An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a developing apparatus, a developer density detection portion, an image density detection portion, an environment detection portion, and a developer replenishing apparatus. The image forming apparatus further includes a control portion for performing a replenishing operation of the developer replenishing apparatus. The control portion also performs an image density control for controlling an electrostatic image forming condition of the image forming portion. When a detection result by the environment detection portion is changed by a predetermined value or the replenishment developer is renewed, the image forming apparatus advances to a mode of performing the image density control, while performing the replenishing operation by developer replenishing apparatus based on the detection result of the developer density detecting portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a laser beam printer, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus using a two-component developer.
2. Related Background Art
Heretofore, in general, in an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic or an electrostatic recording system such as a copying machine which uses a two-component developer mainly composed of a toner and a carrier, when the toner is consumed and a developer density inside an developing apparatus, that is, a mixture ratio of the toner to the carrier (hereinafter referred to as "TD ratio") changes, so that an image of a low image ratio is continuously reproduced, the imbedding of an external additive externally added for giving fluidity to the toner as well as adherence of the toner and the external additive to the carrier surface have often changed developing property and transferring property, thereby remarkably deteriorating these properties.
Hence, to maintain the TD ratio which is a toner density in the developer and the density of a formed image constant, a technique for accurately detecting this TD and the image density becomes important.
The image forming apparatus adapting the two-component developer system is provided with a replenishment developer container (replenishment container) connected to a developer container for replenishing a consumed toner included in the developer inside the developer container which is a developer containing portion of a developing apparatus. The replenishment developer container contains a replenishment toner as a developer cartridge, and is usually detachably attachable so as to be replaced when an inner toner is consumed. A toner replenishing control is proposed and put to a practical use, which decides a toner amount to be replenished to the developing apparatus by the replenishment container so that a detection value by an image density detection and the TD ratio detection of the developer inside the developer container (hereinafter referred to as "developer density detection") is always maintained constant.
In other words, according to the above described toner replenishing control, a lowering of toner charge amount over a long period of time during image formation is avoided by adequately lowering the toner density of the two component developer of the developing container, and the image density during image formation is maintained constant over a long period of time.
The toner replenishing control is executed at a pre-rotation time which is a non image time of the image formation, and when an image density lowering is detected by image density detecting means (image density sensor) in an density detection developed image (patch), the toner of the developer inside the developing apparatus is replenished. In case a replenishing amount from the replenishment container to the developing apparatus based on this image density detection result becomes excessive, a signal of the replenishing amount to be excessive is sent out by developer density detection inside the developing apparatus, and a control of replenishing amount as well as a control of stopping the replenishment are performed.
In general, the developer density detection is performed by developer density detecting means such as a light sensor or a magnetic permeability detection sensor and the like provided in the developing apparatus where the developer is contained. In the case of the light sensor, by irradiating a light, the carrier is attracted because of its ordinary black color, and the TD ratio is discriminated by detecting a change in the toner amount, that is, the reflected light amount corresponding to the TD ratio. The magnetic permeability detection sensor discriminates the TD ratio by detecting an apparent magnetic permeability change in the developer, which lowers when the TD ratio rises.
In the meantime, the detection of the image density which is a toner bearing amount in the image portion of an image to be formed, in the case of the image forming apparatus of the electrophotographic system already charged, forms a density detection electrostatic latent image (patch latent image) by a predetermined latent image contrast on an image bearing member such as a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member (photosensitive drum), and develops this patch latent image by the two-component developer contained in the developing apparatus, and takes it as the density detection developed image (patch). On this patch image, a light is irradiated by the light sensor as the image density sensor, and the detection is performed depending on various magnitudes of the reflected light.
While the electrostatic latent image is formed by changing a surface potential in the image portion of the uniformly charged image bearing member, the difference of the surface potential between the non-image portion and the image portion is the latent image contrast. In the image forming apparatus of the electrophotographic system, since the image bearing member is a photosensitive drum, in the toner replenishing control, the charged potential and the exposed light amount are adjusted so as to become a predetermined latent image contrast on this photosensitive drum, thereby forming a patch latent image.
Incidentally, at the installing time of the image forming apparatus and at the replacing time of the developer, though a new developer is filled in the developing apparatus, the developer right after being transferred to the developing apparatus inside the image forming apparatus from a container to be used and hermetically sealed at the time of shipment is in a state of being moisture conditioned to a moisture amount inside the container before the transfer, and the developer is gradually exposed to the outside air inside the developing apparatus, and is moisture conditioned to the moisture amount detected by environmental detecting means (environmental sensor) provided inside the image forming apparatus. During this moisture conditioning, a tribo-electrostatic charge (tribo) in the developer also is changed from a value inside the replenishment container to a value corresponding to the moisture amount detected by the environmental sensor.
Here, to correspond to the change of endurance and environment, a patch is periodically formed by a predetermined density, and by detecting an output value of the image density, a density signal from the apparatus control portion is corrected, and based on that information, the latent image contrast, which is a latent image forming condition to form a patch latent image by the toner replenishing control, is changed. In this manner, the toner replenishing control can be performed by the latent image contrast corresponding to the environment at that time. Further, at this time, a gradation control is also executed, and by finding the latent image contrast in each gradation, a control to maintain a desired gradation characteristic can be performed.
Here, when a periodic control for deciding the latent image contrast according to this environment is performed by the patch of the maximum image density in the predetermined density, that is, the maximum image density developed image, a scope of the detection density is broadened out and becomes preferable, and thus, the periodic control is often executed as a so-called maximum image density control (Dmax control). Since the Dmax control takes a time to execute in a pre-rotation for every image formation, at the rising time of the apparatus and after having risen the apparatus, the Dmax control is executed at periodically determined intervals depending on the number of image formation sheets and time.
That is, at the drastically changed time of an apparatus environment or at the initial density setting time by the developer inside the developing apparatus or at the rise time of the apparatus after replenishment or replacement of the developer from the outside, the-maximum image density control is executed, so that the latent image contrast set up by such maximum image density control according to the detection value of the environmental sensor by the subsequent toner replenishing control is used and controlled so as to become a reference density for the entire environment.
However, in recent years, because of a trend toward a high image quality, the toner and carrier inside the developer come to become small in diameter, and a superficial area as the developer becomes large, and a moisture conditioning time of the developer tends to be long.
Hence, in case the installing environment of the apparatus drastically changes, the developer is not sufficiently moisture-conditioned, and before the tribo becomes a value corresponding to a moisture amount detected by the environmental sensor, a so-called environmental mismatch state, in which a patch image detection timing in the maximum image density control is invited, occurs. That is, in this maximum image density control, a situation where the environment and the latent image are set in a mismatched state occurs. Particularly, at the installing time of the image forming apparatus, and at the initial setting time of the patch image detection right after the replacement of the developer, this environmental mismatch state tends to occur.
To be specific, when the developer is filled in the developing container of the developing apparatus at the setting time of the apparatus and at the replacing time of the developer, and the like, a moisture amount (water mass contained in the air of 1 m3) inside the developing container depends on the environment at the filling time, and in general, the amount fluctuates from 1 g to 20 g. In the meantime, similarly, since the inside of the replenishment container installed in the image forming apparatus is hermetically sealed, the moisture amount inside the container is hardly changed for a long period of time.
For example, in a state in which the moisture amount inside the replenishment container is 20 g, and in the initial period, when the toner is filled in an empty developer container from this container, in case the detection moisture amount of the environmental sensor is 1 g, though the latent image contrast is outputted at a value corresponding to the moisture amount of 1 g which is the detection value of the environmental sensor, since an actual frictional charging amount of the developer is a value corresponding to the moisture amount of 20 g inside the replenishment container, a phenomenon that the patch image density is sharply deviated from the reference density occurs.
As a result, the initial density setting is incapacitated, and even when the density setting is attempted, since it is deviated from the reference density, it is small in sensitivity, and a desired image density is not achieved by the latent image contrast set at the maximum image density control time.
Hence, in the course of the developer being moisture conditioned, a problem arises because of a non-moisture conditioned developer. For example, the patch density is detected thin by the change of the tribo, and the toner density of the developer is set high, so that the problems such as a fogging, a toner flying, and in the worst case, a spilling out of the toner from the developing apparatus are brought about.
Hence, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-83115, a proposal is made in which a state quantity regarding developing characteristics, for example, the maximum toner adhering amount capable of image formation, a developing starting voltage, and the like are calculated, so that at least one of the processing such as agitation of the developer of the developing means, the toner replenishment, and the toner consumption is executed, thereby executing a developer aging so as to adjust a developer state.
However, in the developer aging executing time, every time the image formation is executed, the toner density is required to be changed until it becomes a desired developing characteristic, and further, for such setting, it requires a long period of time, so that there arises a problem of the rising time becoming long.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-194837, a proposal is made in which, at the initial density setting time of the patch image, regardless of the moisture amount detected by the environmental sensor, the patch image is formed by developing the patch latent image formed by the predetermined latent image contrast, and based on this image density, an image density output setting is made. In this method, there is outwardly no problem of the developer being non-moisture conditioned.
However, according to this method, though a patch image is formed by a constant latent image contrast, the predetermined value thereof is set regardless of a degree of the moisture conditioning in the developer, and though there occurs a mismatch with an ideal latent image contrast shown by the environmental sensor, there is no mention made of a counter measure to meet such a mismatch.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S63-177177, a proposal is made in which a hysteresis of the outputs of the detecting means in a plurality of timings within the past predetermined period of times is stored, and for example, in the case of the installation time of the developing apparatus into the image forming apparatus and the total replacement time of the developer inside the developing apparatus according to the stored plurality of data, a moisture absorption state of the developer is presumed according to the similar state of the data, and the image forming condition is controlled according to the moisture absorption state.
However, in an environmental fluctuation from beneath low moisture to beneath high moisture and the environmental fluctuation from beneath high moisture to beneath low moisture, there is a difference between an ejecting velocity of the moisture and the moisture absorption velocity in the developer, which is difficult to control.
Hence, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-6684, a proposal is made in which a plurality of patch images are formed, and the latent image contrast (Dmax control) as well as a γ-LUT (Dhalf control) are corrected.
However, in the above described control, there is a problem that no mention is made of means of guaranteeing a developer characteristic change based on a tribo change of the developer at the stage in which the developer is moisture conditioned.
Describing more in detail, in case the developing apparatus is transferred under low temperature low moisture environment (NL) in a moisture conditioned state under high temperature high moisture (HH) environment, at that point, the environmental sensor estimates that the tribo of the developer is high since the apparatus is under the NL, and determines that a high latent image contrast is required. Nevertheless, as described above, since the developer is not yet sufficiently moisture conditioned, the tribo is low, and the developing property is in a high state. Consequently, in the latent image contrast presumed from the environmental sensor, a situation occurs in which the density is outputted thick. Hence, by executing the Dmax control, the latent image contrast actually used is set to a low value again, so that the density can be set constant. However, when the developer is gradually moisture conditioned to the tribo under the NL, since the tribo rises up and the developing property lowers, an output is not made in the maximum image density by the Dmax control previously performed with a result that a replenishment excessive signal is transmitted. As a result, the TD ratio is increased and a fogging phenomenon sometimes occurs.
That is, instead of the latent image contrast becoming large because of becoming a high tribo under the NL, the tribo of the developer is in a low tribo state by the developer of the high toner density, and as a result, the control often ends up becoming inconsistent by being controlled in a low state of the latent image contrast.


