A rippler may be installed on a paper deliverer used in conjunction with a paper sheeter, in between the vacuum belts of the sheeter. The rippler includes an upwardly projecting ridge, causing paper passing over it to develop a ripple, thereby increasing the rigidity of the paper. This increased rigidity of the paper resists the tendency of the paper to fly upward as it is being transported by the deliverer.

After printing is performed on paper, it is next delivered to a sheeter which cuts the paper into sheets, and then to a deliverer, which retards the speed of the individual sheets and then transports the individual sheets of paper to a stacker. Delivering light-weight paper, such as pharmaceutical paper, is difficult because the paper has very little rigidity. Most typical deliverers use a combination of pulleys and wheels and belts to control the paper. This method often causes the paper to buckle, jamming the delivery unit.
As an alternative to belts, a vacuum sheeter uses a plurality of vacuum belts disposed between a pair of pulleys, having a vacuum chamber directly beneath their top surface, and a plurality of apertures within the belts in communication with the vacuum chamber, to control the paper. A first set of vacuum belts delivers the paper from the sheeter at a high speed. A vacuum roller is located at the end of the vacuum belts. The vacuum roller includes a plurality of rows of apertures, with each row being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. The holes are in communication with the hollow interior of the cylinder, which in turn is in communication with a vacuum system. Each row corresponds to the stop position for one sheet. A second set of vacuum belts, similar to the first set but moving at a slower speed, is located after the vacuum roller, and may use the vacuum roller as one of its pulleys. The individual paper sheets are carried out of the sheeter at a high speed by the first set of vacuum belts, where they are stopped by the vacuum roller. Each set of holes on the vacuum roller will stop the trailing edge of one sheet, before the cylinder indexes to the next position to stop the next sheet. The sheets are thereby stacked, and the second set of vacuum belts carries them to their next destination.
Although the vacuum sheeter eliminates the jamming problem, it tends to cause light-weight paper to rise into the air as air gets caught underneath the paper. The speed at which the sheeter can be operated is limited by the tendency of the lead edge of the paper to fly up.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved deliverer including a means for preventing the leading edge of the paper from flying up as it exits the sheeter. Additionally, there is a need for an improved deliverer which avoids the jamming problems of other types of deliverers. There is a further need for a deliverer capable of running at high speed, thereby maximizing it productivity and reducing the overall costs of printing, cutting, and stacking the paper.


An electromagnet having a magnetic shield, in which dummy holes generally equal in shape to a hole conventionally provided for a service port are formed in a pair of end plates of a magnetic shield. The holes formed in each of the end plates are in equal radial-direction positions and are arranged in the circumferential direction at equal angular intervals, and the positions of the holes formed on the two end plates are symmetric on the center point of the electromagnet and/or the plane containing the center point and perpendicular to the center axis. Portions of the end plates in the vicinity of the holes are increased in thickness to compensate for the loss of the magnetic material due to the formation of the holes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electromagnet having a magnetic shield for use in a nuclear magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus or the like and, more particularly, to a structure whereby a highly uniform magnetic field can be generated.
2 Description of the Related Art
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional magnetically shielded electromagnet of this kind taken on a vertical plane containing the center axis thereof. For example, this electromagnet is constructed as a superconducting electromagnet. A coil 1 which generates a uniform-magnetic-field is formed by winding a superconducting wire so as to have a hollow cylindrical shape and to be symmetrical with respect to a center point 0 on the center axis CL. A cryostat 2 contains the uniform-magnetic-field coil 1 and a liquid helium 3 for cooling the uniform-magnetic-field coil 1 at an extremely low temperature to maintain this coil in a superconducting state. A magnetic shield 4 is arranged to surround the cryostat 2. The magnetic shield 4 has a hollow cylindrical yoke 5 formed of a magnetic substance, e.g., iron and having a center axis and a center point coinciding with the center axis CL and the center point 0, and a pair of end plates 61 and 62 also formed of a magnetic substance, e.g., iron. The end plates 61 and 62 are ring-like circular plates having generally central holes 61a and 62a respectively which have a diameter approximately equal to that of an inner cylindrical space 7 which is formed at the center of the magnet. A hole 8 is also formed in the end plate 61. A service port 2a extends through the hole 8. The service port 2a projects from one end of the cryostat 2 to outside of the magnetic shield 4 in order to guide a lead 1a for introducing a current to the coil 1 and to serve a piping for supplying the liquid helium 3, and the like.
In the thus-constructed electromagnet with the magnetic shield, when the uniform-magnetic-field coil 1 is energized in a superconducting condition, a magnetic flux is formed in the inner cylindrical space 7 in the direction of the Z-axis corresponding to the center axis CL. The greatest part of this magnetic flux circulates in a loop by flowing into the end plate 61 having a large relative magnetic permeability, flowing through the cylindrical yoke 5 in the direction opposite to that of the flow inside the inner cylindrical space 7 and returning into the inner cylindrical space 7 through the end plate 62. The magnetic shield 4 thereby limits the magnetic field leakage to the outside. A uniform magnetic field necessary for nuclear magnetic resonance diagnosis can be obtained in a spherical region 9 indicated by the broken line around the center point o in the inner cylindrical space 7.
The shape of the magnetic shield 4 and so on, as well as the coil 1, influence the magnetic field generated in the spherical region 9. It is therefore necessary for the magnetic shield 4 to have a strictly symmetrical structure.
In the conventional magnetically shielded electromagnet, specifically, in the construction of the magnetic shield 4, the magnetic resistance is locally increased at the hole 8 owing to the existance of this hole 8 formed in the end plate 61, and non-uniform magnetic field gradient components is generated in the spherical region 9 because of this asymmetric construction.
These conditions will be described below in more detail. Assuming rectangular coordinate axes X, Y and Z as shown in FIG. 4, and assuming that the hole 8 formed in the end plate 61 is located on, for example, the Y-axis, components relating to the Z- and Y-axes, i.e., magnetic field gradient components represented by functions of Z, Y, ZY, Z.sup.2 Y and the like occur. If the hole 8 is located on the X-axis, components relating to the Z- and X-axes, i.e., magnetic field gradient components represented by functions of Z, X, ZX, Z.sup.2 X and the like appear. If the hole 8 is located at a position on the X-Y plane excepting on each axis, magnetic field gradient components represented by a function of Z, X, Y, ZX, ZY, XY, X.sup.2 --Y.sup.2, Z.sup.2 X, Z.sup.2 Y, ZXY and the like are generated.
The conventional electromagnet therefore requires a magnetic field compensation means for removing the non-uniform magnetic components caused by the hole 8. More specifically, it is necessary to add various types of magnetic field compensation coils and to increase the output to enable magnetic field compensation.
A problem relating to magnetic attraction between the uniform-magnetic-field coil 1 and the magnetic shield 4 is also encountered. That is, the magnetic attraction force acting from the center point 0 toward the hole 8 is smaller than the magnetic attraction force acting in the opposite direction, and the uniform-magnetic-field coil 1 is attracted in the direction from the hole 8 to the center point 0. It is therefore necessary to reinforce the support for maintaining the uniform-magnetic-field coil 1 in the normal position A complicated and expensive support structure is therefore required.


A method is provided for making a heat curable organopolysiloxane composition, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive composition by blending a benzene soluble resinous copolymer in the form of a spray dried particulate, comprising triorganosiloxy units, such as trimethylsiloxy units, and SiO.sub.2 units with a fluid network mixture of an alkenyl siloxane, a silicon hydride siloxane and a hydrosilylation catalyst.

