas into the gas phase component production unit and a gas switching unit for switching a gas to be introduced into the separation unit between the carrier gas and the atmospheric gas. Under the atmosphere of a gas introduced from the atmospheric gas introduction unit, the polymer sample is deteriorated and decomposed by exposure to UV ray from the UV irradiation unit. After deterioration and decomposition, a gas to be introduced into the separation unit 4 is switched to the carrier gas by the gas switching unit and the gas phase components are introduced into the separation unit by the aid of the carrier gas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymer sample analyzer for analyzing polymer materials such as plastics.
2. Description of the Related Art
In our modern society, polymer materials such as natural rubbers and plastics, as well as metal materials such as steel, play an important role. The polymer materials are now indispensable for our daily life as materials for various films, fibers, containers and the like.
It is known that when the polymer materials are used for a long period of time, their physical or chemical properties deteriorate gradually owing to external factors. The deterioration is mainly caused by heat, light, mechanical stress or the like and it also occurs by the biological or chemical reaction. Of these, the deterioration caused by light is presumed to occur because optical energy cleaves their polymer structure and radicals formed thereby cause an oxidation chain reaction ("Polymer Degradation—Principles and Practical Applications—", written by Wolfram Schnabel, translated by Junkichi Sohma, published by Shokabo, 1993; "Practical Polymer Materials Classified by Their Properties", Kogyo Chosakai Publishing Inc., 2002; "Developments in Polymer Degradation—7", N. Grassie, Elsevier Applied Science, 1987).
Tests on optical deterioration have conventionally been conducted by exposing a polymer material to real sunlight outdoors or exposing it to the light from an arc lamp, which is close to sunlight, by using a weathermeter. When the weathermeter is used, humidification is sometimes conducted simultaneously with the exposure to the light from an arc lamp.
The above-described tests are however accompanied with the following inconveniences. It takes from several months to several years to get results of the exposure test of a polymer material outdoors, while the test using a weathermeter requires large facilities and a lot of money and moreover, it takes from several weeks to several months to get its test results. The results of the above-described tests relate to the deterioration on the surface of the sample to be observed visually or under a microscope, or to mechanical properties such as tensile strength after deterioration so that it is impossible to obtain a chemical finding on the progress mechanism of deterioration of the polymer itself constituting the polymer material or various additives such as antioxidant and UV absorber contained in the polymer material.


In a process for liquid phase carbonylation of alcohols by carbon monoxide, the carbonylation reaction is carried out in a reaction zone at a temperature of 50° C. to 150° C. at a pressure in the range 0.5 MPa to 20 MPa in the presence of at least one catalyst comprising at least one rhodium and/or iridium complex and a halogenated promoter in at least one non-aqueous ionic liquid comprising at least one salt with general formula Q+A−, in which Q+ represents a quaternary ammonium and/or a quaternary phosphonium cation, said salt having a melting point of less than 90° C.; the non-aqueous ionic liquid containing at least the major portion of the catalyst is separated; and the separated non-aqueous ionic liquid containing at least the major portion of the catalyst is returned to the reaction zone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for carbonylating alcohols by means of a rhodium or iridium based catalyst in the presence of a halide used as a promoter, carried out in an ionic liquid medium with efficient catalyst recycling. The homogeneous system obtained at the end of the reaction is distilled. The distillation residue is constituted by the catalyst dissolved in a non-aqueous ionic liquid. Said ionic liquid comprises at least one quaternary ammonium and/or phosphonium cation Q+ and at least one anion A−. The catalyst comprises at least one complex of rhodium or iridium and the promoter is constituted by at least one halide.
Carbonylation of alcohols, in particular methanol, is a reaction of major industrial importance in the manufacture of acetic acid used in a wide variety of applications. That product is directly involved in the manufacture of vinyl acetate and acetic anhydride and can be used as a reaction solvent in the production of terephthalic acid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many references deal with the production of acetic acid by methanol carbonylation. Examples that can be cited are the articles by BASF at the end of the 1960s (Hydrocarbon Processing, November 1966, vol. 45, no 11, p 141 and Hydrocarbon Processing, November 1973, p 92) which describe the methanol carbonylation reaction under very severe conditions (60 MPa, 230° C.) in the presence of a complex based on cobalt promoted by an iodine derivative. In the 1970s, Monsanto commercialized an improved process (Monsanto (1973), U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,329) which functions under much milder temperature and pressure conditions (3 to 4 MPa, 180–220° C.) in the presence of a rhodium based complex promoted by methyl iodide. That process is distinguished by a very high yield of acetic acid (99%) linked to the presence of a high concentration of water in the reaction mixture. In 1980, Hoechst-Celanese improved the Monsanto process by adding a promoter based on lithium iodide or sodium iodide (Hoechst Celanese, Corp (1991), U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,259), which considerably reduced the concentration of water necessary in the Monsanto process and thus limited problems with the formation of by-products by reducing the "water gas shift" side reaction. Finally, in 1996, BP Chemicals sold a process based on iridium (Cativa™) comparable with the Monsanto process with a low water concentration (Chem Br 32 (1996) 7 and Chem Ind (London) 483 (1996)). That process was a considerable improvement over the earlier processes, for example in increasing the reaction rates, reducing liquid by-products and increasing the yield with respect to carbon monoxide.
The majority of said processes use homogeneous catalysts dissolved in an organic phase constituted by reagents and products, which sometimes renders separation complex and expensive.

Process for carbonylating alcohols, employing a catalyst based on rhodium or iridium in a non-aqueous ionic liquid, with efficient catalyst recycling


A portable patient support includes a platform having a rigid platform received in an interior of an end cap. Elongated rails attached to side walls of the end cap receive accessories, such as stirrups for elevating a patient's legs during insertion of brachytherapy needles for treating prostate cancer and a leg support table for comfortable support of a patient's legs during transport. The portable patient support also has a transfer device including an inflatable mattress having micro-fenestrations in a bottom sheet or a semi-rigid sliding member located beneath the platform. The platform is preferably secured to the transfer device, using straps or by receipt of the platform in built-in pocket. Alternatively, the support may include a fenestrated lower tray attached to the platform by expandable connectors to contain the transfer device. A method of preparing a patient for prostate brachytherapy using the portable patient support is described.

