1. An apparatus for treating a perfluoro-compound, which apparatus is to purify an exhaust gas containing a perfluoro-compound, the apparatus comprising:
a pre-cleaner for decomposing the perfluoro-compound and removing a first acid gas produced by the decomposition;
a filter for filtering out dust particles contained in the exhaust gas;
a dust-collector for electrifying the dust particles contained in the exhaust gas by electrical discharge and collecting dusts;
a catalytic reactor for decomposing the perfluoro-compound through a regenerativecatalytic reaction;
a post-cleaner for eliminating a second acid gas generated by the regenerativecatalytic reaction; and
a fan for letting the exhaust gas out,
wherein the pre-cleaner, the filter, the dust-collector, the catalytic reactor, the post-cleaner, and the fan are arranged in series and sequentially put into operation.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-cleaner, the filter, the dust-collector, the catalytic reactor, the post-cleaner, and the fan are arranged outside a clean room equipped with devices for performing a semiconductor process.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-cleaner comprises first and second pre-treatment wet scrubbers arranged in series,
wherein the first and second pre-treatment wet scrubbers independently comprise:
a housing provided with an inlet opening for the exhaust gas on the bottom end thereof and an outlet opening for the exhaust gas on the top end thereof;
a spray for supplying water into the housing;
a filler member disposed inside the housing for increasing a contact area between the exhaust gas and the water to allow decomposition of the perfluoro-compound contained in the exhaust gas with the water and absorption of the first acid gas by the water; and
a mist removing member arranged on the top of the filler member to remove a mist of the first acid gas.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter comprises a wet filter made of any one material selected from a fiber-reinforced plastic, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin, Inconel, and S.T.S.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dust-collector comprises first and second electric dust-collectors arranged in parallel between the filter and the catalytic reactor,
wherein the first and second electric dust-collectors independently comprise:
a housing provided with an inlet opening for the exhaust gas on the bottom end thereof and an outlet opening for the exhaust gas on the top end thereof;
a filler member disposed inside the housing;
a plurality of dust-collecting plates having a cylindrical shape with the top and bottom thereof open, and being arranged on the top of the filler member;
a plurality of discharge rods each disposed inside the respective dust-collecting plates; and
a power supply member for applying power to the dust-collecting plates and the discharge rods.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catalytic reactor comprises:
a housing providing an inlet opening and an outlet opening for the exhaust gas;
a catalyst member disposed inside the housing and used to decompose the perfluoro-compound;
a pre-heating member disposed under the catalyst member and used to pre-heat the exhaust gas; and
a heating member disposed over the catalyst member and used to heat the catalyst member to a processing temperature.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the post-cleaner comprises first and second post-treatment wet scrubbers arranged in series,
wherein the first post-treatment wet scrubber eliminates the second acid gas using an alkaline solution, the second post-treatment wet scrubber eliminating the alkaline solution and the second acid gas using water.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first post-treatment wet scrubber comprises:
a first housing provided with an inlet opening for the exhaust gas on the bottom end thereof and an outlet opening for the exhaust gas on the top end thereof;
a first spray for supplying the alkaline solution into the first housing;
a first filler member disposed inside the first housing for increasing a contact area between the second acid gas contained in the exhaust gas and the alkaline solution; and
a first mist removing member arranged on the top of the first filler member and used to remove a mist of the second acid gas.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second post-treatment wet scrubber comprises:
a second housing provided with an inlet opening for the exhaust gas on the bottom end thereof and an outlet opening for the exhaust gas on the top end thereof;
a second spray for supplying the water into the second housing;
a second filler member disposed inside the second housing for increasing a contact area between the second acid gas and an alkaline gas contained in the exhaust gas and the water; and
a second mist removing member arranged on the top of the second filler member and used to remove a mist of the second acid gas and the alkaline gas.
10. A method for treating a perfluoro-compound, which method is to purify an exhaust gas containing a perfluoro-compound, the method comprising:
(a) decomposing the perfluoro-compound using water and eliminating a first acid gas generated by the decomposition;
(b) filtering out dust particles from the exhaust gas removed of the first acid gas;
(c) electrifying the filtered dust particles in the exhaust gas by electrical discharge and collecting dusts;
(d) decomposing the perfluoro-compound through a regenerativecatalytic reaction;
(e) eliminating a second acid gas generated by the regenerativecatalytic reaction; and
(f) letting the purified exhaust gas out.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step (a) is repeatedly conducted multiple times.