The present invention relates to solventless platinum catalyzed silicone compositions convertible to pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) and method for making. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of a spray dried silicone resin powder having triorganosiloxy units (M) and tetrasiloxy units (Q) and a PSA network mixture of a substantially linear alkenyl siloxane, a substantially linear silicon hydride siloxane and a hydrosilylation catalyst.
As shown by Hahn et al, U S. Pat. No. 3,983,398, platinum catalyzed organopolysiloxane compositions convertible to PSAs comprising a benzene soluble resinous copolymer of triorganosiloxy units and tetrasiloxy units have been used in the form of an organic solvent solution in combination with a network mixture. The network mixture consists of a substantially linear alkenyl siloxane or vinyl siloxane, a substantially linear silicon hydride siloxane and a hydrosilylation catalyst, such as a platinum catalyst.
Although PSAs can be made utilizing a combination of the above-described benzene soluble ingredients, prior to the present invention such PSAs required the stripping of organic solvent from the resinous copolymer while it was in the presence of a silicone fluid, such as a vinyl siloxane fluid. In most instances, the platinum catalyst also was present with the vinyl siloxane fluid during the stripping procedure. Stripping of an organic solvent by a heat curable silicone fabricator who did not have adequate solvent trapping equipment, generated volatiles which often resulted in excessive air pollution. The benzene soluble resinous copolymer was normally available to the fabricator as an organic solvent dispersion, because it could not be readily blended in bulk form into the network mixture. The term "network mixture" hereinafter means one or more of the silicone components comprising the mixture of alkenyl siloxane, a silicon hydride siloxane and a platinum catalyst.
Prior to the present invention, a convenient technique was to blend one or more of the network ingredients, such as the alkenyl siloxane, along with the platinum catalyst into an organic solvent dispersion of the benzene soluble copolymer. When the organic solvent was stripped, a workable silicone blend could be formed which could be formulated with additional heat curable silicone mixture ingredients. The stripping of organic solvent by a fabricator however, is environmentally unattractive particularly if inadequate solvent trapping equipment is used.
In addition to being environmentally hazardous, the use of an organic solvent dispersion of the benzene soluble copolymer with other network ingredients can often interfere with the ability of PSA fabricators to tailor make the PSA to the needs of the customer. It would be desirable therefore to provide readily blendable ingredients for making platinum catalyzed PSAs, potting compositions, vibration damping compositions and flexible casting resins comprising benzene soluble copolymers and network ingredients while at the same time, reduce environmental risks.
As taught in copending application, RD-22,105, organosiloxane hydrolyzate comprising chemically combined triorganosiloxy units and tetrasiloxy units can be spray dried to form a free-flowing silicone resin powder which is dispersible in silicone fluids.

Method for making a solventless silicone pressure sensitive adhesive composition and product


A modular system for adjusting the length of pull and drop of a long gun. The modular system enables a combination of any one of a plurality of comb portions with any one or more of a plurality of butt pad spacers for a versatile and robust system that provides a wide range of comb height and length of pull combinations. The system can be implemented by the user, avoiding costly gun fitters. The system provides these aspects in a sleek, streamlined way that does not mar the appearance of the long gun. The spacers for the length of pull adjustment include registration surfaces that provide a three-dimensional interface with the buttstock and comb portion for enhanced strength and stability of the assembly over that of conventional fit adjustment systems.

The fit of a long gun (shotgun or rifle) to a particular individual is characterized by the length of pull and the drop. The length of pull is the distance from the trigger to the end of the buttstock. The drop is the measurement between the line of sight and the comb of the buttstock. Most rifles and shotguns are designed for the average adult male. However, the physical fit characteristics of adult males vary significantly from the average adult male, as do the physical fit characteristics of women and youth. Therefore, many individuals find that many long guns do not feel comfortable or "fit" very well when shooting. The correct length of pull is when the sight picture is on target as the individual easily reaches the trigger, without straining the neck or shoulder to rest the cheek on the comb.
Several factors come into play when fitting a long gun, including the size of the individual, the length of the individual's neck, the thickness of the individual's cheek, and the hunting apparel that is the individual wears when the long gun is to be used. Another factor is whether a scope is used. The addition of a scope sometimes occurs after the firearm has been in use, such that a rifle that fit well without a scope does not fit well with the addition of a scope. Fitting a long gun to a particular individual has created a need for specialists referred to as "gun fitters," which is different from a gun smith. However, the services of a gun fitter can be prohibitively expensive for the recreational hunter. See Wiley, S., "What is Length of Pull and why does it Matter?", Firearms, Jul. 10, 2013, available at http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/length-pull-matter/, last visited Apr. 8, 2018, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety except for express definitions contained therein.
Length of pull adjustment systems are commercially available. Buttstocks with a comb height adjustment system that alter the drop of the long gun also exist. However, there is a paucity of systems that integrate both aspects. A versatile and robust system that integrates length of pull and comb height adjustment would be welcomed.


Disclosed is a data-processing apparatus comprising a data-processing unit, a connector unit, a pin-protecting member, and lock members. The lock members hold the pin-protecting member in a first position where the pin-protecting member opposes the pins and prevents anything other than the card-shaped recording medium from abutting on the pins and protects the pins from dust. When a card-shaped recording medium is inserted into the apparatus, the lock members release the pin-protecting member from the first position, whereby the pin-protecting member is moved to a second position. In the second position, the pin-protecting member allows an electrical connection between the pins and the connector of the recording medium. When the recording medium is pulled from the apparatus, the pin-protecting member is moved from the second position back to the first position. In the first position, the pin-protecting member prevents anything other than the recording medium from abutting on the pins, thus protecting the pins from damage and also from dust.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data-processing apparatus such as an electronic still camera, in which a card-shaped recording medium having, for example, a semiconductor memory is used to record image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Silver-salt film is used as recording medium in most cameras widely used at present. After the image of an object has been transferred onto the silver-salt film, the film is chemically processed, thereby developing the image into a visible one. With the use of the silver-salt film, it is impossible to enjoy seeing the photo of the object, the moment the image of the object is transferred to the film.
Recently, electronic photographing systems have been developed and made commercially available, which convert an optical image of an object into electric signals, and reproduce the image from the electric signals by means of a TV receiver. Among these photographing systems is a still-picture recording system which comprises an electronic still camera, a TV receiver, and an image-reproducing device connected to the T receiver. A cartridge or a cassette of a recording medium, such as a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, or a magnetic drum, is set into the electronic still camera. The image of an object is magnetically recorded on the medium. The cartridge or cassette is removed from the camera and set into the image-reproducing device. The image-reproducing device generates electric signals from the recorded medium and supplies these signals to the TV receiver. The TV receiver reproduces the image of the object from the electric signals.
Since a magnetic recording medium is used in the still-picture recording system, the electronic still camera must have a head for recording data on, and reproducing the data from, the recording medium, and also a drive unit for driving the recording medium. Consequently, the camera is massive and proportionally heavy. Further, the drive unit incorporated in the camera consumes much power to operate its mechanical components.
Very recently, a still-picture recording system of a new type has been developed which is smaller and lighter than the system described above. This new system is characterized by the use of a so-called "memory card" which is a card-shaped recording medium containing a volatile semiconductor memory such as SRAM. The electronic still camera of the new system converts the optical image of an object into electric signals. The electric signals, thus obtained, are recorded into the memory card, in the form of digital data. Due to the use of the memory card, neither the electronic still camera nor the image-reproducing device requires a drive unit. Hence, the camera and the image-reproducing device are smaller and lighter, and consume far less electric power than their counterparts of the still-picture recording system in which a magnetic recording medium is used.
The electronic still camera has a connector and a data-processing section. When the memory card is set into the camera, it is electrically connected to the data-processing section by the connector. Thereafter, the image data output by the data-processing section can written into the memory card, and the image data stored in the card can be read from the card. The camera can be used indoors or outdoor, under various conditions. It may be used in a dusty place. The connector must be structured such that dust is kept away from it. Otherwise, the dust damages the connection pins of the connector, inevitably jeopardizing the electrical connection between the memory card and the data-processing section.
A connector similar to that used in the camera is incorporated in the image-reproducing device, too. This connector connects to a memory card when the card is set in the image-processing device.
This connector can be of the same type which is used in a so-called "electronic notebook". The electronic notebook is a pocket-sized, data-processing apparatus which has a data-processing section and a connector, and in which a memory card is used. Memory cards storing various data items can be interchangeably set in the notebook, each for a specific purpose. When a memory card is set into the electronic notebook, it is electrically connected to the data-processing section by means of the connector. The electronic notebook is used indoors in most cases. Therefore, its connector has no protective means, but means for preventing a memory card from being inserted into the electronic notebook in the reverse direction. No measures are taken to protect the pins of the connector. In view of this, the connector cannot be utilized in the electronic still camera which is used very frequently in various conditions, both indoors and outdoors.

