Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A method of reducing proliferation of or extracellular matrix production by a cell in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a zvegf4 antagonist in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the zvegf4 antagonist is selected from the group consisting of:
anti-zvegf4 antibodies;
inhibitory polynucleotides;
inhibitors of zvegf4 activation; and
mitogenically inactive, receptor-binding variants of zvegf4.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein proliferation of mesangial, epithelial, endothelial, smooth muscle, fibroblast, osteoblast, osteoclast, neuronal, stromal, stellate, or interstitial cells is reduced.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein proliferation of tumor cells is reduced.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the tumor cells are prostate tumor cells.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein extracellular matrix production is reduced.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the mammal is suffering from a fibroproliferative disorder of kidney.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the mammal is suffering from a fibroproliferative disorder of liver.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the mammal is suffering from a fibroproliferative disorder of bone.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the zvegf4 antagonist is selected from the group consisting of anti-zvegf4 antibodies and inhibitory polynucleotides.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the antagonist is an anti-zvegf4 antibody.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein the antagonist is an inhibitory polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of antisense polynucleotides, ribozyme-encoding polynucleotides, and external guide sequence-encoding polynucleotides.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the zvegf4 antagonist is administered in combination with an antagonist of a second growth factor.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the second growth factor is EGF, a TGF-, or an FGF.
15. A method of reducing proliferation of or extracellular matrix production by a cell in a mammal, wherein the cell is an epithelial, endothelial, smooth muscle, fibroblast, osteoblast, neuronal, or stellate cell, the method comprising administering to the mammal a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a zvegf4 antagonist in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the zvegf4 antagonist is selected from the group consisting of:
anti-zvegf4 antibodies;
inhibitory polynucleotides;
inhibitors of zvegf4 activation; and
mitogenically inactive, receptor-binding variants of zvegf4.
16. A method of reducing proliferation of or extracellular matrix production by prostate tumor cells in a mammal, the method comprising administering to the mammal a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a zvegf4 antagonist in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the zvegf4 antagonist is selected from the group consisting of:
anti-zvegf4 antibodies;
inhibitory polynucleotides;
inhibitors of zvegf4 activation; and
mitogenically inactive, receptor-binding variants of zvegf4.
17. A method of reducing metastasis of prostate cancer cells to bone in a mammal, the method comprising administering to the mammal a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a zvegf4 antagonist in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the zvegf4 antagonist is selected from the group consisting of:
anti-zvegf4 antibodies;
inhibitory polynucleotides;
inhibitors of zvegf4 activation; and
mitogenically inactive, receptor-binding variants of zvegf4.
18. A method of treating a fibroproliferative disorder in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a zvegf4 antagonist in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the zvegf4 antagonist is selected from the group consisting of anti-zvegf4 antibodies, inhibitors of zvegf4 activation, mitogenically inactive receptor-binding zvegf4 variant polypeptides, and inhibitory polynucleotides.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the fibroproliferative disorder is a fibroproliferative disorder of liver.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the fibroproliferative disorder is a fibroproliferative disorder of kidney.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein the fibroproliferative disorder is a fibroproliferative disorder of bone.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein the antagonist is an anti-zvegf4 antibody.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody.
24. A method of reducing stellate cell activation in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a composition comprising a zvegf4 antagonist in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the zvegf4 antagonist is selected from the group consisting of anti-zvegf4 antibodies, mitogenically inactive receptor-binding zvegf4 variant polypeptides, and inhibitory polynucleotides, in an amount sufficient to reduce stellate cell activation.

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 of pouring a fluid from a container having a spout with a fluid outlet, the method comprising:
tilting the container to at least one angle that causes fluid to enter the spout, tilting causing the fluid to exit the spout through the fluid outlet, the fluid passing through the spout causing the mechanical member to move; and
correlating movement of the mechanical member with visual indicia showing the volume of fluid passing through the fluid outlet.
2. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the mechanical member is within the spout.
3. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the mechanical member moves along a track.
4. The method as defined by claim 3 wherein the mechanical member includes a rotatable member that moves along the track.
5. The method as defined by claim 1 further including a drip cup.
6. A spout comprising:
a housing forming an inlet, an outlet, and a channel between the inlet and the outlet, the housing having a housing volume between the inlet and the outlet; and
indicia adapted to show the approximate volume of fluid that passes through the outlet in real time, the indicia including indicia identifying at least one volume that is greater than the housing volume between the inlet and the outlet.
7. The spout as defined by claim 6 wherein the indicia includes movement of a mechanical member.
8. The spout as defined by claim 6 wherein the indicia include graduations formed on the housing.
9. The spout as defined by claim 6 wherein the housing includes a pour chamber having a pour inlet and a pour outlet, the housing also including an indicating chamber having an indicating inlet for receiving fluid, the indicating chamber including the indicia.
10. The spout as defined by claim 6 wherein the indicia includes an audible sound.
11. The spout as defined by claim 10 further including a sensor adapted to produce the audible sound as a function of fluid flowing through the housing.
