Methods for labeling mannose lectins on the surface of mammalian sperm cells are described, and methods of categorizing and quantifying the numbers of cells exhibiting particular labeling patterns are also provided. These methods provide ways of detecting whether or not a mammalian male patient has mannose lectin-correlated infertility.

1. Clinically Used Methods for Detecting Sperm Fertility Problems
The incidence of male infertility in couples desiring conception has been estimated to be as great as 15% to 40% (11). Despite the great strides that have been made in understanding and treating infertility, one of the greatest difficulties has been the lack of adequate means to diagnose the existence, and potentially the cause, of the male contribution to such infertility.
Methods for evaluating male infertility are currently limited to the assessment of a few general aspects of function (7,8) and these largely depend upon determining whether the sperm meets certain descriptive criteria. The most commonly relied-upon "classical" parameters of semen analysis are sperm number, motility and morphology, and ability to penetrate the cervical mucus (14). Unfortunately, when such parameters are analyzed by different laboratories, there are substantial variations in the results obtained (12,18,19). In addition, if samples of the same patient are tested repeatedly, the results can be substantially different, and the results can also vary considerably when tests from multiple samples of known fertile sperm are compared (20,21).
Even though such analysis has its problems, human male infertility can often be correlated with specific derangements in sperm characteristics. However, there is a subset of infertile men who have normal sperm parameters, yet repeatedly fail to fertilize oocytes in vitro. The lack of a method to detect such infertility leads to much frustration and expense, as such patients can only learn about it by repeated failures in efforts to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The need to find a more reliable indicator of male infertility has been a long-felt one, and has even encouraged some to evaluate the use of extremely complex methods of analysis. For example, some investigators have attempted to measure sperm movement characteristics using computerized systems that can reconstruct how sperm move (reviewed in Ref. 8). Investigators have also tried to apply an animal model that examines the motility of hyper-activated sperm as an indicator of fertilizing ability (1). Unfortunately, no more than 24% of all human spermatozoa incubated 3 to 24 hours conform to this animal model (22).
That even sophisticated methods of observing sperm numbers or mobility do not yield suitable tests for sperm fertility is not all that surprising, since more than 80% of infertile males have sperm counts which meet or exceed the "normal standards" (20), and since fertility only requires that a small fraction of sperm be functional (22,23). Observations of the sperm as a group is therefore not likely to be accurate.
2. Cellular Events Leading to Fertilization
Efforts to understand the process of fertilization has led to the possibility that distinct molecular markers might be evaluated to determine if sperm can undergo the fertilization process properly.
Before fertilization can occur, human sperm must undergo a special pre-conditioning series of maturation steps that together are known as "capacitation"; only then can they recognize and fertilize human eggs (reviewed in 26). The stages of a sperm cell's capacitation are:
1. The sperm cell develops a vigorous nonlinear flagellar motility, which is known as "hyper-activation"; PA1 2. The sperm cell then binds to the proteinaceous layer surrounding the egg (the zona pellucida), in a species-specific manner; PA1 3. The sperm cell then ejects from the head portion, by the process of exocytosis, certain materials that have been accumulated into the head of the sperm into a region called the "acrosome" (this exocytosis of the acrosome is called the "acrosome reaction"); and finally, PA1 4. The sperm fuses with the oolemma and fertilizes the egg.
Although the process of capacitation is understood morphologically, the ultrastructural and biochemical changes that are involved are only beginning to be understood (1). For example, in animals, it has been demonstrated that the expression of sperm membrane proteins which recognize specific glycoconjugates on the zona is altered during capacitation (reviewed in Ref. 2), and that interaction of these sperm proteins with zona ligands triggers the acrosome reaction (3,4). There is fragmentary evidence suggesting that analogous processes occur in man (5-7). However, no study has conclusively established the molecular nature of human sperm zona binding proteins, nor has there been a demonstration of the time course of appearance on the sperm surface of putative zona receptors.
3. Theoretical Foundation for the Invention
The basis for this invention is the hope that if sperm membrane proteins involved in capacitation could be identified and characterized, it might be possible to establish criteria that would distinguish the identity and character of such proteins in normal, fertile cells as opposed to infertile sperm cells. Such a method might also provide a better understanding of biochemical abnormalities involved in human sperm dysfunction, a subject of increasing interest to many clinicians (8,9).
Unfortunately, research directed at identifying and characterizing proteins on the human sperm surface that mediate capacitation in general, and the zona penetration step in particular, have suffered from the limited availability of human oocytes. Recently, however, Mori and co-workers examined the role of monosaccharides in human fertilization (10). Utilizing sugar competition in human sperm-zona binding/penetration experiments, they identified mannose as a saccharide critical for human zona recognition. Sperm binding and penetration occurred when zonae pellucidae were pre-treated with D-mannose. In contrast, when human oocytes were pre-treated with Concanavalin A, a mannose-binding lectin, no human sperm bound to or penetrated the zona. Pretreatment of sperm and co-incubation of sperm and zonae with D-mannose markedly reduced zona binding and completely inhibited zona penetration. The inhibition of sperm binding by D-mannose pretreatment was considerably stronger than that observed with any other monosaccharide or complex sugar tested.
4. Prior Methods Using Mannose Lectin Labeling
Other investigators have attempted to apply these observations to the study of male infertility, but their results have not been clinically useful. In one such effort, Tesarik and co-workers (7) attempted to surface label sperm with bovine serum albumin (BSA) that had been coated with mannose and labeled with a fluorescent tag, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), in order to distinguish fertile from infertile males. Upon observing sperm samples labeled in this way, Tesarik et al. counted individual sperm as falling into three basic groups: (1), head and tail labeled; (2) tail only; or (3) head only (or only part of the head labeled, (3A)). However, Tesarik et al. reported that the overall incidence of labeling was low (only 10-15% bound the probe), and that virtually all sperm showing any of these labeling patterns (or any labeling at all) were acrosomal intact, i.e., they had not undergone the acrosomal reaction.
Based upon analysis of pooled sperm samples from fertile and infertile donor groups, Tesarik et al. also found that about 5.5% of the sperm in fertile samples were labeled only in the head (patterns 3 or 3A), while only about 1.5% of the infertile samples had such binding. Even though this was by their analysis statistically significant, these differences are too slight to be of practical utility, and this method did not meet with widespread clinical use.
In another report, Silverberg and colleagues (27,28) labeled the mannose lectin present in "swim-up" sperm samples (i.e., selected for active motility, see methods below). This was done by incubating the samples with FITC-labeled mannosylated BSA, and then washing to remove the unbound label. Sperm samples were then examined under a microscope, and were characterized as to the percentage of sperm cells that were labeled. Oddly, they refer to Tesarik et al. to say how binding was assessed, but they then did not appear to segregate binding patterns, but only state the total percentage of sperm that were labeled.
Silverberg et al.'s findings were that patients whose sperm cells were zero to 34% labeled had about a 25% chance of succeeding in in vitro fertilization (IVF); that patients whose sperm cells were 35-49% labeled had about a 69% chance of successful IVF; and that those with 50-100% of their sperm cells labeled had about an 82% chance of successful IVF. However, these findings are difficult, if not impossible, to use as a predictive test of whether an individual patient is a good candidate for IVF. There is no indication in these reports regarding the fertilization rate they generally achieved with IVF even with fertile men, or what their insemination criteria were. Furthermore, it is difficult to imagine that someone whose sperm are labeled at 30%, for example, would decline IVF on that basis; even with marginally fertile men, it is often possible to still obtain fertilization if large numbers of sperm are used.

Method for assessing infertility by binding of mannose to sperm cells


A Combined greeting card and record sleeve in a side-fold design, incorporating in the front-sheet a phonographic record-sleeve as a pocket in which to receive an audio disc with a central die-cut to expose the label or logo of the disc received; and a back-sheet of relative size and dimension to the front-sheet on which is contained on the inside panel general greeting card indicia.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to greeting cards, and more particularly, to a greeting card having a record sleeve to receive phonographic audio discs therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the advent of worldwide manufacture and distribution of Compact Audio Discs (known as CDS) in the mid-80s, and the subsequent mass consumer acceptance of CDS by the early 1990s, major record companies rapidly replaced vinyl configurations of catalogues with CD reissues. However, in the process they eliminated the manufacture and distribution of 45s. And secondly, by the early 1990's, they totally ceased manufacture and distribution of vinyl 331/3 LPS.
Since the bulk of a label's 45-singles were released over the past 50 years, such product was therefore also marked for extinction, unless initially released as part of a CD-artist compilation, or thereafter, subject to limited licensing to third- parties, i.e. for films or occasionally, for commercials. This resulted in a minimizing of vast back-catalogue sales potential. At the same time, the copyright-holders and music publishers of such songs that were contained on these previously released vinyl-catalogues suffered an equally negative result.
The present invention provides a means to recycle inactive record catalogues beyond the former conventions by reissuing them in a unique and novel reissue-device.
The greeting card having a record sleeve for receiving an audio disc permits a functionally new recycling purpose that distinguishes it from previously utilized ordinary standard record sleeves and greeting cards.