Data-processing apparatus in which a card-shaped recording medium is used


A system that facilitates computing a symbolic bound with respect to a procedure that is executable by a processor on a computing device is described herein. The system includes a transition system generator component that receives the procedure and computes a disjunctive transition system for a control location in the procedure. A compute bound component computes a bound for the transition system, wherein the bound is expressed in terms of inputs to the transition system. The system further includes a translator component that translates the bound computed by the compute bound component such that the bound is expressed in terms of inputs to the procedure.

Due to advances in technologies, including advances pertaining to memory, processing capabilities, storage capacity, amongst others, computers have evolved from relatively high cost, low function machines to relatively low cost machines that can perform a variety of functions, including but not limited to complex mathematical computation, detailed graphics rendering, web browsing, etc. Furthermore, portable computing devices exist that allow many of the aforementioned functions to be executed on a portable device, such as mobile telephones and/or multimedia players. Additionally, computing devices have been deployed in a variety of contexts, such as in airplanes where real-time processing of sensor data is utilized to aid in maintaining control of an airplane, in automobile navigation systems to display a current location to an operator of the automobile, etc.
Programs executing on computing devices use physical resources of such computing devices, such as memory, processing time, power of a device, bandwidth on a network, etc. In many devices and/or contexts, the physical resources of a computing device are limited and/or are desirably closely monitored. For example, in real-time systems, it is desirable to bound the worst-case execution time of a program. In a program that is to be executed on a low power device or in a low bandwidth environment, it is desirable to bound the amount of power and/or bandwidth utilized by the computing device when executing the program. Estimating such resource bounds can be undertaken by determining the number of times one or more control locations inside a program that consumes these resources are executed.
Program execution can also affect certain quantitative properties of data upon which the program operates. For instance, the amount of secret leaked by a program can depend upon the number of times that a certain operation that leaks data is executed (e.g., by either direct or indirect information flow). Additionally, an amount of perturbation in output data values resulting from a relatively small perturbation or uncertainty in input values can depend upon the number of times additive error propagation operators are applied. Estimating such quantitative properties can be undertaken by determining the number of times one or more control locations inside a program that perform certain operations are executed.
Conventional approaches for ascertaining the number of times that a control location executes in a program are relatively imprecise and conservative in nature. An example approach for computing symbolic bounds on the number of times a control location executes in a program is to estimate a bound on a closest enclosing loop using techniques for loop bound computation. Again, however, this approach tends to be conservative and imprecise.

Computing a symbolic bound for a procedure


A method and arrangement is provided to form a gas-tight joint between two housing portions, e.g. between an end flange and a tubular pole-unit housing for a circuit interrupter or an insulating support column. The joint is formed via a heat-shrink process to provide an interference fit. The housing is provided with grooves to retrain adhesive during the assembly process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of gas-tight housings for protective devices and systems for electrical power transmission and distribution systems, and more particularly to a method and arrangement for providing a gas-tight joint between two housing portions, e.g. between an end flange and a tubular pole-unit housing for a circuit interrupter or an insulating support column.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods are know for providing a gas-tight joint between a flange/end fitting and a tubular housing, e.g. especially for arrangements involving the end closures of gas-tight enclosures. One method utilizes a heat-shrink process whereby a metallic end flange is heated and assembled onto a tubular housing to which adhesive has been applied. Another method utilizes a flange having internal grooves that is assembled onto a tubular housing.
While the prior art arrangements may be useful to provide housing joints, these prior arrangements do not provide a desirable interference fit and the advantage of a grooved assembly.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a gas-tight joint between a housing and an end flange.
These and other objects of the present invention are efficiently achieved by the provision of a method and arrangement for providing a gas-tight joint between two housing portions, e.g. between an end flange and a tubular pole-unit housing for a circuit interrupter or an insulating support column. The joint is formed via a heat-shrink process to provide an interference fit. The housing is provided with grooves to retain adhesive during the assembly process.

Gas tight housing joint using an interference fit with adhesive


An air filter is provided for removing gaseous impurities from the air such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone and other chemical compounds. The filter utilizes a plurality of corrugated base sheets which are stacked or nestled and which have entrapped carbon dust for absorption of impurities. The corrugated structure provides very little pressure drop as the air passes through available channels and large, powerful fans are not necessary to move air therethrough.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein pertains to air filters and particularly to air filters for removing gaseous impurities from the air as may be found in homes and other building interiors.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Objectives of the Invention
In modern industrialized societies, homes, offices and the like are bombarded with harmful gaseous chemical molecules which are present within the occupants' living spaces. Paints, wallpapers, curtains, carpets, furniture finishes and other products and coatings emit various chemical compounds, some of which can be harmful to the occupants when inhaled. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, ozone, radon and other chemicals are commonly found in furnished homes and offices and may contribute to long term health problems as a result of continued exposure.
Various types of filters have been employed in the past such as electrostatic precipation filters, carbon bed filters in which carbon granules are densely packed in a bed and activated carbon fiber filters to remove gaseous impurities. Certain of such filters, when effective, generally have a high pressure drop and increase the cost of the air handling system by requiring the use of heavy duty or high capacity blowers and fans. Carbon fiber type filters do not provide the number of absorbing sites required for efficiency in removing gaseous impurities.
With the disadvantages and problems associated with prior art filter devices used, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide an air filter which is relatively low in cost to manufacture and sell yet which will effectively remove common gaseous impurities from the air.
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide an air filter which provides only a minimal pressure drop therethrough and which will remove, with great efficiency, air impurities.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an air filter which utilizes corrugated sheets formed with small diameter carbon particles for chemical impurity removal.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed presentation is set forth below.


This invention relates to a method for inhibiting the metastasis or formation of a melanoma tumor by treating the patient with an effective amount of N,N-Dimethylglycine.