12. The spout as defined by claim 6 wherein the housing includes an indicating chamber in fluid communication with the channel, the indicating chamber having the indicia and receiving an amount of fluid generally proportional to fluid passing through the outlet.
13. A spout comprising:
a housing forming an inlet, an outlet, and a channel between the inlet and the outlet, the housing having a housing volume between the inlet and the outlet; and
means for showing the approximate volume of fluid that passes through the outlet in real time, the showing means including means for identifying at least one volume that is greater than the housing volume between the inlet and the outlet.
14. The spout as defined by claim 13 wherein the showing means includes indicia.
15. The spout as defined by claim 13 wherein the showing means includes movement of a mechanical member.
16. The spout as defined by claim 13 wherein the showing means includes graduations formed on the housing.
17. The spout as defined by claim 13 wherein the showing means includes an audible sound.
18. The spout as defined by claim 13 wherein the housing includes means for receiving an amount of fluid that is generally proportional to the fluid flowing through the outlet.
19. The spout as defined by claim 18 wherein the receiving means includes an indicating chamber in fluid communication with the channel.
20. A method of dispensing fluid from a container, the method comprising:
providing a dispenser having a chamber with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the fluid inlet being larger than the fluid outlet, the chamber having indicia for identifying fluid levels within the chamber when fluid exits the fluid outlet during a single pour;
permitting fluid to begin filling the chamber; and
correlating the level of the fluid with the indicia to identify the volume of fluid passing through the fluid outlet.

1. An extraction process for a pure plant mother liquor (PPML) formed during pure terephthalic acid (PTA) production, the process comprising:
combining the PPML with a solution comprising an organic entrainer to form a mixture wherein the temperature of the PPML is at least about 20\xb0 C. less than the azeotropic temperature of the solution comprising an organic entrainer;
separating the mixture into an organic stream comprising residual aromatic carboxylic acids and an aqueous stream;
heating the organic stream via heat exchange with effluent from a distillation column to form a heated organic stream;
heating the aqueous stream via heat exchange with effluent from a recovery column to form a heated aqueous stream;
feeding the heated organic stream to the distillation column; and
feeding at least a portion of the heated aqueous stream to the recovery column.
2. The process of claim 1, further comprising feeding a second portion of the heated aqueous stream to the distillation column.
3. The process of claim 1, wherein the organic entrainer is selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, methyl butyl ketone, chlorobenzene, ethyl amyl ether, butyl formate, n-propyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, amyl acetate, methyl acetate, n-butyl propionate, isobutyl propionate, propanol, water, and mixtures thereof.
4. The process of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the PPML is at least about 25\xb0 C. less than the azeotropic temperature of the solution comprising the organic entrainer.
5. The process of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the PPML is less than about 60\xb0 C.
6. The process of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the PPML is less than about 50\xb0 C.
7. The process of claim 1, further comprising cooling the PPML stream prior to the combining step.
8. The process of claim 7, further comprising filtering the PPML stream after cooling but prior to the combining step to recover a solids fraction therefrom.
9. The process of claim 8, further comprising directing the recovered solids fraction into the PTA production.
10. The process of claim 1, further comprising recovering at least a portion of the residual aromatic carboxylic acids for reuse in the PTA production by extracting them into acetic acid in the distillation column, removing the acetic acid comprising residual aromatic carboxylic acids from the distillation column, and directing the acetic acid comprising residual aromatic carboxylic acids into the PTA production.
11. A process for producing pure terephthalic acid (PTA) by oxidizing a paraphenylene compound in acetic acid to give crude terephthalic acid and purifying the crude terephthalic acid to give PTA and a pure plant mother liquor (PPML) comprising water and residual aromatic carboxylic acids, the process comprising:
combining the PPML with a solution comprising an organic entrainer to form a mixture wherein the temperature of the PPML is at least about 20\xb0 C. less than the azeotropic temperature of the solution comprising the organic entrainer;
separating the mixture of PPML and solution comprising an organic entrainer into an organic stream comprising the residual aromatic carboxylic acids and an aqueous stream;
feeding the organic stream to a second distillation column; and
feeding at least a portion of the aqueous stream to a recovery column.
12. The process of claim 11, wherein the temperature of the PPML is at least about 25\xb0 C. less than the azeotropic temperature of the solution comprising an organic entrainer.
13. The process of claim 11, wherein the temperature of the PPML is less than about 60\xb0 C.
14. The process of claim 11, wherein the temperature of the mixture is less than about 50\xb0 C.
15. The process of claim 11, further comprising cooling the PPML stream prior to the combining step.
16. The process of claim 15, further comprising filtering the PPML stream after cooling but prior to the combining step to recover a solids fraction therefrom.
17. The process of claim 16, further comprising directing the recovered solids fraction into the PTA production.
18. The process of claim 11, further comprising heating the aqueous stream via heat exchange with effluent from the recovery column prior to feeding the aqueous stream to the recovery column.
