The invention provides a method and apparatus for performing a voltage to current conversion. In particular, the invention provides a voltage to current converter configured to vary its transconductance (Gm). Such a converter is configured to receive a voltage input signal combined with a reference voltage signal to be converted to a current output. Optionally, the reference voltage signal may be provided by a parabolic impedance network that includes a bank of resistors and a plurality of corresponding current sources. Each current source corresponds to each node between two resistors, and may be varied in order to program changes in the comparator""s Gm. Each resistor and corresponding current source is configured to create an individual reference voltage reference having a value that occurs in a parabolic manner in relation to other voltage references occurring across the impedance network. The converter further includes a plurality of comparators corresponding to the plurality of voltage reference signals. The reference voltage is summed together with an input voltage to an input of each corresponding comparator. Each comparator is configured to receive an enabling signal source for receiving an enabling signal. The comparator includes a comparator output that outputs a signal when the comparator is enabled. The enablement signal source is configured to provide a variable input signal to vary the Gm of the overall converter.

The invention generally relates to voltage to current converters and, more particularly, to a voltage to current converter configured with variable transconductance (Gm).
Voltage-to-current converters are implemented in many conventional applications. Related transconducting devices are electronic building blocks characterized by a current output derived from a voltage input in a linear relationship Iout=Gm*Vin, where Gm is transconductance, and where Seimens (S) is the standard unit of Gm in Amps/Volt. Voltage-to-current converters form the basic input structure of instrumentation amplifiers and are used as basic Gm building blocks in frequency shaping devices. Generally, the value of Gm in a conventional voltage to current converter is fixed and is determined by the circuit elements. Thus, the Gm is fixed when the circuit is manufactured. It is possible, however, to vary the Gm using programmable means on a circuit chip. In such a configuration, the Gm could be varied by such programmable means according to a run-time configuration, rather than a predetermined configuration. These devices are used in programmable linear filters, gain amplifiers and other general purpose linear processing elements. Such transconducting devices, being building blocks of fixed and programmable components, have a large impact on the performance of the device in which they are incorporated. Conventional devices are limited in the manner and quality in which the Gm value is set or otherwise programmed. Performance factors such as the accuracy with which the Gm is set, the range over which the Gm is set, the resolution over which the Gm is set, and the linearity of the Gm at a particular point are all factors that affect the performance of the Gm device. Therefore, improving these factors in a Gm device would improve the device""s performance, as well as the component or other device within which it is incorporated. Therefore, there exists a need for Gm devices having improved performance factors. As will be seen below, the invention accomplishes improved performance factors in an elegant manner.
The invention provides a method and apparatus for performing a voltage to current conversion. In particular, the invention provides a voltage to current converter configured to vary its Gm. Such a converter is configured to receive a voltage input signal combined with a reference voltage signal to be converted to a current output. Optionally, the reference voltage signal may be provided by a parabolic impedance network that includes a bank of resistors and a plurality of corresponding current sources. Each current source corresponds to each node between two resistors, and may be varied in order to program changes in the comparator""s Gm. Each resistor and corresponding current source is configured to create an individual reference voltage reference having a value that occurs in a parabolic manner in relation to other voltage references occurring across the impedance network. The converter further includes a plurality of comparators corresponding to the plurality of voltage reference signals. The reference voltage is summed together with an input voltage to an input of each corresponding comparator. Each comparator is configured to receive an enabling signal source for receiving an enabling signal. The enablement signal source is configured to provide a variable input signal to further control the Gm by varying the input current of the converter. The comparator includes a comparator output that outputs a signal when the comparator is enabled.
A circuit embodying the invention may include a plurality of transistor devices, wherein each device includes a pair of transistors. The discussion that follows describes a field effect transistor (xe2x80x9cFETxe2x80x9d) device. The invention, however, is not limited to such a device. For example, a bipolar device may also be used with the base substituting for the gate, the collector substituting for drain and the emitter substituting for the source may be used. Each transistor device has individual gate, source and drain connections, and each of the pair of transistors is configured to receive a separate input at each of their respective source connections. Furthermore, each of the pair of transistors has a commonly connected gate. The other gate of each of the respective transistors is commonly connected with corresponding gates of transistors contained in each of the other transistor devices. The circuit further includes a voltage source configured to provide a reference voltage to the drain of one of the pair of transistors, and each of the other transistor devices also includes a corresponding voltage source at the drain of one of the pairs of the transistors of the respective device. Further, the device includes a current source connected with the gates of the two transistors that are commonly connected. The current source is configured to produce a variable current at the common junction of the two transistors, providing the ability to vary the Gm of the voltage to current converter.
Such a circuit embodying the invention may include a parabolic bank of resistors configured to provide the reference voltage to the gate of one of the pair of transistors. When a voltage is applied to this bank of resistors, a different reference voltage is applied to the gate of one of a pair of transistors of each of the plurality of transistor devices. The parabolic bank of resistors may be further configured to provide a reference voltage in a manner that would produce reference voltages of any desirable character. In this configuration, the reference voltage provided to a first transistor device is of a relatively higher value than the reference voltage provided to an intermediate transistor device. Furthermore, the intermediate transistor device is of a minimum voltage value relative to the other transistor devices.
In an alternative configuration, the reference voltage provided to a first transistor device is of a relatively lower value than the reference voltage provided to an intermediate transistor device. The intermediate transistor device is of a maximum voltage value relative to the other transistor devices. Thus, if the output voltages were presented in graphical form, the graph would be in parabolic form, with a relative minimum or maximum value occurring at the center, depending on whether the parabola is in a concave upward or downward orientation respectively.


The invention involves compounds having the general formula (I) as described in the claims and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds. The invention also relates to the use of such compounds for inhibiting or treating disorders modulated by Wnt-signaling pathway, such as cancer, especially colorectal cancer.

