A ballast circuit is provided having an input, an output for coupling to an electric discharge lamp and an oscillation circuit for illuminating the lamp. The one or more auxiliary modules may be permanently secured to the platform of the portable computer in spaced, segregated relation to the keyboard and keys associated therewith. A secondary current of the transformer, after being rectified by the plane-type rectifying diodes, is connected to and is output from the rectifier positive output plate. A rotationally driven shaft rotates the rotor to displace the dispersion media so as to disperse the material to be treated. After the current publication database is copied to the offline database, the front end server alternates the online and offline databases so that the offline database becomes online for data delivery and the online database becomes offline to prevent data delivery. Novel compounds, including intermediates for the synthesis of roflumilast, are also provided.