Prostate cancer patients can be treated using a procedure known as brachytherapy. In a brachytherapy prostate procedure, tiny pellets or "seeds" of a highly radioactive material such as Palladium 103, Iodine 125, or Iridium 192 are implanted directly into or adjacent to the cancer tumor using needles. The radiation may be delivered by permanent low dose rate seeds placed through open-ended interstitial needles. Alternatively, radiation may be delivered by temporary high dose rate (HDR) seeds using closed-ended needles, a procedure that does not leave the patient radioactive. The radiation from the seeds is absorbed within a small area (the Greek term "brachy" means short distance), and therefore destroys cancer cells in the prostate without adversely affecting large areas surrounding the tumor. In certain cases, this radiation delivery method is preferable to treatment using external beam radiation in which the radiation is not localized and can result in damage to healthy tissue and limited radiation delivered to the tumor.
In the general steps of performing HDR brachytherapy, the thin needles are first placed in or around the tumor. The needles are then connected to a device called an HDR afterloader, which is a computer-controlled machine that protectively houses a single high intensity radioactive seed source. The afterloader inserts the seed source on the end of a wire through a transfer tube and into the closed-ended needle. The wire is then paused at multiple dwell positions to apply dosage in accordance with a dosage plan. The radioactive seed source is then withdrawn by the wire to the protective housing of the afterloader. This procedure is then repeated for some, or all, of the remaining delivery needles depending on the dosage plan.
There is a complicating factor in HDR brachytherapy for prostate cancer. The insertion of the brachytherapy needles is done with the patient lying on his back on a procedure table or hospital bed with his legs elevated in stirrups. Following needle placement, the patient is moved to a different room, sometimes even a different medical facility, where a CT scanner is used for imaging the tumor and needles to create a computerized dosage template for delivery of the radioactive seeds. The patient is then moved from the CT scanner to yet another location with an HDR afterloader for delivery of the radiation dose based on the computerized template. The movement of the patient during the entire procedure may require transfer from the procedure table for the needle insertion to a gurney and/or ambulance for transport to the CT scanner, transfer to a radiolucent platform for the CT imaging, and then further transfers from the radiolucent platform to a gurney and/or ambulance to the HDR facility and to the treatment platform for the dosage delivery.
This repeated transfer and transport of the patient may cause displacement or even dislodgement of the needles, resulting in uncertainty regarding the proper positioning of the needles when they are presented to the HDR afterloader. Since the computerized dosimetric plan was based upon the needle placement as imaged at the CT scanner to deliver precision dosage to specific locations, any movement of an interstitial treatment needle between the CT imaging and the radioactive seed insertion will degrade the level of precision.
Despite this need to keep the needle placement constant, it is normal practice to place a patient's legs in a lowered position as he lies on his back for transfer and transport. This too often causes the inserted needles to be pulled downwardly by folds of tissue in the pelvic area or to be moved by contact with the mattress on the gurney or ambulance stretcher. Such needle movement increases the uncertainty regarding needle positioning. Such needle movement can also be uncomfortable for the patient and can possibly lead to relatively serious injury.
In recognition of these problems, I have developed a portable patient support device, as described below. Although the device is configured for effective use in preparing a patient for prostate HDR brachytherapy, and its use described in relation to that procedure, it should be noted that the device can be configured for other procedures, either other radiotherapy procedures such as radioactive material implantation of the cervix and uterus or for immobilization and transportation of neurosurgery or orthopedic surgery patients.

Portable patient support device and method of preparing patient for prostate brachytherapy


A modified carbodiimide resin obtainable by reacting a carbodiimide resin comprising a repeating unit represented by the general formula: xe2x80x94(NCNxe2x80x94R1)- wherein R1 represents a divalent organic group, with an aromatic diamine represented by the general formula: H2Nxe2x80x94R2xe2x80x94NH2 wherein R2 represents a divalent organic group having a benzene ring, and a thermosetting resin composition comprising the modified carbodiimide resin and an epoxy resin.

The present invention relates to a thermosetting resin composition. In particular, the present invention relates to a thermosetting resin composition, which is suitably used for protective layers, electric insulation coatings and the like for electric appliances, electronic devices and the like. The present invention also relates to a modified carbodiimide resin, which is suitably used as a component of the aforementioned thermosetting resin composition.
As such a thermosetting resin composition as mentioned above, there have been known, for example, thermosetting resin compositions containing one or more kinds of organic polyisocyanates, one or more kinds of organic monoisocyanates, one or more kinds of crosslinking agents having two or more active hydrogen groups in a molecule thereof, and one or more kinds of catalysts promoting carbodiimidation of the isocyanates such as those described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-6564 (1993), and thermosetting resin compositions characterized in that they contain (A) a resin which is composed of a polycarbodiimide containing a repeating unit represented by the general formula xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90Cxe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94R1xe2x80x94 wherein R1 represents a divalent organic group, on which one or more kinds of compounds having a group causing grafting reaction and a carboxylic acid anhydride group are grafted, and (B) an epoxy compound such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-81545 (1996).
However, an adhesive property and resistance to humidity after curing of such thermosetting resin compositions as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-6564 (1993) have room for improvement, though they are excellent in heat resistance after curing. Further, such thermosetting resin compositions as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-81545 (1996) requires strict moisture content control because they have acid anhydride groups, and disadvantageously takes a long period of time for the reaction with the epoxy resin.
The present invention has been accomplished to solve such problems of the prior art, and its object is to provide a thermosetting resin composition, which is excellent in an adhesive property, resistance to humidity, and heat resistance after curing, and requires less labor for the production process control.
The present inventors earnestly conducted investigations to achieve the aforementioned object, and as a result, found that a thermosetting resin composition which is excellent in an adhesive property, resistance to humidity and heat resistance can be obtained by mixing a carbodiimide resin modified with an aromatic diamine, and an epoxy resin, and curing them. Based on this finding, the present invention has been accomplished.
Thus the present invention provides a thermosetting resin composition (also referred to as the thermosetting resin composition of the present invention hereinafter) which comprises:
a modified carbodiimide resin obtainable by reacting a carbodiimide resin comprising a repeating unit represented by the general formula: xe2x80x94(NCNxe2x80x94R1)- wherein R1 represents a divalent organic group, with an aromatic diamine represented by the general formula: H2Nxe2x80x94R2xe2x80x94NH2 wherein R2 represents a divalent organic group having a benzene ring, and an epoxy resin.
In the thermosetting resin composition of the present invention, R1 is preferably an organic group derivable from an aromatic diisocyanate. The aromatic diamine is preferably diaminodiphenyl sulfone or diaminodiphenylmethane.
The epoxy resin is preferably a bisphenol epoxy resin or a novolak epoxy resin.
The present invention also provides the above modified carbodiimide resin usable for the thermosetting resin composition of the present invention.
The embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter.
(1) Modified Carbodiimide Resin
The modified carbodiimide resin can be obtained by reacting a carbodiimide resin and an aromatic diamine.
The carbodiimide resin is a resin containing a repeating unit represented by the general formula: xe2x80x94(NCNxe2x80x94R1)- wherein R1 represents a divalent organic group.
The carbodiimide resin can be produced by allowing an organic polyisocyanate to react in the presence of a carbodiimidation catalyst that catalyzes carbodiimidation reaction of isocyanate groups according to a known method (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-81545(1996)).
Examples of the organic polyisocyanate include aromatic polyisocyanates and aliphatic polyisocyanates. More specifically, there can be mentioned tolylene diisocyanate (in the present specification, it means 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate, 2,6-tolylene diisocyanate, or a mixture thereof, and they are collectively referred to as TDI), 4,4xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x3-triphenylmethylene triisocyanate, 4,4xe2x80x2-dimethyldiphenylmethane- 2,2xe2x80x2, 5,5xe2x80x2-tetraisocyanate, xylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene-1,6-diisocyanate, lysine diisocyanate methyl ester, polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanate, hydrogenated methylene diphenyl isocyanate, m-phenylene diisocyanate, naphthylene-1, 5-diisocyanate, 1-methoxyphenyl-2, 4-diisocyanate, diphenylmethane-4, 4xe2x80x2-diisocyanate (referred to as MDI), 4,4xe2x80x2-biphenylene diisocyanate, 3, 3xe2x80x2-dimethoxy-4, 4xe2x80x2-biphenyl diisocyanate,3, 3xe2x80x2-dimethyl-4, 4xe2x80x2-biphenyl diisocyanate, 3, 3xe2x80x2-di-methyldiphenylmethane-4, 4xe2x80x2-diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate and the like.
Preferred organic polyisocyanates are organic diisocyanates, and preferred organic diisocyanates include, for instance, aromatic diisocyanates. Specific examples thereof are TDI and MDI. These organic polyisocyanates may be used alone or as a mixture of two or more kinds of them.
R1 is specifically a divalent organic group derivable from the aforementioned organic polyisocyanates. R1 may consist of a plurality of kinds of groups, and in such a case, the bonding order of such groups is not particularly limited. Preferably, R1 is an organic group having the following formula, which can be derived from TDI and MDI:
The average molecular weight of the carbodiimide resin used for the present invention is generally in the range of 200 to 50000, preferably in the range of 500 to 20000.
The carbodiimide resin may be one synthesized by simultaneously using organic polyisocyanates and organic monoisocyanates in order to, for example, control the molecular weight. As such organic monoisocyanates, there can be mentioned phenyl isocyanate, o-, m- or p-tolyl isocyanate, dimethylphenyl isocyanate, cyclohexyl isocyanate, methyl isocyanate, chlorophenyl isocyanate, trifluoromethylphenyl isocyanate, naphthyl isocyanate and the like. As for the amount of the organic monoisocyanate to be used, while it may be selected depending on the desired physical properties, it is usually used in a stoichiometric ratio with respect to the organic polyisocyanate, i.e., a ratio to isocyanate groups of the organic polyisocyanate, of 0.01 to 0.3, preferably 0.02 to 0.2.
The aromatic diamine is represented by the general formula H2Nxe2x80x94R2xe2x80x94NH2 wherein R2 is a divalent organic group having a benzene ring.
Examples of the aromatic diamine include diaminodiphenyl sulfone, diaminodiphenylmethane, diaminodiphenyl ether and the like. Preferred aromatic diamines are diaminodiphenyl sulfone, and diaminodiphenylmethane.
The reaction of the carbodiimide resin and the aromatic diamine may be performed by, for example, dissolving the carbodiimide resin in a solvent, adding the aromatic diamine to the solution, and mixing and heating the solution. As the solvent, any organic solvents dissolving the carbodiimide resin such as toluene, cyclohexanone, and tetrahydrofuran can be used. The reaction rate may be suitably controlled within a range up to the reflux temperature of the solvent used.
The reaction may also be performed by adding the aromatic diamine to a reaction mixture in which the carbodiimide resin has been synthesized without separating the formed carbodiimide resin from the reaction mixture.
As for the ratio of the carbodiimide resin to the aromatic diamine, usually 0.01 to 1 mol, preferably 0.02 to 0.5 mol of the diamine is used for 1 equivalence of carbodiimide group.
Because the modified carbodiimide resin is usually deposited as powder, the formed modified carbodiimide resin can be collected by filtration from the reaction mixture after the reaction, and dried to give the modified carbodiimide resin.
The modified carbodiimide resin obtained as described above is considered to have a partially guanidylated structure (guanidine group) represented by the following formula:
Carbodiimide group Guanidine group
In the formula, R1 and R2 have the same meanings as defined above, and m, n, k and l are each an integer.
As seen from the aforementioned structure, the modified carbodiimide resin used for the present invention does not have any unstable groups such as acid anhydride groups, and therefore the production process control for the thermosetting resin containing it is easy. Accordingly, the present invention also provides the modified carbodiimide resin mentioned above which is suitably usable for the thermosetting resin composition.
(2) Epoxy Resin
The epoxy resin is not particularly limited so long as the modified carbodiimide resin functions as its curing agent.
Examples of the epoxy resin include glycidyl ether epoxy resins (bisphenol epoxy resins, novolak epoxy resins, cresol novolak epoxy resins and the like), glycidyl ester epoxy resins, glycidylamine epoxy resins, alicyclic epoxy resins, heterocyclic epoxy resins, liquid rubber-modified epoxy resins and the like. Preferred epoxy resins are bisphenol epoxy resins and novolak epoxy resins. These epoxy resins are used alone or as a mixture of two or more kinds of them.
(3) Thermosetting Resin Composition
The thermosetting resin composition of the present invention can be obtained by mixing the modified carbodiimide resin and the epoxy resin explained above.
While the mixing ratio of the modified carbodiimide resin and the epoxy resin may be suitably selected depending on the kind of the resins, purpose of the composition and the like, usually 1 to 400 parts by weight, preferably 5 to 200 parts by weight of the epoxy resin is used for 100 parts by weight of the modified carbodiimide resin.
The means for mixing is not particularly limited, but fusion kneading by a kneader or a hot mill, mixing in a suitable solvent inert to the modified carbodiimide resin and the epoxy resin and the like can be exemplified.
The thermosetting resin composition of the present invention may contain various additives, which have been used for conventional thermosetting resin compositions. As such additives, fiber reinforcing materials, powder or crystalline fillers (e.g., fused silica), pigments, curing catalysts promoting curing by the reaction of the modified carbodiimide resin and the epoxy resin, and the like can be mentioned. Such various additives may either be simultaneously added upon the mixing mentioned above, or added after the aforementioned mixing. They may also be added to any one of the resins mentioned above before the mixing.
The thermosetting resin composition of the present invention may be used in a ground state, if necessary. The various additives may be combined after the grinding.
The thermosetting resin composition of the present invention can be converted to a final cured product by heating to a temperature in the range of, usually 80 to 200xc2x0 C., preferably 120 to 200xc2x0 C. A cured product in a desired shape can be obtained by performing the heating in a suitable mold under pressure.
This curing is considered to be caused by crosslinking obtained by the reaction between the guanidine groups present in the modified carbodiimide resin and the epoxy groups, and the reaction between the carbodiimide groups and the epoxy groups.
In the formula, R1 and R2 have the same meanings as defined above, R3 is a divalent organic group, and x, y and z are each an integer.
According to the present invention, there are provided a thermosetting resin composition, which is excellent in an adhesive property, resistance to humidity, and heat resistance after curing, and a modified carbodiimide resin suitably used for the composition. Further, because the thermosetting resin composition of the present invention does not contain unstable reactive groups such as acid anhydride groups, it requires less labor for the production process control.