This invention is related to the filed of cancer treatment and therapeutics. More particularly, it relates to compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing thereof for treating disorders including cancers which are associated with Wnt signaling pathway. It further relates to methods for treating disorders including cancer which are associated with Wnt signaling pathway.
Wnt signaling pathway regulates a variety of processes including cell growth, oncogenesis, and development (Moon et al., 1997, Trends Genet. 13, 157-162: Miller et al., 1999, Oncogene 18, 7860-7872: Nusse and Varmus, 1992, Cell 69, 1073-1087: Cadigan and Nusse, 1997, Genes Dev. 11, 3286-3305: Peifer and Polakis, 2000 Science 287, 1606-1609: Polakis 2000, Genes Dev. 14, 1837-1851). Wnt signaling pathway has been intensely studied in a variety of organisms. The activation of TCF4/xcex2-catenin mediated transcription by Wnt signal transduction has been found to play a key role in its biological functions (Molenaar et al., 1996, Cell 86, 391-399: Gat et al., 1998 Cell 95, 605-614: Orford et al., 1999 J. Cell. Biol. 146, 855-868).
In the absence of Wnt signals, tumor suppressor gene adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) simultaneously interacts with the serine kinase glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3xcex2 and xcex2-catenin (Su et al., 1993, Science 262, 1734-1737: Yost et al., 1996 Genes Dev. 10, 1443-1454: Hayashi et al., 1997, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, 242-247: Sakanaka et al., 1998, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 95, 3020-3023: Sakanaka and William, 1999, J. Biol. Chem 274, 14090-14093). Phosphorylation of APC by GSK-3xcex2 regulates the interaction of APC with xcex2-catenin, which in turn may regulate the signaling function of xcex2-catenin (B. Rubinfeld et al., Science 272, 1023, 1996). Wnt signaling stabilizes xcex2-catenin allowing its translocation to the nucleus where it interacts with members of the lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF1)/T-cell factor (TCF4) family of transcription factors (Behrens et al., 1996 Nature 382, 638-642: Hsu et al., 1998, Mol. Cell. Biol. 18, 4807-4818: Roose et all., 1999 Science 285, 1923-1926).
Recently c-myc, a known oncogene, was shown to be a target gene for xcex2-catenin/TCF4-mediated transcription (He et al., 1998 Science 281 1509-1512: Kolligs et al., 1999 Mol. Cell. Biol. 19, 5696-5706). Many other important genes, including cyclin D1, and metalloproteinase, which are also involved in oncogenesis, have been identified to be regulated by TCF4/bata-catenin transcriptional pathway (Crawford et al., 1999, Oncogene 18, 2883-2891: Shtutman et al., 1999, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 11, 5522-5527: Tetsu and McCormick, 1999 Nature, 398, 422-426).
Moreover, overexpression of several downstream mediators of Wnt signaling has been found to regulate apoptosis (Moris et al., 1996, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93, 7950-7954: He et al., 1999, Cell 99, 335-345: Orford et al., 1999 J. Cell. Biol., 146, 855-868: Strovel and Sussman, 1999, Exp. Cell. Res., 253, 637-648). Overexpression of APC in human colorectal cancer cells induced apoptosis (Moris et al., 1996, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 93, 7950-7954), ectopic expression of xcex2-catenin inhibited apoptosis associated with loss of attachment to extracellular matrix (Orford et al, 1999, J. Cell Biol.146, 855-868). Inhibition of TCF4/xcex2-catenin transcription by expression of dominant-negative mutant of TCF4 blocked Wnt-1-mediated cell survival and rendered cells sensitive to apoptotic stimuli such as anti-cancer agent (Shaoqiong Chen et al., 2001, J. Cell. Biol., 152, 1, 87-96) and APC mutation inhibits apoptosis by allowing constitutive survivin expression, a well-known anti-apoptotic protein (Tao Zhang et al., 2001, Cancer Research, 62, 8664-8667).
Although mutations in the Wnt gene have not been found in human cancer, a mutation in APC or xcex2-catenin, as is the case in the majority of colorectal tumors, results in inappropriate activation of TCF4, overexpression of c-myc and production of neoplastic growth (Bubinfeld et al, 1997, Science, 275, 1790-1792: Morin et al, 1997, Science, 275, 1787-1790: Casa et al, 1999, Cell. Growth. Differ. 10, 369-376). The tumor suppressor gene (APC) is lost or inactivated in 85% of colorectal cancers and in a variety of other cancers as well (Kinzler and Vogelstein, 1996, Cell 87, 159-170). APC""s principal role is that of a negative regulator of the Wnt signal transduction cascade. A center feature of this pathway involves the modulation of the stability and localization of a cytosolic pool of xcex2-catenin by interaction with a large Axin-based complex that includes APC. This interaction results in phosphorylation of xcex2-catenin thereby targeting it for degradation.
CREB binding proteins (CBP)/p300 were identified initially in protein interaction assays, first through its association with the transcription factor CREB (Chrivia et al, 1993, Nature, 365, 855-859) and later through its interaction with the adenoviral-transforming protein E1A (Stein et al., 1990, J. Viol., 64, 4421-4427: Eckner et al., 1994, Genes. Dev., 8, 869-884). CBP had a potential to participate in variety of cellular functions including transcriptional coactivator function (Shikama et al., 1997, Trends. Cell. Biol., 7, 230-236: Janknecht and Hunter, 1996, Nature, 383, 22-23). CBP/p300 potentiates xcex2-catenin-mediated activation of the siamois promoter, a known Wnt target (Hecht et al, 2000, EMBO J. 19, 8, 1839-1850). xcex2-catenin interacts directly with the CREB-binding domain of CBP and xcex2-catenin synergizes with CBP to stimulate the transcriptional activation of TCF4/xcex2-catenin (Ken-Ichi Takemaru and Randall T. Moon, 2000 J. Cell. Biol., 149, 2, 249-254).
From this background, TCF4/xcex2-catenin and CBP complex of Wnt pathway can be taken as target molecules for the regulation of cell growth, oncogenesis and apoptosis of cells, etc. That is, there is a need for compounds that block TCF4/xcex2-catenin transcriptional pathway by inhibiting CBP, and therefore can be used for treatment of cancer, especially colorectal cancer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compound having general formula (I) as follows:
wherein, R1 is a bicyclic aryl group having 8 to 11 ring members, which may have 1 to 3 heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, and R2 is a monocyclic aryl group having 5 to 7 ring members, which may have 1 to 2 heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, and aryl ring in the compound may have one or more substituents selected from a group consisting of halide, hydroxy, cyano, lower alkyl, and lower alkoxy group.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pharmaceutical composition comprising a safe and effective amount of the compound having general formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, which can be used for treatment of disorders modulated by Wnt signaling pathway, especially by TCF4-xcex2-catenin-CBP complex.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for inhibiting the growth of tumor cells by using the above-described composition of the present invention.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for inducing apoptosis of tumor cells by using the above-described composition of the present invention.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for treating a disorder modulated by TCF4-xcex2 catenin-CBP complex by using the above-described composition of the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of treating cancer such as colorectal cancer by administering the composition of the present invention together with other anti-cancer agent such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).

Compounds useful for treatment of cancer, compositions containing the same, and methods of their use


Apparatus for measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye includes a target, a Badal lens, and a viewing aperture, where the Badal lens and the viewing aperture are positioned so that when the target moves towards or away from the lens, the apparent size of the target remains constant to a subject looking in the viewing aperture regardless of the distance the target moves. The apparatus may be provided in a compact housing and may include a mirror placed in the housing so that the viewing aperture can be placed away from the optical axis of the lens. The apparatus includes a controller to control the movement of the target. The apparatus measures the accommodation of a lens based on the distance the target moves during an examination. Methods of measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye of a subject are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed herein relates to ophthalmic instruments and methods, and more particularly, relates to apparatus and methods for measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye.
2. Description of Related Art
Accommodation is the adjustment of an eye for seeing objects at different distances. Accommodation is accomplished by changes in the curvature of a lens in an eye.
Typically, accommodation is measured in a subject by asking a subject to hold a letter chart in one of his hands. The letter chart has multiple rows of letters decreasing in size from one end of the chart to the other end of the chart (i.e., top to bottom). The subject is asked to close one eye, and to focus on one of the rows of letters. The subject is then asked to bring move the letter chart closer to his eye and to stop moving the chart when the row of letters becomes blurred. The process may be repeated several times to provide an average value. The distance which the chart is moved from a focused position to a blurred position may then be used to determine the amount of accommodation of the subject""s eye. However, this method suffers from several shortcomings including that the accuracy of hand movements of the letter chart is not very accurate and repeatable, and that the size of the rows of letters increases as the letter chart moves closer to the eye. The change in size of the letters confounds the test, and results in inaccurate measurements of accommodation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,268 (the ""268 patent) discloses a testing system that measures accommodation of a subject""s eye. The system is relatively complicated and awkward to use. The system includes an illumination source, a target with a small light transmitting portion and a large light blocking portion, and multiple lenses between a viewing aperture and the target. The system also uses a manually operated movement assembly to move the target and illumination source along a track. The particular configuration disclosed in the ""268 patent is necessary to create a virtual image that is viewed by the subject, and to provide the visual training capabilities of the system. The system of the ""268 patent suffers from its necessarily complex design and the inaccuracies associated with manual control of the system.
The present invention addresses the shortcomings of current techniques and systems.
An apparatus, as disclosed herein, for measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye provides consistent, controlled, and repeatable presentations of a fixed accommodative stimulus to a subject, such as a person. The apparatus determines the amplitude of accommodation based on the equivalent dioptric change of a target of the apparatus that is viewed by the subject. By making use of the Badal principle, the apparent size of the stimulus remains substantially constant at all optical distances. Thus, the subject viewing the target receives the same stimulus in terms of spatial frequencies at all distances. The constancy of the stimulus helps to improve the repeatability of the accommodative amplitude measurements.
An apparatus for measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye may have a housing; a viewing target located in the housing and located on a track that permits the target to move in the housing; a viewing aperture located in the housing to permit the subject to view the target; and a lens located between the target and the viewing aperture at a position that provides a substantially constant apparent size of the target when viewed by the subject regardless of the distance between the target and the viewing aperture.
An apparatus for measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye of a subject may also have a viewing aperture; a physical target positioned on a track so that the target can move along the track toward or away from an eye of a subject viewing the target through the viewing aperture; and a lens located in the apparatus so that when the physical target is viewed by the subject through the viewing aperture, the lens is positioned between the target and the subject""s eye, and the target has a substantially constant apparent size regardless of the distance between the target and the viewing aperture.
In addition, an apparatus for measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye of a subject may include a target located in the apparatus and moveable towards or away from an eye of a subject when the subject is viewing the target, the target being structured to maintain a substantially constant pupil size of the eye as the target is moved towards or away from the eye.
Methods of measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye of a subject include steps of moving a viewable target from a first position to a second position, monitoring the distance between the first position and the second position, and determining the accommodative amplitude based on the distance. The methods may be performed by a subject who is viewing the target, and may be performed without any assistance by another person.
Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art.
Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description.

Apparatus and methods for measuring accommodation of a lens in an eye


A memory (10) that has a shorter access time and higher reliability in a special mode of operation. In one form, the memory (10) has a special mode of operation in which multiple memory rows are simultaneously selected. As a consequence, multiple memory cells (44) are used to drive each bit line pair. Using multiple memory cells (44) to drive each bit line pair allows the bit lines to be driven to the proper logic state in a shorter time. This speeds up accesses to memory (10). Using multiple memory cells (44) to drive each bit line pair also improves the reliability of memory (10). Because multiple memory cells (44) are used to drive the same bit line pair, a failure of one memory cell (44) still leaves one or more functioning memory cells (44) to drive the correct logic state on the bit line pair. The memory may be incorporated in a cache controller of a data processing system in which only a part of the memory is being used. The extra unneeded memory cells may be used to help drive the bit lines to allow the cache controller to execute operations more quickly.