The illumination device 10 according to the present invention includes: a housing member 22 having a bottom plate 22a and a side wall 22b; a light guide plate 26 disposed on the inside of the side wall 22b in a manner so that a gap is formed between the side wall 22b and the side edge face 26b of the light guide plate 26; a light source unit having a light source 24 and a light source substrate 25 and disposed in the gap in a manner so that the substrate surface 25a faces the side edge face 26b; an optical sheet 23 disposed on the front surface 26a side of the light guide plate 26 and having an outer edge 23d protruding towards the light source substrate 25 from the side edge face 26b in a manner so as to cover and hide the bottom plate 22a at the section where the gap is; and a circulation hole X that pierces the light source substrate 25 or the housing member 22 in a manner such that the outside communicates with the air space S1 enclosed by the side edge face 26b, the substrate surface 25a, the bottom plate 22a, and the outer edge 23d.

In recent years, liquid crystal panels are in general use as the display part for televisions, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, and the like. Liquid crystal panels cannot emit light on their own, and thus, in order to display images, light from an illumination device (the so-called backlight) is used. This illumination device is disposed on the rear surface side of the liquid crystal panel, and is configured so as to radiate light spread in a planar manner towards the rear surface of the liquid crystal panel.
As the illumination device, a type including a light guide plate and a light source unit disposed facing an edge face of the light guide plate is known (Patent Document 1, for example). This type of illumination device is generally known as the side light type (or edge light type), and as the light source unit, a light source unit constituted of a plurality of LEDs and an LED substrate upon which these LEDs are mounted is used, for example. As light from the respective LEDs mounted on the LED substrate is radiated towards a side edge face of the light guide plate, this light enters the light guide plate at the side edge face, and travels inside the light guide plate while being reflected by a reflective sheet or the like disposed below the light guide plate. This light is outputted as planar light from the front surface of the light guide plate. The light emitted from the front surface of the light guide plate passes through optical sheets made of a transparent resin and disposed on the front surface of the light guide plate, and illuminates the liquid crystal panel from the rear thereof. The size of the optical sheets is generally set such that the front surface of the light guide plate can be covered.

Illumination device, display device, and television reception device


This disclosure relates to a novel system, device, and method for providing a sleeping bag with an integrated ground mat that provides thermal comfort by effectively retaining heat and is lightweight, compact, and easily packed for transport or storage. The sleeping bag with integrated air mattress allows the user to bring only one item that doubles as a sleeping bag and a ground mat. Additionally, the integrated ground mat remains positioned under the user while the user is sleeping. The sleeping bag may have an integrated ground mat, an inner shell, an outer shell, insulation between the inner and outer shells, an upper portion and a lower portion forming a sleeping cavity, an opening for access into the sleeping cavity, a draft tube, and a means for opening and closing the sleeping bag opening.

Camping and hiking are currently enjoying a surge in popularity. However, people now have enhanced expectations of comfort and convenience while camping, and a large demand exists for products providing both comfort and convenience. Further, there are many different ways in which people like to camp. Some carry their equipment to remote places and require light and easily packed equipment, while others camp alongside their vehicles and primarily require comfort. Sleeping is one activity that is hard to perform well without a minimal comfort level. The surface upon which a camper sleeps can be very important in determining the level of comfort. In order to isolate the sleeper from the hardness and irregularities of the ground, it has become the practice of many campers to use an air mattress, which is basically a thick flat rubber balloon that can be interposed between the sleeper's sleeping bag and the ground.
There may be certain problems associated with using a sleeping bag with a separate air mattress. As a sleeping person turns in his sleep, the bag, which may be made of nylon or some other somewhat slippery material, may tend to slide off of the air mattress, and no camper likes to wake up in his sleeping bag to find himself rolled off of his mat. Additionally, campers can rarely find a perfectly flat spot to put their sleeping bags and their ground mats, so they often slide off of their air mattresses. While a tradeoff between ultra-comfort and ultra-light construction has previously seemed inevitable in sleeping bag design, the current invention provides more comfort and reliability in a lightweight sleeping bag.
Two primary considerations for comfort are the sleeping bag's ability to retain heat and the sleeping bag's ability to firmly support the user, even though the sleeping bag may be placed on uneven ground. While air mattresses have been found to support the user well, regardless of imperfections in the ground, the large air pockets currently used allow convective currents to form, robbing heat from the mattress. Foam, goose down, synthetic fibers, and other insulation materials are merely a means to hold small pockets of air. If an air mattress can be made with small pockets of air instead of large pockets, convective currents will not be able to form and the air mattress will retain more heat.
Temperature ratings are created with the assumption that you are using a sleeping pad because when a user lies in a sleeping bag, the user is compressing the fill material, whether it is down or synthetic, and thus reducing the loft and insulating capabilities of the bag. A sleeping pad puts another couple inches of insulation between the user and the cold ground, increasing the thermal effectiveness of the bag.
Various proposals for sleeping bags that incorporate air mattresses are found in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,092 discloses a self-inflatable air mattress and sleeping bag that traps air inside an airtight jacket filled with foam. Means are included to manually increase the air pressure inside the foam-filled jacket.
Further, numerous sleeping bag designs have been utilized with a plurality of parallel and longitudinally extended air compartments along with various improvements over the prior art. Such devices may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,996,733; 5,528,779; 5,553,339; 5,740,565; and 5,974,608, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
While possibly effective for their intended purposes, none of the above proposals provide an air mattress that can effectively retain heat by reducing large air pockets, provide a comfortable place to sleep, are lightweight and not bulky, and can be easily packed. Instead, prior art designs typically use air mattresses with large air pockets or are completely filled with foam.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a sleeping bag with an integral air mattress that effectively retains heat, is comfortable, is lightweight and compact, can be easily packed, is convenient to use, and does not require an excessive volume of air to inflate.