Embodiments of the invention are directed to an integrated circuit including a communication network that interconnects individual object nodes. The nodes include a receiving port and a sending port, each structured to send messages along communication pathways, which are connected between a sending and a receiving port. Individual communication pathways may operate at different clock frequencies from one another and messages sent along them may be asynchronous from one node to another. Sending ports are structured to stall until the sending port receives notice that the receiving port is able to accept a message. Additionally, sending ports include protocol information that eliminates the necessity for message timing oversight, and instead, the delivery of each message is made on the local level independent of the operating speed of the port's attached processor or of the communication network itself. Messages may be sent across clock boundaries without data loss.

Integrated circuit (IC) design and development is presently a very difficult and expensive process. An ever-widening design gap is appearing as the stringent constraints of today's ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) methodologies and EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools are causing designers to fail at effectively using all the extra gates that each new fabrication technology offers.
Full custom design has become extremely expensive, even when those designs result in massively regular structures, such as cache memory, because the exponentially increasing complexity in the low-level details of each new fabrication technology do not allow much new design in the available time. IC speeds are being limited by present day architectures, which have an ever increasing need for long wires and more and more interconnections between chip components. This increased amount of interconnection is causing a new manufacturing paradigm where defects in the wiring dominate.
As fabrication technology continues to advance to transistor densities near one billion transistors on a single die, it is becoming apparent that the steeply rising design costs, exponentially increasing verification effort, inherent limitations of present day design tools, and the inability to effectively re-use what has gone before will make future development extremely expensive and only available to few.
Illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B is an example process to create an IC using ASICs and FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array). The design begins by creating a system model, illustrated here as interconnected functions As, Bs, and Cs. The system model can be modeled in any manner; such a modeling system includes, for example, a block diagram, a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model or a data flow graph. Once the system model is finished, a software description is created by hand, which is both time-consuming and is difficult to check. The software description may be created in, for example, C, C++, Java, Matlab, Smalltalk or System C. Next the software description is hand translated in to a Register Transfer Level (RTL) description that can be used to create a logic gate model of the system. RTL is a generic term for Hardware Description Languages (HDL), such as Verilog or VHDL, which can be used to generate the logic gate model through synthesis. RTL is used to create both ASIC (FIG. 1A) or FPGA (FIG. 1B) solutions. Again, translating from the software description to RTL by hand is both time-consuming and difficult to check. For an ASIC, once synthesis has created the logic gate model, more software is used to place and route the functional gates, using semi-automated hardware layout tools. Once laid out, the generated patterns are optimized to account for optical effects in the manufacturing process. It should be noted that there are many iterations needed to optimize the process, and some of the optimizations are manually performed. Finally, a mask set is created and used to make the particular designed ASIC.
With reference to FIG. 1B, similar processes occur for creating an FPGA. Again an RTL description and synthesis is used to develop the logic gate model. Several iterations may be required to ensure the design physically fits onto the target part. Once the mapping is known, the design is tested to ensure the timing requirements are met. If the timing design requirements are not initially met, the structure of the RTL must be altered until both the mapping and the timing requirements are satisfied. For example, it is quite often necessary to have multiple repetitions of the same logic which run in parallel to ensure the timing constraints can be met; this can only be accomplished by altering the RTL description. Finally, the logic mapping for every element on the FPGA is loaded into a ROM. When the FPGA device is powered on, all the FPGA elements are automatically loaded from the ROM to create the desired function.
Because of the shrinking size of transistors and other IC components, full-custom design will require many more designers than are used at the present, which adds huge complexity and requires exponentially more time and resources to develop compared to the present state of the art. In an attempt to reduce the hardware complexity and reduce the verification risk of making a mistake in the hardware, many systems are now using a mixture of hardware and software. In this new paradigm, performance is traded-off against using software running on programmable hardware for many of the components so that functionality and bugs can be fixed after the device has been manufactured. This co-design process, where software and hardware co-exist to create the solution, is a problem that has been explored extensively in the last twenty years with little success.
Extensive re-use of hardware and software components, essential to ensuring that large, complex designs can be executed and verified within a reasonable time, has proven to be unachievable and has only been managed in a limited sense within small, tightly-knit design centers.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other limitations in the prior art.