Present day data processing systems which use a microprocessor and which are optimized for high speed operation often require a "ache". A cache is a block of memory that can be accessed very quickly by the microprocessor. Usually, a cache can be accessed more quickly than the main or system memory used in the data processing system. Because microprocessor systems make frequent accesses to memory, making accesses to cache instead of to system memory results in a significant savings of time.
Caches are generally used to store frequently used or recently used values, such as addresses, data, or instructions. A goal is to minimize the memory accesses that must use the slower system memory by maximizing the memory accesses that are able to use the cache instead. Because a large number of accesses are made to cache, it is important that the amount of time that is required to access the cache be reduced as much as possible in order to speed up the data processing system. Generally, the shorter the cache access time, the faster the execution speed of the data processing system. Therefore, reducing the time required to access a cache is an important goal of many high speed data processing systems.
Many microprocessor systems also utilize a cache controller as well as a cache. A cache controller is a device that coordinates each access to the cache. Therefore part of the time required for each cache access is the time required for the cache controller to perform its function. Cache controllers also contain memory within their internal circuitry. The faster it is to access the memory within the cache controller, the faster the cache controller itself can operate and the faster the data processing system can execute instructions.
Each memory cell within a memory, including a cache controller memory, is capable of storing a digital value representing either a logical state "0" or a logical state "1". Memory cells are then combined to form memory entries. A memory entry is made up of one or more memory cells and corresponds to the width of the memory. An "8K by 8" memory has 8K total memory entries and each memory entry consists of eight memory cells or bits. An "8K by 1" memory still has 8K total memory entries, but each memory entry consists of only one memory cell or bit. Note that "K" is equal to 1024.
Prior art memories, including cache controller memories, use a memory cell array arranged in a grid array of rows and columns. The width of each column is the same as the width of the memory's data entries, and can be one or more bits wide. For example, a "4K by 4" memory has memory entries that are four bits wide, that is, each memory entry contains four memory cells. Thus, each column in a "4K by 4" memory is four bits wide. And similarly, a "4K by 1" memory has memory entries that are only one bit wide, that is, each memory entry contains only one memory cell. Thus, each column in a "4K by 1" memory is one bit wide. Additionally, the width of the memory's data path is often the same as the width of the memory's data entries.
A standard Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell has two bit lines which are used to transfer data in and out of the memory cell. In prior art memories, only one memory cell at a time transferred its data contents onto the bit lines. Thus in prior art memories, only one memory entry at a time was accessed, and this access was accomplished by selecting one row and one column. The one memory entry that was located in both the selected row and the selected column was used to drive one pair of bit lines for each memory cell in the memory entry. Because each memory cell in the selected memory entry was coupled to a different pair of bit lines, the bit lines were only ever driven by one selected memory cell at a time. The faster each selected memory cell drives its pair of bit lines to the required voltage, the faster the speed of the memory.
In order to increase the speed of the memory by driving the bit lines more quickly, prior art memories increased the size of the devices within each memory cell that were used to drive the bit lines. But unfortunately, increasing the size of the drive devices increased the size of the memory cells and, thus, the amount of semiconductor area required to build each cell. Thus, prior art memories were faced with a direct trade-off between the size of each memory cell and the access speed of the memory.

Memory and associated method including an operating mode for simultaneously selecting multiple rows of cells


A multi-tenancy storage node is provided. The storage node hosts partitions of multiple databases accessed by multiple applications. Each database is governed by a corresponding service-level agreement (SLA) or policy that specifies a maximum load or level of operation of the database in terms of one or more metrics (e.g., number or frequency of reads/writes, maximum size of reads/writes). To determine whether another database can be hosted by the node, a snapshot of the node's database operations is replayed on a test node, along with operations that exercise the other database. If maximum thresholds of the node for the metrics are not exceeded, the other database can be added to the storage node. An SLA is generated for it automatically, based on the metrics it exhibited during the operations on the test node. The storage node may enforce the SLA by rate-limiting activity of one or more applications.

The disclosed embodiments relate to computer systems. In particular, a multi-tenancy storage node apparatus and a system and method for operating a multi-tenancy storage node are provided.
Traditionally, computer-based applications have been allocated dedicated resources, such as an entire computer server or system. In these traditional environments, it is easy to measure the application's use of those resources, because all resource consumption (e.g., storage space used, processor cycles expended, number of reads or writes) occurs in support of the application.
However, in a computing environment in which one system or site (e.g., one web site) provides or supports multiple applications, it may be inefficient to dedicate separate resources to each application either because an application might not use all of the resources, or because it is operationally expensive to run a cluster for each application. Because a given physical resource (e.g., storage space, processor, communication link) is shared among the applications, measuring each application's resource consumption and/or limiting an application's resource consumption is more difficult.


In a multicolor printing press which has a plurality of printing sections arranged in vertical alignment, the multicolor printing press facilitates adjustment of register position between a plurality of printing sections. The multicolor printing press thus has a first printing section which includes at least one first plate cylinder, and at least one second printing section which includes at least one second plate cylinder. The multicolor printing press is also provided with means for rotatably supporting the first plate cylinder in a fixed register position for providing reference position in adjustment of register position in the second printing section, means for rotatably supporting the second plate cylinder, and adjusting means of register position of said second plate cylinder relative to the reference position defined by the first plate cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a multicolor printing press, in which a plurality of printing sections are vertically arranged in spaced apart relationship for establishing a multi-stage printing press. Further particularly, the invention relates to a multicolor printing press with enhanced registering between respective stages of individual color printing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 3-1946 discloses a construction of a multicolor printing press, in which a plurality of printing devices are vertically arranged in spaced apart relationship. The above-identified publication also discloses a register position adjusting means which minimizes register error of printing patterns between the printing sections. The printing register position adjusting means in the shown construction comprises at least means for adjusting along an axial direction of each plate cylinder relative to a corresponding blanket cylinder, for each of the printing sections.
However, in the prior art, a reference color for adjustment of register position is not fixed in multicolor printing. Therefore, it is possible that the reference color is differentiated for every cycle of printing operation to require adjustment of the register position every time the reference color is differentiated. For example, it can be experienced that, during adjustment of register position of respective plate cylinders in respective printing section in order with taking a certain color as the reference color, the adjustment of register position cannot be completed even at the allowable limit of adjustment for one of the colors to require modification of the original plan. Typically, in such case, the color for which adjustment of register position fails, is taken as the reference color to perform register position adjustment again. Such procedure clearly degrades efficiency of printing operation and increases lost paper due to printing with faulty registering.


Magnetic devices, and associated methods of manufacture, using flex circuits. Conductive flex circuit traces, or combinations of such traces with conductive printed circuit board or other substrate traces, form windings around toroidal ferromagnetic cores. Bending the flex circuit into a partial loop or a full loop forms partial or full windings respectively. Bonding or flow soldering electrically connects the windings together and to a printed circuit board or other substrate. The methods yield transformers with high conversion efficiency, are compatible with conventional printed circuit boards and readily available high-volume assembly equipment, and avoid the higher cost of manually made windings.

Transformers transfer electrical energy by inductive coupling between conductive windings. For example, a transformer may allow alternating voltages and/or currents of magnetically coupled inductor windings to be stepped up or down. The ratio of turns in a primary winding to those in a secondary winding determines the stepping ratio in ideal transformers. The windings may encircle a toroidal core comprising ferrite or other easily magnetized ferromagnetic material. A toroidal ferromagnetic core provides a closed magnetic loop to more efficiently contain the magnetic flux and inductively link the windings.
Manufacturers create transformers in various sizes, depending on the relevant application. If the transformer is sufficiently large, e.g., greater than three inches in size, a conventional winding machine may be used to place conductors around the toroid. If the toroid is comparable to one inch in size, conventional pull-and-hook machinery may be used to aid the hand winding process. For smaller toroids, the windings are typically all wound by hand, leading to significant manufacturing costs.
One known method to avoid hand winding a toroid is to use a split ferromagnetic core, which allows machine-made windings to be inserted. The manufacturer may then mechanically attach the ferromagnetic material pieces. This assembly method may however degrade the magnetic efficiency of the resulting device, compared with one made with a continuous unbroken toroid. Other methods embed ferromagnetic materials into a printed circuit board, which may further increase manufacturing costs compared with the use of conventional printed circuit boards. Thus, while toroidal ferrite inductors or transformers are used in many applications because of their high efficiency, difficulties related to manufacturing costs and complexities remain unsolved.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for inexpensively winding small toroidal inductors and transformers, such as those designed for attachment to conventional printed circuit boards.