Sleeping bag with integrated inflatable ground mat


A light emitting device includes a light emitting element chip and a lens which transmits light generated by the light emitting device asymmetrically; a backlight unit which uses the light emitting device as a light source; and a field sequential LCD apparatus adopting the backlight unit.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to a light emitting device, a backlight unit using the light emitting device as a light source, and a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus adopting the backlight unit, and more particularly, to a light emitting device which emits light asymmetrically, and a direct light type backlight unit that can individually light in units of domains which use a plurality of the light emitting devices as the light source, and an LCD apparatus including the direct light type backlight unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatuses are light receiving type flat panel display apparatuses that do not generate light by themselves, but instead use external light to display images. A backlight unit is typically installed at the rear of an LCD apparatus to provide a light source for the LCD apparatus.
Cold cathode fluorescence lamps (CCFL) are mainly used as the light source for the backlight unit in LCD apparatuses. However, a CCFL has a relatively short life span, and low color reproducibility. CCFLs have much shorter life spans and lower color reproducibility than light emitting diodes (LED), and have lower instantaneous lighting performances than LEDs.
Therefore, it is difficult to perform lighting with short response times using the CCFL, and thus, it is difficult to use backlight units using CCFLs as the light sources of field sequential LCD apparatuses. A field sequential LCD apparatus requires a backlight unit that can sectionally light in synchronization with screen scanning time. A backlight unit using LEDs as the light source can satisfy the above requirement.
In addition, backlight units can be direct light type backlight units, in which a plurality of light sources installed below the LCD apparatus irradiate the light towards the liquid crystal panel, or edge light type backlight units, in which the light emitted from the light source installed on a side wall of a light guide panel (LGP) is irradiated to the liquid crystal panel, according to the arrangement of light sources.
Direct light type backlight units may use LEDs as point light sources. In backlight units using LEDs as point light sources, the LEDs are arranged in two-dimensional arrays. In particular, the LEDs are arranged to form a plurality of LED lines, and a plurality of LEDs are disposed in each of the lines.
Direct light type backlight units that use LEDs as the light source can be used in field sequential LCD apparatuses.
In field sequential LCD apparatuses using the direct light type backlight unit that uses LEDs as light sources, lighting regions of the LEDs are sectioned into a plurality of domains, and the LEDs light according to a lighting region unit in synchronization with scanning times of the liquid crystal panel. Since red (R), green (G), and blue (B) LEDs are arranged in each of the lighting regions for realizing a color image, the direct light type backlight unit separately operates by the lighting region unit and the color unit to display the RGB colors without using sub-pixels of the liquid crystal panel.
Therefore, the field sequential LCD apparatus does not use a color filter, and thus, original colored light generated by the LEDs can be used without further color modification, and color representation can be improved. However, the above field sequential LCD apparatus has following disadvantages.
In the field sequential method, the LEDs light after the liquid crystal response, and thus, if the R, G, and B color images are displayed sequentially on the screen, when the R image is displayed, the B color of the previous sub-frame is mixed with the R color. For example, when the liquid crystal on a first domain, that is, on the first line, responds before operating the R LED in order to display an R color image, the B light emitted from the B LED that operates on the last domain of the previous sub-frame, that is, the last line of the previous sub-frame, may reach the liquid crystal of the first line. Therefore, some of the B light may be transmitted to the liquid crystal responding in the first domain. When G images and B images are displayed, they are also affected by the above problem.
Therefore, due to the color mixture, color reproducibility of the image as a whole produced by the display apparatus is degraded, and color uniformity is also degraded.

Light emitting device and backlight unit using the same as light source and field sequential LCD apparatus employing the backlight unit


One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a cloud computing environment that includes a service cloud and one or more services accessing the service cloud. The service cloud includes multiple resources of different types that support the execution of the services accessing the service cloud. Each resource and service in the cloud computing environment is configured via a centralized configuration service. In addition, resource allocation and predictive performance monitoring engines allocate resources and monitor the resources allocated to the services accessing the service cloud.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to online commerce and, more specifically, to systems and methods for configuring and managing computing resources to provide highly-scalable services.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advent of cloud-based computing architectures has allowed for the rapid and scalable deployment of services, such as virtual stores, media outlets, and other online services. In general, a cloud-based architecture includes a set of resources such as processors, operating systems, software and other components that can be combined to form systems on which services can be deployed.
A user can request the instantiation of specific set of resources from a management system to deploy a service. For example, a user may wish to set up and instantiate a virtual server from the cloud to create a storefront to market products or services on a temporary basis, for instance, to sell tickets to an upcoming sports or musical performance. In a typical cloud-based architecture, the user needs to be aware of the specific resources that are needed to deploy a service from the initial stages of service development. The service is often developed in a manner that is closely dependent or coupled to the specific resources on which the service is to be deployed. In addition, to deploy a service, the user typically configures the specific resources based on the configuration requirements of the service.
One drawback to such cloud-based architectures is that the user spends a considerable amount of time on the infrastructure level details, such as configuration, when deploying the service in the cloud. In addition, since the service is developed according to the specific resources and not in a generic manner, the development cycles for developing services that can be deployed on such cloud-based architectures is undesirably long.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is a mechanism for deploying and managing services in a cloud with minimal effort from service developers.

Systems and methods for configuring and managing computing resources to provide highly-scalable services


A structure is provided which includes at least one semiconductor device and a diffusion heater in a continuous active semiconductor area of a substrate. One or more semiconductor devices are provided in a first region of the active semiconductor area and a diffusion heater is disposed adjacent thereto which consists essentially of a semiconductor material included in the active semiconductor area. Conductive isolation between the first region and the diffusion heater is achieved through use of a separating gate. The separating gate overlies an intermediate region of the active semiconductor area between the first region and the diffusion heater and the separating gate is biasable to conductively isolate the first region from the diffusion heater.