Asynchronous communication among hardware object nodes in IC with receive and send ports protocol registers using temporary register bypass select for validity information


An optical fiber with a low-index core and a core grating has a solid and generally cylindrical annular cladding having a refractive index ncl, a central axis, an inner surface with a radius r wherein r≧2 μm, an outer surface with a radius R, and an annular thickness ΔR≧10 μm. The fiber core has the radius r and a refractive index nc, wherein ncl>nc. The grating is defined by grating elements that extend from the cladding inner surface into the core and that run generally parallel to the central axis. The grating elements define a period Λ, a width t, a spacing a and a height h, wherein 0.5<Λ/λ<1 and wherein 0.2≦t/a≦3.

Conventional optical fibers have a core with a refractive index that is higher than that of the cladding. However, new types of optical fibers have a core with a refractive index that is lower than that of the cladding (i.e., "a low-index core") and so are referred to herein as low-index fibers. The use of low-index fibers in fiber-based applications is of increasing interest because they can be made to have ultra-low loss and ultra-low nonlinearity. They can be used, for example, in optical communications systems for long-haul transmission or in laser-based optical systems that require the delivery of high optical power from the laser to a device or other optical fiber.
One type of low-index optical fiber is a hollow-core optical fiber. Two types of hollow-core fibers have been demonstrated to date. The first has a photonic bandgap structure that uses a periodic array of longitudinally running air holes in a solid material. The second has a solid cladding formed from multiple layers that surround the hollow core, wherein the multiple layers are configured in a Bragg-grating structure so that light is confined to the core.
Photonic bandgap fibers require a very high air-fill fraction (˜95%) to confine the light to the hollow core. Because of the high air-fill fraction, the bridges supporting the periodic air-hole structure are very thin (e.g., about 40-50 nm). Consequently, such bridges are difficult to make and are delicate.
On the other hand, Bragg-grating-based fibers need a very high index contrast to confine the light to the core, which is difficult to achieve using glass material. Bragg fibers have been demonstrated with the high index layer being tellurium (refractive index 4.6) and the low index layer being polymer (refractive index 1.59). Because the tellurium and polymer layers are made by two different processes, the fiber fabrication requires many process steps and is not suitable for large-scale manufacturing.

Optical fiber with a low-index core and a core grating


In one aspect, a method of forming a shape conforming material is disclosed that in one non-limiting embodiment may include: providing a base shape memory material having a glass transition temperature; and adding a selected amount of heat transfer nanoparticles to the base shape conforming material to provide the shape conforming material. In one aspect, the heat transfer nanoparticles include a core and a shell, wherein the core has a melting point below the glass transition temperature of the base shape memory material and the melting point of the shell.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to apparatus and method for completing wellbores that utilize one or more shape conformable devices or members, including, but not limited to, packers, sand screens and inflow control devices.
2. Background of the Art
Wellbores are drilled in subsurface formations for the production of hydrocarbons (oil and gas). Wells often extend to depths of more than 15,000 feet. Many such wellbores are deviated or horizontal. After a wellbore is formed, a production string is installed therein for efficient production of the hydrocarbons from subsurface formations. The production string may be installed in an open hole or a cased hole and it typically includes a tubing that extends from the surface to the wellbore depth. A variety of devices are placed inside and around the tubing for efficient production of hydrocarbons from the subsurface formations. Some of these devices may utilize materials or members that expand when heated. Such materials are generally referred to herein as "conformable materials" and the devices that utilize such materials as conformable devices. Such devices are installed on the production string in their unexpanded or compressed state or form and they expand to their intended downhole form when heated in the wellbore by fluid in the wellbore or by artificial means. Such devices include, but are not limited to, packers, sand screens, seals and certain flow control devices. Shape memory materials or swellable materials are utilized as conformable or expandable materials in devices for use in wellbore ("downhole devices"). A shape memory material has a glass transition temperature and when such a material is heated to or above such temperature, it expands, and can then be shaped into a desired expanded shape. The shape memory member may then be compressed to a desired compressed shape or state from its desired expanded shape while the temperature is at or above its glass transition temperature. If the temperature is reduced below the glass transition temperature while the member is in the compressed shape, it will retain remain in the compressed state until heated to or above its glass transition temperature. The member will expand to its desired expanded state after it remains heated for a certain time period. A swellable material expands when exposed to a heated fluid, such as oil and/or water.
A device or a member utilizing such a shape memory material may be placed or deployed in a wellbore in its initial shape. If the temperature of such a member increases to or above its glass transition temperature for a sufficient time period, it will expand to its original expanded shape. The required heat may be provided by any suitable method or mechanism. Typically, shape memory materials are heated in the wellbore by supplying a heated fluid. However, when the supply of the heated fluid is stopped, the shape memory material temperature falls to the temperature of the wellbore, which typically is below its glass transition temperature and thus ceases the expand.
Deployment rates of conformable devices can vary with the increase in temperature. Therefore, it is beneficial if the conformable devices or members retain their temperature above the onset deployment temperature of the conformable materials in the downhole environment for a period of time after the external heat supply has been stopped to ensure that the conformable device has expanded to its desire expanded shape.
The disclosure herein provides materials that contain a shape memory material and heat transfer nanoparticles that store thermal energy when external heat energy is supplied to such materials and transfer such stored heat energy to the shape memory material after the external heat energy supply has been stopped and devise that utilize such materials.

Conformable materials containing heat transfer nanoparticles and devices made using same


The present embodiments relate to compounds with physiological effects, such as the activation of hematopoietic growth factor receptors. The present embodiments also relate to use of the compounds to treat a variety of conditions, diseases and ailments such as hematopoietic conditions and disorders.