Magnetic devices and methods for manufacture using flex circuits


A method and device for optimal playback positioning in video content are provided. The present disclosure relates to a mechanism of tagging scenes or significant points in content in a prioritized way, and defines a mechanism to utilize this tagging associated with the content to facilitate stopping or starting at appropriate points for playback, e.g., when pressing a scene skip button to jump forward or back to another scene, or when pressing Play after inputting a fast-forward or rewind instruction. The method and device provide for displaying video content at a playback speed for viewing, receiving a first navigation instruction to navigate the video content at a speed faster than the playback speed for viewing, receiving a second navigation instruction to displaying of the video content, and determining a playback position of the video content based on at least one tagged frame of the video content.

When using a digital video recorder (DVR), it is common to want to skip forward or back within in a piece of content, e.g., a movie or television program. Presently, however, there is no mechanism to determine the appropriate start or end point for a scene or appropriate points to begin playing the content. Many DVRs will simply begin playing where the user presses the Play button, though some have a mechanism whereby the playback start point is determined by how fast the fast-forward (FF) or rewind (Rew) was, assuming a fixed amount of delay, automatically skipping back a certain amount to compensate. In the best of the current implementations existing today, the content playback doesn't necessarily start on any kind of scene boundary, simply getting the user closer to where they are likely to want to be.

Method and device for optimal playback positioning in digital content


Activating a communications system or device may include receiving a subscription or service advertisement or solicitation response, recording an identifier specified by the responding party, receiving an activation request from a device through which the subscription or service may be rendered, receiving a unique identifier for that device and a screen name of an activation requestor operating the device, and activating the device upon confirmation that the screen name received with the unique identifier for the device relates to the recorded identifier specified by the party responding to the advertisement or solicitation. Furthermore, as described, devices may be distributed without recognizing or pre-configuring a relationship between the device, the service, and/or the recipient, all the while enabling such configuration to be established once the device is received by a valid and recognizable recipient. In this manner, provisioning of devices is simplified.

Online vendors constantly offer new products and services to enhance the quality of the online experience for customers while pursuing new revenue opportunities. Already, customers can purchase numerous goods and services online including books, movies, and tickets.
As part of providing services, vendors of mobile and wireless devices must provide the devices and often must enable access to one or more carrier or online networks. Depending on carrier and network configuration, enabling access to a carrier or online network may require customer information.

AOL LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company


One of the objects of this invention is to realize an antenna having low reflection loss over an extremely wideband. The antenna of the present invention is provided with a dielectric substrate, a plurality of antenna conductors formed on one surface of the dielectric substrate that are pseudo self-complementary on the surface, and a plurality of feed conductors symmetrical with respect to symmetrical surfaces of the antenna conductors, wherein a gap for a wavelength of 1/10 or less that of the wavelength of a usage frequency in a vacuum is provided at a center of rotational symmetry between the plurality of antenna conductors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ultra wideband antenna and an ultrahigh frequency circuit module that can be applied to an ultra-wideband wireless system or the like to enable high speed transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, close range wireless interfaces such as wireless LANs and Bluetooth (trademark) have become widely used, but ultra-wideband wireless systems (UWB) have been receiving attention as the next generation of systems to enable even higher speed transmission. Specification investigations are currently progressing in various countries, but it is recognized that the usage frequency for these UWB systems in the US is 3.1-10.6 GHz with a comparatively large output. This UWB system is capable of high speed wireless transmission at 100 Mbps or above due to use of high frequencies in an extremely wide band, but it is not easy to implement an antenna for transmission of this type of wideband signal.

Ultra-wideband antenna and ultrahigh frequency circuit module


A rail to rail differential buffer input stage includes n-type and p-type input differential transistor pairs connected in voltage follower configuration to the power supply rails. A reference voltage generator includes a reference differential transistor pair generating a dynamic reference voltage relative to the common mode input voltage. Dummy n-type and p-type transistor pairs have current conducting paths connected in parallel with the input differential pairs and are controlled by the dynamic reference voltage to divert supply rail current away from and deactivate one of the associated input differential pairs when the common mode input voltage is further from the dynamic reference voltage than a threshold value. Both the dummy pairs conduct and both the input differential pairs are activated when the common mode input voltage is closer to the dynamic reference voltage VB than the threshold value so that the overall transconductance of the buffer input stage remains constant.

The present invention is directed to an input buffer circuit and, more particularly, to a rail to rail differential buffer input stage that has operational characteristics that are maintained for common mode input voltages varying over substantially the whole voltage difference between the voltages at the power supply rails.
A rail to rail differential buffer input stage may be used to drive an operational amplifier or a comparator for example. Such circuits are increasingly required to operate with reduced power supply voltages, especially in very large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. At the same time, larger variations of common mode analog input voltages are encountered, due to noise levels from neighboring digital circuits. The differential buffer input stage provides differential output currents that can be summed to amplify the differential input signal, and block the common mode voltage variations from the output signal.
One configuration of a rail to rail differential buffer input stage includes n-type and p-type input differential pairs of transistors, such as metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), which are connected in a voltage follower configuration to the power supply rails. The n-type input differential pair conduct when the common mode input voltage is closer to the high power supply voltage and the p-type input differential pair conduct when the common mode input voltage is closer to the low power supply voltage. When the common mode input voltage is at a value intermediate to the high and low power supply voltages, both the n-type and p-type input differential pairs conduct and the transconductance of the input stage, that is to say the variation in its differential output current for a small unit variation in differential input voltage, is double the transconductance gm of a single input differential pair. However, n-type and p-type dummy pairs of transistors, which are driven by the common mode input voltage but not by the differential input of the input stage, can be added in parallel with the n-type and p-type input differential pairs of transistors. One or the other of the dummy pairs conducts when the common mode input voltage is not close to the intermediate voltage and diverts the tail current directly to the output of the stage and away from the respective input differential pair, switching it OFF, so that the transconductance of the input stage corresponds to the transconductance gm of the other, single input differential pair. When the common mode input voltage is close to the intermediate voltage, both the dummy pairs of transistors conduct, halving the tail current and the transconductance gm of each of the respective input differential pairs, and the total transconductance of the input stage is maintained at an almost constant value of gm.
The intermediate voltage at which the dummy differential pairs are turned ON and OFF can be a fixed voltage, defined by a resistor chain forming a voltage divider connected between the power supply rails. However, the resistance of the voltage divider must be high to avoid high static current consumption, which consumes a large area of the semiconductor chip. This and other ways of generating the intermediate voltage also cannot adapt readily to the effects of manufacturing process variations on the characteristics of MOSFETs, especially if these are run at sub-threshold voltages.

Rail to rail differential buffer input stage


Compositions comprising a proppant core having an outer surface and polymeric microspheres attached to at least a portion of the outer surface are described. The compositions are useful, for example, to increase the productivity of a hydrocarbon oil or gas bearing well.

Fracturing is a well stimulation technique designed to increase the productivity of a well, such as a hydrocarbon oil or gas well, by creating highly conductive fractures or channels in the producing geologic formation around the well. One approach is hydraulic fracturing, a process that involves injecting a fluid at a high rate and high pressure to rupture the formation and create cracks in the rock and pumping into these cracks a fluid containing a particulate material (propping agent or proppant) to maintain the cracks or fractures open by resisting the forces which tend to close the fractures. Thus, the function of the propping agent is to provide high permeability in the propped fracture. Hydraulic fracturing has been used with increasing frequency to improve the productivity of gas and oil wells in low permeability reservoirs. Another approach for forming and propping highly conductive fractures utilizes an etching solution such as the acid etching process.
Although there are a number of proppants known in the art, there is a continuing desire for additional proppant constructions.


A nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device including a failed cell correcting circuit which effectively processes randomly distributed cell data. The nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device checks horizontal parity of a main memory cell array and stores the parity in a horizontal parity check cell array, and checks vertical parity of a main memory cell array and stores the parity in the vertical parity check cell array. Then, code data stored in the horizontal parity check cell array and the vertical parity check cell array are compared to sensing data of the main memory cell to correct an error datum. As a result, a 1 bit failure randomly generated within a predetermined column is corrected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device including a failed cell correcting circuit, and more specifically, to a technology for effectively processing randomly distributed cell data as well as failed cell correcting circuits when a 1 bit failure is randomly generated in a predetermined column of a nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a ferroelectric random access memory (hereinafter, referred to as 'FeRAM') has attracted considerable attention as a next generation memory device because it has a data processing speed as fast as that of a Dynamic Random Access Memory (hereinafter, referred to as 'DRAM') and it conserves data even after the power is turned off.
The FeRAM structures include capacitors made of a ferroelectric substance which utilize the high residual polarization characteristic of the ferroelectric substance to ensure that data is not deleted even after an electric field is eliminated.
Further technical descriptions of the above FeRAM are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,172 by the inventor of the present invention. Therefore, the basic structure and the operation on the FeRAM are not described herein
When the cell data are randomly distributed, it is difficult to repair a failed cell with a repair circuit and effectively utilize the cell data.

Nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device including failed cell correcting circuit


A wiring pattern of a circuit board comprises two reference voltage lines holding a signal line therebetween, whereas the reference voltage lines on both ends are electrically connected to a conductive bracket. The bracket covers and electrically shields lead pins connecting a light-receiving device unit or light-emitting device unit to the circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical module utilized in an optical transceiver and the like for linking and unlinking.
2. Related Background Art
In high-speed LANs (Local Area Networks), optical transceivers have widely been in use as a module for converting digital electric signals and optical signals to each other. In order to attain a higher density in ports of hub apparatus and the like using such optical transceivers, SFF (Small Form Factor) has been known as a unified standard enabling a smaller size. While such SFF optical transceivers are characterized by their small size and low power consumption, SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) optical transceivers making electric connectors attachable thereto and detachable therefrom without stopping devices have further been developed.
As LANs attain a higher speed, digital signals transmitted by such an SFF or SFP optical transceiver have been shifting to a gigabit band. In the SFF or SFP optical transceiver, due to its small size, its optical transmitter unit and optical receiver unit are located close to each other, whereby they are likely to interfere with each other when dealing with digital signals having such a high frequency. Also, they are susceptible to external noise, whereby the sensitivity of such an optical transceiver is more likely to be deteriorated by crosstalk as compared with optical transceivers having a large size.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical module used in an optical transceiver or the like, which suppresses the interference between its optical transmitter unit and optical receiver unit, and the influence of noise, thereby improving characteristics.
For overcoming the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides an optical module comprising, within a housing, a substrate having an electronic circuit, and light-emitting and light-receiving device units each having an optical output or input end connected to the electronic circuit; (1) wherein a connecting part of the electronic circuit to the light-emitting device unit comprises respective signal lines for normal and opposite phases arranged on both sides of a light-emitting device reference voltage line disposed at a center, and respective reference voltage lines disposed on outer sides of the signal lines, the signal lines and reference voltage lines being electrically connected to respective lead pins extending from the light-emitting device unit, and a conductive light-emitting device bracket which surrounds the lead pins extending from the light-emitting device unit and is electrically connected to the reference voltage lines on both ends of the electronic circuit; or (2) wherein a connecting part of the electronic circuit to the light-receiving device unit comprises respective reference voltage lines arranged on both sides of a signal line, the signal line and reference voltage lines being electrically connected to respective lead pins extending from the light-receiving device unit, and a conductive light-receiving device bracket which surrounds the lead pins extending from the light-receiving device unit and is electrically connected to the reference voltage lines on both ends of the electronic circuit.
When the lead pins extending from the light-emitting device unit and/or light-receiving device unit are electrically shielded with a light-emitting device bracket and/or light-receiving device bracket as such while signal lines are held between reference voltage lines, potentials are stabilized, and mutual interference and influences of external noise can be suppressed. As a consequence, characteristics improve.
Preferably, the light-emitting device bracket or light-receiving device bracket is electrically connected to a metal part of an enclosure of its corresponding light-emitting device unit or light-receiving device unit. This can stabilize reference voltages of the light-emitting device and light-receiving device, whereby stable characteristics can be obtained.


Disclosed is a tumor-specific antibody and fluorophore conjugate for detecting, localizing and imaging of various tumors. Also disclosed are methods for detecting, localizing and imaging a solid tumor before or during a tumor resection surgery using the antibody-fluorophore conjugate.

There is an unmet clinical need in the care of patients with certain types of cancer for better preoperative and intraoperative tumor imaging techniques. There remains a high rate of both local and distant recurrence after surgical resection. Furthermore, accurate preoperative staging of tumor remains a challenge for clinicians. Improved techniques of delineating accurate tumor margins at the time of surgery and also identifying small volume metastatic disease would be of great help for improving outcomes for patients with cancer. The disclosed technology can be applied to cancer diagnosis, cancer prognosis, cancer treatment, tumor imaging, and imaging assisted surgery.

NIR-conjugated tumor-specific antibodies and uses thereof

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA


A fast Hadamard transform device is provided which prevent from increasing of circuit scale and shorten a developing TAT even if the number of bits to be operated. The device includes n of shift register units and n/2 of butterfly computation units. Input data are entered to the shift register units in response to a signal and data stored in the shift register units are supplied as quantized data by providing a signal for each xe2x80x9clog2n*(p+log2n)xe2x80x9d clocks.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fast hadamard transform device and, in particular, to the transform device which is adapted to perform quadrature modulation of spread signals in a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a mobile communication system which employs a communication method, CDMA, which is focused as the next generation standard mobile communication method, mobile communication terminals in the system can simultaneously communicate among a plurality of channels by using the same frequency band. Furthermore, a spread spectrum communication method is used in the CDMA mobile communication system.
The spread spectrum communication method can be realized, for example, by a Walsh quadrature modulation technique which uses a Walsh code such that a correlation function becomes zero at every channel. Herein, it is to be noted that the Walsh code can be expressed by a Hadamard transform matrix which is composed of elements of xe2x80x9c+1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cxe2x88x921xe2x80x9d.
In the Walsh quadrature modulation, high speed or fast processing based on a butterfly computation can be achieved by carrying out Hadamard transform using the Hadamard transform matrix. A device which enables such high speed or fast Hadamard transform based on the butterfly computation may be called a fast Hadamard transform (FHT) device.
A conventional fast Hadamard transform device performs both addition and subtraction in the butterfly computation. Specifically, the addition is performed by using n/2 of (pxe2x88x921+log2n) bits adders while the subtraction is performed by using n/2 of (pxe2x88x921+log2n) bits subtractors. For brevity of description, it will be assumed that the number of quantization bits is represented by p and an n-th order Hadamard transform is carried out in the following. Especially, the description will be mainly made about an eighth-order fast Hadamard transform.
Now, a technology related to the conventional fast Hadamard transform device is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Publication No. H06-301711 (namely, 301711/1994) xe2x80x9cFast Hadamard transform devicexe2x80x9d.
However, in the conventional fast Hadamard transform device, if the number of bits used for calculation is increased to k times, the device has to be enlarged in size to 3k times. This is because three latches, that is, an input latch, a latch with selector, and an output latch should be prepared for each bit in the conventional fast Hadamard transform.
Further, since addition and subtraction are carried out in parallel with each other in the butterfly computation, not only each of adders and subtractors should process the number of bits equal to (pxe2x88x921+log2n), but also each of latches should include a bit number of register stages which is equal to (pxe2x88x921+log2n).
It is not desirable to fabricate such a fast Hadamard transform device as a gate array since a cost of the fabrication is increased due to an increase of scale of the device. Also, a great deal of times and labor are required to develop and prove each block and to repetitively arrange wiring in the same block for integration. This is because such blocks have different functions from one another and are structured by different circuit elements, such as a latch with selector, a latch with no selector, and the like.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a fast Hadamard transform device which can be configured in a small scale and developed in a short time, that is, within short developing TAT (Turn Around Time), even if the number of bits to be processed is increased.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a fast Hadamard transform device which transforms n elements of input data each of which is composed of p bits. The device comprises n of shift register units each of which inputs the corresponding element of the input data at the predetermined input timing and outputs the bits in the input data serially, and n/2 of butterfly computation units each of which receives a bit from each two of the n shift register units and performs addition and subtraction on the two bits to supply each operation result to a determined shift register unit.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a fast Hadamard transform device of the first aspect of the invention, and in the device, each of the shift register units operates as output latches holding (p+log2n) signals from one of the butterfly computation units at the predetermined output timing, and operates as (p+log2n) steps of shift registers in response to entering the input data and signals from one of the butterfly computation units at the other timing.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a fast Hadamard transform device of the second aspect of the invention, and in the device, each of the butterfly computation units includes an adder which performs addition on two bits which are shifted from the different shift register units and a carry bit which is stored in the former addition, a subtractor which performs subtraction on two bits which are shifted from the different shift register units and a borrow bit which is stored in the former subtraction.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a fast Hadamard transform device of the third aspect of the invention, and in the device, each of the carry bit and the borrow bit is stored in a delay circuit which is initialized every (log2n*(p+log2n)) shift timings.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a fast Hadamard transform device of the fourth aspect of the invention, and in the device, serial output of the shift register unit corresponding to the 2qxe2x88x921-th (1xe2x89xa6qxe2x89xa64, q is a natural number) order is connected to an input to the adder of the q-th butterfly computation unit, serial output of the shift register unit corresponding to the 2q-th order is connected to an input to the subtractor of the q-th butterfly computation unit, an output from the adder of the r-th (1xe2x89xa6rxe2x89xa64, r is a natural number) butterfly computation unit is connected to the serial input of the r-th shift register unit, and an output from the subtractor of the r-th butterfly computation unit is connected to the serial input of the r+4-th shift register unit.