The invention relates to a device which comprises a gear change fork (1), a hydraulic cylinder including a stationary cylindrical spindle (2) with a stationary transverse wall (3) projecting from said spindle (2) and a piston that is translatably movable by sliding over said transverse stationary wall (3). The piston consists of a piston body (4) closed by a radial closing part referred to as a “plug” (5) so as to define two inner chambers (6, 7) of the cylinder, which are situated on either side of said stationary transverse wall (3), respectively. Means for pressurizing both of the two cylinder chambers (6, 7) are provided for moving the movable piston (4, 5) in one direction or another. In the device according to the invention, the piston body (4) is directly built into the gear shift fork (1) whereby, as a result of the pressure in a cylinder chamber (6, 7), it is the fork (1) that moves translatably.

The present invention relates to a device for the controlled translational movement of a gear shift fork for an automobile gearbox.
The present invention particularly, but not exclusively, relates to a vehicle with a hydrostatic transmission.
Numerous automobile gearbox models are already known, in which gear shifting is assisted by cylinders which actuate the gear selecting and shifting forks.
As an example, French Pat. No. FR 2844570 describes a gear selecting and shifting device for an electronically controlled gearbox of an automobile, having several forks borne by a shaft with controlled translational movement relative to the gearbox housing and allowing the engagement of a chosen gear ratio associated with one of the forks by means of a synchronization sleeve translationally connected with the fork. The device has selection components associated respectively with the forks, each made up of a small single acting hydraulic cylinder that can be controlled selectively in order to radially move a locking finger of the selected fork in a groove of the shaft in such a way as to connect the selected fork with this shaft and to move the fork translationally for the shifting of a chosen gear ratio associated with this fork. The forks are mounted on a common shaft whose translational movement can be controlled by a double acting hydraulic cylinder.

Device for translatably controlling the movement of a gear change fork for a motor vehicle gearbox


A press forming die assembly for press forming a blank material includes a draw forming portion that the blank material flows and a draw bead for controlling the amount of the blank material flowing into the draw forming portion. A first draw bead is provided at a periphery of the draw forming portion in a direction substantially parallel to an outer peripheral shape of the draw forming portion. A second draw bead extends from the first draw bead toward the outside of the draw forming portion in a direction intersecting the first draw bead. The blank material includes a thick sheet portion having a greater thickness than the other portion or a high rigidity portion having a higher rigidity than that of the other portion. The second draw bead is provided at a portion corresponding to the thick sheet portion or the high rigidity portion of the blank material.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a press forming die assembly including a draw bead for controlling the amount of a blank material that flows into a draw-forming portion in press forming. Specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in the shape of a draw bead used in press forming of a composite blank material that includes sheet materials having different sheet thicknesses and rigidities.
2. Background Art
Panels, such as door panels for vehicles, are produced by press forming a composite blank material including plural sheet materials that have different sheet thicknesses and rigidities and are integrally connected by butt-welding.
A die assembly used in press forming includes a draw forming portion that has a draw forming concave portion, a draw forming convex portion, and a forming surface corresponding to a product surface of a panel. The concave portion is provided at the center of a die, and the convex portion is provided at an end portion of a punch. In the press forming die assembly, a composite blank material is held by a peripheral portion of the die and a blank holder, and the convex portion of the punch is moved to the concave portion of the die. As a result, the composite blank material flows into the draw forming portion, whereby a panel having a convex product surface, for example, is formed. In this case, a draw bead is provided on the holding surfaces of the peripheral portion of the die and the blank holder in a direction approximately parallel to the outer peripheral shape of the draw forming portion. The flow amount of the composite blank material is controlled by the draw bead in press forming.
When a blank material having a thin sheet portion and a thick sheet portion is used as a composite blank material, a step portion is provided to an upper die of a press forming die assembly. The step portion corresponds to the difference of the sheet thickness between the thin sheet portion and the thick sheet potion. The step portion is welded with a material that is harder than the base material of the die, and a sharp edge is formed thereon by a finish processing. In press forming, since there is a difference of inflow shear amount due to the difference in sheet thicknesses at the connected portion of the thin sheet portion and the thick sheet portion, the thick sheet portion may overlap with the thin sheet portion. Such overlap is prevented by the above step portion.
In the case of using the step portion, forming failure such as buckling wrinkling easily occurs due to the difference in sheet thicknesses of the thick sheet portion and the thin sheet portion. Accordingly, adjustment operation for a die assembly requires time in trial forming, and forming failure may be unavoidable in a product having a complicated shape.
Moreover, the following problems may occur in commercial production. FIGS. 7A and 7B show an example of a composite blank material 210 having a panel 220 that is formed by a conventional press forming die assembly. FIG. 7A shows a top view, and FIG. 7B shows a cross sectional drawing taken along line 7B-7B. As shown in FIG. 7A, when the composite blank material 210 moves to a draw forming portion, rotation R of the material of a thick sheet portion 211 (movement of a connecting line 213 of the thick sheet portion 211 and the thin sheet portion 212 toward the thin sheet portion 212) occurs. Then, a crack H is generated at the connecting line 213. In this case, a sharp edge of the thick sheet portion 211 passes through the die assembly, whereby there is wear of the die assembly, and particles are generated and may be trapped at a product surface 221 of the panel 220.
As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, buckling wrinkling I is generated at the thin sheet portion 212 by the rotation R of the material of the thick sheet portion 211. When the composite blank material 210 is used for an inner panel of a vehicle door, an end surface of an outer panel is connected to an inner panel by a hemming process. In this case, the end surface of the outer panel may be degraded by the buckling wrinkling of the inner panel (for example, rough portions may be produced or adhesion failure may occur at the end surface of the outer panel).
Moreover, because of the rotation R of the material of the thick sheet portion 211, strain is concentrated in the thin sheet portion 212, and the flow of the material into the draw forming portion is decreased. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7A, a crack J may be generated at a ridge line portion 222 in a raised wall of the product surface 221. FIG. 7A shows a reference numeral 214, which indicates a bead portion formed by a draw bead of a press forming die assembly, and a reference numeral 223, which indicates a flange portion of the thick sheet portion 211. In addition, FIG. 7A shows a reference numeral F, which indicates a flow direction of a material in draw forming.
As described above, in the conventional press forming die assembly, forming failure may occur in the vicinity of the connected portion of the thick sheet portion and the thin sheet portion. Accordingly, adjustment operation of a die assembly is time consuming in trial forming, and the quality of products may be degraded in commercial production.
In order to solve the above problems, several techniques have been disclosed to improve the shape of the above draw bead for controlling the flow amount of a material. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-259751 discloses a technique for generating a large flow resistance. In this technique, a draw bead is formed in a trapezoidal shape. In a boundary area including a connected portion of a thin sheet portion and a thick sheet portion of a composite blank material, the height, the width, and the curvature radius of corners of the trapezoidal shape are greater than those in an area other than the boundary area. However, in this technique, the material of the thick sheet portion may be rotated by movement of the composite blank material to a draw forming portion. Moreover, according to the increase in the flowing resistance, the sheet thickness of a ridge line portion in a raised wall on a product surface of a panel is decreased. Therefore, the above problems cannot be solved. Specifically, when a corner of a draw forming portion is close to the connected portion of the thick sheet portion and the thin sheet portion, the above problems become serious. The above problems occur in press forming of a composite blank material, which has different rigidities, including a portion with high rigidity and a portion with low rigidity.


The invention provides methods for increasing the levels of bi-antennary mono- and fully galactosylated N-glycans, and for decreasing the levels of hybrid-type galactosylated N-glycans on glycoproteins produced in plants or plant cells. In addition, the invention provides methods for the production of heterologous glycoproteins with increased levels of bi-antennary mono- and fully galactosylated N-glycans, or decreased levels of hybrid-type galactosylated N-glycans in plants or plant cells.