Hematopoietic growth factor (HGF) represents a family of biological molecules such as glycoproteins with important regulatory functions in the processes of proliferation, differentiation, and functional activation of hematopoietic progenitors and mature blood cells. HGF compounds can be potent regulators of blood cell proliferation and development in the bone marrow. They are able to augment hematopoiesis when bone marrow dysfunction exists. Recombinant DNA technology has made it possible to clone the genes responsible for many of these factors.
One example of an HGF is the glycoprotein hormone erythropoietin (EPO). EPO is an essential viability and growth factor for the erythrocytic progenitors. EPO is a member of the family of class I cytokines which fold into a compact globular structure consisting of 4 α-helical bundles. Its molecular mass is 30.4 kDa, although it migrates with an apparent size of 34-38 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. The peptide core of 165 amino acids suffices for receptor-binding and in vitro stimulation of erythropoiesis, while the carbohydrate portion (40% of the total molecule) is required for the in vivo survival of the hormone. The 4 carbohydrate chains of EPO have been analyzed in detail. The 3 complex-type N-linked oligosaccharides at asparagines 24, 38 and 83 appear involved in stabilizing EPO in circulation. EPO is mainly produced by hepatocytes during the fetal stage. After birth, almost all circulating EPO originates from peritubular fibroblast-like cells located in the cortex of the kidneys. Transcription factors of the GATA-family may be important in the control of the time-specific and tissue-specific expression of the EPO gene. In adults, minor amounts of EPO mRNA are expressed in liver parenchyma, spleen, lung, testis and brain. In brain, EPO exerts neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects, which are separate from the action of circulating EPO on erythropoietic tissues. See e.g., Jelkmann, W., Internal Medicine Vol. 43, No. 8 (August 2004).

Hematopoietic growth factor mimetic small molecule compounds and their uses


The present invention relates to a novel method of inhibiting gap junction-mediated signaling in pyramid cells. Pyramidal gap junctions are quickly and reversibly inhibited by beta-amyloid or biologically active fragments thereof. The present invention also relates to the use of beta-amyloid as an anticonvulsant for the treatment of epilepsy and other pathological hypersynchrony conditions in humans and non-human animals.

Synapses are specialized junctions through which cells of the nervous system signal to one another and to non-neuronal cells such as muscle or gland cells. A cell sending a signal is referred to as a pre-synaptic cell and a cell receiving a signal as a post-synaptic cell. Synapses can be electrical or chemical. Chemical synapses are more common and are much wider, typically 20 to 40 nm.
An electrical synapse is a reciprocal, mechanical, and electrically conductive link between two neurons that forms at a narrow gap between the pre- and post-synaptic cells. Electrical synapses are also called gap junctions. A gap junction is formed by many intercellular protein complexes or junctional channels that directly connect the cytoplasm between adjacent cells. The intercellular protein complex may differ among the gap junctions formed by different types of neurons. Typically, gap junctions are about 3.5 nm across and allow direct transmission of signals (including chemical and electrical signals) between neurons. Through a gap junction, molecules and ions can freely pass between the connected cells. Unlike chemical synapses, electrical synapses do not need receptors to recognize chemical messengers, thus signaling across electrical synapses is faster than that which occurs across chemical synapses. Because of the speed of transmission, electrical synapses occur in escape mechanisms and other processes that require quick responses.
It has been revealed that synchronization of neuronal activity is the most important and primary function of gap junctions in the mammalian central nervous system (Bennett, M. V. & Zukin, R. S., Neuron 41, 495-511 (2004); Galarreta, M. & Hestrin, S., Nat Rev Neurosci 2, 425-33 (2001); Connors, B. W. & Long, M. A., Annu Rev Neurosci 27, 393-418 (2004); Cruikshank, S. J., et al., Prog Brain Res 149, 41-57 (2005)). The mammalian neocortex and hippocampus often generate synchronized, rhythmic patterns of activity that vary with behavioral states. Synchronized neuronal activity can exhibit a fast waveform (4-12 Hz for θ frequencies and 20-70 Hz for y frequencies) or an ultrafast waveform (called "ripple" oscillations in the range of 100-600 Hz).
Pyramidal cells are large, pyramid-shaped excitatory neurons found in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Gap junctions between pyramid cells are fundamental to the generation of synchronized activity, especially ultrafast frequency synchronizations (Maier, N. et al., J Physiol 541, 521-8 (2002); Hormuzdi, S. G. et al., Neuron 31, 487-95 (2001); Buhl, D. L., et al., J Neurosci 23, 1013-8 (2003)). These ultrafast synchronizations may play a role in neuronal processing in the hippocampal and neocortical areas, such as sensory perception, motor performance, attention, and memory consolidation (Bennett, M. V. & Zukin, R. S., Neuron 41, 495-511 (2004)). Electrophysiological studies have implicated the ultrafast rhythms via pyramidal gap junctions in the generation of pathological hypersynchrony of neuronal activity. Epilepsy seizures are one example of such hypersynchrony (Ponomarenko, A. A., et al., Usp Fiziol Nauk 33, 34-42 (2002); Nyikos, L., et al., Neuroscience 121, 705-17 (2003); Nemani, V. M. & Binder, D. K., Histol Histopathol 20, 253-9 (2005)). Gap junction activity is the synaptic basis for epilepsy seizure.
Gap junction inhibitors have shown powerful anticonvulsant effects, in both in vitro and in vivo studies (Nyikos, L., et al., Neuroscience 121, 705-17 (2003)). Known gap junction inhibitors include octanol, heptanol, carbenoxolone, oleamide, halothane, and 18-α and 18-β-glycyrrhetinic acid. Due to the high frequency of side effects, the use of these compounds is limited and they can be unreliable as therapeutics (Yukari Takeda et al., Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 288: G832-G841 (2005); Abrahamsson H, and Dotevall G., Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl., 55:117-20 (1979)). What is needed is a method of inhibiting gap junction activity with fewer side effects.

Reversible inhibition of pyramidal gap junction activity


A joined body includes a first member having a female portion, and a second member having a male portion inserted in the female portion at one end, and an annular groove along an outer circumference of the male portion. The first member and the second member are fitted to each other. A plurality of joint portions is formed on a side wall of the female portion. The joint portions are joined to the male portion by being pushed in the annular groove. A pressing portion is formed at the female portion so as to face a position of the male portion axially different from the annular groove of the male portion. The pressing portion pressed against the male portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a joined body, a shock absorber, and a method for manufacturing a shock absorber.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 2008-55483 discloses a technique for fitting a female portion to a male portion with a plurality of annular grooves formed thereon, and mechanically clinching the female portion in a staggered manner, thereby joining the male portion and the female portion.

Joined body, shock absorber, and method for manufacturing shock absorber


Techniques are described for generating and actively verifying a boot code associated with a peripheral device of a computer system to prevent potential security threats the boot code may introduce into the computer system. The techniques for generating boot code entail generating the boot code from a high-level programming language using a verification application program interface (API). The API aids in generating a certificate, which is associated with the boot code in that the certificate describes operation of the boot code. After generating the boot code and associated certificate, the two are loaded onto a memory module of the peripheral device. Once the peripheral device is connected to the computer system, the computer system may retrieve the boot code and certificate. The computer system utilizes techniques to actively verify the boot code by performing a security check on the boot code in accordance with the associated certificate. Finally, the computer system executes the boot code based on a result of the security check.

