Abstract: The present invention provides a topical formulation including (i) comfrey or a comfrey-derived compound, or an analog or derivative thereof and (ii) a penetration enhancer, and optionally including tannic acid, or an analog or derivative thereof. The present invention also provides a topical formulation including (i) comfrey or a comfrey-derived compound, or an analog or derivative thereof, and (ii) tannic acid, or an analog or derivative thereof, optionally including a penetration enhancer. Also provided are kits and methods of prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of inflammatory and/or degenerative conditions using the combination of active ingredients as herein described.

Abstract: A design rule checking (DRC) tool performs DRC operations by determining a match between one of a plurality of waiver layout patterns and a first portion of an integrated circuit layout containing a suspected violation of a first design rule. This operation is preferably performed automatically during a comprehensive DRC operation on the entire integrated circuit layout. Each violation of a design rule within an integrated circuit layout is preferably treated initially as a “suspected” violation prior to an operation to compare one or more different waiver layout patterns to the portion of the integrated circuit containing the “suspected” violation. A failure to identify a match with any of the waiver layout patterns operates to convert the “suspected” violation into a “confirmed” violation.