Glycosylation is the covalent linkage of an oligosaccharide chain to a protein resulting in a glycoprotein. In many glycoproteins, the oligosaccharide chain is attached to the amide nitrogen of an asparagine (Asn) residue and leads to N-glycosylation. Glycosylation represents the most widespread post-translational modification found in natural and biopharmaceutical proteins. For example, more than half of the human proteins are glycosylated and their function frequently depends on particular glycoforms (glycans), which can affect their plasma half life, tissue targeting or even their biological activity. Similarly, more than one-third of approved biopharmaceuticals are glycoproteins and both their function and efficiency are affected by the presence and composition of their N-glycans. The functional activity of therapeutic glycoproteins is also frequently dependent on their glycosylation; this can be the case, for example in blood factors, antibodies and interferons. This requirement for glycosylation explains why many biopharmaceuticals are produced in expression systems with N-glycosylation capability. In recent years plants have emerged as an attractive system for the production of therapeutic proteins, as plants are generally considered to have several advantages, including the lack of animal pathogens such as prions and viruses, low cost and the large-scale production of safe and biologically active valuable recombinant proteins, the case of scale-up, efficient harvesting and storage possibilities. However, N-linked glycans from plants differ in many aspects from those of mammalian cells. In plants, beta(1,2)-xylose and alfa(1,3)-fucose residues have been shown to be linked to the core Man3GlucNAc2-Asn of glycans, whereas they are not detected on mammalian glycans, where sialic acid residues and terminal beta(1,4)-galactosyl structures occur instead. The unique N-glycans added by plants could impact both immunogenicity and functional activity of the protein and, consequently, may represent a limitation for plants to be used as a protein production platform. Indeed, the immunogenicity of beta(1,2)-xylose residues and alfa(1,3)-fucose in mammals has been described (Bardor et. al., 2003, Glycobiology 13: 427). Glyco-engineering with the combined knock-out/knock-in approach of glycosylation-related enzyme genes has been recognized for the avoidance of plant-specific glycan residues as well as the introduction of human glycosylation machinery in plants.
Beta(1,4)-galactose has been introduced in plants by expression of human beta(1,4)-galactosyltransferase I (GalT) (Bakker et. al., 2001, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98: 2899), and chicken and zebrafish beta(1,4)-galactosyltransferase I (WO2008/125972). In several studies, the GalT enzyme was fused to a golgi targeting signal as to alter the localization in Golgi and to improve GalT activity. Bakker et. al. (2006, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103: 7577) and WO2003/078637 describe a fusion of human GalT to the cytoplasmic tail, transmembrane domain, and stem region (CTS domain) of Arabidopsis thaliana xylosyltransferase (XylT). They found that, in tobacco, addition of this CTS domain caused a sharp reduction of N-glycans with core-bound xylose and fucose residues. Vezina et. al. (2009, Plant. Biotechnol. J. 7: 442) and WO2008/151440 fused GalT to the membrane anchorage domain of the N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GNTI) from tobacco, in order to allocate GalT activity in the early plant secretory pathway. Glycans from the N. benthamiana plants expressing the GNTI-GalT fusion comprised galactosylated and non-galactosylated hybrids and immature oligomannose N-glycans, and contained no detectable alfa(1,3)-fucose and beta(1,2)-xylose residues. WO2008/125972 replaced the chicken and zebrafish CTS domain with the CTS of rat sialyltransferase. The zebrafish GalT having substituted its amino-terminal for the CTS region of rat sialyltransferase, produced mainly biantennary, double galactosylated N-glycans in Nicotiana benthamiana. Strasser et. al. (2009, J. Biol. Chem. 284: 20479) fused human GalT to the rat sialyltransferase CTS domain. This fusion protein was expressed in N. benthamiana which lacks plant-specific beta(1,2)-xylosyltransferase and core alfa(1,3)-fucosyltransferase activities and expresses anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibody. The predominant glycoform of the expressed antibodies was the fully galactosylated AA structure, and to some extent incompletely processed and monoantennary galactosylated structures were present. Galactosylated structures represented about 80% of all glycoforms. Moreover, it was observed that the antigen-binding of these plant-derived antibodies was 115-140% as compared to CHO-derived antibodies. Importantly, the fully galactosylated plant-derived antibodies neutralized HIV more efficiently than other glycoforms from plant and CHO cells.
The current invention provides methods and means to improve production of bi-antennary beta(1,4)-galactosylated N-glycan structures and to reduce the production of hybrid-type beta(1,4)-galactosylated N-glycans on glycoproteins in plants and plant cells, as will become apparent from the following description, examples, drawings and claims provided herein.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Production of galactosylated N-glycans in plants


Catalysts for the oxichlorination of ethylene to 1,2-dichlorethane, comprising copper chloride as a main component, in the form of hollow cylindrical granules having at least three through holes, obtained by compression forming by using, for lubrication, a lubricant placed on the walls of the forming chamber and on the plungers of the mold.

A prior application in the name of the same Applicant, which is still pending, describes catalysts and supports for catalysts having a specific geometric shape, for example a cylindrical shape with through holes, with a circular or multilobed cross-section, obtained by tableting powders by using an external lubricant that is applied to the surface of the forming chamber and on the plungers of the mold instead of being dispersed in the bulk of the powder to be tableted.
The application does not describe catalysts for the oxichlorination of ethylene into 1,2-dichlorethane.
The synthesis of 1,2-dichlorethane by oxichlorination of ethylene can be performed, as known, in a fluidized-bed reactor or in a fixed-bed reactor. In the first case more uniform distribution of the temperature in the reactor is obtained (by avoiding localized overheating), with the detriment of some difficulty in fluidization, caused by the tendency of the catalyst particles to stick. In the second case, management of reaction parameters is easier, but due to the low heat exchange coefficient among the catalyst granules and between said granules and the reaction gas, localized temperature increases, known as "hot spots", can occur. These localized temperature increases must be avoided for reasons linked to the selectivity and useful life of the catalyst.
A first attempt to solve the problem of heat exchange among the granules of catalyst for the oxichlorination of ethylene has resorted to ring-shaped granules or to circular and cylindrical granules having a given height-to-diameter ratio.
The problem of the heat exchange coefficient is not the only technical problem to be solved in the case of an efficient synthesis of 1,2-dichlorethane in a fixed-bed reactor.
In fact, the following characteristics are also requested to a granular catalyst used in the fixed-bed oxichlorination of ethylene:
low resistance to the gas flow (low load loss for an equal thickness of the catalyst bed); PA1 a high effective surface, that is to say, a high surface-to-volume ratio; and PA1 good mechanical strength, in order to prevent breakage of the catalytic particles and consequent packing of the bed.
The catalysts that are normally used in the fixed-bed oxidative chlorination process (which are shaped like spheres, solid cylinders, or rings of various sizes) do not solve these problems satisfactorily. Moreover, when using these known configurations, diffusion of the reaction gases inside the granules of catalyst and complementary diffusion of the products from the inside of the granules are often very limited. This means that since the oxichlorinatlon reaction occurs more easily and selectively on the outer surface of the granule in the heterogeneous system taken into consideration, oxichlorination catalysts having known shapes are not used efficiently. Therefore, a large amount of catalyst has to be used in order to achieve the desired conversion, and thus tubes of adequate height have to be used in the case of tube-bundle fixed beds. With oxichlorination catalysts having known shapes, this entails a further increase in load losses, also because the empty spaces between the catalyst granules are small.
Catalysts having a shape other than the conventional ones are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,990, which relates to tubular extruded granules that have an essentially triangular or quadrangular multilobed cross-section. These catalysts provided advantages in terms of resistance to breakage and pressure drop, but the results are not really very much different from those that can be obtained with conventional catalysts.
Extrusion is the process adopted industrially to form catalysts.
This process is technologically very simple to perform; however, it has the drawback that it is absolutely unsuitable for forming complex shapes that can offer a satisfactory solution to the above mentioned problems.

Catalysts for the oxichlorination of ethylene, method for preparing them, and oxichlorination method using the same