This invention relates to the use of N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) to treat melanoma tumors in man or animals.
Dimethylglycine is an intermediary metabolite and amino acid found in low levels in many foods, and is produced in the body from choline. DMG is an endogenous compound and an enzyme system in the body effectively converts the substance into metabolites that are either used by the body or are safely excreted from the body.
A great deal of research has been carried out in recent years on the physiological effects of N,N-dimethylglycine.
Referring to previous work, U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,068, issued 5/24/83 discloses treating irradiated animals with a derivative of this compound to alleviate the effects of excess radiation on the immune system. The stated object of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,068 is (a) to provide a method to enhance one or both of the cell-mediated response and humoral response of the body; (b) provide a method whereby the deliberately induced production of antibody artificially acquired in a living organism can be enhanced, and (c) to provide a method to increase the amount of antibody production and/or decrease the time of antibody production in the deliberately induced production of antibodies in a living organism. According to the patent, the DMG is administered so that the immunological response of the living organism is potentiated when exposed to an antigen in a natural environment and/or when deliberately exposed, or exposed to a subject after the subject has been exposed to a disease agent having an antigenic component in a natural environment in order to aid the host in responding to the naturally occurring infection.
The literature is also replete with articles concerning N,N-dimethylglycine and its potential uses.
At the 1980 Pacific Slope Biochemical Conference a paper entitled "Decrease of Lactic Acid Concentration in Blood of Animals Given N,N-Dimethylglycine" was presented. This research a the nutritional evaluation as a result of a 157-day subchronical estimation of N,N-dimethylglycine toxicity. This study also indicated that a decreased lactic acid production by male New Zealand white rabbits exposed to severe surgical stress by administering intravenously dimethylglycine. High-dose rats showed better adaptation to hypoxia subchronical toxicity tests.
In the January, 1981, issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 143, No. 1, an article entitled "Immunomodulating Properties of Dimethylglycine in Humans", discussed the fact that dimethylglycine is an immunomodulator, if not an immunoadjuvant in humans (since the latter term is reserved for parenterally administered substances that are incorporated or injected simultaneously with an antigen). The normalization of mitogenic responsiveness by lymphocytes from patients with sickle cell disease and diabetes was tested. In both groups, the blast transformation activity of lymphocytes treated with DMG and exposed to three lectins was approximately doubled. Preliminary data suggest, according to the authors, that DMG is both a humoral and cellular immunomodulator, and might have great use with vaccines for intracellular infections and certain parasitic diseases. The article also states, "In addition, it should be tested for its effects on spontaneously occurring tumors in animals in which many of the immune parameters influencing tumor growth are known. Because DMG is nontoxic and can be given orally, it would seem to have obvious advantages over the oil-in-water adjuvants now contemplated for use in patients with cancer in conjunction with tumor associated antigen vaccines." There is no suggestion of dosage ranges or mode of application for DMG or that it would actually be effective for the treatment of any particular type of tumor.
The March, 1982, issue of Equine Practice contains an article entitled "Effect of a Nutritional Supplement Containing N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) on the Racing Standardbred." This article discloses that research showed that DMG can increase oxygen utilization and thereby decrease lactic acid levels in animals under extreme stress. The article also discusses the finding that human tests indicated an increase in exhaustion time, and an enhancement of the body's immune response, both by increasing the antibody production and lymphocyte generation by the administration of DMG. The tests reported in this article indicated that the inclusion of DMG in the diet of the racing Standardbred is responsible for a lower blood lactic acid level following training. Trainers found the horses to be more aggressive, to have better appetites and attitudes and to recover faster from racing and training than the controls.
The November-December, 1982, issue of Canine Practice contains an article entitled "A Clinical Evaluation of N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) and Diisopropylammonium Dichloroacetate (DIPA) on the Performance of Racing Greyhounds".
This article summarized the biological reactions of dimethylglycine in three broad categories: Transmethylation, cellular respiration, and hepatic function. The study that was the subject of the article indicated that improvement in racing performance was found when greyhounds were given DMG, and also stated that they showed better recovery after races with less fatigue or muscle stiffness. Additional clinical applications of DMG, including exertional rhabdomyolysis (inflammatory change in the muscle fibers of the longissimus group), muscular cramp, and hepato-pathology were discussed.
In the February, 1987, issue of Let's Live Magazine, an article entitled "DIMETHYLGLYCINE UPDATE, New Studies Confirm DMG Improves Health" states that the benefit of enhanced immunity is protection against diseases ranging from cancer and AIDS to minor diseases such as influenza. The article states that DMG is a metabolic enhancer, acts as a detoxifying agent and antioxidant, and is a versatile normalizer of physiological functions. The article also discusses the fact that the immune system is a complex network of white blood cells and molecular compounds, such as antibodies and interferon. There are two types of white blood cells--lymphocytes and macrophages. The immune system produces three types of lymphocytes: T cells, B cells, and K cells. Interferon is an antiviral, antitumor compound produced from T cells. The article indicates that T cells identify and reject foreign matter, while B cells produce antibodies. The article states that little is understood about the killer K cells, which can attack tumor cells directly. The article further states that early research showed that DMG stimulates B cells to produce much higher antibody responses (humoral branch) and potentiates the activity of T cells and macrophages (cellular immunity branch).
The article also states that the DMG was effective in doubling interferon production, and that further work is underway to evaluate DMG's effect on K cells, the body's principal defense mechanism against tumor cells. The article also alludes to a related line of research which indicated that the methyl-group donating ability of DMG is protective against cancer. As stated by the author, "I have already discussed the fact that DMG is not mutagenic or carcinogenic but, rather, is actually protective against mutagens and cancer."
In the February, 1987, issue of Health Consciousness, an article entitled "N,N-Dimethylglycine and the Immune Response" reviewed the prior research in the effect of DMG on the body, and also indicated that DMG will increase interferon production. The article states that DMG is an oral immune stimulating nutrient which can offer individuals increased resistance to and recovery from infectious diseases, and stated that depressed immunity is associated with most degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
At the 1987 ASM Annual Meeting, a paper entitled "The Effect of DMG on the Immune Response of Rabbits" was presented. This paper concluded that DMG can affect the cellular branch of the immune system by lymphocyte activation. Lymphocytes from DMG fed animals can stimulate the cellular immune system by lymphatic proliferation. During primary response, high levels of interferon was present in the DMG fed animals, regardless of the immunogen source. No interferon was detected in immunized control animals not fed DMG. Interferon was not present in samples obtained following the secondary response.
In an article entitled "DMG, Properties and Proprieties" published in The Blood Horse on June 27, 1987, research on humans was discussed which showed that DMG stimulated B-cells produce much higher antibody responses and that it also enhances the activity of T cells and macrophages.
It has now been found that DMG is an effective agent for the treatment of tumors, particularly the prevention of the metastasis of melanoma tumors.

Treatment of melanoma using N,N-dimethylglycine


On transferring transfer data between a peripheral controller (11) and an input-output channel unit (12), an overrun predicting circuit (45) of the input-output channel unit predicts the occurrence of an overrun with reference to an amount of transfer data stored or memorized in a buffer memory (39) and produces an overrun prediction signal (46). The overrun prediction signal is delivered to the peripheral controller by a start informing acknowledgement signal line (15) which is used in transferring a start informing acknowledgement signal from the input-output channel unit to the peripheral controller before the transfer data is transferred between the peripheral controller and the input-output channel unit. Responsive to the overrun prediction signal, a strobe inhibiting circuit (21) of the peripheral controller inhibits delivery of a strobe pulse signal from the peripheral controller to the input-output channel unit during a predetermined time interval.

This invention relates to a data transferring system for use in carrying out data transfer in a streaming manner between a peripheral controller and an input-output channel unit in a data processing device.
A data processing device of the type described, comprises an interface between the peripheral controller and the input-output channel. The interface comprises a data line, a start informing signal line (namely, an SCI line), a start informing acknowledgement signal line (that is, an SEO line), a strobe pulse signal line (or, an STI line), and a strobe pulse acknowledgement signal line (namely, an STO line).
The peripheral controller comprises a control circuit which comprises a strobe pulse signal generator for producing a strobe pulse signal to deliver the strobe pulse signal to the strobe pulse signal line. The control circuit further comprises a signal producer for producing, during a preselected time interval, a start code signal having a start code representative of a start of the data transfer. The signal producer produces a start informing signal of logic "1" level during production of the start code signal. The start informing signal is for informing the input-output channel unit of production of the start code signal. The signal producer delivers the start informing signal to the start informing signal line. Connected to the signal producer and the data line, a first buffer memory periodically memorizes and stores the start code signal as a memorized code signal at a first period which is determined by a strobe pulse acknowledgement signal. The first buffer memory delivers the first stored or memorized code signal to the data line.
The input-output channel unit comprises a first receiver connected to the start informing signal line for receiving the start informing signal as a received informing signal. Connected to the first receiver and the start informing acknowledgement signal line, a first transmitter transmits the received informing signal to the start informing acknowledgement signal line as a start informing acknowledgement signal to deliver the start informing acknowledgement signal to the control circuit. A register is connected to the data line and the first receiver. Enabled by the received informing signal, the register registers the memorized code signal as a registered code signal.
Connected to the strobe pulse signal line, a second receiver receives the strobe pulse signal as a received pulse signal. A second transmitter is connected to the second receiver and the strobe pulse acknowledgement signal line to transmit the received pulse signal to the strobe pulse acknowledgement signal.
A second buffer memory is connected to the data line and to a main memory. The first and the second buffer memory transmit transfer data between the main memory and a peripheral device connected to the second buffer memory through the data line under control of the strobe pulse signal and the strobe pulse acknowledgement signal after transfer of the start code signal.
In the data transferring system which carries out the data transfer in a streaming method, each of the strobe pulse line and the strobe pulse acknowledgement line is not put into an interlock state when the transfer data are transferred between the peripheral controller and the input-output channel unit. Therefore, when an overrun detecting circuit detects an overrun in the input-output channel unit, the input-output channel unit stops delivery of the strobe pulse acknowledgement signal to the strobe pulse acknowledgement signal line. The input-output channel unit further informs the peripheral controller of occurrence of the overrun. When the peripheral controller is informed that the overrun occurs in the input-output channel unit, the peripheral controller carries out a command retry processing in which a leading part of a transfer command memorized in the main memory is again transferred from the main memory to the peripheral controller.
The overrun mainly occurs in the input-output channel unit due to shortage of a memory capacity of the second buffer memory when access contention takes place between the input-output channel unit and other input-output channel units for the main memory.
Therefore, the input-output channel unit may again start accessing the main memory when a predetermined time interval lapses after occurrence of the contention. Inasmuch as the data transfer is suspended or stopped by stopping delivery of the strobe pulse acknowledgement signal from the input-output channel unit to the strobe pulse acknowledgement signal line when the overrun occurs, the command retry processing which needs a long time should be carried out.
When a small amount of the transfer data is transferred between the input-output channel unit and the peripheral controller, the data processing device is hardly influenced. When the transfer data has a long length, the data processing device is influenced in the following manner.
It will be assumed that the transfer data has an 8 MB (megabit) length and that the transfer data is transferred at an effective transmission rate which is equal to 3 MB per second. In this case, it is necessary in general to finish the data transfer at a time interval which is equal to 8/3 seconds. However, it is necessary in a worst case to finish the data transfer at another time interval of 16/3 seconds. Inasmuch as a long time is wasted in the worst case, the data processing system may be put in a system down state. In order to inhibit the system down state of the data processing device, the data processing device may be provided with a specific signal transmission line between the input-output channel unit and the peripheral controller. Such provision of the specific transmission line results in an increase of hardware of the data processing device.