The present invention relates to testing of semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to a method of thermally stressing a semiconductor device and/or testing such semiconductor device at an elevated temperature.
P-type conductivity field effect transistors ("PFETs") tend to suffer from negative bias temperature instability ("NBTI"), an effect which increases over the lifetime of the transistor with the amount of use of the transistor. The effect is usually more pronounced when the transistor operates is used at an elevated temperature for a large amount of time. NBTI results in a decrease in the threshold voltage and drive current of a PFET with use over time, making the PFET more difficult to turn on. Conversely, a "positive" bias temperature instability ("PBTI") effect occurs in n-type FETs ("NFETs"), which are operated at an elevated temperature for a large amount of time. PBTI results in a long-term rise in the threshold voltage of the NFET, making the NFET more difficult to turn on.
NBTI is of particular concern for PFETs which are designed to operate at relatively low voltages, e.g., voltages of 1.2 V or less. Shifts in the threshold voltage and drive current of such PFETs have a significant impact upon performance. NBTI and PBTI are particularly pronounced in PFETs and NFETs, respectively, which have insulated gates, thin gate dielectrics and/or short channel lengths.
One goal of engineering is to "build" sufficient reliability into a transistor by performing accelerated lifetime stressing to reproduce how the transistor undergoes wearout over time. The design of the transistor can then be adjusted until the transistor is assured to degrade satisfactorily in the lifetime of the product. Heretofore, accelerated stressing techniques have been less than desirable for determining the long-term effects of NBTI. One requirement of accelerated lifetime stressing is to reproduce the results of wearout on a transistor in a relatively short period of time, while producing little or no disturbance to the device when tested.
In some stress/testing techniques, it is desirable to perform this characterization at the "wafer-level," i.e., under conditions in which a chip which contains the transistor remains connected to one or more other chips of a wafer. Some such testing may also be performed "in-line," i.e., at a time between performing other steps in a process of fabricating chips of a wafer. Such testing may involve application of stress test conditions to a device and monitoring for the effects of such test conditions upon the operation of the device. In order to justify such testing as a part of an in-line monitoring scheme, such stress test conditions and monitoring may need to be completed in a short period of time, for example, in about 10 seconds or less.
Another requirement of such testing is the ability to quickly elevate the temperature of a device of a wafer under test to a desired level for in-line testing. The ability to quickly achieve a desired elevated temperature for such in-line testing is a critical need for the continued development of complementary metal oxide semiconductor ("CMOS") technology and monitoring of the fabrication process thereof. Monitoring techniques according to the prior art can only be applied at in-line test temperatures between 25 and 85 degrees Celsius. Such techniques are unable to monitor wearout mechanisms which are active at temperatures higher than 85 degrees Celsius. A particular constraint of such prior art techniques is long tester time, typically between 20 and 30 minutes, that is needed to increase the temperature of a transistor under test from that of an in-line testing temperature to a stress temperature of interest, which can be 140 degrees Celsius or higher. This long delay slows down the testing and monitoring process.
Reliability degradation mechanisms such as NBTI for PFET devices and PBTI for NFET devices, need sufficient high temperatures to become active; i.e., temperatures of at least about 100 degrees Celsius. To monitor the sensitivity of a FET to the manufacturing process, the channel of an FET must be heated quickly to a stress temperature needed to reproduce an equivalent amount of degradation that would be produced during the long lifetime of the FET. The inventors know of no effective inline monitor for NBTI that adequately addresses such need.
Resistive heaters which include a polysilicon element ("poly-heaters") have been used to heat an FET when a current and voltages are applied to operate the FET. However, heretofore, such poly-heaters have not been able to raise the FET to a stress temperature fast enough to function as an inline monitor for NBTI or PBTI. One reason for this is the high thermal conductivity of silicon, which allows most of the heat generated by such poly-heaters to escape into an n-well of the device or deeper into a bulk region of the substrate. Poly-heaters are capable of imparting only a limited amount of heat to an FET.
Consequently an improved structure and method for heating the channel region of an FET are desired.

Structure and method for thermally stressing or testing a semiconductor device

International Business Machines Corporation


A bull-wheel for a rope transport installation comprises a hub and a peripheral rim joined to the hub by a metal connecting framework composed of a perforated central disk strengthened by rigidifying arms. The rim is radially subdivided into several circular segments assembled to one another by first fixing members. The hub is fixedly secured to a support enclosure comprising at least one coaxial plate of polygonal cross-section confining at the ends bearing surfaces for the central disk and the radial rigidifying arms assembled by second fixing members. The assembly is arranged so as to distribute the radial forces in the axis of the rope uniformly regardless of the angular position of the bull-wheel when the latter is driven in rotation.

The invention relates to a bull-wheel for a rope transport installation, comprising:                a hub of circular cross-section for passage of a shaft,        a peripheral rim with an annular groove for housing the rope, said rim being joined to the hub by a metal connecting framework composed of a perforated central disk strengthened by rigidifying arms,        and fixing members to assemble different elemental parts of the framework and of the rim to one another.

Bull-wheel in several parts able to be reassembled on site for a rope transport installation


A mounting assembly includes a connecting subassembly having first and second exterior arms, and an interior arm having first and second ends disposed between the first and second exterior arms. The first end of the interior arm and a portion of the first exterior arm define a first socket. The second end of the interior arm and a portion of the second exterior arm define a second socket. First and second mounting members disposed in the respective first and second sockets.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting assembly, and more particularly to a ball and socket mounting assembly that can be used to mount a portable device to surface.
2. Background of the Invention
It is known to use conventional mounting devices to mount a variety of components to a variety of surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,885, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference, shows an example of such a conventional mounting device. The conventional mounting devices, however, suffer from a number of disadvantages. These disadvantages include difficulty in installation and adjustment of the mounting device, as well as difficulty in adjustment of position and orientation of components on the mounting device. Further, the conventional mounting devices are complex to assemble and manufacture, thereby increasing the costs of these devices.