A process for continuously producing an aromatic carboxylic acid comprising oxidizing an aromatic compound substituted with alkyl groups with molecular oxygen gas in the liquid phase in a solvent containing a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid in the presence of a catalyst comprising heavy metal compounds and a bromine compound, wherein a mother liquor which is obtained after removal of crystals from a reaction liquid of the liquid phase oxidation and contains heavy metal ions and bromine ion as catalyst components is brought into contact with a chelate resin of an anion exchange type to recover the catalyst components.. The catalyst components are efficiently recovered, and auxiliary agents in an amount exceeding the equivalent amount and excessive labor are not necessary.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to process for producing an aromatic carboxylic acid. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for producing an aromatic carboxylic acid, particularly 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, by the liquid phase oxidation of an aromatic compound substituted with alkyl groups, wherein catalyst components are efficiently recovered from a mother liquor obtained after separation of crystals from the reaction liquid of the liquid phase oxidation.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Aromatic carboxylic acids, particularly aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as terephthalic acid and 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, and esters thereof are useful as raw materials for polyesters which are used as fibers and resins.
Aromatic carboxylic acids are produced by liquid phase oxidation of aromatic compounds substituted with alkyl groups in the presence of a heavy metal catalyst. For example, in processes proposed in the specifications of Japanese Patent Publication Showa 34(1959)-2666 and Japanese Patent Publication Showa 56(1981)-3337, an aromatic dicarboxylic acid is obtained by oxidation in a solution containing a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid in the presence of a catalyst containing a heavy metal, such as cobalt and manganese, and bromine.
In the above processes, the reaction product is obtained in the form of a slurry containing solid substances after the oxidation, and the aromatic carboxylic acid is obtained from crystals separated by solid-liquid separation of the slurry. The mother liquor which is obtained as the filtrate after the solid-liquid separation of the slurry contains useful catalyst components, such as expensive heavy metals such as cobalt and manganese and bromine compounds. It is necessary that the catalyst components be recycled in order to use these components efficiently.
The simplest method for the recycling is to reuse the mother liquor without any treatment. However, various organic impurities formed as byproducts in the reaction and inorganic substances formed by elution of materials of apparatuses are present in the mother liquor. These impurities are concentrated during the recycling and occasionally have serious adverse effects on the oxidation.
Therefore, the direct recycling of the mother liquor is limited, and catalyst components which are not reused by the recycling of the mother liquor must be recovered. Various processes have heretofore been proposed to recover catalyst components which are not reused by the recycling of a mother liquor.
For example, water and an alkali metal carbonate are added to a residue obtained after removal of a solvent from a mother liquor, and metal components of a catalyst are precipitated in the form of carbonates, which are then dissolved in acetic acid to recover the metal components (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Showa 48(1973)-66090). In another example, oxalic acid is added to a mother liquor which is not recycled, and metal components of a catalyst are recovered as oxalates (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 2(1990)-203939).
It has been known that metal components can be recovered with anion exchange resins from a mother liquor which is not recycled. For example, cobalt and bromine in the mother liquor is adsorbed with a strong basic anion exchange resin after the ratio of bromine to cobalt has been adjusted in a specific range, and the adsorbed cobalt and bromine are eluted with acetic acid containing water to recover organic substances containing cobalt (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Showa 53(1978)-133574). In another example, a mother liquor is first brought into contact with an anion exchange resin in the bromide form so that heavy metals are adsorbed with the anion exchange resin, and the adsorbed heavy metals are subsequently recovered from the ion exchange resin by elution. The treated mother liquor is then brought into contact with a weak basic anion exchange resin so that bromine ion is adsorbed with the anion exchange resin, and the adsorbed bromine ion is subsequently recovered by elution from the anion exchange resin (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Showa 53(1978)-104590).
When metal components are recovered as carbonates or oxalates, auxiliary agents such as alkali metal carbonates and oxalic acid are necessary in amounts exceeding the equivalent amounts, and the processes are not economically advantageous. Moreover, recovery of the carbonates and oxalates requires complicated operations such as neutralization, precipitation and separation of metal salts and excessive labor.
The processes using an anion exchange resin are superior to the above processes in that such agents are not necessary. However, in order to achieve complete adsorption of heavy metals, bromine ion is necessary in an amount by mol about twice or more as much as the amount of the heavy metal at the time of the adsorption. The bromine ion is recovered simultaneously when the heavy metals are recovered. Therefore, the ratio of bromine ion and the heavy metal components in the oxidation is naturally restricted, and the oxidation is conducted in the presence of a large relative amount of bromine ion.
Although it is necessary that the ratio of bromine ion to heavy metals be kept at a specific value or more in the oxidation, bromine ion in an excessively large amount does not show further contribution to the improvement of the reaction, and the amount of bromine discharged to the outside of the system as organic bromine compounds in the off-gas increases. This causes loss of bromine, and the possibility of corrosion also increases. Therefore, it is not preferable that the ratio of bromine ion to heavy metals in a catalyst must be kept at a high value in the liquid phase oxidation.
In the processes using carbonates and oxalates, the metal components are concentrated to form solid substances. In contrast, metals adsorbed with an anion exchange resin are recovered by elution with acetic acid containing a large amount of water. The degree of concentration of the eluted ions is decided by the concentration during the elution, and occasionally the degree of concentration of the eluted ions is insufficient. When the degree of concentration of eluted ions is insufficient, recycling of the recovered catalyst directly into the reaction system increases the concentration of water in the reactor, and this adversely affects the reaction. Therefore, an additional treatment such as removal of water before the recycling is necessary, and this consumes additional energy.

Process for producing aromatic carboxylic acid


A flex circuit board provides islands of electrically isolated material surrounding openings in the flex circuit board to preserve fluid integrity of passageways passing through an electrically insulating layer of the flex circuit board. The electrically isolated islands surround exits of the passageways through the electrically insulating material and extend the passageways through an electrically conductive layer of the flex circuit board. Consequently, fluid passing through the passageways and electrically isolated islands in the flex circuit board is not subjected to electrical current.

Printheads in inkjet printers are typically formed with a plurality of layers that are laminated together to form the printhead. Each printhead is fluidly connected to one or more ink sources to enable liquid ink to flow into the printhead. The liquid ink then moves through passageways formed in the layers to a plurality of chambers, each of which is opposite an actuator, such as a piezoelectric transducer. When the actuators are activated by an electrical driving signal, a diaphragm is deflected with reference to the chamber to eject a drop of ink from the chamber through a nozzle. By selectively activating the actuators, ink drops are ejected to form an ink image on an ink receiving surface. Typically, a flex circuit layer is formed with electrical traces that are operatively connected to a driving signal circuit to deliver the electrical driving signals to the actuators.
The passageways in a laminated printhead are formed by aligning passageway openings in adjacent layers to enable ink to exit a passageway in one layer and enter a passageway in the next layer. Consequently, the alignments and tolerances for the distances between openings in adjacent layers are tight to prevent ink from escaping the passageways and migrating along other features in the printhead. One layer that can present issues with these tolerances is the flex circuit board. A flex circuit board includes a foundational flexible material with a pattern of an electrical conductor, such as copper, on one surface of the foundational material. The electrical conductor pattern can be produced on the foundational material using either an additive process or a subtractive process. The height differences between the electrical conductor pattern and the exposed foundational material enable ink to seep out the passageways through the foundational flexible material before it enters the passageway in the next layer. Preserving the integrity of ink passageways through a flex circuit board would be beneficial

Flex circuit board with topographical structures to facilitate fluid flow through the layer


The process and apparatus of the present invention teaches how to treat a well-integrated woven or non-woven web of hydrophobic fibers to make selective areas hydrophyllic. It also can be used to make a web of hydrophyllic fibers selectively hydrophobic. It uses a plurality of selectively adjustable covers on an applicator roll rotating in a bath of liquid to place the liquid material on selective areas of the moving web. In a preferred embodiment the web is non-woven and the fibers are hydrophobic in nature, e.g., dry-laid or melt-blown polypropylene or polyethylene fibers or spun-bonded hydrophobic filaments. A woven web made of cotton or other hydrophyllic fibers may also be used if the end result is to create partially hydrophobic areas on a hydrophyllic web. The areas of liquid are positioned on the web only where desired so as to eliminate the excessive cost of unwanted and unnecessary coating material. If the web is hydrophobic, the liquid makes that area hydrophyllic. If the web is hydrophyllic, the liquid makes that area hydrophobic.

It is well-known in the art for the manufacture of disposable baby diapers or other sanitary disposable absorbent products such as sanitary napkins, adult incontinence pads, and hospital bed pads to provide a structure wherein the coversheet or coverstock or top sheet (i.e., that portion of the product which is in contact with the patient's skin) is made of hydrophyllic material so as to be pervious, to liquids such as urine. This permits ready pass-through of the liquid into the absorbent core or the pad which lies beneath the coverstock. In the past, some of the coverstocks have also been made of cotton, or blends of cotton and rayon or blends of rayon with a bonding fiber such as polyethylene.
Such coverstock, however, has been undesirable because it tends to retain the moisture and thus feel wet to touch and because it keeps the skin wet and is more likely to cause skin rash or diaper rash or the like.
Therefore, in more recent years, it has been found desirable to use a coverstock made of hydrophobic fibers or filaments, such as polypropylene or polyester, either carded, spun-bonded or melt-blown, or the like, but because such material inherently tends to interfere with the pass-through of urine into the absorbent pad, it has been found necessary to treat the web with a hydrophyllicity-inducing material (surf actant) such as Triton X-102 distributed by Rohm & Haas Co. of Philadelphia, Pa. or MAGNASOFT manufactured by the Union Carbide Company.
The surfactant usually is incorporated with the fibers by the fiber manufacturers before being sent to the web manufacturer, who form a web which is substantially uniformly hydrophyllic. A web thus formed when used as the top sheet in a baby or adult diaper is then coated in areas where perviousness is not only unnecessary but also undesirable. In a more recent form of diaper construction, a strip of nonwoven web of hydrophyllic material is assembled side-by-side between two strips or webs of hydrophobic fibers. When such a 3-strip web is placed upon a diaper, with the pervious strip in the longitudinal center of the diaper, the urine can pass to the absorbent core through the center strip but not along the sides where the coverstock is impervious. However, such a pre-formed, web assembled from three different materials is costly to make and more difficult to run on a diaper machine because of the seam-lines between the hydrophyllic and hydrophobic strips.
In order to overcome such deficiencies, this invention provides a process for applying a coating material to a one-piece hydrophobic web only where the coating is desired.
Such a process is different from a padding process which applies a liquid, such as an adhesive, to an unbonded web of fibers (to create an integrated nonwoven web).
The prior art fails to teach the unique process of the present invention to produce a one-piece web with precisely-located coating zones.

Coating selective zones of thin webs to change the pervious character thereof, using a shutter


An ostomy coupling has first and second coupling members. These can be held together by a springy flexible split locking ring. A plurality of tabs, arranged, e.g., symetrically, on the limbs of the locking ring can be withdrawn generally radially outwardly by movement of the locking ring to permit separation of the two coupling members. The movement of the locking ring which causes withdrawal of the tabs may be a vertically upward movement of the ring, or a vertically downward movement. The movement of the locking ring which causes withdrawal of the tabs alternatively may be a deformation of the ring in opposed horizontal directions. Preferably, however, the movement of the locking ring which causes a withdrawal of the tabs is a rotational movement relative to the second coupling member.