Input-output channel unit capable of predicting an overrun in a data processing device


A server system including an enhanced Network Interface Controller (NIC) within a client-server architecture is provided. The server system includes a memory for storing data from one or more network packets and one or more processors for processing network requests based on the one or more network packets. The enhanced NIC is configured to receive the one or more network packets and transfer the data from the one or more network packets to the memory. During a latency period defined from the time required to transfer the network packet to memory, the enhanced NIC performs a Network-driven, packet Context Aware Power (NCAP) management process in order to actively transition a power management state of the one or more processors to a predicted level. In this manner, computational and energy efficiency of the server system is improved.

In a client-server architecture, when a server receives a request from a client, the server processes the request and sends back a response to the client. Certain types of requests require data intensive processing by the server. In particular, for On-Line Data-Intensive (OLDI) applications such as web search, servers need to reduce a high-percentile response time to satisfy a given Service Level Agreement (SLA). However, satisfying the SLA by providing target or better response times requires a large expenditure of energy by the server, which adds operating expenses. Accordingly, it is desirable to operate the server in an energy efficient manner.
In the server, the processor is the most power-consuming component, even in servers with many DRAM modules (DIMMs). For example, the processors in a two-socket server with 16 DIMMs consumes 42% of total server power. To maximize energy efficiency, therefore, servers implement a power management policy that exploits various performance and sleep states supported by many modern processors. Depending on the current performance demand, cores in a processor can operate at various performance states by increasing or decreasing their operational voltage/frequency (V/F) point. Moreover, idle cores in a processor can transition to various sleep states by turning off their clock, decreasing their voltage to a level that barely maintains their architectural states after turning off their clock, or turning off both their clock and power supply.
Transitioning a processor core from a sleep or low-performance state to a high-performance state, however, incurs a significant performance penalty. If we account for the overhead of system software layers associated with these transitions, the performance penalty is even higher. Such a notable performance penalty can substantially increase high percentile response time and discourages server operators from deploying an aggressive power management policy that frequently transitions processor cores to a low-performance or sleep state.
It is intuitive that the rate of network packets from clients can significantly affect the utilization, and thus performance and sleep states of processor cores in servers. For example, as a server suddenly receives many network packets containing latency-critical requests from clients, its processor cores need to operate at a high-performance state so that it can process the requests and send responses back within an acceptable time. However, if necessary processor cores have been in a sleep or low-performance state, the server needs to transition these processor cores to a high-performance state, which slows down the server response time. Conversely, if a server only occasionally receives a few network packets enclosing latency-critical requests from clients, it should transition unnecessary processor cores to a low-performance or sleep state in order to achieve acceptable energy efficiency.

Network-driven, packet context-aware power management for client-server architecture

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS


It provides methods and pharmaceutical compositions comprising antagonists to the protein Bile Salt-Stimulated Lipase (BSSL) for the prevention, prophylaxis and treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. It further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising BSSL antagonists and their use in methods for the prevention, prophylaxis and treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Suitable BSSL antagonists to be used according to the invention are BSSL antibodies.