During startup, a typical computing device, such as a desktop computer, invokes a boot process to initialize the computing device and associated peripheral devices. The process of initializing each peripheral device is typically controlled by software, referred to as boot firmware, which is often stored in a read-only memory (ROM) on the computing device or on the respective peripheral device. After the computing device executes the boot firmware associated with each peripheral device, the computing device launches an operating system and possibly other software applications.
Until the device loads the operating system and any subsequent security software applications that rely on the operating system, the computing device may be susceptible to attack. In particular, it is possible for boot firmware to introduce serious security threats either accidentally or maliciously prior to the execution of the operating system and any security software applications that otherwise may neutralize the posed security threat. As a result, by the time the operating system and security software applications are available, the security of the computing device may have already been compromised. Most conventional computing devices offer little resistance to security threats introduced by boot firmware.
In response to potential boot firmware security breaches, some computing devices provide security measures to ensure that the boot firmware comes from a trusted source. These security measures rely on digital signatures, which uniquely identify the source of the associated boot firmware. The computing device can decode a digital signature to identify the source of the boot firmware and accept or reject the boot firmware based on the source. In this manner, the computing device can gauge the reliability of boot firmware based on the source, allowing the computing device to execute only boot firmware from trusted sources.
One potential deficiency of this approach is that these approaches do not scale well. Typically, there are numerous sources generating boot firmware and the number of sources is growing. Furthermore, every new source must be verified so that the associated boot firmware may be executed. Thus, this approach yields to difficulties that arise as the number of sources grows, since the approach is dependent on the source.
Another potential deficiency of this approach is that the computing device may verify the reliability of the boot firmware only once. More specifically, the computing device receives the boot firmware and associated digital signature from the peripheral device, decodes the digital signature to accept or reject the boot firmware and executes only the accepted boot firmware. Thereafter, however, the computing device executes the boot firmware and assumes that the boot firmware is from the reliable source and has not changed. Other security measures may determine changes since the boot firmware was accepted and executes only boot firmware that has not changed from the accepted boot firmware. A computing device may use these two security measures in conjunction in an attempt to prevent the execution of boot firmware from unreliable sources, which may be malicious in nature, and prevent reliable boot firmware from being altered with malicious intent.
However, these security measures are passive measures, enforcing security by preserving trust, such as verifying the reputation of a source. Boot firmware from a malicious source can be installed under the guise of a reliable source, e.g., by misappropriating the digital credentials of the reliable source. In addition, even reliable sources can produce boot firmware that poses security threats accidentally through programmer error. Both of these pose threats which passive security measures are incapable of preventing.


A driving gear is rotated in cooperation with zooming of a taking lens. The driving gear and a cam cylinder are attached to an axis that is supported by a finder frame. A projection of the driving gear is inserted into a cutout of the cam cylinder. Since the projection contacts with an edge of the cut out on zooming the taking lens, the rotation of the driving gear is transmitted to the cam cylinder. The cam cylinder moves a finder zoom system to change finder magnification. When the driving gear makes a reverse rotation for absorbing the backlash of the taking lens or focusing, the driving gear makes an idle rotation only for the space between the cutout and the projection. The finder magnification is unchanged while the driving gear is idly rotating. On screwing an adjustment screw of the finder frame, the cylindrical cam 36 moves towards an axial direction. The finder visibility is adjusted as zoom lenses 33, 34 move together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom finder device, for changing a finder magnification in cooperation with zooming of a taking lens.
2. Background Arts
A zoom compact camera adopts a zoom finder device, using a zoom lens as a taking lens. The zoom finder device varies finder magnification in cooperation with a zooming of the taking lens. In a recent zoom compact camera, it is widely used a zoom finder device of real image system that contains a finder optical system in compact. According to the zoom finder device of real image system, a subject image is focused on an image plane in the finder optical system as an aerial image, which is magnified to observe through an eyepiece lens. For instance, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 9-211556, the finder magnification is changed by use of a cam, which moves in cooperation with zooming of the taking lens, to move the finder zoom lens disposed in front of the imaging plane.
It is necessary to adjust the focus of an eyepiece lens on the image plane of aerial image to facilitate a finder image to observe. If proper adjustment is not performed, it is extremely hard to observe the aerial image depending on a photographer""s vision. Standard visibility adjustment is performed upon manufacture. For adjustment visibility, the eyepiece lens is moved to an optical axis direction, to coincide the focus of the eyepiece lens with the aerial image plane.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 11-231199, many recent compact cameras use a step zoom system that sets a zooming position of the taking lens stepwise. The step zoom system puts a focusing section between two zooming sections, to conduct zooming and focusing alternately while a movable lens barrel is rotating successively. The step zoom system can perform zooming and focusing by a single lens motor. Furthermore, there is a way for keeping the taking zoom lens in contact with one side of a cam groove so as to position the taking zoom lens in a right position, without an influence of backlash of gear and cam. On setting the movable lens barrel at a desired zooming position, it stops the movable lens barrel while moving from a predetermined direction at any time, regardless of either zooming towards a telephoto end or a wide-angle end. In other words, according to the camera that the lens motor makes a forwarding rotation to zoom from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end to stop, on zooming from the telephoto end to the wide-angle end, the lens motor makes a reverse rotation to move the movable lens barrel a little over the predetermined zooming position, then rotates the lens motor forward for the surplus to stop the movable lens barrel at the predetermined zooming position.
As a surplus space is more and more scarce around the eyepiece lens with the progress of compact of a camera, visibility adjustment by moving the eyepiece lens is becoming hard. For instance, in case the eyepiece lens and an erect prism are integrally formed by plastic so as to compact the zoom finder device, the erect prism must be moved for visibility adjustment. This not only prevents the zoom finder device from realizing compactness, but also complicates structure.
Since the finder magnification is changed in accordance with the drive of the lens motor, the step zoom system also moves the finder lens in spite of the drive of the lens motor for focusing. It is not preferable for causing a change of finder magnification. Furthermore, on keeping the taking zoom lens in contact with one side of the cam, it causes a change of finder magnification during the offset. And making use of the offset stroke for focusing of the taking lens also changes the finder magnification.
A main object of the present invention is to provide a zoom finder device that can adjust visibility without making a finder optical system complicated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a zoom finder device, for adjustment visibility with an eyepiece lens fixed.
Further object of the present invention is to provide a zoom finder device whose finder magnification is unchanged while focusing a taking lens or offsetting a taking zoom lens.
To attain the above objects and the other objects, according to the zoom finder device of the present invention, a cam cylinder which changes finder magnification is slidable in an axial direction. By adjusting the position of the cam cylinder in the axial direction, the visibility adjustment of the finder optical system is conducted. A driving gear makes a rotation in cooperation with zooming of the taking lens. The rotation of the driving gear is transmitted to the cam cylinder through a transmission mechanism, and in cooperation with zooming of the taking lens the finder magnification is changed. The transmission mechanism has an idle section that the driving gear gets disconnected with the cam cylinder. When the driving gear is switched its rotational direction for focusing or keep one-sided, the finder magnification is unchanged on account of the idle section.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is provided with a compression coiled spring and an adjustment screw. The compression coiled spring is stored in a hollow part of the cam cylinder, for urging the cam cylinder in a direction to separate from the driving gear. And the adjustment screw, which is threaded into the finder frame to support the cam cylinder rotatably, receives the edge of the cam cylinder whose tip is biased by the compression coiled spring. The position of the cam cylinder in the optical axis direction is adjusted by the insertion amount of the adjustment screw. Furthermore, a cutout and a projection are formed in the cam cylinder and the driving gear. The region where the projection moves within the cutout becomes the idle section.
According to the present invention, visibility of the finder optical system can be adjusted without making the finder optical system complicated and with the eyepiece lens fixed, by moving the cam cylinder in an axial direction. Visibility of the finder optical system is easily adjusted by changing the insertion amount of the adjustment screw. In addition to that, since the idle section is formed in the transmission mechanism that transmits zooming movement to the cam cylinder, the finder magnification is not changed during focusing or the offset of the step zoom.