The invention encompasses a purified preparation of the mitotic spindle matrix essential for mitotic spindle assembly, which allows for identifying an agent that modulates a cell division and/or differentiation signaling pathway comprising determining the effect of the agent on spindle formation, MT nucleation, or lamin matrix assembly wherein the change in spindle formation, MT nucleation or lamin matrix assembly.

1. Cell Division in Development, Adult Tissue Homeostasis, and Disease
Metazoan cell division involves dramatic changes of cellular structures. Both secretion and endocytosis are either greatly slowed down or stopped as the cell prepares for mitosis [1-3]. As mitotic spindle assembly progresses and chromosomes further condense [4], the dissolution of nuclear envelope and nuclear lamina [5] is accompanied by the fragmentation of Golgi ribbons [6] and changes in other membrane compartments including the endoplasmic reticulum [7], the endosomes [3], and the mitochondria [8]. Therefore, successful mitosis requires not only an equal segregation of chromosomes into daughter cells but also proper partitioning of other cellular components such as the membrane systems.
Proper cell division is fundamentally important in normal development and tissue homeostasis. For example, equal chromosome segregation during cell division is required for maintaining genome stability [4]. Correct segregation of nuclear materials, including transcription factors, is essential for the daughter cells to reestablish the interphase nuclei with appropriate transcription programs that allow them to either progress along an appropriate differentiation pathway or to remain undifferentiated (as in the case of division of progenitor and stem cells) [9]. Moreover, proper partitioning of the membrane system is necessary to ensure that each of the daughter cells can reestablish both endocytic and exocytic pathways that allow them to send and receive signals and to coordinate organogenesis and tissue homeostasis [10].
Inappropriate cell division could lead to defects in development and adult tissue homeostasis, which results in disease. Indeed, many human diseases, including cancer, premature aging, disease of the vasculature and the airway, and diabetes, are directly related to problems in cell division, differentiation, and cell death. For example, cancer is a result of uncontrolled cell division. Premature aging such as certain types of laminopathy is largely caused by lack of cell proliferation. Increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis of smooth muscle cells contribute toward airway obstruction in asthma, atheroma and restenosis after vascular injury.
2. The Role of Mitotic Spindle Morphogenesis in Cell Division and Differentiation
The assembly of the microtubule (MT)-based bipolar spindle apparatus is essential for cell division. One of the important functions of the spindle apparatus is to capture the condensed chromosomes on the MT-based spindle fibers. Equal chromosome segregation requires that each sister chromatids to be captured by spindle fibers originated from opposite spindle poles. An elaborate surveillance system called spindle checkpoint has evolved to monitor the capture of chromosomes by the spindle fibers. The spindle checkpoint senses inappropriate chromosome capture and is able to arrest mitosis until all chromosomes have achieved correct attachment to the spindle.
Another important function of the spindle apparatus is to regulate cell differentiation during development. The position and geometry of mitotic spindle can determine the plane of cell division. Studies in multiple systems have shown that cell-cell signaling regulates spindle positioning and spindle shape. The mitotic spindle in turn functions to differentially partition cell fate determinants into daughter cells. Through differential interaction with the membrane systems, the mitotic spindle also actively segregate signaling molecules into one but not the other daughter cells [11].
3. The Mitotic Spindle as a Target of Therapeutic Interventions and its Current Limitations
The importance of spindle morphogenesis in maintaining genome stability and in ensuring proper cell differentiation makes it an ideal target for therapeutic interventions of many diseases. For example, chemicals such as taxol that disrupts proper MT polymerization have been developed to treat cancer [12]. Additional chemicals that disrupt either MT-based motor proteins [12] or kinases that regulate cell division, such as CDK kinases [13], Polo-like kinase 1 [14], and Aurora A and B kinases [15] are at different stages of development or clinical trials. Extensive studies have shown that many of these chemicals can cause prolonged cell division block and initial tumors regression. However, a number of outcomes of such treatments eventually render additional genomic instability and tumor re-growth as some tumor cells escape the prolonged mitotic arrests, survive and continue to undergo cell cycle [16]. The limited success of anti-cancer drugs calls for the development of additional chemicals that can both arrest tumor cell division and cause cell death. However, the current understanding of spindle morphogenesis has put a significant constraint on the development of assay systems to identify such kind chemicals.
Differentiation of stem cells into different tissues holds great promise in the treatment of various human diseases. The ability of mitotic spindle to orchestrate differential partitioning of cell fate determinants offers a great potential to identify compounds that could induce lineage specific tissue differentiation from stem cells cultured in vitro. However, the lack of understanding of how the mitotic spindle interacts with cell fate determinants has made it difficult to design strategies to identify such compounds.
4. The Identification of Mitotic Spindle Matrix Presents a Conceptual Advancement of Understanding the Role of Spindle Morphogenesis in Cell Division and Cell Differentiation
Mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome segregation is a dynamic and force production process, which requires coordinated actions of MTs, MT-based motors, MT-binding proteins, and chromosomes [17, 18]. Although much progress has been made in understanding how the MT-based spindle regulates chromosomes segregation, it has become apparent that proper spindle morphogenesis and cell division involves additional intracellular structures besides the MT cytoskeleton. Indeed, it was hypothesized decades ago that a static scaffold, called the spindle matrix, exists during mitosis and is required for cell division. Such a matrix could tether spindle assembly factors (SAF) to support the assembly and force production of spindle microtubules [19-21]. However, the existence and molecular nature of the spindle matrix had remained elusive until our recent discoveries, which are disclosed in this invention.
Previous studies have shown that the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Ran, a protein with well-established function in interphase nuclear trafficking, plays an important role in regulating spindle morphogenesis in mitosis [22-29]. Moreover, it was determined that RanGTP functions in a signaling pathway that leads to the activation of the mitotic kinase Aurora A [30, 31]. Based on these findings, a number of assays have been devised that allowed identification, biochemical isolation and characterization of the mitotic spindle matrix [32, 33].
As disclosed in this invention, it was determined that RanGTP induces the assembly of the mitotic spindle matrix, which is essential for spindle morphogenesis [33]. It was demonstrated demonstrated that the mitotic spindle matrix associates with spindle microtubules and consists of a membrane system and the polymerized nuclear lamin B. Moreover, this matrix tethers a number of spindle assembly factors that are known to promote both microtubule nucleation and organization. Finally, the mitotic spindle matrix contains transcription factors and signaling molecules known to regulate cell proliferation, stem cell pluripotency, and cell differentiation. These discoveries provide an important conceptual advancement that explains how mitotic spindle morphogenesis is required for not only chromosome segregation but also for the partitioning of cell fate determines and membrane systems into daughter cells. Therefore, the mitotic spindle matrix identified in this invention differs significantly both in its functions and contents from the originally hypothesized spindle matrix. The mitotic spindle matrix is also distinct from the interphase nuclear lamina in its structure, composition, function, and the requirement of the mitotic state for its assembly.
5. The Ability to Prepare and Isolate the Mitotic Spindle Matrix Offers Distinct Approaches to Assay for Cell Division and Differentiation
The characteristics of the mitotic spindle matrix disclosed in this invention allow us to devise methods (also disclosed in this invention) to prepare and isolate the mitotic spindle matrix. These methods are conceptually and practically distinct from the existing methods of isolating mitotic spindles. The existing spindle-isolation methods involve the removal of DNA and RNA and the utilization of detergents [34], which prevent the isolation of a fully functional mitotic spindle matrix. By modulating the mitotic spindle matrix, our invention offers distinct strategies to manipulate cell division and differentiation potentials that are not currently available.

Isolation of the mitotic spindle matrix and its methods of use


A mounting plate assembly has a mounting plate for mounting a light fixture in holes of different diameters. A guide rail assembly is secured to a rear face of the mounting plate on opposed sides of an aperture. Each guide rail assembly has a displaceable spring clamp structure mounted on a displaceable base coupled for sliding displacement along the guide rail assembly. Spring biasing elements are provided between the displaceable base and the guide rail assembly to urge a bottom face of the displaceable base against a flat top surface of a mounting base to which the guide rails are secured. A retention formation is provided in the bottom surface of the displaceable base for retention coupling with a selected one of space-apart engageable retainers immovably secured to the flat top surface of the mounting base and aligned with the retention formation to arrest the displaceable base at a desired location to position the spring clamp structures at a desired location with respect to the size of a hole formed in the sheet material and to which a light fixture is to be secured.