Inflammatory Diseases—Rheumatoid Arthritis
Inflammation, a reaction of the body to injury or to infectious, allergic, or chemical irritation can lead to a variety of inflammatory diseases or disorders such as inflammation associated with allergy, inflammation related to the production of nitric oxide, inflammation related to the skin, abdomen, peripheral or central nervous system, eye or tear glands, ear, nose, mouth, lung, heart, liver, pancreas, thyroid, adipose tissue, kidney, joints or blood vessels, or inflammation related to infection, trauma or autoimmunity.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory, systemic autoimmune disease that affects about 1% of the general population in Western societies (Gabriel 2001). The disease process results in progressive destruction of joint cartilage and bone. This destruction results from immune responses and non-antigen-specific innate inflammatory processes. The disease is characterized by mono- or polyarticular joint inflammation with massive accumulation of neutrophils in the synovial fluid and tissue. The synovial neutrophils contribute to cartilage destruction by releasing proteases and generating oxidants and it is becoming more and more evident that inhibiting neutrophil infiltration into inflamed joints could be an approach to prevent progression of the disease (Hallett 2008). Current therapies for RA include non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain treatment, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biological agents that target specific proinflammatory cytokines, or cell surface receptors of various cell types.
There remains a need, however, for alternative pharmaceutical treatments of inflammatory diseases, especially chronic inflammatory diseases. Consequently there is a need to identify new unique targets involved in inflammatory signalling and processes, which can be used as the basis for development of new innovative therapeutic agents for the treatment, prophylaxis and prevention of inflammatory diseases.
Bile Salt-Stimulated Lipase
The bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL) also designated carboxyl ester lipase (CEL) or bile salt-dependent lipase (BSDL) is a lipolytic enzyme expressed in the exocrine pancreas and secreted into the intestinal lumen in all species so far investigated. In some species, including the human, BSSL is also expressed by the lactating mammary gland and secreted with the milk. BSSL has broad substrate specificity with capacity to hydrolyze a variety of different substrates, e.g. cholesteryl esters, tri-, di-, and monoacylglycerols, fat-soluble vitamin esters, phospholipids, galactolipids and ceramides (Hui and Howles 2002). The physiological function of BSSL was originally thought to be confined to the small intestine and hydrolysis of dietary fat (Hernell et al. 1997). The high abundance of BSSL in pancreatic juice (up to 5% of total protein content) and the ability of BSSL to hydrolyze a broad spectrum of lipids have led researchers to suggest a variety of functions for BSSL in lipid digestion and absorption. BSSL has a key role in the absorption of cholesteryl esters (Fält et al. 2002), verified in mice lacking the BSSL (CEL gene) (Howles et al. 1996). While this is considered its main function in the human adult it is likely to contribute also to triglyceride digestion and absorption in the newborn infant (Lindquist and Hernell 2010).
BSSL was found to be present in low, but significant levels in serum of healthy individuals (Bläckberg et al. 1985) and current research has implicated that BSSL is involved in lipoprotein metabolism and modulation of atherosclerosis (Hui and Howles 2002). The potential function, or even the question if elevated levels of circulating BSSL is a risk factor for, or protects against atherosclerosis is not clear. A surprisingly strong positive association between BSSL, assayed as cholesterol esterase activity, and total—as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels in serum was first reported (Hui and Howles 2002). BSSL was then shown to be associated with smooth muscle cells (SMCs) within atherosclerotic plaques and to induce vascular SMC proliferation in vitro (Auge et al. 2003). A study, using transgenic mice, demonstrated that macrophage expression of BSSL is pro-atherogenic, favouring cholesteryl ester accumulation and foam cell formation (Kodvawala et al. 2005). Judged by these studies BSSL would be a risk factor for atherosclerosis. On the other hand, BSSL reduces lysophosphatidylcholine content in oxidized LDL, thereby reducing accumulation of oxidized LDL in macrophages (Hui and Howles 2002), and it has been suggested to play a physiological role in hepatic selective uptake and metabolism of high density lipoprotein cholesteryl esters by direct and indirect interactions with the scavenger receptor BI pathway (Camarota et al. 2004), which implicates that BSSL in serum protects against atherosclerosis.
The BSSL Protein
The human BSSL protein (encoded by the CEL gene) is a single-chain glycoprotein of 722 amino acids (Nilsson et al. 1990). The enzyme is synthesised as a precursor of 742 amino acids with a signal peptide of 20 amino acids. Two bile salt-binding sites regulating the activity of the enzyme and the resistance to proteases have been postulated (Hui 1996) as well as a sphingolipid binding domain (SBD) (Aubert-Jousset et al. 2004).
Schematically the enzyme can be divided into two parts:
i) The N-terminal domain with a striking homology to acetylcholinesterase and some other esterases. In this part the proposed catalytic triad (Ser194 (included in the motif GESAG), Asp320 and His435) are found as well as a N-glycosylation site, Asn187, a heparin-binding site (postulated to be located at position 1-100) and the two intra chain disulfide bridges (Cys64-Cys80 and Cys 246-Cys257). The heparin binding ability has been found to be located in the part of the molecule consisting of amino acids 1-445 (Spilburg et al. 1995) and the heparin binding domain may, in fact, be a three-dimensional structure composed of different sequences. The heparin binding properties of BSSL is thought to be important for interactions with cell membranes, exemplified by intestinal cell membranes (Fält 2002).
ii) The C-terminal part (encoded by exon 11) with a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR)-region containing similar but not identical repeats (11 amino acids). The most common human form contains 16, but there is a variation in number of repeats both between individuals and alleles (Lindquist et al. 2002). The repeats are followed by an extra tail of 11 amino acids (this tail is longer in the corresponding rat and mouse enzyme). The repeats are proline-rich and the presence of aspartic acid in every repeating unit and glutamic acid in some, render this region highly acidic and contributes to the low iso-electric point of the protein. The number of proline-rich repeats has been reported to vary extensively between species, typically ranging from three in mouse and the cow, four in the rat to 16 in humans and 39 in the gorilla (Hui and Howles 2002; Madeyski et al. 1999). This diversity in number of repeated units can explain the observed size differences of the protein between species; the mouse BSSL is a 74 kDa protein while the human BSSL, which is extensively glycosylated across the repeated region, has an apparent molecular mass of 120-140 kDa; the repeats carry most of the 15-35% carbohydrate of the protein. The varying apparent molecular mass can be explained both by the number of repeats and differences in glycosylation (Lindquist et al. 2002). It has been shown by analysing the isolated C-terminal part of human milk BSSL (amino acids 528-722) that probably only 10 out of 16 repeats in human milk BSSL are O-glycosylated (Wang et al. 1995).
It has been suggested that the repeats may have a functional role in protecting BSSL from proteolytic degradation and that their O-glycosylation is important for secretion of the enzyme (Bruneau et al. 1997). The oligosaccharides in the C-terminal region contain Lewis x and Lewis b and less Lewis a antigenic structures. Owing to those blood-group-related antigenic determinants, the C-terminal region of BSSL may have an adhesive function in cell-cell interactions, as illustrated by its antimicrobial effects (Naarding et al. 2006; Ruvoën-Clouet et al. 2006). On the other hand, the repeated region may be less important for catalytic activity, activation by bile salts and heparin binding (Hui 1996).
The C-tail has also been suggested to be an important structural part by binding to a lectin-like receptor (LOX-1) on the surface of intestinal endothelium cells (Fayard et al. 2003). The heparin binding site(s) forms the other binding part, and these binding sites have a pivotal role in the mechanism of action for BSSL in different cellular environments and cell stages.
Vascular BSSL
Comparison of BSSL VNTR genotype and serum lipid phenotype revealed an association between the number of repeats and serum cholesterol profile (Bengtsson-Ellmark et al. 2004). While it is possible that the repeat polymorphism is merely a genetic marker for lipid profile, it is also possible that it has functional role in determining plasma lipid composition.
A wider role for BSSL in lipid metabolism is implicated by the presence of BSSL in human plasma and aortic tissue. The source of circulating BSSL has been discussed extensively. Human macrophages and endothelial cells were shown to synthesize and secrete the enzyme (Hui and Howles 2002). Conversely, in another study BSSL within atherosclerotic lesions was associated with smooth muscle cells (SMCs) but not with activated macrophages or endothelial cells (Augé et al. 2003). In yet another study, BSSL injected into rat intestinal loops was advocated to be internalized by enterocytes, transferred through the cells and released into the circulation (Bruneau et al. 2003). Based on these data it was proposed that circulating BSSL originates from the pancreas. However, it has been further shown that neither does the BSSL serum level increase after a meal of breast milk, nor does it differ between breastfed and formula fed human infants, although in the newborn breast milk is the major source of BSSL, while it is absent from infant formula (Bläckberg et al. 1985; Shamir et al. 2003).
An association of BSSL with apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins in human plasma has been reported (Bruneau et al. 2003), which together with the observation that BSSL is present in the human aorta and has the ability to modify low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) composition and reduce the atherogenicity of oxidized LDL (oxLDL) by decreasing their lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) content (Shamir et al. 1996), invoked a potential new role for BSSL as a protective factor in the development of atherosclerosis. LysoPC is a major phospholipid component in oxLDL and is generated by oxidation and fragmentation of polyunsaturated fatty acids esterified to the sn-2 position of the PC molecule, followed by hydrolysis of the shortened fatty acyl residue by LDL-associated phosolipase A2 (PLA2) and BSSL. Although lysoPC constitutes only 1-5% of total PC in non-oxLDL, oxidative modification of LDL can raise this proportion to as high as 40-50%. LysoPC acts as a chemoattractant for monocytes, induces monocyte adhesion to the vascular endothelium and promotes macrophage proliferation, which eventually leads to foam cell formation. Due to its effects on lysoPC, it has been suggested that BSSL may interact with cholesterol and oxidized lipoproteins to modulate the progression of atherosclerosis (Hui and Howles 2002).
However, the fact that BSSL is found and accumulated in atherosclerotic lesions, and the fact that monocytes as well as macrophages (or SMC having a macrophage phenotype) express and secrete BSSL, indicate that these cells may be a possible source of the accumulated BSSL. The mechanism behind a pathophysiological role of BSSL in macrophages is suggested to be the function of BSSL as a ceramidase (Hui and Howles 2002) by its reduction of ceramide and lysophosphatidylcholine levels leading to increased cholesteryl ester accumulation in response to atherogenic lipoproteins resulting in increased atherosclerosis lesion size in vivo. This is in line with the study by Kodvawala et al. (2005), who by using in vivo models showed that BSSL expression in macrophages promotes cholesteryl ester synthesis and accumulation in response to modified LDL and increases atherosclerosis lesions in apoE deficient mice.
The Response to Retention Hypothesis of Atherosclerosis
Many of the processes implicated in the early stages of atherogenesis including endothelial damage, lipoprotein oxidation and macrophage and VSMC (vascular smooth muscle cells) proliferation are individually not sufficient to lead to lesion development. The response-to-retention hypothesis suggests that subendothelial retention of atherogenic lipoproteins is the trigger for all of these processes which are in fact normal physiological responses to the accumulation of lipids.
While the major determinant of initial retention of LDL is likely to be the proteoglycan composition within the subendothelial space, BSSL may facilitate and enforce retention once the lesion has started to form by acting as a molecular bridge between the subendothelial proteoglycans and lipoproteins (WO 2005/095986). The BSSL that is bound to the components of the extracellular matrix can act as bridging molecules in the retention of LDL, as suggested for Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) (Pentikainen et al. 2002).
BSSL in Platelets
Recently BSSL was found to be stored in blood platelets and released upon platelet activation (Panicot-Dubois et al. 2007). Moreover, BSSL was shown to induce calcium mobilization in platelets and to enhance thrombin-mediated platelet aggregation and spreading.
In a mouse thrombosis model (laser-induced injury), BSSL accumulated in arterial thrombi in vivo—at sites of vessel wall injury. When CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) was antagonized, the accumulation of BSSL was inhibited and thrombus size was reduced. In BSSL knockout mice (BSSL-KO) tail bleeding times were increased in comparison with those of wild-type mice. These data suggest that BSSL modulates thrombus formation by interacting with CXCR4 on platelets.
CXCR4 belongs to the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) gene family, and upon activation CXCR4 induces downstream signalling by several different pathways; e.g. CXCR4 binding of the chemokine ligand SDF-1 activates G-protein mediated signalling and induces cellular chemotactic responses (Clemetson et al. 2000). CXCR4 is also known to interact with HIV-1 and to act as a co-receptor for entry of the virus into cells. The binding of HIV-1 to CXCR4 is mediated via a domain denoted the V3 loop present on HIV-1 gp120. The BSSL protein contains a region that is structurally related to the V3-loop of gp120. This region, called the V3-like loop domain (amino acids 361-393) (Aubert-Jousset et al. 2004) was proposed to mediate the binding of BSSL to CXCR4 on platelets.
In summary, there are both confusing and conflicting result regarding the source and function of BSSL in plasma and aortic tissue.
EP 1840573 reports on differences in gene expression pattern between NOD (non-obese diabetic) mice positive or negative for insulin autoantibodies. 125 differentially expressed genes were identified, one of them being the CEL gene encoding BSSL. The differentially expressed genes are identified as having utility in early diagnosis of a pre-inflammatory state of autoimmune diseases, such as type I diabetes.
The differentially expressed genes are further suggested to be targets for the treatment of autoimmune diseases having a pre-inflammatory phase. It is well known in the art that expression of numerous genes is altered as a consequence of the development of a specific disease, as demonstrated in EP 1840573. However, all such differentially expressed genes can not be considered to be the cause of the development of the disease. On the contrary the identification of the causative gene(s), if at all existing, requires further complicated investigations. EP 1840573, even if identifying BSSL as potential marker for inflammatory disease, fails to identify BSSL as a cause for the development of inflammatory disease.