12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step (e) comprises:
eliminating the second acid gas using an alkaline solution; and
eliminating an alkaline gas of the alkaline solution and the remainder of the second acid gas using water.
13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step (d) comprises:
pre-heating the exhaust gas;
supplying water vapor for the pre-heated exhaust gas;
heating a catalyst layer at a processing temperature; and
allowing the catalyst layer to decompose the perfluoro-compound contained in the exhaust gas.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pre-cleaner comprises first and second pre-treatment wet scrubbers arranged in series,
wherein the first and second pre-treatment wet scrubbers independently comprise:
a housing provided with an inlet opening for the exhaust gas on the bottom end thereof and an outlet opening for the exhaust gas on the top end thereof;
a spray for supplying water into the housing;
a filler member disposed inside the housing for increasing a contact area between the exhaust gas and the water to allow decomposition of the perfluoro-compound contained in the exhaust gas with the water and absorption of the first acid gas by the water; and
a mist removing member arranged on the top of the filler member to remove a mist of the first acid gas.
15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the filter comprises a wet filter made of any one material selected from a fiber-reinforced plastic, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin, Inconel, and S.T.S.
16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the dust-collector comprises first and second electric dust-collectors arranged in parallel between the filter and the catalytic reactor,
wherein the first and second electric dust-collectors independently comprise:
a housing provided with an inlet opening for the exhaust gas on the bottom end thereof and an outlet opening for the exhaust gas on the top end thereof;
a filler member disposed inside the housing;
a plurality of dust-collecting plates having a cylindrical shape with the top and bottom thereof open, and being arranged on the top of the filler member;
a plurality of discharge rods each disposed inside the respective dust-collecting plates; and
a power supply member for applying power to the dust-collecting plates and the discharge rods.
17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the catalytic reactor comprises:
a housing providing an inlet opening and an outlet opening for the exhaust gas;
a catalyst member disposed inside the housing and used to decompose the perfluoro-compound;
a pre-heating member disposed under the catalyst member and used to pre-heat the exhaust gas; and
a heating member disposed over the catalyst member and used to heat the catalyst member to a processing temperature.
18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the post-cleaner comprises first and second post-treatment wet scrubbers arranged in series,
wherein the first post-treatment wet scrubber eliminates the second acid gas using an alkaline solution, the second post-treatment wet scrubber eliminating the alkaline solution and the second acid gas using water.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for treating or preventing an autoimmune disease in a subject, the method comprising:
administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that blocks histamine H1 receptor (HIR), wherein the agent is not cyproheptadine or hydroxyzine.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is an H1-antihistamine.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the H1-antihistamine is selected from the group consisting of an alkylamine, an ethanolamine, an ethylenediamine, a phenothiazine, a piperidine, and a piperazine.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the H1-antihistamine is an ethylenediamine.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the ethylenediamine is pyrilamine.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the H1-antihistamine is a first generation H1-antihistamine.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first generation H1-antihistamine is pyrilamine.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the autoimmune disease is Th1-mediated.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the Th1-mediated autoimmune disease is an autoimmune demyelinating disease.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the autoimmune demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the agent is an H1-antihistamine not having a carboxylate group.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the autoimmune disease is selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, graft-versus host disease (GvHD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), multiple sclerosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, systemic sclerosis, psoriasis, autoimmune thyroiditis, and autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is administered by a route selected from the group consisting of intramuscular, subcutaneous, intravenous, parenteral, intranasal, intrapulmonary, and oral routes of administration.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the H1R-blocking agent is not co-administered with a second active agent selected from the group consisting of dithiocarbamate disulfide derivatives, substituted 1,4-dihydropyridine bradykinin antagonists, heteroaryl substituted 1,4-dihydropyridine bradykinin antagonists, LTB-receptor antagonists comprising disubstituted phenyl-benzamidine derivatives, and small molecule antagonists of chemokine receptor CCR1.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent does not substantially block serotonin receptor or mast cell biogenic amine secretion.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the ED50 dose for inhibition of the serotonin receptor by the agent is at least about 0.5 mgkg.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the ED50 dose for inhibition of the serotonin receptor by the agent is at least about 0.6 mgkg.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the ED50 dose for inhibition of the serotonin receptor by the agent is at least about 0.8 mgkg.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject does not have a second disease or disorder that requires treatment with the H1R-blocking agent.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
21. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the subject for a change in a symptom of the autoimmune disease.
22. The method of claim 1, wherein the H1R-blocking agent is co-administered with a second active agent.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second active agent is selected from the group consisting of
(a) a self-vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding a self-polypeptide associated with the disease;
(b) an immunomodulatory protein; and
(c) a vector encoding (b).
