An improved multi-reaction zone process provides for improved nitrile product quality and yield. In a first reaction zone, 1,3-butadiene is reacted with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a catalyst to produce pentenenitriles comprising 3-pentenenitrile and 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile. In a second reaction zone, 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, recovered from the first reaction zone, is isomerized to 3-pentenenitrile. In an optional third reaction zone, 3-pentenenitrile recovered from the first and second reaction zones is reacted with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a catalyst and a Lewis acid to produce adiponitrile. A portion of the first catalyst is purified and recycled. Zero valent nickel is added to the purified first catalyst before it is recycled.

Adiponitrile is made by reacting 3-pentenenitrile with hydrogen cyanide. The 3-pentenenitrile is made by reacting 1,3-butadiene with hydrogen cyanide and by isomerizing 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile. The reaction of 1,3-butadiene with hydrogen cyanide to produce 3-pentenenitrile also produces small amounts of dinitrile compounds, including adiponitrile (ADN) and methylglutaronitrile (MGN). Methylglutaronitrile is removed to provide an adiponitrile-enriched stream, which is used in a catalyst purification step.

The present invention relates to a process for hydrocyanating 3-pentenenitrile. The process can include feeding 3-pentenenitrile and HCN to a hydrocyanation reaction zone that includes a Lewis acid promoter, nickel, and a phosphorus-containing ligand. In various embodiments, the process can also include controlling water concentration within the hydrocyanation reaction zone sufficient to maintain a high activity of the ligand catalyst complex while recycling at least a portion of the ligand catalyst complex.

A method and apparatus for using an ad hoc peer-to-peer distributed message bus is provided. The method may include determining, by a local bus node, using a first power level communication protocol, that a remote bus node is available, obtaining, by the local bus node, connection information from the remote bus node using a second power level communication protocol, wherein the connection information comprises connection information for one or more remote endpoints associated with the remote bus node, and generating one or more local virtual endpoints, wherein each of the one or more local virtual endpoints corresponds to each of the one or more remote endpoints, and wherein the remote endpoint is described with reference to a well-known name, unique to the remote endpoint.

A system receives a first request for data associated with a data stream received over a first network from a remote source and then determines when the requested data will be available based on analyzing the data stream. The system communicates a second request for the requested data over a second network to the remote source when the requested data will not be available from the data stream within a threshold time and receives the requested data from the remote source over at least one from the list including the first network and the second network.

Methods and systems for remotely provisioning applications from the cloud in secure environments with robust license control failover options using a hierarchical server topology. Cloud-based servers provide applications and licenses to an organization's local servers, which in turn serve applications and licenses to end user devices. By synchronizing information including license and application provision information among the local and cloud-based servers, an organization's local servers can continue to serve applications and licenses when one or more of the organization's local servers fail.

A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for user initiated rule based restrictions on sending messages from a sender to a receiver in a communications network. The receiver establishes a set of rules for the sender that allows the sender a limited number of defined messages events with the receiver. The defined message events may be messages or message sessions. When the sender attempts to send a message to the receiver, it is determined whether a message session currently exists between the sender and the receiver. If a current session exists, the rules set by the receiver are used to determine if the message is allowed to be sent to the receiver. If a session does not currently exist, the rules are used to determine whether a new session is allowed. If a new message session is allowed, a new session is established, and the message is sent to the receiver during the new session.

A method of transferring data using a Trivial File Transport Protocol (TFTP) includes sending first request packet from client to server, first request packet requesting that first file be transferred; transferring first file according to first request packet if first acknowledgement packet is received at client from server indicating that server can accommodate request of first request packet; sending second request packet from client to the server if transfer of first file does not complete successfully, the second request packet including TFTP option indicating that transfer of first file be retried beginning at first block after final block that was successfully transferred in response to first request packet; and retrying transfer of first file according to second request packet if second acknowledgement packet is received at client from server indicating that server can accommodate request of second request packet.

According to one embodiment, a method comprises evaluating messages between nodes of a distributed computing environment. Based on timing relationships of the messages, probability of causal links between pairs of messages determined. Based on the determined probability, at least one causal path comprising a plurality of causal links is inferred. Further, an overall probability that the inferred causal path is accurate is determined. In certain embodiments, the overall probability is output for the corresponding causal path to provide an indication of the confidence of the accuracy of such inferred causal path.