Methods for treating rheumatoid arthritis with anti-bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL) antibodies


Disclosed herein is a discharge lamp comprising a light-emitting tubing equipped with an envelope having side tube portions of a graded seal structure; and cylindrical bases fitted on the side tube portions to cover the outer end portions of the side tube portions and fixed with a cement on the side tube portions so as to define radiating spaces. In this discharge lamp, cement-controlling members for avoiding the outflow of the cement filled in a gap between the outer peripheral surface of each side tube portion and the base into the radiating space are respectively provided in the bases. The cement-controlling member is composed of a first ring portion which stops up the gap, a second ring portion held in contact with the inner bottom surface of the base and a connecting portion. The outflow of the cement into the radiating space is prevented so that the base can be fixed strongly on the side tube portion.

(1) Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a discharge lamp suitable for use as a light source, for example, in projectors.
(2) Description of the Related Art:
In discharge lamps of a large current capacity, the rod-sealing system, in which an electrode rod is directly sealed in an envelope without using a metal foil, is often used. In a rod-sealing type discharge lamp, its light-emitting tubing is usually equipped with an envelope having a bulged portion defining a discharge space and side tube portions extending from both sides of the bulged portion. Electrode rods are provided in such a manner that they hermetically extend through the respective side tube portions into the bulged portion. The side tube portions of the envelope have a graded seal structure constructed by joining a plurality of glass members, which are different in thermal expansion coefficient, in order of their thermal expansion coefficients.
However, since the discharge lamp equipped with the side tube portions of such graded seal structure tends to crack at the side tube portions due to overheating of sealed portions, it is necessary to reduce the temperature of the sealed portions.
A conventional discharge lamp is illustrated in FIG. 2. In this figure, numerals 1 and 2 indicate an envelope and a bulged portion defining a discharge space 3, respectively, while numerals 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 20 and 30 designate a cathode, an anode, a stem, a light-emitting tubing, a side tube portion, an electrode rod and a base, respectively. In the conventional discharge lamp, a radiating space 13 is defined by the base 30 fitted and fixed on the side tube portion 11 on the outside of the end of the side tube portion 11. Radiating apertures 61 for communicating with the radiating space 13 are defined through a peripheral wall of the base 30. Namely, the conventional discharge lamp has been designed to cool its sealed portions by air flowing through the radiating apertures 61.
The above base 30 is fixed on the side tube portion 11 with a cement B filled in a gap between the base 30 and the outer peripheral surface of the side tube portion 11. Specifically, this fixing process has been conducted in the following manner. Namely, a heat-resistant liquid cement is applied on the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion of the base 30 having the radiating apertures 61 in advance. The thus-coated base 30 is fitted on the side tube portion 11 in such a manner that the radiating space 13 is defined on the outside of the end of the side tube portion 11. The cement is then dried to fix the base 30 on the side tube portion 11.
However, a process for fitting the base 30 on the side tube portion has been found to involve a problem that the liquid cement is pressed by the outer peripheral surface of the side tube portion 11 and the like, so that the cement B flows out into the radiating space 13 and the amount of the cement present between the inner peripheral surface of the base 30 and the outer peripheral surface of the side tube portion 11 is hence too reduced to obtain insufficient bonding strength.

End base construction for a discharge lamp


A combined shovel and utility device useful in performing a variety of functions particularly as associated with a vehicle including during emergency situations such as a snow shovel, a large ice scraper, a wheel traction mat, a work mat, an emergency sign or an emergency sled.

The present invention relates to a combined shovel and utility device which is primarily intended to be carried in a vehicle and which can be used in a variety of emergency situations apt to be encountered in such a vehicle. While such a device may be of a variety of sizes, it is shown and will be described as being of a size which permits it being stored, for instance, in a vehicle trunk.
As will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, the subject device may be used as a snow shovel, a large ice scraper, a wheel traction mat, a work mat, an emergency sign or an emergency sled.
The device of the subject invention is of an integrally molded plastic design adapted to contain various structural features enabling its various functional uses.

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A system having networked exercise devices that can have a shared virtual exercise session for training, collaboration or competition. The exercise devices each have adjustable difficulty setting and a touch screen for displaying different virtual exercise sessions. The touch screen can display a representation, such as one or more avatars, that represent users of the exercise devices, and that have a virtual speed in proportion to exercise performance on the exercise devices. Dynamic adjustment can be made based on the collective performance of the exercise devices, to cause a same adjustment to a respective current difficulty setting of at least one, two or more exercise devices during the shared virtual exercise session. Virtual training can be provided by way of a chaser animation that chases the representation of the exercise devices, the chaser animation having a virtual speed in dependence of exercise performance of users of the exercise devices.

Some industry exercise bikes have a display screen that allows a user to treat the exercise as a game. The display screen can illustrate hills and valleys, for example, and the resistance of the pedals is increased or decreased accordingly. The user can also self control the amount of resistance of the pedals. However, this has limited applicability as the user may not know if the exercise session is at the appropriate level of difficulty. Further, exercising by oneself can be an isolating experience that may not maximize performance that can arise from competition or collaboration with others.
Additional difficulties with existing systems may be appreciated in view of the Detailed Description of Example Embodiments, below.