This invention relates to an ostomy coupling.
Ostomy couplings are used to connect and disconnect a bag for receiving a stomal discharge to and from a medical grade adhesive pad which is applied to the peristomal area of the skin of the wearer. Many designs of ostomy coupling are known. One which has enjoyed considerable commercial success is described and claimed in U.K. Patent No. 1,571,657.
An ostomy coupling in which unlocking of two coupling parts is achieved by deforming a ring in the form of a closed loop is disclosed in our U.K. Patent Application No. 9409037.0, filed May 6, 1994.
It has been proposed by Kubo, in Japanese Utility Model No. 62-11610, published February 1985, that an ostomy device should have a double female ring structure which can interengage with a male ring. The male ring may be on the bag and the female ring on a skin-attachable adhesive pad, or vice-versa. The outer ring on the female ring is circular and flexible and has a pair of inwardly-extending catches at opposite ends of a diameter. By pressing on two diametrically extending lugs, whose diameter is substantially at right angles to the diameter joining the catches, the outer female ring is deformed so that the catches are caused to move radially outwardly, so permitting separation of the two coupling parts.
This arrangement, though perhaps operable in theory, has serious disadvantages in practice, for example (i) to connect or disconnect it is necessary to hold the coupling at four places, approximately spaced at 90.degree. intervals around the periphery, (ii) pressing on two diametrically opposed regions will tend to bend the coupling out of its normal plane and the forces applied may easily cause the body side pad to be partially (or wholly) detached from the skin of the wearer, also the need to press in both ends of the diameter fully, and simultaneously, means that releasing the bag-side coupling is subject to uncertainty, (iii) the repeated attachment and withdrawal of the bag-side coupling part will cause the o-ring (provided to prevent escape of excreted matter between the male and female rings) to become worn, so compromising its sealing qualities with potentially highly embarrassing and undesirable results, (iv) the wearer may find it difficult to determine whether or not the two coupling parts are properly engaged, (v) the accuracy and forces needed for manipulation to connect or disconnect will be well beyond the capability of an infirm, confused, elderly or impatient wearer; (vi) it is hard to be sure that the appliance is properly locked; and (vii) in the case of large sizes, the old and infirm will find it physically difficult to span with their hand and push in diametrally opposed regions of the ring.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,377 there is disclosed an ostomy coupling in which a bag-side coupling attached to an ostomy pouch can be held onto to a body-side member by a third member which is substantially circular, deformable, and clamps or grips the bag side coupling when it is tightened. In practice, the diameter of the third member is reduced by operation of a mechanical control mechanism, some of whose parts are attached to the third member. While it may be true, as the patentee states, that a sealed mechanical connection of bag- and body-side couplings can be achieved using such a mechanism, the overall construction is relatively complex, which of course affects manufacturing costs.
PCT published Applications Nos. WO91/01118 and WO91/01119 relate to an ostomy coupling and to a ring for locking such a coupling. The ring has two free ends which are manually pulled together to tighten the ring circumferentially around bag- and body-side coupling parts whose structure is designed in various ways so that they can inter-engage. This results in a variety of relatively complex designs, likely to be costly to manufacture. Manipulation of such a coupling will potentially give rise to difficulties for infirm, elderly, or non-dexterous persons.
It is an aim of this invention to provide improved designs of ostomy couplings which embody a springy or resilient split ring as a locking ring. That is, the ring is generally circular in form but has a single gap therein, subtending a small angle, e.g. 5 to 15.degree..


Provided are a LIDAR apparatus based on a time of flight and a moving object which output an electrical signal by transmitting and receiving light, generate a control signal by analyzing the electrical signal, measure a pin point distance by calculating a time of flight of the light based on the control signal, and process point cloud data generated based on a measured distance to accurately construct information on a surrounding environment.

Contents described in this section merely provide background information on the present embodiment and do not constitute the related art.
Time of flight based light detection and ranging (LIDAR) is remote sensing technique that measures the time in which an optical signal is shot, reflected and returned, and uses the speed of light to measures the distance of a reflector. The received optical signal is converted into an electrical signal through a photodiode.

Lidar apparatus based on time of flight and moving object


A detector assembly for use in obtaining alpha-track autoradiographs, the detector assembly including a substantially boron-free substrate; a detector layer deposited on the substantially boron-free substrate, the detector layer being capable of recording alpha particle tracks and exhibiting evidence of the alpha tracks in response to being exposed to an etchant, the detector layer being less than about 2 microns thick; and a protective layer deposited on the detector layer, the protective layer being resistant to the etchant and having a thickness of about 0.5 to 1 microns.

The invention relates generally to autoradiography and more specifically to high resolution alpha-track autoradiography.
The term autoradiography is quite general and its use has been applied to numerous fields of research. Autoradiography by itself encompasses the automatic (auto-) or spontaneous production of an image (-graphy) by radiation (-radio-). The prefix "auto" implies that the necessary radiation comes from within the object being imaged (as opposed to "radiography" which is the production of an image by an external source of radiation such as x-rays). This can be induced, as in neutron-induced autoradiography with such reactions as (n,.alpha.), (n,p) or (n,f), or spontaneous, which is most commonly encountered by labelling the object or tissue with radioactively decaying isotopes such as the beta emitters, .sup.3 H, .sup.14 C, .sup.35 S, and .sup.32 P. Different labels on different drug compounds that would be incorporated into the object, such as an animal or a plant, produce different images, each which tells a separate story about the drug and its distribution within the sample. In many cases, investigators clarify the description by denoting the term as H-autoradiography or neutron-induced alpha autoradiography, for example.
Levels of resolution at which the test sample is to be imaged plays an important role in deciding which technique and/or radioisotope to use. Through the use of large microtomes, entire body sections can be cut to produce macroscopic or whole-body autoradiographs. At low magnification, microscopic or light microscopic autoradiography is performed and finally at extremely high resolution, electron microscopic autoradiography is used. All three levels of producing autoradiograms requires very different procedures and many times entirely different radioisotopes.
Unlike radiology and clinical imaging, autoradiography is a research technology to study detailed distributions of radiolabels for toxicological and pharmacological testing of drugs, new compounds, or environmental effluents that may enter the body. Aside from biological applications, it is also used to investigate doping of semiconducting materials, imperfections in crystals and even to investigate authenticity of oil paintings and the styles of the painters who painted them. In order to do so, an interface of the specimen is placed in contact with some medium that is capable of detecting the radiations coming from the sample. This medium which is used to produce the image or distribution of the radiation emitting compound has for the majority of the history of autoradiography been a photo-sensitive emulsion not unlike that which is used in standard photography and x-ray imaging. In this process, the sample is basically placed in contact with the photo-emulsion and protected from light. The radiation coming from various parts of the sample then sensitize the emulsion at those points similar to light exposing a photographic film. Over a certain period of time, the exposure is sufficient to have sensitized enough of the film and it is then developed, thus revealing the regions corresponding to high activity of the radioisotope. This is the basis for all autoradiography that has become known as conventional, emulsion, or isotopic autoradiography.
There is a need for choosing a detector medium that is sensitive enough to detect alpha particles but at the same time insensitive to protons. An appropriate medium that satisfies this condition is bisphenol-A polycarbonate (C.sub.16 H.sub.14 O.sub.3) available commercially as Lexan (General Electric Co., Pittsfield, Mass.). Its many properties, including for example flexibility and transparency, are very favorable for this application. Other Polymers such as Polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose acetate, and cellulose acetato butyrate, are also acceptable, but by far the most extensively studied in track detection has been Lexan, which is the detector used in the embodiment to be described.

High resolution track etch autoradiography

New England Medical Center Hospitals, Inc.