LED light fixtures have become very popular due to the many advantages and features that they provide over old incandescent fixtures and there exists a growing need to replace the old fixtures with new modem light fixtures using LED lamps or small incandescent bulbs. However, the existing fixtures to be replaced are either secured to junction boxes or are of the canister type mounted in holes formed in sheeting material such as gypsum board material. These existing mountings, when the fixture is removed for replacement, produce holes of varying sizes in the sheeting material dependent on the type of the lighting fixture previously installed. This is troublesome in that it places a restriction on the type of replacement fixture that can fit the hole or requires carpentry work to modify the hole or repair the sheeting material to seal the hole and form a new one and creating a need to relocate the electrical wiring and particularly so with recessed light fixtures wherein the light bulbs(s) is secured in a recess can wherein the can. Such recessed cans are available in different diameters, for example 2, 4 or 6 inches in diameter. Therefore, this produces added costs to the end user or a restriction on the type of light fixture that can be substituted.
Other light fixture restrictions imposed with replacement light fixtures is the shape of the fixture and the location of the existing junction box and size which in most instances is secured to a stud and this again can cause a restriction on the type of substitute light fixture to be mounted on the junction box. It would be advantageous to have a light fixture which can be mounted on existing junction boxes of different diameters as well as baving the option of being able to be mounted in existing canister holes of different diameters. It would further be advantageous to provide a light fixture mounting assembly having a junction box which would permit replacement of existing mounting boxes regardless of its diameter or to permit relocation of the light fixture by sealing off the junction box and relocating its power leads. Another desirable need would be to provide a light fixture mounting assembly incorporating a driver circuit housing which an fit into an existing hole or an enlarged hole provided in sheet material or in an existing junction box for connection to the power leads and to add further LED light fixtures drawing power from the existing junction box.
It would also be advantageous to provide a light fixture mounting assembly secured to light fixtures of different forms and which mounting assembly is easily adjustable to provide such different mountings and not require the services of carpenters or electricians to install. A still further need is to provide an adjustable spring clamp which would permit a user person to displace the spring clamp and secure it to a desired position depending on an existing hole diameter and without the use of tools.


A bicycle seat clamp assembly includes a body having opposing side faces with an arched first and second lower guide rail outwardly project therefrom, respectively. A first wing clamp is positioned on the first lower guide rail while a second wing clamp is positioned on the second lower guide rail. A primary fastener attaches the first wing clamp and the second wing clamp to the body, the primary fastener being movable between a first position wherein the first wing clamp and the second wing clamp are rigidly fixed to the body and a second position wherein the first wing clamp and the second wing clamp can freely slide along the first lower guide rail and the second lower guide rail, respectively. Structure is also provided for releasably securing a bicycle seat to the first wing clamp and the second wing clamp independent of movement of the primary fastener.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bicycle seat clamps.
2. The Relevant Technology
A conventional bicycle seat includes a top surface on which a bicyclist sits and a bottom surface from which mounting rods extend. Other bicycle seats have a single "I beam" style mounting rod structure. A seat clamp can be secured to the mounting rods or rod and is used to secure the seat to the bicycle frame. Many seat clamps permit a user to manually adjust the position of the seat relative to the frame. For example, some seat clamps permit a user to adjust the position of the seat forward and rearward relative to the frame. This forward or rearward movement of the seat is referred to herein as "longitudinal displacement." Some seat clamps permit a user to adjust the forward or rearward tilt of the seat relative to the frame. Such adjustability of the seat permits an operator to optimize comfort and/or performance.
Conventional seat clamps, however, have a number of shortcomings. For example, most adjustable seat clamps require that the longitudinal displacement and tilt of the seat be simultaneously adjusted. This design makes it difficult to fine tune seat adjustment when only one of the longitudinal displacement or tilt adjustments is desired. Furthermore, adjustable seat clamps are often structurally complex, difficult to adjust, and can have increased weight. In addition, most adjustable seat clamps have a fixed seat clamping position and permit only very limited longitudinal displacement of the seat. While some adjustable seat clamps can be reversed to provide a second clamping offset position, those designs do not provide usable tilt adjustment ranges when in that reversed position.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art are seat clamps that improve on one or more of the above shortcomings.


An image reading apparatus includes: a document table; a light reception unit; light sources disposed such that positions at which the optical axes of the plurality of light sources cross a reception optical axis of the light reception unit are different from one another; and a read control unit. The image reading apparatus further includes: a light reception amount storage unit configured to store the light reception amount for each of distances; a distance calculation unit configured to calculate a distance between the placement surface and the document based on the light reception amount obtained by the read control operation for each light source by referencing the light reception amount stored in the light reception amount storage unit; and a correction amount determination unit configured to determine a correction amount based on the distance calculated by the distance calculation unit.

A known image reading apparatus applies light from a light source to a document placed on a placement surface of a document table and receives reflected light from the document by a light reception unit of a light reception element, etc., thereby reading an image of the document. In this kind of image reading apparatus, if a part of the document is spaced from the placement surface in a height direction (perpendicular to the placement surface) because of deformation, etc., of the document, the light applied from the light source and reflected on the document is not precisely incident on the light reception unit and it may be impossible to read a good image. Then, an image reading apparatus is proposed, in which a plurality of light sources for applying light toward the placement surface along different optical axes are provided such that the optical axes of the light sources cross an optical axis of the light reception unit at different positions, whereby if a part the document is spaced from the placement surface, an image can be well read.


A zeolite formulation has been identified that is to be included in an arrangement of barrier layers allowing for the entrapment of volatile organoleptic compound (VOCs), in particular, odor causing VOCs, between the barrier layers in order to contain the release of these compounds. The entrapment technique allows for extended time to adsorb, absorb or react such VOCs before they can be absorbed by the product surrounded by the packaging. A zeolite formulation of an odor scavenger layer not having any VOC barrier layers within the film is also disclosed having the capability to contain the release of hydrogen sulfide over a period of at least 20 days.

Polymeric films are used in a wide variety of packaging applications, including food packaging, pharmaceutical products and non-perishable consumer goods. Films suitable for each of these applications are typically required to exhibit a range of physical properties. Food packaging films in particular may be required to meet numerous demanding performance criteria, depending on the specific application, such as protection from the environment, resistance to physical and environmental abuse during processing, storage and distribution, and an aesthetic and attractive appearance. Optical properties such as high gloss, high clarity, and low haze contribute to the aesthetic consumer appeal of products wrapped in such packaging materials. Good optical properties also permit adequate inspection of the packaged product during the distribution cycle and by the end-user at point of purchase.
In the case of perishable products, such as oxygen sensitive products, oxygen barrier characteristics are required to provide extended shelf life for the packaged product. Limiting the exposure of oxygen-sensitive products to oxygen maintains and enhances the quality and shelf life of many products. For instance, by limiting the oxygen exposure of oxygen-sensitive food products in a packaging system, the quality of the food product can be maintained and spoilage retarded. In addition, such packaging also keeps the product in inventory longer, thereby reducing costs incurred from waste and having to restock.
In the food packaging industry, several techniques for limiting oxygen exposure have been developed. Common techniques include those where oxygen is consumed within the packaging environment by some means other than the packaged article or the packaging material—e.g., through the use of oxygen scavenging sachets—those where reduced oxygen environments are created in the package—e.g., modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and vacuum packaging—and those where oxygen is prevented from entering the packaging environment—e. g., barrier films). Packaged product may also have residual oxygen. In a hermetically sealed packaged, scavenging provides a means of eliminating the negative effects of the oxygen on the quality and shelf-life of the product.
In the past, oxygen scavenging materials have been incorporated into the packaging structure. This technique (also referred to as "active oxygen barrier") can provide a certain scavenging effect throughout the package and a means to intercept and scavenge oxygen as it passes through the walls of the package, thereby reducing the possible oxygen level through the package.
Conventionally, active oxygen barriers have been formed by incorporating inorganic powders and/or salts as part of the package. However, incorporation of such powders and/or salts can degrade the transparency and mechanical properties—e. g., tear strength—of the packaging material and can complicate processing, especially where thin films are desired. Also, in some cases these compounds as well as their oxidation products can be absorbed by food in the container, which can result in the food product failing to meet governmental standards for human consumption.
In addition, various films have been developed to help provide oxygen barrier properties to the packaging. For example, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) has been known as a good oxygen barrier material, and has been used in the past in conjunction with multilayer packaging films. However, many of these films may still permit some oxygen to pass through the film and eventually enter the package. As a result, the film may not provide the desired level of oxygen barrier properties.
Additionally, packaged foods may be subjected to microbial decontamination and shelf-life improvement, which have also proven effective in preserving the quality of the food and extending the shelf-life of the food products. For example, electronic beam ("eBeam") processing can be effective in achieving a certain level of food safety and quality assurance protocol. Such techniques may be combined with other treatment techniques, such as, for example, IR technology or UV technology to provide a preferred synergistic effect of food treatment. Other processes for elimination of bacteria and microbes utilize a high pressure pasteurization process (HPP), which can be an effective method that does not utilize heat. However, when such treatment techniques are used on pre-packaged foods, volatile organic compounds having certain undesirable odor causing capability may be generated. Use of more rigorous techniques require the use of a film that not only maintains an oxygen scavenging characteristic but also possesses an odor causing compound scavenging capability to reduce or substantiality eliminate the volatile organic compounds that may be generated as a result of using such treatment techniques. Such odor possessing compounds that are generated during the treatment process may undesirably alter the flavor of the food product—i.e., otherwise known as creating organoleptic issues within the packaged product.
It has also been found that oxygen scavenging structures can generate reaction byproducts that can affect the taste and smell of the packaged material (organoleptic properties). Such byproducts have previously been found to include acids, aldehydes and ketones. While it has been found that zeolites (e.g., organophillic zeolites in particular) absorb such odor-causing reaction products, which can be exacerbated upon being exposed to these other treatment techniques, it has not been found, in particular, that any such zeolites may be effective at absorbing the odor-causing reaction byproducts that are generated at more extreme processing conditions. These types of byproducts tend to include dienes, trienes, alcohols, ketones as well as other types of materials.
There remains a need in the art for a film and/or a method of using a film that possesses an oxygen scavenging capability but also reduces if not substantially eliminates the volatile organic compounds possessing undesirable taste and odor characteristics generated from a more rigorous food processing technique, such as, for example, eBeam processing.
Coextruded multi-layer polymer films can contain materials that are organoleptically unpleasant. When used in packaging applications, these volatile organoleptic compounds (VOCs) can be readily absorbed from the film into the packaged product. This can have a negative impact on the product.