An example method to monitor media exposure involves receiving, at a first internet domain, a first request from a client computer, the first request indicative of access to the media at the client computer. The example method also involves determining if the client computer is known. If the client computer is not known, a response is sent from the first internet domain to the client computer, the response to instruct the client computer to send a second request to a second internet domain, the second request to be indicative of access to the media at the client computer. If the client computer is known, an impression of the media is logged.

In an apparatus for recording and quickly retrieving video signal parts on a magnetic tape, during recording information about the local position of each video signal part is automatically stored in a memory associated with the apparatus, which is designed for storing identifying information for a large number of magnetic tape cassettes. The retrieval of each video signal part on each of the cassettes can be effected substantially without delay in the quick rewind mode of operation.

A mechanism for determining whether the sun is visible at a diurnal solar event and for mechanically triggering actions based upon the sun being visible during the diurnal solar event is disclosed. The mechanisms of the invention can perform these operations without intervention or supervision for long periods of time. Certain embodiments have been applied to provide a diurnal solar event trigger based upon sidereal noon for a clock providing accurate timing for 10,000 years without intervention or supervision.

A network is described for providing estimates of the current time. The network includes multiple computer systems each configured to provide an estimate of the current time in response to a received request. The computer systems are logically arranged to form a hierarchical structure, wherein the hierarchical structure includes multiple levels ranked with respect to one another. Each of the computer systems is assigned one of multiple levels of trust, and occupies one of the levels of the hierarchical structure dependent upon the assigned level of trust. The level of trust assigned to a given computer system is dependent upon a timekeeping dependability of the given computer system. The assigned level of trust may also be dependent upon a timekeeping security of the given computer system, where the timekeeping security is dependent upon a tamper resistance of the time clock of the given computer system. Methods for delegating a level of trust to a new computer system (i.e., a computer system not part of the network) and for adding a new computer system to the network are also described.

Various systems and methods are described for configuring a data storage system. In one embodiment, a plurality of actual capacities of a plurality of storage devices of the data storage system are identified and divided into a plurality of capacity slices. The plurality of capacity slices are combined into a plurality of chunks of capacity slices, each having a combination of characteristics of the underlying physical storage devices. The chunks of capacity slices are then mapped to a plurality of logical storage devices. A group of the plurality of logical storage devices is then organized into a redundant array of logical storage devices.

A sequence of storage devices of a data store may include one or more stripesets for storing data stripes of different lengths and of different types. Each data stripe may be stored in a prefix or other portion of a stripeset. Each data stripe may be identified by an array of addresses that identify each page of the data stripe on each included storage device. When a first storage device of a stripeset becomes full, the stripeset may be shifted by removing the full storage device from the stripeset, and adding a next storage device of the data store to the stripeset. A class variable may be associated with storage devices of a stripeset to identify the type of data that the stripeset can store. The class variable may be increased (or otherwise modified) when a computer stores data of a different class in the stripeset.

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with a distributed cache coherency protocol are described. According to one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request from a requester for access to one or more memory blocks in a block storage device that is shared by at least two physical computing machines and determining if a caching right to any of the one or more memory blocks has been granted to a different requester. If the caching right has not been granted to the different requester, access is granted to the one or more memory blocks to the requester.

A computing system includes a parent partition, child partitions, a hypervisor, shared memories each associated with one of the child partitions, and trigger pages each associated with one of the child partitions. The hypervisor receives a system event signal from one of the child partitions and, in response to receiving the system event signal, accesses the trigger page associated with that child partition. The hypervisor determines whether the trigger page indicates whether data is available to be read from the shared memory associated with the child partition. The hypervisor can send an indication to either the parent partition or the child partitions that data is available to be read from the shared memory associated with the child partition if the hypervisor determines that the trigger page indicates that data is available to be read from the shared memory associated with the child partition.