A system for bar code error detection in large volume mailings against a print run which prints the bar code on a mail piece. The system checks the print quality of the bar code and compares it with pre-selected standards. The bar code is then decoded, and compared to a database in the computer to confirm that the bar code is valid. The system then prints out a report to certify the sampling, comparisons and error rate for all verification tests. The report may be used by the United States Post Office to expedite bulk mailing by a direct mailer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of bar code and address error detection in large volume (bulk) mailing to improve quality control. Specifically, this invention relates to a system and method that allows a mass mailer to give a report to the U.S. Post Office that the bulk mailing has passed a certain specification.
2. Description of Related Art
The U.S. Post Office handles the largest volume of mail in the world. A large portion of the mail being handled in the United States results from high volume mailings and bulk mailings by companies who use direct mailing in their businesses on a daily basis.
In general, about 10 percent of the incoming mails of the U.S. Post Office have printing errors on the post net bar code. In terms of reliablility, the U.S. Post Office requires a 90 percent printing accuracy and returns them to direct mailing companies with penalties unless they meet the criteria. So the burden of direct mail companies grows heavier as the volume of mail increases.
The MERLIN Prints Mail Evaluation Readability Lookup Instrument (system of the United States Post Office) operates air detection in decoding software for samples of total mailings from direct mailing companies and report the MERLIN Bar code Quality Report to the direct mailing company. The MERLIN Bar code Quality Report displays the bar code evaluation results using a set of error codes that are displayed to the post net bar code image and summarized at the bottom of the report.
Optical readers are currently used to read and decipher bar codes. Such scanners are primarily used to read and record only. They are not used in mail systems to evaluate the physical characteristics of a bar code nor to evaluate the accuracy of a bar code as it reflects the known data contained in the database as signified by the bar code.
Address data, such as name, address, city, state and zip code, is generated on mail pieces by many techniques. Among those techniques are inkjet and laser printing. Most developed countries have automated their postal systems by integrating one of many bar code formats to identify and route mail to its destination through their routing processes. These processes are largely based upon high-speed bar code readers and sorters. The efficiency of these machines and the nation's postal system as a whole is largely dependent upon the accuracy and readability of the bar code which has been printed on the mail.
To improve efficiency, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has introduced computer-based processes of several steps which are available to bulk mailers. In fact, the USPS offers a reduced postage rate for large volume mailers, so long as the mail pieces have the proper addresses and bar codes. The processes are designed to correct data such as street, city, state and zip code to ensure that they reflect a deliverable address in the USPS standard format. In addition, the USPS maintains and makes available an updated database which reflects the most recent occupant for each deliverable address and the most recent address for each person, company or entity receiving mail. Naturally, the accuracy of this database depends upon the mail recipient having provided updated information to the USPS. To obtain a certain postage discount from the USPS, each mailer must process his or her mailing data against the above referenced USPS databases to certify that the necessary steps to achieve the accuracy required for the discount have been taken.
Experience with the USPS has revealed the need for a system to confirm the accuracy and readability of mail delivered to the USPS by mailers before it is submitted to the USPS. The system captures the image of each piece of mail in a sample of each mailing and measures several factors. These factors include the physical readability of the information on the piece of mail, compliance of the bar code with applicable standards, and the accuracy of the address data.
The present U.S. Post Office error detection process is very slow. Therefore, it must rely on a small sample, such as approximately 1,000 pieces from a mailing of approximately 10,000 pieces. The sample size could be increased, but would slow down the process even further. Currently, on many occasions the process is totally ignored and the mail sent forward in order to clear a back-log of mail. Often times the slowness of the process causes gridlock at a USPS post office Business Mail Unit receiving dock.
The bulk or high volume mailer benefits substantially from the present invention because the mailer has an opportunity to know while the print job is being processed that the work conforms to USPS requirements. In addition, the savings in labor for the USPS are substantial. If a mailer fails to comply with USPS standards, and the mailer does not know until the USPS informs him or her, then the mailer has two alternatives: abandon the postal discount or reprint the information on the pieces of mail. For large mailings, such as those in the thousands or millions, the financial consequences for failure are enormous.
The true purpose of the present invention is to not really detect defects or errors in specific bulk mailings. The system and method allow a mass large volume mailer to give a report to the U.S. Post Office which certifies the fact that the mailing has passed a certain AQL level according to the appropriate military specification or mill spec. This will allow direct mailers that deal with high volumes of mail to deliver to the Post Office large mailings that will not have to be verified by the Post Office but which would be acceptable to the Post Office without time consuming verification. At the same time, the direct mailer by using the present invention feel comfortable that the error rates in the mailers are greatly reduced because of the present invention.

System and method of bar code error detection in large volume mailing


The present invention provides a recording tape cartridge including an engagement portion formed on a hub of a reel; a brake member provided movable along an axial-direction, regulating reel rotation by engaging with the engaging portion and releasing the engagement to allow reel rotation; a component mounting portion formed at a position further at inner-side of the hub; a lock member, mounted at the component mounting portion movable in a radial-direction and provided between the reel and the case to regulate movement of the reel in the axial-direction, which moves away from the reel by being pressed by the brake member to allow movement of the reel, the lock member having a center of gravity provided along a direction in which the brake member initially abuts with and presses the lock member; and a biasing member biasing the lock member in the radial-direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording tape cartridge. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a recording tape cartridge in which a single reel, with a recording tape such as a magnetic tape usable as a recording and reproducing medium for a computer or the like being wound thereon, is accommodated in a case.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has heretofore been known a recording tape cartridge in which a recording tape such as a magnetic tape usable as a recording and reproducing medium for a computer or the like is wound on a reel, and the reel is rotatably accommodated in a case formed from a synthetic resin. The recording tape cartridge is arranged such that when in use (when loaded into a drive device), the reel is rotatable in the case, while when in non-use (when not loaded into a drive device), the reel is locked so as to be non-rotatable in the case.
More specifically, the recording tape cartridge includes a brake section for preventing the reel from being rotated within the case when the cartridge is in non-use. The brake section may be constructed such that a brake member, which for example is non-rotatable with respect to the case, can be engaged with the reel.
As shown in FIG. 18, for example, a brake member 200 is configured in the form of a disk which is disposed in such a manner as to be vertically movable within a bottomed, generally cylindrical shape reel hub 204 of a reel 202. A pair of engagement projections 206 which define an approximate U shape as seen in a plan view are provided upright on the upper surface of the brake member 200. A pair of rotation regulating ribs 210 depending from the inner surface of an upper case section 208 are inserted inside the engagement projections 206, thereby making the brake member 200 non-rotatable with respect to the case 212.
Further, the brake member 200 is normally biased toward a bottom wall 216 of the reel hub 204 with the aid of a biasing member such as compression coil spring 214, so that an annular brake gear 218 formed in the lower surface of the brake member 200 is meshed with an annular engagement gear 220 formed in the upper surface of the bottom wall 216 of the reel hub 204. In this manner, the reel 202 is prevented from inadvertent rotation.
Still further, a generally cylindrical operation projection 222, which is projectingly provided at an axial center portion of the lower surface of the brake member 200, is inserted in a through hole 216A formed in an axial center portion of the bottom wall 216 of the reel hub 204, and exposed through a gear opening 226 formed substantially at a center portion of a lower case half 224. In an attempt to make the reel 202 rotatable, the operation projection 222 (brake member 200) is pushed upward, and as a result the brake gear 218 is disposed out of engagement with the engagement gear 220 (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,747, for example).
However, with the above-described arrangement, when the recording tape cartridge is in a non-use state, the reel 202 is movable upward (movable axially of the reel 202) against a biasing force of the biasing member such as compression coil spring 214. It is likely that in case the bottom wall 216 of the reel hub 204 is moved upward because of the recording tape cartridge being impacted due to dropping or the like, the brake member 200 becomes tilted and jammed at the edge of the through hole 216A while being in a tilted orientation (being on the point of falling) as shown in the drawing.
If the recording tape cartridge is loaded into a drive device under such a condition, there tends to arise a problem that not only the recording/reproducing operation cannot be performed but also the recording tape cartridge is damaged or the drive device malfunctions. Another problem is that an adverse affect arises since the reel becomes rotatable when in non-use, the recording tape tends to get wrinkled or torn off.