Engine system using alcohol Rankine heat recovery where the engine heat converts alcohol into hydrogen-rich gas which is then introduced into the engine cylinders. The engine system includes a source of liquid alcohol along with an internal combustion engine generating a high temperature exhaust. Structure is provided for introducing a first portion of the liquid alcohol into the engine and a series of heat exchangers forming a Rankine heat recovery cycle is provided to extract heat from the exhaust and transferring the heat to a second portion of the liquid alcohol, causing it to change phase to a gaseous alcohol. A heat exchanger/catalyst is heated by the exhaust to reform the gaseous alcohol into a hydrogen-rich reformate.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to an engine that uses engine exhaust to heat and reform an alcohol to produce a hydrogen-rich gas reformate that is introduced into the engine.
There has been recent increasing interest in methanol as an alternative fuel for both light and heavy-duty vehicles, particularly in China. This interest has resulted from methanol being the most efficiently and inexpensively produced liquid fuel that can be made from coal and natural gas and also from thermochemical conversion of biomass and waste materials.
In addition to these advantages methanol has a unique set of properties that give it the potential for a substantial increase in efficiency of vehicular engines. One of these properties is its level of knock suppression in spark ignition engines, especially when it is directly injected.
A second property is low temperature endothermic reforming into hydrogen-rich gas, which can then be combusted in the engine. The endothermic reforming can be used in heat recovery from the engine exhaust and the hydrogen-rich gas can be used to further increase efficiency by enabling highly dilute (ultra-lean or heavy EGR) spark ignition operation.
Previous work has been done on taking advantages of these properties. However, it fell substantially short of obtaining the full efficiency increase that can be obtained from methanol-fueled engines.
Extensive literature exists describing thermal decomposition reforming of methanol at low temperature, where energy from the exhaust is used in a substantially endothermic process [J. Agrell, K. Hasselbo, K. Jansson et al., Appl. Catal. A: General 211 (2) (2001) 239; P. Mizsey, E. Newson, T. Truong et al., Appl. Catal. A: General 213 (2) (2001) 233; S. Velu K. Suzuki, M. Okazaki, et al., J. Catal. 194 (2) (2000) 373; Lindstrom B., Pettersson, L. J. Development of a methanol fueled reformer for fuel cell applications, Journal Power Sources 118, 71e8, (2003)]. The thermal decomposition reforming reaction is:CH3OH(l)→2H2+CO; ΔH=+90.7 kJ/mol
The reaction products are referred to as "reformate," "hydrogen-rich gas" or "syngas". The nominal heating value of the reformate is around 14% greater than that of methanol.
For ethanol, the thermal decomposition is given byCH3CH2OH(l)→CH4+CO+H2; ΔH=+91.6 kJ/mol
The reaction products in this low temperature ethanol reformation increase the nominal heating value of the ethanol by about 7%.
The amount of work that has been done on ethanol reforming and the use of the reformate in engines is substantially less than the amount of work that has been done on methanol reforming.
Table 1 shows thermodynamic properties of methanol and ethanol near the boiling point, and those of their reformates near the boiling point, to highlight the differences in the reforming process (rather than the phase change). The conditions of the liquid, the gas and the reformate around the boiling point of the liquid are shown, for both 1 bar and 15 bar pressure. The enthalpy of the methanol reformate is about 3000 kJ/Kg higher at both 1and 15 bar) than methanol gas; for ethanol the enthalpy of its reformate is 1000 kJ/kg higher than the ethanol gas. Since the heating value of methanol is about 20 MJ/kg and that of ethanol is about 27 MJ/kg, the methanol enthalpy change in the reformation process is substantial for methanol, but rather small for ethanol.
TABLE 1Thermodynamic properties of methanol and ethanol, and their reformatesTemperaturePressureDensityEnthalpyEntropy(K)(MPa)(kg/m3)(kJ/kg)(kJ/kg K)MethanolLiquidCH3OH3370.1749.0−7.32E+034.39E+00gasCH3OH3380.11.2−6.21E+037.67E+00reformate2H2 + CO3380.10.4−3.34E+031.52E+01LiquidCH3OH4251.5643.5−6.95E+035.28E+00gasCH3OH4301.516.7−6.07E+037.33E+00reformate2H2 + CO4301.54.4−3.09E+031.37E+01EthanolLiquidC2H5OH3500.1737.9−5.88E+033.89E+00gasC2H5OH3600.11.6−5.01E+036.37E+00reformateCH4 + CO + H23600.10.5−3.90E+031.21E+01LiquidC2H5OH4001.5682.6−5.66E+034.42E+00gasC2H5OH4451.522.7−4.86E+036.26E+00reformateCH4 + CO + H24451.56.2−3.71E+031.11E+01
For methanol, the heat of vaporization is about 1000 kJ/kg , while for ethanol it is about 800 kJ/kg.
Another option for exhaust heat recovery from vehicular engines is a Rankine bottoming cycle, similar to that used in electricity generation. In this closed cycle a working fluid (water in electrical power plants) is compressed, heated/vaporized, expanded through a turbine, recooled and recompressed. Organic fluids have been considered for vehicular applications because of advantageous thermodynamic properties, chemical compatibility and stability.
Particular attention has been given to Rankine cycle heat recovery in heavy duty powered vehicles (where diesel engines predominate) because of the great importance of fuel efficiency in applications where there is a large fuel cost per year. However, these Rankine cycles, which did not use methanol or ethanol, captured only a modest fraction of the energy that could be recovered and required a complicated and expensive system to recondense the organic working fluid.
An example of Rankine cycle energy recovery using an organic fluid in a diesel engine vehicle is work reported by Nelson of Cummins Engines, in a DOE funded project. [Chris Nelson, Exhaust Energy Recovery, 2010 Annual Merit Review, Jun. 10, 2010, available at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/pdfs/merit_review—2010/higheff13 engine_tech/ace 041_nelson—2010_o.pdf]
FIG. 1 shows the initial concept of the prior art Cummins program. There are three loops. In the exhaust loop a fraction of the exhaust from the engine exhaust heat exchanges with the organic fluid in the WHR (Waste Heat Recovery) unit. The fraction is controlled by the EGR valve. The cooler exhaust is then combined with the air, and then cooled further by the cooler organic fluid. Combined EGR/air is then introduced into the engine.
The organic fluid is compressed and then heated in the CCAC (Combined Charge Air Cooler) heat exchanger. The organic fluid is then further heated by the exhaust in the het exchanger marked EGR WHR. The organic fluid is then expanded in the turbine, cooled/condensed by water/engine coolant, and then recompressed.
Finally, the last circuit is the engine coolant loop. The fraction of the energy from the exhaust not recovered in the turbine is then disposed off in a liquid-air heat exchanger (i.e., radiator).
Nelson initially predicted a 10% Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) benefit, using R245fa as an organic working fluid. However, the Cummins program had problems in the CCAC with condensation and corrosion, as the material chosen for the heat exchanger was aluminum. The effort changed focus because of these difficulties, and moved to provide energy recovery during off-peak operating conditions, with about 5% waste energy recovery from the exhaust.
It should be noted that in addition to the issues with the heat exchanger, there was a substantial increase in heat rejection complexity, as a condenser cooler was needed to remove in a radiator the bulk of the power that was recovered from the exhaust. Indeed, assuming an efficiency of 30% for the Rankine cycle, 70% of the energy recovered from the exhaust needs to be removed through a radiator instead of just being released by the exhaust.

Ultra-high efficiency alcohol engines using optimized exhaust heat recovery


Freeze-resistant baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) strains and uses thereof. For example, for the preparation of fresh or frozen dough products, e.g., bread. The freeze-resistant baker's yeast strains, which are, e.g., obtainable from specific deposited strains, e.g., by breeding these strains with each other or with other Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Methods of using said strains or methods of preparing a dough or a dough product or a yeast product are also provided.

The present invention relates to novel freeze-resistant baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) strains and uses thereof, for example for the preparation of fresh or frozen dough products, e.g., bread. It provides freeze-resistant baker's yeast strains, which are, e.g., obtainable from specific deposited strains, e.g., by breeding these strains with each other or with other Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. The invention also relates to methods of using said strains or methods of preparing a dough or dough product or yeast product, as well as such products.
Both as convenience products for home use and as commercial half-finished products, frozen doughs or dough products, e.g., for bread, rolls or pastry, are becoming more and more important. Accordingly, freeze-resistance of baker's yeast is an increasingly important parameter. Classical yeast strains may be used for preparation of frozen dough, but typically, a two to threefold excess of yeast is used for preparation of such doughs, which may negatively affect the flavor of the baked product.
Furthermore, shelf-life of frozen yeast products is much longer than shelf-life of non-frozen, fresh or dried yeasts. For such applications, freeze-resistance of yeast also plays an important role.
Special freeze-resistant yeast strains are already available (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,606 B1, EP 1 209 225 A1, EP 1 541 671 A1), however, there is a need in the art for baker's yeast strains which are yet better adapted to freezing, e.g., which have a higher survival rate and/or better performance, such as increased fermentative ability after freezing.
This problem is solved by the present invention, in particular, by the subject matter of the claims.


Method for forming a CMOS transistor in a silicon layer positioned above an underlying buried oxide layer including isolating a first active area and a second active area; forming an n-well and a p-well having specified back gate threshold voltages; forming gates over the wells; forming a lightly doped drain region in the p-well that extends through the silicon layer; and implanting ions to form a source and a drain region in the p-well to provide a lightly doped drain drift region.

The present invention relates to CMOS and specifically to CMOS circuits for use at the combination of higher temperatures and higher power supply voltages than have been available in the past.
Specific application needs for high temperature electronics include the need to operate at ambient temperatures in the 350.degree. C. range and the need to operate with higher than 5 volt power supply voltages. For example, some applications require operation with power supply voltages in the range of 12-14 volts or higher. Conventional CMOS circuits of the past, typically do not operate at temperatures above 180 to 200.degree. C. and then only operate with lower power supply voltages.
N-channel transistors subjected to a high drain to source voltage, Vds, generate a hole current in the body of the device near the p-well/n-ldd junction. This hole current is related to the maximum lateral electric field and flows through the p-well region to the nearest p-well contact. In a bulk technology this body hole current doesn't cause problems because the path to the nearest p-well contact is typically a low resistance vertical path due to it having a large cross-sectional area; whereas, in an SOI technology the presence of the buried oxide forces the current to flow laterally beneath the transistor out to a topside p-well contact through a highly resistive path. This path is highly resistive due to its small cross-sectional area.
This p-well connection is referred to as a body tie. Typical SOI designs allow for 10 to 20 microns of distance between the body tie and the conducting channel. The further the distance that the substrate current has to travel the higher the voltage drop is across the p-well. That is, as substrate current flows down the channel towards the body tie, i.e., Vss or ground, it creates a voltage drop. The voltage drop will eventually be enough to forward bias the N+ source to p-well diode thus causing a self-sustaining single transistor latch condition referred to as "snapback". This substrate current is normally known in the art as the cause of latch up.
Thus a need exists in specific applications for a CMOS device that will operate at temperatures in the 350.degree. C. range and with power supply voltages in the 12 to 14 volt range.