19. The process of claim 11, further comprising heating the organic stream via heat exchange with effluent from the distillation column prior to feeding the organic stream to the distillation column.
20. A system for extracting a pure plant mother liquor (PPML) formed during pure terephthalic acid (PTA) production, the system comprising:
a mixing device adapted for mixing a stream comprising the PPML with a stream comprising an organic entrainer;
at least one of a cooling device adapted for cooling the PPML stream to ensure that temperature of the PPML is at least about 20\xb0 C. less than the azeotropic temperature of the stream comprising an organic entrainer;
a separating device adapted for separating the mixture of organic entrainer and PPML into an organic stream and an aqueous stream;
an azeotropic distillation column adapted to receive the organic stream and to output an acetic acid-containing stream and the stream comprising an organic entrainer;
a heat exchanger adapted to heat the organic stream via heat exchange with the acetic acid-containing stream;
a recovery column adapted to receive the aqueous stream and to output a stripped aqueous stream; and
a heat exchanger adapted to heat the aqueous stream via heat exchange with the stripped aqueous stream.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the mixing device comprises a static mixer.
22. The system of claim 20, wherein the cooling device is adapted for cooling the PPML stream to a temperature of less than about 65\xb0 C.
23. The system of claim 20, further comprising a filter device adapted for filtering a solids fraction from the PPML stream.
24. An extraction process for a pure plant mother liquor (PPML) formed during pure terephthalic acid (PTA) production, the process comprising:
combining the PPML with a solution comprising an organic entrainer to form a mixture having a temperature of at least about 20\xb0 C. less than the azeotropic temperature of the mixture;
separating the mixture into an organic stream comprising residual aromatic carboxylic acids and an aqueous stream;
heating the organic stream via heat exchange with effluent from a distillation column to form a heated organic stream;
heating the aqueous stream via heat exchange with effluent from a recovery column to form a heated aqueous stream;
feeding the heated organic stream to the distillation column; and
feeding at least a portion of the heated aqueous stream to the recovery column.
25. A process for producing pure terephthalic acid (PTA) by oxidizing a paraphenylene compound in acetic acid to give crude terephthalic acid and purifying the crude terephthalic acid to give PTA and a pure plant mother liquor (PPML) comprising water and residual aromatic carboxylic acids, the process comprising:
combining the PPML with a solution comprising an organic entrainer to form a mixture having a temperature of at least about 20\xb0 C. less than the azeotropic temperature of the mixture;
separating the mixture of PPML and solution comprising an organic entrainer into an organic stream comprising the residual aromatic carboxylic acids and an aqueous stream;
feeding the organic stream to a second distillation column; and
feeding at least a portion of the aqueous stream to a recovery column.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a memory cell, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a semiconductor layer, located above said semiconductor substrate, including a source region, a channel region and a drain region of said memory cell; and
a lower insulator film located between said semiconductor substrate and said semiconductor layer.
2. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising an insulator film on said channel region, wherein
said insulator film includes a first charge trap insulator film capable of trapping charges.
3. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, further including a gate electrode of said memory cell on said insulator film for applying a potential to said first charge trap insulator film for trapping charges.
4. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 3, wherein
said insulator film has a multilayer structure of a first insulator film, said first charge trap insulator film and a second insulator film, and
said lower insulator film has a multilayer structure of a third insulator film, a second charge trap insulator film for trapping charges and a fourth insulator film.
5. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein
at least either said first charge trap insulator film or said second charge trap insulator film is made of a nitride film.
6. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein
the electric capacitance of at least one of said first, second, third and fourth insulator films is different from the electric capacitances of remaining said insulator films.
7. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, further comprising a lower electrode for applying a potential to said second charge trap insulator film for trapping charges.
8. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, wherein
said lower electrode includes a polysilicon film or an impurity diffusion region.
9. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, having first charge trap regions trapping charges in a region including a portion corresponding to the boundary between said source region and said channel region and a region including a portion corresponding to the boundary between said drain region and said channel region in said first charge trap insulator film while having second charge trap regions trapping charges in a region including a portion corresponding to the boundary between said source region and said channel region and a region including a portion corresponding to the boundary between said drain region and said channel region in said second charge trap insulator film.
10. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 9, capable of storing information of four bits in one said memory cell.
11. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein
said lower insulator film includes a charge trap insulator film capable of trapping charges.
12. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 11, wherein
said lower insulator film has a multilayer structure of a first insulator film, said charge trap insulator film and a second insulator film.
13. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 12, wherein
said charge trap insulator film is a nitride film.
14. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 12, further including a lower electrode applying a potential to said charge trap insulator film for trapping charges.
15. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 14, wherein
said lower electrode includes a polysilicon film or an impurity diffusion region.
16. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 12, including charge trap regions trapping charges in a region including a portion corresponding to the boundary between said source region and said channel region and a region including a portion corresponding to the boundary between said drain region and said channel region in said charge trap insulator film.