A method and system for dynamic distributed data caching is presented. The system includes one or more peer members and a master member. The master member and the one or more peer members form cache community for data storage. The master member is operable to select one of the one or more peer members to become a new master member. The master member is operable to update a peer list for the cache community by removing itself from the peer list. The master member is operable to send a nominate master message and an updated peer list to a peer member selected by the master member to become the new master member.

The present invention relates to the use of at least one sulfonic acid for recovering glycerol resulting from a reaction crude from transesterification of glycerides, in particular of triglycerides of vegetable and/or animal origin. The invention also relates to a process for purifying glycerol obtained as a by-product of triglyceride transesterification during the preparation of fatty acids, fatty esters and/or fatty acid salts, and also to a combined process for preparing, on the one hand, fatty acids, fatty esters and/or fatty acid salts and, on the other hand, glycerol, from triglycerides, using at least one sulfonic acid.

This invention relates to a process for preparing an oligonucleotide 5'-triphosphate. The process comprises the steps of: (a) synthesizing an oligonucleotide having a 5' hydroxyl moiety; (b) reacting the 5' hydroxyl moiety with a reagent of formula I: to convert the 5' hydroxyl moiety to a 5'-H-phosphonate, wherein R1 and R2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of haloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heterocycle, and substituted heterocycle, acyl, phosphoryl, substituted alkyl acyl, substituted heteroalkyl acyl, substituted aryl acyl or substituted heteroaryl acyl, substituted alkyl phosphoryl, substituted heteroalkyl acyl, substituted aryl phosphoryl, and substituted heteroaryl phosphoryl; (c) activating the H-phosphonate of step (b) by reacting the H-phosphonate with a silylating agent, a halogenated oxidizing agent, a nitrogen-containing heteroaryl, or a combination thereof, to form an activated H-phosphonate; and (d) treating the oligonucleotide having an activated H-phosphonate from step (c) with a poly(alkylammonium)pyrophosphate.

The present invention is directed to L-proline and citric acid co-crystals of (2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-2-(3-((5-(4-fluorophenyl)thiophen-2-yl)methyl)-4-methylphenyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3,4,5-triol, pharmaceutical compositions containing said co-crystals and their use in the treatment glucose-related disorders such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus and Syndrome X.

The present invention relates to novel 1,2,3-triazolyl purine derivatives. The invention also relates to using the derivatives to treat cancer and various viral infections. An example of a 1,2,3-triazolyl purine derivative of the invention is

A system is disclosed comprising multiple sets of client computers each client computer having installed thereon an application program The application program comprising client computer specific log-in information, a database system coupled to the set of client computers via a network. The database system having a log-in component for logging-in the client computers, and being partitioned into multiple relational databases each one of which is assigned to one set of the sets of client computers. Each database further storing encrypted data items, each data item being encrypted with one of the user or user-group specific cryptographic keys, the key identifier of the cryptographic key with which one of the data items is encrypted being stored in the database as an attribute of the one of the encrypted data items. The log-in component comprising assignment information indicative of the assignment of the databases to the set of client computers.

A system, methods and server for monitoring health and safety of individuals in a population and sending alert notifications when exceptions are detected include comparing biometric data obtained from the individuals to a biometric model generated for the individual through computer-learning methods. Biometric data may be gathered by wireless biometric sensor devices which transmit biometric data to receiver devices, which relay the biometric data to a server. The biometric model may be maintained in the server and include nominal and threshold biometric parameters for each individual based on biometric sensor data gathered or analyzed over a period of time. An alert may be issued by the server when an individual's biometric data is outside a threshold in the biometric model. The transmitted alert may depend upon the nature of the exception, user settings and past notification experience. Alerts may be escalated when not answered within defined durations.

Systems and methods are disclosed for evaluating cardiovascular treatment options for a patient. One method includes creating a three-dimensional model representing a portion of the patient's heart based on patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart or vasculature; and for a plurality of treatment options for the patient's heart or vasculature, modifying at least one of the three-dimensional model and a reduced order model based on the three-dimensional model. The method also includes determining, for each of the plurality of treatment options, a value of a blood flow characteristic, by solving at least one of the modified three-dimensional model and the modified reduced order model; and identifying one of the plurality of treatment options that solves a function of at least one of: the determined blood flow characteristics of the patient's heart or vasculature, and one or more costs of each of the plurality of treatment options.