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the self-vector and the vector encoding an immunomodulatory protein are co-administered.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the second active agent is the self-vector and further comprising co-administration of an immune modulatory sequence.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the immune modulatory sequence is selected from the group consisting of
(a) 5\u2032-Purine-Pyrimidine-X-Y-Pyrimidine-Pyrimidine-3\u2032 and
(b) 5\u2032-Purine-Purine-X-Y-Pyrimidine-Pyrimidine-3\u2032,
wherein X and Y are any naturally occurring or synthetic nucleotide, except that X and Y cannot be cytosine-guanine.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the immunomodulatory protein is a cytokine or a chemokine.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the cytokine is selected from the group consisting of IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13.
29. The method of claim 1, wherein the autoimmune disease is a relapsing-remitting form of the disease.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the administration of the agent decreases the relapse rate of the disease.
31. A method for treating or preventing multiple sclerosis in a subject, the method comprising:
administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that blocks histamine H1 receptor (HIR), wherein the agent is not cyproheptadine or hydroxyzine
32. A method for treating or preventing multiple sclerosis in a subject, the method comprising:
administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that blocks histamine 1 receptor (HIR), wherein the agent does not substantially block serotonin receptor or mast cell biogenic amine secretion.
33. A method for treating or preventing multiple sclerosis in a subject, the method comprising:
administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that blocks histamine H1 receptor (HIR), wherein the agent does not substantially block serotonin receptor or mast cell biogenic amine secretion and is not co-administered with a second active agent.
34. A method for treating or preventing an autoimmune disease in a subject, the method comprising:
co-administering to the subject effective amounts of
(a) an agent that blocks histamine H1 receptor (H1R) and
(b) a second active agent.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the second active agent is not an agent selected from the group consisting of dithiocarbamate disulfide derivatives, substituted 1,4-dihydropyridine bradykinin antagonists, heteroaryl substituted 1,4-dihydropyridine bradykinin antagonists, LTB-receptor antagonists comprising disubstituted phenyl-benzamidine derivatives, and small molecule antagonists of chemokine receptor CCR1.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the second active agent is selected from the group consisting of
(a) a self-vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding a self-polypeptide associated with the disease;
(b) an immunomodulatory protein; and
(c) a vector encoding (b).
37. The method of claim 36, wherein the autoimmune disease is multiple sclerosis and the self-polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein (PLP), myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG), cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (CNPase), myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein (MBOP), myelin oligodendrocyte protein (MOG), and alpha-B crystalline.
38. The method of claim 36, wherein the autoimmune disease is insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and the self-polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of insulin, insulin B chain, preproinsulin, proinsulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 kDa and 67 kDa forms, tyrosine phosphatase IA2 or IA-2b, carboxypeptidase H, heat shock proteins, glima 38, islet cell antigen 69 kDa, p52, and islet cell glucose transporter (GLUT 2).
39. The method of claim 36, wherein the self-vector and the vector encoding the immunomodulatory protein are co-administered.
40. The method of claim 36, wherein the second active agent is the self-vector and further comprising the administration of an immune modulatory sequence.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein the immune modulatory sequence is selected from the group consisting of
(a) 5\u2032-Purine-Pyrimidine-X-Y-Pyrimidine-Pyrimidine-3\u2032 and
(b) 5\u2032-Purine-Purine-X-Y-Pyrimidine-Pyrimidine-3\u2032,
wherein X and Y are any naturally occurring or synthetic nucleotide, except that X and Y cannot be cytosine-guanine.
42. The method of claim 36, wherein the immunomodulatory protein is a cytokine or chemokine.
43. The method of claim 42, wherein the cytokine is selected from the group consisting of IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13.
44. The method of claim 34, wherein the autoimmune disease is a relapsing-remitting form of the disease.
45. The method of claim 44, wherein the administration of the agent decreases the relapse rate of the disease.
46. The method of claim 44, wherein the relapsing-remitting autoimmune disease is a relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis.
47. A method for treating or preventing an autoimmune disease in a subject, the method comprising:
co-administering to the subject effective amounts of
(a) a self-vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding a self-polypeptide associated with the disease and
(b) a means for blocking histamine H1 receptor (H1R).
48. The method of claim 47, wherein the H1R-blocking means is pyrilamine.
49. The method of claim 47, wherein the autoimmune disease is multiple sclerosis.