In a method for the presentation of image information of an examination subject, those tomograms in a series or set of tomograms that differ in terms of the position relative to a dimension are colored, and are subsequently superimposed to form a resultant image. A color having a position on a color scale corresponding to the position of the respective tomogram with respect to the dimension is used to color that tomogram.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to a method for the presentation of an examination subject by means of tomograms of the type wherein a number of tomograms are produced which differ in position with respect to one dimension such as, for example, each tomogram being allocated to a different time center of gravity or each tomogram being allocated to a different position of a location axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such methods are known, for example, from computed tomography (CT) and serve the purpose of illustrating modifications within the examination subject as a function of time and/or location. A disadvantage of such known methods is that a number of tomograms must be viewed in order to be able to acquire the information with respect to the time or position change.
There is the possibility of presenting the modifications by producing three-dimensional images or with dynamic, cinematic-like presentation of the tomograms; however, the evaluation of such presentations is not always simple since, in particular, the users of CT apparatuses are accustomed to interpreting static, two-dimensional tomograms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,602 discloses showing the blood flow in an examination subject in CT images with the use of an x-ray contrast agent, with the individual pixels of a diagnostically relevant image being compared to the pixels of a reference image, and those pixels of the diagnostically relevant image that deviate in terms of their CT number from the corresponding pixels of the reference image are presented in color, the color corresponding to the extent of the respective deviation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of the type initially described that allows information with respect to a third dimension to be presented in a static tomogram.
This object is inventively achieved by a method for the presentation of an examination subject upon employment of tomograms including the steps of generating a number (series) of tomograms that differ from one another in position with respect to one dimension, coloring some of tomograms in the series of tomograms, with respective colors, whose respective positions on a color scale correspond to the positions of the respective tomograms with respect to the dimension, being allocated to the respective tomograms, and superimposing a number of the color tomograms to form a resultant image.
When three tomograms are colored with the colors red, green and blue, a black-and-white image would arise by superimposition of the colored tomograms if there are no differences whatsoever with respect to the dimension among the tomograms. When, by contrast, differences are present in the three tomograms with respect to the dimension, then an image arises as resultant image that is colored in those regions wherein differences are present with respect to the dimensions, but is a black-and-white image in those regions wherein there are no differences with respect to the dimension.
Thus information with respect to an additional dimension can be presented and recognized in the inventive method in a static tomogram.
The procedure of coloring a tomogram is to be understood as meaning that this operation relates to the tomogram overall, for example by converting all gray-scale values of a black/white image into corresponding red values. In the case of a tomogram that is composed of pixels arranged matrix-like in a manner known from computed tomography, this means that all pixels of the tomogram are affected by the operation of coloring by, for example, the original gray scale value of the respective pixel being replaced by an analogous red value.
In a further version of the invention, the tomograms respectively have substantially the same section plane, and the dimension with respect to which the tomograms differ is the position of the time center of gravity on a time axis, and each tomogram is allocated to a different time center of gravity, and a color is allocated to the respective tomogram to be colored whose position on a color scale corresponds to the position of the time center of gravity of the respective tomogram on the time axis. In this case, all time changes are shown on the basis of color changes.
The term xe2x80x9ctime center of gravityxe2x80x9d means that point in time within the time interval from which the data underlying the tomogram are derived at which half of the data underlying the tomogram are acquired.
Continuous, chronologically successive tomograms, can be produced with the most recently produced tomogram being added at successive points in time to the series of tomograms and inserted, with a tomogram produced earlier from the series of tomograms being removed from the series, and with a number of colored tomograms being superimposed to form a resultant image at each of the following points in time. In this case, the resultant image represents a time window of defined length that is continuously updated. To make the resultant image easily interpretable, the colored tomograms that are superimposed to form a resultant image at each of the successive points include the most recently generated tomogram. Therefore, the point in time (among the aforementioned successive points in time) at which the superimposition takes place occurs after the point in time at which the most recently generated tomogram in the superimposed tomograms was generated.
The resultant images have particular diagnostic effect when the time centers of gravity of successive tomograms superimposed to form a resultant image have identical spacings from one another on the time axis.
The interpretation of a resultant image has a simple form when tomograms are produced that substantially correspond to parallel planes of section.
In a further, preferred embodiment of the invention, the tomograms are of different section planes, with the dimension with respect to which the tomograms differ being the position of the section plane on a location axis, and a color is allocated to the respective tomogram to be colored whose position on a color scale corresponds to the position of the section plane of the respective tomogram on the location axis. In this case, the position of the section planes on the location axis is presented as an additional dimension. This means that those regions that do not coincide in the superimposed tomograms are displayed colored in the resultant image. In contrast thereto, those regions that coincide in the superimposed tomograms are presented in the manner of a black-and-white image.
The term xe2x80x9csection planexe2x80x9d means the plane that represents the center plane of the slice of the examination subject scanned in the acquisition of the data underlying the tomogram.
As described above tomograms can be continuously produced, namely for positions following one another along the location axis, with the most recently produced tomogram at successive points in time being added to the series of tomograms and inserted, and the tomogram produced earliest is removed from the series of tomograms, and with the colored tomograms of the series being superimposed to form a resultant image at each of the successive points in time. In this case, the resultant image represents a section on the location axis having a defined length that is continuously updated. As above, for good interpretation of the resultant image a tomogram is used in the superimposition to form a resultant image at each of the successive points in time that is generated for a position along the location axis that lies following the position for which the most recently produced tomogram of the tomograms superimposed to form a resultant image was generated at the preceding point in time.
When the dimension for which the tomograms differ is the position of the section planes on the location axis, in a further embodiment of the invention sets of tomograms are produced in continuous succession for a number of different section planes that respectively have substantially the same time center of gravity as the respective tomograms of a set be colored and superimposed to form a resultant image, whereby a new, resultant image is respectively generated as soon as a new set of tomograms is present. This method is particularly suited for implementation on a CT apparatus having a multi-line detector, whereby each line of the detector can simultaneously generate one tomogram. The slice or slices in which a medical instrument, for example a punction needle, is located in the implementation of an intervention under CT monitoring can then be recognized on the basis of the color in the resultant image.
In order to be able to optimally utilize the information available in the form of tomograms, all tomograms in accordance with the invention are colored in the number of tomograms and all colored tomograms are superimposed.
The tomograms need not be directly produced but, in an embodiment of the invention, can be produced by scanning a volume of the examination subject, and the tomograms are determined from measured data acquired in the scanning, being determined with known methods of multi-planar reconstruction (MPR). This offers the advantage that arbitrary tomograms within the scope of the scanned volume can be utilized for the superimposition.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tomograms are acquired with a CT apparatus, for example a spiral CT apparatus known from German OS 198 00 946, with the location axis corresponding to the system axis of the CT apparatus in the case where the additional dimension is the position of the section planes with respect to a location axis.
The CT apparatus as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,250, can have a detector system with a number of lines of detector elements. In this case in another, preferred embodiment of the invention that the tomograms are acquired with different lines of detector elements, with the positions of the section planes respectively corresponding to the tomograms on the location axis corresponding to the position of the respective line of detector elements with respect to the system axis of the CT apparatus. In this case, the tomograms to be superimposed can be simultaneously generated, i.e. with the same time center of gravity, even though they exhibit differently positioned section planes with respect to the system axis of the CT apparatus.

Method for the presentation of an examination subject upon employment of tomograms


The invention relates to an air purification device for a vehicle and has an object to provide a DOR (Direct Ozone Reduction) system that can improve durability of activated carbon as an ozone purifier. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of a fin of FIG. 2. FIG. 3(a) is a partial enlarged view of the fin in a front side, and FIG. 3(b) is a partially enlarged view of the fin in a rear side. As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), in a louver, a coat amount of activated carbon is adjusted so as to gradually increase from a front side toward a rear side. Thereby, durability as the radiator can be improved, while oxidation degradation of the activated carbon by active oxygen is allowed to some degree.

Ozone that is a cause of generation of photochemical smog is generated by HC and NOx that are contained in exhaust gases of automobiles and plants causing photochemical reaction. Therefore, restraining the exhaust amounts of HC and NOx from automobiles is effective means for preventing occurrence of photochemical smog by restraining generation of ozone. Meanwhile, as the means for preventing generation of photochemical smog, it is also conceivable to purify ozone in the air directly. By not only aiming at reduction in the exhaust amounts of HC and NOx which are reactants, but also achieving purification of ozone that is a product, generation of photochemical smog can be prevented more effectively. From the viewpoint like this, in some areas including the state of California in the U.S.A., automobiles equipped with air purification devices for vehicles that can directly purify ozone in the air are in practical use. The air purification device for a vehicle is especially called a DOR (Direct Ozone Reduction) system.
As the DOR system as above, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses the DOR system in which a metallic oxide such as manganese dioxide is supported by a vehicle component. The vehicle component is installed in the spot that is in contact with the air at a vehicle traveling time, and manganese dioxide has a function of purifying ozone contained in the air by converting the ozone into other substances such as oxygen. Consequently, according to the DOR system of Patent Literature 1, ozone in the air can be directly purified while the vehicle is traveling.


The invention provides polypeptides, nucleic acid sequences, bacterial strains, methods and kits for producing exogenous protein. More specifically, the invention provides RNase E polypeptides that posses impaired mRNA degrading activity and efficient rRNA and tRNA processing activity. These polypeptides may be utilized for producing exogenous protein.

RNase E is a 5′-end-dependent single strand endoribonuclease (Cormack and Mackie, 1992; Ehretsmann et al., 1992; Lin-Chao et al., 1994) that plays a general role in RNA metabolism and is a principal endoribonuclease in messenger RNA decay (Coburn and Mackie, 1999; Grunberg-Manago, 1999; Regnier and Arraiano, 2000). RNase E is a large, 1061 residue protein (Casaregola et al., 1992). Proteins related to RNase E are found throughout the eubacterial kingdom and in some plants (Condon et al., 2001). The plant homologues are presumably in the chloroplast, which is an organelle of eubacterial origin.
RNase E is believed to be responsible for degrading mRNA and processing rRNA and tRNA (Ow and Kushner, Genes and Development (2002)16:1102-1115). The mRNA degrading activity of RNase E significantly affects the efficiency of E. coli based protein expression systems. Bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase (RNAP) elongates single strand RNA significantly faster than the E. coli enzyme. When mRNA is transcribed by T7 RNAP, long stretches of ribosome-free message occur. These untranslated mRNAs are very unstable, and their instability correlates with the rate of elongation of T7 PNAP (Makarova et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1995, 92, 12250-12254. RNase E is responsible for this rapid functional inactivation.
Furthermore, RNase E is responsible for processing the 9S precursors of the 5S rRNA and for processing tRNA. If the tRNA processing abilities of RNase E are disrupted, decreases in cell growth are observed and may be linked to the fact that RNase E cleavage is the rate-limiting step in the maturation of tRNAs.
The literature describes truncations of RNase E that possess limited ability to degrade mRNA, but maintain, at least in part, the ability to process rRNA and tRNA. The most extreme of these truncations, however, were created on plasmids. RNase E truncations created on plasmids, although relatively simple to construct, have disadvantages including the need to work in a recombination deficient background and the concern that the dose of the complementing gene could vary due to changes in plasmid copy number. Due to these limitations, RNase E mutations on plasmids are not suitable for use in exogenous protein production systems. A need, therefore, exists for a bacterial strain having a chromosomally integrated RNase E mutant that may be utilized to facilitate high levels of exogenous protein production.