Method of making SOI circuit for higher temperature and higher voltage applications


Embodiments are directed to a method of accessing a data frame. The method includes, based at least in part on a determination that the data frame spans first and second memory blocks, and further based at least in part on a determination that the processor has access to the first and second memory blocks, accessing the data frame. The method includes, based at least in part on a determination that the data frame spans the first and second memory blocks, and based at least in part on a determination that the processor has access to the first memory block but does not have access to the second memory block, accessing a first portion of the data frame that is in the first memory block, and accessing at least one default character as a replacement for accessing a second portion of the data frame that is in the second memory block.

The present disclosure relates in general to executing computer instructions that access, read, write and/or load stored data. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to executing computer instructions that limit the access violation reporting that can occur when attempting to access data that span across a memory boundary.
Null-terminated strings are often used in C and other programming languages. A null-terminated string is a contiguous sequence of characters (or elements, or bytes), wherein the last character in the string is a null character (typically a "0" value) that indicates the end of the string. Because an application does not know the actual size or location of a C-style null-terminated string, the application typically accesses, reads and loads null-terminated strings by sequentially accessing, reading and loading individual string characters until a null character is reached.
Memory may be organized into blocks. A single block or page of memory typically shares a common set of address translations and access permissions. Access permissions determine whether an application has privileges to read or write the contents of a memory page. A null-terminated string may be located at any arbitrary address within a memory page, including for example, near the end of a page, spanning a boundary that separates two different pages, or extending up to the end of a page without crossing the page boundary. An application attempting to access a null-terminated string that spans a page boundary must have access permissions for both pages. If the application has access to the first page but not the second page, a page access violation occurs when the application attempts to access the portion of the string located in the second page. In order to protect system integrity, operating systems are typically strict in not allowing applications to access to a page without having the proper access permission. Thus, operating systems typically kill the offending application in response to a page access violation.
Single instruction multiple data (SIMD) processing is a performance enhancement feature that allows one instruction to operate on multiple data items at the same time. Thus, SIMD allows what usually requires a repeated succession of instructions (e.g., a loop) to be performed in one instruction. For a number of string data functions such as a comparison of two different strings or a string copy operation, SIMD has the potential to reduce processing time by processing multiple string characters in parallel. However, much of this reduced processing time is offset by the additional software overhead that is needed in order to avoid the above-described page access violations that would occur if an application attempts a parallel data access and load (e.g., an SIMD load) of data that cross a memory page boundary, wherein the application does not have access privileges to the pages on both sides of the boundary.

Computer instructions for limiting access violation reporting when accessing strings and similar data structures

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A method of processing and storing biological cells includes introducing a flowable medium into a microfluidic device, the flowable medium including biological cells; sequestering one or more biological cells from the flowable medium in one or more isolation regions of the microfluidic device; and freezing the microfluidic device including the one or more biological cells sequestered therein.

As the field of microfluidics continues to progress, microfluidic devices have become convenient platforms for processing and manipulating micro-objects, such as biological cells. Even so, the full potential of microfluidic devices, particularly as applied to the biological sciences, has yet to be realized. For example, while microfluidic devices have been applied to the analysis of biological cells, containers such as test tubes and microtiter plates continue to be used for storage and archiving of such cells. These types of containers (test tubes and microtiter plates) do not interface well with microfluidic devices. Moreover, they are relatively large and thus occupy large amounts of costly freezer space, and require a significant amount of costly cell preservation reagents, when they are used for the storage and archiving of biological cells.

Freezing and archiving cells on a microfluidic device


An electronic still video apparatus in which, when an image releasing operation is effected, image signals are picked up and recorded on a recording medium, and when a sound receipt operation starts, sound signals are received for a predetermined period of time, so that the received sound signals are recorded on the recording medium when a sound releasing operation is effected. The electronic still video apparatus has an AV record mode in which the image signals and the sound signals are recorded on the recording medium in corresponding fashion. The image signals are recorded prior to the recording of the sound signals, regardless of the receipt of the sound signals in the AV record mode when the image release operation is effected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for recording and reproducing a still image from, for example, a still video camera, and more precisely, it relates to a recording method of a i.e., still video apparatus (still image recording and play-back apparatus) in which sound signals can be recorded and reproduced.
2. Description of Related Art
In a still video apparatus, a unit of one or two recording tracks, out of a plurality of recording tracks provided on a magnetic disc, forms one field picture plane or one frame picture plane. In a still video apparatus in which sound signals can be recorded, a sound lasting from 5 to 20 seconds can be recorded on one track. Since one turn of the magnetic disc corresponds to one field of the image signal (about 1/60 second in the case of an NTSC system), upon recording, sound signals to be recorded within a predetermined time are first stored in a memory means, and then, the time base of the stored sound signals are compressed so that they may be read and recorded on the magnetic disc. Accordingly, a known still video apparatus is usually provided with an image release switch which is actuated to record a picture, a sound collecting switch which is actuated to store a sound in the memory means, and a sound release switch which is actuated to record the stored sound onto the magnetic disc.
In a recent still video apparatus, a recording system in which the image signals and the sound signals are recorded in a corresponding fashion has been adopted, which system will be referred to hereinafter as an AV (Audio-Visual) mode. In this AV mode type of recording lo system, for example, the tracks of the magnetic disc for the image signals and the sound signals are preset, so that when the image signals or the sound signals are recorded, data signals including the corresponding sound signals or image signals and discrimination marks which differentiate the presence of the corresponding image signals or sound signals, are recorded on the respective tracks. Upon reproducing the sound and image signals, the discrimination marks are reproduced to carry out the necessary operations in accordance with the reproduced discrimination marks. The data signals are subject to DPSK modulation and overlapped on the image signals so as to be recorded together.
In a known first recording method in the AV mode, first the storage of the sound signals in the memory means commences, and when the image release switch is actuated during the storage of the sound signals, the image signals are recorded. When the storage of the sound signals is complete, the stored sound signals are recorded.
In a known second recording method in the AV mode, when the image release switch is actuated, the image signals are first recorded, and thereafter, the storage of the sound signals automatically begins. When the storage of the sound signals is complete, the stored sound signals are automatically recorded.
However, in the first recording method, since the image signals are recorded during the storage of the sound signals, sounds produced when the diaphragm or shutter are driven upon operation of the image release switch may be recorded as noise, or the sound signals can be deteriorated by a fluctuation of the sound signal level due to a voltage drop caused by the commencement of the magnetic disc rotation or the emission of strobe light.
In the second recording method, since the sound signals are automatically recorded after the image signals are recorded, undesirable sound may be recorded, or conversely, desirable sounds may not be recorded.
Furthermore, in both the first and second recording methods, since the sound signals are recorded to correspond to the recorded image signals in the AV mode, in order to stop the recording of the sound signals after the completion of the recording of the image signals, it is necessary to actuate a mode selection switch to switch to the AV mode. To this end, to continuously record the image signals without temporarily recording the sound signals in the AV mode, the mode selection switch must be troublesomely actuated.
In addition to the foregoing, in the known recording methods mentioned above, after-recording in which the sound is recorded after the picture is recorded in the AV mode without changing the mode cannot be effected. Accordingly, it is necessary to record only the image signals in the normal mode, and then record the sound signals on the tracks of the corresponding image signals. This is troublesome.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus and method which can eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Recording method of still video apparatus