The present application provides Ag/AgCl based reference electrodes having an extended lifetime that are suitable for use in long term amperometric sensors. Electrochemical sensors equipped with reference electrodes described herein demonstrate considerable stability and extended lifetime in a variety of conditions.

A biometric monitoring device measuring various biometric information is provided that allows the person to take and/or display a heart rate reading by a simple user interaction with the device, e.g., by simply touching a heart rate sensor surface area or moving the device in a defined motion pattern. Some embodiments of this disclosure provide biometric monitoring devices that allow a person to get a quick heart rate reading without removing the device or interrupting their other activities. Some embodiments provide heart rate monitoring with other desirable features such as feedback on data acquisition status.

The present invention provides therapeutically active compounds and compositions as receptor antagonists and methods of use thereof. In one aspect, the compounds are useful in modulating pain, inflammation and acute phase reactions by inhibiting the PGE2 receptors including PGE2 EP1, EP2 and EP4 receptors.

A composition of matter comprising an interpenetrating polymer network of a combination of a silanol-containing polysiloxane phase and a silylated triglyceride oil phase. The two phases are mixed and covalently bound to each other via siloxane crosslinks. A method for producing interpenetrating polymer networks. The method comprises providing triglycerides from oils or fats and reacting the triglycerides with a reactive silane to form a silylated triglyceride oil. The silylated triglyceride oil and a silanol terminated polysiloxane are emulsified with water in a predetermined ratio. Thereafter, crosslinking agents are added and the water is removed from the emulsions providing siloxane crosslinks between the two intimately mixed immiscible phases.

A porous ceramic matrix contains a plurality of ceramic particles adhered to each other, and a plurality of channels defined by surfaces of neighboring ceramic particles, the channels each having an average diameter of 0.5-2.5 μm. Preferred ceramics also have a porosity of 25.0-40.0%, a Darcy's Permeability of 1.57-34.8×10−14 m2, and a mechanical strength of 25-64 MPa. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such a porous ceramic matrix, comprising providing a pellet containing ceramic particles that are coated with a monomer, a catalyst, and a binder; polymerizing the monomer in the solid state by heating, then carbonizing and sintering the pellet.

Provided by the present invention is a method for efficient oxidation of alcohols by using, as a catalyst for dehydrogenation oxidation, a ruthenium complex which can be easily produced and easily handled and is obtainable at a relatively low cost. The invention relates to a method of producing a compound having a carbonyl group by dehydrogenation oxidation of alcohols by using as a catalyst the ruthenium carbonyl complex represented by the following general formula (1) RuXY(CO)(L) (1) (in the general formula (1), X and Y may be the same or different from each other and represent an anionic ligand, and L represents a tridentate aminodiphosphine ligand).

Asymmetric aryl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (ArPoss) compounds synthesized by the “corner-capping” of phenyl7Si7O9(OH)3 with aryl trichlorosilanes are described. The ArPoss compounds have the chemical structure: wherein Ph is phenyl and wherein R is selected from the group consisting of: and mixtures thereof.

A method for forming a cobalt-containing thin film by a vapor deposition process is provided. The method comprises using at least one precursor corresponding in structure to Formula (I); wherein R1 and R2 are independently C2-C8-alkyl; x is zero, 1 or 2; and y is zero or 1; wherein both x and y can not be zero simultaneously.

Disclosed are novel ruthenium compounds of formula (Ia) and (Ib): wherein R1 and the moiety are defined herein. Also disclosed is a process for using these novel ruthenium compounds as catalysts for asymmetric hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation of ketones with high reactivities and excellent selectivities.