Networked exercise devices with shared virtual training


This invention relates to high-water oral care compositions comprising a basic amino acid or salt thereof, together with a precipitated calcium carbonate, glycerol, and to methods of using and of making these compositions.

Arginine and other basic amino acids have been proposed for use in oral care and are believed to have significant benefits in combating cavity formation and tooth sensitivity.
Commercially available arginine-based toothpaste, such as ProClude® toothpaste or DenClude® toothpaste, for example, contains arginine bicarbonate and precipitated calcium carbonate, but not fluoride. The carbonate ion is believed to have cariostatic properties, and the calcium is believed to form in complex with arginine to provide a protective effect.
Precipitated calcium carbonate is more friable and less abrasive than natural calcium carbonate for example, and this can result in less damaging abrasion to enamel, which is good for sensitive teeth.
Accordingly, there is a need for a stable oral care product that comprising a basic amino acid and beneficial minerals such as fluoride and calcium, which moreover has an optimized abrasive system to provide effective cleaning without damaging abrasivity, particularly for people having sensitive teeth.

Oral care product and methods of use and manufacture thereof


A cable structure includes: a plurality of cables each including a conductor part and an electrically-insulative covering part, each conductor part being exposed in a part where the covering part at one end thereof is removed; and a cable fixing part formed by resin molding and configured to hold the plurality of cables while the ends of the plurality of cables exposing the conductor parts are aligned, wherein the cable fixing part includes a bottom face opening formed on a bottom face side facing a member to which the cables are connected and a top face opening formed on a top face side opposing the bottom face, the bottom face side and the top face side exposing the conductor parts.

The present disclosure relates to a cable structure, a mount module, and an endoscope.
In the related art, endoscopes that are inserted into a subject and observe an observed region and the like are known and are widely used in the medical field and the like. In such an endoscope, a cable assembly putting together a plurality of cables is used and is connected to a circuit board while an outside cover thereof is removed. As for a distal end part of endoscopes, there is a demand for keeping the diameter and the length small, in consideration of easiness to introduce an endoscope into a patient.
For the purpose of miniaturizing the distal end part of an endoscope, a technique has been disclosed by which, for example, distal end parts of a plurality of coaxial cables are fixed by using a cable fixing member, while a step part such as an opening part or the like that exposes core wires and shield wires are provided on such a face of the cable fixing member that opposes a connection surface of the circuit board, so as to collectively connect the plurality of coaxial cables by fitting the step part into an electrode part (see Japanese Patent No. 5,583,372, for example).

Cable structure, mount module, and endoscope


A transmission casing has a valve-body fixing face inside an outer peripheral face includes a control valve assembly having an outer periphery formed with two protrusions which are parallel to the valve-body fixing face of the transmission casing. Each protrusion has an extent substantially corresponding to a finger's length.

The present invention relates to control valve devices for automatic transmissions.
One of the conventionally proposed control valve devices for automatic transmissions is known in JP-A 62-288753. This reference shows a structure that a control valve assembly including a valve, etc. for producing a control pressure for automatic shifting is mounted to a transmission casing.
Specifically, a valve body of the control valve assembly is mounted to the transmission casing. An oil strainer is fixed to the control valve assembly. The transmission casing having the control valve assembly arranged therein and an oil pan are connected to each other through a gasket.
With the known control valve device, however, since the transmission casing has a face on which the valve body is fixed inside an outer peripheral face on which the oil pan is fixed, large spaces which allow hand insertion are needed between the valve body of the control valve assembly and the transmission casing to enable mounting and dismounting of the control valve assembly. This results in enlarged size of the transmission casing, and increased number of stages of the valve body due to decrease in a circuit area of the control valve device.
Mounting and dismounting of the control valve assembly can be carried out by holding the oil strainer mounted to the valve body or a pipe. In this case, it is possible to deform the oil strainer to cause air suction, or to disengage the pipe to cause oil leakage.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide control valve devices for automatic transmissions, which enable easy mounting and dismounting of the control valve assembly even if the spaces are small between the valve body and the transmission casing.

Control valve devices for automatic transmissions


A gait motion assisting apparatus of the present invention includes an actuator unit controlling driver so that assisting force calculated by applying gait motion timing based on detected thigh phase angle to output pattern saved data is imparted to lower leg, and a terminal device capable of wireless-communicating with control device of the actuator unit. The terminal device can receive assisting force setting value including assisting force imparting period during gait cycle and create, based on the assisting force setting value, output pattern setting data indicating a relationship between the gait motion timing and a size of assisting force to be imparted to the lower leg. The control device is configured to overwrite-save the output pattern setting data received from the terminal device as the output pattern saved data.

Knee-ankle-foot orthoses for supporting a knee joint are utilized as gait assistance or rehabilitation devices for people with leg disability or people with paralysis due to a stroke or the like, and actuator-equipped knee ankle foot orthoses are also proposed that are equipped with an actuator unit including a driver such as an electric motor for assisting movement of a leg (see Patent Literatures 1 to 3 below).
Specifically, conventional actuator-equipped knee ankle foot orthoses include a thigh-side brace to be attached to a user's thigh, a lower leg-side brace to be attached to the user's lower leg and connected to the thigh-side brace so as to be rotatable around the user's knee joint, an actuator attached to the thigh-side brace and capable of imparting assisting force around the knee joint to the lower leg-side brace, a lower leg angle sensor for detecting the rotational angle of the lower leg around the knee joint relative to the thigh, and a control device responsible for operational control for the actuator, wherein the control device is configured to execute operational control for the actuator based on a detection signal from the lower leg angle sensor.
That is, the above conventional actuator-equipped knee ankle foot orthoses detect movement of the lower leg (the angle of the lower leg around the knee joint relative to the thigh), which is a control target site to which an assisting force is to be imparted by the actuator, by means of the lower leg angle sensor, and perform operational control for the actuator such that assisting force having a size and a direction calculated based on movement of the lower leg is imparted to the lower leg.
However, in the case of paralysis due to a stroke or the like, gait motion of the lower leg (forward and backward swing motion of the lower leg around the knee joint) often cannot be performed normally, while gait motion of the thigh (forward and backward swing motion of the thigh around the hip joint) can be performed relatively normally.
In such a case, since the above conventional actuator-equipped knee ankle foot orthoses perform operational control for the actuator based on movement of the lower leg that is incapable of normal gait motion, there is a possibility that suitable gait assisting force cannot be provided.
As another gait assisting device, proposed is a gait assisting device that includes an imparting unit for imparting assisting force, a control unit for performing operational control for the imparting unit, a detection unit for detecting at least one of a hip joint angle and a hip joint angular velocity, and a calculation unit for calculating the phase angle of the thigh based on a detection result of the detection unit, and that is configured such that the control unit performs operational control for the imparting unit based on the phase angle (see Patent Literature 4 below).
However, the gait assisting device of Patent Literature 4 also detects movement of a control target site (thigh) to which assisting force is to be imparted and performs operational control for the imparting unit that imparts assisting force to the thigh, which is the control target site, based on a detection result, and is thus based on the same technical idea as the actuator-equipped knee ankle foot orthoses described in Patent Literatures 1 to 3.
Meanwhile, a gait cycle includes a heel contact phase including a heel contact time point when the heel contacts the ground in front of a vertical axis line that passes through the hip joint (a period when the forward-raised foot contacts the floor), a stance phase when the heel-contacted leg after heel contact is relatively moved backward while being in contact with the ground (a period when the floor-contacted lower limb is relatively moved backward relative to the body), and a swing phase when the leg contacting the ground since the end of stance phase is raised and relatively moved forward.
Here, which timing during gait cycle becomes the heel contact phase, the stance phase, or the swing phase is different for each user and, even for the same user, is different depending on the extent of recovery.
Accordingly, it is preferable that the timing of imparting, and the size of, assisting force by the actuator (or the imparting unit) can be easily changed according to the current state of a user who is using the apparatus, and none of the patent documents sufficiently take this point into consideration.

National University Corporation Kyoto institute of Technology