Polypeptides and bacterial strains for increased protein production


Vibration based stimulation or pressure based stimulation are commonly employed in a wide range of devices for medical, therapeutic, and recreational activities. These are designed to be applied against a predetermined region of a user's body. However, there are many instances where it would beneficial to provide the user with a “wearable” device where these one or more predetermined regions of the user's body may be inserted through or disposed within the device providing vibratory and/or pressure based stimulation. Further, such devices may be augmented with other therapeutic means such as light therapy or ultrasonic therapy. Accordingly, a range of wearable devices exploiting hollow shaft motors, electromagnetic actuators, and fluidics are presented.

Devices that apply pressure either continuously, intermittently, or with one or more characteristic frequencies to one or more regions of a user's body are associated with a range of medical, therapeutic, and recreational activities. For example, massage devices or massagers provide for mechanical pressure application to compliment or replace the user of a massager's fingers, palms, hands, etc. and are employed both by medical/therapy professionals and consumers alike. Those imparting generally more localized higher frequency stimulation to the user's body have evolved to include those for medical/therapeutic use but also to include recreational activities primarily of a sexual nature and are commonly referred to as vibrators. In fact, one of the most successful vibrators for sexual stimulation, the Hitachi Magic Wand (renamed as Magic Wand Original, Original Magic Wand or referred to simply as Magic Wand) was an electrical, AC-powered vibrating massager, originally manufactured and marketed for relieving tension and relaxing sore muscles before becoming a popular vibrator for clitoral stimulation.
Medical and therapeutic massagers tend to be larger devices which are electrical mains powered (e.g. typically alternating current or AC) whereas except for some niche devices and wand style massagers vibrators targeted as sexual therapeutic use are usually battery powered (e.g. direct current, DC) devices due to the eased use without an electrical cord (cable) and requirement for an electrical outlet within range of the location of use. Accordingly, such vibrators form a significant portion of the overall retail market and product offerings within what are commonly referred to as sex toys or adult devices.
A sex toy or adult device is an object or device that is primarily used to facilitate human sexual pleasure which are typically designed to resemble human genitals and may be mechanized and non-mechanized. Mechanized adult devices typically vibrate, although there are examples that rotate, thrust, and even circulate small beads within an elastomeric shell. Non-mechanized adult devices are made from a solid mass of rigid or semi-rigid material in a variety of shapes. Accordingly, today, a wide range of adult devices are offered commercially to users with the majority of them falling into several broad categories including clitoral, (G-spot), dildo, rabbit (generally comprising two vibrators, one phallus-like shaped intended for insertion and a second smaller clitoral stimulator), egg (small smooth vibrators for external or internal stimulation although now offered in a range of shapes), anal, penis ring, bullet (small cylindrical vibrators), c-shaped (for generally hands free use by insertion into the vagina with one or two vibrators for clitoral and/or g-spot stimulation including variants for use during penile penetration) and Butterfly (generally a vibrator with straps). All of these are generally "hand-held" devices with a "solid" casing or shell such that the user stimulates themselves or another through the external surface of the adult device. The exceptions are a penis ring, which is intended to sit at the base of the penile shaft and vibrate against the clitoral region of a female partner during vaginal penetration, and a male adult device intended for the penis to be inserted and stimulated either through a range of vibrations and movements associated with the penis.
In addition to the above general categories there are adult device variants including, but not limited to, dual vibrators (designed to stimulate two erogenous zones simultaneously or independently), triple vibrators (designed to stimulate three erogenous zones simultaneously or independently), double-ended (for vaginal-vaginal, vaginal-anal, or anal-anal stimulation); nipple stimulators, and electrostimulators. Some other devices such as Kegel balls or Ben-Wa balls which are ostensibly aimed at vaginal muscle exercises etc. can include vibrating elements and are also generally categorized under adult devices.
However, the majority of prior art devices are designed and intended for, what the inventor refers to as, a discrete penetrative act in that they are primarily intended for penetration of an orifice in isolation from and disconnected with any penetration of the orifice by an individual's or the individual's partner rather than enhanced penetrative act provided by embodiments of the invention wherein the penetrative act is enhanced/augmented through an adult device which is worn by an individual's partner or employed in conjunction with a penetrative adult device. Here, the penis ring is excluded by the inventor as it is not enhancing the penetrative act but rather providing a secondary stimulation in that whilst it is worn on an individual's penis and vibrates it does so against the external clitoral region of the user. In contrast, so-called C-shaped devices provide hands-free stimulation of the individual's clitoris and g-spot with optional concurrent penetration. However, these are inserted and removed discretely from the penetrative act itself.
Accordingly, the inventor has established that it would be beneficial to provide users with a range of adult devices that support use in association with their use of a predetermined region of their body, e.g. the penis, tongue, toe(s), and finger(s), for example, such that can be considered wearable adult device or adult devices that are worn during concurrent with penetrative sexual activities In order to provide such wearable devices it would therefore be beneficial for one or more of these predetermined regions of the body to be through or within the adult device such that the adult device has a hollow shaft. Further, such hollow shaft devices for augmented or enhanced penetrative activities yield a variable engagement with the individual based upon the penetrative activity of another adult device to which the hollow shaft adult device is mounted or another individual's body region. The inventor has also established that such wearable devices with hollow shafts also provide for a range of massage and therapeutic devices.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.


Methods for enhancing cellular uptake of cargo molecules by boronating the cargo molecule, particularly with one or more phenylboronic acid groups. Cellular uptake includes at least partial uptake into the cytosol. Boronation includes ligating, crosslinking or otherwise bonding one or more phenylboronic acids substituted to contain a reactive group to a cargo molecule. Boronation also includes ligating, crosslinking or otherwise bonding a phenylboronated oligopeptide to a cargo molecule. The phenylboronate groups are optionally conjugated to the cargo molecule via linking moieties that can be selectively cleaved, such cleavable linkers can allow the phenylboronate groups to be removed from the cargo molecule after the boronated cargo molecule is introduced into the cell. The invention includes certain phenylboronates which are boronation reagents, certain boronated oligopeptides and certain boronated peptides and proteins. The invention also includes kits for enhancing cellular uptake of cargo molecules by boronation with one or more phenylboronates or boronated oligopeptides.