Film having an oxygen scavenger and a volatile organoleptic compound scavenger


The present invention concerns a system and method for fabricating a three-dimensional object. A build platform is provided that defines a build area and includes a print bed within the build area. Also provided is an extruder that extrudes build material. An ejector having at least one arm that has at least two opposing ends is used to remove the printed object. The first end of the ejector is adapted to travel in a vertical direction and the second end is adapted to travel in a horizontal direction. A scraper portion extends horizontally, parallel to the print bed from a retracted position to an extended position when the first end travels in a vertical direction towards the print bed.

The present invention relates to the field of additive manufacturing (3D printing). While there are a number of acceptable 3D printer designs currently, there remains room for improvement. For example, current designs lack portability as a result of being designed to be operational in stationary locations.
Current designs are also unreliable. It is not uncommon to have print jams caused by clogged extruders, unreliable heating elements, improper layer height calibration and failures in the movement of the printing head caused by jammed carriages and the like.
Current designs also lack a reliable means to provide a user access to a printed part while preventing access to the working parts of the printer.

3D printing part removal and interface for a 3D printing vending machine

VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.


A delivery system for self-expanding medical devices is provided. The delivery system includes seals around an inner catheter. The self-expanding medical device may be mounted on the seals to define an open space between the seals and the inner surface of the medical device and the exterior of the inner catheter. Vacuum pressure may be applied to the open space to reduce friction between the exterior surface of the self-expanding medical device and the inner surface of an outer catheter.

The present invention relates generally to medical devices and particularly to delivery systems for self-expanding medical devices.
Minimally invasive medical devices have become relatively common devices for treating numerous organs, such as the vascular system, colon, biliary tract, urinary tract, esophagus, trachea and the like. Stents are one type of minimally invasive medical device that is particularly useful for treating various conditions including occlusions and other related problems that restrict flow through a passage (generally referred to as a stenosis). Stents are also useful for treating various types of aneurysms. Although stents are a well-known type of medical device, many other types of medical devices are used for treating conditions within the human body.
Self-expanding medical devices offer several advantages for treating conditions within a body. In general, self-expanding medical devices are made from spring-like materials, such as stainless steel and nitinol. Typically, self-expanding medical devices have a support structure made from a spring-like material that is compressible into a collapsed configuration. The medical device is usually restrained in the collapsed configuration by a restraint, such as an outer catheter. In a minimally invasive medical device, the collapsed configuration is designed to allow the medical device to be passed through the body in a small profile delivery system that minimizes trauma to the body during the procedure. Once the medical device is positioned at the site in the body where the medical device is intended to be released, the restraint is removed from the medical device, and the spring-like properties of the support structure cause the medical device to expand to a larger configuration. If a medical device is intended to be left in the body for an extended period of time, the delivery system is then withdrawn from the body, and the medical device is left at the site where it was expanded.
One challenge with delivering self-expanding medical devices is that the medical device exerts outward force against the restraint when the medical device is in the collapsed configuration due to the spring-like properties of the support structure. This can make it difficult to remove the restraint at the implantation site. For example, in one type of delivery system where the restraint is an outer catheter that is withdrawn from the medical device, the medical device typically exerts outward force against the inner surface of the outer catheter. This creates friction between the medical device and the outer catheter that must be overcome in order to release the medical device. Friction between the medical device and the restraint can be particularly high for medical devices that are especially long; for medical devices with coatings or graft layers with higher friction coefficients; and for restraints that do not have low friction coefficients.
Because of the tension and/or friction that occurs between a self-expanding medical device and its restraint, self-expanding medical device delivery systems suffer from a number of problems. In some cases, the amount of force that may be needed to overcome the friction between the medical device and its restraint can be so high that a physician cannot release the medical device at the implantation site. The high forces needed to deliver self-expanding medical devices can also contribute to inaccurate placement of the medical device due to inadvertent movements of the delivery system that occur when the physician is attempting to overcome the delivery forces. Damage can also occur to parts of the medical device, such as the support structure, coatings and/or graft layers. It is also possible that the restraint can be damaged when trying to remove the restraint from the medical device.
Accordingly, the inventor believes it would be desirable to provide a self-expanding medical device delivery system with lower delivery forces.


A common ground terminal is adapted for use with wedgebase lamp bulbs of either the single filament of dual filament type in a single filament lamp socket. The common ground terminal has a pair of opposed, upper and lower spring contact arms which biasingly engage opposite sides of a wedgebase when it is inserted into the space between the spring contact arms. The lower spring contact arm has a second spring tab which accommodates the presence of a second contact wire when the dual filament type of wedgebase lamp bulb is used.

This invention relates generally to electrical terminals and more specifically to electrical ground terminals for use with wedgebase lamp bulbs.
Wedgebase lamp bulbs may be of the single or dual filament type. The single filament type has two contact wires for energizing the filament which emerge from the end of the wedgebase and extend over onto opposite flat sides of the wedgebase so that there is one contact wire adjacent each lateral side of the wedgebase.
On the other hand the dual filament type has two sets of contact wires for energizing the respective two filaments. These four contact wires emerge from the end of the wedgebase and extend over onto opposite flat sides of the wedgebase so that there is one contact wire on each flat side adjacent each lateral side of the wedgebase. This results in a contact area for the dual filament lamp bulb which is thicker than the contact area for the single filament lamp bulb by the thickness of one contact wire.
These two types of lamp bulbs are interchangeable in lamp bulb sockets in the sense that the dual filament lamp bulb can be used in a lamp socket designed for a single filament lamp bulb. In this case, the dual filament lamp bulb acts as a single filament lamp bulb. This interchangeability requires a common ground terminal which can be used with either the single filament lamp bulb with its two contact wires or the dual filament lamp bulb with its four contact wires.
In the past, these common ground terminals have had the drawback that the spring contact arms of the common ground terminal are deflected ore by the wedgebase of the dual filament lamp bulb because of the added thickness which is due to the presence of a second contact wire on the opposite side of the wedgebase in the vicinity of each lateral side. Consequently these known common ground terminals produce a contact force which varies considerably depending upon the type of wedgebase lamp bulb that is being used. Moreover these known common ground terminals cannot be designed for the optimum contact force with either type lamp bulb because optimizing the design for one type introduces the possibility of either exceeding the elastic limit of the terminal material or producing an inadequate contact force when the other type lamp bulb is used.

Common ground terminal for use with single filament and dual filament wedgebase lamp bulbs