The invention relates to a method for producing mono-aminofunctionalized dialkylphosphinic acids and esters and salts thereof by means of acrylnitriles, characterized in that a) a phosphinic acid source (I) is reacted with olefins (IV) to yield an alkylphosphonic acid, salt or ester (II) thereof in the presence of a catalyst A, b) the thus obtained alkylphosphonic acid, salt or ester (II) thereof is reacted with an acrylnitrile of formula (V) to yield a mono-functionalized dialkylphosphinic acid derivative (VI) in the presence of a catalyst B, and c) the thus obtained mono-functionalized dialkylphosphinic acid derivative (VI) is reacted to yield a mono-aminofunctionalized dialkylphosphinic acid derivative (III) in the presence of a catalyst C or a reduction agent, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 are the same or different and stand independently of each other, among other things, for H, C1-C18 alkyl, C6-C18 aryl, C6-C18 aralkyl, C6-C18 alkylaryl and X stands for H, C1-C18 alkyl, C6-C18 aryl, C6-C18 aralkyl, C6-C18 alkylaryl, Mg, Ca, Al, Sb, Sn, Ge, Ti, Fe, Zr, Zn, Ce, Bi, Sr, Mn, Cu, Ni, Li, Na, K and/or a protonized nitrogen base, and Y stands for a mineral acid, a carboxylic acid, a Lewis acid or an organic acid, n=an integer or fractional number of 0 to 4 and the catalysts A and C are formed by transition metals, transition metal compounds and/or catalyst systems composed of a transition metal and/or a transition metal compound and at least one ligand, and catalyst B is formed by compounds forming peroxides, peroxo compounds, azo compounds, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, alkali hydrides, alkaline earth hydrides and/or alkali alcoholates and alkaline earth alcoholates.

The invention relates to novel nitrile compounds according to formula I and II: (I) Formula I wherein: X=—CH3 or —C≡N, (II) Formula II wherein: X=—CH3 or —C≡N, each Y is independently chosen from —OH or RC(0)0-, each R is independently chosen from a C1-21 alkyl group. The invention also relates to processes for the preparation of nitrile compounds according to formula I and II and to uses of the nitrile compounds.

Compounds having drug and bio-affecting properties, their pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use are set forth. In particular, C-17 bicyclic amines of triterpenoids that possess unique antiviral activity are provided as HIV maturation inhibitors, as represented by compounds of Formulas I, II and III: These compounds are useful for the treatment of HIV and AIDS.

Compounds having drug and bio-affecting properties, their pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use are set forth. In particular, C-3 cycloalkenyl triterpenoids that possess unique antiviral activity are provided as HIV maturation inhibitors, as represented by compounds of Formulas I, II, III and IV: wherein X can be a C4-8 cycloalkyl, C4-8 cycloalkenyl, C4-9 spirocycloalkyl, C4-9 spirocycloalkenyl, C4-8 oxacycloalkyl, C4-8 dioxacycloalkyl, C6-8 oxacycloalkenyl, C6-8 dioxacycloalkenyl, C6-9 oxaspirocycloalkyl, or C6-9 oxaspirocycloalkenyl ring. These compounds are useful for the treatment of HIV and AIDS.

The present invention relates to novel 4-pregenen-11β-17-21-triol-3,20-dione derivatives, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals, as modulators of glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid receptors. The invention relates specifically to the use of these compounds and their pharmaceutical compositions to treat disorders associated with glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid receptor modulation.

The invention relates to nitrooxyderivative of corticosteroids of general formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts or stereoisomers thereof R—(Z)a—Rx (I) wherein R is the corticosteroid residue of formula (II): wherein: R1 is OH, R2—CH3, or R1 and R2 are taken together to form a group of formula (III) R3 is Cl or F;R4 is H or F; wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 can be linked to the correspondent carbon atoms of the steroidal structure in position α or β; with the proviso that: when R1 and R2 are the group of formula (III) then R3 is F and R4 is H or F; The compounds are useful in the treatment of respiratory diseases, inflammatory diseases, dermatological diseases and ocular diseases.

This invention discloses N-cyclopropyl-(20R)-2-methylene-19,26,27-trinor-25-aza-vitamin D analogs, and specifically N-cyclopropyl-(20R)-2-methylene-19,26,27-trinor-25-aza-1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 and pharmaceutical uses therefor. This compound exhibits relatively high binding activity and pronounced activity in arresting the proliferation of undifferentiated cells and inducing their differentiation to the monocyte thus evidencing use as an anti-cancer agent especially for the treatment or prevention of leukemia, colon cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer or prostate cancer.

Herbicidal injury caused by 6-trisubstituted phenyl)-4-amino-2-pyridinecarboxylates in wheat and barley is reduced with the use of low rates of cloquintocet.