The present invention relates to methods and systems for controlling and adjusting traffic light timing patterns, and more particularly, to a method and system for controlling and adjusting traffic light timing patterns based on input variables related to known or predicted events, and for gradually changing traffic light intervals over time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems for controlling and adjusting traffic light timing patterns, and more particularly, to a method and system for controlling and adjusting traffic light timing patterns based on input variables related to known or predicted events, and for gradually changing traffic light intervals over time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traffic light sequences/phases are computer-controlled and are generally timed according to a fixed schedule to accommodate common patterns of traffic flow, such as a green light for a long duration on major roads, with a correspondingly shorter duration for the intersecting minor roads. Changes to traffic light timing patterns are nearly exclusively enabled by designated time intervals, in which a discrete change is made from one timing pattern to another in response to regularly scheduled events such as weekday rush hour traffic periods.
Various methods and systems for controlling traffic light timing patterns exist. Five specific types of conventional methods and systems for controlling traffic light timing patterns include "fixed time control," "dynamic control," "time of day/special events," "coordinated control," "actuated control," and "preemption," each of which are discussed in further detail below. For each type, the timing cycle of the affected traffic light is changed in a discrete manner, i.e., either a regularly scheduled time interval based-change, or an abrupt change from one timing cycle to a different timing cycle.
"Fixed time control" is the simplest and most common system for controlling traffic signal timing patterns. Fixed time control is based on a fixed mechanical cycle in which the duration of each individual light (e.g., red light and green light phases of the cross street and the main street directions of an intersection) is constant. This system has no ability to improve the flow of traffic during times of heavy traffic flow over the course of a day.
A fixed time control system traffic signal timing pattern may be altered by a control system that is programmed to change the traffic signal timing pattern based on time of day or in a "special events" situation. For example, at night when there is less typically traffic, a green light phase may be set for a longer duration in the main street direction compared with the same green light phase's daily duration. Additionally, during a special event when an increase in traffic flow is anticipated, a green light phase, for example, may be set for a longer duration in the main street direction compared with the same green light phase's typical daily duration. These alterations in the fixed time control system traffic signal timing pattern represent abrupt and discrete changes effected for a specific time of day, or for a one-time or special event.
"Dynamic control" is a system designed to alter the fixed traffic signal timing patterns established by the fixed time control system. This system alters the fixed traffic signal timing patterns via, e.g., automobile sensors (electronic detector loops) embedded in the road. Automobiles waiting at an intersection in front of a red light are sensed by the sensors. These sensors send a signal to a traffic signal controller, which effects a change in the fixed traffic signal timing pattern converting the red light to green prior to the normal conversion time established by the fixed time control system. This system requires special equipment and expensive installation procedures, and does not extend the length of traffic light duration (e.g., green light phase in the heavy traffic flow direction) to accommodate known or planned increases in traffic. In short, it is noted that a "dynamic control" system requires real time sensors which provide the system with traffic volume data at the time it occurs. Before this point in time, no traffic volume information is available or known to the present system.
"Coordinated control" is a system designed to improve traffic flow by timing subsequent lights to be green ("cascading") so that automobiles obeying the speed limit typically do not encounter any red lights for a long distance. This system is most effective in times of constant levels of traffic flow. This system is not as effective during times of anticipated increases in entering or exiting traffic volume. In fact, a system of coordinated control of traffic lights along a main road may be an obstacle to overcome in the case of a scheduled event producing irregular traffic patterns due to anticipated volume increases. Some systems can coordinate traffic lights in real time in response to increases in traffic flow. However, these systems require a large number of sensors and/or video cameras and are very expensive.
"Actuated control" is a system that includes a button that can be pressed by pedestrians at a pedestrian crossing to alter the traffic signal timing pattern. For example, this system is manually initiated by a pedestrian pressing a button to request a red light in the main street direction in order to cross a cross street safely, and to activate red lights and traffic gates at a railroad crossing.
"Preemption" systems (e.g., 3M Opticon system) are configured to allow a traffic signal timing pattern to be interrupted by certain priority traffic, such as emergency vehicles. These systems include sensors on or near the traffic signal, and are configured to receive signals from transmitters attached to the emergency vehicle that send strobe light, radio waves, audio, and/or infrared signals to the sensor. Upon initiation, the normal traffic signal timing pattern is preempted, i.e., a red light is changed to a green light in the direction of the emergency vehicle, while the cross street light is changed to red. This system is no longer used in some places, because it has been illegally replicated and used by non-emergency workers. Neither the actuated nor the preemption system applies to alterations of traffic signal durations for any more than a one-time change.
In FIG. 1, a flowchart F100 illustrating a conventional traffic light control system is shown. Data flow relating to the same is also shown. The traffic light control application system 160 is shown interconnected to a plurality of input modules. Each of the input modules are programmed and/or structured to cause the traffic light control application system module 160 to effectuate an abrupt, discrete change(s) to traffic light operations 170. The input modules include a standard traffic light timing schedule input module 130 (including static timing schedules which are in effect the majority of the time), time-based overrides input module 150 (including discrete changes which take effect over a pre-defined time interval such as rush hour), and traffic light manual override capability input module 140. The traffic light manual override capability input module 140 is interconnected to three manual override input modules, including event manual override input module 105 (e.g., manual overrides by event traffic control personnel for a "special event" as described above), emergency vehicle activation manual override input module 110, and lane sensor manual override input module 120. The input modules also include a traffic light infrastructure database input module 200, which includes a database of traffic light locations and default timing schedules as an input to the traffic light control application system 160. Data transferred from any one of these input modules to the traffic light control application system 160 results in abrupt, discrete changes in traffic light operations 170.
In FIG. 2, a flowchart F200 illustrating a conventional method for controlling a set of traffic lights based on an output of an algorithm is shown, including steps S210, S220, and S230.
UK Nos. 8730016 and 8730015 ("Cherrill et. al.") each disclose a traffic control system which employs a model which shows, for each road intersection, the predicted vehicle arrivals over each of a number of periods, for example, 32 four-second periods. The vehicle arrival figures are used, in conjunction with traffic light pattern indications to develop vehicle queue figures, and these are utilized to optimize the traffic light patterns to minimize delay at each intersection. The model is constructed by projecting predicted patterns of vehicles leaving the intersections, to generate predicted vehicle arrivals at downstream intersections. When used in an online mode, the predicted vehicle arrival figures for the first few periods of each intersection arrival pattern are continuously replaced by predicted vehicle arrival figures obtained from vehicle sensors located upstream of the intersections. The arrival figures derived from the sensors are noted as the most accurate, and the accuracy of each predicted arrival pattern decreases as the prediction period increases. Two suggestions are made to compensate for this lowered accuracy for the long-term portions of the arrival predictions. First, the sensor counts, before replacing the corresponding predicted arrival figures, are compared with these figures to produce a flow correction factor. This correction factor represents the actual average flow of vehicles approaching an intersection over the predicted average flow of these vehicles. The predictions for each intersection are then corrected by multiplying them by the corresponding flow correction factor. Second, the queue date derived from the arrival predictions is differently weighed before it is used to optimize the light settings, these weightings diminishing from the earliest to the most future predictions.
In short, it is noted that Cherrill et. al. shows the continuous replacement of vehicle arrival predictions that forms an iterative refinement of the model, which requires the use of upstream traffic sensor equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,238 (Lemelson et. al.) describe a system and method for controlling traffic and traffic lights, and selectively distributing warning messages to the motorists. The method described relies on a system of traffic sensing devices to determine current, real time traffic volume, and includes GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) technology to assist in communication of traffic-related messages to vehicle drivers and to dynamic traffic message display devices. Lemelson et. al. disclose as an object of the invention to select particular fuzzy logic inference rules for traffic light control based on particular conditions that may affect traffic flow such as weather or predicted unusual traffic conditions such as those that might be encountered with special events such as major sport attractions. The Lemelson et. al. system provides that outside factors may influence the decisions of the fuzzy logic expert system. Such outside factors may include inclement weather, an accident at a nearby intersection, or special event traffic patterns (i.e. sporting events, concerts, etc.).
It is noted that Lemelson et. al. describe the use of "fuzzy logic," as referenced above, to alter the synchronization of traffic signals to adapt to detected changes in real time traffic patterns. The information tracked and collected is not known in advance to the system. As an example, suppose it is known that a major sold out rock concert is scheduled for a certain venue, date, time, and duration, after which an expected volume of traffic will be exiting the venue, following a typical statistical distribution. The system and method taught by Lemelson et. al. would not be aware of this expected disruption in normal traffic patterns until it was actually happening and detected in real-time.
Description Of the Related Art Section Disclaimer: To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, these discussions should not be taken as an admission that the discussed publications (for example, published patents) are prior art for patent law purposes. For example, some or all of the discussed publications may not be sufficiently early in time, may not reflect subject matter developed early enough in time and/or may not be sufficiently enabling so as to amount to prior art for patent law purposes. To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, they are all hereby incorporated by reference into this document in their respective entirety(ies).

Method and system for controlling and adjusting traffic light timing patterns

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed are compounds for the treatment of cancer. Compounds disclosed herein are particularly effective for the selective inhibition of glioma cells.

Significant progress has been made in the treatment of certain cancers, and the prognosis for individuals with some types of cancers, such as prostate, breast, thyroid, and skin cancer (i.e., certain melanomas) is generally good for at least 4 out of 5 patients. According to the United States National Institutes of Health, however, the prognosis for individuals with cancers such as those of the brain (27.3% survival), lung (13.4% survival), liver (6.0% survival), and pancreas (3.2% survival) has been poor, based upon statistics compiled from 1983 to 1990. According to the American Cancer Society, almost 22,000 people in the United States alone develop brain and nervous system cancers each year, and about 13,070 people die from these cancers. About 42 percent of all brain tumors are gliomas. Grade IV astrocytoma (glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM), for example, is considered by many to be the most malignant brain tumor. The average length of survival for people with GBM is 12 to 14 months, and common symptoms of GBM are seizures, nausea and vomiting, headaches that become progressively worse, a declining ability to move certain parts of the body, and weakness or numbness in the face or arm. GBM rapidly affects the quality of the patient's life, and it may affect individuals of any age.
Discovering and developing effective therapeutic agents for difficult-to-treat cancers is important both for the benefit of individuals who are diagnosed with those cancers, as well as for individuals who may have other difficult-to-treat forms of cancer. For example, researchers at the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Center have discovered a genetic link between two types of cancers for which effective treatment has been achieved in only a small fraction of the individuals diagnosed with those cancers—glioblastoma and leukemia. Agents that are found to effectively treat one form of these difficult cancers may therefore provide excellent lead compounds for testing as therapeutic agents for other cancers which are known to be more refractory to treatment. What are needed are agents that effectively treat cancers and provide increased life expectancy and quality of life for thousands of individuals who are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Compounds with increased specificity for the treatment of glioma

The University of Tennessee Research Foundation