The utility of many biologic drugs is limited by inefficient cellular delivery [1]. Previous efforts to overcome this limitation have focused largely on the use of cationic domains, including peptidic cationic species (e.g., HIV-TAT, penetratin, and nonaarginine and more generally cell penetrating peptides (CPP)) or non-peptidic cationic species (e.g., PAMAM dendrimers and polyethylimine), to enhance the attraction between a chemotherapeutic agent and the anionic cell surface [2]. Natural ligands (e.g., folic acid, substance P, and the RGD tripeptide) have also been used to facilitate cellular delivery by targeting agents to specific cell-surface receptors [3]. Such methods have been applied, for example, to delivery of peptide, proteins, nucleic acids and analogs thereof, reporters and labels, various pharmaceuticals and drugs and various small molecules as well as particles. Although some of these methods have had some success, there remains a need in the art for additional delivery strategies.
The cell surface of many prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells is coated with a dense forest of polysaccharides known as the glycocalyx [4]. Targeting of therapeutic agents to the glycocalyx might enhance their cellular delivery, as has been demonstrated with lectin conjugates [5]. Boronic acids readily form boronate esters with the 1,2- and 1,3-diols of saccharides [6], including those in the glycocalyx [7]. In addition, boronate groups are compatible with human physiology, appearing in chemotherapeutic agents and other remedies [8]. The present invention relates to the use of pendant boronic acids to mediate the delivery of a cargo molecule into mammalian cells.
Boronic acids have been employed in the development of sensors for glycans [6] and in the development of boron neutron capture therapies for cancer treatment [24]. Boronic acids have also been reported as useful in glucose sensors for the controlled release of insulin [26]. Certain diboronic acid compounds have been reported useful as fluorescent sensors for certain cancer cells which express sialyl Lewis X [7b].
Boronic acids have been reported useful in drug delivery applications, for example, to transport nucleotides and monosaccharides across liposomal bilayers [8a, 25], for labeling of liposomes for increased affinity for erythrocyte ghosts [7a] and for enhancement of PEI-DNA complexation for transfection reagents [8e].
U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,082 reports certain alpha-aminoboronic acid peptides as reversible inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,020 relates to boronated amino acid derivatives which are viral proteinase inhibitors. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,465,433; 6,548,668; and U.S. published application 2009/0325903 report certain amino acid and peptidyl boronic acids as inhibitors of proteasome function and more specifically as inhibitors of HIV replication in an animal. In each of these references, a carboxylic acid group of an amino acid is replaced with a boronic acid group (—B(OH)2) or an ester thereof. Each of these references is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for its description of amino acids and peptidyl boronic acids and any description therein of methods of synthesis thereof.
U.S. published application 20110059040 relates to methods for inhibiting the activity of a virus or bacterium by contacting the virus or bacterium with a polymer functionalized with at least one boronic acid moiety, including one or more substituted or unsubstituted arylboronic acids, particularly phenylboronic acids. Certain multivalent benzoboroxole functionalized polymers have been reported to inhibit microbicide entry [8b].
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,594,111; 5,594,151; 5,623,055; 5,777,148; 5,744,627; 5,837,878; and 6,156,884 relate to phenylboronic acid complexing reagents and complexes formed with such complexing reagents which are reported to be useful for preparation of bioconjugates. Similar reports of phenyldiboronic acid complexing reagents and complexes formed therewith are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,075,126; 6,124,471; 6,462,179 and 6,630,577. Each of these references is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for descriptions of phenylboronic acid compounds and phenyldiboronic acid compounds and methods of synthesis thereof.
The physical properties including sugar binding properties of certain benzoboroxoles and benzoxaborins have been studied [13, 22, 27]. Syntheses of certain benzoboroxoles have been reported [30-36]. A review of applications of benzoboroxoles has been provided [28]. These references are incorporated by reference herein for methods of synthesis and sugar binding properties of benzoboroxoles.
The design, synthesis and screening of a library of peptidyl bis(boroxoles) as receptors for the tumor marker TF-Antigen disaccharide in water has been reported [22]. The library components contained a free amine, a certain PEG linker, two diaminoproponic acids residues to which benzoboroxole groups were attached separated by a central amino acid (where the library components were randomized with selected natural and non-natural amino acids) and a capping group (where the library components were randomized with 20 selected capping groups). This reference is incorporated by reference herein for its description of the library species and methods of synthesis of the library species. Any peptidyl bis(boroxoles) noted in this reference can optionally be excluded from the claims herein.
Gold electrodes activated by phenylboronic acid diazonium salts are reported for the reversible immobilization of eukaryotic cells [7c]. An electrochemical cell sensor for the determination of K562 leukemia cells using 3-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA)-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) films is reported [7e]. K562 leukemia cells are reported to be bound to the APBA-functionalized MWCNTs film via boronic acid groups. This reference is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for descriptions of phenylboronic acid diazonium salts and synthesis thereof.

Boronate-mediated delivery of molecules into cells


Provided is a polymer compound that has excellent sensitivity, high resolution, and small line edge roughness and is capable of forming a fine pattern precisely, and less causes post-develop defects.

Positive photoresists for use in semiconductor structure production processes should simultaneously have properties such as the property of becoming alkali-soluble in an irradiated portion upon light irradiation; adhesion to a silicon wafer; and plasma etch resistance. The positive photoresists each generally include a polymer as a base resin, a photoacid generator, and some kinds of additives to adjust the properties.
With finer design rules of semiconductor integrated circuits, exposing sources with shorter and shorter wavelengths have been used in lithography for semiconductor production. The exposing sources are now moving from KrF excimer laser at a wavelength of 248 nm to ArF excimer laser at a wavelength of 193 nm. Resist polymers for use in KrF or ArF excimer laser exposure include monomer units that release a moiety thereof by the action of an acid generated from a photoacid generator and exhibit solubility in an alkaline developer. Some of known monomer units of this type contain an acid-leaving group including a large alicyclic structure and are exemplified by a monomer unit derived from 2-methyl-2-methacryloyloxyadamantane, and a monomer unit derived from 1-(1-methacryloyloxy-1-methylethyl)adamantane (Patent Literature (PTL) 1, PTL 2, and PTL 3). Resins for photoresists containing any of these monomer units are, however, insufficient in resolution, pattern shape, and/or developability.
In contrast, others of the specific monomer units contain an acid-leaving group including a small alicyclic structure and are exemplified by a monomer unit derived from 1-(1-methacryloyloxyethyl)cyclopropane (PTL 4). Resins for photoresist including the monomer unit are, however, insufficient in sensitivity.

Polymer compound, resin composition for photoresists, and method for producing semiconductor

Abstract: The polymer compound according to the present invention includes a monomer unit (a) and a monomer unit (b). The monomer unit (a) is represented by Formula (a), and the monomer unit (b) includes an alicyclic skeleton containing a polar group. The polar group of the monomer unit (b) is preferably at least one group selected from —O—, —C(═O)—, —C(═O)—O—, —O—C(═O)—O—, —C(═O)—O—C(═O)—, —C(═O)—NH—, —S(═O)—O—, —S(═O)2—O—, —ORa, —C(═O)—ORa, and —CN, where Ra represents, independently in each occurrence, optionally substituted alkyl.


The narrow-scale moisture profile of a paper web is controlled by profiling nozzles (11) of a profiling device (10) which cover part of the width of the web and desired variations of the moisture profile are corrected by the profiling nozzles (11). Coating quantity profile of a paper web may also be controlled. The narrow-scale coating quantity profile is controlled by profiling nozzles (11) of a profiling device (10) which cover part of the width of the web and desired variations of the coating quantity profile are corrected by the profiling nozzles (11). The device (10) for controlling the moisture profile or the coating quantity profile of a paper web has profiling nozzles (11) for controlling narrow-scale moisture profile variation, which cover a desired part of the width of the web, to correct desired variations occurring in the profile in the width direction of the web.