Methods and compositions for inducing or stimulating the growth of body or cranial hair using a peptide which comprises the Lysine-Proline-Valine sequence are described.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the formulation, in a physiologically acceptable medium, of cosmetic/pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of at least one peptide containing the Lysine-Proline-Valine tripeptide, with the exception of any peptide containing the Lysine-Proline-Valine sequence immediately preceded by an Histidine residue, or of any functional biological equivalent thereof, for promoting or stimulating the growth and/or limiting the loss of body and/or head hair.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In humans, hair growth and its renewal are principally determined by the activity of the hair follicles. Their activity is cyclical and comprises essentially three phases, namely, the anagenic phase, the catagenic phase and the telogenic phase.
The active anagenic phase, or growth phase, which lasts several years and during which the hair grows longer, is followed by a very short and transitory catagentic phase, which lasts a few weeks, and then by a quiescent phase, known as the telogenic phase, which lasts a few months.
At the end of the quiescent period, the hair falls out and another cycle recommences. The head of hair is thus constantly renewed and, of the approximately 150,000 hairs which a head of hair contains, at each instant, approximately 10% of them are at rest and will therefore be replaced in a few months.
In a significant number of cases, early hair loss occurs in subjects who are genetically predisposed thereto and it affects men in particular. It is more particularly androgenetic or androgenic alopecia or, alternatively, androgeno-genetic alopecia.
This alopecia is essentially due to a disturbance in hair renewal which results, at first, in an acceleration in the frequency of the cycles at the expense of the quality of the hair and then of its amount. A progressive thinning of the head of hair takes place by regression of the so-called "terminal" hairs to the downy stage. Regions are preferentially affected, in particular in men the region between the temple and the forehead and, in women, a diffuse alopecia of the vertex is observed.
For many years in the cosmetic or pharmaceutical industry, active agents have been sought for suppressing or reducing the effect of alopecia and, in particular, for inducing or stimulating hair growth or decreasing hair loss.
From this perspective, a large number of highly varied active compounds have already been developed, such as, for example, 2,4-diamino-6-piperidinopyrimidine 3-oxide or "Minoxidil" described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,812 or, alternatively, its many derivatives, such as those described, for example, in EP-353,123, EP-356,271, EP-408,442, EP-522,964, EP-420,707, EP-459,890 and EP-519,819.
Also exemplary are 6-amino-1,2-dihydro-1-hydroxy-2-imino-4-piperidinopyrimidine and derivatives thereof, which are more particularly described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,619.
It generally remains that it would be advantageous and useful to develop active compounds other than those already known which are potentially more active and/or less toxic, for example compounds which act either on the hair follicle, by promoting its growth, or on the hair cycle, by extending, for example, the anagenic phase, which would have the effect of delaying the change to the quiescent phases and thus of reducing the frequency of the cycles.

Modulating body/cranial hair growth with derivatives of the .alpha.-type melanocyte-stimulating hormone


A photosensitive resin composition for forming light shielding films comprising a mixture of; 10 to 60 parts by weight of a high molecular weight polymeric binder; 15 to 50 parts by weight of a photopolymerizable monomer; 0.1 to 30 parts by weight of a photopolymerization initiator; and at least 20 parts by weight of a light shielding pigment comprising carbon black coated with resin for forming black matrices such as CRT displays and liquid crystal panels; a black matrix made from by said photosensitive resin composition; and a method for producing said black matrix comprising the steps of coating said photosensitive resin composition comprising a high molecular weight polymeric binder, a photopolymerizable monomer, a photopolymerization initiator, and a light shielding pigment consisting of carbon black coated with resin on a substrate, selectively radiating an activated beam, and developing the coating using an alkaline aqueous solution to form a pattern. The blackmatrix maintains high image contrast, and excels in electric insulation.

A liquid crystal panel, particularly a liquid crystal panel of the TN systems and the STN systems has a structure in which a black matrix is provided on a glass substrate for emphasizing the contrast of images, on which a transparent protective film, a transparent electrode, an orientation film, liquid crystals, a transparent electrode, a transparent protective film, a back light and the like are sequentially laminated, and sealing portions for maintaining the air tightness of the edges of said members. In color liquid crystal panel, color filters are also provided. In order that such a liquid crystal display panel maintains the contrast of images high, the light shielding capacity of the black matrix must be an optical density value (hereafter simply referred to as OD value) of 1.5 or more. Moreover, due to the problems of color filters and planarizing of transparent protective films, the black matrix must be as thin as possible. The black matrix is produced by photolithography after dissolving a photosensitive resin composition for forming a light shielding film containing a light shielding pigment and a photosensitive resin in a solvent, coating the solution on the surface of a liquid crystal panel substrate, and drying the coating. It is essential for obtaining a black matrix of a high OD value, that a highly light-shielding pigment is used, and carbon black having a high light shielding capacity is normally used.
In a simple matrix liquid crystal display panel such as that of the STN system having conventional black matrix described above, or a TFT-on-array display, voltage between transparent electrodes holding liquid crystals must be constant to keep images displayed even. However, since carbon black is conductive and electric current leaks from the transparent electrodes to the black matrix, the voltage is difficult to be constant, and time for operation using a battery cannot be increased. In addition, from the structural nature of the liquid crystal display panel, electric current easily leaks from the sealing portion of the panel, which makes more difficult to make the voltage constant. In order to solve such problems, photosensitive resin compositions for forming shielding films containing inorganic pigments such as titanium black, or organic pigments such as perylene black have been proposed, but it has been difficult to achieve high OD values, and black matrix layers must be thickened for obtaining high contrast. This results in disadvantages in that the planarization of color filters and transparent protective films is difficult, and images displayed become uneven.
In these situations, we, the present inventors have assiduously studied so as to develope a photosensitive resin composition for forming light shielding films and, as a result, have found that the above problems were solved by incorporating carbon black coated with resin in the photosensitive resin composition for forming light shielding films. On the basis of these findings, we have completed the present invention.

Photosensitive resin composition for forming light shielding films, black matrix formed by the same, and method for the production thereof


Lens barrel capable of increasing shooting magnification while being miniaturized. A first lens group is caused to move in a direction of an optical axis by rotation of a second cam ring following rotation of a drive ring which has a focus cam groove on an inner periphery and is disposed on an outer periphery of a fixed cam ring having a cam groove and a rectilinear groove on an inner periphery. A second cam groove is disposed behind the first lens group in the direction of the optical axis. Rotation of the drive ring causes a follower of a focus group holding unit, which holds the second lens group, to follow the focus cam groove while being guided to move rectilinearly by the rectilinear groove. The follower following the focus cam groove causes the focus group holding unit to move in the direction of the optical axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus such as a digital camera, and in particular to a structure of a lens barrel which the image pickup apparatus has.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital cameras that are exemplary image pickup apparatuses storing images, which are obtained using an image pickup device such as a CCD or a CMOS, in a semiconductor memory or the like are becoming popular. In such digital cameras, the shooting angle of view is varied (so-called zooming operation) by changing the intervals between a plurality of lens groups.
In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for increasing zooming magnification while making a body (camera main body) thinner. Accordingly, a structure that enables miniaturization of a body while securing the longest possible movement strokes of lens groups is desired.
Therefore, in a so-called retractable zoom lens barrel, it is necessary to form cam grooves in cam cylinders in a manner extending in a direction of an optical axis so as to secure long movement strokes of lens groups. For example, there has been proposed an arrangement in which a cam groove is formed over the entire width of one extended cam cylinder in the direction of an optical axis so as to secure a long movement stroke of a lens group inside, and a cam groove is also provided outside the cam cylinder to hold a lens group and move the lens group in the direction of the optical axis (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2010-156870). Also, there has been proposed an arrangement in which a cam groove is formed in a fixed cam cylinder, which is never extended, over the entire width thereof in a direction of an optical axis so as to secure a long movement stroke of a lens group inside (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-228384).
However, according to the techniques described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2010-156870 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-228384, the number of optical systems such as lens groups that can be placed inside a cam cylinder is limited, and it is necessary to arrange the optical systems with consideration given to the balance between cam groove stroke and rotation phase. In this case, if the length of a cam cylinder in a direction of an optical axis is required to be long so as to form such a cam groove as to obtain a desired stroke, this will bring about upsizing of a lens barrel.

Lens barrel capable of increasing shooting magnification while being miniaturized, and image pickup apparatus