A method of performance monitoring in a data processing environment is provided. The data processing environment includes multiple systems, each of which has resources. Each resource relates to a resource type, wherein at least one performance parameter is defined for each resource type. The method includes determining a value of the at least one performance parameter for at least one resource, aggregating performance parameter values and related resources of a resource type, creating for at least a part of the resources a next predefined aggregation level which includes all resources relating to the resource type and associating all performance parameter values to this aggregation level, and repeating the creating for at least a part of the resources a next predefined aggregation level until a predefined target aggregation level of the data processing environment has been reached.

This invention is directed to a polymer thick film UV-curable thermoformable dielectric composition. Dielectrics made from the composition can be used in various electronic applications to protect electrical elements and particularly to insulate and protect both the conductive thermoformable silver and the polycarbonate substrate below it in capacitive switch applications. The thermoformed capacitive switch circuit may be subsequently subjected to an injection molding process.

A new process is provided for preparing nitrile rubbers by free-radical polymerization in an organic solvent and in the presence of specific modifier substances. This polymerization may be followed by hydrogenation to give likewise new hydrogenated nitrile rubbers, the hydrogenation advantageously taking place likewise in organic solvent. The optionally hydrogenated nitrile rubbers obtained are notable for having fragments of the employed modifier substances in the main polymer chain and/or as end groups. They can be prepared with a wide diversity of molecular weights and polydispersity indices, especially with very low polydispersity indices.

A centrifuge concentrator bowl has feed deposited onto a base of the bowl and includes a plurality of recesses at axially spaced positions along a peripheral wall of the bowl. The peripheral wall is formed of a rigid metal skeleton frame of rings and upstanding support members on which is molded a urethane liner material to form an integral structure with the rings located at ribs between the recesses. A fluidization water injection system includes an outer container on the bowl, which also acts as a clamping assembly and a plurality of liquid entry openings through the peripheral wall at the base of the recesses allowing flexing of the peripheral wall in response to changes in pressure in the fluidizing liquid. The bowl is formed of separate sections defined by a bottom concave base section and the cast skeleton wall all clamped together to allow replacement of the separate parts.

A centrifugal separator comprising: a driving portion; and a swing rotor including, a rotor body, a through-hole passing through the rotor body, pin insert grooves which are provided parallel to the through-hole so as to oppose each other and only partially penetrate the rotor body, and a bucket including, a bucket body that has a contact surface which is configured to contact the rotor body during centrifugal separation, and a cap assembly that seals the bucket body and has a swing shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to an longitudinal direction of the bucket, wherein the swing rotor is rotated when the bucket is inserted into the through-hole, to swing the bucket, and the swing shaft can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the bucket relative to the bucket body and rotated about a longitudinal central axis of the bucket.

Systems and methods are provided for sample processing. A device may be provided, capable of receiving the sample, and performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing multiple assays. The device may comprise one or more modules that may be capable of performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing the steps using a small volume of sample.

A centrifuge, including: a flange closing off one axial end of a separation chamber; a plurality of apertures that traverse axially through the flange at a radial distance from a flange axis, wherein at least one aperture is in fluid communication with a first outlet passage; a plurality of weir inserts removably disposed within the plurality of apertures to control a flow of one or more fluids from the separation chamber; wherein at least one weir insert disposed within the at least one aperture in fluid communication with the first outlet passage is changeable to prevent or allow fluid communication between the separation chamber and the first outlet passage.

A centrifuge includes a vacuum pump machine configured of an auxiliary vacuum pump and an oil diffusion pump for exhausting gas inside a rotary chamber to outside, in which a rotor rotates at high speed. In the centrifuge, a thermistor for detecting a temperature of oil and an oil surface inside a boiler of the oil diffusion pump is provided inside the boiler, and power of a heater is adjusted with the temperature detected by the thermistor, so that a degree of vacuum inside the rotary chamber is stably reduced from atmospheric pressure to a high vacuum state. Besides, when the heater does not heat, a current is carried through the thermistor for self-heating, and it is determined from variation in a resistance value whether the oil exists or not at a position at which the thermistor 8 is placed.