In paper machine concepts, the on-line process is becoming increasingly more important both in new machines and when old paper machines are modified. In on-line finishing, in particular in on-line multi-nip calendering of demanding grades, totally new demands are set for the profiles of paper, in particular for moisture and tension profiles, especially in connection with small-scale control of the moisture and tension profiles. New profile control methods are needed for these in order that the quality of paper and runnability should be on a satisfactory level, for example, in multi-nip calendering. In this respect, it is particularly difficult to control the narrow-scale moisture profile, for which no technically advantageous or economical methods are known in the state of the art. The narrow-scale variations of the moisture profile occurring in wide machines are particularly problematic.
Narrow-scale profile variations are either stationary or momentarily wandering in the width direction of the web. Narrow-scale variations are caused, for example, by the condition of a press felt, which may become striped upon ageing, and by colour stripes on a cylinder surface in a dryer section. In addition, basis weight variations may cause narrow-scale moisture profile variation. Distinguishing between wide-scale and narrow-scale profile variation is, of course, a relative conception and varies with different paper grades; in the manufacture of board, a profile variation of, for example, 100 mm may be regarded as narrow and that of 300 mm as wide, in the manufacture of printing paper, a profile variation of, for example, 50 mm may in turn be regarded as narrow and that of 150 mm as wide, and in the case of sanitary tissues, a profile variation of, for example, 25 mm may be regarded as narrow and that of 75 mm as wide. In this description, by narrow-scale profile variation is primarily meant a profile variation of less than 100 mm, even less than 25 mm in width, and in the profiling of the coating quantity, a profile variation of even less than 10 mm in width.
In the prior art, various arrangements are known for controlling the moisture profile of paper, but these are applicable to profiling of the entire area across the width of the web and to wide-scale control of the moisture profile of the paper web. In the prior art, a moisturizing beam is known in which regulating nozzles are used and by means of which the wide-scale variation of the moisture profile of the paper web in the width direction thereof is controlled. With respect to the prior art relating to moisturizing of the web, reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,948,721 and 5,286,348.
The narrow-scale variations of the moisture profile cannot be controlled by the methods known in the state of the art, for example, by means of a moisturizing beam, a steam box, an infrared device, a headbox, a deflection-compensated roll, because their profiling width is too great to control narrow-scale moisture profile variation. In addition, they are suitable for use primarily across the entire width of the web.
As known from the prior art, attempts have also been made to control the problems described above such that the paper web has been overdried, thereby eliminating the narrow-scale peaks occurring in moisture profile variation. This is very costly, because it has not been possible, for example, to directly calender the overdried web but it has been necessary to re-moisturize the web by a plane moisturizer before calendering, It shall be noted in particular that it is difficult to remove moisture at the final stage of drying, overdrying thus being rather expensive and difficult to accomplish.
One problem area in the state of the art has also been the profiling of the coating quantity, the local increase of which has presented a particular problem. As known in the state of the art, it has been possible to locally reduce the quantity of coating, for example, by changing the rod or blade load.

Method and device for controlling the moisture or coating quantity profile in a paper web


A refrigerator cabinet includes a storage compartment defined by encased walls forming a peripheral edge surface surrounding the access opening. A door is hingedly mounted adjacent one edge and includes a resilient sealing gasket to seal the opening. A resilient flap is mounted on the inner panels of the walls or on the opposed liner panel of the door so that an auxiliary seal is formed separate from the gasket. An extended dead air space is provided between the flap, gasket and the opposed panels so that heat transfer from the area of the gasket into the compartment is substantially eliminated. The elongated body of the flap is approximately 70 Shore A Durometer hardness, and the base is approximately 70 Shore D Durometer hardness of a suitable plastic, such as polyvinylchloride. In one embodiment, the cross-section of the body takes the form of a bulb with a substantially semicircular cross-section, and in another embodiment, the body takes the form of a spike in cross-section with a convergent 5.degree. angle from the base. Corner sealing inserts attach to the adjacent ends of the wipers.

It is well known that the requirements for improved cabinet insulation and sealing the door/cabinet interface in refrigeration appliances are becoming more and more stringent. In order to comply with the United States Department of Energy standards to reduce energy consumption in the coming few years, substantial improvements must be made. However, in order to keep the cost of manufacture of refrigerators and freezers as low as possible, it is, of course, desirable to maintain as much of the prior cabinet design as possible as the improvements are made. With this as a given factor, the most likely source for energy saving improvements and revisions involves the elimination of heat leakage around the door gasket into the storage compartment.
There have been numerous attempts to do this by improvement to the gasket construction itself, such as shown in the Swerbinsky U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,819, issued Mar. 31, 1987, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The approach in this prior art reference is primarily to direct the face of the magnetic gasket in a direction as it approaches the peripheral edge surface of the encased walls of the cabinet so that the gasket is not distorted during closing of the door. Other arrangements providing improvements in the structure of the gasket itself, as well as the mounting arrangement on the periphery of the door, defines a main focal point of thinking among refrigeration appliance engineers.
In the prior art patent '819, there is an incidental suggestion that air insulating spaces positioned between the peripheral edge surface of the encased walls and the corresponding face of the door play a role in stopping heat leakage. It has been found, however, that these relatively small captive spaces found very limited additional improvement in the abatement of the heat leakage problem. First, the spaces are formed by parts of the gasket itself so that there still remains a direct conducting heat flow path through the gasket structure itself from outside the compartment to the inside. It has been proven that this direct heat conduction path provides significant heat leakage, and is not prevented by the insulating spaces suggested in the patent. Furthermore, the spaces are all defined by movable parts of the sealing gasket and depend on contact that is governed by the seating of the magnetic seal. In other words, the spaces are formed only as a secondary consideration and any variation in the magnetic seal engagement, such as due to wear, can actually cause the spaces to open up and thereby eliminate any advantage whatsoever.
Another main path of heat conduction is by means of the projection of the case flange into the refrigerated compartment where the flange is subjected to compartment air flow.
By this invention, there is provided a refrigerator cabinet which includes a gasket and a separate auxiliary flap extending between the inner panels of the walls and the liner panel of the door to significantly cut down on heat leakage, and thereby substantially increase the sealing efficiency.

Refrigerator cabinet with combination sealing arrangement


Provided is a rack easy to assemble and disassemble, comprising a front frame, a rear frame, and a number of shelves arranged between the front frame and the rear frame for placing articles thereon, wherein a number of supporting members for supporting the shelves are symmetrically distributed on the front frame and the rear frame, and the width of the shelves is slightly greater than that of the front frame and the rear frame. Compared with the prior art, the supporting members of the present invention for supporting the shelves are symmetrically distributed on the front frame and the rear frame, such that the shelves are directly placed on the supports on the front frame and the rear frame when in use, and the shelves can be removed from the supporting frames when the rack needs to be stored. The rack has a good bearing capacity, is easy to disassemble, assemble and use, and has a small package size after disassembly and is therefore convenient for storage.

During handling of goods, providing a rack with a plurality of shelves can not only place more goods, but also reduce the floor space. However, the rack takes up a lot of room when empty, making it inconvenient to store. In order to facilitate the storage of the rack, a combined rack has appeared in the market, and when the rack is empty, the various components of the rack can be disassembled and stored. In this way, although the rack which can be disassembled for storage is easy to store, it is troublesome to assemble when required for use.


A proximity metric is obtained that indicates a proximity of a user's face relative to a mobile device. The content, or a visual characteristic of information, on a user interface of the mobile device is adjusted, based upon the proximity metric.

Computing devices are currently in wide use. Some such computing devices include smart phones, tablet computers, handheld computers, electronic reading devices, multi-media player devices, among others.
These and other types of mobile devices include a wide variety of sensors. For instance, some such sensors include gyroscope sensors, accelerometers, ambient light sensors, cameras, global positioning sensors, other types of orientation sensors and various sensors that indicate whether the mobile device is plugged into any other device. Such sensors can be used to turn on or off the display on the device, or to enable or disable certain features. For instance, some smart phones include a small infrared sensor near the microphone. The sensor signal from the infrared sensor is processed to determine whether a user's face is in close proximity to the device. If so, the smart phone determines that the user is making a call, with the phone to his or her ear, and therefore turns off the display device and disables the touch sensitive inputs on the display screen.
Other mobile devices use a camera to perform facial recognition on a user. The facial recognition can be used to lock or unlock the mobile device.
Currently, regardless of whether a mobile device has these types of sensors, the display is static. That is, the content of the information, or a visual characteristic of the content, presented through a user interface on the mobile device is not changed. Instead, the display may be turned on or off, but the content itself is unchanged.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Using proximity sensing to adjust information provided on a mobile device